Members of Congress finally are showing some overdue concern about another outrage at the Department of Veterans Affairs. They are demanding an explanation for why a new VA hospital in the Denver area is costing taxpayers nearly $1.7 billion.

The original estimate for the facility was approximately one-third of that.

Enormous cost overruns on government projects are, sad to say, normal. But this one has gone more than $1 billion over budget.

Heads should roll at the VA, of course. Will they? Probably not.

But in deciding what to do about the VA, lawmakers should ask themselves this: How much would $1 billion have accomplished to ensure veterans get the good, expeditious health care treatment they deserve from the VA?