II 

112TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 2646 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

SEPTEMBER 21, 2011 

Received 

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. 

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 ‘‘Veterans Health Care Facilities Capital Improvement 

4 Act of 2011’’. 

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. 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. 

7 SEC. 2. AUTHORIZATION OF FISCAL YEAR 2012 MAJOR MED8 ICAL FACILITY PROJECTS. 

9 The Secretary of Veterans Affairs may carry out the 

10 following major medical facility projects in fiscal year 

11 2012, with each project to be carried out in the amount 

12 specified for each project: 


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1 (1) Construction of seismic corrections for 

2 Building 100 at the Department of Veterans Affairs 

3 Medical Center in Seattle, Washington, in an 

4 amount not to exceed $51,800,000. 

5 (2) Construction of seismic corrections and ren6 ovation of various buildings to include Building 209 

7 for housing facilities for homeless veterans at the 

8 Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center in 

9 West Los Angeles, California, in an amount not to 

10 exceed $35,500,000. 

11 SEC. 3. MODIFICATION OF AUTHORIZATION FOR CERTAIN 

12 MAJOR MEDICAL FACILITY CONSTRUCTION 

13 PROJECTS PREVIOUSLY AUTHORIZED. 

14 (a) MODIFICATION OF AUTHORIZATION OF FISCAL

15 YEAR 2007 MAJOR MEDICAL FACILITY PROJECT AT DE16 PARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS MEDICAL CENTER IN

17 FAYETTEVILLE, ARKANSAS.—Section 803(3) of the Vet18 erans Benefits, Health Care, and Information Technology 

19 Act of 2006 (Public Law 109–461) is amended— 

20 (1) by inserting ‘‘and a parking garage’’ after 

21 ‘‘clinical addition’’; and 

22 (2) by striking ‘‘$56,163,000’’ and inserting 

23 ‘‘$90,600,000’’. 

24 (b) MODIFICATION OF EXTENSION OF AUTHORIZA25 TION FOR MAJOR MEDICAL FACILITY CONSTRUCTION


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1 PROJECT IN ORLANDO, FLORIDA, PREVIOUSLY AUTHOR2 IZED IN CONNECTION WITH CAPITAL ASSET REALIGN3 MENT INITIATIVE.—Section 802(11) of the Veterans Ben4 efits, Health Care, and Information Technology Act of 

5 2006 (Public Law 109–461), as amended by section 

6 702(b)(4) of the Veterans’ Mental Health and Other Care 

7 Improvements Act of 2008 (Public Law 110–387; 122 

8 Stat. 4137), is amended by inserting ‘‘, including a Sim9 ulation, Learning, Education, and Research Network Cen10 ter,’’ after ‘‘Florida, area’’. 

11 (c) INCREASE IN AMOUNT OF AUTHORIZATION OF

12 FISCAL YEAR 2008 MAJOR MEDICAL FACILITY PROJECT

13 AT DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS MEDICAL CEN14 TER IN PALO ALTO, CALIFORNIA.—The Secretary of Vet15 erans Affairs may carry out the major medical facility 

16 project at the Department of Veterans Affairs Medical 

17 Center in Palo Alto, California, for which amounts were 

18 appropriated under chapter 3 of title I of the Supple19 mental Appropriations Act, 2008 (Public Law 110–252; 

20 122 Stat. 2326) under the heading ‘‘CONSTRUCTION, 

21 MAJOR PROJECTS’’ under the heading ‘‘DEPARTMENT 

22 OF VETERANS AFFAIRS’’ in an amount not to exceed 

23 $716,600,000. 

24 (d) INCREASE IN AMOUNT OF AUTHORIZATION OF

25 FISCAL YEAR 2009 MAJOR MEDICAL FACILITY PROJECT


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1 AT DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS MEDICAL CEN2 TER, SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO.—Section 701(3) of the 

3 Veterans’ Mental Health and Other Care Improvements 

4 Act of 2008 (Public Law 110–387; 122 Stat. 4137) is 

5 amended by striking ‘‘$225,900,000’’ and inserting 

6 ‘‘$277,000,000’’. 

7 (e) INCREASE IN AMOUNT OF AUTHORIZATION OF

8 FISCAL YEAR 2007 MAJOR MEDICAL FACILITY PROJECT

9 AT DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS MEDICAL CEN10 TER, ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.—Section 803(5) of the Vet11 erans Benefits, Health Care, and Information Technology 

12 Act of 2006 (Public Law 109–461) is amended by striking 

13 ‘‘$69,053,000’’ and inserting ‘‘$346,300,000’’. 

14 SEC. 4. AUTHORIZATION OF FISCAL YEAR 2012 MAJOR MED15 ICAL FACILITY LEASES. 

16 The Secretary of Veterans Affairs may carry out the 

17 following fiscal year 2012 major medical facility leases at 

18 the locations specified, in an amount not to exceed the 

19 amount shown for that location: 

20 (1) Columbus, Georgia, Community-Based Out21 patient Clinic, in an amount not to exceed 

22 $5,335,000. 

23 (2) Fort Wayne, Indiana, Outpatient Clinic, in 

24 an amount not to exceed $2,845,000. 


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1 (3) Mobile, Alabama, Outpatient Clinic, in an 

2 amount not to exceed $6,565,000. 

3 (4) Rochester, New York, Outpatient Clinic, in 

4 an amount not to exceed $9,232,000. 

5 (5) Salem, Oregon, Community-Based Out6 patient Clinic, in an amount not to exceed 

7 $2,549,000. 

8 (6) San Jose, California, Outpatient Clinic, in 

9 an amount not to exceed $9,546,000. 

10 (7) South Bend, Indiana, Outpatient Clinic, in 

11 an amount not to exceed $6,731,000. 

12 (8) Springfield, Missouri, Community-Based 

13 Outpatient Clinic, in an amount not to exceed 

14 $6,489,000. 

15 SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 

16 (a) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS FOR CON17 STRUCTION.—There is authorized to be appropriated to 

18 the Secretary of Veterans Affairs for fiscal year 2012 or 

19 the year in which funds are appropriated for the Construc20 tion, Major Projects, account $87,300,000 for the projects 

21 authorized in section 2. 

22 (b) MODIFICATION OF AUTHORIZATION FOR CER23 TAIN MAJOR MEDICAL FACILITY CONSTRUCTION

24 PROJECTS PREVIOUSLY AUTHORIZED.—There is author25 ized to be appropriated to the Secretary of Veterans AfVerDate Mar 15 2010 23:09 Sep 23, 2011 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00006 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H2646.RDS H2646

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1 fairs for fiscal year 2012 or the year in which funds are 

2 appropriated for the Construction, Major Projects, ac3 count $850,070,000 for the projects authorized in section 

4 3. 

5 (c) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS FOR MED6 ICAL FACILITY LEASES.—There is authorized to be appro7 priated to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs for fiscal year 

8 2012 or the year in which funds are appropriated for the 

9 Medical Facilities account $49,292,000 for the leases au10 thorized in section 4. 

11 (d) LIMITATION.—The projects authorized in sections 

12 2, 3, and 4 may only be carried out using— 

13 (1) funds appropriated for fiscal year 2012 pur14 suant to the authorization of appropriations in sub15 section (a) of this section; 

16 (2) funds available for Construction, Major 

17 Projects, for a fiscal year before fiscal year 2012 

18 that remain available for obligation; 

19 (3) funds available for Construction, Major 

20 Projects, for a fiscal year after fiscal year 2012 that 

21 remain available for obligation; 

22 (4) funds appropriated for Construction, Major 

23 Projects, for fiscal year 2012 for a category of activ24 ity not specific to a project; 


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1 (5) funds appropriated for Construction, Major 

2 Projects, for a fiscal year before 2012 for a category 

3 of activity not specific to a project; and 

4 (6) funds appropriated for Construction, Major 

5 Projects, for a fiscal year after 2012 for a category 

6 of activity not specific to a project. 

7 SEC. 6. MODIFICATION OF REQUIREMENTS RELATING TO 

8 CONGRESSIONAL APPROVAL OF CERTAIN 

9 MEDICAL FACILITY ACQUISITIONS. 

10 Section 8104 of title 38, United States Code, is 

11 amended— 

12 (1) in subsection (b)— 

13 (A) in paragraph (1)— 

14 (i) by striking ‘‘detailed description’’ 

15 and inserting ‘‘detailed estimate of the 

16 total costs’’; 

17 (ii) by striking ‘‘a description of the 

18 consideration’’ and inserting ‘‘a detailed 

19 report of the consideration’’; and 

20 (iii) by adding at the end the fol21 lowing: ‘‘Such detailed estimate shall in22 clude an identification of each of the fol23 lowing: 

24 ‘‘(A) Total construction costs. 

25 ‘‘(B) Activation costs. 


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1 ‘‘(C) Special purpose alterations (lump2 sum payment) costs. 

3 ‘‘(D) Number of personnel. 

4 ‘‘(E) Total costs of ancillary services, 

5 equipment, and all other items.’’; 

6 (B) by striking paragraphs (2) and (3) and 

7 redesignating paragraphs (4) through (8) as 

8 paragraphs (2) through (6), respectively; 

9 (C) in paragraph (2), as so redesignated, 

10 by striking ‘‘a five-year period and a ten-year 

11 period’’ and inserting ‘‘a five-year period, a ten12 year period, and a twenty-year period’’; 

13 (D) in paragraph (3), as so redesignated, 

14 by inserting before the period at the end the 

15 following: ‘‘, including information on projected 

16 changes in workload and utilization over a five17 year period, a ten-year period, and a twenty18 year period’’; 

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

20 (i) by striking ‘‘Current and pro21 jected’’ and inserting ‘‘Projected’’; and 

22 (ii) by inserting before the period at 

23 the end the following: ‘‘(including and 

24 identifying both recurring and non-recur25 ring costs (including activation costs and 


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1 total costs of ancillary services, equipment 

2 and all other items)) over a five-year pe3 riod, a ten-year period, and a twenty-year 

4 period’’; and 

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

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

7 alternative to construction of the facility 

8 that was considered.’’ and inserting ‘‘each 

9 of the following:’’; and 

10 (ii) by adding at the end the following 

11 new subparagraphs: 

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

13 (including total construction costs, activation 

14 costs, special purpose alterations (lump-sum 

15 payment) costs, number of personnel and total 

16 costs of ancillary services, equipment and all 

17 other items) for each alternative to construction 

18 of the facility that was considered. 

19 ‘‘(B) A comparison of total costs to total 

20 benefits for each such alternative. 

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

22 alternative is the most effective means to 

23 achieve the stated project goals and the most 

24 cost-effective alternative.’’; and 

25 (2) in subsection (d)— 


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1 (A) by striking ‘‘major medical facility 

2 project’’ each place it appears and inserting 

3 ‘‘major construction project’’; and 

4 (B) in paragraph (2)— 

5 (i) in subparagraph (A), by striking 

6 ‘‘major medical facility projects’’ and in7 serting ‘‘major construction projects’’; and 

8 (ii) in subparagraph (B), by striking 

9 ‘‘major medical facility’’ and inserting 

10 ‘‘major construction project’’. 

11 SEC. 7. LIMITATION ON AUTHORITY OF SECRETARY OF 

12 VETERANS AFFAIRS TO USE BID SAVINGS ON 

13 MAJOR CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS TO EX14 PAND PURPOSE OF MAJOR MEDICAL FACIL15 ITY PROJECTS. 

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

17 as amended by section 6, is further amended by adding 

18 at the end the following new subparagraph: 

19 ‘‘(C) The Secretary may not obligate an amount 

20 under subparagraph (A) to expand the purpose of a major 

21 construction project except pursuant to a provision of law 

22 enacted after the date on which the Secretary submits to 

23 the committees described in subparagraph (B) notice of 

24 the following: 


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1 ‘‘(i) The major construction project that is the 

2 source of the bid savings. 

3 ‘‘(ii) The major construction project for which 

4 the Secretary intends to expand the purpose. 

5 ‘‘(iii) A description of such expansion of pur6 pose. 

7 ‘‘(iv) The amounts the Secretary intends to ob8 ligate to expand the purpose.’’. 

9 SEC. 8. NAME OF DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS 

10 TELEHEALTH CLINIC, CRAIG, COLORADO. 

11 (a) DESIGNATION.—The Department of Veterans Af12 fairs telehealth clinic in Craig, Colorado, shall after the 

13 date of the enactment of this Act be known and designated 

14 as the ‘‘Major William Edward Adams Department of Vet15 erans Affairs Clinic’’. 

16 (b) REFERENCES.—Any reference in any law, regula17 tion, map, document, record, or other paper of the United 

18 States to the clinic referred to in subsection (a) shall be 

19 considered to be a reference to the ‘‘Major William Ed20 ward Adams Department of Veterans Affairs Clinic’’. 

21 SEC. 9. GEORGE H. O’BRIEN, JR., DEPARTMENT OF VET22 ERANS AFFAIRS MEDICAL CENTER. 

23 (a) DESIGNATION.—The Department of Veterans Af24 fairs medical center located in Big Spring, Texas, shall 

25 after the date of the enactment of this Act be known and 


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1 designated as the ‘‘George H. O’Brien, Jr., Department 

2 of Veterans Affairs Medical Center’’. 

3 (b) REFERENCES.—Any reference in any law, regula4 tion, map, document, record, or other paper of the United 

5 States to the Department of Veterans Affairs medical cen6 ter referred to in subsection (a) shall be considered to be 

7 a reference to the ‘‘George H. O’Brien, Jr., Department 

8 of Veterans Affairs Medical Center’’. 

9 SEC. 10. EXTENSION OF CERTAIN EXPIRING AUTHORITIES. 

10 (a) RECOVERY AUDITS FOR CERTAIN CONTRACTS.— 

11 Section 1703(d)(4) of title 38, United States Code, is 

12 amended by striking ‘‘September 30, 2013’’ and inserting 

13 ‘‘September 30, 2020’’. 

14 (b) HOMELESS VETERANS REINTEGRATION PRO15 GRAMS.—Section 2021(e)(1)(F) of such title is amended 

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

17 (c) TREATMENT AND REHABILITATION FOR SERI18 OUSLY MENTALLY ILL AND HOMELESS VETERANS.—Sec19 tion 2031(b) of such title is amended by striking ‘‘Decem20 ber 31, 2011’’ and inserting ‘‘December 31, 2012’’. 

21 (d) ADDITIONAL SERVICES FOR SERIOUSLY MEN22 TALLY ILL AND HOMELESS VETERANS.—Section 2033(d) 

23 of such title is amended by striking ‘‘December 31, 2011’’ 

24 and inserting ‘‘December 31, 2012’’. 


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1 (e) HOUSING ASSISTANCE FOR HOMELESS VET2 ERANS.—Section 2041(c) of such title is amended by 

3 striking ‘‘December 31, 2011’’ and inserting ‘‘December 

4 31, 2012’’. 

5 (f) ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON HOMELESS VET6 ERANS.—Section 2066(d) of such title is amended by 

7 striking ‘‘December 30, 2011’’ and inserting ‘‘December 

8 31, 2012’’. 

9 (g) AUTHORITY TO TRANSFER REAL PROPERTY.— 

10 Section 8118(a)(5) of such title is amended by striking 

11 ‘‘the date that is seven years after the date of the enact12 ment of this section’’ and inserting ‘‘December 31, 2018’’. 

13 SEC. 11. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS FOR COM14 PREHENSIVE SERVICE PROGRAMS FOR 

15 HOMELESS VETERANS. 

16 Section 2013 of title 38, United States Code, is 

17 amended— 

18 (1) by striking ‘‘subchapter’’ and all that fol19 lows through the period at the end and inserting the 

20 following: ‘‘subchapter amounts as follows:’’; and 

21 (2) by adding at the end the following new 

22 paragraphs: 

23 ‘‘(1) $150,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2007 

24 through 2009. 

25 ‘‘(2) $175,100,000 for fiscal year 2010. 


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1 ‘‘(3) $217,700,000 for fiscal year 2011. 

2 ‘‘(4) $250,000,000 for fiscal year 2012. 

3 ‘‘(5) $150,000,000 for fiscal year 2013 and 

4 each subsequent fiscal year.’’. 

5 SEC. 12. REAUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS FOR FI6 NANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR SUPPORTIVE 

7 SERVICES FOR VERY LOW-INCOME VETERAN 

8 FAMILIES IN PERMANENT HOUSING. 

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

10 amended— 

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

12 following new subparagraph: 

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

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

15 inserting ‘‘2012’’. 

16 (b) TECHNICAL AMENDMENT.—Paragraph (1) of 

17 such subsection is further amended by striking ‘‘carry out 

18 subsection (a), (b), and (c)’’ and inserting ‘‘carry out sub19 sections (a), (b), and (c)’’. 

20 SEC. 13. EXTENSION OF GRANT PROGRAM FOR HOMELESS 

21 VETERANS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS. 

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

23 is amended by striking ‘‘2011’’ and inserting ‘‘2012’’. 


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1 SEC. 14. EXTENSION OF SPECIALLY ADAPTED HOUSING AS2 SISTANCE FOR INDIVIDUALS RESIDING TEM3 PORARILY IN HOUSING OWNED BY A FAMILY 

4 MEMBER. 

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

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

7 SEC. 15. EXTENSION OF FUNDING FEES. 

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

9 is amended by striking ‘‘October 1, 2011’’ each place it 

10 occurs and inserting ‘‘November 18, 2011’’. 

11 SEC. 16. NOTICE AND VERIFICATION OF THE USE OF IN12 COME INFORMATION FROM OTHER AGEN13 CIES. 

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

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

16 ‘‘November 18, 2011’’. 

17 SEC. 17. TERMINATION OR REDUCTION OF CERTAIN BENE18 FITS AND SERVICES BASED ON INCOME IN19 FORMATION OBTAINED FROM OTHER AGEN20 CIES. 

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

22 States Code, is amended by striking ‘‘September 30, 

23 2011’’ and inserting ‘‘November 18, 2011’’. 

24 (b) SOCIAL SECURITY ACT.—Section 453(j)(11)(G) 

25 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 653(j)(11)(G)) is 


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

2 ‘‘November 18, 2011’’. 

Passed the House of Representatives September 20, 

2011. 

Attest: KAREN L. HAAS, 

Clerk. 


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