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[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2248 Enrolled Bill (ENR)]

        S.2248

                     One Hundred Fifteenth Congress

                                 of the

                        United States of America

                          AT THE SECOND SESSION

         Begun and held at the City of Washington on Wednesday,
           the third day of January, two thousand and eighteen

                                 An Act

 
  To amend title 38, United States Code, to authorize the Secretary of 
  Veterans Affairs to provide certain burial benefits for spouses and 
children of veterans who are buried in tribal cemeteries, and for other 
                                purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.
    (a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Veterans Benefits 
and Transition Act of 2018''.
    (b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents for this Act is as 
follows:

Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.

                           TITLE I--EDUCATION

Sec. 101. Inclusion of certain additional periods of active duty service 
          for purposes of suspension of charges to entitlement during 
          periods of suspended participation in Department of Veterans 
          Affairs vocational rehabilitation programs.
Sec. 102. Provision of monthly housing stipend information under Post-9/
          11 Educational Assistance Program.
Sec. 103. Disapproval for purposes of educational assistance programs of 
          Department of Veterans Affairs of certain courses of education 
          that do not permit individuals to attend or participate in 
          courses pending payment.
Sec. 104. Provision of information on required additional actions to 
          allow individuals to stay enrolled in courses of education 
          pending receipt of educational assistance from department of 
          veterans affairs.
Sec. 105. Calculation of monthly housing stipend under high technology 
          pilot program based on location of campus where veteran 
          attends classes.
Sec. 106. Clarification regarding applicability of authority to use 
          educational assistance to pursue independent study programs at 
          certain educational institutions that are not institutions of 
          higher learning.

                       TITLE II--MEMORIAL AFFAIRS

Sec. 201. Eligibility of spouses and children of veterans buried in 
          tribal cemeteries for certain Department of Veterans Affairs 
          burial benefits.
Sec. 202. Department of Veterans Affairs provision of headstones and 
          markers for, and interment in national cemeteries of, spouses 
          and dependent children of members of the Armed Forces serving 
          on active duty.

                         TITLE III--CIVIL RELIEF

Sec. 301. Termination of leases of premises of deceased servicemembers 
          who die while in military service.
Sec. 302. Residence of spouses of servicemembers for tax purposes.
Sec. 303. Residence of spouses of servicemembers for voting.
Sec. 304. Termination of multichannel video programming and internet 
          access service contracts.

                     TITLE IV--TRANSITION ASSISTANCE

Sec. 401. Study of community-based transition assistance programs for 
          members of the Armed Forces after separation, retirement, or 
          discharge.

                  TITLE V--DEPARTMENTAL ADMINISTRATION

Sec. 501. Misuse of Department of Veterans Affairs purchase cards by 
          Department employees.
Sec. 502. Updating dependent information.
Sec. 503. Oversight of Electronic Health Record Modernization Program.
Sec. 504. Department of Veterans Affairs notice relating to debt 
          collection activities.

                      TITLE VI--MEDICAL FACILITIES

Sec. 601. Authorization of major medical facility projects for fiscal 
          year 2019.
Sec. 602. Plans to improve medical facilities of the Department of 
          Veterans Affairs.

                        TITLE VII--OTHER MATTERS

Sec. 701. Homeless veterans reintegration programs.
Sec. 702. Technical corrections.
Sec. 703. Medical Surgical Prime Vendor program.
Sec. 704. Report on expanding access to dental care for veterans 
          eligible for health care from the Department of Veterans 
          Affairs.

                           TITLE I--EDUCATION

    SEC. 101. INCLUSION OF CERTAIN ADDITIONAL PERIODS OF ACTIVE DUTY 
      SERVICE FOR PURPOSES OF SUSPENSION OF CHARGES TO ENTITLEMENT 
      DURING PERIODS OF SUSPENDED PARTICIPATION IN DEPARTMENT OF 
      VETERANS AFFAIRS VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION PROGRAMS.
    Section 3105(e)(2) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by 
striking ``or 12304'' and inserting ``12304, 12304a, or 12304b''.
    SEC. 102. PROVISION OF MONTHLY HOUSING STIPEND INFORMATION UNDER 
      POST-9/11 EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.
    Section 3313 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding 
at the end the following new subsection:
    ``(k) Provision of Housing Stipend Payment Information.--
        ``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall furnish to individuals 
    receiving educational assistance under this chapter documentation 
    that verifies the amount of the monthly housing stipend the 
    individual receives under this section.
        ``(2) Manner.--The Secretary shall make such documentation 
    available to the individual using an internet website in the same 
    manner the Secretary provides documentation verifying compensation 
    and other benefits furnished by the Secretary to individuals.''.
    SEC. 103. DISAPPROVAL FOR PURPOSES OF EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE 
      PROGRAMS OF DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS OF CERTAIN COURSES OF 
      EDUCATION THAT DO NOT PERMIT INDIVIDUALS TO ATTEND OR PARTICIPATE 
      IN COURSES PENDING PAYMENT.
    (a) In General.--Section 3679 of title 38, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:
    ``(e)(1) Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, 
beginning on August 1, 2019, a State approving agency, or the Secretary 
when acting in the role of the State approving agency, shall disapprove 
a course of education provided by an educational institution that has 
in effect a policy that is inconsistent with any of the following:
        ``(A) A policy that permits any covered individual to attend or 
    participate in the course of education during the period beginning 
    on the date on which the individual provides to the educational 
    institution a certificate of eligibility for entitlement to 
    educational assistance under chapter 31 or 33 of this title and 
    ending on the earlier of the following dates:
            ``(i) The date on which the Secretary provides payment for 
        such course of education to such institution.
            ``(ii) The date that is 90 days after the date on which the 
        educational institution certifies for tuition and fees 
        following receipt from the student such certificate of 
        eligibility.
        ``(B) A policy that ensures that the educational institution 
    will not impose any penalty, including the assessment of late fees, 
    the denial of access to classes, libraries, or other institutional 
    facilities, or the requirement that a covered individual borrow 
    additional funds, on any covered individual because of the 
    individual's inability to meet his or her financial obligations to 
    the institution due to the delayed disbursement of a payment to be 
    provided by the Secretary under chapter 31 or 33 of this title.
    ``(2) For purposes of this subsection, a covered individual is any 
individual who is entitled to educational assistance under chapter 31 
or 33 of this title.
    ``(3) The Secretary may waive such requirements of paragraph (1) as 
the Secretary considers appropriate.
    ``(4) It shall not be inconsistent with a policy described in 
paragraph (1) for an educational institution to require a covered 
individual to take the following additional actions:
        ``(A) Submit a certificate of eligibility for entitlement to 
    educational assistance not later than the first day of a course of 
    education for which the individual has indicated the individual 
    wishes to use the individual's entitlement to educational 
    assistance.
        ``(B) Submit a written request to use such entitlement.
        ``(C) Provide additional information necessary to the proper 
    certification of enrollment by the educational institution.''.
    (b) Prompt Payments.--
        (1) In general.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall take 
    such actions as may be necessary to ensure that the Secretary makes 
    a payment to an educational institution on behalf of an individual, 
    who is entitled to educational assistance under chapter 31 or 33 of 
    title 38, United States Code, and who is using such assistance to 
    pursue a program of education at the educational institution, not 
    later than 60 days after the date on which the educational 
    institution certifies to the Secretary the applicable tuition and 
    fees for the individual.
        (2) Semiannual reports.--Not later than May 1 and October 1 of 
    each year, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Veterans' 
    Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the 
    House of Representatives a semiannual report summarizing any cases 
    in which the Secretary failed to make a payment described in 
    paragraph (1) within the period set forth in such paragraph and an 
    explanation for each delayed disbursement of payment.
    (c) Rule of Construction.--In a case in which an individual is 
unable to meet a financial obligation to an educational institution due 
to the delayed disbursement of a payment to be provided by the 
Secretary under chapter 31 or 33 of such title and the amount of such 
disbursement is less than anticipated, nothing in section 3679(e) of 
such title, as added by subsection (a), shall be construed to prohibit 
an educational institution from requiring additional payment or 
imposing a fee for the amount that is the difference between the amount 
of the financial obligation and the amount of the disbursement.
    SEC. 104. PROVISION OF INFORMATION ON REQUIRED ADDITIONAL ACTIONS 
      TO ALLOW INDIVIDUALS TO STAY ENROLLED IN COURSES OF EDUCATION 
      PENDING RECEIPT OF EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE FROM DEPARTMENT OF 
      VETERANS AFFAIRS.
    Section 3698(c)(1)(C) of title 38, United States Code, is amended--
        (1) in clause (x), by striking ``; and'' and inserting a 
    semicolon;
        (2) in clause (xi), by striking the period at the end and 
    inserting ``; and''; and
        (3) by adding at the end the following new clause:
            ``(xii) information on whether the institution requires a 
        covered individual to take additional action pursuant to 
        section 3679(e)(4) of this title to stay enrolled in a course 
        pending receipt of educational assistance under a law 
        administered by the Secretary.''.
    SEC. 105. CALCULATION OF MONTHLY HOUSING STIPEND UNDER HIGH 
      TECHNOLOGY PILOT PROGRAM BASED ON LOCATION OF CAMPUS WHERE 
      VETERAN ATTENDS CLASSES.
    Section 116(d)(1) of the Harry W. Colmery Veterans Educational 
Assistance Act of 2017 (Public Law 115-48, 38 U.S.C. 3001 (note)), is 
amended--
        (1) in subparagraph (A), by striking ``the institution at which 
    the individual is enrolled'' and inserting ``the campus of the 
    institution where the individual physically participates in a 
    majority of classes''; and
        (2) in subparagraph (B), by striking ``the amount payable'' and 
    all that follows through ``subparagraph (A)'' and inserting ``the 
    national average of the monthly amount of the basic allowance for 
    housing payable under section 403 of title 37, United States Code, 
    for a member with dependents in pay grade E-5''.
    SEC. 106. CLARIFICATION REGARDING APPLICABILITY OF AUTHORITY TO USE 
      EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE TO PURSUE INDEPENDENT STUDY PROGRAMS AT 
      CERTAIN EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS THAT ARE NOT INSTITUTIONS OF 
      HIGHER LEARNING.
    The section heading for section 302 of the Harry W. Colmery 
Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2017 (Public Law 115-48; 131 
Stat. 990) is amended to read as follows (and the table of contents for 
such Act is conformed accordingly):
    ``SEC. 302. AUTHORIZATION FOR USE OF EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE UNDER 
      ANY OF THE EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF 
      VETERANS AFFAIRS TO PURSUE INDEPENDENT STUDY PROGRAMS AT CERTAIN 
      EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS THAT ARE NOT INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER 
      LEARNING.''.

                       TITLE II--MEMORIAL AFFAIRS

    SEC. 201. ELIGIBILITY OF SPOUSES AND CHILDREN OF VETERANS BURIED IN 
      TRIBAL CEMETERIES FOR CERTAIN DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS 
      BURIAL BENEFITS.
    Section 2306 of title 38, United States Code, is amended--
        (1) in subsection (a)(4), by inserting ``or a veterans' 
    cemetery owned by a tribal organization or on land owned by or held 
    in trust for a tribal organization'' after ``State'';
        (2) in subsection (b)(1), by inserting ``, a veterans' cemetery 
    of a tribal organization or on land owned by or held in trust for a 
    tribal organization'' after ``owned by a State'';
        (3) in subsection (f)--
            (A) by redesignating paragraphs (1) and (2) as 
        subparagraphs (A) and (B), respectively;
            (B) by striking ``The Secretary'' and inserting ``(1) The 
        Secretary'';
            (C) by striking ``a national cemetery or in a veterans 
        cemetery of a State or tribal organization for which the 
        Department has provided a grant under section 2408 of this 
        title'' and inserting ``a covered cemetery''; and
            (D) by adding at the end the following:
    ``(2) The term `covered cemetery' means any of the following:
        ``(A) A national cemetery.
        ``(B) A veterans' cemetery of a State for which the Department 
    has provided a grant under section 2408 of this title.
        ``(C) A veterans' cemetery of a tribal organization or on land 
    owned by or held in trust for a tribal organization for which the 
    Department has provided a grant under subsection (f) of such 
    section.''; and
        (4) by adding at the end the following new subsection:
    ``(i) In this section, the term `tribal organization' has the 
meaning given such term in section 3765 of this title.''.
    SEC. 202. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS PROVISION OF HEADSTONES 
      AND MARKERS FOR, AND INTERMENT IN NATIONAL CEMETERIES OF, SPOUSES 
      AND DEPENDENT CHILDREN OF MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES SERVING ON 
      ACTIVE DUTY.
    (a) Headstones and Markers.--Section 2306(b)(2) of title 38, United 
States Code, is amended--
        (1) in subparagraph (B), by inserting ``, or the spouse of a 
    member of the Armed Forces serving on active duty under conditions 
    other than dishonorable, as shown by a statement from a general 
    court-martial convening authority, at the time of the spouse's 
    death if such death occurs before October 1, 2024'' after 
    ``veteran''; and
        (2) in subparagraph (C), by inserting ``, or the eligible 
    dependent child of a member of the Armed Forces serving on active 
    duty under conditions other than dishonorable, as shown by a 
    statement from a general court-martial convening authority, at the 
    time of the child's death if such death occurs before October 1, 
    2024'' after ``veteran''.
    (b) Interment in National Cemeteries.--Section 2402(a)(5) of such 
title is amended by inserting ``, and the spouse, minor child, and, in 
the discretion of the Secretary, unmarried adult child of a member of 
the Armed Forces serving on active duty under conditions other than 
dishonorable, as shown by a statement from a general court-martial 
convening authority, at the time of the spouse's or child's death if 
such death occurs before October 1, 2024'' after ``paragraph (7)''.

                        TITLE III--CIVIL RELIEF

    SEC. 301. TERMINATION OF LEASES OF PREMISES OF DECEASED 
      SERVICEMEMBERS WHO DIE WHILE IN MILITARY SERVICE.
    Section 305(a) of the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (50 U.S.C. 
3955) is amended--
        (1) in the subsection heading, by striking ``by Lessee'';
        (2) in the heading for paragraph (1), by striking ``In 
    general'' and inserting ``Termination by lessee''; and
        (3) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
        ``(3) Death of lessee.--The spouse of the lessee on a lease 
    described in subsection (b)(1) may terminate the lease during the 
    one-year period beginning on the date of the death of the lessee, 
    if the lessee dies while in military service or while performing 
    full-time National Guard duty, active Guard and Reserve duty, or 
    inactive-duty training (as such terms are defined in section 101(d) 
    of title 10, United States Code).''.
    SEC. 302. RESIDENCE OF SPOUSES OF SERVICEMEMBERS FOR TAX PURPOSES.
    (a) Residence for Tax Purposes.--Section 511(a)(2) of the 
Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (50 U.S.C. 4001(a)(2)) is amended--
        (1) by striking ``A spouse'' and inserting the following:
            ``(A) In general.--A spouse''; and
        (2) by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:
            ``(B) Election.--For any taxable year of the marriage, the 
        spouse of a servicemember may elect to use the same residence 
        for purposes of taxation as the servicemember regardless of the 
        date on which the marriage of the spouse and the servicemember 
        occurred.''.
    (b) Applicability.--The amendments made by subsection (a) shall 
apply with respect to any return of State or local income tax filed for 
any taxable year beginning with the taxable year that includes the date 
of the enactment of this Act.
    SEC. 303. RESIDENCE OF SPOUSES OF SERVICEMEMBERS FOR VOTING.
    (a) In General.--Section 705(b) of the Servicemembers Civil Relief 
Act (50 U.S.C. 4025(b)) is amended--
        (1) by striking ``State or local office'' and all that follows 
    through the period at the end of paragraph (3) and inserting 
    ``State or local office--''; and
        (2) by adding at the end the following new paragraphs:
        ``(1) a person who is absent from a State because the person is 
    accompanying the person's spouse who is absent from that same State 
    in compliance with military or naval orders shall not, solely by 
    reason of that absence--
            ``(A) be deemed to have lost a residence or domicile in 
        that State, without regard to whether or not the person intends 
        to return to that State;
            ``(B) be deemed to have acquired a residence or domicile in 
        any other State; or
            ``(C) be deemed to have become a resident in or a resident 
        of any other State; and
        ``(2) the spouse of a servicemember may elect to use the same 
    residence as the servicemember regardless of the date on which the 
    marriage of the spouse and the servicemember occurred.''.
    (b) Effective Date.--The amendments made by subsection (a) shall 
take effect on the date that is 90 days after the date of the enactment 
of this Act.
    SEC. 304. TERMINATION OF MULTICHANNEL VIDEO PROGRAMMING AND 
      INTERNET ACCESS SERVICE CONTRACTS.
    (a) In General.--Section 305A of the Servicemembers Civil Relief 
Act (50 U.S.C. 3956) is amended--
        (1) in the section heading, by inserting ``, multichannel video 
    programming, and internet access'' after ``telephone'';
        (2) in subsection (b), by striking ``cellular telephone service 
    or telephone exchange service'' and inserting ``commercial mobile 
    service, telephone exchange service, internet access service, or 
    multichannel video programming service'';
        (3) in subsection (c), by inserting ``for commercial mobile 
    service or telephone exchange service'' before ``terminated'';
        (4) in subsection (d), in the matter preceding paragraph (1), 
    by striking ``cellular telephone service'' and inserting 
    ``commercial mobile service'';
        (5) in subsection (e)--
            (A) by striking ``For any'' and inserting the following:
        ``(1) In general.--For any'';
            (B) by striking ``If the'' and inserting the following:
        ``(2) Reinstatement of service.--If the''; and
            (C) by adding at the end the following:
        ``(3) Return of provider-owned equipment.--If a servicemember 
    terminates a contract under subsection (a), the servicemember shall 
    return any provider-owned consumer premises equipment to the 
    service provider not later than 10 days after the date on which 
    service is disconnected.''; and
        (6) in subsection (g)--
            (A) by redesignating paragraph (2) as paragraph (4); and
            (B) by striking paragraph (1) and inserting the following:
        ``(1) The term `commercial mobile service' has the meaning 
    given that term in section 332(d) of the Communications Act of 1934 
    (47 U.S.C. 332(d)).
        ``(2) The term `multichannel video programming service' means a 
    subscription video service offered by a multichannel video 
    programming distributor, as that term is defined in section 602 of 
    the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 522), over a system the 
    distributor owns or controls.
        ``(3) The term `provider-owned consumer premises equipment' 
    means any equipment that a provider of internet access service or 
    multichannel video programming service rents or loans to a customer 
    during the provision of that service, including gateways, routers, 
    cable modems, voice-capable modems, CableCARDs, converters, digital 
    adapters, remote controls, and any other equipment provided.''.
    (b) Clerical Amendments.--
        (1) Title heading.--The heading for title III of the 
    Servicemembers Civil Relief Act is amended by striking 
    ``TELEPHONE'' and inserting ``COMMUNICATIONS''.
        (2) Table of contents.--The table of contents in section 1(b) 
    of the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act is amended--
            (A) by striking the item relating to title III and 
        inserting the following new item:

``TITLE III--RENT, INSTALLMENT CONTRACTS, MORTGAGES, LIENS, ASSIGNMENT, 
               LEASES, COMMUNICATIONS SERVICE CONTRACTS'';

        and
            (B) by striking the item relating to section 305A and 
        inserting the following new item:

``Sec. 305A. Termination of telephone, multichannel video programming, 
          and internet access service contracts.''.

                    TITLE IV--TRANSITION ASSISTANCE

    SEC. 401. STUDY OF COMMUNITY-BASED TRANSITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS 
      FOR MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES AFTER SEPARATION, RETIREMENT, OR 
      DISCHARGE.
    (a) Study.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs, in consultation with 
State entities that serve members of the Armed Forces who are retired, 
separated, or discharged from the Armed Forces, shall enter into an 
agreement with an appropriate non-Federal entity to carry out a study 
to identify community-based programs--
        (1) that provide transition assistance to such members; and
        (2) operated by nonprofit entities.
    (b) Transmission to Members.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
shall transmit the list of programs identified under this section to 
the Secretary of Defense so the Secretaries of the military departments 
may provide information in the list to members of the Armed Forces who 
participate in the Transition Assistance Program under sections 1142 
and 1144 of title 10, United States Code.
    (c) Online Publication.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall 
publish the most recent version of the list of programs identified 
under this section on a public website of the Department of Veterans 
Affairs.

                  TITLE V--DEPARTMENTAL ADMINISTRATION

    SEC. 501. MISUSE OF DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS PURCHASE CARDS 
      BY DEPARTMENT EMPLOYEES.
    (a) In General.--Subchapter I of chapter 7 of title 38, United 
States Code, is further amended by adding at the end the following new 
section:
``Sec. 728. Misuse of Department purchase cards
    ``(a) In General.--(1) The Secretary shall prohibit any employee of 
the Department who the Secretary or the Inspector General of the 
Department determines has knowingly misused a purchase card from 
serving as a purchase card holder or approving official.
    ``(2) Such a prohibition shall be in addition to any other 
applicable penalty.
    ``(b) Misuse.--For purposes of this section, the term `misuse' 
means--
        ``(1) splitting purchases;
        ``(2) exceeding applicable purchase card limits or purchase 
    thresholds;
        ``(3) purchasing any unauthorized item;
        ``(4) using a purchase card without being an authorized 
    purchase card holder; or
        ``(5) violating ethics standards.''.
    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections at the beginning of 
such chapter is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 
728 the following new item:

``728. Misuse of Department purchase cards.''.
    SEC. 502. UPDATING DEPENDENT INFORMATION.
    The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall make such changes to such 
information technology systems of the Department of Veterans Affairs, 
including the eBenefits system or successor system, as may be necessary 
so that whenever the Secretary records in such systems information 
about a dependent of a person, the person is able to review and revise 
such information.
    SEC. 503. OVERSIGHT OF ELECTRONIC HEALTH RECORD MODERNIZATION 
      PROGRAM.
    (a) Program Documents.--Not later than 30 days after the date of 
the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall 
submit to the appropriate congressional committees the following 
documents concerning the Electronic Health Record Modernization 
Program:
        (1) Integrated Master Plan.
        (2) Integrated Master Schedule.
        (3) Program Management Plan.
        (4) Annual and lifecycle cost estimates, including, at a 
    minimum, cost elements relating to--
            (A) Federal Government labor;
            (B) contractor labor;
            (C) hardware;
            (D) software; and
            (E) testing and evaluation.
        (5) Cost baseline.
        (6) Risk Management Plan.
        (7) Health IT Strategic Architecture Plan.
        (8) Transition Plan for implementing updated architecture.
        (9) Data Migration Plan.
        (10) System and Data Security Plan.
        (11) Application Implementation Plan.
        (12) System Design Documents.
        (13) Legacy Veterans Information Systems and Technology 
    Architecture Standardization, Security Enhancement, and 
    Consolidation Project Plan.
        (14) Health Data Interoperability Management Plan.
        (15) Community Care Vision and Implementation Plan, including 
    milestones and a detailed description of how complete 
    interoperability with non-Department health care providers will be 
    achieved.
    (b) Quarterly Updates.--Not later than 30 days after the end of 
each fiscal quarter during the period beginning with the fiscal quarter 
in which this Act is enacted and ending on the date on which the 
Electronic Health Record Modernization Program is completed, the 
Secretary shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees the 
most recent updated versions, if any exist, of the following documents:
        (1) Integrated Master Schedule.
        (2) Program Management Plan, including any written Program 
    Management Review material developed for the Program Management 
    Plan during the fiscal quarter covered by the submission.
        (3) Each document described in subsection (a)(4).
        (4) Performance Baseline Report for the fiscal quarter covered 
    by the submission or for the fiscal quarter ending the fiscal year 
    prior to the submission.
        (5) Budget Reconciliation Report.
        (6) Risk Management Plan and Risk Register.
    (c) Contracts.--Not later than 5 days after awarding a contract, 
order, or agreement, including any modifications thereto, under the 
Electronic Health Record Modernization Program, the Secretary shall 
submit to the appropriate congressional committees a copy of the entire 
such contract, order, agreement, or modification.
    (d) Notification.--
        (1) Requirement.--Not later than 10 days after an event 
    described in paragraph (2) occurs, the Secretary shall notify the 
    appropriate congressional committees of such occurrence, including 
    a description of the event and an explanation for why such event 
    occurred.
        (2) Event described.--An event described in this paragraph is 
    any of the following events regarding the Electronic Health Record 
    Modernization Program:
            (A) The delay of any milestone or deliverable by 30 or more 
        days.
            (B) A request for equitable adjustment, equitable 
        adjustment, or change order exceeding $1,000,000 (as such terms 
        are defined in the Federal Acquisition Regulation).
            (C) The submission of any protest, claim, or dispute, and 
        the resolution of any protest, claim, or dispute (as such terms 
        are defined in the Federal Acquisition Regulation).
            (D) A loss of clinical or other data.
            (E) A breach of patient privacy, including any--
                (i) disclosure of protected health information that is 
            not permitted under regulations promulgated under section 
            264(c) of the Health Insurance Portability and 
            Accountability Act of 1996 (Public Law 104-191; 42 U.S.C. 
            1320d-2 note); and
                (ii) breach of sensitive personal information (as 
            defined in section 5727 of title 38, United States Code).
    (e) Definitions.--In this section:
        (1) The term ``appropriate congressional committees'' means--
            (A) the Committees on Veterans' Affairs of the House of 
        Representatives and the Senate; and
            (B) the Committees on Appropriations of the House of 
        Representatives and the Senate.
        (2) The term ``Electronic Health Record Modernization Program'' 
    means--
            (A) any activities by the Department of Veterans Affairs to 
        procure or implement an electronic health or medical record 
        system to replace any or all of the Veterans Information 
        Systems and Technology Architecture, the Computerized Patient 
        Record System, the Joint Legacy Viewer, or the Enterprise 
        Health Management Platform; and
            (B) any contracts or agreements entered into by the 
        Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out, support, or analyze 
        the activities under subparagraph (A).
    SEC. 504. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS NOTICE RELATING TO DEBT 
      COLLECTION ACTIVITIES.
    (a) Debt Notification Letter Formats.--The Secretary of Veterans 
Affairs shall collaborate with veterans service organizations to 
develop a standard format for any letter provided to an individual who 
the Secretary determines is indebted to the United States by virtue of 
such individual's participation in a benefits program administered by 
the Secretary. Such letter shall be written in plain language and shall 
include a notice of the debt and a clear explanation of--
        (1) why the individual is indebted to the United States by 
    virtue of such person's participation in a benefits program 
    administered by the Secretary; and
        (2) the options available to the individual.
    (b) Delivery of Debt Notices by Standard Mail and Electronic 
Means.--The Secretary shall develop a method by which individuals may 
elect to receive notice of debt by electronic means and shall ensure, 
to the extent practicable, that the letter developed under subsection 
(a) is delivered--
        (1) by both standard mail and by electronic means to intended 
    recipients who have made such an election; and
        (2) only by standard mail to intended recipients who have not 
    made such an election.
    (c) Notice to Congress.--
        (1) Notices of completion.--Upon completion of the development 
    of the standard letter format required under subsection (a) and 
    upon completion of development of the method by which individuals 
    may elect to receive notice of debt by electronic means under 
    subsection (b), the Secretary shall submit to Congress notice of 
    the completion of the respective development.
        (2) Progress reports.--If the Secretary has not submitted each 
    notice required by paragraph (1) by the date that is 90 days after 
    the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall--
            (A) submit to Congress a report describing the progress of 
        the Secretary toward implementing subsections (a) and (b) and 
        an explanation for why the respective development has not been 
        completed; and
            (B) every 30 days thereafter until all of the notices 
        required by paragraph (1) have been submitted, submit to 
        Congress an update to the report under subparagraph (A) that 
        includes an additional explanation for the failure to complete 
        the respective development.
    (d) Study and Report.--
        (1) Study.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs, in coordination 
    with the Secretary of the Treasury, shall conduct a study on the 
    process by which individuals who are indebted to the United States 
    by virtue of their participation in a benefits program administered 
    by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs are notified of debt 
    collection efforts relating to such indebtedness.
        (2) Elements.--The study required by paragraph (1) shall 
    include the following:
            (A) An analysis of the scope of the problem of individuals 
        who are indebted to the United States by virtue of their 
        participation in a benefits program administered by the 
        Secretary of Veterans Affairs not receiving debt collection 
        notices relating to such indebtedness.
            (B) Identification of administrative actions the Secretary 
        of Veterans Affairs and the Secretary of the Treasury can carry 
        out to reduce the number of incorrect or unknown addresses of 
        such individuals in the databases of the Department Veterans 
        Affairs and the Department of the Treasury and a timeline for 
        carrying out such actions.
            (C) An estimate of the costs associated with sending debt 
        collection notices to such individuals by certified mail.
            (D) An analysis of whether, or to what extent, sending debt 
        collection notices to such individuals by certified mail would 
        address the problem analyzed under subparagraph (A).
            (E) An analysis of the requirements and resources that 
        would be necessary for the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to 
        establish a method for the Secretary to display in one 
        consolidated document the details regarding all of the debts of 
        an individual to the United States by virtue of such 
        individual's participation in a benefits program administered 
        by the Secretary.
            (F) An analysis of the extent to which such individuals are 
        so indebted by reason of actions by the Secretary or by actions 
        of the individual, including any trends relating to whether the 
        actions of the individual may be by reason of error, 
        misrepresentation, or fraud.
        (3) Report.--Not later than one year after the date of the 
    enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, in 
    coordination with the Secretary of the Treasury, shall submit to 
    Congress a report on the findings of the Secretaries with respect 
    to the study conducted under paragraph (1).

                      TITLE VI--MEDICAL FACILITIES

    SEC. 601. AUTHORIZATION OF MAJOR MEDICAL FACILITY PROJECTS FOR 
      FISCAL YEAR 2019.
    (a) In General.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs may carry out 
the following major medical facility projects in fiscal year 2019 at 
the locations specified and in an amount for each project not to exceed 
the amount specified for such location:
        (1) Construction of a community living center and renovation of 
    domiciliary and outpatient facilities in Canandaigua, New York, in 
    an amount not to exceed $351,980,000 (an increase of $193,000,000 
    as compared to the previous authorization for such project).
        (2) Renovation of space for a simulation training education 
    center in North Chicago, Illinois, in an amount not to exceed 
    $15,980,000.
        (3) Construction of a surgical intensive care unit and 
    renovation to expand the operating room suite in Oklahoma City, 
    Oklahoma, in an amount not to exceed $29,461,000.
        (4) Construction of a new medical facility in Louisville, 
    Kentucky, in an amount not to exceed $450,000,000 (an increase of 
    $300,000,000 as compared to the previous authorization for such 
    project).
    (b) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs for fiscal year 2019 
or the year in which funds are appropriated for the Construction, Major 
Projects account, $847,421,000 for the projects authorized in 
subsection (a).
    SEC. 602. PLANS TO IMPROVE MEDICAL FACILITIES OF THE DEPARTMENT OF 
      VETERANS AFFAIRS.
    (a) Plans Required.--
        (1) Plans of directors of medical facilities.--Not later than 
    90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary 
    of Veterans Affairs shall require each director of a medical 
    facility of the Department of Veterans Affairs to submit to the 
    director of the Veterans Integrated Service Network that covers the 
    facility a plan to improve such facility.
        (2) Plans of directors of veterans integrated service 
    networks.--The Secretary shall require each director of a Veterans 
    Integrated Service Network to submit to the Secretary, not later 
    than 60 days after receiving all of the plans under paragraph (1), 
    a plan, based on the plans received under paragraph (1), to improve 
    the facilities within that Veterans Integrated Service Network in 
    such a fashion that would improve the ability of all facilities 
    within that network to provide the best and most efficient care to 
    patients.
    (b) Regular Reports.--The Secretary shall ensure that each director 
of a Veterans Integrated Service Network submits to the Secretary, not 
later than two years after the date of the enactment of this Act and 
not less frequently than once every two years thereafter, a report on 
the actions taken by the director to improve the facilities within that 
Veterans Integrated Service Network and what further such actions might 
be necessary.
    (c) Sense of Congress on Use of Authorities to Investigate Medical 
Centers of the Department of Veterans Affairs.--It is the sense of 
Congress that the Secretary of Veterans Affairs should make full use of 
the authorities provided by section 2 of the Enhancing Veteran Care Act 
(Public Law 115-95; 38 U.S.C. 1701 note).

                        TITLE VII--OTHER MATTERS

    SEC. 701. HOMELESS VETERANS REINTEGRATION PROGRAMS.
    Section 2021(a) of title 38, United States Code, is amended--
        (1) by striking ``reintegration of homeless veterans into the 
    labor force.'' and inserting the following: ``reintegration into 
    the labor force of--''; and
        (2) by adding at the end the following new paragraphs:
        ``(1) homeless veterans (including veterans who were homeless 
    but found housing during the 60-day period preceding the date on 
    which the veteran begins to participate in a program under this 
    section);
        ``(2) veterans participating in the Department of Veterans 
    Affairs supported housing program for which rental assistance is 
    provided pursuant to section 8(o)(19) of the United States Housing 
    Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437f(o)(19)) or the Tribal HUD-VA 
    Supportive Housing (Tribal HUD-VASH) program;
        ``(3) Indians who are veterans and receiving assistance under 
    the Native American Housing Assistance and Self Determination Act 
    of 1996 (25 U.S.C. 4101 et seq.);
        ``(4) veterans described in section 2023(e) of this title or 
    any other veterans who are transitioning from being incarcerated; 
    and
        ``(5) veterans participating in the Department of Veterans 
    Affairs rapid rehousing and prevention program authorized in 
    section 2044 of this title.''.
    SEC. 702. TECHNICAL CORRECTIONS.
    (a) Title 38.--Title 38, United States Code, is amended as follows:
        (1) In the table of sections at the beginning of chapter 55, by 
    inserting a period at the end of the item relating to section 
    5501A.
        (2) In section 7463(c)(2)(B), by striking ``to answer to 
    answer'' and inserting ``to answer''.
    (b) Veterans' Benefits Improvements Act of 1996.--Section 504 of 
the Veterans' Benefits Improvements Act of 1996 (Public Law 104-275; 38 
U.S.C. 5101 note) is amended by redesignating the second subsection (c) 
as subsection (d).
    SEC. 703. MEDICAL SURGICAL PRIME VENDOR PROGRAM.
    (a) Vendors.--In procuring certain medical, surgical, and dental 
supplies or laboratory supplies for medical centers of the Department 
of Veterans Affairs, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall carry out 
the Medical Surgical Prime Vendor program, or successor program, in a 
manner that--
        (1) requires the Secretary to award contracts to multiple 
    regional prime vendors instead of a single nationwide prime vendor; 
    and
        (2) prohibits a prime vendor from solely designing the 
    formulary of such supplies.
    (b) Clinically Driven Sourcing.--
        (1) Expertise.--In carrying out the formulary of supplies under 
    the Medical Surgical Prime Vendor program, or successor program, 
    the Secretary shall ensure that each employee of the Department of 
    Veterans Affairs who conducts formulary analyses or makes decisions 
    with respect to including items on the formulary has medical 
    expertise relevant to the items for which the employee conducts 
    such analyses or makes such decisions.
        (2) Lists.--Not later than 30 days after the date of the 
    enactment of this Act, and every six months thereafter with respect 
    to any updates, the Secretary shall submit to the Committees on 
    Veterans' Affairs of the House of Representatives and the Senate a 
    list of each employee described in paragraph (1) and the relevant 
    medical expertise of the employee, listed by the categories of 
    items in the formulary described in such paragraph.
    SEC. 704. REPORT ON EXPANDING ACCESS TO DENTAL CARE FOR VETERANS 
      ELIGIBLE FOR HEALTH CARE FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.
    (a) In General.--Not later than 360 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit 
to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and the Committee 
on Veterans' Affairs of the House of Representatives a report on the 
feasibility and advisability of expanding access to dental care for 
eligible veterans.
    (b) Elements.--The report required by subsection (a) shall include 
the following:
        (1) An analysis of access to dental care for eligible veterans 
    outside of the Department, including--
            (A) the percentage of eligible veterans currently enrolled 
        in dental insurance through a third-party payer, including--
                (i) the dental insurance plan for veterans and 
            survivors and dependents of veterans under section 1712C of 
            title 38, United States Code;
                (ii) the Medicaid program under title XIX of the Social 
            Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396 et seq.); and
                (iii) employer-sponsored dental insurance;
            (B) the affordability of dental insurance described in 
        subparagraph (A); and
            (C) the comprehensiveness of benefits of dental insurance 
        described in subparagraph (A).
        (2) An analysis of the current oral health needs of eligible 
    veterans, including an estimate of the number of eligible veterans 
    who--
            (A) experience untreated cavities or decay;
            (B) require dentures, implants, or other restorative dental 
        services; or
            (C) have not received regular dental cleanings within the 
        two-year period preceding the report.
        (3) An analysis of the financial impact to the Department of 
    Veterans Affairs of providing dental care to eligible veterans, 
    including--
            (A) whether the provision of such services would result in 
        a reduction in total health care costs;
            (B) a cost-benefit analysis that indicates potential cost 
        savings to the Department over a 5-, 10-, and 20-year period; 
        and
            (C) projected cost savings to the Department and across the 
        broader health care system.
        (4) An analysis of the number and types of dental providers 
    necessary to treat eligible veterans, including--
            (A) dentists;
            (B) hygienists;
            (C) dental technicians; and
            (D) dental therapists.
    (c) Categories of Eligible Veterans.--The report required by 
subsection (a) shall be disaggregated by each of the following 
categories of eligible veterans:
        (1) Veterans enrolled in the system of annual patient 
    enrollment of the Department pursuant to the priority group under 
    subsection (a)(6) of section 1705 of such title.
        (2) Veterans enrolled in such system pursuant to the priority 
    group under subsection (a)(5) of such section.
        (3) Veterans enrolled in such system pursuant to a priority 
    group under any of subsections (a)(1) through (a)(4) of such 
    section.
        (4) Veterans enrolled in such system pursuant to a priority 
    group under subsection (a)(7) or (a)(8) of such section.
    (d) Eligible Veterans Defined.--In this section, the term 
``eligible veterans'' means veterans enrolled in the system of annual 
patient enrollment of the Department of Veterans Affairs established 
and operated under section 1705 of title 38, United States Code.

                               Speaker of the House of Representatives.

                            Vice President of the United States and    
                                               President of the Senate.
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