Thousands of Tri-City veterans may soon have a $48.2 million VA outpatient clinic closer to home. 

U.S. Rep. Dan Newhouse, R-Washington, announced the news in a press release that said the community-based U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs outpatient clinic in the Tri-Cities was authorized by the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs and comes from federal legislation approved in 2022.

Neither a location or groundbreaking date were included in the announcement. 

“This historic investment will revitalize veteran care in the Tri-Cities for over 16,000 veterans who call it home,” Newhouse said in an Aug. 13 statement. “Better access to modern care, benefits and services for veterans has been a top priority during my time in Congress, and I am pleased to have secured the necessary funds to deliver new resources that will directly benefit those in our area who have served.”  

Newhouse voted against the original House version of the bill. He later did vote for an amended version of a companion bill sent to the House from the Senate. Newhouse’s office told the Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business the initial bill was too partisan and that led to his vote against it.

Currently there is a VA clinic in the Richland federal building on Jadwin Avenue. That clinic offers primary care as well as toxic exposure screening. The closest VA Medical Center is in Walla Walla. 

The VA did not immediately respond to the Journal’s request for comment.

8/14/25 8:26 a.m.: This story was updated to include a response to a request for comment from Rep. Dan Newhouse's office.