During the Clinton Administration, efforts to provide readily accessible quality service to our nation’s veterans resulted in the creation of Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOCs) throughout the country. These clinics meant that veterans could receive care closer to home, no longer having to travel significant distances or overcome great obstacles to get necessary outpatient treatment.

One of the first concerns demanding Congressman Tierney’s attention upon his election to Congress was to work with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) on this issue with respect to 6th District veterans. In June 1997, the VA selected Lynn as one of the first two CBOC sites in the Commonwealth. Shortly thereafter, another CBOC site was added in Gloucester and in Haverhill (then part of the 6th District).

Since then, Congressman Tierney has argued that these CBOCs have fulfilled their purpose and their success is evident by the number of veterans throughout the 6th District that now depend on them. Congressman Tierney believes that, at a time when more and more veterans are returning home from service, now might even be an appropriate time to consider how we could replicate and expand upon the model established by CBOCs.