Communities Helping Invest through Property and Improvements Needed for Veterans Act of 2016

Summary: (This measure has not been amended since it was passed by the House on December 7, 2016.  Communities Helping Invest through Property and Improvements Needed for Veterans Act of 2016 or the CHIP IN for Vets Act of 2016 (Sec. 2) This bill authorizes the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to carry out a five-year pilot program under which it may accept up to five donations by non-federal entities of: (1) real property that includes a constructed facility or that is to be used as the site of a facility constructed by the entity, and (2) a facility to be constructed by the entity on real property of the VA. A donation must be: (1) a property for which funds have been appropriated for a VA facility project or a property that is identified as meeting a need of the VA as part of its long-range capital planning process and that is the location for a VA facility project that is included on the Strategic Capital Investment Planning process priority list; and (2) donated pursuant to a formal agreement with the VA for a VA facility project in an amount acceptable to the VA at no additional cost to the federal government. Such a formal agreement must provide for: (1) the donation of real property that includes a constructed facility; or (2) the construction of a facility on VA real property or on real property donated to the VA by the entity. An agreement that provides for the construction of a facility shall require the entity to:   conduct all necessary environmental and historic preservation due diligence,   comply with all local zoning requirements,  obtain all required construction permits,  use construction standards required of the VA when designing, repairing, altering, or building the facility, and provide the real property, improvements, goods, or services in a manner sufficient to complete the construction at no additional cost to the federal government.   The VA may not: (1) pay rent, usage fees, or any other amounts to an entity for the use or occupancy of real property donated under this bill; and (2) provide funds to help the entity finance, design, or construct such a facility that are in addition to those appropriated for the facility as of the date of the donation agreement. An entity that: (1) is donating a facility constructed by the entity shall be required to provide other funds in addition to the amounts provided by the VA that are needed to complete construction of the facility; and (2) seeks to donate real property shall submit an application to address needs relating to VA facilities, including health care needs, identified in its Construction and Long-Range Capital Plan in such manner as the VA may require. The VA shall include in the annual budget submitted to Congress by the President information regarding real property donated under the pilot program and the status of facility projects relating to that property.   The Government Accountability Office shall report to Congress every two years until the program ends on the donation agreements under the program. 

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
    This Act may be cited as the ``Communities Helping Invest through 
Property and Improvements Needed for Veterans Act of 2016'' or the 
``CHIP IN for Vets Act of 2016''.
SEC. 2. PILOT PROGRAM ON ACCEPTANCE BY THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS 
AFFAIRS OF DONATED FACILITIES AND RELATED IMPROVEMENTS.
    (a) Pilot Program Authorized.--
        (1) In general.--Notwithstanding sections 8103 and 8104 of 
    title 38, United States Code, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs may 
    carry out a pilot program under which the Secretary may accept 
    donations of the following property from entities described in 
    paragraph (2):
            (A) Real property (including structures and equipment 
        associated therewith)--
                (i) that includes a constructed facility; or
                (ii) to be used as the site of a facility constructed 
            by the entity.
            (B) A facility to be constructed by the entity on real 
        property of the Department of Veterans Affairs.
        (2) Entities described.--Entities described in this paragraph 
    are the following:
            (A) A State or local authority.
            (B) An organization that is described in section 501(c)(3) 
        of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and is exempt from 
        taxation under section 501(a) of such Code.
            (C) A limited liability corporation.
            (D) A private entity.
            (E) A donor or donor group.
            (F) Any other non-Federal Government entity.
        (3) Limitation.--The Secretary may accept not more than five 
    donations of real property and facility improvements under the 
    pilot program and as described in this section.
    (b) Conditions for Acceptance of Property.--The Secretary may 
accept the donation of a property described in subsection (a)(1) under 
the pilot program only if--
        (1) the property is--
            (A) a property with respect to which funds have been 
        appropriated for a Department facility project; or
            (B) a property identified as--
                (i) meeting a need of the Department as part of the 
            long-range capital planning process of the Department; and
                (ii) the location for a Department facility project 
            that is included on the Strategic Capital Investment 
            Planning process priority list in the most recent budget 
            submitted to Congress by the President pursuant to section 
            1105(a) of title 31, United States Code; and
        (2) an entity described in subsection (a)(2) has entered into 
    or is willing to enter into a formal agreement with the Secretary 
    in accordance with subsection (c) under which the entity agrees to 
    independently donate the real property, improvements, goods, or 
    services, for the Department facility project in an amount 
    acceptable to the Secretary and at no additional cost to the 
    Federal Government.
    (c) Requirement To Enter Into an Agreement.--
        (1) In general.--The Secretary may accept real property and 
    improvements donated under the pilot program by an entity described 
    in subsection (a)(2) only if the entity enters into a formal 
    agreement with the Secretary that provides for--
            (A) the donation of real property and improvements 
        (including structures and equipment associated therewith) that 
        includes a constructed facility; or
            (B) the construction by the entity of a facility on--
                (i) real property and improvements of the Department of 
            Veterans Affairs; or
                (ii) real property and improvements donated to the 
            Department by the entity.
        (2) Content of formal agreements.--With respect to an entity 
    described in subsection (a)(2) that seeks to enter into a formal 
    agreement under paragraph (1) of this subsection that includes the 
    construction by the entity of a facility, the formal agreement 
    shall provide for the following:
            (A) The entity shall conduct all necessary environmental 
        and historic preservation due diligence, shall comply with all 
        local zoning requirements (except for studies and consultations 
        required of the Department under Federal law), and shall obtain 
        all permits required in connection with the construction of the 
        facility.
            (B) The entity shall use construction standards required of 
        the Department when designing, repairing, altering, or building 
        the facility, except to the extent the Secretary determines 
        otherwise, as permitted by applicable law.
            (C) The entity shall provide the real property, 
        improvements, goods, or services in a manner described in 
        subsection (b)(2) sufficient to complete the construction of 
        the facility, at no additional cost to the Federal Government.
    (d) No Payment of Rent or Usage Fees.--The Secretary may not pay 
rent, usage fees, or any other amounts to an entity described in 
subsection (a)(2) or any other entity for the use or occupancy of real 
property or improvements donated under this section.
    (e) Funding.--
        (1) From department.--
            (A) In general.--The Secretary may not provide funds to 
        help the entity finance, design, or construct a facility in 
        connection with real property and improvements donated under 
        the pilot program by an entity described in subsection (a)(2) 
        that are in addition to the funds appropriated for the facility 
        as of the date on which the Secretary and the entity enter into 
        a formal agreement under subsection (c) for the donation of the 
        real property and improvements.
            (B) Terms and conditions.--The Secretary shall provide 
        funds pursuant to subparagraph (A) under such terms, 
        conditions, and schedule as the Secretary determines 
        appropriate.
        (2) From entity.--An entity described in subsection (a)(2) that 
    is donating a facility constructed by the entity under the pilot 
    program shall be required, pursuant to a formal agreement entered 
    into under subsection (c), to provide other funds in addition to 
    the amounts provided by the Department under paragraph (1) that are 
    needed to complete construction of the facility.
    (f) Application.--An entity described in subsection (a)(2) that 
seeks to donate real property and improvements under the pilot program 
shall submit to the Secretary an application to address needs relating 
to facilities of the Department, including health care needs, 
identified in the Construction and Long-Range Capital Plan of the 
Department, at such time, in such manner, and containing such 
information as the Secretary may require.
    (g) Information on Donations and Related Projects.--
        (1) In general.--The Secretary shall include in the budget 
    submitted to Congress by the President pursuant to section 1105(a) 
    of title 31, United States Code, information regarding real 
    property and improvements donated under the pilot program during 
    the year preceding the submittal of the budget and the status of 
    facility projects relating to that property.
        (2) Elements.--Information submitted under paragraph (1) shall 
    provide a detailed status of donations of real property and 
    improvements conducted under the pilot program and facility 
    projects relating to that property, including the percentage 
    completion of the donations and projects.
    (h) Biennial Report of Comptroller General of the United States.--
Not less frequently than once every 2 years until the termination date 
set forth in subsection (i), the Comptroller General of the United 
States shall submit to Congress a report on the donation agreements 
entered into under the pilot program.
    (i) Termination.--The authority for the Secretary to accept 
donations under the pilot program shall terminate on the date that is 5 
years after the date of the enactment of this Act.
    (j) Rule of Construction.--Nothing in this section shall be 
construed as a limitation on the authority of the Secretary to enter 
into other arrangements or agreements that are authorized by law and 
not inconsistent with this section.

                               Speaker of the House of Representatives.

                            Vice President of the United States and    
                                               President of the Senate.