To authorize the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out construction projects for the purpose of improving, renovating, and updating patient care facilities at Department of Veterans Affairs medical centers, and for other purposes.

Summary: Veterans' Major Medical Facilities Construction Act of 2002 - Authorizes the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out specified major medical facility projects in California, Ohio, Alaska, Connecticut, and Florida, in specified amounts.Authorizes the Secretary to enter into a lease for a satellite outpatient clinic in Charlotte, North Carolina, in a specified amount.Authorizes appropriations for FY 2003 for the Construction, Major Projects, account and the Medical Care account.Increases from $4 million to $6 million the major medical facility project threshold.Directs the Secretary, in selecting medical facilities for projects other than major medical facility projects, to the extent practicable, to select projects to improve, replace, renovate, or update facilities to achieve one or more specified purposes, including improvements in: (1) seismic protection related to patient safety; (2) fire safety; (3) utility systems and ancillary patient care facilities; (4) accommodation for person with disabilities; and (5) patient care facilities to specialized programs of the Department of Veterans Affairs.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Veterans' Major Medical Facilities 
Construction Act of 2002''.

SEC. 2. AUTHORIZATION OF MAJOR MEDICAL FACILITY PROJECTS.

    The Secretary of Veterans Affairs may carry out the following major 
medical facility projects, with each project to be carried out in an 
amount not to exceed the amount specified for that project:
            (1) Seismic corrections at the Department of Veterans 
        Affairs Medical Center, Palo Alto, California, as follows:
                    (A) Building Number 2, $14,020,000.
                    (B) Building Number 4, $21,750,000.
            (2) Seismic correction at the Department of Veterans 
        Affairs Medical Center, San Francisco, California, $31,000,000.
            (3) Seismic correction at the Department of Veterans 
        Affairs Medical Center, West Los Angeles, California, 
        $27,200,000.
            (4) Seismic correction and clinical improvement at the 
        Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Long Beach, 
        California, $24,600,000.
            (5) Seismic correction for Building Number 1 at the 
        Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, San Diego, 
        California, $47,100,000.
            (6) Ambulatory Surgery and Clinical Consolidation at the 
        Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Cleveland, Ohio, 
        $32,500,000.
            (7) Consolidation of Department of Veterans Affairs and 
        Department of Defense health and benefits offices, Anchorage 
        Alaska, $59,000,000.
            (8) Ward Renovation at the Department of Veterans Affairs 
        Medical Center, West Haven, Connecticut, $15,300,000.
            (9) Ambulatory Care Expansion at the Department of Veterans 
        Affairs Medical Center, Tampa, Florida, $18,230,000.

SEC. 3. AUTHORIZATION OF A MAJOR MEDICAL FACILITY LEASE.

    The Secretary of Veterans Affairs may enter into a lease for a 
Satellite Outpatient Clinic, Charlotte, North Carolina, in an amount 
not to exceed $2,626,000.

SEC. 4. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    (a) In General.--There is authorized to be appropriated to the 
Secretary of Veterans Affairs for fiscal year 2003--
            (1) for the Construction, Major Projects, account 
        $285,000,000 for the projects authorized in section 2; and
            (2) for the Medical Care account, $2,626,000 for the lease 
        authorized in section 3.
    (b) Limitation.--The projects authorized in section 2 may only be 
carried out using--
            (1) funds appropriated for fiscal year 2003 pursuant to the 
        authorization of appropriations in subsection (a);
            (2) funds appropriated for Construction, Major Projects, 
        for a fiscal year before fiscal year 2003 that remain available 
        for obligation; and
            (3) funds appropriated for Construction, Major Projects, 
        for fiscal year 2003 for a category of activity not specific to 
        a project.

SEC. 5. INCREASE IN THRESHOLD FOR MAJOR MEDICAL FACILITY CONSTRUCTION 
              PROJECTS.

    (a) Increase in Threshold.--Section 8104(a)(3)(A) of title 38, 
United States Code, is amended by striking ``$4,000,000'' and inserting 
``$6,000,000''.
    (b) Applicability to Projects Already Funded.--The amendment made 
by subsection (a) shall apply with respect to any facility project of 
the Department of Veterans Affairs, except for a project for which the 
Secretary obligated funds before October 1, 2002.

SEC. 6. CRITERIA FOR MINOR CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS.

    Section 8103 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding 
at the end the following new subsection:
    ``(e) Purpose of Minor Construction Projects.--In selecting medical 
facilities (including research facilities) for projects under 
subsection (a) other than major medical facility projects subject to 
section 8104 of this title, the Secretary shall, to the extent 
practicable, select projects to improve, replace, renovate, or update 
facilities to achieve one or more of the following:
            ``(1) Seismic protection improvements related to patient 
        safety (or, in the case of a research facility, patient or 
        employee safety).
            ``(2) Fire safety improvements.
            ``(3) Improvements to utility systems and ancillary patient 
        care facilities (including such systems and facilities that may 
        be exclusively associated with research facilities).
            ``(4) Improved accommodation for persons with disabilities, 
        including barrier-free access.
            ``(5) Improvements at patient care facilities to 
        specialized programs of the Department, including the 
        following:
                    ``(A) Blind rehabilitation centers.
                    ``(B) Inpatient and residential programs for 
                seriously mentally ill veterans, including mental 
                illness research, education, and clinical centers.
                    ``(C) Residential and rehabilitation programs for 
                veterans with substance-use disorders.
                    ``(D) Physical medicine and rehabilitation 
                activities.
                    ``(E) Long-term care, including geriatric research, 
                education, and clinical centers, adult day care 
                centers, and nursing home care facilities.
                    ``(F) Amputation care, including facilities for 
                prosthetics, orthotics programs, and sensory aids.
                    ``(G) Spinal cord injury centers.
                    ``(H) Traumatic brain injury programs.
                    ``(I) Women veterans' health programs (including 
                particularly programs involving privacy and 
                accommodation for female patients).
                    ``(J) Facilities for hospice and palliative care 
                programs.''.

            Passed the House of Representatives May 21, 2002.

            Attest:

                                                 JEFF TRANDAHL,

                                                                 Clerk.