I 

110TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 5526 

To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish the Task Force 

on Medical Facility Improvements in Puerto Rico, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MARCH 4, 2008 

Mr. FORTUN ̃O (for himself and Mr. SERRANO) introduced the following bill; 

which was referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 

A BILL 

To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish the 

Task Force on Medical Facility Improvements in Puerto 

Rico, 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. FINDINGS. 

4 Congress makes the following findings: 

5 (1) Residents of Puerto Rico have served with 

6 honor and distinction in the Armed Forces of the 

7 United States in every major war and conflict the 

8 Nation has fought since 1917. 

9 (2) Puerto Rico consistently ranks alongside the 

10 top five States in per capita military service. 


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1 (3) Numerous residents of Puerto Rico have 

2 won the Bronze Star with valor device, the Silver 

3 Star, the Distinguished Flying Cross, and the Dis4 tinguished Service Medal. 

5 (4) Four residents of Puerto Rico have received 

6 the Medal of Honor, the highest award given for 

7 valor on the battlefield. 

8 (5) 18,000 residents of Puerto Rico served in 

9 World War I. 

10 (6) 65,000 residents of Puerto Rico served in 

11 World War II, including 200 Puerto Rican women. 

12 (7) 61,000 residents of Puerto Rico served in 

13 the Korean War, during which the 65th Infantry 

14 Regiment, comprised mostly of Puerto Rican soldiers 

15 and known as the Borinqueneers, particularly distin16 guished itself for bravery. 

17 (8) 48,000 residents of Puerto Rico served in 

18 Vietnam, with 430 killed and over 3,000 wounded. 

19 (9) 2,600 residents of Puerto Rico were mobi20 lized for Operation Desert Shield and Operation 

21 Desert Storm. 

22 (10) 3,400 residents of Puerto Rico have 

23 served, and over 230 have been killed or wounded, 

24 in the Nation’s current war on terrorism, as part of 


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1 Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi 

2 Freedom. 

3 (11) Residents of Puerto Rico have always 

4 proudly answered the call to defend this nation and 

5 to sacrifice for the cause of liberty, notwithstanding 

6 the fact that they cannot vote for their commander7 in-chief. 

8 (12) In section 821 of the Veterans Benefits, 

9 Health Care, and Information Technology Act of 

10 2006 (Public Law 109–461; 120 Stat. 3448), Con11 gress expressed its sense that the need for medical 

12 facility improvements in San Juan, Puerto Rico was 

13 not being adequately addressed and directed the Sec14 retary of Veterans Affairs to ‘‘take steps to explore 

15 all options for addressing that concern, including the 

16 option of a public/private partnership to construct 

17 and operate a facility that would replace the current 

18 Department of Veterans Affairs medical center in 

19 San Juan, Puerto Rico’’. 

20 (13) Congress directed the Secretary of Vet21 erans Affairs to submit a report to the Committees 

22 on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and House of 

23 Representatives ‘‘identifying and outlining the var24 ious options available to the Department’’ for retroVerDate Aug 31 2005 23:58 Mar 05, 2008 Jkt 069200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H5526.IH H5526

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1 fitting and renovating or replacing the current Vet2 erans Affairs medical center in San Juan. 

3 (14) On June 26, 2007, the Department of 

4 Veterans Affairs submitted its ‘‘Report to Congress 

5 on Options for Medical Facility Improvements in 

6 San Juan, Puerto Rico’’, in which it identified and 

7 outlined four potential options available to the De8 partment for medical facility improvements in Puer9 to Rico and analyzed the medical, legal, and finan10 cial implications associated with each option. 

11 (15) In that report, the Department of Vet12 erans Affairs affirmed that medical facility improve13 ments in Puerto Rico would support the Depart14 ment’s strategic goals, including improving the qual15 ity of life for veterans with disabilities, ensuring a 

16 smooth transition for veterans from active military 

17 service to civilian life, and improving the health and 

18 socioeconomic well-being of veterans. 

19 (16) In that report, the Department also stated 

20 that upgrades to the existing medical facility in San 

21 Juan were ‘‘necessary to ensure the long-term safety 

22 of patients and staff’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. TASK FORCE ON MEDICAL FACILITY IMPROVE2 MENTS IN PUERTO RICO. 

3 (a) ESTABLISHMENT.—Not later than 60 days after 

4 the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of 

5 Veterans Affairs shall establish a task force to be known 

6 as the Task Force on Medical Facility Improvements in 

7 Puerto Rico (hereinafter in this section referred to as the 

8 ‘‘Task Force’’). 

9 (b) MEMBERSHIP.— 

10 (1) IN GENERAL.—The members of the Task 

11 Force shall be appointed by the Secretary of Vet12 erans Affairs and shall include— 

13 (A) appropriate employees of the Depart14 ment of Veterans Affairs; 

15 (B) appropriate representatives of vet16 erans’ organizations based in Puerto Rico; and 

17 (C) appropriate representatives of the gov18 ernment of Puerto Rico. 

19 (2) NUMBER; TERMS OF SERVICE; PAY AND AL20 LOWANCES.—The Secretary shall determine the 

21 number, terms of service, and pay and allowances of 

22 members of the Task Force appointed by the Sec23 retary. 

24 (c) RESPONSIBILITIES.—The Task Force shall— 


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1 (1) consider options to renovate or replace the 

2 Department of Veterans Affairs hospital in Puerto 

3 Rico, including— 

4 (A) the four options outlined in the report 

5 of the Department of Veterans Affairs entitled 

6 ‘‘Report to Congress on Options for Medical 

7 Facility Improvements in San Juan, Puerto 

8 Rico’’ submitted pursuant to section 821 of the 

9 Veterans Benefits, Health Care, and Informa10 tion Technology Act of 2006 (Public Law 109– 

11 461; 120 Stat. 3448); and 

12 (B) any option not specifically discussed in 

13 such report that the Task Force determines is 

14 appropriate for consideration, especially any 

15 such option involving a public-private partner16 ship to renovate or replace the hospital; and 

17 (2) make recommendations to the Secretary 

18 with respect to which of the options considered 

19 under paragraph (1) should be implemented. 

20 (d) CONTRACT AUTHORITY.—Upon the request of 

21 the Task Force, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs may 

22 enter into a contract with an appropriate entity to assist 

23 the Task Force in carrying out its responsibilities under 

24 this section. 


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1 (e) STAKEHOLDER INTERESTS AND CONCERNS.—In 

2 carrying out the responsibilities under this section, the 

3 Task Force shall ensure that the full range of stakeholder 

4 interests and concerns are considered. 

5 (f) REPORTS.— 

6 (1) REPORT TO SECRETARY.—Not later than 

7 180 days after the date on which the Task Force is 

8 established under subsection (a), the Task Force 

9 shall submit to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs a 

10 report containing the findings and recommendations 

11 of the Task Force under subsection (c). 

12 (2) REPORT TO CONGRESS.—Not later than 60 

13 days after receiving the report under paragraph (1), 

14 the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit to 

15 Congress such report together with any rec16 ommendations of the Secretary. 

17 (g) TERMINATION.—The Task Force shall terminate 

18 30 days after the Secretary submits the report under sub19 section (f)(2). 

Æ 


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