H. R. 6342
One Hundred Ninth Congress
of the
United States of America 
AT THE SECOND SESSION 
Begun and held at the City of Washington on Tuesday, 
the third day of January, two thousand and six 
An Act 
To amend title 38, United States Code, to extend certain expiring provisions of 
law administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, to expand eligibility for 
the Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance program, and for other 
purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
(a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Veterans 
Programs Extension Act of 2006’’. 
(b) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—The table of contents of this Act 
is as follows:
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents. 
Sec. 2. Extension of certain expiring provisions of law administered by the Sec-
retary of Veterans Affairs. 
Sec. 3. Expansion of eligibility for Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assist-
ance program. 
Sec. 4. Deadline and permanent requirement for report on educational assistance 
program. 
Sec. 5. Reauthorization of biennial report of Advisory Committee on Women Vet-
erans. 
Sec. 6. Parkinson’s Disease research, education, and clinical centers and multiple 
sclerosis centers of excellence. 
Sec. 7. Authorization of major medical facility leases. 
Sec. 8. Technical and clerical amendments. 
Sec. 9. Codification of cost-of-living adjustment provided in Public Law 109–361.
SEC. 2. EXTENSION OF CERTAIN EXPIRING PROVISIONS OF LAW 
ADMINISTERED BY THE SECRETARY OF VETERANS AFFAIRS. 
(a) AUTHORITY FOR HEALTH CARE FOR PARTICIPATION IN DOD 
CHEMICAL
AND
BIOLOGICAL
WARFARE
TESTING.—Section 
1710(e)(3)(D) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by striking 
‘‘December 31, 2005’’ and inserting ‘‘December 31, 2007’’. 
(b) GRANT AND PER DIEM GRANT ASSISTANCE FOR HOMELESS 
VETERANS.—Section 2011(a)(2) of such title is amended by striking 
‘‘September 30, 2005’’ and inserting ‘‘September 30, 2007’’. 
(c) TREATMENT AND REHABILITATION FOR SERIOUSLY MENTALLY 
ILL
AND HOMELESS VETERANS.—Section 2031(b) of such title is 
amended by striking ‘‘December 31, 2006’’ and inserting ‘‘December 
31, 2007’’. 
(d) ADDITIONAL SERVICES FOR HOMELESS AND SERIOUSLY MEN-
TALLY ILL VETERANS.—Section 2033(d) of such title is amended 
by striking ‘‘December 31, 2006’’ and inserting ‘‘December 31, 2007’’. 
(e) ADVISORY COMMITTEE
ON HOMELESS VETERANS.—Section 
2066(d) of such title is amended by striking ‘‘December 31, 2006’’ 
and inserting ‘‘December 31, 2007’’.
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(f) GOVERNMENT MARKERS IN PRIVATE CEMETERIES.—Section 
2306(d)(3) of such title is amended by striking ‘‘December 31, 2006’’ 
and inserting ‘‘December 31, 2007’’. 
(g) ADDITIONAL EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE ALLOWANCE
FOR 
WORK-STUDY.—Section 3485(a)(4) of such title is amended in sub-
paragraphs (A), (C), and (F) by striking ‘‘December 27, 2006’’ and 
inserting ‘‘June 30, 2007’’. 
SEC. 3. EXPANSION OF ELIGIBILITY FOR SURVIVORS’ AND DEPEND-
ENTS’ EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. 
(a) EXPANSION OF ELIGIBILITY.—Section 3501(a)(1) of title 38, 
United States Code, is amended—
(1) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by striking 
‘‘means—’’ and inserting ‘‘means any of the following:’’; 
(2) in each of subparagraphs (A) through (D), by capital-
izing the first letter of the first word; 
(3) in subparagraph (A)—
(A) by inserting after ‘‘a person who’’ the following: 
‘‘, as a result of qualifying service’’; 
(B) by striking the comma at the end of clause (i) 
and inserting ‘‘; or’’; 
(C) by striking ‘‘, or’’ at the end of clause (ii) and 
inserting a period; and 
(D) by striking clause (iii); 
(4) in subparagraph (B) by striking the comma at the 
end and inserting the following: ‘‘sustained during a period 
of qualifying service.’’; 
(5) in subparagraph (C)—
(A) by inserting ‘‘or child’’ after ‘‘the spouse’’; and 
(B) by striking ‘‘, or’’ at the end and inserting a period; 
(6) in subparagraph (D)—
(A) in clause (i), by inserting before the comma the 
following: ‘‘sustained during a period of qualifying service’’; 
and 
(B) by striking the comma at the end and inserting 
a period; 
(7) by inserting after subparagraph (D) the following new 
subparagraph: 
‘‘(E) The spouse or child of a person who—
‘‘(i) at the time of the Secretary’s determination 
under clause (ii), is a member of the Armed Forces 
who is hospitalized or receiving outpatient medical 
care, services, or treatment; 
‘‘(ii) the Secretary determines has a total disability 
permanent in nature incurred or aggravated in the 
line of duty in the active military, naval, or air service; 
and 
‘‘(iii) is likely to be discharged or released from 
such service for such disability.’’; and 
(8) by striking ‘‘arising out of’’ and all that follows through 
the end. 
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS TO CHAPTER 35.—Chapter 35 
of such title is further amended as follows: 
(1) Section 3501(a) is amended by adding at the end the 
following new paragraph: 
‘‘(12) The term ‘qualifying service’ means service in the 
active military, naval, or air service after the beginning of
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the Spanish-American War that did not terminate under dis-
honorable conditions.’’. 
(2) Section 3511 is amended—
(A) in subsection (a)(1)—
(i) by striking ‘‘Each eligible person’’ and inserting 
the following: ‘‘Each eligible person, whether made 
eligible by one or more of the provisions of section 
3501(a)(1) of this title,’’; 
(ii) by striking ‘‘a period’’ and inserting ‘‘an aggre-
gate period’’; and 
(iii) by striking the second sentence; 
(B) in subsection (b)—
(i) in paragraph (2)—
(I) by striking ‘‘the provisions of section 
3501(a)(1)(A)(iii) or’’ and inserting ‘‘section’’; and 
(II) by striking ‘‘or’’ at the end; 
(ii) in paragraph (3)—
(I) by striking ‘‘section 3501(a)(1)(D)’’ and 
inserting ‘‘subparagraph (D) or (E) of section 
3501(a)(1)’’; and 
(II) by inserting ‘‘or’’ after the comma at the 
end; and 
(iii) by inserting after paragraph (3) the following 
new paragraph: 
‘‘(4) the parent or spouse from whom such eligibility is 
derived based upon subparagraph (E) of section 3501(a)(1) of 
this title no longer meets a requirement under clause (i), (ii), 
or (iii) of that subparagraph,’’; and 
(C) by striking subsection (c). 
(3) Section 3512 is amended—
(A) in subsection (a)—
(i) by striking ‘‘an eligible person (within the 
meaning of section 3501(a)(1)(A) of this title)’’ and 
inserting ‘‘an eligible person whose eligibility is based 
on the death or disability of a parent or on a parent 
being listed in one of the categories referred to in 
section 3501(a)(1)(C) of this title’’; and 
(ii) in paragraph (6), by striking ‘‘the provisions 
of section 3501(a)(1)(A)(iii)’’ and inserting ‘‘a parent 
being listed in one of the categories referred to in 
section 3501(a)(1)(C)’’; 
(B) in subsection (b)—
(i) in paragraph (1)(A)—
(I) by inserting after ‘‘section 3501(a)(1) of this 
title’’ the following: ‘‘or a person made eligible by 
the 
disability 
of 
a 
spouse 
under 
section 
3501(a)(1)(E) of this title’’; and 
(II) by striking ‘‘or 3501(a)(1)(D)(ii) of this 
title’’ 
and 
inserting 
‘‘3501(a)(1)(D)(ii), 
or 
3501(a)(1)(E) of this title’’; 
(ii) in paragraph (1)(B), by adding at the end the 
following new clause: 
‘‘(iii) The date on which the Secretary notifies the member 
of the Armed Forces from whom eligibility is derived that 
the member has a total disability permanent in nature incurred 
or aggravated in the line of duty in the active military, naval, 
or air service.’’; and
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(iii) in paragraph (2)—
(I) by striking ‘‘or (D) of this title’’ and 
inserting ‘‘(D), or (E) of this title’’; and 
(II) by inserting ‘‘whose eligibility is based 
on the death or disability of a spouse or on a 
spouse being listed in one of the categories referred 
to in section 3501(a)(1)(C) of this title’’ after ‘‘of 
this title)’’; 
(C) in subsection (d), by striking ‘‘veteran’’ and 
inserting ‘‘person’’; and 
(D) in subsection (e)—
(i) by inserting ‘‘based on a spouse being listed 
in one of the categories referred to in section 
3501(a)(1)(C) of this title’’ after ‘‘of this title’’; 
(ii) by inserting ‘‘so’’ after ‘‘the spouse was’’; and 
(iii) by striking ‘‘by the Secretary’’ and all that 
follows through ‘‘occurs’’. 
(4) Section 3540 is amended by striking ‘‘(as defined in 
subparagraphs (A), (B), and (D) of section 3501(a)(1) of this 
title)’’ and inserting ‘‘(other than a person made eligible under 
subparagraph (C) of such section by reason of a spouse being 
listed in one of the categories referred to in that subpara-
graph)’’. 
(5) Section 3563 is amended by striking ‘‘each eligible per-
son defined in section 3501(a)(1)(A) of this title’’ and inserting 
‘‘each eligible person whose eligibility is based on the death 
or disability of a parent or on a parent being listed in one 
of the categories referred to in section 3501(a)(1)(C) of this 
title’’. 
(c) OTHER CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.—Such title is further 
amended as follows: 
(1) Sections 3686(a)(1) is amended by striking ‘‘or (D)’’ 
and inserting ‘‘(D), or (E)’’. 
(2) Section 5113(b)(3) is amended—
(A) in subparagraph (B) by striking ‘‘section 3501(a)(1)’’ 
and all that follows through the end and inserting the 
following: ‘‘subparagraphs (A), (B), (D), and (E) of section 
3501(a)(1) of this title.’’; and 
(B) in subparagraph (C)—
(i) by striking ‘‘such veteran’s death’’ and inserting 
‘‘the death of the person from whom such eligibility 
is derived’’; and 
(ii) by striking ‘‘such veteran’s service-connected 
total disability permanent in nature’’ and inserting 
‘‘the service-connected total disability permanent in 
nature (or, in the case of a person made eligible under 
section 3501(a)(1)(E), the total disability permanent 
in nature incurred or aggravated in the line of duty 
in the active military, naval, or air service) of the 
person from whom such eligibility is derived’’. 
(d) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by this section 
shall apply with respect to a payment of educational assistance 
for a course of education pursued after the date of the enactment 
of this Act.
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SEC. 4. DEADLINE AND PERMANENT REQUIREMENT FOR REPORT ON 
EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. 
(a) DEADLINE FOR REPORT.—Not later than six months after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense 
and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall each submit to Congress 
a report containing the information specified in subsections (b) 
and (c) of section 3036 of title 38, United States Code. 
(b) REPEAL OF TERMINATION.—Section 3036 of title 38, United 
States Code, is amended by striking subsection (d). 
SEC. 5. REAUTHORIZATION OF BIENNIAL REPORT OF ADVISORY COM-
MITTEE ON WOMEN VETERANS. 
Section 542(c)(1) of title 38, United States Code, is amended 
by striking ‘‘2004’’ and inserting ‘‘2008’’. 
SEC. 6. PARKINSON’S DISEASE RESEARCH, EDUCATION, AND CLINICAL 
CENTERS AND MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS CENTERS OF EXCEL-
LENCE. 
(a) REQUIREMENT FOR ESTABLISHMENT OF CENTERS.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—Subchapter II of chapter 73 of title 38, 
United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the 
following new sections: 
‘‘§ 7329. Parkinson’s Disease research, education, and clinical 
centers 
‘‘(a) ESTABLISHMENT OF CENTERS.—(1) The Secretary, upon the 
recommendation of the Under Secretary for Health, shall designate 
not less than six Department health-care facilities as the locations 
for centers of Parkinson’s Disease research, education, and clinical 
activities. 
‘‘(2) Subject to the appropriation of sufficient funds for such 
purpose, the Secretary shall establish and operate centers of Parkin-
son’s Disease research, education, and clinical activities at the 
locations designated pursuant to paragraph (1) for such centers. 
‘‘(b) CRITERIA FOR DESIGNATION OF FACILITIES.—(1) In desig-
nating Department health-care facilities for centers under sub-
section (a), the Secretary, upon the recommendation of the Under 
Secretary for Health, shall assure appropriate geographic distribu-
tion of such facilities. 
‘‘(2) Except as provided in paragraph (3), the Secretary shall 
designate as the location for a center of Parkinson’s Disease 
research, education, and clinical activities pursuant to subsection 
(a)(1) each Department health-care facility that as of January 1, 
2005, was operating a Parkinson’s Disease research, education, 
and clinical center. 
‘‘(3) The Secretary may not under subsection (a) designate 
a facility described in paragraph (2) if (on the recommendation 
of the Under Secretary for Health) the Secretary determines that 
such facility—
‘‘(A) does not meet the requirements of subsection (c); or 
‘‘(B) has not demonstrated—
‘‘(i) effectiveness in carrying out the established pur-
poses of such center; or 
‘‘(ii) the potential to carry out such purposes effectively 
in the reasonably foreseeable future. 
‘‘(c) REQUIREMENTS FOR DESIGNATION.—(1) The Secretary may 
not designate a Department health-care facility as a location for
H. R. 6342—6
a center under subsection (a) unless the peer review panel estab-
lished under subsection (d) has determined under that subsection 
that the proposal submitted by such facility as a location for a 
new center under subsection (a) is among those proposals that 
meet the highest competitive standards of scientific and clinical 
merit. 
‘‘(2) The Secretary may not designate a Department health-
care facility as a location for a center under subsection (a) unless 
the Secretary (upon the recommendation of the Under Secretary 
for Health) determines that the facility has (or may reasonably 
be anticipated to develop) each of the following: 
‘‘(A) An arrangement with an accredited medical school 
that provides education and training in neurology and with 
which the Department health-care facility is affiliated under 
which residents receive education and training in innovative 
diagnosis and treatment of chronic neurodegenerative diseases 
and movement disorders, including Parkinson’s Disease. 
‘‘(B) The ability to attract the participation of scientists 
who are capable of ingenuity and creativity in health-care 
research efforts. 
‘‘(C) An advisory committee composed of veterans and 
appropriate health-care and research representatives of the 
Department health-care facility and of the affiliated school 
or schools to advise the directors of such facility and such 
center on policy matters pertaining to the activities of the 
center during the period of the operation of such center. 
‘‘(D) The capability to conduct effectively evaluations of 
the activities of such center. 
‘‘(E) The capability to coordinate (as part of an integrated 
national system) education, clinical, and research activities 
within all facilities with such centers. 
‘‘(F) The capability to jointly develop a consortium of pro-
viders with interest in treating neurodegenerative diseases, 
including Parkinson’s Disease and other movement disorders, 
at facilities without such centers in order to ensure better 
access to state-of-the-art diagnosis, care, and education for 
neurodegenerative disorders throughout the health care system 
of the Department. 
‘‘(G) The capability to develop a national repository in 
the health care system of the Department for the collection 
of data on health services delivered to veterans seeking care 
for neurodegenerative diseases, including Parkinson’s Disease, 
and other movement disorders. 
‘‘(d) PEER REVIEW PANEL.—(1) The Under Secretary for Health 
shall establish a panel to assess the scientific and clinical merit 
of proposals that are submitted to the Secretary for the establish-
ment of centers under this section. 
‘‘(2)(A) The membership of the panel shall consist of experts 
in neurodegenerative diseases, including Parkinson’s Disease, and 
other movement disorders. 
‘‘(B) Members of the panel shall serve for a period of no longer 
than two years, except as specified in subparagraph (C). 
‘‘(C) Of the members first appointed to the panel, one half 
shall be appointed for a period of three years and one half shall 
be appointed for a period of two years, as designated by the Under 
Secretary at the time of appointment.
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‘‘(3) The panel shall review each proposal submitted to the 
panel by the Under Secretary and shall submit its views on the 
relative scientific and clinical merit of each such proposal to the 
Under Secretary. 
‘‘(4) The panel shall not be subject to the Federal Advisory 
Committee Act. 
‘‘(e) PRIORITY OF FUNDING.—Before providing funds for the oper-
ation of a center designated under subsection (a) at a Department 
health-care facility other than at a facility designated pursuant 
to subsection (b)(2), the Secretary shall ensure that each Parkinson’s 
Disease center at a facility designated pursuant to subsection (b)(2) 
is receiving adequate funding to enable that center to function 
effectively in the areas of Parkinson’s Disease research, education, 
and clinical activities. 
‘‘(f) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There are authorized 
to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary for the support 
of the research and education activities of the centers established 
pursuant to subsection (a). The Under Secretary for Health shall 
allocate to such centers from other funds appropriated generally 
for the Department medical services account and medical and pros-
thetics research account, as appropriate, such amounts as the Under 
Secretary for Health determines appropriate. 
‘‘(g) AWARD COMPETITIONS.—Activities of clinical and scientific 
investigation at each center established under subsection (a) shall 
be eligible to compete for the award of funding from funds appro-
priated for the Department medical and prosthetics research 
account. Such activities shall receive priority in the award of 
funding from such account insofar as funds are awarded to projects 
for research in Parkinson’s Disease and other movement disorders. 
‘‘§ 7330. Multiple sclerosis centers of excellence 
‘‘(a) ESTABLISHMENT OF CENTERS.—(1) The Secretary, upon the 
recommendation of the Under Secretary for Health, shall designate 
not less than two Department health-care facilities as the locations 
for multiple sclerosis centers of excellence. 
‘‘(2) Subject to the appropriation of sufficient funds for such 
purpose, the Secretary shall establish and operate multiple sclerosis 
centers of excellence at the locations designated pursuant to para-
graph (1) for such centers. 
‘‘(b) CRITERIA FOR DESIGNATION OF FACILITIES.—(1) In desig-
nating Department health-care facilities for centers under sub-
section (a), the Secretary, upon the recommendation of the Under 
Secretary for Health, shall assure appropriate geographic distribu-
tion of such facilities. 
‘‘(2) Except as provided in paragraph (3), the Secretary shall 
designate as the location for a multiple sclerosis center of excellence 
pursuant to subsection (a)(1) each Department health-care facility 
that as of January 1, 2005, was operating a multiple sclerosis 
center of excellence. 
‘‘(3) The Secretary may not under subsection (a) designate 
a facility described in paragraph (2) if (on the recommendation 
of the Under Secretary for Health) the Secretary determines that 
such facility—
‘‘(A) does not meet the requirements of subsection (c); or 
‘‘(B) has not demonstrated—
‘‘(i) effectiveness in carrying out the established pur-
poses of such center; or