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Congress Looks Into $1 Billion Overrun At Denver VA hospital

DENVER (CBS4/AP) - Congress is investigating the walloping $1 billion cost overrun on the veterans hospital under construction in Aurora.

The House Committee on Veterans Affairs held a hearing Tuesday in Washington. VA Deputy Secretary Sloan Gibson is scheduled to testify.

VA Hospital
(credit: CBS)

The Veterans Affairs Department said last year the hospital would cost $630 million and be completed in 2015. The VA now estimates it will cost $1.73 billion and be finished in 2017.

The department blamed the cost overruns on problems in the design process. An internal investigation is underway.

Committee members have demanded that the VA fire those responsible. A construction executive retired, and three officials were transferred or demoted.

Colorado Republican Reps. Mike Coffman and Doug Lamborn are members of the committee.

Coffman had harsh words for the committee.

"The only lousy idea I've heard is allowing the VA to continue paying bonuses to bureaucrats who have overseen secret waiting lists, billions of dollars in construction costs overruns and other travesties that have seriously endangered our nation's veterans," said Coffman.

Coffman has proposed using executive bonuses to pay for and finish the construction.

(TM and © Copyright 2015 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2015 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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