I

104TH CONGRESS

1ST SESSION H. R. 1534

To amend title 38, United States Code, to extend certain expiring authorities

of the Department of Veterans Affairs, to authorize medical construction

projects for that Department for fiscal year 1996, and for other purposes.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

MAY 2, 1995

Mr. HUTCHINSON introduced the following bill; which was referred to the

Committee on Veterans’ Affairs

A BILL

To amend title 38, United States Code, to extend certain

expiring authorities of the Department of Veterans Affairs, to authorize medical construction projects for that

Department for fiscal year 1996, and for other purposes.

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

3 SECTION 1. EXTENSION OF EXPIRING AUTHORITIES OF DE4 PARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.

5 (a) OUTPATIENT SERVICES FOR PERSIAN GULF VET6 ERANS EXPOSED TO TOXIC SUBSTANCES.—Section

7 1712(a)(1)(D) of title 38, United States Code, is amended
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1 by striking out ‘‘December 31, 1995’’ and inserting in lieu

2 thereof ‘‘December 31, 1997’’.

3 (b) CONTRACT AUTHORITY FOR ALCOHOL AND DRUG

4 ABUSE CARE.—(1) Subsection (e) of section 1720A of

5 such title is amended by striking out ‘‘December 31,

6 1995’’ and inserting in lieu thereof ‘‘December 31, 1997’’.

7 (2) Subsection (f) of such section is amended by

8 striking out ‘‘October 1, 1997’’ and inserting in lieu there9 of ‘‘March 31, 1998’’.

10 (c) NURSING HOME CARE ALTERNATIVES.—(1) Sec11 tion 1720C(a) of such title is amended by striking out

12 ‘‘September 30, 1995’’ and inserting in lieu thereof ‘‘De13 cember 31, 1996’’.

14 (2) The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit

15 to Congress a report, not later than March 31, 1996, on

16 the medical efficacy and cost effectiveness, and disadvan17 tages and advantages, associated with the use by the Sec18 retary of noninstitutional alternatives to nursing home

19 care.

20 (d) REAL PROPERTY FOR USE BY HOMELESS VET21 ERANS.—(1) Section 3735(c) of such title is amended by

22 striking out ‘‘December 31, 1995’’ and inserting in lieu

23 thereof ‘‘December 31, 1997’’.

24 (2) The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit

25 to Congress a report, not later than March 31, 1997, on
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1 the operation of the program under section 3735 of such

2 title relating to housing assistance for homeless veterans.

3 The report shall include the number of veterans served

4 by the program and the costs of the program and any sav5 ings generated to the Government under the program.

6 (e) HEALTH SCHOLARSHIPS PROGRAM.—(1) Section

7 7618 of such title is amended by striking out ‘‘December

8 31, 1995’’ and inserting in lieu thereof ‘‘December 31,

9 1997’’.

10 (2) The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit

11 to Congress a report, not later than March 31, 1997, on

12 the operation of the health scholarships program under

13 subchapter 2 of chapter 76 of title 38, United States Code.

14 The report shall include the number and types of scholar15 ships awarded and the effect of the program on retention

16 of employees by the Department of Veterans Affairs.

17 (f) ENHANCED-USE LEASES OF REAL PROPERTY.—

18 Section 8169 is amended by striking out ‘‘December 31,

19 1995’’ and inserting in lieu thereof ‘‘December 31, 1997’’.

20 (g) COMMUNITY-BASED RESIDENTIAL CARE FOR

21 HOMELESS CHRONICALLY MENTALLY ILL VETERANS.—

22 Section 115(d) of the Veterans’ Benefits and Services Act

23 of 1988 (Public Law 100–322; 38 U.S.C. 1712 note) is

24 amended by striking out ‘‘September 30, 1995’’ and in25 serting in lieu thereof ‘‘December 31, 1997’’.
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1 (h) COMPENSATED WORK THERAPY AND THERA2 PEUTIC TRANSITIONAL HOUSING PROGRAM.—Section 7

3 of Public Law 102–54 (38 U.S.C. 1718 note) is

4 amended—

5 (1) in subsection (a), by striking out ‘‘During

6 fiscal years 1991 through 1995, the Secretary’’ and

7 inserting in lieu thereof ‘‘The Secretary’’; and

8 (2) by adding at the end the following:

9 ‘‘(m) SUNSET.—The authority for the demonstration

10 program under this section expires on December 31,

11 1997.’’.

12 SEC. 2. REPEAL OF AUTHORITY TO MAKE GRANTS TO VET13 ERANS MEMORIAL MEDICAL CENTER IN THE

14 PHILIPPINES.

15 (a) REPEAL.—Section 1732 of title 38, United States

16 Code, is amended—

17 (1) by striking out subsection (b);

18 (2) by redesignating subsection (c) as sub19 section (b) and striking out ‘‘or grant’’ both places

20 it appears in that subsection; and

21 (3) by redesignating subsection (d) as sub22 section (c) and striking out ‘‘and to make grants’’

23 in that subsection.

24 (b) CLERICAL AMENDMENTS.—(1) The heading of

25 such section is amended by striking out ‘‘and grants’’.
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1 (2) The item relating to such section in the table of

2 sections at the beginning of chapter 17 of such title is

3 amended by striking out ‘‘and grants’’.

4 SEC. 3. AUTHORIZATION OF MAJOR MEDICAL CONSTRUC5 TION PROJECTS FOR FISCAL YEAR 1996.

6 (a) PROJECT AUTHORIZATION.—The Secretary of

7 Veterans Affairs may carry out the major medical facility

8 projects for the Department of Veterans Affairs, and may

9 carry out the major medical facility leases for that Depart10 ment, for which funds are requested in the budget of the

11 President for fiscal year 1996 and for which authorization

12 is required under section 8104(a)(2) of title 38, United

13 States Code.

14 (b) FUNDING AUTHORIZATION.—There are author15 ized to be appropriated to the Secretary of Veterans Af16 fairs for fiscal year 1996—

17 (1) $224,800,000 for the major medical facility

18 projects authorized in subsection (a); and

19 (2) $2,790,000 for the major medical facility

20 leases authorized in subsection (a).

21 (c) LIMITATIONS.—The projects authorized in sub22 section (a) may only be carried out using—

23 (1) funds appropriated for fiscal year 1996 pur24 suant to the authorization of appropriations in sub25 section (b);
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1 (2) funds appropriated to the Department of

2 Veterans Affairs for Construction, Major Projects,

3 for any fiscal year that remain available for obliga4 tion; and

5 (3) funds appropriated to the Department of

6 Veterans Affairs for Construction, Major Projects,

7 for any fiscal year for a category of activity not spe8 cific to a project.

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