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(1) to enhance the clinical skills of military cli-
nicians through training, treatment protocols, web-
based interventions, and the development of evidence-
based interventions; and
(2) to promote pre-deployment resilience and
post-deployment readjustment among servicemembers
serving in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation
Enduring Freedom.
(c) TRAINING.—The National Center on Post Trau-
matic Stress Disorder shall work with the Secretary of De-
fense to ensure that clinicians in the Department of Defense
are provided with the training and protocols developed pur-
suant to subsection (b)(1).
SEC. 226. (a) The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall
immediately submit to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs
and Appropriations of the Senate and the House of Rep-
resentatives a report on any Department of Veterans Affairs
budget shortfall totaling 2 percent or more of the Depart-
ment’s total discretionary funding budget for a fiscal year.
(b) The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall, not later
than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act,
submit to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs and Appro-
priations of the Senate and the House of Representatives
a comprehensive plan to improve long-term budget plan-
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ning and actuarial forecasting at the Department of Vet-
erans Affairs.
SEC. 227. (a) In conducting advanced planning activi-
ties under this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall
reevaluate Veterans Health Administration Handbook
1006.1 and other guidance and procedures related to plan-
ning, activating, staffing, and maintaining community-
based outpatient clinics.
(b) In conducting such planning, the Secretary shall—
(1) revise as appropriate existing policies to
make them less disadvantageous to rural veterans;
and
(2) reexamine criteria used in planning, acti-
vating, staffing, and maintaining such clinics, in-
cluding geographic access, number of Priority 1–6
veterans, market penetration, cost effectiveness, and
distance to parent facilities, to determine whether
such criteria are weighted in a manner that nega-
tively affects rural veterans.
TITLE III—RELATED AGENCIES
AMERICAN BATTLE MONUMENTS COMMISSION
SALARIES AND EXPENSES
For necessary expenses, not otherwise provided for, of
the American Battle Monuments Commission, including the
acquisition of land or interest in land in foreign countries;
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purchases and repair of uniforms for caretakers of national
cemeteries and monuments outside of the United States and
its territories and possessions; rent of office and garage
space in foreign countries; purchase (one for replacement
only) and hire of passenger motor vehicles; not to exceed
$7,500 for official reception and representation expenses;
and insurance of official motor vehicles in foreign countries,
when required by law of such countries, $36,250,000, to re-
main available until expended.
FOREIGN CURRENCY FLUCTUATIONS
For necessary expenses, not otherwise provided for, of
the American Battle Monuments Commission, $15,250,000,
to remain available until expended, for purposes authorized
by title 36, United States Code, section 2109.
UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR
VETERANS CLAIMS
SALARIES AND EXPENSES
For necessary expenses for the operation of the United
States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims as authorized
by title 38, United States Code, sections 7251–7298,
$18,795,000, of which $1,260,000 shall be available for the
purpose of providing financial assistance as described, and
in accordance with the process and reporting procedures set
forth, under this heading in Public Law 102–229.
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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE—CIVIL
CEMETERIAL EXPENSES, ARMY
SALARIES AND EXPENSES
For necessary expenses, as authorized by law, for
maintenance, operation, and improvement of Arlington Na-
tional Cemetery and Soldiers’ and Airmen’s Home Na-
tional Cemetery, including the purchase of two passenger
motor vehicles for replacement only, and not to exceed
$1,000 for official reception and representation expenses,
$28,550,000, to remain available until expended. In addi-
tion, such sums as may be necessary for parking mainte-
nance, repairs and replacement, to be derived from the lease
of Department of Defense Real Property for Defense Agen-
cies account.
ARMED FORCES RETIREMENT HOME
ARMED FORCES RETIREMENT HOME
For expenses necessary for the Armed Forces Retire-
ment Home to operate and maintain the Armed Forces Re-
tirement Home—Washington, District of Columbia and the
Armed Forces Retirement Home—Gulfport, Mississippi, to
be paid from funds available in the Armed Forces Retire-
ment Home Trust Fund, $58,281,000, of which $1,248,000
shall remain available until expended for construction and
renovation of the physical plants at the Armed Forces Re-
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tirement Home—Washington, District of Columbia and the
Armed Forces Retirement Home—Gulfport, Mississippi.
GENERAL PROVISIONS
SEC. 301. Any limitation, directive, or earmarking
contained in either the House of Representatives or Senate
report accompanying H.R. 2528 shall also be included in
the conference report or joint statement accompanying H.R.
2528 in order to be considered as having been approved by
both Houses of Congress.
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Military Construction
and Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations
Act, 2006’’.
Amend the title so as to read: ‘‘An Act making ap-
propriations for Military Construction and Veterans Af-
fairs, and Related Agencies for the fiscal year ending
September 30, 2006, and for other purposes.’’.
Attest:
Secretary.