Iowa Congressman Leonard Boswell says he is confident no Veterans Hospitalsin Iowa will be closed. Boswell says the Veterans Administration Directortold him there would be no closings in 1999 or 2000.The V-A hospitals in Des Moines and Knoxville are facing a 20-million dollardeficit in addition to a budget that’s been frozen sinced 1997 and willremain so until 2002. Boswell, a democrat, says he talked Wednesday withthe director of the office of management and budget and says they arerethinking the situation. .A memo leaked recently to the media reportedly says Veterans Affairsofficials are pushing hospital managers in Des Moines and Knoxville to cutthe number of jobs and patients.
