IB 

Union Calendar No. 672 

115TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 5974 

[Report No. 115–869] 

To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to use on-site regulated medical 

waste treatment systems at certain Department of Veterans Affairs facilities, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MAY 25, 2018 

Mr. DENHAM (for himself, Mr. BOST, Ms. KUSTER of New Hampshire, and 

Mr. CRIST) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 

JULY 24, 2018 

Additional sponsor: Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois 

JULY 24, 2018 

Reported with an amendment, 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 May 25, 2018] 


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•HR 5974 RH

A BILL 

To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to use on-site 

regulated medical waste treatment systems at certain 

Department of Veterans Affairs facilities, and for other 

purposes. 


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3 

•HR 5974 RH

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 ‘‘Department of Veterans 

5 Affairs Creation of On-Site Treatment Systems Affording 

6 Veterans Improvements and Numerous General Safety En7 hancements Act’’ or the ‘‘VA COST SAVINGS Enhance8 ments Act’’. 

9 SEC. 2. USE OF ON-SITE REGULATED MEDICAL WASTE 

10 TREATMENT SYSTEMS AT DEPARTMENT OF 

11 VETERANS AFFAIRS FACILITIES. 

12 (a) IDENTIFICATION OF FACILITIES.—The Secretary of 

13 Veterans Affairs shall identify Department of Veterans Af14 fairs facilities that would benefit from cost savings associ15 ated with the use of an on-site regulated medical waste 

16 treatment system over a five-year period. 

17 (b) REGULATED MEDICAL WASTE COST ANALYSIS

18 MODEL.—For purposes of carrying out subsection (a), the 

19 Secretary shall develop a uniform regulated medical waste 

20 cost analysis model to be used to determine the cost savings 

21 associated with the use of an on-site regulated medical 

22 waste treatment system at Department facilities. Such 

23 model shall be designed to calculate savings based on— 


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•HR 5974 RH

1 (1) the cost of treating regulated medical waste 

2 at an off-site location under a contract with a non3 Department entity, compared to 

4 (2) the cost of treating regulated medical waste 

5 on-site, based on the equipment specification of treat6 ment system manufacturers, with capital costs amor7 tized over a ten-year period. 

8 (c) INSTALLATION.—At each Department facility iden9 tified under subsection (a), the Secretary shall secure, in10 stall, and operate an on-site regulated medical waste treat11 ment system. 

12 (d) USE OF BLANKET PURCHASE AGREEMENT.—Any 

13 medical waste treatment system purchased pursuant to this 

14 section shall be purchased under the blanket purchase agree15 ment known as the ‘‘VHA Regulated Medical Waste On16 Site Treatment Equipment Systems Blanket Purchase 

17 Agreement’’ or any successor, contract, agreement, or other 

18 arrangement. 

19 (e) REGULATED MEDICAL WASTE DEFINED.—In this 

20 section, the term ‘‘regulated medical waste’’ has the mean21 ing given such term under section 173.134(a)(5) of title 49, 

22 Code of Federal Regulations, concerning regulated medical 

23 waste and infectious substances, or any successor regula24 tion, except that, in the case of an applicable State law 


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•HR 5974 RH

1 that is more expansive, the definition in the State law shall 

2 apply. 


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Union Calendar No. 672 

115TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 5974 

[Report No. 115–869] 

A BILL 

To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to use 

facilities, and for other purposes. tems at certain Department of Veterans Affairs on-site regulated medical waste treatment sysJULY 24, 2018 

Reported with an amendment, committed to the Comand ordered to be printed mittee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, 


SSpencer on DSKBBXCHB2PROD with BILLS