I 
114TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 5985 
To amend title 38, United States Code, to extend certain expiring provisions 
of law administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, and for other 
purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
SEPTEMBER 9, 2016 
Mr. MILLER of Florida introduced the following bill; which was referred to 
the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, and in addition to the Committees 
on Armed Services, and the Budget, for a period to be subsequently de-
termined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions 
as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To amend title 38, United States Code, to extend certain 
expiring provisions of law administered by the Secretary 
of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives 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 
‘‘Department of Veterans Affairs Expiring Authorities Act 
of 2016’’. 
(b) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—The table of contents for 
this Act is as follows: 
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Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents. 
Sec. 2. References to title 38, United States Code. 
Sec. 3. Scoring of budgetary effects. 
TITLE I—EXTENSIONS OF AUTHORITY RELATING TO HEALTH 
CARE 
Sec. 101. Extension of authority for collection of copayments for hospital care 
and nursing home care. 
Sec. 102. Extension of requirement to provide nursing home care to certain vet-
erans with service-connected disabilities. 
Sec. 103. Extension of authorization of appropriations for assistance and sup-
port services for caregivers. 
Sec. 104. Extension of authority for recovery from third parties of cost of care 
and services furnished to veterans with health-plan contracts 
for non-service-connected disability. 
Sec. 105. Extension of authority for pilot program on assistance for child care 
for certain veterans receiving health care. 
Sec. 106. Extension of authority to make grants to veterans service organiza-
tions for transportation of highly rural veterans. 
Sec. 107. Extension of authority for pilot program on counseling in retreat set-
tings for women veterans newly separated from service. 
Sec. 108. Extension of deadline for report on pilot program on use of commu-
nity-based organizations and local and State government enti-
ties to ensure that veterans receive care and benefits for which 
they are eligible. 
TITLE II—EXTENSIONS OF AUTHORITY RELATING TO BENEFITS 
Sec. 201. Extension of authority for the Veterans’ Advisory Committee on Edu-
cation. 
Sec. 202. Extension of authority for calculating net value of real property at 
time of foreclosure. 
Sec. 203. Extension of authority relating to vendee loans. 
Sec. 204. Extension of authority to provide rehabilitation and vocational bene-
fits to members of the Armed Forces with severe injuries or 
illnesses. 
TITLE III—EXTENSIONS OF AUTHORITY RELATING TO 
HOMELESS VETERANS 
Sec. 301. Extension of authority for homeless veterans reintegration programs. 
Sec. 302. Extension of authority for homeless women veterans and homeless 
veterans with children reintegration program. 
Sec. 303. Extension of authority for referral and counseling services for vet-
erans at risk of homelessness transitioning from certain institu-
tions. 
Sec. 304. Extension of authority to provide housing assistance for homeless vet-
erans. 
Sec. 305. Extension and modification of authority to provide financial assist-
ance for supportive services for very low-income veteran fami-
lies in permanent housing. 
Sec. 306. Extension of authority for grant program for homeless veterans with 
special needs. 
Sec. 307. Extension of authority for the Advisory Committee on Homeless Vet-
erans. 
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Sec. 308. Extension of authority for treatment and rehabilitation services for 
seriously mentally ill and homeless veterans. 
TITLE IV—OTHER EXTENSIONS AND MODIFICATIONS OF 
AUTHORITY AND OTHER MATTERS 
Sec. 401. Extension of authority for transportation of individuals to and from 
Department facilities. 
Sec. 402. Extension of authority for operation of the Department of Veterans 
Affairs regional office in Manila, the Republic of the Phil-
ippines. 
Sec. 403. Extension of authority for monthly assistance allowances under the 
Office of National Veterans Sports Programs and Special 
Events. 
Sec. 404. Extension of requirement to provide reports to Congress regarding 
equitable relief in the case of administrative error. 
Sec. 405. Extension of authorization of appropriations for adaptive sports pro-
grams for disabled veterans and members of the Armed Forces. 
Sec. 406. Extension of authority for Advisory Committee on Minority Veterans. 
Sec. 407. Modification to authorization of appropriations for comprehensive 
service programs for homeless veterans. 
Sec. 408. Extension of authority for temporary expansion of eligibility for spe-
cially adapted housing assistance for certain veterans with dis-
abilities causing difficulty ambulating. 
Sec. 409. Extension of authority for specially adapted housing assistive tech-
nology grant program. 
Sec. 410. Extension of authority to guarantee payment of principal and interest 
on certificates or other securities. 
Sec. 411. Extension of authority to enter into agreement with the National 
Academy of Sciences regarding associations between diseases 
and exposure to dioxin and other chemical compounds in herbi-
cides. 
Sec. 412. Extension of authority for performance of medical disabilities exami-
nations by contract physicians. 
Sec. 413. Restoration of prior reporting fee multipliers. 
Sec. 414. Extension of requirement for annual report on Department of De-
fense-Department of Veterans Affairs Interagency Program Of-
fice. 
Sec. 415. Extension of scope of practice limits for certified registered nurse an-
esthetists. 
Sec. 416. Extension of authority to approve courses of education in cases of 
withdrawal of recognition of accrediting agency by Secretary of 
Education. 
SEC. 2. REFERENCES TO TITLE 38, UNITED STATES CODE. 
Except as otherwise expressly provided, whenever in 
this Act an amendment or repeal is expressed in terms 
of an amendment to, or repeal of, a section or other provi-
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sion, the reference shall be considered to be made to a 
section or other provision of title 38, United States Code. 
SEC. 3. SCORING OF BUDGETARY EFFECTS. 
The budgetary effects of this Act, for the purpose of 
complying with the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2010, 
shall be determined by reference to the latest statement 
titled ‘‘Budgetary Effects of PAYGO Legislation’’ for this 
Act, submitted for printing in the Congressional Record 
by the Chairman of the House Budget Committee, pro-
vided that such statement has been submitted prior to the 
vote on passage. 
TITLE I—EXTENSIONS OF AU-
THORITY 
RELATING 
TO 
HEALTH CARE 
SEC. 101. EXTENSION OF AUTHORITY FOR COLLECTION OF 
COPAYMENTS 
FOR 
HOSPITAL 
CARE 
AND 
NURSING HOME CARE. 
Section 1710(f)(2)(B) is amended by striking ‘‘Sep-
tember 30, 2016’’ and inserting ‘‘September 30, 2017’’. 
SEC. 102. EXTENSION OF REQUIREMENT TO PROVIDE 
NURSING HOME CARE TO CERTAIN VET-
ERANS WITH SERVICE-CONNECTED DISABIL-
ITIES. 
Section 1710A(d) is amended by striking ‘‘December 
31, 2016’’ and inserting ‘‘December 31, 2017’’. 
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SEC. 103. EXTENSION OF AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIA-
TIONS FOR ASSISTANCE AND SUPPORT SERV-
ICES FOR CAREGIVERS. 
Section 1720G(e) is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (2), by striking ‘‘and’’; 
(2) in paragraph (3), by striking the period at 
the end and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 
(3) by adding at the end the following new 
paragraph: 
‘‘(4) $734,628,000 for fiscal year 2017.’’. 
SEC. 104. EXTENSION OF AUTHORITY FOR RECOVERY FROM 
THIRD PARTIES OF COST OF CARE AND SERV-
ICES 
FURNISHED 
TO 
VETERANS 
WITH 
HEALTH-PLAN CONTRACTS FOR NON-SERV-
ICE-CONNECTED DISABILITY. 
Section 1729(a)(2)(E) is amended, in the matter pre-
ceding clause (i), by striking ‘‘October 1, 2016’’ and in-
serting ‘‘October 1, 2017’’. 
SEC. 105. EXTENSION OF AUTHORITY FOR PILOT PROGRAM 
ON ASSISTANCE FOR CHILD CARE FOR CER-
TAIN VETERANS RECEIVING HEALTH CARE. 
(a) EXTENSION OF AUTHORITY.—Subsection (e) of 
section 205 of the Caregivers and Veterans Omnibus 
Health Services Act of 2010 (Public Law 111–163; 124 
Stat. 1144; 38 U.S.C. 1710 note) is amended by striking 
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‘‘December 31, 2016’’ and inserting ‘‘December 31, 
2017’’. 
(b) AUTHORIZATION
OF
APPROPRIATIONS.—Sub-
section (h) of such section is amended by striking ‘‘and 
2016’’ and inserting ‘‘2016, and 2017’’. 
SEC. 106. EXTENSION OF AUTHORITY TO MAKE GRANTS TO 
VETERANS SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS FOR 
TRANSPORTATION OF HIGHLY RURAL VET-
ERANS. 
Section 307(d) of the Caregivers and Veterans Omni-
bus Health Services Act of 2010 (Public Law 111–163; 
124 Stat. 1154; 38 U.S.C. 1710 note) is amended by 
striking ‘‘2016’’ and inserting ‘‘2017’’. 
SEC. 107. EXTENSION OF AUTHORITY FOR PILOT PROGRAM 
ON COUNSELING IN RETREAT SETTINGS FOR 
WOMEN VETERANS NEWLY SEPARATED FROM 
SERVICE. 
(a) EXTENSION.—Subsection (d) of section 203 of 
the Caregivers and Veterans Omnibus Health Services Act 
of 2010 (Public Law 111–163; 124 Stat. 1143; 38 U.S.C. 
1712A) is amended by striking ‘‘December 31, 2016’’ and 
inserting ‘‘December 31, 2017’’. 
(b) AUTHORIZATION
OF
APPROPRIATIONS.—Sub-
section (f) of such section is amended by striking ‘‘and 
2016’’ and inserting ‘‘2016, and 2017’’. 
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SEC. 108. EXTENSION OF DEADLINE FOR REPORT ON PILOT 
PROGRAM ON USE OF COMMUNITY-BASED 
ORGANIZATIONS AND LOCAL AND STATE 
GOVERNMENT ENTITIES TO ENSURE THAT 
VETERANS RECEIVE CARE AND BENEFITS 
FOR WHICH THEY ARE ELIGIBLE. 
Section 506(g)(1) of the Caregivers and Veterans 
Omnibus Health Services Act of 2010 (Public Law 111– 
163; 38 U.S.C. 523 note) is amended by striking ‘‘180 
days after the completion of the pilot program’’ and insert-
ing ‘‘September 30, 2017’’. 
TITLE II—EXTENSIONS OF AU-
THORITY RELATING TO BENE-
FITS 
SEC. 201. EXTENSION OF AUTHORITY FOR THE VETERANS’ 
ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION. 
Section 3692(c) is amended by striking ‘‘December 
31, 2016’’ and inserting ‘‘December 31, 2017’’. 
SEC. 202. EXTENSION OF AUTHORITY FOR CALCULATING 
NET VALUE OF REAL PROPERTY AT TIME OF 
FORECLOSURE. 
Section 3732(c)(11) is amended by striking ‘‘October 
1, 2016’’ and inserting ‘‘October 1, 2017’’. 
SEC. 203. EXTENSION OF AUTHORITY RELATING TO VEND-
EE LOANS. 
Section 3733(a)(7) is amended— 
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(1) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), 
by striking ‘‘September 30, 2016’’ and inserting 
‘‘September 30, 2017’’; and 
(2) in subparagraph (C), by striking ‘‘Sep-
tember 30, 2016,’’ and inserting ‘‘September 30, 
2017,’’. 
SEC. 204. EXTENSION OF AUTHORITY TO PROVIDE REHA-
BILITATION AND VOCATIONAL BENEFITS TO 
MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES WITH SE-
VERE INJURIES OR ILLNESSES. 
Section 1631(b)(2) of the Wounded Warrior Act (title 
XVI of Public Law 110–181; 122 Stat. 458; 10 U.S.C. 
1071 note) is amended by striking ‘‘December 31, 2016’’ 
and inserting ‘‘December 31, 2017’’. 
TITLE III—EXTENSIONS OF AU-
THORITY 
RELATING 
TO 
HOMELESS VETERANS 
SEC. 301. EXTENSION OF AUTHORITY FOR HOMELESS VET-
ERANS REINTEGRATION PROGRAMS. 
Section 2021(e)(1)(F) is amended by striking 
‘‘2016’’ and inserting ‘‘2017’’. 
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SEC. 302. EXTENSION OF AUTHORITY FOR HOMELESS 
WOMEN VETERANS AND HOMELESS VET-
ERANS 
WITH 
CHILDREN 
REINTEGRATION 
PROGRAM. 
Section 2021A(f)(1) is amended by striking ‘‘2016’’ 
and inserting ‘‘2017’’. 
SEC. 303. EXTENSION OF AUTHORITY FOR REFERRAL AND 
COUNSELING SERVICES FOR VETERANS AT 
RISK 
OF 
HOMELESSNESS 
TRANSITIONING 
FROM CERTAIN INSTITUTIONS. 
Section 2023(d) is amended by striking ‘‘September 
30, 2016’’ and inserting ‘‘September 30, 2017’’. 
SEC. 304. EXTENSION OF AUTHORITY TO PROVIDE HOUS-
ING ASSISTANCE FOR HOMELESS VETERANS. 
Section 2041(c) is amended by striking ‘‘September 
30, 2016’’ and inserting ‘‘September 30, 2017’’. 
SEC. 305. EXTENSION AND MODIFICATION OF AUTHORITY 
TO PROVIDE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR 
SUPPORTIVE SERVICES FOR VERY LOW-IN-
COME VETERAN FAMILIES IN PERMANENT 
HOUSING. 
Subparagraph (E) of section 2044(e)(1) is amended 
to read as follows: 
‘‘(E) $320,000,000 for each of fiscal years 
2015 through 2017.’’. 
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SEC. 306. EXTENSION OF AUTHORITY FOR GRANT PRO-
GRAM FOR HOMELESS VETERANS WITH SPE-
CIAL NEEDS. 
Section 2061(d)(1) is amended by striking ‘‘2016’’ 
and inserting ‘‘2017’’. 
SEC. 307. EXTENSION OF AUTHORITY FOR THE ADVISORY 
COMMITTEE ON HOMELESS VETERANS. 
Section 2066(d) is amended by striking ‘‘December 
31, 2016’’ and inserting ‘‘December 31, 2017’’. 
SEC. 308. EXTENSION OF AUTHORITY FOR TREATMENT AND 
REHABILITATION SERVICES FOR SERIOUSLY 
MENTALLY ILL AND HOMELESS VETERANS. 
(a) GENERAL
TREATMENT.—Section 2031(b) is 
amended by striking ‘‘September 30, 2016’’ and inserting 
‘‘September 30, 2017’’. 
(b) ADDITIONAL
SERVICES
AT
CERTAIN
LOCA-
TIONS.—Section 2033(d) is amended by striking ‘‘Sep-
tember 30, 2016’’ and inserting ‘‘September 30, 2017’’. 
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SEC. 411. EXTENSION OF AUTHORITY TO ENTER INTO 
AGREEMENT WITH THE NATIONAL ACADEMY 
OF SCIENCES REGARDING ASSOCIATIONS BE-
TWEEN DISEASES AND EXPOSURE TO DIOXIN 
AND OTHER CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS IN HER-
BICIDES. 
Section 3(i) of the Agent Orange Act of 1991 (Public 
Law 102–4; 38 U.S.C. 1116 note) is amended by striking 
‘‘December 31, 2016’’ and inserting ‘‘December 31, 
2017’’. 
SEC. 412. EXTENSION OF AUTHORITY FOR PERFORMANCE 
OF MEDICAL DISABILITIES EXAMINATIONS 
BY CONTRACT PHYSICIANS. 
Subsection (c) of section 704 of the Veterans Benefits 
Act of 2003 (38 U.S.C. 5101 note) is amended by striking 
‘‘December 31, 2016’’ and inserting ‘‘December 31, 
2017’’. 
SEC. 413. RESTORATION OF PRIOR REPORTING FEE MULTI-
PLIERS. 
Section 406 of the Department of Veterans Affairs 
Expiring Authorities Act of 2014 (Public Law 113–175; 
38 U.S.C. 3684 note) is amended by striking ‘‘two-year’’ 
and inserting ‘‘three-year’’. 
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SEC. 414. EXTENSION OF REQUIREMENT FOR ANNUAL RE-
PORT ON DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE-DE-
PARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS INTER-
AGENCY PROGRAM OFFICE. 
Section 1635(h)(1) of the National Defense Author-
ization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 (Public Law 110–181; 
10 U.S.C. 1071 note) is amended by striking ‘‘2016’’ and 
inserting ‘‘2017’’. 
SEC. 415. EXTENSION OF SCOPE OF PRACTICE LIMITS FOR 
CERTIFIED 
REGISTERED 
NURSE 
ANES-
THETISTS. 
During the one-year period beginning on the date of 
the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Af-
fairs may not authorize certified registered nurse anes-
thetists of the Department of Veterans Affairs to practice 
without the supervision of a physician or otherwise expand 
the scope of full practice authority for certified registered 
nurse anesthetists beyond what is authorized under the 
applicable regulations, as in effect on the date of enact-
ment of this Act. 
SEC. 
416. 
EXTENSION 
OF 
AUTHORITY 
TO 
APPROVE 
COURSES OF EDUCATION IN CASES OF WITH-
DRAWAL OF RECOGNITION OF ACCREDITING 
AGENCY BY SECRETARY OF EDUCATION. 
Section 3679(a) of title 38, United States Code, is 
amended— 
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(1) by striking ‘‘Any course’’ and inserting ‘‘(1) 
Except as provided by paragraph (2), any course’’; 
and 
(2) by adding at the end the following new 
paragraph: 
‘‘(2) In the case of a course of education that would 
be subject to disapproval under paragraph (1) solely for 
the reason that the Secretary of Education withdraws the 
recognition of the accrediting agency that accredited the 
course, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, in consultation 
with the Secretary of Education, and notwithstanding the 
withdrawal, may continue to treat the course as an ap-
proved course of education under this chapter for a period 
not to exceed 18 months from the date of the withdrawal 
of recognition of the accrediting agency, unless the Sec-
retary of Veterans Affairs or the appropriate State ap-
proving agency determines that there is evidence to sup-
port the disapproval of the course under this chapter. The 
Secretary shall provide to any veteran enrolled in such a 
course of education notice of the status of the course of 
education.’’. 
Æ 
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