IB 

Union Calendar No. 116

108TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 1720

[Report No. 108–210] 

To authorize the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out construction 

projects for the purpose of improving, renovating, establishing, and updating patient care facilities at Department of Veterans Affairs medical 

centers. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

APRIL 10, 2003

Mr. SIMMONS (for himself and Mr. SMITH of New Jersey) introduced the 

following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 

JULY 15, 2003

Additional sponsors: Mr. PORTER, Mr. LOBIONDO, and Mr. BROWN of South 

Carolina 

JULY 15, 2003 

Reported with amendments, committed to the Committee of the Whole House 

on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed 

[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic] 

[For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on April 10, 2003] 

A BILL

To authorize the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out 

construction projects for the purpose of improving, renovating, establishing, and updating patient care facilities 

at Department of Veterans Affairs medical centers.
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1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Veterans Health Care 

5 Facilities Capital Improvement Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. AUTHORIZATION OF MAJOR MEDICAL FACILITY 

7 PROJECTS FOR PATIENT CARE IMPROVE8 MENTS. 

9 (a) IN GENERAL.—(1) Subject to paragraph (3), the 

10 Secretary of Veterans Affairs is authorized to carry out 

11 major medical facility projects in accordance with this sec12 tion, using funds appropriated for fiscal year 2004 or 2005 

13 pursuant to subsection (e). The cost of any such project may 

14 not exceed—

15 (A) $100,000,000 in fiscal year 2004; and 

16 (B) $125,000,000 in fiscal year 2005. 

17 (2) Projects carried out under this section are not sub18 ject to section 8104(a)(2) of title 38, United States Code. 

19 (3) The Secretary may not award a contract by reason 

20 of the authorization provided by paragraph (1) until after 

21 the Secretary has awarded a contract for each construction 

22 project authorized by section 3(a) and a contract for each 

23 lease authorized by section 3(d). 

24 (b) TYPE OF PROJECTS.—A project carried out under 

25 subsection (a) may be carried out only at a Department 
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1 of Veterans Affairs medical center and only for the purpose 

2 of one or more of the following: 

3 (1) Improving a patient care facility. 

4 (2) Replacing a patient care facility. 

5 (3) Renovating a patient care facility. 

6 (4) Updating a patient care facility to contem7 porary standards. 

8 (5) Establishing a new patient care facility at a 

9 location where no Department patient care facility 

10 exists. 

11 (6) Improving, replacing, or renovating a re12 search facility or updating such a facility to contem13 porary standards. 

14 (c) PURPOSE OF PROJECTS.—In selecting medical cen15 ters for projects under subsection (a), the Secretary shall 

16 select projects to improve, replace, renovate, update, or es17 tablish facilities to achieve one or more of the following: 

18 (1) Seismic protection improvements related to 

19 patient safety (or, in the case of a research facility, 

20 patient or employee safety). 

21 (2) Fire safety improvements. 

22 (3) Improvements to utility systems and ancil23 lary patient care facilities (including such systems 

24 and facilities that may be exclusively associated with 

25 research facilities). 
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1 (4) Improved accommodation for persons with 

2 disabilities, including barrier-free access. 

3 (5) Improvements at patient care facilities to 

4 specialized programs of the Department, including the 

5 following: 

6 (A) Blind rehabilitation centers. 

7 (B) Inpatient and residential programs for 

8 seriously mentally ill veterans, including mental 

9 illness research, education, and clinical centers. 

10 (C) Residential and rehabilitation programs 

11 for veterans with substance-use disorders. 

12 (D) Physical medicine and rehabilitation 

13 activities. 

14 (E) Long-term care, including geriatric re15 search, education, and clinical centers, adult day 

16 care centers, and nursing home care facilities. 

17 (F) Amputation care, including facilities 

18 for prosthetics, orthotics programs, and sensory 

19 aids. 

20 (G) Spinal cord injury centers. 

21 (H) Traumatic brain injury programs. 

22 (I) Women veterans’ health programs (in23 cluding particularly programs involving privacy 

24 and accommodation for female patients). 
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1 (J) Facilities for hospice and palliative care 

2 programs. 

3 (d) REVIEW PROCESS.—(1) The Secretary shall pro4 vide that, before a project is submitted to the Secretary with 

5 a recommendation that it be approved as a project to be 

6 carried out under the authority of this section, the project 

7 shall be reviewed by a board within the Department of Vet8 erans Affairs that is independent of the Veterans Health 

9 Administration and that is constituted by the Secretary to 

10 evaluate capital investment projects. The board shall review 

11 such project to determine the project’s relevance to the med12 ical care mission of the Department and whether the project 

13 improves, renovates, repairs, establishes, or updates facili14 ties of the Department in accordance with this section. 

15 (2) In selecting projects to be carried out under the 

16 authority provided by this section, the Secretary shall con17 sider the recommendations of the board under paragraph 

18 (1). In any case in which the Secretary approves a project 

19 to be carried out under this section that was not rec20 ommended for such approval by the board under paragraph 

21 (1), the Secretary shall include in the report of the Sec22 retary under subsection (g)(2) notice of such approval and 

23 the Secretary’s reasons for not following the recommenda24 tion of the board with respect to that project. 
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1 (e) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There are 

2 authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of Veterans

3 Affairs for the Construction, Major Projects, account for 

4 projects under this section—

5 (1) $500,000,000 for fiscal year 2004; and 

6 (2) $600,000,000 for fiscal year 2005. 

7 (f) LIMITATION.—Projects may be carried out under 

8 this section only using funds appropriated pursuant to the 

9 authorization of appropriations in subsection (e), except 

10 that funds appropriated for advance planning may be used 

11 for the purposes for which appropriated in connection with 

12 such projects. 

13 (g) REPORTS.—(1) Not later than April 1, 2005, the 

14 Comptroller General shall submit to the Committees on Vet15 erans’ Affairs and on Appropriations of the Senate and 

16 House of Representatives a report evaluating the advan17 tages and disadvantages of congressional authorization for 

18 projects of the type described in subsection (b) through gen19 eral authorization as provided by subsection (a), rather 

20 than through specific authorization as would otherwise be 

21 applicable under section 8104(a)(2) of title 38, United 

22 States Code. Such report shall include a description of the 

23 actions of the Secretary of Veterans Affairs during fiscal 

24 year 2004 to select and carry out projects under this section. 
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1 (2) Not later than 120 days after the date on which 

2 the site for the final project under this section for each such 

3 fiscal year is selected, the Secretary shall submit to the com4 mittees referred to in paragraph (1) a report on the author5 ization process under this section. The Secretary shall in6 clude in each such report the following: 

7 (A) A listing by project of each such project se8 lected by the Secretary under that section, together 

9 with a prospectus description of the purposes of the 

10 project, the estimated cost of the project, and a state11 ment attesting to the review of the project under sub12 section (c), and, if that project was not recommended 

13 by the board, the Secretary’s justification under sub14 section (d) for not following the recommendation of 

15 the board. 

16 (B) An assessment of the utility to the Depart17 ment of Veterans Affairs of that authorization process. 

18 (C) Such recommendations as the Secretary con19 siders appropriate for future congressional policy for 

20 authorizations of major and minor medical facility 

21 construction projects for the Department of Veterans 

22 Affairs. 

23 (D) Any other matter that the Secretary con24 siders to be appropriate with respect to oversight by 
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1 Congress of capital facilities projects of the Depart2 ment of Veterans Affairs. 

3 SEC. 3. AUTHORIZATION OF MAJOR MEDICAL FACILITY 

4 PROJECTS AND LEASES. 

5 (a) PROJECT AUTHORIZATIONS.—The Secretary of 

6 Veterans Affairs may carry out the following major medical 

7 facility projects, with each project to be carried out in the 

8 amount specified for that project: 

9 (1) Construction of a new bed tower to consoli10 date two inpatient sites of care in inner city Chicago 

11 at the West Side Division of the Department of Vet12 erans Affairs health care system in Chicago, Illinois, 

13 in an amount not to exceed $98,500,000. 

14 (2) Seismic corrections to strengthen Medical 

15 Center Building 1 of the Department of Veterans Af16 fairs health care system in San Diego, California, in 

17 an amount not to exceed $48,600,000. 

18 (3) A project for (A) renovation of all inpatient 

19 care wards at the West Haven, Connecticut, facility 

20 of the Department of Veterans Affairs health system 

21 in Connecticut to improve the environment of care 

22 and enhance safety, privacy, and accessibility, and 

23 (B) establishment of a consolidated medical research 

24 facility at that facility, in an amount not to exceed 

25 $50,000,000. 
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1 (4) Construction of a medical facility on avail2 able Federal land at the Defense Supply Center, Co3 lumbus, Ohio, in an amount not to exceed 

4 $90,000,000. 

5 (5) Construction of a Department of Veterans Af6 fairs-Department of Navy joint venture, comprehen7 sive outpatient medical care facility to be built on the 

8 grounds of the Pensacola Naval Air Station, Pensa9 cola, Florida, in an amount not to exceed 

10 $45,000,000. 

11 (b) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 

12 authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of Veterans 

13 Affairs for fiscal year 2004 for the Construction, Major 

14 Projects, account $332,100,000 for the projects authorized 

15 in subsection (a). 

16 (c) LIMITATION.—The projects authorized in sub17 section (a) may only be carried out using—

18 (1) funds appropriated for fiscal year 2004 pur19 suant to the authorization of appropriations in sub20 section (b); 

21 (2) funds appropriated for Construction, Major 

22 Projects, for a fiscal year before fiscal year 2004 that 

23 remain available for obligation; and 
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1 (3) funds appropriated for Construction, Major 

2 Projects, for fiscal year 2004 for a category of activity 

3 not specific to a project. 

4 (d) AUTHORIZATION OF MAJOR MEDICAL FACILITY

5 LEASES.—The Secretary of Veterans Affairs may enter into 

6 leases as follows: 

7 (1) For an outpatient clinic in Charlotte, North 

8 Carolina, in an amount not to exceed $3,000,000. 

9 (2) For facilities for a multi-specialty outpatient 

10 clinic for the Veterans Health Administration and a 

11 satellite office for the Veterans Benefits Administra12 tion in Clark County, Nevada, at an annual lease 

13 amount not to exceed $6,500,000. 

14 SEC. 4. LIMITATION ON DISPOSAL OF LAKESIDE DIVISION, 

15 DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS MED16 ICAL FACILITIES, CHICAGO, ILLINOIS. 

17 (a) LIMITATION.—The Secretary of Veterans Affairs 

18 may not make a final disposal under section 8162 of title 

19 38, United States Code, of the Lakeside Division facility 

20 of the Department of Veterans Affairs medical facilities in 

21 Chicago, Illinois, until the Secretary has entered into a con22 tract for the construction project authorized by section 

23 3(a)(1). 

24 (b) DEFINITION.—For purposes of this section, the 

25 term ‘‘disposal’’, with respect to the Lakeside Division facil-
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1 ity, includes entering into a long-term lease or sharing 

2 agreement under which a party other than the Secretary 

3 has operational control of the facility.

4 SEC. 5. PLANS FOR FACILITIES IN SOUTHERN NEW JERSEY 

5 AND FAR SOUTH TEXAS. 

6 (a) PLAN.—(1) The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall 

7 develop—

8 (A) a plan to establish an inpatient facility to 

9 meet hospital care needs of veterans who reside in 

10 southern New Jersey; and 

11 (B) a plan for hospital care needs of veterans 

12 who reside in far south Texas. 

13 (2) In developing the plans under paragraph (1), the 

14 Secretary shall, at a minimum, consider options using the 

15 existing authorities of section 8111 and 8153 of title 38, 

16 United States Code—

17 (A) to establish a hospital staffed and managed 

18 by employees of the Department, either in private or 

19 public facilities, including Federal facilities; or 

20 (B) to enter into contracts with existing private 

21 facilities and private providers for that care. 

22 (b) REPORTS.—The Secretary shall submit to the Com23 mittees on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and House of 

24 Representatives a report on each plan under subsection (a) 

25 not later than January 31, 2004. 
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1 (c) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 

2 (1) The term ‘‘far south Texas’’ means the fol3 lowing counties of the State of Texas: Bee, Calhoun, 

4 Crockett, DeWitt, Dimmit, Goliad, Jackson, Victoria, 

5 Webb, Aransas, Duval, Jim Wells, Kleberg, Nueces, 

6 Refugio, San Patricio, Brooks, Cameron, Hidalgo, 

7 Jim Hogg, Kenedy, Starr, Willacy, and Zapata. 

8 (2) The term ‘‘southern New Jersey’’ means the 

9 following counties of the State of New Jersey: Ocean, 

10 Burlington, Camden, Gloucester, Salem, Cumberland, 

11 Atlantic, and Cape May. 

12 SEC. 6. INCREASE IN MAJOR MEDICAL FACILITY CON13 STRUCTION COST THRESHOLD. 

14 Section 8104(a)(3)(A) of title 38, United States Code, 

15 is amended by striking ‘‘$4,000,000’’ and inserting 

16 ‘‘$6,000,000’’. 

17 SEC. 7. NAME OF DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS 

18 HEALTH CARE FACILITY, CHICAGO, ILLINOIS. 

19 The Department of Veterans Affairs health care facility 

20 located at 820 South Damen Avenue in Chicago, Illinois, 

21 shall after the date of the enactment of this Act be known 

22 and designated as the ‘‘Jesse Brown Department of Veterans 

23 Affairs Medical Center’’. Any reference to such facility in 

24 any law, map, regulation, document, paper, or other record 

25 of the United States shall be considered to be a reference 
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1 to the Jesse Brown Department of Veterans Affairs Medical 

2 Center. 

3 SEC. 8. STUDY AND REPORT ON FEASIBILITY OF COORDINA4 TION OF VETERANS HEALTH CARE SERVICES 

5 IN SOUTH CAROLINA WITH NEW UNIVERSITY 

6 MEDICAL CENTER. 

7 (a) STUDY REQUIRED.—The Secretary of Veterans Af8 fairs shall conduct a study to examine the feasibility of co9 ordination by the Department of Veterans Affairs of its 

10 needs for inpatient hospital, medical care, and long-term 

11 care services for veterans with the pending construction of 

12 a new university medical center at the Medical University 

13 of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina. 

14 (b) MATTERS TO BE INCLUDED IN STUDY.—(1) As 

15 part of the study under subsection (a), the Secretary shall 

16 consider the following: 

17 (A) Integration with the Medical University of 

18 South Carolina of some or all of the services referred 

19 to in subsection (a) through contribution to the con20 struction of that university’s new medical facility or 

21 by becoming a tenant provider in that new facility. 

22 (B) Construction by the Department of Veterans 

23 Affairs of a new independent inpatient or outpatient 

24 facility alongside or nearby the university’s new facil25 ity. 
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1 (2) In carrying out paragraph (1), the Secretary shall 

2 consider the degree to which the Department of Veterans Af3 fairs and the university medical center would be able to 

4 share expensive technologies and scarce specialty services 

5 that would affect any such plans of the Secretary or the 

6 university. 

7 (3) In carrying out the study, the Secretary shall espe8 cially consider the applicability of the authorities under sec9 tion 8153 of title 38, United States Code (relating to shar10 ing of health care resources between the Department and 

11 community provider organizations) to govern future ar12 rangements and relationship between the Department and 

13 the Medical University of South Carolina. 

14 (c) CONSULTATION WITH SECRETARY OF DEFENSE.—

15 The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall consult with the Sec16 retary of Defense in carrying out the study under this sec17 tion. Such consultation shall include consideration of estab18 lishing a Department of Veterans Affairs-Department of 

19 Defense joint health-care venture at the site referred to in 

20 subsection (a). 

21 (d) REPORT.—Not later than March 31, 2004, the Sec22 retary shall submit to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs 

23 of the Senate and House of Representatives a report on the 

24 results of the study. The report shall include the Secretary’s 

25 recommendations with respect to coordination described in 
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1 subsection (a), including recommendations with respect to 

2 each of the matters referred to in subsection (b).

Amend the title so as to read: ‘‘A bill to authorize 

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

purposes.’’.
Union Calendar No. 116

108TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 1720

[Report No. 108–210] 

A BILL

To authorize the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to 

carry out construction projects for the purpose of improving, renovating, establishing, and updating patient care facilities at Department of Veterans Affairs medical centers. 

JULY 15, 2003

Reported with amendments, committed to the Committee 

of the Whole House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed