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ability compensation payments to veterans in such States,
and to provide all veterans in each such State, through
broadcast or print advertising, with the aforementioned his-
torical information and instructions for submitting new
claims and requesting review of past disability claims and
ratings: Provided further, That expenses for services and as-
sistance authorized under title 38, United States Code, sec-
tions 3104(a)(1), (2), (5), and (11) that the Secretary of
Veterans Affairs determines are necessary to enable entitled
veterans: (1) to the maximum extent feasible, to become em-
ployable and to obtain and maintain suitable employment;
or (2) to achieve maximum independence in daily living,
shall be charged to this account: Provided further, That the
Veterans Benefits Administration shall be funded at not less
than $1,093,937,500: Provided further, That of the funds
made available under this heading, not to exceed
$71,000,000 shall be available for obligation until Sep-
tember 30, 2007.
NATIONAL CEMETERY ADMINISTRATION
For necessary expenses of the National Cemetery Ad-
ministration for operations and maintenance, not otherwise
provided for, including uniforms or allowances therefore;
cemeterial expenses as authorized by law; purchase of one
passenger motor vehicle for use in cemeterial operations;
and hire of passenger motor vehicles, $156,447,000: Pro-
vided, That of the funds made available under this heading,
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not to exceed $7,800,000 shall be available until September
30, 2007.
OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL
For necessary expenses of the Office of Inspector Gen-
eral in carrying out the provisions of the Inspector General
Act of 1978, $70,174,000, to remain available until Sep-
tember 30, 2007.
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 planning, archi-
tectural and engineering services, maintenance or guar-
antee period services costs associated with equipment guar-
antees provided under the project, services of claims ana-
lysts, offsite utility and storm drainage system construction
costs, and site acquisition, where the estimated cost of a
project is more than the amount set forth in title 38, United
States Code, section 8104(a)(3)(A) or where funds for a
project were made available in a previous major project ap-
propriation, $607,100,000, to remain available until ex-
pended, of which $539,800,000 shall be for Capital Asset
Realignment for Enhanced Services (CARES) activities;
and of which $2,500,000 shall be to make reimbursements
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as provided in title 41, United States Code, section 612 for
claims paid for contract disputes: Provided, That except for
advance planning activities, including needs assessments
which may or may not lead to capital investments, and
other capital asset management related activities, such as
portfolio development and management activities, and in-
vestment strategy studies funded through the advance plan-
ning fund and the planning and design activities funded
through the design fund and CARES funds, including needs
assessments which may or may not lead to capital invest-
ments, none of the funds appropriated under this heading
shall be used for any project which has not been approved
by the Congress in the budgetary process: Provided further,
That funds provided in this appropriation for fiscal year
2006, for each approved project (except those for CARES
activities referenced above) shall be obligated: (1) by the
awarding of a construction documents contract by Sep-
tember 30, 2006; and (2) by the awarding of a construction
contract by September 30, 2007: Provided further, That the
Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall promptly report in writ-
ing to the Committees on Appropriations of both Houses
of Congress any approved major construction project in
which obligations are not incurred within the time limita-
tions established above: Provided further, That none of the
funds in this or any other Act may be used to modify or
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alter the mission, services or infrastructure of the 18 facili-
ties on the Capital Asset Realignment for Enhanced Serv-
ices (CARES) list requiring further study as specified by
the Secretary of Veterans Affairs.
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 engi-
neering services, maintenance or guarantee period services
costs associated with equipment guarantees provided under
the project, services of claims analysts, offsite utility and
storm drainage system construction costs, and site acquisi-
tion, 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 title 38, United States Code, section 8104(a)(3)(A),
$208,937,000, to remain available until expended, along
with unobligated balances of previous ‘‘Construction, minor
projects’’ appropriations, of which $160,000,000 shall be for
Capital Asset Realignment for Enhanced Services (CARES)
activities: Provided, That from amounts appropriated
under this heading, additional amounts may be used for
CARES activities upon notification of and approval by the
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Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress:
Provided further, That funds in this account shall be avail-
able for: (1) repairs to any of the nonmedical facilities
under the jurisdiction or for the use of the Department of
Veterans Affairs which are necessary because of loss or dam-
age caused by any natural disaster or catastrophe; and (2)
temporary measures necessary to prevent or to minimize
further loss by such causes.
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; and for furnishing
care to veterans as authorized by title 38, United States
Code, sections 8131–8137, $104,322,000, to remain avail-
able until expended.
GRANTS FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF STATE VETERANS
CEMETERIES
For grants to aid States in establishing, expanding,
or improving State veterans cemeteries as authorized by
title 38, United States Code, section 2408, $32,000,000, to
remain available until expended.
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GENERAL PROVISIONS
(INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS)
SEC. 201. Any appropriation for the Veterans Benefits
Administration for fiscal year 2006 for ‘‘Compensation and
pensions’’, ‘‘Readjustment benefits’’, and ‘‘Veterans insur-
ance and indemnities’’ may be transferred as necessary to
any other of the mentioned appropriations: Provided, That
before a transfer may take place, the Secretary of Veterans
Affairs shall request from the Committees on Appropria-
tions of both Houses of Congress the authority to make the
transfer and an approval is issued, or absent a response,
a period of 30 days has elapsed.
(INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS)
SEC. 202. Amounts made available for the Veterans
Health Administration for fiscal year 2006 under the ‘‘Med-
ical services’’, ‘‘Medical administration’’, ‘‘Information
technology’’, and ‘‘Medical facilities’’ accounts may be
transferred between the mentioned accounts: Provided, That
before a transfer may take place, the Secretary of Veterans
Affairs shall request from the Committees on Appropria-
tions of both Houses of Congress the authority to make the
transfer and an approval is issued, or absent a response,
a period of 30 days has elapsed: Provided further, That no
transfer may be made out of the ‘‘Medical and Prosthetic
Research’’ account.
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SEC. 203. The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall sub-
mit to the Committees on Appropriations in both Houses
of Congress a quarterly report on the financial status of
the Veterans Health Administration. This report shall con-
tain, at a minimum, both planned and actual expenditure
rates, unobligated balances, and any potential financial
shortfalls.
SEC. 204. No project for which funds have been appro-
priated in the ‘‘Construction, major projects’’ account may
be canceled or altered in scope by more than 10 percent
in cost without submitting a request to the Committees on
Appropriations of both Houses of Congress and an approval
is issued, or absent a response, a period of 30 days has
elapsed.
SEC. 205. No appropriations in this Act for the De-
partment of Veterans Affairs shall be available for hos-
pitalization or examination of any persons (except bene-
ficiaries entitled under the laws bestowing such benefits to
veterans, and persons receiving such treatment under 5
U.S.C., sections 7901–7904 or 42 U.S.C., sections 5141–
5204), unless reimbursement of cost is made to the ‘‘Medical
services’’ account at such rates as may be fixed by the Sec-
retary of Veterans Affairs.
SEC. 206. Appropriations available to the Department
of Veterans Affairs for fiscal year 2006 for ‘‘Compensation
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and pensions’’, ‘‘Readjustment benefits’’, and ‘‘Veterans in-
surance and indemnities’’ shall be available for payment
of prior year accrued obligations required to be recorded
by law against the corresponding prior year accounts with-
in the last quarter of fiscal year 2005.
SEC. 207. Appropriations accounts available to the De-
partment of Veterans Affairs for fiscal year 2006 shall be
available to pay prior year obligations of corresponding
prior year appropriations accounts resulting from title X
of the Competitive Equality Banking Act, Public Law 100–
86, except that if such obligations are from trust fund ac-
counts they shall be payable from ‘‘Compensation and pen-
sions’’.
SEC. 208. Notwithstanding any other provision of law,
during fiscal year 2006, 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 the ‘‘General
operating expenses’’ account for the cost of administration
of the insurance programs financed through those accounts:
Provided, That reimbursement shall be made only from the
surplus earnings accumulated in an insurance program in
fiscal year 2006 that are available for dividends in that
program after claims have been paid and actuarially deter-
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mined reserves have been set aside: Provided further, That
if the cost of administration of an insurance program ex-
ceeds the amount of surplus earnings accumulated in that
program, reimbursement shall be made only to the extent
of such surplus earnings: Provided further, That the Sec-
retary of Veterans Affairs shall determine the cost of admin-
istration for fiscal year 2006 which is properly allocable
to the provision of each insurance program and to the pro-
vision of any total disability income insurance included in
such insurance program.
SEC. 209. Notwithstanding any other provision of law
and hereafter, the Department of Veterans Affairs shall con-
tinue the Franchise Fund established by title I of Public
Law 104–204.
SEC. 210. Amounts deducted from enhanced-use lease
proceeds to reimburse an account for expenses incurred by
that account during a prior fiscal year for providing en-
hanced-use lease services, may be obligated during the fiscal
year in which the proceeds are received.
SEC. 211. Funds available in any Department of Vet-
erans Affairs appropriation for fiscal year 2006 or funds
for salaries and other administrative expenses shall also be
available to reimburse the Office of Resolution Management
and the Office of Employment Discrimination Complaint
Adjudication for all services provided at rates which will
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recover actual costs but not exceed $29,758,000 for the Office
of Resolution Management and $3,059,000 for the Office of
Employment and Discrimination Complaint Adjudication:
Provided, That payments may be made in advance for serv-
ices to be furnished based on estimated costs: Provided fur-
ther, That amounts received shall be credited to ‘‘General
operating expenses’’ for use by the office that provided the
service.
SEC. 212. No appropriations in this Act for the De-
partment of Veterans Affairs shall be available to enter into
any new lease of real property if the estimated annual rent-
al is more than $300,000 unless the Secretary of Veterans
Affairs submits a report which the Committees on Appro-
priations in both Houses of Congress approve within 30
days following the date on which the report is received.
SEC. 213. No funds of the Department of Veterans Af-
fairs shall be available for hospital care, nursing home care,
or medical services provided to any person under chapter
17 of title 38, United States Code, for a non-service-con-
nected disability described in section 1729(a)(2) of such
title, unless that person has disclosed to the Secretary of
Veterans Affairs, in such form as the Secretary may require,
current, accurate third-party reimbursement information
for purposes of section 1729 of such title: Provided, That
the Secretary may recover, in the same manner as any other
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debt due the United States, the reasonable charges for such
care or services from any person who does not make such
disclosure as required: Provided further, That any amounts
so recovered for care or services provided in a prior fiscal
year may be obligated by the Secretary during the fiscal
year in which amounts are received.
SEC. 214. Amounts made available under the ‘‘Medical
services’’ account are available—
(1) for furnishing recreational facilities, sup-
plies, and equipment; and
(2) for funeral expenses, burial expenses, and
other expenses incidental to funerals and burials for
beneficiaries receiving care in the department.
(INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS)
SEC. 215. Any appropriation for fiscal year 2006 for
the Veterans Benefits Administration made available under
the heading ‘‘General operating expenses’’ may be trans-
ferred to the ‘‘Veterans Housing Benefit Program Fund
Program Account’’ for the purpose of providing funds for
the nationwide property management contract if the ad-
ministrative costs of such contract exceed $8,800,000 in the
fiscal year.
SEC. 216. Notwithstanding any other provision of law,
the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall allow veterans eligi-
ble under existing Department of Veterans Affairs Medical
Care requirements and who reside in Alaska to obtain med-
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ical care services from medical facilities supported by the
Indian Health Services or tribal organizations. The Sec-
retary shall: (1) limit the application of this provision to
rural Alaskan veterans in areas where an existing Depart-
ment of Veterans Affairs facility or Veterans Affairs-con-
tracted service is unavailable; (2) require participating vet-
erans and facilities to comply with all appropriate rules
and regulations, as established by the Secretary; (3) require
this provision to be consistent with Capital Asset Realign-
ment for Enhanced Services Activities; and (4) result in
no additional cost to the Department of Veterans Affairs
or the Indian Health Service.
(INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS)
SEC. 217. Such sums as may be deposited to the De-
partment of Veterans Affairs Capital Asset Fund pursuant
to title 38, United States Code, section 8118 may be trans-
ferred to the ‘‘Construction, major projects’’ and ‘‘Construc-
tion, minor projects’’ accounts, to remain available until
expended for the purposes of these accounts.
SEC. 218. Notwithstanding any other provision of law,
at the discretion of the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, pro-
ceeds or revenues derived from enhanced-use leasing activi-
ties (including disposal) may be deposited into the ‘‘Con-
struction, major projects’’ and ‘‘Construction, minor
projects’’ accounts and be used for construction (including
site acquisition and disposition), alterations and improve-
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ments of any medical facility under the jurisdiction or for
the use of the Department of Veterans Affairs. Such sums
as realized are in addition to the amount provided for in
‘‘Construction, major projects’’ and ‘‘Construction, minor
projects’’.
SEC. 219. None of the funds made available in this
Act may be used to implement any policy prohibiting the
Directors of the Veterans Integrated Service Networks from
conducting outreach or marketing to enroll new veterans
within their respective Networks.
(INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS)
SEC. 220. That such sums as may be deposited to the
Medical Care Collections Fund pursuant to section 1729A
of title 38, United States Code, may be transferred to the
‘‘Medical services’’ account, to remain available until ex-
pended for the purposes of this account.
SEC. 221. Appropriations available to the Department
of Veterans Affairs for fiscal year 2006 for salaries and ex-
penses shall be available for services authorized by title 5,
United States Code, section 3109; hire of passenger motor
vehicles; lease of a facility or land or both; and uniforms
or allowances therefor, as authorized by title 5, United
States Code, sections 5901–5902.
SEC. 222. REPORT ON HOUSING ASSISTANCE TO LOW-
INCOME
VETERANS. (a) IN GENERAL.—The Comptroller
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General shall conduct a study on housing assistance to low-
income veterans, including—
(1) an estimate of the number of low-income,
very low-income, and extremely low-income veteran
households;
(2) a description of the demographic and socio-
economic characteristics and health and disability
status of such households;
(3) an estimate of the number of such households
experiencing a high cost burden in, overcrowding in,
or poor quality of housing, or experiencing homeless-
ness;
(4) an assessment of such households, including
their current barriers to safe, quality, and affordable
housing and levels of homelessness among such house-
holds;
(5) the extent to which Federal housing assist-
ance programs provide benefits, including supportive
services, to all veteran households and in particular
to low-income, very low-income, and extremely-low
income veteran households;
(6) the number of units designated for or occu-
pied by veterans and low-income, very low-income,
and extremely low-income veterans in Federally sub-
sidized or insured housing;
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(7) a summary description of the manner in
which veteran compensation, veteran dependency and
indemnity compensation, and veteran pension are
considered as income or adjusted income for purposes
of determining—
(A) eligibility for Federal housing assist-
ance programs; and
(B) the amount of rent paid by a veteran
household for occupancy of a dwelling unit or
housing assisted under Federal housing assist-
ance programs;
(8) a summary description of the special consid-
erations made for veterans under—
(A) public housing plans submitted under
section 5A of the United States Housing Act of
1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437c-1); and
(B) comprehensive housing affordability
strategies submitted under section 105 of the
Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable Housing
Act (42 U.S.C. 12705);
(9) the extent to which public housing authorities
have established preferences for veterans for public
housing and housing choice vouchers;
(10) the number of homeless veterans provided
assistance, cumulatively and currently, under the pro-
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gram of housing choice vouchers for homeless veterans
under section 8(o)(19) of the United States Housing
Act of 1937 (42. U.S.C. 1437f(o)(19)), and the current
status of the program, including—
(A) the number of vouchers the Department
of Housing and Urban Development currently
allocates to the Department of Veterans Affairs;
(B) the monetary value of such vouchers;
and
(C) the names and locations of VA medical
centers receiving such vouchers; and
(11) a description of activities relating to vet-
erans of the Department of Housing and Urban De-
velopment.
(b) ACQUISITION OF SUPPORTING INFORMATION.—In
carrying out the study under this section, the Comptroller
General shall seek to obtain views from the following per-
sons:
(1) The Secretary of Housing and Urban Devel-
opment.
(2) The Secretary of Veterans Affairs.
(3) Low-income, very low-income, and extremely
low-income veterans.
(4) Representatives of State and local housing
assistance agencies.
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(5) Representatives of nonprofit low-income
housing providers and homeless service providers, in-
cluding homeless veteran service providers.
(6) National advocacy organizations concerned
with veterans, homelessness, and low-income housing.
(c) TIMING OF REPORT.—Not later than 6 months
after the date of enactment of this Act, the Comptroller Gen-
eral shall submit to Congress a report on the study con-
ducted under this section.
SEC. 223. (a) Not later than 60 days after the date
of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs,
after consultation with the National Association of County
Veterans Service Officers, other veterans service organiza-
tions, and State departments of veterans affairs shall sub-
mit a report to the Committee on Appropriations of the
Senate that describes a plan (including estimated costs) to
provide an adequate supply of the 2006 edition of handbook
entitled, Federal Benefits for Veterans and Dependents, and
all subsequent editions, to all county veterans service offi-
cers in the United States.
SEC. 224. None of the funds made available in this
Act or any other Act may be used—
(1) to revoke or reduce a veteran’s disability
compensation for post traumatic stress disorder based
on a finding that the Department of Veterans Affairs
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failed to collect justifying documentation unless such
failure was the direct result of fraud by the applicant;
or
(2) for the implementation of Recommendation 3
of VA Inspector General Report No. 05–00765–137 or
any related review and investigation of post trau-
matic stress disorder unemployability and 100 sched-
uler percent ratings cases, until the Department of
Veterans’ Affairs reports to the Committee on Appro-
priations on its plan for implementing this rec-
ommendation, and outlines the staffing and funding
requirements.
SEC. 225. CLINICAL TRAINING AND PROTOCOLS. (a)
FINDINGS.—Congress finds that—
(1) the Iraq War Clinician Guide has tremen-
dous value; and
(2) the Secretary of Defense and the National
Center on Post Traumatic Stress Disorder should con-
tinue to work together to ensure that the mental
health care needs of servicemembers and veterans are
met.
(b) COLLABORATION.—The National Center on Post
Traumatic Stress Disorder shall collaborate with the Sec-
retary of Defense—