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[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 216 Referred in Senate (RFS)]

114th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 216

_______________________________________________________________________

                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             March 25, 2015

Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 AN ACT

 
   To amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of 
Veterans Affairs to submit to Congress a Future-Years Veterans Program 
 and a quadrennial veterans review, to establish in the Department of 
   Veterans Affairs a Chief Strategy Officer, 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.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Department of Veterans Affairs 
Budget Planning Reform Act of 2015''.

SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF STRATEGIC PLANS TO IMPROVE PROGRAMS AND 
              BENEFITS FOR VETERANS.

    (a) Future-Years Veterans Program.--
            (1) In general.--Chapter 1 of title 38, United States Code, 
        is amended by adding at the end the following new section:
``Sec. 119. Future-Years Veterans Program
    ``(a) Submission to Congress.--The Secretary shall submit to 
Congress each year, at or about the time that the President's budget is 
submitted to Congress pursuant to section 1105(a) of title 31, a 
Future-Years Veterans Program reflecting the estimated expenditures and 
proposed appropriations included in that budget. Any such Future-Years 
Veterans Program shall cover the fiscal year with respect to which the 
budget is submitted and at least the four succeeding fiscal years.
    ``(b) Consistency.--(1) The Secretary shall ensure that amounts 
described in subparagraph (A) of paragraph (2) for any fiscal year are 
consistent with amounts described in subparagraph (B) of such paragraph 
for that fiscal year.
    ``(2) Amounts referred to in paragraph (1) are the following:
            ``(A) The amounts specified in program and budget 
        information submitted to Congress by the Secretary in support 
        of expenditure estimates and proposed appropriations in the 
        budget submitted to Congress by the President under section 
        1105(a) of title 31 for any fiscal year, as shown in the 
        Future-Years Veterans Program submitted pursuant to subsection 
        (a).
            ``(B) The total amounts of estimated expenditures and 
        proposed appropriations necessary to support the programs, 
        projects, and activities of the Department of Veterans Affairs 
        included pursuant to paragraph (5) of section 1105(a) of title 
        31 in the budget submitted to Congress under that section for 
        any fiscal year.
    ``(c) Contents.--The Future-Years Veterans Program under subsection 
(a) shall set forth the five-year plan of the Department to address the 
commitment of the United States to veterans and the resources necessary 
to meet that commitment and shall be developed and updated, as 
appropriate, annually by the Secretary. Each Future-Years Veterans 
Program shall include an explanation of--
            ``(1) the information that was used to develop program 
        planning guidance for the Future-Years Veterans Program; and
            ``(2) how the resource allocations included in the Future-
        Years Veterans Program correlate to such five-year strategy.
    ``(d) Publication.--The Secretary shall publish on a publically 
accessible Internet website of the Department each Future-Years 
Veterans Program submitted pursuant to subsection (a).''.
            (2) Clerical amendment.--The table of sections at the 
        beginning of such chapter is amended by inserting after the 
        item relating to section 118 the following new item:

``119. Future-Years Veterans Program.''.
            (3) Effective date.--Section 119 of title 38, United States 
        Code, as added by paragraph (1), shall apply with respect to 
        the preparation and submission of the budget request for the 
        Department of Veterans Affairs for fiscal year 2020 and fiscal 
        years thereafter.
    (b) Quadrennial Veterans Review.--
            (1) In general.--Such chapter is further amended by adding 
        after section 119, as added by subsection (a)(1), the following 
        new section:
``Sec. 120. Quadrennial veterans review
    ``(a) Requirement.--(1) Not later than fiscal year 2019, and every 
fourth year thereafter, the Secretary shall conduct a review of the 
strategy for meeting the commitment of the United States to veterans 
and the resources necessary to meet that commitment (in this section 
referred to as a `quadrennial veterans review').
    ``(2) Each quadrennial veterans review shall include a 
comprehensive examination of the policies and strategies of the United 
States with respect to veterans, including recommendations regarding 
the long-term strategy and priorities for programs, services, benefits, 
and outcomes regarding veterans and guidance on the programs, assets, 
capabilities, budget, policies, and authorities of the Department.
    ``(3) The Secretary shall conduct each quadrennial veterans review 
in consultation with key officials of the Department, the heads of 
other Federal agencies, and other relevant governmental and 
nongovernmental entities, including State, local, and tribal government 
officials, members of Congress, veterans service organizations, private 
sector representatives, academics, and other policy experts.
    ``(4) The Secretary shall ensure that each quadrennial veterans 
review is coordinated with the Future-Years Veterans Program required 
under section 119 of this title.
    ``(b) Contents of Review.--In each quadrennial veterans review, the 
Secretary shall--
            ``(1) delineate a veterans strategy consistent with the 
        commitment of the United States to veterans and refine a 
        strategy for the types of, and provision of, programs, 
        services, benefits, and outcomes consistent with current 
        authorities and requirements;
            ``(2) outline and prioritize the full range of programs and 
        capabilities regarding veterans provided by the Federal 
        Government;
            ``(3) identify the budget plan required to provide 
        sufficient resources to successfully execute the full range of 
        such programs and capabilities;
            ``(4) include an assessment of the organizational alignment 
        of the Department with respect to the strategy referred to in 
        paragraph (1) and the programs and capabilities referred to in 
        paragraph (2);
            ``(5) review and assess the effectiveness of the mechanisms 
        of the Department for executing the process of turning the 
        requirements identified in the quadrennial veterans review into 
        a plan to meet such requirements, including an expenditure plan 
        for the Department; and
            ``(6) identify emerging trends, problems, opportunities, 
        and issues that could affect veterans or the Department during 
        the ten-year period following the period covered by the review.
    ``(c) Submission to Congress.--(1) The Secretary shall submit to 
the Committees on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and the House of 
Representatives a report regarding each quadrennial veterans review. 
The Secretary shall submit the report in the year following the year in 
which the review is conducted, but not later than the date on which the 
President submits to Congress the budget for the next fiscal year under 
section 1105 of title 31.
    ``(2) Each report submitted under paragraph (1) shall include--
            ``(A) the results of the quadrennial veterans review;
            ``(B) a description of the challenges to, and opportunities 
        for, the assumed or defined veterans-related interests of the 
        Nation that were examined for the purposes of that review;
            ``(C) the strategy for meeting the Nation's commitment to 
        veterans, including a prioritized list of the missions of the 
        Department;
            ``(D) a description of the interagency cooperation, 
        preparedness of Federal assets, infrastructure, budget plan, 
        and other elements of the programs and policies of the Nation 
        associated with the strategy referred to in subsection (b)(1) 
        that are required to execute successfully the full range of 
        programs and capabilities identified in such strategy and the 
        programs and capabilities outlined under subsection (b)(2);
            ``(E) an assessment of the organizational alignment of the 
        Department with the strategy referred to in subsection (b)(1) 
        and the programs and capabilities outlined under subsection 
        (b)(2), including the Department's organizational structure, 
        management systems, budget and accounting systems, human 
        resources systems, procurement systems, and physical and 
        technical infrastructure;
            ``(F) a discussion of the status of cooperation among 
        Federal agencies in the effort to promote national support for 
        veterans;
            ``(G) a discussion of the status of cooperation between the 
        Federal Government and State, local, and tribal governments in 
        supporting veterans and providing programs, services, benefits, 
        and outcomes to assist veterans;
            ``(H) an explanation of any underlying assumptions used in 
        conducting the review; and
            ``(I) any other matter the Secretary considers appropriate.
    ``(d) Publication.--The Secretary shall publish on a publically 
accessible Internet website of the Department each quadrennial veterans 
review submitted pursuant to subsection (c).
    ``(e) Independent Veterans Review Panel.--(1) Not later than 
February 1 of a year in which a quadrennial veterans review is 
conducted under this section, the Secretary shall establish an 
independent panel to be known as the Independent Veterans Review Panel 
(in this subsection referred to as the `Panel'). The Panel shall have 
the duties set forth in this subsection.
    ``(2) The Panel shall be composed of 10 members who are recognized 
experts in matters relating to veterans. The members shall be appointed 
as follows:
            ``(A) Two by the chairman of the Committee on Veterans' 
        Affairs of the House of Representatives.
            ``(B) Two by the chairman of the Committee on Veterans' 
        Affairs of the Senate.
            ``(C) Two by the ranking member of the Committee on 
        Veterans' Affairs of the House of Representatives.
            ``(D) Two by the ranking member of the Committee on 
        Veterans' Affairs of the Senate.
            ``(E) Two by the Secretary, who shall serve as co-chairs of 
        the panel.
    ``(3) Members shall be appointed for the life of the Panel. Any 
vacancy in the Panel shall be filled in the same manner as the original 
appointment.
    ``(4) The Panel shall have the following duties with respect to a 
quadrennial veterans review:
            ``(A) While the review is being conducted, the Panel shall 
        review the updates from the Secretary required under paragraph 
        (7) on the progress of the conduct of the review.
            ``(B) The Panel shall--
                    ``(i) review the Secretary's terms of reference and 
                any other materials providing the basis for, or 
                substantial inputs to, the work of the Department of 
                Veterans Affairs on the quadrennial veterans review;
                    ``(ii) conduct an assessment of the assumptions, 
                strategy, findings, and risks included in the report on 
                the quadrennial veterans review required in subsection 
                (c);
                    ``(iii) conduct an independent assessment of a 
                variety of strategies for delivering services and 
                support to veterans;
                    ``(iv) review the resource requirements identified 
                pursuant to subsection (b)(3) and, to the extent 
                practicable, make a general comparison to the resource 
                requirements to support the strategies assessed under 
                this subparagraph; and
                    ``(v) provide to the Committees on Veterans' 
                Affairs of the Senate and the House of Representatives 
                and the Secretary, through the report under paragraph 
                (7), any recommendations the Panel determines 
                appropriate.
    ``(5) If the Secretary has not appointed members to the Panel under 
paragraph (2)(E) by February 1 of a year in which a quadrennial 
veterans review is conducted under this section, the Panel shall 
convene for its first meeting with the remaining members.
    ``(6) Not later than three months after the date on which the 
report on a quadrennial veterans review is submitted under subsection 
(c) to the Committees on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and the House 
of Representatives, the Panel shall submit to such committees a report 
containing an assessment of the quadrennial veterans review, including 
a description of the items addressed under paragraph (4) with respect 
to that quadrennial veterans review.
    ``(7) Periodically, but not less often than every 60 days during 
the life of the panel, or at the request of the co-chairs, the 
Secretary shall brief the Panel on the progress of the conduct of the 
quadrennial veterans review.
    ``(8)(A) The Panel may request directly from the Department such 
information as the Panel considers necessary to carry out its duties 
under this subsection. The Secretary shall cooperate with the Panel to 
ensure that information requested by the Panel under this subparagraph 
is promptly provided to the maximum extent practical.
    ``(B) Upon the request of the co-chairs, the Secretary shall make 
available to the Panel the services of any federally funded research 
and development center that is covered by a sponsoring agreement of the 
Department.
    ``(C) The Panel shall have the authorities provided in section 3161 
of title 5 and shall be subject to the conditions set forth in such 
section.
    ``(D) Funds for activities of the Panel shall be provided from 
amounts available to the Department.
    ``(9) The Panel shall terminate 45 days after the date on which the 
Panel submits the report on the quadrennial veterans review under 
paragraph (6).''.
            (2) Clerical amendment.--The table of sections at the 
        beginning of such chapter is amended by inserting after the 
        item relating to section 119, as added by subsection (a)(2), 
        the following new item:

``120. Quadrennial veterans review.''.
    (c) Policy Guidance.--
            (1) In general.--Such chapter is further amended by adding 
        after section 120, as added by subsection (b)(1), the following 
        new section:
``Sec. 121. Policy guidance
    ``The Secretary shall provide annually to the appropriate officials 
of the Department written policy guidance for the preparation and 
review of the planning and program recommendations and budget proposals 
of the elements of the Department of such officials. Such guidance 
shall include guidance on the objectives of the Department in 
accordance with Future-Years Veterans Program under section 119 of this 
title and the quadrennial veterans review under section 120 and the 
resource levels projected to be available for the period of time for 
which such recommendations and proposals are to be effective.''.
            (2) Clerical amendment.--The table of sections at the 
        beginning of such chapter is amended by inserting after the 
        item relating to section 120, as added by subsection (b)(2), 
        the following new item:

``121. Policy guidance.''.

SEC. 3. CHIEF STRATEGY OFFICER OF THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.

    (a) In General.--Chapter 3 of title 38, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following new section:
``Sec. 323. Chief Strategy Officer
    ``(a) In General.--The Secretary shall designate the Assistant 
Secretary whose functions include planning, studies, and evaluations as 
the Chief Strategy Officer of the Department. The Chief Strategy 
Officer shall advise the Secretary on long-range strategy and 
implications.
    ``(b) Responsibilities.--The Chief Strategy Officer is the 
principal advisor to the Secretary and other senior officials of the 
Department, and shall provide independent analysis and advice to the 
Secretary and such officials. The Chief Strategy Officer shall carry 
out the following responsibilities:
            ``(1) Conducting cost estimation and cost analysis for the 
        programs of the Department.
            ``(2) Establishing policies for, and overseeing the 
        integration of, the planning, programming, budgeting and 
        execution process for the Department.
            ``(3) Providing analysis and advice on matters relating to 
        the planning and programming phase of the planning, 
        programming, budgeting and execution process, and the 
        preparation of materials and guidance for such process, as 
        directed by the Secretary, working in coordination with the 
        Assistant Secretary for Management.
            ``(4) Developing and executing the Future-Years Veterans 
        Program of the Department, as specified under section 119 of 
        this title.
            ``(5) Developing resource discussions relating to 
        requirements under consideration in the quadrennial veterans 
        review under section 120 of this title.
            ``(6) Formulating study guidance for analysis of 
        alternatives for programs and initiatives, including any 
        necessary acquisitions, development, or procurement 
        commensurate with such alternatives, and performance of such 
        analysis as directed by the Secretary.
            ``(7) Reviewing, analyzing, and evaluating programs for 
        executing approved strategies and policies, ensuring that 
        information on programs and expected outcomes is presented 
        accurately and completely.
            ``(8) Ensuring that the costs of programs and alternatives 
        are presented accurately and completely by assisting in 
        establishing standards, policies, and procedures for the 
        conduct of cost estimation and cost analysis throughout the 
        Department, including guidance relating to the proper selection 
        of confidence levels in cost estimates generally and for 
        specific programs of the Department.
            ``(9) Conducting studies at the request of the Secretary 
        regarding costs, policy assumptions, and strategic implications 
        of current policies and possible alternatives.
            ``(10) Communicating directly to the Secretary and the 
        Deputy Secretary of Veterans Affairs about matters for which 
        the Chief Strategy Officer is responsible without obtaining the 
        approval or concurrence of any other official within the 
        Department.''.
    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections at the beginning of 
such chapter is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 
322 the following new item:

``323. Chief Strategy Officer.''.

SEC. 4. PROHIBITION ON NEW APPROPRIATIONS.

    No additional funds are authorized to be appropriated to carry out 
this Act or the amendments made by this Act. This Act and such 
amendments shall be carried out using amounts otherwise available for 
the Department of Veterans Affairs.

            Passed the House of Representatives March 24, 2015.

            Attest:

                                                 KAREN L. HAAS,

                                                                 Clerk.
```