Department of Veterans Affairs Minor Construction Threshold Adjustment Act of 2023

To amend title 38, United States Code, to adjust the threshold amount for minor medical facility construction projects of the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Department of Veterans Affairs Minor Construction Threshold Adjustment Act of 2023 2. Adjustment of threshold amount for minor medical facility projects of Department of Veterans Affairs Section 8104(a) of title 38, United States Code, is amended— (1) in paragraph (3)(A), by striking $20,000,000 the amount specified in paragraph (4) (2) by adding at the end the following new paragraph: (4) (A) The amount specified in this paragraph is $30,000,000, as adjusted pursuant to this paragraph. (B) (i) The Secretary shall develop, through regulations, a mechanism to adjust the amount under subparagraph (A) to account for relevant factors relating to construction, cost of land, real estate, economic conditions, labor conditions, inflation, and other relevant factors the Secretary considers necessary to ensure such amount keeps pace with all economic conditions that impact the price of construction projects, to include planning, management, and delivery of the project. (ii) In developing the mechanism under clause (i), the Secretary may— (I) use a mechanism or index already relied upon by the Department for other relevant programs, a mechanism or index used by another Federal agency, or a commercial mechanism or index if such mechanism or index satisfactorily addresses the intent of this subparagraph; or (II) create a new mechanism or index if the Secretary considers it appropriate and necessary to do so. (C) (i) Not less frequently than once every two years, the Secretary shall— (I) adjust the amount under subparagraph (A); or (II) publish a notice in the Federal Register indicating that no adjustment is warranted. (ii) Not later than 30 days before adjusting an amount pursuant to clause (i)(I) or publishing a notice pursuant to clause (i)(II), the Secretary shall notify the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs and the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs and the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives. (D) The Secretary shall determine a logical schedule for adjustments under this paragraph to take effect so that the amounts for and types of construction projects requested by the Department in the budget of the President under section 1105(a) of title 31 are consistent with the threshold for construction projects as so adjusted. .

Summary: Department of Veterans Affairs Minor Construction Threshold Adjustment Act of 2023 This bill raises the threshold above which a project for the construction, alteration, or acquisition of a medical facility of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is considered a major medical facility project. Under existing law, such projects must be specifically authorized by law. Specifically, the bill sets the threshold to $30 million and requires the VA to develop a mechanism to adjust the threshold to account for relevant factors, such as economic and labor conditions. At least once every two years, the VA must adjust the threshold amount or publish notice indicating that no adjustment is warranted.