H. R. 1625—475 
or one or more Native Hawaiian Organizations as defined in section 
637(a)(15) of title 15, United States Code. 
SEC. 240. (a) Except as provided in subsection (b), the Secretary 
of Veterans Affairs, in consultation with the Secretary of Defense 
and the Secretary of Labor, shall discontinue using Social Security 
account numbers to identify individuals in all information systems 
of the Department of Veterans Affairs as follows: 
(1) For all veterans submitting to the Secretary of Veterans 
Affairs new claims for benefits under laws administered by 
the Secretary, not later than 5 years after the date of the 
enactment of this Act. 
(2) For all individuals not described in paragraph (1), not 
later than 8 years after the date of the enactment of this 
Act. 
(b) The Secretary of Veterans Affairs may use a Social Security 
account number to identify an individual in an information system 
of the Department of Veterans Affairs if and only if the use of 
such number is required to obtain information the Secretary 
requires from an information system that is not under the jurisdic-
tion of the Secretary. 
SEC. 241. For funds provided to the Department of Veterans 
Affairs for each of fiscal year 2018 and 2019 for ‘‘Medical Services’’, 
section 239 of Division A of Public Law 114–223 shall apply. 
SEC. 242. None of the funds appropriated in this or prior 
appropriations Acts or otherwise made available to the Department 
of Veterans Affairs may be used to transfer any amounts from 
the Filipino Veterans Equity Compensation Fund to any other 
account within the Department of Veterans Affairs. 
(RESCISSIONS OF FUNDS) 
SEC. 243. (a) Of the unobligated balance of funds made available 
through September 30, 2018, under the heading ‘‘Construction, 
Major Projects’’ in division J of the Consolidated Appropriations 
Act, 2014 (Public Law 113–76), $10,000,000 is hereby rescinded. 
(b) For an additional amount for ‘‘Construction, Major Projects’’, 
$10,000,000, to remain available until September 30, 2023. 
(c) Of the unobligated balance of funds made available through 
September 30, 2019, under the heading ‘‘Construction, Major 
Projects’’ in division I of the Consolidated and Further Continuing 
Appropriations Act, 2015 (Public Law 113–235), $410,000,000 is 
hereby rescinded. 
(d) For an additional amount for ‘‘Construction, Major Projects’’, 
$410,000,000, to remain available until September 30, 2024. 
SEC. 244. Of the funds provided to the Department of Veterans 
Affairs for each of fiscal year 2018 and fiscal year 2019 for ‘‘Medical 
Services’’, funds may be used in each year to carry out and expand 
the child care program authorized by section 205 of Public Law 
111–163, notwithstanding subsection (e) of such section. 
SEC. 245. (a) Section 204(c) of the Department of Veterans 
Affairs Health Care Programs Enhancement Act of 2001 (Public 
Law 107–135; 38 U.S.C. 1710 note) is amended— 
(1) by inserting ‘‘(1)’’ before ‘‘The program’’; and 
(2) by adding at the end the following new paragraph: 
‘‘(2) The program shall be carried out at not fewer than 
two medical centers or clinics in each Veterans Integrated 
Service Network by not later than December 31, 2019, and
H. R. 1625—476 
at not fewer than 50 percent of all medical centers in each 
Veterans Integrated Service Network by not later than 
December 31, 2021.’’. 
(b)(1) Paragraph (6) of section 1701 of title 38, United States 
Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new subpara-
graph: 
‘‘(H) Chiropractic services.’’. 
(2) Paragraph (8) of such section is amended by inserting ‘‘chiro-
practic,’’ after ‘‘counseling,’’. 
(3) Paragraph (9) of such section is amended— 
(A) by redesignating subparagraphs (F) through (K) as 
subparagraphs (G) through (L), respectively; and 
(B) by inserting after subparagraph (E) the following new 
subparagraph (F): 
‘‘(F) chiropractic examinations and services;’’. 
SEC. 246. (a) PILOT PROGRAM.—The Secretary of Veterans 
Affairs shall carry out a pilot program to provide educational assist-
ance to certain former members of the Armed Forces for education 
and training as physician assistants of the Department of Veterans 
Affairs. 
(b) ELIGIBLE INDIVIDUALS.—An individual is eligible to partici-
pate in the pilot program if the individual— 
(1) has medical or military health experience gained while 
serving as a member of the Armed Forces; 
(2) has received a certificate, associate degree, bacca-
laureate degree, master’s degree, or postbaccalaureate training 
in a science relating to health care; or 
(3) has participated in the delivery of healthcare services 
or related medical services, including participation in military 
training relating to the identification, evaluation, treatment, 
and prevention of diseases and disorders. 
(c) DURATION.—The pilot program shall be carried out during 
the 5-year period beginning on the date that is 180 days after 
the date of the enactment of this Act. 
(d) SELECTION.— 
(1) The Secretary shall select eligible individuals under 
subsection (b) to participate in the pilot program. 
(2) In selecting individuals to participate in the pilot pro-
gram under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall give priority 
to individuals who agree to be employed as a physician assistant 
for the Veterans Health Administration at a medical facility 
of the Department located in a community that— 
(A) is designated as a medically underserved popu-
lation under section 330(b)(3)(A) of the Public Health 
Service Act (42 U.S.C. 254b(b)(3)(A)); and 
(B) is in a State with a per capita population of vet-
erans of more than 5 percent according to the National 
Center for Veterans Analysis and Statistics and the United 
States Census Bureau. 
(e) EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE.—In carrying out the pilot pro-
gram, the Secretary shall provide educational assistance to individ-
uals participating in the pilot program, including through the use 
of scholarships, to cover the costs to such individuals of obtaining 
a master’s degree in physician assistant studies or a similar mas-
ter’s degree. 
(f) PERIOD OF OBLIGATED SERVICE.—The Secretary shall enter 
into an agreement with each individual participating in the pilot
H. R. 1625—477 
program in which such individual agrees to be employed as a 
physician assistant for the Veterans Health Administration for a 
period of obligated service to be determined by the Secretary. 
(g) BREACH.—An individual who participates in the pilot pro-
gram and fails to satisfy the period of obligated service under 
subsection (f) shall be liable to the United States, in lieu of such 
obligated service, for the amount that has been paid or is payable 
to or on behalf of the individual under the pilot program, reduced 
by the proportion that the number of days served for completion 
of the period of obligated service bears to the total number of 
days in the period of obligated service of such individual. 
(h) REPORT.—Not later than one year after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, in 
collaboration with the Secretary of Labor, the Secretary of Defense, 
and the Secretary of Health and Human Services, shall submit 
to Congress a report on the pilot program’s effectiveness of helping 
to meet the shortage of physician assistants employed by the 
Department. 
SEC. 247. For funds provided to the Department of Veterans 
Affairs for each of fiscal year 2018 and 2019, section 248 of Division 
A of Public Law 114–223 shall apply. 
SEC. 248. (a) The Secretary of Veterans Affairs may use 
amounts appropriated or otherwise made available in this title 
to ensure that the ratio of veterans to full-time employment equiva-
lents within any program of rehabilitation conducted under chapter 
31 of title 38, United States Code, does not exceed 125 veterans 
to one full-time employment equivalent. 
(b) Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment 
of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report on 
the programs of rehabilitation conducted under chapter 31 of title 
38, United States Code, including— 
(1) an assessment of the veteran-to-staff ratio for each 
such program; and 
(2) recommendations for such action as the Secretary con-
siders necessary to reduce the veteran-to-staff ratio for each 
such program. 
SEC. 249. None of the funds appropriated or otherwise made 
available in this title may be used by the Secretary of Veterans 
Affairs to enter into an agreement related to resolving a dispute 
or claim with an individual that would restrict in any way the 
individual from speaking to members of Congress or their staff 
on any topic not otherwise prohibited from disclosure by Federal 
law or required by Executive Order to be kept secret in the interest 
of national defense or the conduct of foreign affairs. 
SEC. 250. For funds provided to the Department of Veterans 
Affairs for each of fiscal year 2018 and 2019, section 258 of Division 
A of Public Law 114–223 shall apply. 
SEC. 251. (a) IN GENERAL.—Section 2402(a) of title 38, United 
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new 
paragraph: 
‘‘(10) Any individual— 
‘‘(A) who— 
‘‘(i) was naturalized pursuant to section 2(1) of 
the Hmong Veterans’ Naturalization Act of 2000 
(Public Law 106–207; 8 U.S.C. 1423 note); and 
‘‘(ii) at the time of the individual’s death resided 
in the United States.’’.
H. R. 1625—478 
(b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendment made by subsection (a) 
shall apply with respect to an individual dying on or after the 
date of the enactment of this Act. 
SEC. 252. The Secretary may carry out a 2-year pilot program 
making grants to nonprofit veterans services organizations recog-
nized by the Secretary in accordance with section 5902 of title 
38, United States Code, to upgrade, through construction and repair, 
VSO community facilities into health and wellness centers and 
to promote and expand complementary and integrative wellness 
programs: Provided, That no single grant may exceed a total of 
$500,000: Provided further, That the Secretary may not provide 
more than 20 grants during the 2-year pilot program: Provided 
further, That the recipient of a grant under this section may not 
use the grant to purchase real estate or to carry out repair of 
facilities leased by the recipient or to construct facilities on property 
leased by the recipient: Provided further, That the Secretary ensures 
that the grant recipients use grant funds to construct or repair 
facilities located in at least 10 different geographic locations in 
economically depressed areas or areas designated as highly rural 
that are not in close proximity to Department of Veterans Affairs 
medical centers: Provided further, That the Secretary shall report 
to the Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress 
no later than 180 days after enactment of this Act, on the grant 
program established under this section. 
SEC. 253. None of the funds appropriated in this or any other 
Act for ‘‘Grants for Construction of State Extended Care Facilities’’ 
may be used to award grants for applications included in priority 
one of the priority list for the first time which have been assigned 
a higher priority ranking for fiscal year 2018 than unfunded applica-
tions which met the eligibility requirements defined in section 
8135(c) of title 38, United States Code, in fiscal year 2017 and 
continue to meet those requirements in fiscal year 2018: Provided, 
That the Secretary may award grants for new applications in fiscal 
year 2018 for projects that did not meet eligibility requirements 
defined in section 8135(c) of title 38, United States Code, in fiscal 
year 2017 only after applications which met priority one eligibility 
requirements in fiscal year 2017 and continue to meet those require-
ments defined in section 8135(c) of title 38, United States Code, 
have been funded: Provided further, That nothing in this section 
shall preclude the Secretary from assigning a higher priority 
ranking or funding a grant application to correct conditions that 
threaten the life or safety of patients which meet the criteria 
laid out in section 8135(c) of title 38, United States Code. 
SEC. 254. None of the funds appropriated or otherwise made 
available by this Act may be used to conduct research using canines 
unless: the scientific objectives of the study can only be met by 
research with canines; the study has been directly approved by 
the Secretary; and the study is consistent with the revised Depart-
ment of Veterans Affairs canine research policy document released 
on December 18, 2017: Provided, That not later than 180 days 
after enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the 
Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress a detailed 
report outlining under what circumstances canine research may 
be needed if there are no other alternatives, how often it was 
used during that time period, and what protocols are in place 
to determine both the safety and efficacy of the research.