IB 
Union Calendar No. 277 
114TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 3106 
[Report No. 114–364] 
To authorize Department major medical facility construction projects for 
fiscal year 2015, to amend title 38, United States Code, to make certain 
improvements in the administration of Department medical facility con-
struction projects, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JULY 16, 2015 
Mr. MILLER of Florida introduced the following bill; which was referred to 
the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 
DECEMBER 3, 2015 
Additional sponsors: Mr. BILIRAKIS and Mr. COFFMAN 
DECEMBER 3, 2015 
Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole 
House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed 
[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic] 
[For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on July 16, 2015] 
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A BILL 
To authorize Department major medical facility construction 
projects for fiscal year 2015, to amend title 38, United 
States Code, to make certain improvements in the admin-
istration of Department medical facility construction 
projects, and for other purposes. 
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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 ‘‘Construction Reform 
Act of 2015’’. 
SEC. 2. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS CONSTRUC-
TION REFORMS. 
(a) PROJECT MANAGEMENT.—Section 8103 of title 38, 
United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the 
following new subsection: 
‘‘(e) In the case of any super construction project (as 
such term is defined in section 8104(a)(4)(C)), the Sec-
retary shall enter into an agreement with an appropriate 
non-Department Federal entity to provide full project man-
agement services for the super construction project, includ-
ing management over the project design, acquisition, con-
struction, and contract changes. Such agreement shall pro-
vide that the Secretary shall reimburse such Federal entity 
for all costs associated with the provision of project manage-
ment services under the agreement.’’. 
(b) APPLICATION OF INDUSTRY STANDARDS; ASSIST-
ANCE.—Section 8103 of title 38, United States Code, as 
amended by subsection (a), is further amended by adding 
at the end the following new subsections: 
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‘‘(f) To the maximum extent practicable, the Secretary 
shall use industry standards, standard designs, and best 
practices in carrying out the construction of medical facili-
ties. 
‘‘(g)(1) The Secretary shall provide to a non-Depart-
ment Federal entity with which the Secretary has entered 
into an agreement under subsection (e)— 
‘‘(A) design, planning, and construction assist-
ance before the entity issues a request for proposals 
for the design or construction of the super construc-
tion project covered by the agreement; 
‘‘(B) any documents or information needed for 
the entity to carry out the responsibilities of the enti-
ty with respect to the super construction project; and 
‘‘(C) upon the request of the entity, any other as-
sistance that the entity determines necessary to carry 
out such responsibilities. 
‘‘(2) Any assistance provided under paragraph (1) 
shall be provided to the non-Department Federal entity on 
a non-reimbursable basis. 
‘‘(h)(1) With respect to a proposed change to a contract 
entered into by a non-Department Federal entity with 
which the Secretary has entered into an agreement under 
subsection (e) that is estimated at a value of less than 
$250,000, the non-Department Federal entity shall issue a 
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final decision regarding such change not later than 30 days 
after the date on which the change is proposed. 
‘‘(2) With respect to a proposed change to such a con-
tract that is estimated at a value of $250,000 or more— 
‘‘(A) the Secretary may provide to the entity the 
recommendations of the Secretary regarding such 
change; 
‘‘(B) during the 30-day period beginning on the 
date on which the entity furnishes to the Secretary in-
formation regarding such change, the Secretary may 
issue the final decision regarding such change; and 
‘‘(C) if the Secretary does not issue a final deci-
sion under subparagraph (B), during the 30-day pe-
riod following the period described in such paragraph, 
the entity shall issue a final decision regarding such 
a change no later than 90 days from when the entity 
furnished information regarding such a change to the 
Secretary. 
‘‘(i) The Secretary shall ensure that each employee of 
the Department with responsibilities relating to the con-
struction or alteration of medical facilities, including such 
construction or alteration carried out pursuant to contracts 
or agreements, undergoes a program of ongoing professional 
training and development. Such program shall be designed 
to ensure that employees maintain adequate expertise relat-
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ing to industry standards and best practices for the acquisi-
tion of design and construction services. The Secretary may 
provide the program under this subsection through a con-
tract or agreement with a non-Federal entity or with a non- 
Department Federal entity.’’. 
(c) LIMITATION ON PLANNING AND DESIGN FOR SUPER 
CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Section 8104(a) of title 38, 
United States Code, is amended— 
(A) by redesignating paragraph (3) as 
paragraph (4); 
(B) by inserting after paragraph (2) the fol-
lowing new paragraph (3): 
‘‘(3) The Secretary may not obligate or expend funds 
for advance planning or design for any super construction 
project, until the date that is 60 days after the date on 
which the Secretary submits to the Committee on Veterans’ 
Affairs and the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate 
and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs and the Committee 
on Appropriations of the House of Representatives notice 
of such obligation or expenditure.’’; and 
(C) in paragraph (4), as redesignated by 
paragraph (1) of this subsection, by adding at 
the end the following new subparagraph: 
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‘‘(C) The term ‘super construction project’ means 
a project for the construction, alteration, or acquisi-
tion of a medical facility involving a total expendi-
ture of more than $100,000,000, but such term does 
not include an acquisition by exchange.’’. 
(2) APPLICABILITY.—The amendments made by 
paragraph (1) shall take effect on the date of the en-
actment of this Act and shall apply with respect to 
a construction project that is initiated on or after 
that date. 
(d) 
CONGRESSIONAL
APPROVAL
OF
CERTAIN 
PROJECTS.— 
(1) 
PROJECTS
THAT
EXCEED
SPECIFIED 
AMOUNT.—Subsection (c) of section 8104 of title 38, 
United States Code, is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘(c)(1) The Secretary may not obligate funds for a 
major medical facility project or a super construction 
project approved by a law described in subsection (a)(2) 
in an amount that would cause the total amount obligated 
for that project to exceed the amount specified in the law 
for that project (or would add to total obligations exceeding 
such specified amount) by more than 10 percent unless the 
Committee on Veterans’ Affairs and the Committee on Ap-
propriations of the Senate and the Committee on Veterans’ 
Affairs and the Committee on Appropriations of the House 
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of Representatives each approve in writing the obligation 
of those funds. 
‘‘(2) The Secretary shall— 
‘‘(A) enter into a contract with an appropriate 
non-department Federal entity with the ability to 
conduct forensic audits on medical facility projects 
for the conduct of an external forensic audit of the ex-
penditures relating to any major medical facility or 
super construction project for which the total expendi-
tures exceed the amount specified in the law for the 
project by more than 25 percent; and 
‘‘(B) enter into a contract with an appropriate 
non-department Federal entity with the ability to 
conduct forensic audits on medical facility projects 
for the conduct of an external audit of the medical 
center construction project in Aurora, Colorado.’’. 
(2) USE OF EXTRA AMOUNTS.—Subsection (d) of 
such section is amended— 
(A) in paragraph (2)(B), in the matter pre-
ceding clause (i), by striking ‘‘Whenever’’ and 
inserting ‘‘Before’’; and 
(B) by adding at the end the following new 
paragraph: 
‘‘(3) The Secretary may not obligate any funds de-
scribed in paragraph (1) or amounts described in para-
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graph (2) before the date that is 30 days after the notifica-
tion submitted under paragraph (1) or paragraph (2)(B), 
as the case may be, unless the Committee on Veterans’ Af-
fairs and the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate 
and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs and the Committee 
on Appropriations of the House of Representatives each ap-
prove in writing the obligation of those funds or amounts.’’. 
(3) NOTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS.— 
(A) COMMITTEES
REQUIRED.—Subsection 
(d)(1) of such section is amended by striking 
‘‘each committee’’ and inserting ‘‘the Committee 
on Veterans’ Affairs and the Committee on Ap-
propriations of the Senate and the Committee on 
Veterans’ Affairs and the Committee on Appro-
priations of the House of Representatives’’. 
(B) USE
OF
AMOUNTS
FROM
BID
SAV-
INGS.—Subsection (d)(2)(B) of such section is 
amended by adding at the end the following new 
clause: 
‘‘(iv) With respect to the major construction 
project that is the source of the bid savings— 
‘‘(I) the amounts already obligated or avail-
able in the project reserve for such project; 
‘‘(II) the percentage of such project that has 
been completed; and 
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‘‘(III) the amount of such bid savings that 
is already obligated or otherwise being used for 
a purpose other than such project.’’. 
(e) QUARTERLY REPORT ON SUPER CONSTRUCTION 
PROJECTS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—At the end of subchapter I of 
chapter 81 of title 38, United States Code, insert the 
following new section: 
‘‘§ 8120. Quarterly report on super construction 
projects 
‘‘(a) QUARTERLY REPORTS REQUIRED.—Not later 
than 30 days after the last day of each fiscal quarter the 
Secretary shall submit to the Committees on Veterans’ Af-
fairs of the Senate and House of Representatives on the 
super construction projects carried out by the Secretary 
during such quarter. Each such report shall include, for 
each such project— 
‘‘(1) the budgetary and scheduling status of the 
project, as of the last day of the quarter covered by 
the report; and 
‘‘(2) the actual cost and schedule variances of the 
project, as of such day, compared to the planned cost 
and schedules for the project. 
‘‘(b) SUPER CONSTRUCTION PROJECT DEFINED.—In 
this section, the term ‘super construction project’ has the 
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meaning given such term in section 8103(a)(4)(C) of this 
title.’’. 
(2) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sec-
tions at the beginning of the chapter is amended by 
adding at the end of the items relating to such sub-
chapter the following new item: 
‘‘8120. Quarterly report on super construction projects.’’. 
(f) ACCELERATED MASTER PLANNING
FOR EACH 
MEDICAL FACILITY OF THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS 
AFFAIRS.— 
(1) EXISTING FACILITIES.—Not later than De-
cember 31, 2016, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
shall complete a master plan described in paragraph 
(3) for each medical facility of the Department of Vet-
erans Affairs. 
(2) NEW FACILITIES.—For each medical facility 
of the Department for which construction is completed 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Sec-
retary shall complete a master plan described in 
paragraph (3) for the facility by not later than the 
earlier of the following dates: 
(A) The date on which activation is com-
pleted. 
(B) The date of the formal dedication of the 
facility. 
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(3) MASTER PLAN DESCRIBED.—A master plan 
described in this paragraph is, with respect to a med-
ical facility of the Department, a plan to inform in-
vestment decisions and funding requests over a 10- 
year period for construction projects at such medical 
facility— 
(A) to meet the health care needs of a 
changing veteran population through a combina-
tion of health care from the Department and 
other community resources; and 
(B) to maximize the best use of the land 
and structures comprising such medical facility. 
SEC. 3. MODIFICATION OF AUTHORIZATION OF FISCAL 
YEAR 
2008 
MAJOR 
MEDICAL 
FACILITY 
PROJECT AT DEPARTMENT MEDICAL CENTER 
IN TAMPA, FLORIDA. 
(a) MODIFICATION OF AUTHORIZATION.—In chapter 3 
of the Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2008 (Public Law 
110–252; 122 Stat. 2326), in the matter under the heading 
‘‘Department of Veterans Affairs–Departmental Adminis-
tration–Construction, Major Projects’’, after ‘‘Five Year 
Capital Plan’’ insert the following: ‘‘and for constructing 
a new bed tower at the Department of Veterans Affairs med-
ical center in Tampa, Florida, in lieu of providing bed 
tower upgrades at such medical center’’. 
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(b) EMERGENCY DESIGNATION.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Subsection (a) is designated 
as an emergency requirement pursuant to section 4(g) 
of the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2010 (2 U.S.C. 
933(g)). 
(2) DESIGNATION IN SENATE.—In the Senate, 
subsection (a) is designated as an emergency require-
ment pursuant to section 403(a) of S. Con. Res. 13 
(111th Congress), the concurrent resolution on the 
budget for fiscal year 2010. 
SEC. 4. AUTHORIZATION OF FISCAL YEAR 2015 MAJOR MED-
ICAL FACILITY PROJECTS. 
(a) AUTHORIZATION.—The Secretary of Veterans Af-
fairs may carry out the following major medical facility 
projects, with each project to be carried out in an amount 
not to exceed the amount specified for that project: 
(1) Construction of a community living center, 
outpatient clinic, renovated domiciliary, and renova-
tion of existing buildings in Canandaigua, New York, 
in an amount not to exceed $158,980,000. 
(2) Seismic corrections to the mental health and 
community living center in Long Beach, California, 
in an amount not to exceed $126,100,000. 
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(3) Seismic correction of 12 buildings in West 
Los Angeles, California, in an amount not to exceed 
$70,500,000. 
(4) Construction of a spinal cord injury building 
and seismic corrections in San Diego, California, in 
an amount not to exceed $205,840,000. 
(b) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 
authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of Veterans 
Affairs for fiscal year 2015 or the year in which funds are 
appropriated for the Construction, Major Projects, account, 
a total of $561,420,000 for the projects authorized in sub-
section (a). 
(c) LIMITATION.—The projects authorized under this 
section may only be carried out using— 
(1) funds appropriated for fiscal year 2015 pur-
suant to the authorization of appropriations in sub-
section (b); 
(2) funds available for Construction, Major 
Projects for a fiscal year before fiscal year 2015 that 
remain available for obligation; 
(3) funds available for Construction, Major 
Projects, for a fiscal year after fiscal year 2015 that 
remain available for obligation; 
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(4) funds appropriated for Construction, Major 
Projects, for fiscal year 2015 for a category of activity 
not specific to a project; 
(5) funds appropriated for Construction, Major 
Projects, for a fiscal year before 2015 for a category 
of activity not specific to a project; and 
(6) funds appropriated for Construction, Major 
Projects, for a fiscal year after 2015 for a category of 
activity not specific to a project. 
SEC. 5. ASSISTANT INSPECTOR GENERAL FOR CONSTRUC-
TION. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 3 of title 38, United States 
Code, is amended by inserting after section 312 the fol-
lowing new section: 
‘‘§ 312A. Assistant Inspector General for Construction 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—There is in the Office of Inspector 
General an Assistant Inspector General for Construction. 
The Assistant Inspector General for Construction is respon-
sible for conducting, supervising, and coordinating audits, 
evaluations, and investigations of the planning, design, con-
tracting, execution, and construction of facilities and infra-
structure of the Department, including major and minor 
construction projects and leases. 
‘‘(b) QUALIFICATIONS.—Each individual appointed as 
Assistant Inspector General for Construction shall be an in-
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dividual who has expertise in construction and facilities 
management. 
‘‘(c) REPORTS.—(1) Not later than 60 days after the 
appointment of an individual as the Assistant Inspector 
General for Construction, and every calendar quarter there-
after, the Assistant Inspector General for Construction shall 
submit to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate 
and House of Representatives a report summarizing the ac-
tivities of the Assistant Inspector General for Construction 
during the 120-day period ending on the date of such re-
port. 
‘‘(2) In addition to the report required in paragraph 
(1), and the requirements contained in section 5 of the In-
spector General Act of 1978 (5 U.S.C. App.), the Assistant 
Inspector General for Construction shall promptly provide 
to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and 
House of Representatives the findings of any investigation 
undertaken by the Assistant Inspector General for Construc-
tion, and shall notify the Committees promptly if the As-
sistant Inspector General for Construction identifies any se-
rious or flagrant problem or deficiency relating to the ad-
ministration or operation of any construction program of 
the Department, if, during the course of any investigation, 
the Assistant Inspector General for Construction determines 
that Congress should take immediate action. 
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‘‘(3) Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to 
authorize the public disclosure of information that is— 
‘‘(A) specifically prohibited from disclosure by 
any other provision of law; 
‘‘(B) specifically required by Executive Order to 
be protected from disclosure in the interest of national 
defense or national security or in the conduct of for-
eign affairs; or 
‘‘(C) a part of an ongoing criminal investiga-
tion.’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections at 
the beginning of such chapter is amended by inserting after 
the item relating to section 312 the following new item: 
‘‘312A. Assistant Inspector General for Construction.’’. 
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Union Calendar No. 277 
114TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 3106 
[Report No. 114–364] 
A BILL 
To authorize Department major medical facility 
construction projects for fiscal year 2015, to 
amend title 38, United States Code, to make cer-
tain improvements in the administration of De-
partment medical facility construction projects, 
and for other purposes. 
DECEMBER 3, 2015 
Reported with an amendment, committed to the Com-
mittee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, 
and ordered to be printed 
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