Local lawmakers are putting their party affiliations aside in an effort to provide better care for New Jersey veterans.

Senators Jeff Van Drew and Christopher Connors announced bi-partisan efforts to create a South Jersey Health care Facility that meets the needs of the region’s military veterans.

The recently closed Kessler Hospital in Hammonton is being discussed as a possible site for such a facility.

“We have a facility that’s shovel ready,” said Robert McNulty of the Atlantic County Veterans Advisory Board. “Some renovation work is to our advantage. What we need to do is pull enough strings and rattle enough sabers to make this happen…to get somebody’s attention and get moving in the direction. If we can pool our state officials and federal officials to make this work, the veteran community gains.”

Currently, some local veterans are forced to travel as far as Delaware or North Jersey to get the medical care they need.