I 
109TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 515 
To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for an assured adequate 
level of funding for veterans health care. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
FEBRUARY 2, 2005 
Mr. EVANS (for himself, Mr. FILNER, Mr. GUTIERREZ, Ms. CORRINE BROWN 
of Florida, Mr. MICHAUD, Mr. STRICKLAND, Ms. HOOLEY, Mr. REYES, 
Ms. BERKLEY, Mr. UDALL of New Mexico, Mrs. DAVIS of California, Mr. 
RYAN of Ohio, Ms. HERSETH, Mr. SERRANO, Mr. SANDERS, Mr. HOLT, 
Mr. VAN HOLLEN, Mr. LEVIN, Mr. SCOTT of Georgia, Mr. KIND, Mr. 
MEEHAN, Mrs. MALONEY, Mr. CHANDLER, Mr. MARKEY, Mr. BROWN of 
Ohio, Mr. CASE, Mr. KILDEE, Mr. BLUMENAUER, Mr. HOLDEN, Mr. 
DEFAZIO, Mr. ISRAEL, Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas, Mr. BOSWELL, Ms. 
JACKSON-LEE of Texas, Mr. LARSEN of Washington, Mr. TOWNS, Mr. 
KENNEDY
of Rhode Island, Mr. OBERSTAR, Mr. MCINTYRE, Mr. 
PALLONE, Mr. MCGOVERN, Mrs. CAPITO, Mr. MCDERMOTT, Mr. NEAL 
of Massachusetts, Mr. DELAHUNT, Mr. LYNCH, Mr. SMITH of Wash-
ington, Mr. HONDA, Mr. CRAMER, Mr. FRANK of Massachusetts, Ms. 
CARSON, Mr. KUCINICH, Mr. PETERSON of Minnesota, Mr. ABER-
CROMBIE, Mr. DOYLE, Mr. DOGGETT, Mr. STARK, Mr. LARSON of Con-
necticut, Ms. SLAUGHTER, Mr. GORDON, Mr. WALDEN of Oregon, Mr. 
SCHIFF, Ms. ZOE
LOFGREN
of California, Mr. PAYNE, and Ms. 
DELAURO) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Veterans’ Affairs 
A BILL 
To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for an 
assured adequate level of funding for veterans health care. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Assured Funding for 
Veterans Health Care Act of 2005’’. 
SEC. 2. ASSURANCE OF ADEQUATE FUNDING FOR VET-
ERANS HEALTH CARE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 3 of title 38, United 
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing new section: 
‘‘§ 320. Assured funding for veterans health care 
‘‘(a) For each fiscal year, the Secretary of the Treas-
ury shall make available to the Secretary of Veterans Af-
fairs the amount determined under subsection (b) with re-
spect to that fiscal year. Each such amount is available, 
without fiscal year limitation, for the programs, functions, 
and activities of the Veterans Health Administration, as 
specified in subsection (c). 
‘‘(b)(1) The amount applicable to fiscal year 2007 
under this subsection is the amount equal to 130 percent 
of the amount obligated by the Department during fiscal 
year 2005 for the purposes specified in subsection (c). 
‘‘(2) The amount applicable to any fiscal year after 
fiscal year 2007 under this subsection is the amount equal 
to the product of the following: 
‘‘(A) The sum of— 
‘‘(i) the number of veterans enrolled in the 
Department health care system under section
1705 of this title as of July 1 preceding the be-
ginning of such fiscal year; and 
‘‘(ii) the number of persons eligible for 
health care under chapter 17 of this title who 
are not covered by clause (i) and who were pro-
vided hospital care or medical services under 
such chapter at any time during the fiscal year 
preceding such fiscal year. 
‘‘(B) The per capita baseline amount, as in-
creased from time to time pursuant to paragraph 
(3)(B). 
‘‘(3)(A) For purposes of paragraph (2)(B), the term 
‘per capita baseline amount’ means the amount equal to— 
‘‘(i) the amount specified in paragraph (1), di-
vided by 
‘‘(ii) the number of veterans enrolled in the De-
partment health care system under section 1705 of 
this title as of September 30, 2005. 
‘‘(B) With respect to any fiscal year, the Secretary 
shall provide a percentage increase (rounded to the near-
est dollar) in the per capita baseline amount equal to the 
percentage by which— 
‘‘(i) the Consumer Price Index (all Urban Con-
sumers, United States City Average, Hospital and 
related services, Seasonally Adjusted), published by
the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the Department of 
Labor for the 12-month period ending on the June 
30 preceding the beginning of the fiscal year for 
which the increase is made, exceeds 
‘‘(ii) such Consumer Price Index for the 12- 
month period preceeding the 12-month period de-
scribed in clause (i). 
‘‘(c)(1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), the pur-
poses for which amounts made available pursuant to sub-
section (a) shall be all programs, functions, and activities 
of the Veterans Health Administration. 
‘‘(2) Amounts made available pursuant to subsection 
(a) are not available for— 
‘‘(A) construction, acquisition, or alteration of 
medical facilities as provided in subchapter I of 
chapter 81 of this title (other than for such repairs 
as were provided for before the the date of the en-
actment of this section through the Medical Care ap-
propriation for the Department); or 
‘‘(B) grants under subchapter III of chapter 81 
of this title.’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections 
at the beginning of such chapter is amended by adding 
at the end the following new item: 
‘‘320. Assured funding for veterans health care.’’. 
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