To amend title 38, United States Code, to extend certain expiring authorities of the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes.

Summary: Extends through December 31, 1998, the authority of the Department of Veterans Affairs to provide hospital care and medical services to Persian Gulf veterans exposed to toxic substances or environmental hazards during such service, as long as symptoms become manifest before January 1, 1997.  Extends through December 31, 1997:  (1) the authority to contract with community-based treatment facilities for the care of eligible veterans suffering from alcohol or drug dependence or abuse disabilities; (2) the authority of a pilot program for furnishing veterans with noninstitutional alternatives to nursing home care (requires a report); (3) the Department's health professionals scholarship program (requires a report); (4) the authority of the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to enter into enhanced-use leases of Department real property (requires a report); (5) the authority under the Veterans' Benefits and Services Act of 1988 for a pilot program providing community-based residential care for homeless chronically mentally ill veterans; (6) the Department's compensated work therapy and therapeutic transitional housing program; and (7) the authority under the Homeless Veterans Comprehensive Service Programs Act of 1992 for a pilot program to expand and improve Department benefits and services to homeless veterans.  Extends through FY 1997 the authorization of appropriations for such pilot program. 
Directs the Secretary to report to the Congress on the advantages and disadvantages of consolidating specified veterans' programs. 
Repeals the authority of the Secretary to make contracts and grants for providing care and treatment for veterans at the Department's Veterans Memorial Medical Center in the Philippines.

SECTION 1. EXTENSION OF EXPIRING AUTHORITIES OF DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS 
              AFFAIRS.

    (a) Hospital Care and Medical Services for Persian Gulf Veterans 
Exposed to Toxic Substances.--(1) Section 1710(e) of title 38, United 
States Code, is amended--
            (A) in paragraph (1)(C), by inserting ``becoming manifest 
        before January 1, 1997,'' after ``for any disability''; and
            (B) in paragraph (3), by striking out ``December 31, 1995'' 
        and inserting in lieu thereof ``December 31, 1998''.
    (2) Section 1712(a)(1)(D) of such title is amended--
            (A) by striking out ``December 31, 1995'' and inserting in 
        lieu thereof ``December 31, 1998''; and
            (B) by inserting ``becoming manifest before January 1, 
        1997,'' after ``for any disability''.
    (b) Contract Authority for Alcohol and Drug Abuse Care.--Subsection 
(e) of section 1720A of such title is amended by striking out 
``December 31, 1995'' and inserting in lieu thereof ``December 31, 
1997''.
    (c) Nursing Home Care Alternatives.--(1) Section 1720C(a) of such 
title is amended by striking out ``September 30, 1995'' and inserting 
in lieu thereof ``December 31, 1997''.
    (2) The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit to Congress, not 
later than March 31, 1997, a report on the medical efficacy and cost 
effectiveness, and disadvantages and advantages, associated with the 
use by the Secretary of noninstitutional alternatives to nursing home 
care.
    (d) Health Scholarships Program.--(1) Section 7618 of such title is 
amended by striking out ``December 31, 1995'' and inserting in lieu 
thereof ``December 31, 1997''.
    (2)(A) The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit to Congress, 
not later than March 31, 1997, a report setting forth the results of a 
study evaluating the operation of the health professional scholarship 
program under subchapter II of chapter 76 of title 38, United States 
Code. The study shall evaluate the efficacy of the program with respect 
to recruitment and retention of health care personnel for the 
Department of Veterans Affairs and shall compare the costs and benefits 
of the program with the costs and benefits of alternative methods of 
ensuring adequate recruitment and retention of such personnel.
    (B) The Secretary shall carry out the study under this paragraph 
through a private contractor. The report under subparagraph (A) shall 
include the report of the contractor and the comments, if any, of the 
Secretary on that report.
    (e) Enhanced-Use Leases of Real Property.--(1) Section 8169 of such 
title is amended by striking out ``December 31, 1995'' and inserting in 
lieu thereof ``December 31, 1997''.
    (2) The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit to Congress, not 
later than March 31, 1997, a report evaluating the operation of the 
program under subchapter V of chapter 81 of title 38, United States 
Code.
    (f) Community-Based Residential Care for Homeless Chronically 
Mentally Ill Veterans.--Section 115(d) of the Veterans' Benefits and 
Services Act of 1988 (Public Law 100-322; 38 U.S.C. 1712 note) is 
amended by striking out ``September 30, 1995'' and inserting in lieu 
thereof ``December 31, 1997''.
    (g) Demonstration Program of Compensated Work Therapy and 
Therapeutic Transitional Housing.--Section 7 of Public Law 102-54 (38 
U.S.C. 1718 note) is amended--
            (1) in subsection (a), by striking out ``During fiscal 
        years 1991 through 1995, the Secretary'' and inserting in lieu 
        thereof ``The Secretary''; and
            (2) by adding at the end the following:
    ``(m) Sunset.--The authority for the demonstration program under 
this section expires on December 31, 1997.''.
    (h) Homeless Veterans Pilot Program.--The Homeless Veterans 
Comprehensive Service Programs Act of 1992 (Public Law 102-590) is 
amended as follows:
            (1) Section 2(a) (38 U.S.C. 7721 note) is amended by 
        striking out ``September 30, 1995'' and inserting in lieu 
        thereof ``December 31, 1997''.
            (2) Section 3(a) (38 U.S.C. 7721 note) is amended by 
        striking out ``, during fiscal years 1993, 1994, and 1995,''.
            (3) Section 12 (38 U.S.C. 7721 note) is amended by striking 
        out ``each of the fiscal years 1993, 1994, and 1995'' and 
        inserting in lieu thereof ``each fiscal year through 1997''.
SEC. 2. REPORT ON CONSOLIDATION OF CERTAIN PROGRAMS.

    The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit to Congress, not 
later than March 1, 1997, a report on the advantages and disadvantages 
of consolidating into one program the following three programs:
            (1) The alcohol and drug abuse contract care program under 
        section 1720A of title 38, United States Code.
            (2) The program to provide community-based residential care 
        to homeless chronically mentally ill veterans under section 115 
        of the Veterans' Benefits and Services Act of 1988 (38 U.S.C. 
        1712 note).
            (3) The demonstration program under section 7 of Public Law 
        102-54 (38 U.S.C. 1718 note).

SEC. 3. REPEAL OF AUTHORITY TO MAKE GRANTS TO VETERANS MEMORIAL MEDICAL 
              CENTER IN THE PHILIPPINES.

    (a) Repeal.--Section 1732 of title 38, United States Code, is 
amended--
            (1) by striking out subsection (b);
            (2) by redesignating subsection (c) as subsection (b) and 
        striking out ``or grant'' both places it appears in that 
        subsection; and
            (3) by redesignating subsection (d) as subsection (c) and 
        striking out ``and to make grants'' in that subsection.
    (b) Clerical Amendments.--(1) The heading of such section is 
amended by striking out ``and grants''.
    (2) The item relating to such section in the table of sections at 
the beginning of chapter 17 of such title is amended by striking out 
``and grants''.