II 

113TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 5404 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

SEPTEMBER 17 (legislative day, SEPTEMBER 16), 2014 

Received 

AN ACT 

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

expiring provisions of law administered by the Secretary 

of Veterans Affairs, 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, 


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1 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS. 

2 (a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the 

3 ‘‘Department of Veterans Affairs Expiring Authorities Act 

4 of 2014’’. 

5 (b) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—The table of contents for 

6 this Act is as follows: 

Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents. 

Sec. 2. References to title 38, United States Code. 

Sec. 3. Scoring of budgetary effects. 

TITLE I—EXTENSIONS OF AUTHORITY RELATING TO HEALTH 

CARE 

Sec. 101. Extension of requirement to provide nursing home care to certain veterans with service-connected disabilities. 

Sec. 102. Extension of authority for pilot program on counseling in retreat settings for women veterans newly separated from service in the 

Armed Forces. 

Sec. 103. Extension of authority for pilot program on assistance for child care 

for certain veterans receiving health care. 

Sec. 104. Extension of authority to make grants to veterans service organizations for transportation of highly rural veterans. 

Sec. 105. Extension of requirement for report on activities of Department of 

Defense-Department of Veterans Affairs Interagency Program 

Office. 

Sec. 106. Extension of authority for the performance of medical disabilities examinations by contract physicians. 

Sec. 107. Extension of authority for collection of copayments for hospital care 

and nursing home care. 

Sec. 108. Extension of authority for recovery from third parties of cost of care 

and services furnished to veterans with health-plan contracts 

for non-service-connected disability. 

TITLE II—EXTENSIONS OF AUTHORITY RELATING TO 

HOMELESSNESS 

Sec. 201. Extension of current funding level for comprehensive service programs for homeless veterans. 

Sec. 202. Extension of authority for homeless veterans reintegration programs. 

Sec. 203. Extension of authority to provide referral and counseling services for 

certain veterans at risk of homelessness. 

Sec. 204. Extension of authority for treatment and rehabilitation services for 

seriously mentally ill and homeless veterans. 

Sec. 205. Extension of authority to provide housing assistance for homeless veterans. 

Sec. 206. Extension of authority to provide financial assistance for supportive 

services for very low-income veteran families in permanent 

housing. 


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Sec. 207. Extension of authority for grant program for homeless veterans with 

special needs. 

Sec. 208. Extension of authority for the Advisory Committee on Homeless Veterans. 

TITLE III—EXTENSIONS OF AUTHORITY RELATING TO BENEFITS 

Sec. 301. Extension of authority for the Veterans’ Advisory Committee on Education. 

Sec. 302. Extension of authority for calculating net value of real property at 

time of foreclosure. 

Sec. 303. Extension of authority relating to vendee loans. 

TITLE IV—OTHER EXTENSIONS OF AUTHORITY AND OTHER 

MATTERS 

Sec. 401. Extension of authority to transport certain individuals to and from 

Department of Veterans Affairs facilities. 

Sec. 402. Extension of authority for operation of the Department of Veterans 

Affairs regional office in Manila, the Republic of the Philippines. 

Sec. 403. Extension of requirement to provide reports to Congress regarding 

equitable relief in the case of administrative error. 

Sec. 404. Extension of authority for Advisory Committee on Minority Veterans. 

Sec. 405. Extension of authority for temporary expansion of eligibility for specially adapted housing assistance for certain veterans with disabilities causing difficulty ambulating. 

Sec. 406. Restoration of prior reporting fee multipliers. 

Sec. 407. Extension of authority for agreement with National Academy of 

Sciences. 

Sec. 408. Health professionals education debt reduction. 

Sec. 409. Amendments to Veterans Access, Choice, and Accountability Act of 

2014. 

1 SEC. 2. REFERENCES TO TITLE 38, UNITED STATES CODE. 

2 Except as otherwise expressly provided, whenever in 

3 this Act an amendment or repeal is expressed in terms 

4 of an amendment to, or repeal of, a section or other provi5 sion, the reference shall be considered to be made to a 

6 section or other provision of title 38, United States Code. 

7 SEC. 3. SCORING OF BUDGETARY EFFECTS. 

8 The budgetary effects of this Act, for the purpose of 

9 complying with the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2010, 

10 shall be determined by reference to the latest statement 


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1 titled ‘‘Budgetary Effects of PAYGO Legislation’’ for this 

2 Act, submitted for printing in the Congressional Record 

3 by the Chairman of the House Budget Committee, pro4 vided that such statement has been submitted prior to the 

5 vote on passage. 

6 TITLE I—EXTENSIONS OF AU7 THORITY RELATING TO 

8 HEALTH CARE 

9 SEC. 101. EXTENSION OF REQUIREMENT TO PROVIDE 

10 NURSING HOME CARE TO CERTAIN VET11 ERANS WITH SERVICE-CONNECTED DISABIL12 ITIES. 

13 Section 1710A(d) is amended by striking ‘‘December 

14 31, 2014’’ and inserting ‘‘December 31, 2015’’. 

15 SEC. 102. EXTENSION OF AUTHORITY FOR PILOT PROGRAM 

16 ON COUNSELING IN RETREAT SETTINGS FOR 

17 WOMEN VETERANS NEWLY SEPARATED FROM 

18 SERVICE IN THE ARMED FORCES. 

19 (a) EXTENSION OF AUTHORITY.—Subsection (d) of 

20 section 203 of the Caregivers and Veterans Omnibus 

21 Health Services Act of 2010 (Public Law 111–163; 124 

22 Stat. 1143; 38 U.S.C. 1712A note) is amended to read 

23 as follows: 


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1 ‘‘(d) TERMINATION.—The authority to carry out a 

2 pilot program under this section shall terminate on De3 cember 31, 2015.’’. 

4 (b) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—Sub5 section (f) of such section is amended by striking ‘‘fiscal 

6 years 2010 and 2011’’ and inserting ‘‘fiscal years 2010, 

7 2011, and 2015’’. 

8 SEC. 103. EXTENSION OF AUTHORITY FOR PILOT PROGRAM 

9 ON ASSISTANCE FOR CHILD CARE FOR CER10 TAIN VETERANS RECEIVING HEALTH CARE. 

11 (a) EXTENSION OF AUTHORITY.—Subsection (e) of 

12 section 205 of the Caregivers and Veterans Omnibus 

13 Health Services Act of 2010 (Public Law 111–163; 124 

14 Stat. 1144; 38 U.S.C. 1710 note) is amended to read as 

15 follows: 

16 ‘‘(e) TERMINATION.—The authority to carry out a 

17 pilot program under this section shall terminate on De18 cember 31, 2015.’’. 

19 (b) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—Sub20 section (h) of such section is amended by striking ‘‘2014’’ 

21 and inserting ‘‘2015’’. 


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1 SEC. 104. EXTENSION OF AUTHORITY TO MAKE GRANTS TO 

2 VETERANS SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS FOR 

3 TRANSPORTATION OF HIGHLY RURAL VET4 ERANS. 

5 Section 307(d) of the Caregivers and Veterans Omni6 bus Health Services Act of 2010 (Public Law 111–163; 

7 124 Stat. 1154; 38 U.S.C. 1710 note) is amended by 

8 striking ‘‘2014’’ and inserting ‘‘2015’’. 

9 SEC. 105. EXTENSION OF REQUIREMENT FOR REPORT ON 

10 ACTIVITIES OF DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE11 DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS INTER12 AGENCY PROGRAM OFFICE. 

13 Section 1635(h)(1) of the Wounded Warrior Act 

14 (title XVI of Public Law 110–181; 122 Stat. 460; 10 

15 U.S.C. 1071 note) is amended by striking ‘‘2014’’ and in16 serting ‘‘2015’’. 

17 SEC. 106. EXTENSION OF AUTHORITY FOR THE PERFORM18 ANCE OF MEDICAL DISABILITIES EXAMINA19 TIONS BY CONTRACT PHYSICIANS. 

20 Section 704(c) of the Veterans Benefits Act of 2003 

21 (Public Law 108–183; 38 U.S.C. 5101 note) is amended 

22 by striking ‘‘December 31, 2014’’ and inserting ‘‘Decem23 ber 31, 2015’’. 


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1 SEC. 107. EXTENSION OF AUTHORITY FOR COLLECTION OF 

2 COPAYMENTS FOR HOSPITAL CARE AND 

3 NURSING HOME CARE. 

4 Section 1710(f)(2)(B) is amended by striking ‘‘Sep5 tember 30, 2014’’ and inserting ‘‘September 30, 2015’’. 

6 SEC. 108. EXTENSION OF AUTHORITY FOR RECOVERY FROM 

7 THIRD PARTIES OF COST OF CARE AND SERV8 ICES FURNISHED TO VETERANS WITH 

9 HEALTH-PLAN CONTRACTS FOR NON-SERV10 ICE-CONNECTED DISABILITY. 

11 Section 1729(a)(2)(E) is amended by striking ‘‘Octo12 ber 1, 2014’’ and inserting ‘‘October 1, 2015’’. 

13 TITLE II—EXTENSIONS OF AU14 THORITY RELATING TO 

15 HOMELESSNESS 

16 SEC. 201. EXTENSION OF CURRENT FUNDING LEVEL FOR 

17 COMPREHENSIVE SERVICE PROGRAMS FOR 

18 HOMELESS VETERANS. 

19 Section 2013(7) is amended by striking 

20 ‘‘$150,000,000’’ and inserting ‘‘$250,000,000’’. 

21 SEC. 202. EXTENSION OF AUTHORITY FOR HOMELESS VET22 ERANS REINTEGRATION PROGRAMS. 

23 Section 2021(e)(1)(F) is amended by striking 

24 ‘‘2014’’ and inserting ‘‘2015’’. 


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1 SEC. 203. EXTENSION OF AUTHORITY TO PROVIDE REFER2 RAL AND COUNSELING SERVICES FOR CER3 TAIN VETERANS AT RISK OF HOMELESSNESS. 

4 (a) EXTENSION OF AUTHORITY.—Subsection (d) of 

5 section 2023 is amended by striking ‘‘September 30, 

6 2014’’ and inserting ‘‘September 30, 2015’’. 

7 (b) TECHNICAL AMENDMENT.—Subsection (c)(3) of 

8 such section is amended by striking ‘‘enter into contracts’’ 

9 and inserting ‘‘make grants’’. 

10 SEC. 204. EXTENSION OF AUTHORITY FOR TREATMENT AND 

11 REHABILITATION SERVICES FOR SERIOUSLY 

12 MENTALLY ILL AND HOMELESS VETERANS. 

13 (a) GENERAL TREATMENT.—Section 2031(b) is 

14 amended by striking ‘‘December 31, 2014’’ and inserting 

15 ‘‘September 30, 2015’’. 

16 (b) ADDITIONAL SERVICES AT CERTAIN LOCA17 TIONS.—Section 2033(d) is amended by striking ‘‘Decem18 ber 31, 2014’’ and inserting ‘‘September 30, 2015’’. 

19 SEC. 205. EXTENSION OF AUTHORITY TO PROVIDE HOUS20 ING ASSISTANCE FOR HOMELESS VETERANS. 

21 Section 2041(c) is amended by striking ‘‘December 

22 31, 2014’’ and inserting ‘‘September 30, 2015’’. 


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1 SEC. 206. EXTENSION OF AUTHORITY TO PROVIDE FINAN2 CIAL ASSISTANCE FOR SUPPORTIVE SERV3 ICES FOR VERY LOW-INCOME VETERAN FAMI4 LIES IN PERMANENT HOUSING. 

5 Section 2044(e)(1)(E) is amended by striking ‘‘fiscal 

6 years 2013 and 2014’’ and inserting ‘‘fiscal years 2013 

7 through 2015’’. 

8 SEC. 207. EXTENSION OF AUTHORITY FOR GRANT PRO9 GRAM FOR HOMELESS VETERANS WITH SPE10 CIAL NEEDS. 

11 Section 2061(d)(1) is amended by striking ‘‘2014’’ 

12 and inserting ‘‘2015’’. 

13 SEC. 208. EXTENSION OF AUTHORITY FOR THE ADVISORY 

14 COMMITTEE ON HOMELESS VETERANS. 

15 Section 2066(d) is amended by striking ‘‘December 

16 31, 2014’’ and inserting ‘‘December 31, 2015’’. 

17 TITLE III—EXTENSIONS OF AU18 THORITY RELATING TO BENE19 FITS 

20 SEC. 301. EXTENSION OF AUTHORITY FOR THE VETERANS’ 

21 ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION. 

22 Section 3692(c) is amended by striking ‘‘December 

23 31, 2014’’ and inserting ‘‘December 31, 2015’’. 


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1 SEC. 302. EXTENSION OF AUTHORITY FOR CALCULATING 

2 NET VALUE OF REAL PROPERTY AT TIME OF 

3 FORECLOSURE. 

4 Section 3732(c)(11) is amended by striking ‘‘October 

5 1, 2014’’ and inserting ‘‘October 1, 2015’’. 

6 SEC. 303. EXTENSION OF AUTHORITY RELATING TO VEND7 EE LOANS. 

8 Section 3733(a)(7) is amended— 

9 (1) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), 

10 by striking ‘‘September 30, 2014’’ and inserting 

11 ‘‘September 30, 2015’’; and 

12 (2) in subparagraph (C), by striking ‘‘Sep13 tember 30, 2014,’’ and inserting ‘‘September 30, 

14 2015,’’. 

15 TITLE IV—OTHER EXTENSIONS 

16 OF AUTHORITY AND OTHER 

17 MATTERS 

18 SEC. 401. EXTENSION OF AUTHORITY TO TRANSPORT CER19 TAIN INDIVIDUALS TO AND FROM DEPART20 MENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS FACILITIES. 

21 Section 111A(a)(2) is amended by striking ‘‘Decem22 ber 31, 2014’’ and inserting ‘‘December 31, 2015’’. 


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1 SEC. 402. EXTENSION OF AUTHORITY FOR OPERATION OF 

2 THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS 

3 REGIONAL OFFICE IN MANILA, THE REPUB4 LIC OF THE PHILIPPINES. 

5 Section 315(b) is amended by striking ‘‘December 31, 

6 2014’’ and inserting ‘‘September 30, 2015’’. 

7 SEC. 403. EXTENSION OF REQUIREMENT TO PROVIDE RE8 PORTS TO CONGRESS REGARDING EQUI9 TABLE RELIEF IN THE CASE OF ADMINISTRA10 TIVE ERROR. 

11 Section 503(c) is amended by striking ‘‘December 31, 

12 2014’’ and inserting ‘‘December 31, 2015’’. 

13 SEC. 404. EXTENSION OF AUTHORITY FOR ADVISORY COM14 MITTEE ON MINORITY VETERANS. 

15 Section 544(e) is amended by striking ‘‘December 31, 

16 2014’’ and inserting ‘‘December 31, 2015’’. 

17 SEC. 405. EXTENSION OF AUTHORITY FOR TEMPORARY EX18 PANSION OF ELIGIBILITY FOR SPECIALLY 

19 ADAPTED HOUSING ASSISTANCE FOR CER20 TAIN VETERANS WITH DISABILITIES CAUSING 

21 DIFFICULTY AMBULATING. 

22 Section 2101(a)(4) is amended— 

23 (1) in subparagraph (A), by striking ‘‘Sep24 tember 30, 2014’’ and inserting ‘‘September 30, 

25 2015’’; and 


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1 (2) in subparagraph (B), by striking ‘‘fiscal 

2 year 2014’’ and inserting ‘‘each of fiscal years 2014 

3 and 2015’’. 

4 SEC. 406. RESTORATION OF PRIOR REPORTING FEE MULTI5 PLIERS. 

6 During the one-year period beginning on the date of 

7 the enactment of this Act, the second sentence of section 

8 3684(c) shall be applied— 

9 (1) by substituting ‘‘$9’’ for ‘‘$12’’; and 

10 (2) by substituting ‘‘$13’’ for ‘‘$15’’. 

11 SEC. 407. EXTENSION OF AUTHORITY FOR AGREEMENT 

12 WITH NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. 

13 Section 3(i) of the Agent Orange Act of 1991 (Public 

14 Law 102–4; 105 Stat. 13; 38 U.S.C. 1116 note) is amend15 ed by striking ‘‘October 1, 2014’’ and inserting ‘‘Decem16 ber 31, 2015’’. 

17 SEC. 408. HEALTH PROFESSIONALS EDUCATION DEBT RE18 DUCTION. 

19 Section 7683 is amended— 

20 (1) by striking subsection (a) and inserting the 

21 following new subsection: 

22 ‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—Education debt reduction pay23 ments under the Education Debt Reduction Program shall 

24 consist of— 


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1 ‘‘(1) payments to individuals selected to partici2 pate in the program of principal and interest on 

3 loans described in section 7682(a)(2) of this title; or 

4 ‘‘(2) payments for the principal and interest on 

5 such loans of such individuals to the holders of such 

6 loans.’’; 

7 (2) in subsections (b) and (c), by striking ‘‘pay8 ments to’’ both places it appears and inserting ‘‘pay9 ments to or for’’; and 

10 (3) in subsection (d)— 

11 (A) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘made 

12 to’’ and inserting ‘‘made to or for’’; and 

13 (B) in paragraph (2)(A), by striking ‘‘pay14 able to that’’ and inserting ‘‘payable to or for 

15 that’’. 

16 SEC. 409. AMENDMENTS TO VETERANS ACCESS, CHOICE, 

17 AND ACCOUNTABILITY ACT OF 2014. 

18 (a) EXPANDED AVAILABILITY OF HOSPITAL CARE

19 AND MEDICAL SERVICES.—Section 101 of the Veterans 

20 Access, Choice, and Accountability Act of 2014 (Public 

21 Law 113–146; 38 U.S.C. 1701 note) is amended— 

22 (1) in subsection (c)— 

23 (A) in paragraph (1)(A), by inserting ‘‘pro24 vide the veteran an appointment that exceeds 


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1 the wait-time goals described in such subsection 

2 or’’ before ‘‘place such’’; and 

3 (B) in paragraph (2), by inserting ‘‘(or 

4 other digital channel)’’ after ‘‘website’’; 

5 (2) in subsection (d)(1)(A), by adding at the 

6 end the following new sentences: ‘‘An agreement en7 tered into pursuant to this subparagraph may not be 

8 treated as a Federal contract for the acquisition of 

9 goods or services and is not subject to any provision 

10 of law governing Federal contracts for the acquisi11 tion of goods or services. Before entering into an 

12 agreement pursuant to this subparagraph, the Sec13 retary shall, to the maximum extent practicable and 

14 consistent with the requirements of this section, fur15 nish such care and services to such veterans under 

16 this section with such entities pursuant to sharing 

17 agreements, existing contracts entered into by the 

18 Secretary, or other processes available at medical fa19 cilities of the Department.’’; 

20 (3) in subsection (l)(1), by inserting ‘‘a copy 

21 of’’ before ‘‘any medical record’’; and 

22 (4) by adding at the end the following new sub23 section: 


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1 ‘‘(t) WAIVER OF CERTAIN PRINTING REQUIRE2 MENTS.—Section 501 of title 44, United States Code, 

3 shall not apply in carrying out this section.’’. 

4 (b) COLLABORATION BETWEEN VA AND INDIAN

5 HEALTH SERVICE.—Section 102 of the Veterans Access, 

6 Choice, and Accountability Act of 2014 (Public Law 113– 

7 146; 38 U.S.C. 1701 note) is amended— 

8 (1) in subsection (b), by striking ‘‘The Sec9 retary of Veterans Affairs shall establish’’ and in10 serting the following: ‘‘The Secretary of Veterans 

11 Affairs and the Director of the Indian Health Serv12 ice shall jointly establish and implement’’; 

13 (2) in subsection (c), by adding at the end the 

14 following new paragraph: 

15 ‘‘(3) Entering into an agreement between the 

16 Department and the Indian Health Service described 

17 in paragraph (2)(A) with respect to the effect of 

18 such agreement on the priority access of any Indian 

19 to health care services provided through the Indian 

20 Health Service, the eligibility of any Indian to re21 ceive health services through the Indian Health 

22 Service, and the quality of health care services pro23 vided to any Indian through the Indian Health Serv24 ice.’’; and 

25 (3) by striking subsection (d). 


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1 (c) PROMPT PAYMENT.—Section 105 of the Veterans 

2 Access, Choice, and Accountability Act of 2014 (Public 

3 Law 113–146; 38 U.S.C. 1701 note) is amended— 

4 (1) in subsection (a), by striking ‘‘section 

5 1315’’ and inserting ‘‘part 1315’’; 

6 (2) in subsection (b)(2), by striking ‘‘chapter 

7 39’’ and inserting ‘‘chapter 39 of title 31’’; and 

8 (3) in subsection (d), by striking ‘‘required by 

9 subsection (b)’’ and inserting ‘‘required by sub10 section (c)’’. 

11 (d) IMPROVEMENT OF ACCESS TO MOBILE VET CEN12 TERS.—Section 204 of the Veterans Access, Choice, and 

13 Accountability Act of 2014 (Public Law 113–146; 38 

14 U.S.C. 1701 note) is amended— 

15 (1) in subsection (a)— 

16 (A) in paragraph (1), by inserting ‘‘and re17 adjustment counseling services’’ after ‘‘other 

18 health care’’; and 

19 (B) in paragraph (2)— 

20 (i) in subparagraph (B), by inserting 

21 ‘‘and events’’ after ‘‘locations’’; and 

22 (ii) in subparagraph (C), by inserting 

23 ‘‘and outreach contacts’’ after ‘‘appoint24 ments’’; and 

25 (2) in subsection (b)(2)— 


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1 (A) in subparagraph (A)— 

2 (i) in the matter preceding clause (i), 

3 by inserting ‘‘and readjustment coun4 seling’’ after ‘‘telemedicine services’’; and 

5 (ii) in clause (iii), by inserting ‘‘and 

6 outreach contacts’’ after ‘‘appointments’’; 

7 (B) in subparagraph (B), by inserting 

8 ‘‘and readjustment counseling’’ after ‘‘health 

9 care services’’; and 

10 (C) in subparagraph (E), by striking ‘‘mo11 bile vet centers and’’. 

12 (e) IMPROVED TRANSPARENCY.—Section 206(b) of 

13 the Veterans Access, Choice, and Accountability Act of 

14 2014 (Public Law 113–146; 38 U.S.C. 1701 note) is 

15 amended— 

16 (1) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘comprehen17 sive database’’ and inserting ‘‘comprehensive, ma18 chine-readable data set’’; 

19 (2) in paragraph (3), by striking ‘‘notice in the 

20 database of the reason’’ and inserting ‘‘notice of the 

21 reason’’; and 

22 (3) in paragraphs (2), (3), and (4), by striking 

23 ‘‘database’’ each place it appears and inserting 

24 ‘‘data’’. 


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1 (f) INFORMATION ON CREDENTIALS.—Section 207 of 

2 the Veterans Access, Choice, and Accountability Act of 

3 2014 (Public Law 113–146; 38 U.S.C. 1701 note) is 

4 amended by striking ‘‘successor database’’ each place it 

5 appears and inserting ‘‘successor data set’’. 

6 (g) REPORT ON STAFFING SHORTAGES.—Section 

7 301(b)(3) of the Veterans Access, Choice, and Account8 ability Act of 2014 (Public Law 113–146) is amended— 

9 (1) in subparagraph (A), by striking ‘‘Not 

10 later’’ and all that follows through ‘‘2019’’ and in11 serting the following: ‘‘On October 1 of each year 

12 beginning in 2015 and ending in 2019’’; and 

13 (2) in subparagraph (B)— 

14 (A) in clause (iii), by striking ‘‘at each’’ 

15 and all that follows through the period at the 

16 end and inserting the following: ‘‘or guidelines 

17 of the Department with respect to determining 

18 the ratio of residents to staff supervising resi19 dents.’’; and 

20 (B) by striking clause (v) and inserting the 

21 following new clause: 

22 ‘‘(v) Efforts of the Department, as of 

23 the date of the submittal of the report, to 

24 recruit and retain medical residents to 


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1 work for the Veterans Health Administra2 tion as full-time employees.’’. 

3 (h) PROJECT ARCH.—Section 403(j) of the Vet4 erans’ Mental Health and Other Care Improvements Act 

5 of 2008 (Public Law 110–387; 38 U.S.C. 1703 note) is 

6 amended— 

7 (1) by striking ‘‘In carrying out’’ and inserting 

8 ‘‘Notwithstanding any provision of law relating to 

9 the use of competitive procedures in entering into 

10 contracts, in carrying out’’; and 

11 (2) by inserting ‘‘under this section’’ after 

12 ‘‘make use of contracts entered into’’. 

13 (i) CLARIFICATION OF APPROVAL OF COURSES OF

14 EDUCATION PROVIDED BY PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS OF

15 HIGHER LEARNING AND IN-STATE TUITION RATE FOR

16 VETERANS.—Paragraph (1) of section 3679(c) is amend17 ed to read as follows: 

18 ‘‘(1) Notwithstanding any other provision of this 

19 chapter and subject to paragraphs (3) through (6), the 

20 Secretary shall disapprove a course of education provided 

21 by a public institution of higher learning if the institution 

22 charges tuition and fees for that course for covered indi23 viduals who are pursuing the course with educational as24 sistance under chapter 30 or 33 of this title while living 

25 in the State in which the institution is located at a rate 


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1 that is higher than the rate the institution charges for tui2 tion and fees for that course for residents of the State 

3 in which the institution is located, regardless of the cov4 ered individual’s State of residence.’’. 

Passed the House of Representatives September 16, 

2014. 

Attest: KAREN L. HAAS, 

Clerk. 


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