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able for hospitalization or examination of any persons (ex-
cept beneficiaries 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), un-
less reimbursement of cost is made to the ‘‘Medical care’’ 
account at such rates as may be fixed by the Secretary 
of Veterans Affairs: Provided further, That no appropria-
tions in this account shall be available to enter into any 
new lease of real property if the estimated annual rental 
is more than $300,000 unless the Secretary submits a re-
port which the Committees on Appropriations of the Con-
gress approve within 30 days following the date on which 
the report is received: Provided further, That amounts de-
ducted from enhanced-use lease proceeds to reimburse an 
account for expenses incurred by that account during a 
prior fiscal year for providing enhanced-use lease services, 
may be obligated during the fiscal year in which the pro-
ceeds are received. 
DEPARTMENTAL ADMINISTRATION 
GENERAL OPERATING EXPENSES 
For necessary operating expenses of the Department 
of Veterans Affairs, not otherwise provided for, including 
administrative expenses in support of Department-wide 
capital planning, management and policy activities, uni-
forms or allowances therefor; not to exceed $25,000 for
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official reception and representation expenses; hire of pas-
senger motor vehicles; and reimbursement of the General 
Services Administration for security guard services, and 
the Department of Defense for the cost of overseas em-
ployee mail, $1,375,000,000: Provided, That expenses for 
services and assistance authorized under 38 U.S.C. 
3104(a)(1), (2), (5), and (11) that the Secretary deter-
mines are necessary to enable entitled veterans: (1) to the 
maximum extent feasible, to become employable and to ob-
tain and maintain suitable employment; or (2) to achieve 
maximum independence in daily living, shall be charged 
to this account: Provided further, That the Veterans Bene-
fits Administration shall be funded at not less than 
$1,086,250,000: Provided further, That of the funds made 
available under this heading, not to exceed $69,000,000 
shall be available for obligation until September 30, 2006: 
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 Manila, Phil-
ippines: Provided further, That no appropriations from 
this account shall be available for the purchase of any site 
for or toward the construction of any new hospital or 
home: Provided further, That no appropriations in this ac-
count shall be available for hospitalization or examination
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of any persons (except beneficiaries entitled under the 
laws bestowing such benefits to veterans, and persons re-
ceiving such treatment under 5 U.S.C. 7901–7904 or 42 
U.S.C. 5141–5204), unless reimbursement of cost is made 
to the ‘‘Medical care’’ account at such rates as may be 
fixed by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs: Provided fur-
ther, That, notwithstanding any other provision of law, 
during fiscal year 2005, 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 this account 
for the cost of administration of the insurance programs 
financed through those accounts: Provided further, That 
reimbursement of funds mentioned in the previous proviso 
shall be made only from the surplus earnings accumulated 
in an insurance program in fiscal year 2005 that are avail-
able for dividends in that program after claims have been 
paid and actuarially determined reserves have been set 
aside: Provided further, That if the cost of administration 
of an insurance program exceeds the amount of surplus 
earning accumulated in that program, reimbursement to 
this account shall be made only to the extent of such sur-
plus earnings: Provided further, That the Secretary shall 
determine the cost of administration of an insurance pro-
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gram for fiscal year 2005 which is properly allocable to 
the provision of each insurance program and to the provi-
sion of any total disability income insurance included in 
such insurance program: Provided further, That funds 
available in this appropriation for fiscal year 2005 shall 
be available to reimburse the Office of Resolution Manage-
ment and the Office of Employment Discrimination Com-
plaint Adjudication for all services provided at rates which 
will recover actual costs: Provided further, That payments 
may be made in advance for services to be furnished by 
the Office of Resolution Management and the Office of 
Employment 
Discrimination 
Complaint 
Adjudication 
based on estimated costs: Provided further, That amounts 
received from the aforementioned offices shall be credited 
to this account for use by the office that provided the serv-
ice: Provided further, That no appropriations in this ac-
count shall be available to enter into any new lease of real 
property if the estimated annual rental is more than 
$300,000 unless the Secretary submits a report which the 
Committees on Appropriations of the Congress approve 
within 30 days following the date on which the report is 
received: Provided further, That amounts deducted from 
enhanced-use lease proceeds to reimburse an account for 
expenses incurred by that account during a prior fiscal 
year for providing enhanced-use lease services, may be ob-
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ligated during the fiscal year in which the proceeds are 
received. 
NATIONAL CEMETERY ADMINISTRATION 
For necessary expenses of the National Cemetery Ad-
ministration for operations and maintenance, not other-
wise provided for, including uniforms or allowances there-
for; cemeterial expenses as authorized by law; purchase 
of one passenger motor vehicle for use in cemeterial oper-
ations; 
and 
hire 
of 
passenger 
motor 
vehicles, 
$199,000,000; Provided, That of the funds made available 
under this heading, not to exceed $9,950,000, shall be 
available until September 30, 2006: Provided further, That 
no appropriations from this account shall be available for 
the purchase of any site for or toward the construction 
of any new hospital or home: Provided further, That no 
appropriations in this account shall be available to enter 
into any new lease of real property if the estimated annual 
rental is more than $300,000 unless the Secretary submits 
a report which the Committees on Appropriations of the 
Congress approve within 30 days following the date on 
which the report is received. 
OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL 
For necessary expenses of the Office of Inspector 
General in carrying out the provisions of the Inspector 
General Act of 1978, as amended, $65,000,000, to remain 
available until September 30, 2006.
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CONSTRUCTION, MAJOR PROJECTS 
For constructing, altering, extending and improving 
any of the facilities including parking projects 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 plan-
ning, architectural and engineering services, maintenance 
or guarantee period services costs associated with equip-
ment guarantees provided under the project, services of 
claims analysts, offsite utility and storm drainage system 
construction costs, and site acquisition, where the esti-
mated 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 appropria-
tion, $401,000,000 to remain available until expended, of 
which $10,000,000 shall be to make reimbursements as 
provided in 41 U.S.C. 612 for claims paid for contract 
disputes: Provided, That except for advance planning ac-
tivities, 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 
planning and design activities funded through the design
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fund and the Capital Asset Realignment for Enhanced 
Services (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 Con-
gress in the budgetary process: Provided further, That 
funds provided in this appropriation for fiscal year 2005, 
for each approved project (except those for CARES activi-
ties referenced above) shall be obligated: (1) by the award-
ing of a construction documents contract by September 
30, 2005; and (2) by the awarding of a construction con-
tract by September 30, 2006: Provided further, That, not-
withstanding any other provision of law, the CARES ac-
tivities may include long-term care, domiciliary care and 
outpatient mental health care: Provided further, That, the 
Secretary shall provide a report in writing to the Commit-
tees by January 5, 2005, on how such funds, referenced 
in the previous proviso are allocated: Provided further, 
That the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall promptly re-
port in writing to the Committees on Appropriations any 
approved major construction project in which obligations 
are not incurred within the time limitations established 
above: Provided further, That no appropriations in this ac-
count shall be available to enter into any new lease of real 
property if the estimated annual rental is more than
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$300,000 unless the Secretary submits a report which the 
Committees on Appropriations of the Congress approve 
within 30 days following the date on which the report is 
received: Provided further, That amounts deducted from 
enhanced-use lease proceeds to reimburse an account for 
expenses incurred by that account during a prior fiscal 
year for providing enhanced-use lease services, may be ob-
ligated during the fiscal year in which the proceeds are 
received. 
CONSTRUCTION, MINOR PROJECTS 
For constructing, altering, extending, and improving 
any of the facilities including parking projects under the 
jurisdiction or for the use of the Department of Veterans 
Affairs, including planning and assessments of needs 
which may lead to capital investments, architectural and 
engineering services, maintenance or guarantee period 
services costs associated with equipment guarantees pro-
vided under the project, services of claims analysts, offsite 
utility and storm drainage system construction 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), 
$182,000,000, to remain available until expended, along 
with unobligated balances of previous ‘‘Construction,
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minor projects’’ appropriations which are hereby made 
available for any project where the estimated cost is less 
than the amount set forth in 38 U.S.C. 8104(a)(3)(A): 
Provided, That from amounts appropriated under this 
heading, additional amounts may be used for CARES ac-
tivities upon notification of and approval by the Commit-
tees on Appropriations: Provided further, That funds in 
this account shall be available 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 any natural disaster or catastrophe; 
and (2) temporary measures necessary to prevent or to 
minimize further loss by such causes: Provided further, 
That no appropriations in this account shall be available 
to enter into any new lease of real property if the esti-
mated annual rental is more than $300,000 unless the 
Secretary submits a report which the Committees on Ap-
propriations of the Congress approve within 30 days fol-
lowing the date on which the report is received: Provided 
further, That amounts deducted from enhanced-use lease 
proceeds to reimburse an account for expenses incurred 
by that account during a prior fiscal year for providing 
enhanced-use lease services, may be obligated during the 
fiscal year in which the proceeds are received.
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PARKING REVOLVING FUND 
For the parking revolving fund as authorized by 38 
U.S.C. 8109, income from fees collected, to remain avail-
able until expended, which shall be available for all author-
ized expenses except operations and maintenance costs, 
which will be funded from ‘‘Medical care’’: Provided, That 
no appropriations in this account shall be available to 
enter into any new lease of real property if the estimated 
annual rental is more than $300,000 unless the Secretary 
submits a report which the Committees on Appropriations 
of the Congress approve within 30 days following the date 
on which the report is received. 
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, 
$105,000,000, to remain available until expended: Pro-
vided, That no appropriations from this account shall be 
available for the purchase of any site for or toward the 
construction of any new hospital or home: Provided fur-
ther, That no appropriations in this account shall be avail-
able to enter into any new lease of real property if the 
estimated annual rental is more than $300,000 unless the
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Secretary submits a report which the Committees on Ap-
propriations of the Congress approve within 30 days fol-
lowing the date on which the report is received. 
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 
expended: Provided, That no appropriations from this ac-
count shall be available for the purchase of any site for 
or toward the construction of any new hospital or home: 
Provided further, That no appropriations in this account 
shall be available to enter into any new lease of real prop-
erty if the estimated annual rental is more than $300,000 
unless the Secretary submits a report which the Commit-
tees on Appropriations of the Congress approve within 30 
days following the date on which the report is received. 
ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS 
SEC. 101. Notwithstanding any other provision of 
law, the Department of Veterans Affairs shall continue the 
Franchise fund pilot program authorized to be established 
by section 403 of Public Law 103–356 until October 1, 
2005: 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, 2005.
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SEC. 102. 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 
require— 
(1) current, accurate third-party reimbursement 
information for purposes of section 1729 of such 
title; and 
(2) annual income information for purposes of 
section 1722 of such title. 
OFFSET 
In the case of taxpayers with adjusted gross income 
in excess of $1,000,000 for calendar year 2004, the 
amount of the tax reduction resulting from enactment of 
the Jobs and Growth Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 
2003 (Public Law 108–27) and enactment of the Eco-
nomic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001 
(Public Law 107–16) shall be reduced by 5.1 percent. 
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