I 
114TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1681 
To extend the authorization for the major medical facility project to replace 
the Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Denver, Colorado, 
to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to enter into an agreement 
with the Army Corps of Engineers to manage the construction of such 
project, to transfer the authority to carry out future major medical 
facility projects of the Department from the Secretary to the Army 
Corps of Engineers, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 26, 2015 
Mr. COFFMAN introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 
A BILL 
To extend the authorization for the major medical facility 
project to replace the Department of Veterans Affairs 
Medical Center in Denver, Colorado, to direct the Sec-
retary of Veterans Affairs to enter into an agreement 
with the Army Corps of Engineers to manage the con-
struction of such project, to transfer the authority to 
carry out future major medical facility projects of the 
Department from the Secretary to the Army Corps of 
Engineers, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
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SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘VA Construction, Ac-
countability, and Reform Act’’. 
SEC. 2. EXTENSION OF AUTHORIZATION OF MAJOR MED-
ICAL FACILITY PROJECT TO REPLACE DE-
PARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS MEDICAL 
CENTER IN DENVER, COLORADO. 
The Secretary of Veterans Affairs may carry out the 
major medical facility project to replace the Department 
of Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Denver, Colorado, 
in an amount not to exceed a total of $1,730,000,000. 
SEC. 3. PROHIBITION ON BONUSES UNTIL MAJOR MEDICAL 
FACILITY PROJECT TO REPLACE DEPART-
MENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS MEDICAL CEN-
TER 
IN 
DENVER, 
COLORADO, 
IS 
OPER-
ATIONAL. 
(a) PROHIBITION
ON BONUSES DURING FISCAL 
YEARS 2015 AND 2016.—During fiscal years 2015 and 
2016, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs may not pay any 
bonus. 
(b) PROHIBITION ON BONUSES UNTIL OPERATION 
OF MEDICAL CENTER.—If the major medical facility 
project to replace the Department of Veterans Affairs 
Medical Center in Denver, Colorado, is not completed by 
September 30, 2016, the Secretary may not pay any bonus 
until the date on which the Secretary certifies to the Com-
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mittees on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representa-
tives and the Senate that the major medical facility project 
specified in section 2 to replace the Department of Vet-
erans Affairs Medical Center in Denver, Colorado, is fully 
operational. 
(c) LIMITATION
ON BONUSES.—During the fiscal 
year in which the Secretary may begin to pay a bonus 
pursuant to subsection (b), and each fiscal year thereafter 
through fiscal year 2024, the Secretary shall ensure that 
the aggregate amount of bonuses paid by the Secretary 
during 
each 
such 
fiscal 
year 
does 
not 
exceed 
$360,000,000. 
(d) BONUS DEFINED.—In this subsection, the term 
‘‘bonus’’ means any bonus or award under chapter 45 or 
53 of title 5, United States Code, or any other bonus or 
award authorized under such title or title 38, United 
States Code. 
(e) CONFORMING REPEAL.—Section 705 of the Vet-
erans Access, Choice, and Accountability Act of 2014 
(Public Law 113–146; 38 U.S.C. 703 note) is repealed. 
SEC. 4. MANAGEMENT OF DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AF-
FAIRS MEDICAL CENTER IN AURORA, COLO-
RADO. 
(a) TRANSFER OF CONSTRUCTION AGENT RESPON-
SIBILITIES.—Not later than 90 days after the date of the 
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enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
shall enter into an agreement with the Secretary of the 
Army, acting through the Chief of Engineers, for the 
Army Corps of Engineers to carry out, on a reimbursable 
basis, design, contract, construction management, and 
similar services for the Aurora medical facility project. 
Such agreement shall be subject to subsections (b) 
through (e) of section 1535 of title 31, United States 
Code. 
(b) DUTIES.— 
(1) RESPONSIBILITIES.—Under the agreement 
entered into under subsection (a), the Army Corps 
of Engineers shall have the authority to perform the 
project, design, contract, and construction manage-
ment necessary to complete the remaining work at 
the Aurora medical facility project. Such authority 
shall include entering into new contracts in accord-
ance with the Federal Acquisition Regulation to ful-
fill construction agent responsibilities associated 
with such project. A determination will be made if 
entering into a new contract agreement with the cur-
rent prime contractor is consistent with the Federal 
Acquisition Regulation and in the best interests of 
the Government. 
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SEC. 5. PROHIBITION ON SECRETARY OF VETERANS AF-
FAIRS CARRYING OUT MAJOR MEDICAL FA-
CILITY PROJECTS. 
(a) ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS.—Chapter 81 of 
title 38, United States Code, is amended by inserting after 
section 8103 the following new section: 
‘‘§ 8103A. Authority of Army Corps of Engineers to 
carry out major medical facility projects 
‘‘(a) PROHIBITION.—Notwithstanding any other pro-
vision of law, the Secretary may not carry out any major 
medical 
facility 
project 
(as 
defined 
in 
section 
8104(a)(3)(A) of this title). 
‘‘(b) 
ARMY
CORPS
OF
ENGINEERS.—Notwith-
standing any other provision of law, the Secretary of the 
Army, acting through the Chief of Engineers, shall carry 
out all major medical facility projects for the Department 
of Veterans Affairs. 
‘‘(c) AGREEMENTS.—The Chief of Engineers shall 
enter into an agreement with the Secretary of Veterans 
Affairs to carry out, on a reimbursable basis, design, con-
tract, construction management, and similar services for 
major medical facility projects pursuant to subsection (b). 
Each such agreement shall be subject to subsections (b) 
through (e) of section 1535 of title 31. 
‘‘(d) DUTIES.—(1) Under an agreement entered into 
under subsection (c), the Army Corps of Engineers shall 
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have the authority to perform the project, design, contract, 
and construction management necessary to complete the 
major medical facility project covered by the agreement. 
Such authority shall include entering into new contracts 
in accordance with the Federal Acquisition Regulation to 
fulfill construction agent responsibilities associated with 
such project. 
‘‘(2) The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall provide 
the Army Corps of Engineers with any documents or in-
formation needed for the Army Corps of Engineers to 
carry out major medical facility projects pursuant to sub-
section (b). 
‘‘(3) Upon request by the Army Corps of Engineers, 
the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall provide to the 
Army Corps of Engineers any assistance that the Army 
Corps of Engineers determines necessary to carry out 
major medical facility projects pursuant to subsection (b). 
Such assistance shall be provided at no cost to the Army 
Corps of Engineers. 
‘‘(e) APPLICABILITY.—This section shall apply with 
respect to a major medical facility project that begins after 
the date of the enactment of this section.’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections 
at the beginning of such chapter is amended by inserting 
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after the item relating to section 8103 the following new 
item: 
‘‘8103A. Authority of Army Corps of Engineers to carry out major medical 
facility projects.’’. 
(c) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.—Title 38, United 
States Code, is further amended— 
(1) in section 312A(c)— 
(A) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘The Di-
rector of’’ and inserting ‘‘Except as provided by 
section 8103A of this title, the Director of’’; 
and 
(B) in paragraph (2), by striking ‘‘In car-
rying out’’ and inserting ‘‘Except as provided 
by section 8103A of this title, in carrying out’’ 
(2) in section 8103(a), by striking ‘‘section 
8104’’ and inserting ‘‘sections 8103A and 8104’’; 
(3) in section 8104, by adding at the end the 
following new subsection: 
‘‘(i) The Secretary shall carry out this section in ac-
cordance with section 8103A of this title, including with 
respect to obligating or expending funds described in this 
section.’’; and 
(4) in section 8106— 
(A) in subsection (a), by striking ‘‘The 
Secretary may’’ and inserting ‘‘Subject to sec-
tion 8103A of this title, the Secretary may’’; 
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(B) in subsection (b)(1), by striking ‘‘The 
Secretary may’’ and inserting ‘‘Subject to sec-
tion 8103A of this title, the Secretary may’’; 
and 
(C) in subsection (c), by inserting ‘‘(except 
under section 8103A)’’ after ‘‘this subchapter’’. 
SEC. 6. COMPTROLLER GENERAL REPORT ON MANAGE-
MENT OF DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AF-
FAIRS MEDICAL CENTER IN AURORA, COLO-
RADO. 
(a) REVIEW.—The Comptroller General of the United 
States shall review the management by the Secretary of 
Veterans Affairs of the Aurora medical facility project (as 
defined in section 4(e)), including with respect to the thor-
oughness and accuracy of the investigation into mis-
management conducted by the Administrative Investiga-
tion Board established by the Secretary. The review shall 
include a review of the following: 
(1) Any potential misconduct or criminal activ-
ity committed by employees of the Department of 
Veterans Affairs that may have contributed to the 
significant cost overruns of the Aurora medical facil-
ity project. 
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(2) When senior officials of the Department 
knew, or should have known, that such project was 
likely to incur such significant cost overruns. 
(3) The justification of the Secretary for with-
holding from Congress any information relating to 
such significant cost overruns. 
(b) REPORT.—Not later than 180 days after the date 
on which the Secretary of Veterans Affairs concludes the 
Administrative Investigation Board described in sub-
section (a), the Comptroller General shall submit to the 
Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Rep-
resentatives and the Senate a report containing the review 
under such subsection. 
SEC. 7. NOTIFICATION TO CONGRESS FOR USE OF FUNDS 
FOR MAJOR MEDICAL FACILITY PROJECTS 
THAT EXCEED AUTHORIZED AMOUNTS. 
Section 8104(c) of title 38, United States Code, is 
amended by striking ‘‘30 days’’ and inserting ‘‘120 days’’. 
Æ 
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