I 
109TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 3579 
To amend title 38, United States Code, to require the Secretary of Veterans 
Affairs to provide sufficient blind rehabilitation outpatient specialists 
at medical facilities of the Department of Veterans Affairs. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JULY 28, 2005 
Mr. MICHAUD (for himself and Mr. EVANS) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 
A BILL 
To amend title 38, United States Code, to require the Sec-
retary of Veterans Affairs to provide sufficient blind 
rehabilitation outpatient specialists at medical facilities 
of the Department of Veterans Affairs. 
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 ‘‘Blinded Veterans Con-
tinuum of Care Act of 2005’’.
SEC. 2. BLIND REHABILITATION OUTPATIENT SPECIALISTS 
AT DEPARTMENT OF AFFAIRS MEDICAL FA-
CILITIES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.— 
(1) BLIND REHABILITATION OUTPATIENT SPE-
CIALISTS.—Chapter 17 of title 38, United States 
Code, is amended by adding at the end the following 
new section: 
‘‘§ 1718A. Blind rehabilitation outpatient specialists 
at Department medical facilities 
‘‘(a) REQUIREMENT.—The Secretary shall assign at 
least one employee of the Veterans Health Administration 
who is designated as a blind rehabilitation outpatient spe-
cialist to each specified medical facility of the Department. 
‘‘(b) SPECIFIED FACILITIES.—A medical facility of 
the Department is a specified facility for purposes of sub-
section (a)— 
‘‘(1) if the facility has a visual impairment serv-
ices team with a full-time coordinator; or 
‘‘(2) if the number of veterans enrolled in the 
system of patient enrollment under section 1705 of 
this title who are legally blind and who reside in the 
catchment area of that facility is in excess of 150.’’. 
(2) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sec-
tions at the beginning of such chapter is amended 
by adding at the end the following new item:
‘‘1718A. Blind rehabilitation outpatient specialists at Department of Affairs 
medical facilities.’’. 
(b) IMPLEMENTATION.—Subject to the availability of 
appropriations for such purpose the Secretary of Veterans 
Affairs shall ensure that section 1718A of title 38, United 
States Code, as added by subsection (a), is fully imple-
mented not later then the end of the four-year period be-
ginning on the date of the enactment of this Act. The Sec-
retary shall carry out such implementation as follows: 
(1) As of the end of the one-year period begin-
ning on the date of the enactment of this Act, the 
Secretary shall ensure that such section is imple-
mented at least for each medical facility of the De-
partment covered by paragraph (2) of subsection (b) 
of such section for which the number referred to in 
that paragraph is in excess of 400. 
(2) As of the end of the two-year period begin-
ning on the date of the enactment of this Act, the 
Secretary shall ensure that such section is imple-
mented at least for each medical facility of the De-
partment covered by paragraph (2) of subsection (b) 
of such section for which the number referred to in 
that paragraph is in excess of 300. 
(3) As of the end of the three-year period be-
ginning on the date of the enactment of this Act, the 
Secretary shall ensure that such section is imple-
mented at least for each medical facility of the De-
partment covered by paragraph (2) of subsection (b) 
of such section for which the number referred to in 
that paragraph is in excess of 200. 
(c) ANNUAL REPORT.—Not later than March 31 of 
each of the first four years after the enactment of this 
Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit to Con-
gress a report on the implementation of section 1718A of 
title 38, United States Code, as added by subsection (a). 
Each report shall— 
(1) specify the number of blind rehabilitation 
outpatient specialists assigned under that section 
during the period covered by the report; 
(2) identify the Department facility at which 
each such specialist was assigned; and 
(3) describe the effect of those assignments on 
the continuum of care offered to blind and visually 
impaired veterans. 
(d) AUTHORIZATION
OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 
are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of Vet-
erans Affairs $5,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2006 
through 2010 and such sums as may be necessary for each 
subsequent fiscal year to carry out section 1718A of title 
38, United States Code, as added by subsection (a). 
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