H. R. 2646 

One Hundred Twelfth Congress 

of the 

United States of America 

AT THE FIRST SESSION 

Begun and held at the City of Washington on Wednesday, 

the fifth day of January, two thousand and eleven 

An Act 

To authorize certain Department of Veterans Affairs major medical facility projects 

and leases, to extend certain expiring provisions of law, and to modify certain 

authorities of the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, 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 

Health Care Facilities Capital Improvement Act of 2011’’. 

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

is as follows: 

Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents. 

Sec. 2. Authorization of fiscal year 2012 major medical facility projects. 

Sec. 3. Modification of authorization for certain major medical facility construction 

projects previously authorized. 

Sec. 4. Authorization of fiscal year 2012 major medical facility leases. 

Sec. 5. Authorization of appropriations. 

Sec. 6. Modification of requirements relating to congressional approval of certain 

medical facility acquisitions. 

Sec. 7. Limitation on authority of Secretary of Veterans Affairs to use bid savings 

on major construction projects to expand purpose of major medical facility projects. 

Sec. 8. Name of Department of Veterans Affairs telehealth clinic, Craig, Colorado. 

Sec. 9. George H. O’Brien, Jr., Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center. 

Sec. 10. Extension of certain expiring authorities. 

Sec. 11. Authorization of appropriations for comprehensive service programs for 

homeless veterans. 

Sec. 12. Reauthorization of appropriations for financial assistance for supportive 

services for very low-income veteran families in permanent housing. 

Sec. 13. Extension of grant program for homeless veterans with special needs. 

Sec. 14. Extension of specially adapted housing assistance for individuals residing 

temporarily in housing owned by a family member. 

Sec. 15. Extension of funding fees. 

Sec. 16. Notice and verification of the use of income information from other agencies. 

Sec. 17. Termination or reduction of certain benefits and services based on income 

information obtained from other agencies. 

SEC. 2. AUTHORIZATION OF FISCAL YEAR 2012 MAJOR MEDICAL 

FACILITY PROJECTS. 

The Secretary of Veterans Affairs may carry out the following 

major medical facility projects in fiscal year 2012, with each project 

to be carried out in the amount specified for each project: 

(1) Construction of seismic corrections for Building 100 

at the Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center in 

Seattle, Washington, in an amount not to exceed $51,800,000. 

(2) Construction of seismic corrections and renovation of 

various buildings to include Building 209 for housing facilities 

for homeless veterans at the Department of Veterans Affairs 
H. R. 2646—2 

Medical Center in West Los Angeles, California, in an amount 

not to exceed $35,500,000. 

SEC. 3. MODIFICATION OF AUTHORIZATION FOR CERTAIN MAJOR MEDICAL FACILITY CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS PREVIOUSLY 

AUTHORIZED. 

(a) MODIFICATION OF AUTHORIZATION OF FISCAL YEAR 2007 

MAJOR MEDICAL FACILITY PROJECT AT DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS

AFFAIRS MEDICAL CENTER IN FAYETTEVILLE, ARKANSAS.—Section 

803(3) of the Veterans Benefits, Health Care, and Information Technology Act of 2006 (Public Law 109–461) is amended— 

(1) by inserting ‘‘and a parking garage’’ after ‘‘clinical addition’’; and 

(2) by striking ‘‘$56,163,000’’ and inserting ‘‘$90,600,000’’. 

(b) MODIFICATION OF EXTENSION OF AUTHORIZATION FOR MAJOR

MEDICAL FACILITY CONSTRUCTION PROJECT IN ORLANDO, FLORIDA, 

PREVIOUSLY AUTHORIZED IN CONNECTION WITH CAPITAL ASSET

REALIGNMENT INITIATIVE.—Section 802(11) of the Veterans Benefits, 

Health Care, and Information Technology Act of 2006 (Public Law 

109–461), as amended by section 702(b)(4) of the Veterans’ Mental 

Health and Other Care Improvements Act of 2008 (Public Law 

110–387; 122 Stat. 4137), is amended by inserting ‘‘, including 

a Simulation, Learning, Education, and Research Network Center,’’ 

after ‘‘Florida, area’’. 

(c) INCREASE IN AMOUNT OF AUTHORIZATION OF FISCAL YEAR

2008 MAJOR MEDICAL FACILITY PROJECT AT DEPARTMENT OF VET- ERANS AFFAIRS MEDICAL CENTER IN PALO ALTO, CALIFORNIA.— The Secretary of Veterans Affairs may carry out the major medical 

facility project at the Department of Veterans Affairs Medical 

Center in Palo Alto, California, for which amounts were appropriated under chapter 3 of title I of the Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2008 (Public Law 110–252; 122 Stat. 2326) under the 

heading ‘‘CONSTRUCTION, MAJOR PROJECTS’’ under the heading 

‘‘DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS’’ in an amount not to 

exceed $716,600,000. 

(d) INCREASE IN AMOUNT OF AUTHORIZATION OF FISCAL YEAR

2009 MAJOR MEDICAL FACILITY PROJECT AT DEPARTMENT OF VET- ERANS AFFAIRS MEDICAL CENTER, SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO.—Section 

701(3) of the Veterans’ Mental Health and Other Care Improvements Act of 2008 (Public Law 110–387; 122 Stat. 4137) is amended 

by striking ‘‘$225,900,000’’ and inserting ‘‘$277,000,000’’. 

(e) INCREASE IN AMOUNT OF AUTHORIZATION OF FISCAL YEAR

2007 MAJOR MEDICAL FACILITY PROJECT AT DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS MEDICAL CENTER, ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.—Section 

803(5) of the Veterans Benefits, Health Care, and Information Technology Act of 2006 (Public Law 109–461) is amended by striking 

‘‘$69,053,000’’ and inserting ‘‘$346,300,000’’. 

SEC. 4. AUTHORIZATION OF FISCAL YEAR 2012 MAJOR MEDICAL 

FACILITY LEASES. 

The Secretary of Veterans Affairs may carry out the following 

fiscal year 2012 major medical facility leases at the locations specified, in an amount not to exceed the amount shown for that location: 

(1) Columbus, Georgia, Community-Based Outpatient Clinic, in an amount not to exceed $5,335,000. 

(2) Fort Wayne, Indiana, Outpatient Clinic, in an amount not to exceed $2,845,000. 
H. R. 2646—3 

(3) Mobile, Alabama, Outpatient Clinic, in an amount not 

to exceed $6,565,000. 

(4) Rochester, New York, Outpatient Clinic, in an amount 

not to exceed $9,232,000. 

(5) Salem, Oregon, Community-Based Outpatient Clinic, 

in an amount not to exceed $2,549,000. 

(6) San Jose, California, Outpatient Clinic, in an amount 

not to exceed $9,546,000. 

(7) South Bend, Indiana, Outpatient Clinic, in an amount 

not to exceed $6,731,000. 

(8) Springfield, Missouri, Community-Based Outpatient 

Clinic, in an amount not to exceed $6,489,000. 

SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 

(a) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS FOR CONSTRUCTION.— 

There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of Veterans 

Affairs for fiscal year 2012 or the year in which funds are appropriated for the Construction, Major Projects, account $87,300,000 

for the projects authorized in section 2. 

(b) MODIFICATION OF AUTHORIZATION FOR CERTAIN MAJOR MEDICAL FACILITY CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS PREVIOUSLY AUTHORIZED.— 

There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of Veterans 

Affairs for fiscal year 2012 or the year in which funds are appropriated for the Construction, Major Projects, account $850,070,000 

for the projects authorized in section 3. 

(c) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS FOR MEDICAL FACILITY

LEASES.—There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary 

of Veterans Affairs for fiscal year 2012 or the year in which funds 

are appropriated for the Medical Facilities account $49,292,000 

for the leases authorized in section 4. 

(d) LIMITATION.—The projects authorized in sections 2, 3, and 

4 may only be carried out using— 

(1) funds appropriated for fiscal year 2012 pursuant to 

the authorization of appropriations in subsection (a) of this 

section; 

(2) funds available for Construction, Major Projects, for 

a fiscal year before fiscal year 2012 that remain available 

for obligation; 

(3) funds available for Construction, Major Projects, for 

a fiscal year after fiscal year 2012 that remain available for 

obligation; 

(4) funds appropriated for Construction, Major Projects, 

for fiscal year 2012 for a category of activity not specific to 

a project; 

(5) funds appropriated for Construction, Major Projects, 

for a fiscal year before 2012 for a category of activity not 

specific to a project; and 

(6) funds appropriated for Construction, Major Projects, 

for a fiscal year after 2012 for a category of activity not specific 

to a project. 

SEC. 6. MODIFICATION OF REQUIREMENTS RELATING TO CONGRESSIONAL APPROVAL OF CERTAIN MEDICAL FACILITY 

ACQUISITIONS. 

Section 8104 of title 38, United States Code, is amended— 

(1) in subsection (b)— 

(A) in paragraph (1)— 
H. R. 2646—4 

(i) by striking ‘‘detailed description’’ and inserting 

‘‘detailed estimate of the total costs’’; 

(ii) by striking ‘‘a description of the consideration’’ 

and inserting ‘‘a detailed report of the consideration’’; 

and 

(iii) by adding at the end the following: ‘‘Such 

detailed estimate shall include an identification of each 

of the following: 

‘‘(A) Total construction costs. 

‘‘(B) Activation costs. 

‘‘(C) Special purpose alterations (lump-sum payment) 

costs. 

‘‘(D) Number of personnel. 

‘‘(E) Total costs of ancillary services, equipment, and 

all other items.’’; 

(B) by striking paragraphs (2) and (3) and redesignating paragraphs (4) through (8) as paragraphs (2) 

through (6), respectively; 

(C) in paragraph (2), as so redesignated, by striking 

‘‘a five-year period and a ten-year period’’ and inserting 

‘‘a five-year period, a ten-year period, and a twenty-year 

period’’; 

(D) in paragraph (3), as so redesignated, by inserting 

before the period at the end the following: ‘‘, including 

information on projected changes in workload and utilization over a five-year period, a ten-year period, and a twentyyear period’’; 

(E) in paragraph (4), as so redesignated— 

(i) by striking ‘‘Current and projected’’ and 

inserting ‘‘Projected’’; and 

(ii) by inserting before the period at the end the 

following: ‘‘(including and identifying both recurring 

and non-recurring costs (including activation costs and 

total costs of ancillary services, equipment and all other 

items)) over a five-year period, a ten-year period, and 

a twenty-year period’’; and 

(F) in paragraph (6), as so redesignated— 

(i) by striking ‘‘a description of each alternative 

to construction of the facility that was considered.’’ 

and inserting ‘‘each of the following:’’; and 

(ii) by adding at the end the following new subparagraphs: 

‘‘(A) A detailed estimate of the total costs (including 

total construction costs, activation costs, special purpose 

alterations (lump-sum payment) costs, number of personnel 

and total costs of ancillary services, equipment and all 

other items) for each alternative to construction of the 

facility that was considered. 

‘‘(B) A comparison of total costs to total benefits for 

each such alternative. 

‘‘(C) An explanation of why the preferred alternative 

is the most effective means to achieve the stated project 

goals and the most cost-effective alternative.’’; and 

(2) in subsection (d)— 

(A) by striking ‘‘major medical facility project’’ each 

place it appears and inserting ‘‘major construction project’’; 

and 
H. R. 2646—5 

(B) in paragraph (2)— 

(i) in subparagraph (A), by striking ‘‘major medical 

facility projects’’ and inserting ‘‘major construction 

projects’’; and 

(ii) in subparagraph (B), by striking ‘‘major medical 

facility’’ and inserting ‘‘major construction project’’. 

SEC. 7. LIMITATION ON AUTHORITY OF SECRETARY OF VETERANS 

AFFAIRS TO USE BID SAVINGS ON MAJOR CONSTRUCTION 

PROJECTS TO EXPAND PURPOSE OF MAJOR MEDICAL 

FACILITY PROJECTS. 

Section 8104(d)(2) of title 38, United States Code, as amended 

by section 6, is further amended by adding at the end the following 

new subparagraph: 

‘‘(C) The Secretary may not obligate an amount under subparagraph (A) to expand the purpose of a major construction project 

except pursuant to a provision of law enacted after the date on 

which the Secretary submits to the committees described in 

subparagraph (B) notice of the following: 

‘‘(i) The major construction project that is the source of 

the bid savings. 

‘‘(ii) The major construction project for which the Secretary 

intends to expand the purpose. 

‘‘(iii) A description of such expansion of purpose. 

‘‘(iv) The amounts the Secretary intends to obligate to 

expand the purpose.’’. 

SEC. 8. NAME OF DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS TELEHEALTH 

CLINIC, CRAIG, COLORADO. 

(a) DESIGNATION.—The Department of Veterans Affairs telehealth clinic in Craig, Colorado, shall after the date of the enactment of this Act be known and designated as the ‘‘Major William 

Edward Adams Department of Veterans Affairs Clinic’’. 

(b) REFERENCES.—Any reference in any law, regulation, map, 

document, record, or other paper of the United States to the clinic 

referred to in subsection (a) shall be considered to be a reference 

to the ‘‘Major William Edward Adams Department of Veterans 

Affairs Clinic’’. 

SEC. 9. GEORGE H. O’BRIEN, JR., DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS 

MEDICAL CENTER. 

(a) DESIGNATION.—The Department of Veterans Affairs medical 

center located in Big Spring, Texas, shall after the date of the 

enactment of this Act be known and designated as the ‘‘George 

H. O’Brien, Jr., Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center’’. 

(b) REFERENCES.—Any reference in any law, regulation, map, 

document, record, or other paper of the United States to the Department of Veterans Affairs medical center referred to in subsection 

(a) shall be considered to be a reference to the ‘‘George H. O’Brien, 

Jr., Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center’’. 

SEC. 10. EXTENSION OF CERTAIN EXPIRING AUTHORITIES. 

(a) RECOVERY AUDITS FOR CERTAIN CONTRACTS.—Section 

1703(d)(4) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by striking 

‘‘September 30, 2013’’ and inserting ‘‘September 30, 2020’’. 

(b) HOMELESS VETERANS REINTEGRATION PROGRAMS.—Section 

2021(e)(1)(F) of such title is amended by striking ‘‘2011’’ and 

inserting ‘‘2012’’. 
H. R. 2646—6 

(c) TREATMENT AND REHABILITATION FOR SERIOUSLY MENTALLY

ILL AND HOMELESS VETERANS.—Section 2031(b) of such title is 

amended by striking ‘‘December 31, 2011’’ and inserting ‘‘December 

31, 2012’’. 

(d) ADDITIONAL SERVICES FOR SERIOUSLY MENTALLY ILL AND

HOMELESS VETERANS.—Section 2033(d) of such title is amended 

by striking ‘‘December 31, 2011’’ and inserting ‘‘December 31, 2012’’. 

(e) HOUSING ASSISTANCE FOR HOMELESS VETERANS.—Section 

2041(c) of such title is amended by striking ‘‘December 31, 2011’’ 

and inserting ‘‘December 31, 2012’’. 

(f) ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON HOMELESS VETERANS.—Section 

2066(d) of such title is amended by striking ‘‘December 30, 2011’’ 

and inserting ‘‘December 31, 2012’’. 

(g) AUTHORITY TO TRANSFER REAL PROPERTY.—Section 

8118(a)(5) of such title is amended by striking ‘‘the date that is 

seven years after the date of the enactment of this section’’ and 

inserting ‘‘December 31, 2018’’. 

SEC. 11. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS FOR COMPREHENSIVE 

SERVICE PROGRAMS FOR HOMELESS VETERANS. 

Section 2013 of title 38, United States Code, is amended— 

(1) by striking ‘‘subchapter’’ and all that follows through 

the period at the end and inserting the following: ‘‘subchapter 

amounts as follows:’’; and 

(2) by adding at the end the following new paragraphs: 

‘‘(1) $150,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2007 through 

2009. 

‘‘(2) $175,100,000 for fiscal year 2010. 

‘‘(3) $217,700,000 for fiscal year 2011. 

‘‘(4) $250,000,000 for fiscal year 2012. 

‘‘(5) $150,000,000 for fiscal year 2013 and each subsequent 

fiscal year.’’. 

SEC. 12. REAUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS FOR FINANCIAL 

ASSISTANCE FOR SUPPORTIVE SERVICES FOR VERY LOWINCOME VETERAN FAMILIES IN PERMANENT HOUSING. 

(a) IN GENERAL.—Subsection (e) of section 2044 is amended— 

(1) in paragraph (1), by adding at the end the following 

new subparagraph: 

‘‘(D) $100,000,000 for fiscal year 2012.’’; and 

(2) in paragraph (3), by striking ‘‘2011’’ and inserting 

‘‘2012’’. 

(b) TECHNICAL AMENDMENT.—Paragraph (1) of such subsection 

is further amended by striking ‘‘carry out subsection (a), (b), and 

(c)’’ and inserting ‘‘carry out subsections (a), (b), and (c)’’. 

SEC. 13. EXTENSION OF GRANT PROGRAM FOR HOMELESS VETERANS 

WITH SPECIAL NEEDS. 

Section 2061(c)(1) of title 38, United States Code, is amended 

by striking ‘‘2011’’ and inserting ‘‘2012’’. 

SEC. 14. EXTENSION OF SPECIALLY ADAPTED HOUSING ASSISTANCE 

FOR INDIVIDUALS RESIDING TEMPORARILY IN HOUSING 

OWNED BY A FAMILY MEMBER. 

Section 2102A(e) of title 38, United States Code, is amended 

by striking ‘‘2011’’ and inserting ‘‘2012’’. 
H. R. 2646—7 

SEC. 15. EXTENSION OF FUNDING FEES. 

Section 3729(b)(2) of title 38, United States Code, is amended 

by striking ‘‘October 1, 2011’’ each place it occurs and inserting 

‘‘November 18, 2011’’. 

SEC. 16. NOTICE AND VERIFICATION OF THE USE OF INCOME 

INFORMATION FROM OTHER AGENCIES. 

Section 5317(g) of title 38, United States Code, is amended 

by striking ‘‘September 30, 2011’’ and inserting ‘‘November 18, 

2011’’. 

SEC. 17. TERMINATION OR REDUCTION OF CERTAIN BENEFITS AND 

SERVICES BASED ON INCOME INFORMATION OBTAINED 

FROM OTHER AGENCIES. 

(a) TITLE 38.—Section 5317A(d) of title 38, United States Code, 

is amended by striking ‘‘September 30, 2011’’ and inserting 

‘‘November 18, 2011’’. 

(b) SOCIAL SECURITY ACT.—Section 453(j)(11)(G) of the Social 

Security Act (42 U.S.C. 653(j)(11)(G)) is amended by striking ‘‘September 30, 2011’’ and inserting ‘‘November 18, 2011’’. 

Speaker of the House of Representatives. 

Vice President of the United States and

President of the Senate.