H. R. 4818—486
SEC. 118. Amounts made available under ‘‘Medical services’’
are available—
(1) for furnishing recreational facilities, supplies, and equip-
ment; and
(2) for funeral expenses, burial expenses, and other
expenses incidental to funerals and burials for beneficiaries
receiving care in the department.
SEC. 119. That such sums as may be deposited to the Medical
Care Collections Fund pursuant to 38 U.S.C. 1729A may be trans-
ferred to ‘‘Medical services’’, to remain available until expended
for the purposes of this account.
SEC. 120. Amounts made available for fiscal year 2005 under
the ‘‘Medical services’’, ‘‘Medical administration’’, and ‘‘Medical
facilities’’ accounts may be transferred between the accounts to
the extent necessary to implement the restructuring of the Veterans
Health Administration accounts after notice of the amount and
purpose of the transfer is provided to the Committees on Appropria-
tions of the Senate and House of Representatives and a period
of 30 days has elapsed: Provided, That the limitation on transfers
is 20 percent in fiscal year 2005.
SEC. 121. Any appropriation for fiscal year 2005 for the Vet-
erans Benefits Administration made available under the heading
‘‘General operating expenses’’ may be transferred to the ‘‘Veterans
Housing Benefit Program Fund Program Account’’ for the purpose
of providing funds for the nationwide property management contract
if the administrative costs of such contract exceed $8,800,000 in
the budget year.
SEC. 122. The Department of Veterans Affairs is authorized
to expend such sums as are available in the unobligated balances
of the funds originally appropriated to ‘‘Medical Care’’ for emergency
expenses resulting from the January 1994 earthquake in southern
California in Public Law 103–211, Emergency Supplemental Appro-
priations Act of 1994, for the same purposes of the ‘‘Medical Serv-
ices’’ account, to remain available until expended.
SEC. 123. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the
Secretary of Veterans Affairs (Secretary) shall allow veterans
eligible under existing VA Medical Care requirements and who
reside in Alaska to obtain medical care services from medical facili-
ties supported by the Indian Health Services or tribal organizations.
The Secretary shall: (1) limit the application of this provision to
rural Alaskan veterans in areas where an existing VA facility
or VA-contracted service is unavailable; (2) require participating
veterans and facilities to comply with all appropriate rules and
regulations, as established by the Secretary; (3) require this provi-
sion to be consistent with CARES; and (4) result in no additional
cost to the Department of Veterans Affairs or the Indian Health
Service.
SEC. 124. Of the funds made available under the heading
‘‘Construction, minor projects’’ in chapter 11 of division B of the
Military Construction Appropriations and Emergency Hurricane
Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2005, Public Law 108–324, the
Secretary of Veterans Affairs may transfer up to $19,800,000 to
the ‘‘Medical Facilities’’ account for non-recurring maintenance
expenses related to hurricane and tropical storm damage.
H. R. 4818—487
TITLE II—DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN
DEVELOPMENT
PUBLIC AND INDIAN HOUSING
TENANT-BASED RENTAL ASSISTANCE
(INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS)
For activities and assistance for the provision of tenant-based
rental assistance authorized under the United States Housing Act
of 1937, as amended (42 U.S.C. 1437 et seq.) (‘‘the Act’’ herein),
not otherwise provided for, $14,885,000,000, to remain available
until expended, of which $10,685,000,000 shall be available on
October 1, 2004 and $4,200,000,000 shall be available on October
1, 2005: Provided, That the amounts made available under this
heading are provided as follows:
(1) $13,462,989,000 for renewals of expiring section 8 ten-
ant-based annual contributions contracts (including renewals
of enhanced vouchers under any provision of law authorizing
such assistance under section 8(t) of the Act): Provided, That
notwithstanding any other provision of law, from amounts pro-
vided under this paragraph, the Secretary for the calendar
year 2005 funding cycle shall renew such contracts for each
public housing agency based on verified Voucher Management
System (VMS) leasing and cost data averaged for the months
of May, June, and July of 2004, and by applying the 2005
Annual Adjustment Factor as established by the Secretary,
and by making any necessary adjustments for the costs associ-
ated with the first-time renewal of tenant protection or HOPE
VI vouchers: Provided further, That if such data is not available,
verifiable, or complete, the Secretary shall use verified VMS
leasing and cost data averaged for the months of February,
March, and April of 2004, and by applying the 2005 Annual
Adjustment Factor as established by the Secretary, and by
making any necessary adjustments for the costs associated
with the first-time renewal of tenant protection or HOPE VI
vouchers: Provided further, That if such data is not available,
verifiable, or complete, the Secretary shall use leasing and
cost data from the most recent end-of-year financial statements
for public housing agency fiscal years ending no later than
March 31, 2004, and by applying the 2005 Annual Adjustment
Factor as established by the Secretary, and by making any
necessary adjustments for the costs associated with the first-
time renewal of tenant protection or HOPE VI vouchers: Pro-
vided further, That the Secretary shall, to the extent necessary
to stay within the amount provided under this paragraph,
pro rate each public housing agency’s allocation otherwise
established pursuant to this paragraph: Provided further, That
the entire amount provided under this paragraph shall be obli-
gated to the public housing agencies based on the allocation
and pro rata method described above: Provided further, That
public housing agencies participating in the Moving to Work
demonstration shall be funded pursuant to their Moving to
Work agreements and shall be subject to the same pro rata
adjustments under the previous proviso: Provided further, That
none of the funds provided in this paragraph may be used
to support a total number of unit months under lease which