During a visit to the Northport VA Medical Center, Sen. Chuck Schumer said he wants Washington to fast track $15 million in funds to replace failing heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems there, according to an article on the Newsday website.

New York’s senior senator said the money is available from a $4 billion energy efficiency fund available to VA facilities nationwide.

“Today, I am demanding the Veterans Administration make this facility their number one priority” Schumer said. “Because we have an emergency here, worse than most other places.”

Schumer said urgent action is needed because repeated HVAC system failures at Northport have resulted in months of canceled surgeries, jeopardized the viability of medicines stored at the pharmacy, forced the closure of a homeless shelter, made it impossible to moderate temperatures in many parts of the facility and even resulted in a rat infestation in Building 7. 

Read the article.