I 

114TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 4125 

To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to conduct a study on the 

feasibility of the Secretary entering into public-private partnerships to 

improve the access of veterans to medical facilities in densely populated 

communities and rural communities. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

NOVEMBER 19, 2015 

Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN (for herself, Mr. HASTINGS, Mr. HONDA, Mrs. LAWRENCE, Mr. MCGOVERN, Mr. PALLONE, Mr. PAYNE, and Mr. SIRES) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 

A BILL 

To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to conduct a 

study on the feasibility of the Secretary entering into 

public-private partnerships to improve the access of veterans to medical facilities in densely populated communities and rural communities. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 


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1 SECTION 1. STUDY ON FEASIBILITY OF PUBLIC-PRIVATE 

2 PARTNERSHIPS TO IMPROVE ACCESS OF VET3 ERANS TO MEDICAL FACILITIES IN DENSELY 

4 POPULATED COMMUNITIES AND RURAL COM5 MUNITIES. 

6 (a) STUDY.—The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall 

7 conduct a study on the feasibility of the Secretary entering 

8 into covered public-private partnerships to improve the ac9 cess of veterans to medical facilities of the Department 

10 of Veterans Affairs in densely populated communities and 

11 rural communities. Such study shall include the following: 

12 (1) An evaluation of the ability of veterans to 

13 access medical facilities of the Department in dense14 ly populated communities and rural communities, in15 cluding the identification of issues that diminish 

16 such access in such communities, including with re17 spect to such diminished access that affects only cer18 tain populations of veterans or certain kinds of 

19 health care. 

20 (2) An evaluation of whether the requirement 

21 for Congressional approval for major medical facility 

22 leases under section 8104 of title 38, United States 

23 Code, delays such access. 

24 (3) An evaluation of how covered public-private 

25 partnerships may improve the ability of veterans to 


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1 access medical facilities of the Department in dense2 ly populated communities and rural communities. 

3 (4) An evaluation of whether underused medical 

4 facilities of the Department meet building codes. 

5 (5) Recommendations by the Secretary on how 

6 to improve such access, including with respect to any 

7 regulatory or legislative actions required to make 

8 such improvements. 

9 (b) REPORT.—Not later than 180 days after the date 

10 of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit 

11 to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of 

12 Representatives and the Senate a report containing the 

13 study under subsection (a). 

14 (c) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 

15 (1) The term ‘‘covered public-private partner16 ships’’ means leases or other agreements entered 

17 into by the Secretary with non-Department facilities 

18 under which the Secretary will establish a medical 

19 facility of the Department in the unused or 

20 underused space of the non-Department facility. 

21 (2) The term ‘‘densely populated communities’’ 

22 means communities that are in an urbanized area or 

23 an urban cluster, as determined by the Bureau of 

24 the Census. 


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1 (3) The term ‘‘non-Department facilities’’ has 

2 the meaning given that term in section 1701 of title 

3 38, United States Code. 

4 (4) The term ‘‘rural communities’’ means the 

5 rural areas under the jurisdiction of the Office of 

6 Rural Health of the Department of Veterans Affairs 

7 established by section 7308 of title 38, United 

8 States Code. 

Æ 


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