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SEC. 404. None of the funds provided in this Act may 
be used for payment, through grants or contracts, to re-
cipients that do not share in the cost of conducting re-
search resulting from proposals not specifically solicited 
by the Government: Provided, That the extent of cost 
sharing by the recipient shall reflect the mutuality of in-
terest of the grantee or contractor and the Government 
in the research. 
SEC. 405. None of the funds provided in this Act may 
be used, directly or through grants, to pay or to provide 
reimbursement for payment of the salary of a consultant 
(whether retained by the Federal Government or a grant-
ee) at more than the daily equivalent of the rate paid for 
level IV of the Executive Schedule, unless specifically au-
thorized by law. 
SEC. 406. None of the funds provided in this Act may 
be used to pay the expenses of, or otherwise compensate, 
non-Federal parties intervening in regulatory or adjudica-
tory proceedings. Nothing herein affects the authority of 
the Consumer Product Safety Commission pursuant to 
section 7 of the Consumer Product Safety Act (15 U.S.C. 
2056 et seq.). 
SEC. 407. Except as otherwise provided under exist-
ing law, or under an existing Executive order issued pur-
suant to an existing law, the obligation or expenditure of
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any appropriation under this Act for contracts for any 
consulting service shall be limited to contracts which are: 
(1) a matter of public record and available for public in-
spection; and (2) thereafter included in a publicly available 
list of all contracts entered into within 24 months prior 
to the date on which the list is made available to the public 
and of all contracts on which performance has not been 
completed by such date. The list required by the preceding 
sentence shall be updated quarterly and shall include a 
narrative description of the work to be performed under 
each such contract. 
SEC. 408. None of the funds appropriated in this Act 
may be used to implement any cap on reimbursements to 
grantees for indirect costs, except as published in Office 
of Management and Budget Circular A–21. 
SEC. 409. Such sums as may be necessary for fiscal 
year 2004 pay raises for programs funded by this Act shall 
be absorbed within the levels appropriated in this Act. 
SEC. 410. None of the funds made available in this 
Act may be used for any program, project, or activity, 
when it is made known to the Federal entity or official 
to which the funds are made available that the program, 
project, or activity is not in compliance with any Federal 
law relating to risk assessment, the protection of private 
property rights, or unfunded mandates.
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SEC. 411. Except in the case of entities that are 
funded solely with Federal funds or any natural persons 
that are funded under this Act, none of the funds in this 
Act shall be used for the planning or execution of any pro-
gram to pay the expenses of, or otherwise compensate, 
non-Federal parties to lobby or litigate in respect to adju-
dicatory proceedings funded in this Act. A chief executive 
officer of any entity receiving funds under this Act shall 
certify that none of these funds have been used to engage 
in the lobbying of the Federal Government or in litigation 
against the United States unless authorized under existing 
law. 
SEC. 412. No part of any funds appropriated in this 
Act shall be used by an agency of the executive branch, 
other than for normal and recognized executive-legislative 
relationships, for publicity or propaganda purposes, and 
for the preparation, distribution or use of any kit, pam-
phlet, booklet, publication, radio, television or film presen-
tation designed to support or defeat legislation pending 
before the Congress, except in presentation to the Con-
gress itself. 
SEC. 413. All departments and agencies funded under 
this Act are encouraged, within the limits of the existing 
statutory authorities and funding, to expand their use of 
‘‘E-Commerce’’ technologies and procedures in the con-
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duct of their business practices and public service activi-
ties. 
SEC. 414. None of the funds made available in this 
Act may be transferred to any department, agency, or in-
strumentality of the United States Government except 
pursuant to a transfer made by, or transfer authority pro-
vided in, this Act or any other appropriation Act. 
SEC. 415. None of the funds provided in this Act to 
any department or agency shall be obligated or expended 
to procure passenger automobiles as defined in 15 U.S.C. 
2001 with an EPA estimated miles per gallon average of 
less than 22 miles per gallon. 
SEC. 416. Section 312 of the National Aeronautics 
and Space Administration of 1958, as amended, is further 
amended—
(1) by striking the second Sec. ‘‘312’’ and in-
serting ‘‘313’’; 
(2) by inserting the title, ‘‘Full Cost Appropria-
tions Account Structure’’, before Sec. 313; 
(3) in subsection (a)—
(A) by striking ‘‘Human space flight’’ and 
inserting ‘‘Space flight capabilities’’; 
(B) by striking ‘‘technology’’ and inserting 
‘‘exploration’’; and
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(C)
by
striking
‘‘2002’’
and
inserting 
‘‘2004’’; and 
(4) by striking subsection (c), and inserting the 
following new subsection: 
‘‘(c) The unexpired balances of prior appropriations 
to the Administration for activities authorized under this 
Act may be transferred to the new account established for 
such activity in subsection (a). Balances so transferred 
may be merged with funds in the newly established ac-
count and thereafter may be accounted for as one fund 
under the same terms and conditions’’. 
SEC. 417. None of the funds made available in this 
Act may be used to implement any policy prohibiting the 
Directors of the Veterans Integrated Service Networks 
from conducting outreach or marketing to enroll new vet-
erans within their respective Networks. 
SEC. 418. None of the funds provided in this Act may 
be expended to apply, in a numerical estimate of the bene-
fits of an agency action prepared pursuant to Executive 
Order No. 12866 or section 812 of the Clean Air Act, 
monetary values for adult premature mortality that differ 
based on the age of the adult.
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SENSE OF CONGRESS REGARDING WAIT TIMES FOR 
VETERANS 
SEC. 419. It is the sense of Congress that no veteran 
should wait more than 30 days for an initial doctor’s ap-
pointment. 
SEC. 420. None of the funds made available in this 
Act may be used to accept, consider, or rely on third-party 
intentional dosing human studies for pesticides. 
SEC. 421. None of the funds made available in this 
Act may be used for voluntary separation incentive pay-
ments as provided for in subchapter II of chapter 35 of 
title 5, United States Code, unless the Administrator has 
first certified to Congress that such payments would not 
result in the loss of skills related to the safety of the Space 
Shuttle or the International Space Station or to the con-
duct of independent safety oversight in the National Aero-
nautics and Space Administration. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Departments of Vet-
erans Affairs and Housing and Urban Development, and 
Independent Agencies Appropriations Act, 2004’’.
That the following sums are appropriated, out of any 
money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, for the 
Departments of Veteran Affairs and Housing and Urban 
Development, and for sundry independent agencies, boards,
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commissions, corporations, and offices for the fiscal year 
ending September 30, 2004, and for other purposes, namely: 
TITLE I—DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS 
VETERANS BENEFITS ADMINISTRATION 
COMPENSATION AND PENSIONS 
(INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS) 
For the payment of compensation benefits to or on be-
half of veterans and a pilot program for disability examina-
tions as authorized by law (38 U.S.C. 107, chapters 11, 13, 
18, 51, 53, 55, and 61); pension benefits to or on behalf 
of veterans as authorized by law (38 U.S.C. chapters 15, 
51, 53, 55, and 61; 92 Stat. 2508); and burial benefits, 
emergency and other officers’ retirement pay, adjusted-serv-
ice credits and certificates, payment of premiums due on 
commercial life insurance policies guaranteed under the 
provisions of article IV of the Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Civil 
Relief Act of 1940 (50 U.S.C. App. 540 et seq.) and for 
other benefits as authorized by law (38 U.S.C. 107, 1312, 
1977, and 2106, chapters 23, 51, 53, 55, and 61; 50 U.S.C. 
App. 540–548; 43 Stat. 122, 123; 45 Stat. 735; 76 Stat. 
1198), $29,845,127,000, to remain available until expended: 
Provided, That not to exceed $17,056,000 of the amount ap-
propriated under this heading shall be reimbursed to ‘‘Gen-
eral operating expenses’’ and ‘‘Medical care’’ for necessary 
expenses in implementing those provisions authorized in the 
Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1990, and in the
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Veterans’ Benefits Act of 1992 (38 U.S.C. chapters 51, 53, 
and 55), the funding source for which is specifically pro-
vided as the ‘‘Compensation and pensions’’ appropriation: 
Provided further, That such sums as may be earned on an 
actual qualifying patient basis, shall be reimbursed to 
‘‘Medical facilities revolving fund’’ to augment the funding 
of individual medical facilities for nursing home care pro-
vided to pensioners as authorized. 
READJUSTMENT BENEFITS 
For the payment of readjustment and rehabilitation 
benefits to or on behalf of veterans as authorized by law 
(38 U.S.C. chapters 21, 30, 31, 34, 35, 36, 39, 51, 53, 55, 
and 61), $2,529,734,000, to remain available until ex-
pended: Provided, That expenses for rehabilitation program 
services and assistance which the Secretary is authorized 
to provide under section 3104(a) of title 38, United States 
Code, other than under subsection (a)(1), (2), (5), and (11) 
of that section, shall be charged to this account. 
VETERANS INSURANCE AND INDEMNITIES 
For military and naval insurance, national service life 
insurance, servicemen’s indemnities, service-disabled vet-
erans insurance, and veterans mortgage life insurance as 
authorized by 38 U.S.C. chapter 19; 70 Stat. 887; 72 Stat. 
487, $29,017,000, to remain available until expended.
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VETERANS HOUSING BENEFIT PROGRAM FUND PROGRAM 
ACCOUNT 
(INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS) 
For the cost of direct and guaranteed loans, such sums 
as may be necessary to carry out the program, as authorized 
by 38 U.S.C. chapter 37, as amended: Provided, That such 
costs, including the cost of modifying such loans, shall be 
as defined in section 502 of the Congressional Budget Act 
of 1974, as amended: Provided further, That during fiscal 
year 2004, within the resources available, not to exceed 
$300,000 in gross obligations for direct loans are authorized 
for specially adapted housing loans. 
In addition, for administrative expenses to carry out 
the direct and guaranteed loan programs, $154,850,000, 
which may be transferred to and merged with the appro-
priation for ‘‘General operating expenses’’. 
EDUCATION LOAN FUND PROGRAM ACCOUNT 
(INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS) 
For the cost of direct loans, $1,000, as authorized by 
38 U.S.C. 3698, as amended: Provided, That such costs, in-
cluding the cost of modifying such loans, shall be as defined 
in section 502 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, as 
amended: Provided further, That these funds are available 
to subsidize gross obligations for the principal amount of 
direct loans not to exceed $3,400.
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In addition, for administrative expenses necessary to 
carry out the direct loan program, $70,000, which may be 
transferred to and merged with the appropriation for ‘‘Gen-
eral operating expenses’’. 
VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION LOANS PROGRAM ACCOUNT 
(INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS) 
For the cost of direct loans, $52,000, as authorized by 
38 U.S.C. chapter 31, as amended: Provided, That such 
costs, including the cost of modifying such loans, shall be 
as defined in section 502 of the Congressional Budget Act 
of 1974, as amended: Provided further, That funds made 
available under this heading are available to subsidize gross 
obligations for the principal amount of direct loans not to 
exceed $3,938,000: Provided further, That the loan level 
shall be considered an estimate and not a limitation. 
In addition, for administrative expenses necessary to 
carry out the direct loan program, $300,000, which may 
be transferred to and merged with the appropriation for 
‘‘General operating expenses’’. 
NATIVE AMERICAN VETERAN HOUSING LOAN PROGRAM 
ACCOUNT 
(INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS) 
For administrative expenses to carry out the direct 
loan program authorized by 38 U.S.C. chapter 37, sub-
chapter V, as amended, $571,000, which may be transferred
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to and merged with the appropriation for ‘‘General oper-
ating expenses’’. 
GUARANTEED TRANSITIONAL HOUSING LOANS FOR 
HOMELESS VETERANS PROGRAM ACCOUNT 
For the administrative expenses to carry out the guar-
anteed transitional housing loan program authorized by 38 
U.S.C. chapter 37, subchapter VI, not to exceed $750,000 
of the amounts appropriated by this Act for ‘‘General oper-
ating expenses’’ and ‘‘Medical care’’ may be expended. 
VETERANS HEALTH ADMINISTRATION 
MEDICAL CARE 
(INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS) 
For necessary expenses for the maintenance and oper-
ation of hospitals, nursing homes, and domiciliary facili-
ties; for furnishing, as authorized by law, inpatient and 
outpatient care and treatment to beneficiaries of the De-
partment of Veterans Affairs, including care and treatment 
in facilities not under the jurisdiction of the department; 
and furnishing recreational facilities, supplies, and equip-
ment; funeral, burial, and other expenses incidental thereto 
for beneficiaries receiving care in the department; adminis-
trative expenses in support of planning, design, project 
management, real property acquisition and disposition, 
construction and renovation of any facility under the juris-
diction or for the use of the department; oversight, engineer-
ing and architectural activities not charged to project cost;
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repairing, altering, improving or providing facilities in the 
several hospitals and homes under the jurisdiction of the 
department, not otherwise provided for, either by contract 
or by the hire of temporary employees and purchase of ma-
terials; uniforms or allowances therefor, as authorized by 
5 U.S.C. 5901–5902; aid to State homes as authorized by 
38 U.S.C. 1741; administrative and legal expenses of the 
department for collecting and recovering amounts owed the 
department as authorized under 38 U.S.C. chapter 17, and 
the Federal Medical Care Recovery Act, 42 U.S.C. 2651 et 
seq., $25,488,080,000, plus reimbursements: Provided, That, 
notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Secretary 
of Veterans Affairs shall establish a priority for treatment 
for veterans who are service-connected disabled, lower in-
come, or have special needs: Provided further, That, not-
withstanding any other provision of law, the Secretary of 
Veterans Affairs shall give priority funding for the provi-
sion of basic medical benefits to veterans in enrollment pri-
ority groups 1 through 6: Provided further, That of the 
funds made available under this heading, $1,100,000,000 
is for equipment and land and structures object classifica-
tions only, which amount shall not become available for ob-
ligation until August 1, 2004, and shall remain available 
until September 30, 2005: Provided further, That of the 
funds made available under this heading, not to exceed
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$1,100,000,000 shall be available until September 30, 2005: 
Provided further, That of the funds made available under 
this 
heading, 
the 
Secretary 
may 
transfer 
up 
to 
$400,000,000 to ‘‘Construction, major projects’’ for purposes 
of implementing CARES subject to a determination by the 
Secretary that such funds will improve access and quality 
of veteran’s health care needs: Provided further, That, not-
withstanding any other provision of law, the Secretary of 
Veterans Affairs may provide prescription drugs to enrolled 
veterans with privately written prescriptions based on re-
quirements established by the Secretary: Provided further, 
That the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall conduct by con-
tract a program of recovery audits for the fee basis and 
other medical services contracts with respect to payments 
for hospital care; and, notwithstanding 31 U.S.C. 3302(b), 
amounts collected, by setoff or otherwise, as the result of 
such audits shall be available, without fiscal year limita-
tion, for the purposes for which funds are appropriated 
under this heading and the purposes of paying a contractor 
a percent of the amount collected as a result of an audit 
carried out by the contractor: Provided further, That all 
amounts so collected under the preceding proviso with re-
spect to a designated health care region (as that term is 
defined in 38 U.S.C. 1729A(d)(2)) shall be allocated, net 
of payments to the contractor, to that region: Provided fur-
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ther, That such sums as may be deposited to the Medical 
Care Collections Fund pursuant to 38 U.S.C. 1729A may 
be transferred to this account, to remain available until ex-
pended for the purposes of this account: Provided further, 
That Medical Care Collections Funds may be used for con-
struction, alteration and improvement of any parking facil-
ity set forth in 38 U.S.C. 8109: Provided further, That of 
the unobligated balances remaining from prior year recov-
eries under this heading, $270,000,000 is rescinded. 
For an additional amount for ‘‘Medical care’’, 
$1,300,000,000. 
MEDICAL AND PROSTHETIC RESEARCH 
For necessary expenses in carrying out programs of 
medical and prosthetic research and development as author-
ized by 38 U.S.C. chapter 73, to remain available until 
September 30, 2005, $413,000,000 plus reimbursements. 
MEDICAL ADMINISTRATION AND MISCELLANEOUS 
OPERATING EXPENSES 
For necessary expenses in the administration of the 
medical, hospital, nursing home, domiciliary, construction, 
supply, and research activities, as authorized by law; ad-
ministrative expenses in support of capital policy activities, 
$79,146,000: Provided further, That of the funds made 
available under this heading, not to exceed, $4,000,000 shall 
be available until September 30, 2005, plus reimbursements: 
Provided further, That technical and consulting services of-
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fered by the Facilities Management Field Support Service, 
including project management and real property adminis-
tration (including leases, site acquisition and disposal ac-
tivities directly supporting projects), shall be provided to 
Department of Veterans Affairs components only on a reim-
bursable basis, and such amounts will remain available 
until September 30, 2004. 
DEPARTMENTAL ADMINISTRATION 
GENERAL OPERATING EXPENSES 
For necessary operating expenses of the Department of 
Veterans Affairs, not otherwise provided for, including ad-
ministrative expenses in support of department-wide cap-
ital planning, management and policy activities, uniforms 
or allowances therefor; not to exceed $25,000 for official re-
ception and representation expenses; hire of passenger 
motor vehicles; and reimbursement of the General Services 
Administration for security guard services, and the Depart-
ment of Defense for the cost of overseas employee mail, 
$1,283,272,000: Provided, That expenses for services and as-
sistance authorized under 38 U.S.C. 3104(a)(1), (2), (5), 
and (11) that the Secretary determines are necessary to en-
able entitled veterans: (1) to the maximum extent feasible, 
to become employable and to obtain and maintain suitable 
employment; or (2) to achieve maximum independence in 
daily living, shall be charged to this account: Provided fur-
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ther, That the Veterans Benefits Administration shall be 
funded at not less than $1,004,704,000: Provided further, 
That of the funds made available under this heading, not 
to exceed $64,000,000 shall be available for obligation until 
September 30, 2005: Provided further, That from the funds 
made available under this heading, the Veterans Benefits 
Administration may purchase up to two passenger motor 
vehicles for use in operations of that Administration in Ma-
nila, Philippines. 
NATIONAL CEMETERY ADMINISTRATION 
For necessary expenses of the National Cemetery Ad-
ministration for operations and maintenance, not otherwise 
provided for, including uniforms or allowances therefor; 
cemeterial expenses as authorized by law; purchase of one 
passenger motor vehicle for use in cemeterial operations; 
and hire of passenger motor vehicles, $144,203,000: Pro-
vided, That of the funds made available under this heading, 
not to exceed $7,200,000 shall be available until September 
30, 2005. 
OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL 
For necessary expenses of the Office of Inspector Gen-
eral in carrying out the provisions of the Inspector General 
Act of 1978, as amended, $62,250,000, to remain available 
until September 30, 2005.
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CONSTRUCTION, MAJOR PROJECTS 
For constructing, altering, extending and improving 
any of the facilities under the jurisdiction or for the use 
of the Department of Veterans Affairs, or for any of the 
purposes set forth in sections 316, 2404, 2406, 8102, 8103, 
8106, 8108, 8109, 8110, and 8122 of title 38, United States 
Code, including planning, architectural and engineering 
services, maintenance or guarantee period services costs as-
sociated with equipment guarantees provided under the 
project, services of claims analysts, offsite utility and storm 
drainage system construction costs, and site acquisition, 
where the estimated cost of a project is more than the 
amount set forth in 38 U.S.C. 8104(a)(3)(A) or where funds 
for a project were made available in a previous major 
project appropriation, $272,690,000, to remain available 
until expended, of which $183,000,000 shall be for Capital 
Asset Realignment for Enhanced Services (CARES) activi-
ties; and of which $10,000,000 shall be to make reimburse-
ments as provided in 41 U.S.C. 612 for claims paid for 
contract disputes: Provided, That except for advance plan-
ning activities, including needs assessments which may or 
may not lead to capital investments, and other capital asset 
management related activities, such as portfolio develop-
ment and management activities, and investment strategy 
studies funded through the advance planning fund and the
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planning and design activities funded through the design 
fund and CARES funds, including needs assessments which 
may or may not lead to capital investments, none of the 
funds appropriated under this heading shall be used for any 
project which has not been approved by the Congress in the 
budgetary process: Provided further, That funds provided 
in this appropriation for fiscal year 2004, for each ap-
proved project (except those for CARES activities referenced 
above) shall be obligated: (1) by the awarding of a construc-
tion documents contract by September 30, 2004; and (2) 
by the awarding of a construction contract by September 
30, 2005: Provided further, That the Secretary of Veterans 
Affairs shall promptly report in writing to the Committees 
on Appropriations any approved major construction project 
in which obligations are not incurred within the time limi-
tations established above: Provided further, That no funds 
from any other account except the ‘‘Parking revolving 
fund’’, may be obligated for constructing, altering, extend-
ing, or improving a project which was approved in the 
budget process and funded in this account until 1 year after 
substantial completion and beneficial occupancy by the De-
partment of Veterans Affairs of the project or any part 
thereof with respect to that part only. 
CONSTRUCTION, MINOR PROJECTS 
For constructing, altering, extending, and improving 
any of the facilities under the jurisdiction or for the use
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of the Department of Veterans Affairs, including planning 
and assessments of needs which may lead to capital invest-
ments, architectural and engineering services, maintenance 
or guarantee period services costs associated with equipment 
guarantees provided under the project, services of claims an-
alysts, offsite utility and storm drainage system construc-
tion costs, and site acquisition, or for any of the purposes 
set forth in sections 316, 2404, 2406, 8102, 8103, 8106, 
8108, 8109, 8110, 8122, and 8162 of title 38, United States 
Code, where the estimated cost of a project is equal to or 
less than the amount set forth in 38 U.S.C. 8104(a)(3)(A), 
$252,144,000, to remain available until expended, along 
with unobligated balances of previous ‘‘Construction, minor 
projects’’ appropriations which are hereby made available 
for any project where the estimated cost is equal to or less 
than the amount set forth in 38 U.S.C. 8104(a)(3)(A), of 
which $42,000,000 shall be for Capital Asset Realignment 
for Enhanced Services (CARES) activities: Provided, That 
from amounts appropriated under this heading, additional 
amounts may be used for CARES activities upon notifica-
tion of and approval by the Committees on Appropriations: 
Provided further, That funds in this account shall be avail-
able for: (1) repairs to any of the nonmedical facilities 
under the jurisdiction or for the use of the department 
which are necessary because of loss or damage caused by
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any natural disaster or catastrophe; and (2) temporary 
measures necessary to prevent or to minimize further loss 
by such causes. 
GRANTS FOR CONSTRUCTION OF STATE EXTENDED CARE 
FACILITIES 
For grants to assist States to acquire or construct 
State nursing home and domiciliary facilities and to re-
model, modify or alter existing hospital, nursing home and 
domiciliary facilities in State homes, for furnishing care 
to veterans as authorized by 38 U.S.C. 8131–8137, 
$102,100,000, to remain available until expended. 
GRANTS FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF STATE VETERANS 
CEMETERIES 
For grants to aid States in establishing, expanding, 
or improving State veterans cemeteries as authorized by 38 
U.S.C. 2408, $32,000,000, to remain available until ex-
pended. 
ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS 
(INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS) 
SEC. 101. Any appropriation for fiscal year 2004 for 
‘‘Compensation and pensions’’, ‘‘Readjustment benefits’’, 
and ‘‘Veterans insurance and indemnities’’ may be trans-
ferred to any other of the mentioned appropriations. 
SEC. 102. Appropriations available to the Department 
of Veterans Affairs for fiscal year 2004 for salaries and ex-
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penses shall be available for services authorized by 5 U.S.C. 
3109. 
SEC. 103. No appropriations in this Act for the De-
partment of Veterans Affairs (except the appropriations for 
‘‘Construction, major projects’’, ‘‘Construction, minor 
projects’’, and the ‘‘Parking revolving fund’’) shall be avail-
able for the purchase of any site for or toward the construc-
tion of any new hospital or home. 
SEC. 104. No appropriations in this Act for the De-
partment of Veterans Affairs shall be available for hos-
pitalization or examination of any persons (except bene-
ficiaries entitled under the laws bestowing such benefits to 
veterans, and persons receiving such treatment under 5 
U.S.C. 7901–7904 or 42 U.S.C. 5141–5204), unless reim-
bursement of cost is made to the ‘‘Medical care’’ account 
at such rates as may be fixed by the Secretary of Veterans 
Affairs. 
SEC. 105. Appropriations available to the Department 
of Veterans Affairs for fiscal year 2004 for ‘‘Compensation 
and pensions’’, ‘‘Readjustment benefits’’, and ‘‘Veterans in-
surance and indemnities’’ shall be available for payment 
of prior year accrued obligations required to be recorded 
by law against the corresponding prior year accounts with-
in the last quarter of fiscal year 2003.
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SEC. 106. Appropriations accounts available to the De-
partment of Veterans Affairs for fiscal year 2004 shall be 
available to pay prior year obligations of corresponding 
prior year appropriations accounts resulting from title X 
of the Competitive Equality Banking Act, Public Law 100–
86, except that if such obligations are from trust fund ac-
counts they shall be payable from ‘‘Compensation and pen-
sions’’. 
SEC. 107. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, 
during fiscal year 2004, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
shall, from the National Service Life Insurance Fund (38 
U.S.C. 1920), the Veterans’ Special Life Insurance Fund 
(38 U.S.C. 1923), and the United States Government Life 
Insurance Fund (38 U.S.C. 1955), reimburse the ‘‘General 
operating expenses’’ account for the cost of administration 
of the insurance programs financed through those accounts: 
Provided, That reimbursement shall be made only from the 
surplus earnings accumulated in an insurance program in 
fiscal year 2004 that are available for dividends in that 
program after claims have been paid and actuarially deter-
mined reserves have been set aside: Provided further, That 
if the cost of administration of an insurance program ex-
ceeds the amount of surplus earnings accumulated in that 
program, reimbursement shall be made only to the extent 
of such surplus earnings: Provided further, That the Sec-
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retary shall determine the cost of administration for fiscal 
year 2004 which is properly allocable to the provision of 
each insurance program and to the provision of any total 
disability income insurance included in such insurance 
program. 
SEC. 108. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, 
the Department of Veterans Affairs shall continue the Fran-
chise Fund pilot program authorized to be established by 
section 403 of Public Law 103–356 until October 1, 2004: 
Provided, That the Franchise Fund, established by title I 
of Public Law 104–204 to finance the operations of the 
Franchise Fund pilot program, shall continue until October 
1, 2004. 
SEC. 109. Amounts deducted from enhanced-use lease 
proceeds to reimburse an account for expenses incurred by 
that account during a prior fiscal year for providing en-
hanced-use lease services, may be obligated during the fiscal 
year in which the proceeds are received. 
SEC. 110. Funds available in any Department of Vet-
erans Affairs appropriation for fiscal year 2004 or funds 
for salaries and other administrative expenses shall also be 
available to reimburse the Office of Resolution Management 
and the Office of Employment Discrimination Complaint 
Adjudication for all services provided at rates which will 
recover actual costs but not exceed $29,318,000 for the Office
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of Resolution Management and $3,059,000 for the Office of 
Employment and Discrimination Complaint Adjudication: 
Provided, That payments may be made in advance for serv-
ices to be furnished based on estimated costs: Provided fur-
ther, That amounts received shall be credited to ‘‘General 
operating expenses’’ for use by the office that provided the 
service. 
SEC. 111. No appropriations in this Act for the De-
partment of Veterans Affairs shall be available to enter into 
any new lease of real property if the estimated annual rent-
al is more than $300,000 unless the Secretary submits a 
report which the Committees on Appropriations of the Con-
gress approve within 30 days following the date on which 
the report is received. 
SEC. 112. No appropriations in this Act for the De-
partment of Veterans Affairs shall be available for hos-
pitalization or treatment of any person by reason of eligi-
bility under section 1710(a)(3) of title 38, United States 
Code, unless that person has disclosed to the Secretary of 
Veterans Affairs, in such form as the Secretary may re-
quire—
(1) current, accurate third-party reimbursement 
information for purposes of section 1729 of such title; 
and
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(2) annual income information for purposes of 
section 1722 of such title. 
SEC. 113. None of the funds in this Act may be used 
to implement sections 2 and 5 of Public Law 107–287. 
SEC. 114. Receipts that would otherwise be credited to 
the Veterans Extended Care Revolving Fund, the Medical 
Facilities Revolving Fund, the Special Therapeutic and Re-
habilitation Fund, the Nursing Home Revolving Fund, the 
Veterans Health Services Improvement Fund, and the Park-
ing Revolving Fund shall be deposited into the Medical Care 
Collections Fund, and shall be transferred to the Medical 
Care account, to remain available until expended, to carry 
out the purposes of the Medical Care account. 
SEC. 115. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, 
at the discretion of the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, pro-
ceeds or revenues derived from enhanced-use leasing activi-
ties (including disposal) that are deposited into the Medical 
Care Collections Fund may be transferred and merged with 
major construction and minor construction accounts and 
be used for construction (including site acquisition and dis-
position), alterations and improvements of any medical fa-
cility under the jurisdiction or for the use of the Depart-
ment of Veterans Affairs. Such sums as realized are in addi-
tion to the amount provided for in the Major and Minor 
Construction appropriations.
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SEC. 116. Notwithstanding paragraph (2) of section 
8163(c) of title 38, United States Code, the Secretary of Vet-
erans Affairs may enter into an enhanced-use lease with 
the Medical University Hospital Authority, a public au-
thority of the State of South Carolina, for approximately 
0.48 acres of underutilized property at the Charleston De-
partment of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Charleston, 
South Carolina, at any time after 30 days after the date 
of the submittal of the notice required by paragraph (1) 
of that section with respect to such property. The Secretary 
is not required to submit a report on the lease as otherwise 
required by paragraph (4) of that section. 
SEC. 117. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, 
the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall make the North Chi-
cago VA Medical Center available to the Navy to the max-
imum extent feasible. The Secretary shall report to the Sen-
ate Appropriations Committee by June 30, 2004, regarding 
the progress in modifying North Chicago VA Medical Cen-
ter’s surgical suite and emergency and urgent care centers 
for use by veterans and Department of Defense beneficiaries. 
Further, the Secretary shall consider having the new joint 
VA/Navy ambulatory care center to serve both veterans and 
Department of Defense beneficiaries sited on or adjacent to 
the North Chicago VA Medical Center and shall consult 
with the Secretary of the Navy to select the site for the cen-
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ter. The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall report to the 
Senate Appropriations Committee on the site selection by 
June 30, 2004. 
SEC. 118. (a) TREATMENT OF PIONEER HOMES IN 
ALASKA AS STATE HOME FOR VETERANS.—The Secretary 
of Veterans Affairs may—
(1) treat the Pioneer Homes in the State of Alas-
ka collectively as a single State home for veterans for 
purposes of section 1741 of title 38, United States 
Code; and 
(2) make per diem payments to the State of 
Alaska for care provided to veterans in the Pioneer 
Homes in accordance with the provisions of that sec-
tion. 
(b) TREATMENT NOTWITHSTANDING NON-VETERAN 
RESIDENCY.—The Secretary shall treat the Pioneer Homes 
as a State home under subsection (a) notwithstanding the 
residency of non-veterans in one or more of the Pioneer 
Homes. 
(c) PIONEER HOMES DEFINED.—In this section, the 
term ‘‘Pioneer Homes’’ means the six regional homes in the 
State of Alaska known as Pioneer Homes, which are located 
in the following: 
(1) Anchorage, Alaska. 
(2) Fairbanks, Alaska.
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(3) Juneau, Alaska. 
(4) Ketchikan, Alaska. 
(5) Palmer, Alaska. 
(6) Sitka, Alaska. 
SEC. 119. (a) FINDINGS
ON ACCESS
TO PRIMARY 
HEALTH CARE OF VETERANS IN RURAL AREAS.—The Sen-
ate makes the following findings: 
(1) The Secretary of Veterans Affairs has ap-
pointed a commission, called the Capital Asset Re-
alignment for Enhanced Services (CARES) Commis-
sion, and directed it to make specific recommenda-
tions regarding the realignment and allocation of 
capital assets necessary to meet the demand for vet-
erans health care services over the next 20 years. 
(2) The Department of Veterans Affairs accessi-
bility standard for primary health care provides that 
at least 70 percent of the veterans enrolled in each of 
the regional ‘‘markets’’ of the Department should live 
within a specified driving time of a Department pri-
mary care facility. That driving time is 30 minutes 
for veterans living in urban and rural areas and 60 
minutes for veterans living in highly rural areas. 
(3) The Draft National CARES Plan issued by 
the Under Secretary for Health would place veterans 
in 18 rural and highly rural regional markets outside
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the Department accessibility standard for primary 
health care until at least fiscal year 2022, which 
means that thousands of veterans will have to con-
tinuing traveling up to 3–4 hours each way to visit 
a Department primary care facility. 
(4) The 18 rural and highly rural markets that 
will remain outside the Department accessibility 
standard for primary health care comprise all or 
parts of Arkansas, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, 
Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Minnesota, 
Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North 
Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, 
South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Wash-
ington, and West Virginia. 
(5) Health care facilities for veterans are dis-
proportionately needed in rural and highly rural 
areas because the residents of such areas are generally 
older, poorer, and sicker than their urban counter-
parts. 
(b) SENSE OF SENATE.—It is the sense of the Senate 
that—
(1) the CARES Commission should give as much 
attention to solving the special needs of veterans who 
live in rural areas as it does to providing for the
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health care needs of veterans living in more highly 
populated areas; 
(2) the CARES Commission should reject the 
portions of the Draft National CARES Plan that 
would prevent any regional market of the Department 
from complying with the Department accessibility 
standard for primary health care, which provides that 
at least 70 percent of the veterans residing in each 
market be within specified driving times of a Depart-
ment primary care facility; and 
(3) the CARES Commission should recommend 
to the Secretary the investments and initiatives that 
are necessary to achieve the Department accessibility 
standard for primary health care in each of the rural 
and highly rural health care markets of the Depart-
ment. 
SEC. 120. Not later than 120 days after the date of 
the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
shall enter into an agreement with the Institute of Medicine 
of the National Academy of Sciences under which agreement 
the Institute of Medicine shall develop and evaluate epide-
miological studies on Vietnam veterans in accordance with 
the recommendations of the 2003 National Academy of 
Sciences report entitled ‘‘Characterizing Exposure of Vet-