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ment and $3,532,000 for the Office of Employment Dis-
crimination Complaint Adjudication: Provided, That pay-
ments may be made in advance for services to be furnished 
based on estimated costs: Provided further, That amounts 
received shall be credited to the ‘‘General Administration’’ 
and ‘‘Information Technology Systems’’ accounts for use by 
the office that provided the service. 
SEC. 211. None of the funds in this or any other Act 
may be used to close Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) 
hospitals, domiciliaries, or clinics, conduct an environ-
mental assessment, or to diminish healthcare services at ex-
isting Veterans Health Administration medical facilities lo-
cated in Veterans Integrated Service Network 23 as part 
of a planned realignment of VA services until the Secretary 
provides to the Committees on Appropriations of both 
Houses of Congress a report including the following ele-
ments: 
(1) a national realignment strategy that includes 
a detailed description of realignment plans within 
each Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN), in-
cluding an updated Long Range Capital Plan to im-
plement realignment requirements; 
(2) an explanation of the process by which those 
plans were developed and coordinated within each 
VISN;
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(3) a cost vs. benefit analysis of each planned re-
alignment, including the cost of replacing Veterans 
Health Administration services with contract care or 
other outsourced services; 
(4) an analysis of how any such planned re-
alignment of services will impact access to care for 
veterans living in rural or highly rural areas, includ-
ing travel distances and transportation costs to access 
a VA medical facility and availability of local spe-
cialty and primary care; 
(5) an inventory of VA buildings with historic 
designation and the methodology used to determine 
the buildings’ condition and utilization; 
(6) a description of how any realignment will be 
consistent with requirements under the National His-
toric Preservation Act; and 
(7) consideration given for reuse of historic 
buildings within newly identified realignment re-
quirements: Provided, That, this provision shall not 
apply to capital projects in VISN 23, or any other 
VISN, which have been authorized or approved by 
Congress. 
SEC. 212. 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
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† HR 2577 EAS 
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 
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. 
(INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS) 
SEC. 213. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, 
proceeds or revenues derived from enhanced-use leasing ac-
tivities (including disposal) may be deposited into the 
‘‘Construction, Major Projects’’ and ‘‘Construction, Minor 
Projects’’ accounts and be used for construction (including 
site acquisition and disposition), alterations, and improve-
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’’.
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† HR 2577 EAS 
SEC. 214. Amounts made available under ‘‘Medical 
Services’’ are available— 
(1) for furnishing recreational facilities, sup-
plies, and equipment (including rehabilitative equip-
ment for veterans entitled to a prosthetic appliance 
under chapter 17 of title 38, United States Code, 
which may include recreational sports equipment that 
provides an adaption or accommodation for the vet-
eran, regardless of whether such equipment is inten-
tionally designed to be adaptive equipment, such as 
hand cycles, recumbent bicycles, medically adapted 
upright bicycles, and upright bicycles); 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. Such sums as may be deposited to the Med-
ical Care Collections Fund pursuant to section 1729A of 
title 38, United States Code, may be transferred to the 
‘‘Medical Services’’ and ‘‘Medical Community Care’’ ac-
counts, to remain available until expended for the purposes 
of these accounts. 
SEC. 216. The Secretary of Veterans Affairs may enter 
into agreements with Federally Qualified Health Centers in 
the State of Alaska and Indian tribes and tribal organiza-
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† HR 2577 EAS 
tions which are party to the Alaska Native Health Compact 
with the Indian Health Service, to provide healthcare, in-
cluding behavioral health and dental care, to veterans in 
rural Alaska. The Secretary shall require participating vet-
erans and facilities to comply with all appropriate rules 
and regulations, as established by the Secretary. The term 
‘‘rural Alaska’’ shall mean those lands which are not within 
the boundaries of the municipality of Anchorage or the 
Fairbanks North Star Borough. 
(INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS) 
SEC. 217. Such sums as may be deposited to the De-
partment of Veterans Affairs Capital Asset Fund pursuant 
to section 8118 of title 38, United States Code, may be 
transferred to the ‘‘Construction, Major Projects’’ and ‘‘Con-
struction, Minor Projects’’ accounts, to remain available 
until expended for the purposes of these accounts. 
(RESCISSION OF FUNDS) 
SEC. 218. Of the amounts appropriated in title II of 
division J of Public Law 114–113 under the heading ‘‘Med-
ical Services’’ which become available on October 1, 2016, 
$7,246,181,000 are hereby rescinded. 
SEC. 219. Not later than 30 days after the end of each 
fiscal quarter, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit 
to the Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of Con-
gress a report on the financial status of the Department
248 
† HR 2577 EAS 
of Veterans Affairs for the preceding quarter: Provided, 
That, at a minimum, the report shall include the direction 
contained in the explanatory statement described in section 
4 in the matter preceding division A of the Consolidated 
Appropriations Act, 2016 Public Law 114–113 in title II 
of Division J of the consolidated Act in the paragraph enti-
tled ‘‘Quarterly Report’’, under the heading ‘‘General Ad-
ministration’’. 
(INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS) 
SEC. 220. Amounts made available under the ‘‘Medical 
Services’’, ‘‘Medical Community Care’’, ‘‘Medical Support 
and Compliance’’, ‘‘Medical Facilities’’, ‘‘General Oper-
ating Expenses, Veterans Benefits Administration’’, ‘‘Gen-
eral Administration’’, and ‘‘National Cemetery Adminis-
tration’’ accounts for fiscal year 2017 may be transferred 
to or from the ‘‘Information Technology Systems’’ account: 
Provided, That such transfers may not result in a more 
than 10 percent aggregate increase in the total amount 
made available by this Act for the ‘‘Information Technology 
Systems’’ account: Provided further, That, before a transfer 
may take place, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall re-
quest from the Committees on Appropriations of both 
Houses of Congress the authority to make the transfer and 
an approval is issued.
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† HR 2577 EAS 
SEC. 221. None of the funds appropriated or otherwise 
made available by this Act or any other Act for the Depart-
ment of Veterans Affairs may be used in a manner that 
is inconsistent with: (1) section 842 of the Transportation, 
Treasury, Housing and Urban Development, the Judiciary, 
the District of Columbia, and Independent Agencies Appro-
priations Act, 2006 (Public Law 109–115; 119 Stat. 2506); 
or (2) section 8110(a)(5) of title 38, United States Code. 
(INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS) 
SEC. 222. Of the amounts appropriated to the Depart-
ment of Veterans Affairs for fiscal year 2017 for ‘‘Medical 
Services’’, ‘‘Medical Support and Compliance’’, ‘‘Medical 
Facilities’’, ‘‘Construction, Minor Projects’’, and ‘‘Informa-
tion Technology Systems’’, up to $274,731,000, plus reim-
bursements, may be transferred to the Joint Department of 
Defense-Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Facility 
Demonstration Fund, established by section 1704 of the Na-
tional Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010 (Pub-
lic Law 111–84; 123 Stat. 3571) and may be used for oper-
ation of the facilities designated as combined Federal med-
ical facilities as described by section 706 of the Duncan 
Hunter National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 
2009 (Public Law 110–417; 122 Stat. 4500): Provided, 
That additional funds may be transferred from accounts 
designated in this section to the Joint Department of De-
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† HR 2577 EAS 
fense-Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Facility 
Demonstration Fund upon written notification by the Sec-
retary of Veterans Affairs to the Committees on Appropria-
tions of both Houses of Congress: Provided further, That sec-
tion 223 of title II of division J of Public Law 114–113 
is repealed. 
(INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS) 
SEC. 223. Of the amounts appropriated to the Depart-
ment of Veterans Affairs which become available on October 
1, 2017, for ‘‘Medical Services’’, ‘‘Medical Support and 
Compliance’’, 
and 
‘‘Medical 
Facilities’’, 
up 
to 
$280,802,000, plus reimbursements, may be transferred to 
the Joint Department of Defense-Department of Veterans 
Affairs Medical Facility Demonstration Fund, established 
by section 1704 of the National Defense Authorization Act 
for Fiscal Year 2010 (Public Law 111–84; 123 Stat. 3571) 
and may be used for operation of the facilities designated 
as combined Federal medical facilities as described by sec-
tion 706 of the Duncan Hunter National Defense Author-
ization Act for Fiscal Year 2009 (Public Law 110–417; 122 
Stat. 4500): Provided, That additional funds may be trans-
ferred from accounts designated in this section to the Joint 
Department of Defense-Department of Veterans Affairs 
Medical Facility Demonstration Fund upon written notifi-
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† HR 2577 EAS 
cation by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to the Commit-
tees on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress. 
(INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS) 
SEC. 224. Such sums as may be deposited to the Med-
ical Care Collections Fund pursuant to section 1729A of 
title 38, United States Code, for healthcare provided at fa-
cilities designated as combined Federal medical facilities as 
described by section 706 of the Duncan Hunter National 
Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2009 (Public 
Law 110–417; 122 Stat. 4500) shall also be available: (1) 
for transfer to the Joint Department of Defense-Department 
of Veterans Affairs Medical Facility Demonstration Fund, 
established by section 1704 of the National Defense Author-
ization Act for Fiscal Year 2010 (Public Law 111–84; 123 
Stat. 3571); and (2) for operations of the facilities des-
ignated as combined Federal medical facilities as described 
by section 706 of the Duncan Hunter National Defense Au-
thorization Act for Fiscal Year 2009 (Public Law 110–417; 
122 Stat. 4500). 
(INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS) 
SEC. 225. Of the amounts available in this title for 
‘‘Medical Services’’, ‘‘Medical Support and Compliance’’, 
and ‘‘Medical Facilities’’, a minimum of $15,000,000 shall 
be transferred to the DOD–VA Health Care Sharing Incen-
tive Fund, as authorized by section 8111(d) of title 38,
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† HR 2577 EAS 
United States Code, to remain available until expended, for 
any purpose authorized by section 8111 of title 38, United 
States Code. 
SEC. 226. None of the funds available to the Depart-
ment of Veterans Affairs, in this or any other Act, may 
be used to replace the current system by which the Veterans 
Integrated Service Networks select and contract for diabetes 
monitoring supplies and equipment. 
SEC. 227. The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall no-
tify the Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of 
Congress of all bid savings in a major construction project 
that total at least $5,000,000, or 5 percent of the pro-
grammed amount of the project, whichever is less: Provided, 
That such notification shall occur within 14 days of a con-
tract identifying the programmed amount: Provided fur-
ther, That the Secretary shall notify the Committees on Ap-
propriations of both Houses of Congress 14 days prior to 
the obligation of such bid savings and shall describe the an-
ticipated use of such savings. 
SEC. 228. None of the funds made available for ‘‘Con-
struction, Major Projects’’ may be used for a project in ex-
cess of the scope specified for that project in the original 
justification data provided to the Congress as part of the 
request for appropriations unless the Secretary of Veterans
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† HR 2577 EAS 
Affairs receives approval from the Committees on Appro-
priations of both Houses of Congress. 
SEC. 229. The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall sub-
mit to the Committees on Appropriations of both Houses 
of Congress a quarterly report that contains the following 
information from each Veterans Benefits Administration 
Regional Office: (1) the average time to complete a dis-
ability compensation claim; (2) the number of claims pend-
ing more than 125 days, disaggregated by initial and sup-
plemental claims; (3) error rates; (4) the number of claims 
personnel; (5) any corrective action taken within the quar-
ter to address poor performance; (6) training programs un-
dertaken; (7) the number and results of Quality Review 
Team audits; (8) the number of claims completed by each 
Regional Office based on the Regional Office being the sta-
tion of jurisdiction; and (9) the number of claims completed 
by each Regional Office based on the Regional Office being 
the station of origin: Provided, That each quarterly report 
shall be submitted no later than 30 days after the end of 
the respective quarter. 
SEC. 230. Of the funds provided to the Department of 
Veterans Affairs for fiscal year 2017 for ‘‘Medical Support 
and Compliance’’ a maximum of $40,000,000 may be obli-
gated from the ‘‘Medical Support and Compliance’’ account 
for the VistA Evolution and electronic health record inter-
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† HR 2577 EAS 
operability projects: Provided, That funds in addition to 
these amounts may be obligated for the VistA Evolution and 
electronic health record interoperability projects upon writ-
ten notification by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to the 
Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress. 
SEC. 231. The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall pro-
vide written notification to the Committees on Appropria-
tions of both Houses of Congress 15 days prior to organiza-
tional changes which result in the transfer of 25 or more 
full-time equivalents from one organizational unit of the 
Department of Veterans Affairs to another. 
(INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS) 
SEC. 232. Amounts made available for the Department 
of Veterans Affairs for fiscal year 2017, under the ‘‘Board 
of Veterans Appeals’’ and the ‘‘General Operating Expenses, 
Veterans Benefits Administration’’ accounts may be trans-
ferred between such accounts: Provided, That before a trans-
fer may take place, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall 
request from the Committees on Appropriations of both 
Houses of Congress the authority to make the transfer and 
receive approval of that request. 
(RESCISSION OF FUNDS) 
SEC. 233. Of the unobligated balances available within 
the ‘‘DOD–VA Health Care Sharing Incentive Fund’’, 
$52,000,000 are hereby rescinded.
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† HR 2577 EAS 
SEC. 234. The Secretary of Veterans Affairs may not 
reprogram funds among major construction projects or pro-
grams if such instance of reprogramming will exceed 
$5,000,000, unless such reprogramming is approved by the 
Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress. 
SEC. 235. 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 Compensa-
tion Fund to any other account within the Department of 
Veterans Affairs. 
SEC. 236. Paragraph (3) of section 403(a) of the Vet-
erans’ Mental Health and Other Care Improvements Act of 
2008 (Public Law 110–387; 38 U.S.C. 1703 note) is amend-
ed to read as follows: 
‘‘(3) DURATION.—A veteran may receive health 
services under this section during the period begin-
ning on the date specified in paragraph (2) and end-
ing on September 30, 2018.’’. 
SEC. 237. (a) Section 1722A(a) of title 38, United 
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following 
new paragraph: 
‘‘(4) Paragraph (1) does not apply to opioid an-
tagonists furnished under this chapter to a veteran 
who is at high risk for overdose of a specific medica-
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† HR 2577 EAS 
tion or substance in order to reverse the effect of such 
an overdose.’’. 
(b) Section 1710(g)(3) of such title is amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘with respect to home health serv-
ices’’ and inserting ‘‘with respect to the following:’’ 
‘‘(A) Home health services’’; and 
(2) by adding at the end the following new sub-
paragraph: 
‘‘(B) Education on the use of opioid antago-
nists to reverse the effects of overdoses of specific 
medications or substances.’’. 
SEC. 238. Section 312 of title 38, United States Code, 
is amended in subsection(c)(1) by striking the phrase ‘‘that 
makes a recommendation or otherwise suggests corrective 
action,’’. 
SEC. 239. The Department of Veterans Affairs is au-
thorized to administer financial assistance grants and enter 
into cooperative agreements with organizations, utilizing a 
competitive selection process, to train and employ homeless 
and at-risk veterans in natural resource conservation man-
agement. 
SEC. 240. The Department of Veterans Affairs shall 
seek to enter into an agreement with the National Academy 
of Medicine for an assessment on research relating to the 
descendants of individuals with toxic exposure and to evalu-
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† HR 2577 EAS 
ate the feasibility of a research entity or entities to conduct 
research relating to health conditions of descendants of vet-
erans with toxic exposure while serving in the Armed 
Forces. 
SEC. 241. Of the funds provided to the Department of 
Veterans Affairs for each of fiscal year 2017 and fiscal year 
2018 for ‘‘Medical Services’’, $3,000,000 in each year for 
carrying out and expanding to each medical center of the 
Department the child care program authorized by section 
205 of Public Law 111–163, notwithstanding subsection (e) 
of such section. 
SEC. 242. Section 5701(l) of title 38, United States 
Code, is amended by striking ‘‘may’’ and inserting ‘‘shall’’. 
SEC. 243. (a) The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall, 
as part of the hiring process for each health care provider 
considered for a position at the Department of Veterans Af-
fairs after the date of the enactment of this Act, require 
from the medical board of each State in which the health 
care provider holds or has held a medical license— 
(1) information on any violation of the require-
ments of the medical license of the health care pro-
vider; and 
(2) information on whether the health care pro-
vider has entered into any settlement agreement for a
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† HR 2577 EAS 
disciplinary charge relating to the practice of medi-
cine by the health care provider. 
(b) The Secretary shall prescribe regulations to carry 
out this section. 
SEC. 244. (a) Notwithstanding section 552a of title 5, 
United States Code, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall, 
with respect to each health care provider of the Department 
of Veterans Affairs that has violated a requirement of their 
medical license, provide to the medical board of each State 
in which the health care provider is licensed or practices 
all relevant information contained in the State Licensing 
Board Reporting File or any successor file of the Depart-
ment with respect to such violation. 
(b) The Secretary shall provide the information re-
quired in subsection (a) to a medical board described in 
such subsection notwithstanding that such board may not 
have formally requested such information from the Depart-
ment. 
(INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS) 
SEC. 245. Upon determination by the Secretary of Vet-
erans Affairs that such action is necessary for providing 
health care, benefits and other services, the Secretary may 
transfer amounts made available to the Department of Vet-
erans Affairs for fiscal year 2017 by this Act between any 
discretionary appropriations accounts for fiscal year 2017:
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† HR 2577 EAS 
Provided, That amounts so transferred shall be merged with 
the account to which transferred: Provided further, That the 
total amount that the Secretary may transfer under this 
section may not exceed two percent of the total discretionary 
appropriations made available to the Department for fiscal 
year 2017 by this Act: Provided further, That a transfer 
of funds between the ‘‘Medical Services’’, ‘‘Medical Commu-
nity Care’’, ‘‘Medical Support and Compliance’’, and 
‘‘Medical Facilities’’ accounts shall not be counted toward 
the two percent limitation in the previous proviso: Provided 
further, That the transfer authority provided by this section 
may be exercised only to support activities in an appro-
priations account that have a higher priority than those 
undertaken in the appropriations account from which budg-
et authority is transferred, as determined by the Secretary: 
Provided further, That such transfer authority may not be 
used to provide budget authority for an activity that the 
Secretary lacks the authority to carry out: Provided further, 
That the transfer authority provided in this section is in 
addition to any other transfer authority provided by law: 
Provided further, That before a transfer may take place, 
the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall request from the 
Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress 
the authority to make the transfer and receive approval of 
that request.
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† HR 2577 EAS 
VA PATIENT PROTECTION ACT OF 2016 
SEC. 246. (a) PROCEDURE AND ADMINISTRATION.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 7 of title 38, United States 
Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new 
subchapter: 
‘‘SUBCHAPTER II—WHISTLEBLOWER 
COMPLAINTS 
‘‘§ 731. Whistleblower complaint defined 
‘‘In this subchapter, the term ‘whistleblower complaint’ 
means a complaint by an employee of the Department dis-
closing, or assisting another employee to disclose, a poten-
tial violation of any law, rule, or regulation, or gross mis-
management, gross waste of funds, abuse of authority, or 
substantial and specific danger to public health and safety. 
‘‘§ 732. Treatment of whistleblower complaints 
‘‘(a) FILING.—(1) In addition to any other method es-
tablished by law in which an employee may file a whistle-
blower complaint, an employee of the Department may file 
a whistleblower complaint in accordance with subsection (g) 
with a supervisor of the employee. 
‘‘(2) Except as provided by subsection (d)(1), in mak-
ing a whistleblower complaint under paragraph (1), an em-
ployee shall file the initial complaint with the immediate 
supervisor of the employee.
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† HR 2577 EAS 
‘‘(b) NOTIFICATION.—(1)(A) Not later than four busi-
ness days after the date on which a supervisor receives a 
whistleblower complaint by an employee under this section, 
the supervisor shall notify, in writing, the employee of 
whether the supervisor determines that there is a reasonable 
likelihood that the complaint discloses a violation of any 
law, rule, or regulation, or gross mismanagement, gross 
waste of funds, abuse of authority, or substantial and spe-
cific danger to public health and safety. 
‘‘(B) The supervisor shall retain written documenta-
tion regarding the whistleblower complaint and shall sub-
mit to the next-level supervisor and the central whistle-
blower office described in subsection (h) a written report 
on the complaint. 
‘‘(2)(A) On a monthly basis, the supervisor shall sub-
mit to the appropriate director or other official who is supe-
rior to the supervisor a written report that includes the 
number of whistleblower complaints received by the super-
visor under this section during the month covered by the 
report, the disposition of such complaints, and any actions 
taken because of such complaints pursuant to subsection (c). 
‘‘(B) In the case in which such a director or official 
carries out this paragraph, the director or official shall sub-
mit such monthly report to the supervisor of the director
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† HR 2577 EAS 
or official and to the central whistleblower office described 
in subsection (h). 
‘‘(c) POSITIVE
DETERMINATION.—If a supervisor 
makes a positive determination under subsection (b)(1) re-
garding a whistleblower complaint of an employee, the su-
pervisor shall include in the notification to the employee 
under such subsection the specific actions that the super-
visor will take to address the complaint. 
‘‘(d) FILING COMPLAINT WITH NEXT-LEVEL SUPER-
VISORS.—(1) If any circumstance described in paragraph 
(3) is met, an employee may file a whistleblower complaint 
in accordance with subsection (g) with the next-level super-
visor who shall treat such complaint in accordance with 
this section. 
‘‘(2) An employee may file a whistleblower complaint 
with the Secretary if the employee has filed the whistle-
blower complaint to each level of supervisors between the 
employee and the Secretary in accordance with paragraph 
(1). 
‘‘(3) A circumstance described in this paragraph is 
any of the following circumstances: 
‘‘(A) A supervisor does not make a timely deter-
mination under subsection (b)(1) regarding a whistle-
blower complaint.
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† HR 2577 EAS 
‘‘(B) The employee who made a whistleblower 
complaint determines that the supervisor did not ade-
quately address the complaint pursuant to subsection 
(c). 
‘‘(C) The immediate supervisor of the employee 
is the basis of the whistleblower complaint. 
‘‘(e) TRANSFER OF EMPLOYEE WHO FILES WHISTLE-
BLOWER COMPLAINT.—If a supervisor makes a positive de-
termination under subsection (b)(1) regarding a whistle-
blower complaint filed by an employee, the Secretary 
shall— 
‘‘(1) inform the employee of the ability to volun-
teer for a transfer in accordance with section 3352 of 
title 5; and 
‘‘(2) give preference to the employee for such a 
transfer in accordance with such section. 
‘‘(f) PROHIBITION
ON EXEMPTION.—The Secretary 
may not exempt any employee of the Department from 
being covered by this section. 
‘‘(g) WHISTLEBLOWER
COMPLAINT
FORM.—(1) A 
whistleblower complaint filed by an employee under sub-
section (a) or (d) shall consist of the form described in para-
graph (2) and any supporting materials or documentation 
the employee determines necessary.
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† HR 2577 EAS 
‘‘(2) The form described in this paragraph is a form 
developed by the Secretary, in consultation with the Special 
Counsel, that includes the following: 
‘‘(A) An explanation of the purpose of the whis-
tleblower complaint form. 
‘‘(B) Instructions for filing a whistleblower com-
plaint as described in this section. 
‘‘(C) An explanation that filing a whistleblower 
complaint under this section does not preclude the 
employee from any other method established by law in 
which an employee may file a whistleblower com-
plaint. 
‘‘(D) A statement directing the employee to in-
formation accessible on the Internet website of the De-
partment as described in section 735(d). 
‘‘(E) Fields for the employee to provide— 
‘‘(i) the date that the form is submitted; 
‘‘(ii) the name of the employee; 
‘‘(iii) the contact information of the em-
ployee; 
‘‘(iv) a summary of the whistleblower com-
plaint (including the option to append sup-
porting documents pursuant to paragraph (1)); 
and 
‘‘(v) proposed solutions to the complaint.
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† HR 2577 EAS 
‘‘(F) Any other information or fields that the 
Secretary determines appropriate. 
‘‘(3) The Secretary, in consultation with the Special 
Counsel, shall develop the form described in paragraph (2) 
by not later than 60 days after the date of the enactment 
of this section. 
‘‘(h) CENTRAL WHISTLEBLOWER OFFICE.—(1) The 
Secretary shall ensure that the central whistleblower of-
fice— 
‘‘(A) is not an element of the Office of the Gen-
eral Counsel; 
‘‘(B) is not headed by an official who reports to 
the General Counsel; 
‘‘(C) does not provide, or receive from, the Gen-
eral Counsel any information regarding a whistle-
blower complaint except pursuant to an action re-
garding the complaint before an administrative body 
or court; and 
‘‘(D) does not provide advice to the General 
Counsel. 
‘‘(2) The central whistleblower office shall be respon-
sible for investigating all whistleblower complaints of the 
Department, regardless of whether such complaints are 
made by or against an employee who is not a member of 
the Senior Executive Service.
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† HR 2577 EAS 
‘‘(3) The Secretary shall ensure that the central whis-
tleblower office maintains a toll-free hotline to anonymously 
receive whistleblower complaints. 
‘‘(4) The Secretary shall ensure that the central whis-
tleblower office has such staff and resources as the Secretary 
considers necessary to carry out the functions of the central 
whistleblower office. 
‘‘(5) In this subsection, the term ‘central whistleblower 
office’ means the Office of Accountability Review or a suc-
cessor office that is established or designated by the Sec-
retary to investigate whistleblower complaints filed under 
this section or any other method established by law. 
‘‘§ 733. Adverse actions against supervisory employees 
who commit prohibited personnel actions 
relating to whistleblower complaints 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—(1) In accordance with paragraph 
(2), the Secretary shall carry out the following adverse ac-
tions against supervisory employees (as defined in section 
7103(a) of title 5) whom the Secretary, an administrative 
judge, the Merit Systems Protection Board, the Office of 
Special Counsel, an adjudicating body provided under a 
union contract, a Federal judge, or the Inspector General 
of the Department determines committed a prohibited per-
sonnel action described in subsection (c):
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† HR 2577 EAS 
‘‘(A) With respect to the first offense, an adverse 
action that is not less than a 12-day suspension and 
not more than removal. 
‘‘(B) With respect to the second offense, removal. 
‘‘(2)(A) An employee against whom an adverse action 
under paragraph (1) is proposed is entitled to written no-
tice. 
‘‘(B)(i) An employee who is notified under subpara-
graph (A) of being the subject of a proposed adverse action 
under paragraph (1) is entitled to 14 days following such 
notification to answer and furnish evidence in support of 
the answer. 
‘‘(ii) If the employee does not furnish any such evi-
dence as described in clause (i) or if the Secretary deter-
mines that such evidence is not sufficient to reverse the de-
termination to propose the adverse action, the Secretary 
shall carry out the adverse action following such 14-day pe-
riod. 
‘‘(C) Paragraphs (1) and (2) of subsection (b) of sec-
tion 7513 of title 5, subsection (c) of such section, para-
graphs (1) and (2) of subsection (b) of section 7543 of such 
title, and subsection (c) of such section shall not apply with 
respect to an adverse action carried out under paragraph 
(1).
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‘‘(A) Whether the supervisor treats whistleblower 
complaints in accordance with section 732 of this 
title. 
‘‘(B) Whether the appropriate deciding official, 
performance review board, or performance review 
committee determines that the supervisor was found 
to have committed a prohibited personnel action de-
scribed in section 733(b) of this title by an adminis-
trative judge, the Merit Systems Protection Board, the 
Office of Special Counsel, an adjudicating body pro-
vided under a union contract, a Federal judge, or, in 
the case of a settlement of a whistleblower complaint 
(regardless of whether any fault was assigned under 
such settlement), the Secretary. 
‘‘(b) BONUSES.—(1) The Secretary may not pay to a 
supervisor described in subsection (a)(2)(B) an award or 
bonus under this title or title 5, including under chapter 
45 or 53 of such title, during the one-year period beginning 
on the date on which the determination was made under 
such subsection. 
‘‘(2) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the 
Secretary shall issue an order directing a supervisor de-
scribed in subsection (a)(2)(B) to repay the amount of any 
award or bonus paid under this title or title 5, including 
under chapter 45 or 53 of such title, if—
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‘‘(A) such award or bonus was paid for perform-
ance during a period in which the supervisor com-
mitted a prohibited personnel action as determined 
pursuant to such subsection (a)(2)(B); 
‘‘(B) the Secretary determines such repayment 
appropriate pursuant to regulations prescribed by the 
Secretary to carry out this section; and 
‘‘(C) the supervisor is afforded notice and an op-
portunity for a hearing before making such repay-
ment. 
‘‘§ 735. Training regarding whistleblower complaints 
‘‘(a) TRAINING.—Not less frequently than once each 
year, the Secretary, in coordination with the Whistleblower 
Protection Ombudsman designated under section 3(d)(1)(C) 
of the Inspector General Act of 1978 (5 U.S.C. App.), shall 
provide to each employee of the Department training re-
garding whistleblower complaints, including— 
‘‘(1) an explanation of each method established 
by law in which an employee may file a whistleblower 
complaint; 
‘‘(2) an explanation of prohibited personnel ac-
tions described by section 733(c) of this title; 
‘‘(3) with respect to supervisors, how to treat 
whistleblower complaints in accordance with section 
732 of this title;
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‘‘(4) the right of the employee to petition Con-
gress regarding a whistleblower complaint in accord-
ance with section 7211 of title 5; 
‘‘(5) an explanation that the employee may not 
be prosecuted or reprised against for disclosing infor-
mation to Congress, the Inspector General, or another 
investigatory agency in instances where such disclo-
sure is permitted by law, including under sections 
5701, 5705, and 7732 of this title, under section 552a 
of title 5 (commonly referred to as the Privacy Act), 
under chapter 93 of title 18, and pursuant to regula-
tions promulgated under section 264(c) of the Health 
Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 
(Public Law 104–191); 
‘‘(6) an explanation of the language that is re-
quired to be included in all nondisclosure policies, 
forms, and agreements pursuant to section 115(a)(1) 
of the Whistleblower Protection Enhancement Act of 
2012 (5 U.S.C. 2302 note); and 
‘‘(7) the right of contractors to be protected from 
reprisal for the disclosure of certain information 
under section 4705 or 4712 of title 41. 
‘‘(b) MANNER TRAINING IS PROVIDED.—The Secretary 
shall ensure that training provided under subsection (a) is 
provided in person.
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‘‘(c) CERTIFICATION.—Not less frequently than once 
each year, the Secretary shall provide training on merit 
system protection in a manner that the Special Counsel cer-
tifies as being satisfactory. 
‘‘(d) PUBLICATION.—(1) The Secretary shall publish 
on the Internet website of the Department, and display 
prominently at each facility of the Department, the rights 
of an employee to file a whistleblower complaint, including 
the information described in paragraphs (1) through (7) of 
subsection (a). 
‘‘(2) The Secretary shall publish on the Internet 
website of the Department, the whistleblower complaint 
form described in section 732(g)(2). 
‘‘§ 736. Reports to Congress 
‘‘(a) ANNUAL REPORTS.—Not less frequently than once 
each year, the Secretary shall submit to the appropriate 
committees of Congress a report that includes— 
‘‘(1) with respect to whistleblower complaints 
filed under section 732 of this title during the year 
covered by the report— 
‘‘(A) the number of such complaints filed; 
‘‘(B) the disposition of such complaints; and 
‘‘(C) the ways in which the Secretary ad-
dressed such complaints in which a positive de-
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† HR 2577 EAS 
termination was made by a supervisor under 
subsection (b)(1) of such section; 
‘‘(2) the number of whistleblower complaints 
filed during the year covered by the report that are 
not included under paragraph (1), including— 
‘‘(A) the method in which such complaints 
were filed; 
‘‘(B) the disposition of such complaints; and 
‘‘(C) the ways in which the Secretary ad-
dressed such complaints; and 
‘‘(3) with respect to disclosures made by a con-
tractor under section 4705 or 4712 of title 41— 
‘‘(A) the number of complaints relating to 
such disclosures that were investigated by the In-
spector General of the Department of Veterans 
Affairs during the year covered by the report; 
‘‘(B) the disposition of such complaints; and 
‘‘(C) the ways in which the Secretary ad-
dressed such complaints. 
‘‘(b) NOTICE OF OFFICE OF SPECIAL COUNSEL DE-
TERMINATIONS.—Not later than 30 days after the date on 
which the Secretary receives from the Special Counsel infor-
mation relating to a whistleblower complaint pursuant to 
section 1213 of title 5, the Secretary shall notify the appro-
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† HR 2577 EAS 
priate committees of Congress of such information, includ-
ing the determination made by the Special Counsel. 
‘‘(c) APPROPRIATE COMMITTEES OF CONGRESS.—In 
this section, the term ‘appropriate committees of Congress’ 
means— 
‘‘(1) the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs and the 
Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental 
Affairs of the Senate; and 
‘‘(2) the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs and the 
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform of 
the House of Representatives.’’. 
(2) CONFORMING AND CLERICAL AMENDMENTS.— 
(A) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—Such chapter is 
further amended by inserting before section 701 the 
following: 
‘‘SUBCHAPTER I—GENERAL EMPLOYEE 
MATTERS’’. 
(B) CLERICAL AMENDMENTS.—The table of sec-
tions at the beginning of such chapter is amended— 
(i) by inserting before the item relating to 
section 701 the following new item: 
‘‘SUBCHAPTER I—GENERAL EMPLOYEE MATTERS’’; 
and 
(ii) by adding at the end the following new 
items:
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‘‘SUBCHAPTER II—WHISTLEBLOWER COMPLAINTS 
‘‘731. Whistleblower complaint defined. 
‘‘732. Treatment of whistleblower complaints. 
‘‘733. Adverse actions against supervisory employees who commit prohibited per-
sonnel actions relating to whistleblower complaints. 
‘‘734. Evaluation criteria of supervisors and treatment of bonuses. 
‘‘735. Training regarding whistleblower complaints. 
‘‘736. Reports to Congress.’’. 
(b) TREATMENT OF CONGRESSIONAL TESTIMONY BY 
DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS EMPLOYEES AS OFFI-
CIAL DUTY.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Subchapter I of chapter 7 of 
title 38, United States Code, as designated by section 
2(a)(2)(A), is amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing new section: 
‘‘§ 715. Congressional testimony by employees: treat-
ment as official duty 
‘‘(a) CONGRESSIONAL TESTIMONY.—An employee of 
the Department is performing official duty during the pe-
riod with respect to which the employee is testifying in an 
official capacity in front of either chamber of Congress, a 
committee of either chamber of Congress, or a joint or select 
committee of Congress. 
‘‘(b) TRAVEL EXPENSES.—The Secretary shall provide 
travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, 
in accordance with applicable provisions under subchapter 
I of chapter 57 of title 5, to any employee of the Department 
of Veterans Affairs performing official duty described under 
subsection (a).’’.
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(2) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sec-
tions at the beginning of such chapter, as amended by 
section 2(a)(2)(B), is further amended by inserting 
after the item relating to section 713 the following 
new item: 
‘‘715. Congressional testimony by employees: treatment as official duty.’’. 
SEC. 247. (a) Notwithstanding any other provision of 
law, of the amounts appropriated or otherwise made avail-
able to the Department of Veterans Affairs for the ‘‘Medical 
Services’’ account, for fiscal year 2017, not less than 
$18,000,000, and for fiscal year 2018, not less than 
$70,000,000, shall be used for the provision of fertility treat-
ment and counseling, including treatment using assisted re-
productive technology, to veterans and their spouses if the 
veteran has a service-connected condition that results in the 
veteran being unable to procreate without the use of such 
fertility treatment. 
(b) In this section, the term ‘‘service-connected condi-
tion’’ means a condition that was incurred or aggravated 
in line of duty in the active military, naval, or air service 
(as defined in section 101 of title 38, United States Code). 
SEC. 248. None of the amounts appropriated or other-
wise made available by title II may be used to carry out 
the Home Marketing Incentive Program of the Department 
of Veterans Affairs or to carry out the Appraisal Value 
Offer Program of the Department with respect to an em-
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† HR 2577 EAS 
ployee of the Department in a senior executive position (as 
defined in section 713(g) of title 38, United States Code): 
Provided, That the Secretary may waive this prohibition 
with respect to the use of the Home Marketing Incentive 
Program and Appraisal Value Offer Program to recruit for 
a position for which recruitment or retention of qualified 
personnel is likely to be difficult in the absence of the use 
of these incentives: Provided further, That within 15 days 
of a determination by the Secretary to waive this prohibi-
tion, the Secretary shall submit written notification thereof 
to the Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of Con-
gress containing the reasons and identifying the position 
title for which the waiver has been issued. 
SEC. 249. None of the funds appropriated or otherwise 
made available to the Department of Veterans Affairs in 
this Act may be used in a manner that would— 
(1) interfere with the ability of a veteran to par-
ticipate in a medicinal marijuana program approved 
by a State; 
(2) deny any services from the Department to a 
veteran who is participating in such a program; or 
(3) limit or interfere with the ability of a health 
care provider of the Department to make appropriate 
recommendations, fill out forms, or take steps to com-
ply with such a program.
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† HR 2577 EAS 
SEC. 250. (a) IN GENERAL.—For the purposes of 
verifying that an individual performed service under honor-
able conditions that satisfies the requirements of a coastwise 
merchant seaman who is recognized pursuant to section 401 
of the GI Bill Improvement Act of 1977 (Public Law 95– 
202; 38 U.S.C. 106 note) as having performed active duty 
service for the purposes described in subsection (c)(1), the 
Secretary of Defense shall accept the following: 
(1) In the case of an individual who served on 
a coastwise merchant vessel seeking such recognition 
for whom no applicable Coast Guard shipping or dis-
charge form, ship logbook, merchant mariner’s docu-
ment or Z-card, or other official employment record 
is available, the Secretary of Defense shall provide 
such recognition on the basis of applicable Social Se-
curity Administration records submitted for or by the 
individual, together with validated testimony given 
by the individual or the primary next of kin of the 
individual that the individual performed such service 
during the period beginning on December 7, 1941, 
and ending on December 31, 1946. 
(2) In the case of an individual who served on 
a coastwise merchant vessel seeking such recognition 
for whom the applicable Coast Guard shipping or dis-
charge form, ship logbook, merchant mariner’s docu-
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† HR 2577 EAS 
ment or Z-card, or other official employment record 
has been destroyed or otherwise become unavailable by 
reason of any action committed by a person respon-
sible for the control and maintenance of such form, 
logbook, or record, the Secretary of Defense shall ac-
cept other official documentation demonstrating that 
the individual performed such service during period 
beginning on December 7, 1941, and ending on De-
cember 31, 1946. 
(3) For the purpose of determining whether to 
recognize service allegedly performed during the pe-
riod beginning on December 7, 1941, and ending on 
December 31, 1946, the Secretary shall recognize mas-
ters of seagoing vessels or other officers in command 
of similarly organized groups as agents of the United 
States who were authorized to document any indi-
vidual for purposes of hiring the individual to per-
form service in the merchant marine or discharging 
an individual from such service. 
(b) TREATMENT OF OTHER DOCUMENTATION.—Other 
documentation accepted by the Secretary of Defense pursu-
ant to subsection (a)(2) shall satisfy all requirements for 
eligibility of service during the period beginning on Decem-
ber 7, 1941, and ending on December 31, 1946. 
(c) BENEFITS ALLOWED.—
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† HR 2577 EAS 
(1) MEDALS, RIBBONS, AND DECORATIONS.—An 
individual whose service is recognized as active duty 
pursuant to subsection (a) may be awarded an appro-
priate medal, ribbon, or other military decoration 
based on such service. 
(2) STATUS OF VETERAN.—An individual whose 
service is recognized as active duty pursuant to sub-
section (a) shall be honored as a veteran but shall not 
be entitled by reason of such recognized service to any 
benefit that is not described in this subsection. 
SEC. 251. (a) The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall 
ensure that the Readjustment Counseling Service of the De-
partment of Veterans Affairs coordinates directly with the 
Office of Rural Health of the Department on efforts to ex-
pand the capacity of Vet Centers (as defined in section 
1712A(h) of title 38, United States Code) in order to ensure 
that the readjustment and psychological counseling needs 
of veterans in rural and highly rural communities are met. 
(b) Not later than one year after the date of the enact-
ment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the Com-
mittee on Appropriations of the Senate and the Committee 
on Appropriations of the House of Representatives a report 
detailing the number of Vet Centers (as so defined) operated 
by the Department and a strategic plan to increase the ca-
pacity of such Vet Centers to address unmet readjustment
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and psychological counseling needs of veterans in rural and 
highly rural communities. 
MONTHLY ASSISTANCE ALLOWANCE FOR DISABLED 
VETERANS COMPETING ON OLYMPIC TEAMS 
SEC. 252. Section 322(d)(1) of title 38, United States 
Code, is amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘allowance to a veteran’’ and in-
serting the following: ‘‘allowance to— 
‘‘(A) a veteran’’; 
(2) in subparagraph (A), as designated by para-
graph (1), by striking the period at the end and in-
serting ‘‘; and’’; and 
(3) by adding at the end the following new sub-
paragraph: 
‘‘(B) a veteran with a service-connected dis-
ability rated as 30 percent or greater by the Depart-
ment who is selected by the United States Olympic 
Committee for the United States Olympic Team for 
any month in which the veteran is competing in any 
event sanctioned by the National Governing Bodies of 
the United States Olympic Sports.’’.
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COVERAGE
UNDER
DEPARTMENT
OF
VETERANS
AFFAIRS 
BENEFICIARY TRAVEL PROGRAM OF TRAVEL IN CON-
NECTION WITH CERTAIN SPECIAL DISABILITIES REHA-
BILITATION 
SEC. 253. (a) IN GENERAL.—Section 111(b)(1) of title 
38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end 
the following new subparagraph: 
‘‘(G) A veteran with vision impairment, a vet-
eran with a spinal cord injury or disorder, or a vet-
eran with double or multiple amputations whose trav-
el is in connection with care provided through a spe-
cial disabilities rehabilitation program of the Depart-
ment (including programs provided by spinal cord 
injury centers, blind rehabilitation centers, and pros-
thetics rehabilitation centers) if such care is pro-
vided— 
‘‘(i) on an in-patient basis; or 
‘‘(ii) during a period in which the Sec-
retary provides the veteran with temporary lodg-
ing at a facility of the Department to make such 
care more accessible to the veteran.’’. 
(b) REPORT.—Not later than 180 days after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Af-
fairs shall submit to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of 
the Senate and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the
284 
† HR 2577 EAS 
House of Representatives a report on the beneficiary travel 
program under section 111 of title 38, United States Code, 
as amended by subsection (a), that includes the following: 
(1) The cost of the program. 
(2) The number of veterans served by the pro-
gram. 
(3) Such other matters as the Secretary considers 
appropriate. 
(c) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendment made by sub-
section (a) shall take effect on the first day of the first fiscal 
year that begins after the date of the enactment of this Act. 
INSPECTION OF KITCHENS AND FOOD SERVICE AREAS AT 
MEDICAL FACILITIES OF THE DEPARTMENT OF VET-
ERANS AFFAIRS 
SEC. 254. (a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 90 days 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, and not less fre-
quently than annually thereafter, the Secretary of Veterans 
Affairs shall provide for the conduct of inspections of kitch-
ens and food service areas at each medical facility of the 
Department of Veterans Affairs to ensure that the same 
standards for kitchens and food service areas at hospitals 
in the private sector are being met at kitchens and food 
service areas at medical facilities of the Department. 
(b) AGREEMENT.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall seek to 
enter into an agreement with the Joint Commission
285 
† HR 2577 EAS 
on Accreditation of Hospital Organizations under 
which the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Hos-
pital Organizations conducts the inspections required 
under subsection (a). 
(2) ALTERNATE
ORGANIZATION.—If the Sec-
retary is unable to enter into an agreement described 
in paragraph (1) with the Joint Commission on Ac-
creditation of Hospital Organizations on terms ac-
ceptable to the Secretary, the Secretary shall seek to 
enter into such an agreement with another appro-
priate organization that— 
(A) is not part of the Federal Government; 
(B) operates as a not-for-profit entity; and 
(C) has expertise and objectivity comparable 
to that of the Joint Commission on Accreditation 
of Hospital Organizations. 
(c) REMEDIATION PLAN.— 
(1) INITIAL FAILURE.—If a kitchen or food serv-
ice area of a medical facility of the Department is de-
termined pursuant to an inspection conducted under 
subsection (a) not to meet the standards for kitchens 
and food service areas in hospitals in the private sec-
tor, that medical facility fails the inspection and the 
Secretary shall—
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† HR 2577 EAS 
(A) implement a remediation plan for that 
medical facility within 48 hours; and 
(B) Conduct a second inspection under sub-
section (a) at that medical facility within 7 days 
of the failed inspection. 
(2) SECOND FAILURE.—If a medical facility of 
the Department fails the second inspection conducted 
under paragraph (1)(B), the Secretary shall close the 
kitchen or food service area at that medical facility 
that did not meet the standards for kitchens and food 
service areas in hospitals in the private sector until 
remediation is completed and all kitchens and food 
service areas at that medical facility meet such stand-
ards. 
(3) PROVISION OF FOOD.—If a kitchen or food 
service area is closed at a medical facility of the De-
partment pursuant to paragraph (2), the Director of 
the Veterans Integrated Service Network in which the 
medical facility is located shall enter into a contract 
with a vendor approved by the General Services Ad-
ministration to provide food at the medical facility. 
(d) REPORTS.— 
(1) QUARTERLY.—Not less frequently than quar-
terly, the Director of each Veterans Integrated Service 
Network shall submit to Congress a report on inspec-
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† HR 2577 EAS 
tions conducted under this section during that quarter 
at medical facilities of the Department under the ju-
risdiction of that Director. 
(2) SUBSEQUENT PERIOD.—A Director of a Vet-
erans Integrated Service Network may submit to Con-
gress the report described in paragraph (1) not less 
frequently than semiannually if the Director does not 
report any failed inspections for the one-year period 
preceding the submittal of the report. 
INSPECTION OF MOLD ISSUES AT MEDICAL FACILITIES OF 
THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS 
SEC. 255. (a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 90 days 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, and not less fre-
quently than annually thereafter, the Secretary of Veterans 
Affairs shall provide for the inspection of mold issues at 
medical facilities of the Department of Veterans Affairs. 
(b) AGREEMENT.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall seek to 
enter into an agreement with the Joint Commission 
on Accreditation of Hospital Organizations under 
which the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Hos-
pital Organizations conducts the inspections required 
under subsection (a). 
(2) ALTERNATE
ORGANIZATION.—If the Sec-
retary is unable to enter into an agreement described 
in paragraph (1) with the Joint Commission on Ac-
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† HR 2577 EAS 
creditation of Hospital Organizations on terms ac-
ceptable to the Secretary, the Secretary shall seek to 
enter into such an agreement with another appro-
priate organization that— 
(A) is not part of the Federal Government; 
(B) operates as a not-for-profit entity; and 
(C) has expertise and objectivity comparable 
to that of the Joint Commission on Accreditation 
of Hospital Organizations. 
(c) REMEDIATION PLAN.—If a medical facility of the 
Department is determined pursuant to an inspection con-
ducted under subsection (a) to have a mold issue, the Sec-
retary shall— 
(1) implement a remediation plan for that med-
ical facility within 48 hours; and 
(2) Conduct a second inspection under subsection 
(a) at that medical facility within 90 days of the ini-
tial inspection. 
(d) REPORTS.— 
(1) QUARTERLY.—Not less frequently than quar-
terly, the Director of each Veterans Integrated Service 
Network shall submit to the Secretary of Veterans Af-
fairs and Congress a report on inspections conducted 
under this section during that quarter at medical fa-
289 
† HR 2577 EAS 
cilities of the Department under the jurisdiction of 
that Director. 
(2) SUBSEQUENT PERIOD.—A Director of a Vet-
erans Integrated Service Network may submit to Con-
gress the report described in paragraph (1) not less 
frequently than semiannually if the Director does not 
report any mold issues for the one-year period pre-
ceding the submittal of the report. 
COVERAGE
UNDER
DEPARTMENT
OF
VETERANS
AFFAIRS 
BENEFICIARY TRAVEL PROGRAM OF TRAVEL IN CON-
NECTION WITH CERTAIN SPECIAL DISABILITIES REHA-
BILITATION 
SEC. 256. (a) IN GENERAL.—Section 111(b)(1) of title 
38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end 
the following new subparagraph: 
‘‘(G) A veteran with vision impairment, a vet-
eran with a spinal cord injury or disorder, or a vet-
eran with double or multiple amputations whose trav-
el is in connection with care provided through a spe-
cial disabilities rehabilitation program of the Depart-
ment (including programs provided by spinal cord 
injury centers, blind rehabilitation centers, and pros-
thetics rehabilitation centers) if such care is pro-
vided— 
‘‘(i) on an in-patient basis; or
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† HR 2577 EAS 
‘‘(ii) during a period in which the Sec-
retary provides the veteran with temporary lodg-
ing at a facility of the Department to make such 
care more accessible to the veteran.’’. 
(b) REPORT.—Not later than 180 days after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Af-
fairs shall submit to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of 
the Senate and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the 
House of Representatives a report on the beneficiary travel 
program under section 111 of title 38, United States Code, 
as amended by subsection (a), that includes the following: 
(1) The cost of the program. 
(2) The number of veterans served by the pro-
gram. 
(3) Such other matters as the Secretary considers 
appropriate. 
(c) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendment made by sub-
section (a) shall take effect on the first day of the first fiscal 
year that begins after the date of the enactment of this Act. 
EXTENSION OF REQUIREMENT FOR REPORT ON CAPACITY 
OF DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS TO PROVIDE 
FOR SPECIALIZED TREATMENT AND REHABILITATIVE 
NEEDS OF DISABLED VETERANS 
SEC. 257. Section 1706(b)(5)(A) of title 38, United 
States Code, is amended, in the first sentence, by striking 
‘‘through 2008’’.
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† HR 2577 EAS 
SEC. 258. From the amount made available in this 
title under the heading ‘‘Medical Support and Compli-
ance’’, up to $18,000,000 shall be made available for Direc-
tors of Veterans Integrated Service Networks to contract 
with appropriate non-Department of Veterans Affairs enti-
ties to assess, evaluate, and improve the health care delivery 
by and business operations of medical centers of the Depart-
ment under the jurisdiction of each such Director. 
SEC. 259. (a) Not later than 180 days after the enact-
ment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall 
begin an assessment of whether the hiring of marriage and 
family therapists trained at Commission on Accreditation 
for Marriage and Family Therapy Education accredited in-
stitutions is adversely impacting the ability of the Depart-
ment of Veterans Affairs to hire marriage and family thera-
pists. 
(b) The assessment should also include what steps the 
Department of Veterans Affairs is taking to increase hiring 
of marriage and family therapists. 
(c) Not later than one year after the enactment of this 
Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit the re-
port to the House and Senate Veterans Affairs Committees. 
SEC. 260. Not later than September 30, 2017, the Sec-
retary of Veterans Affairs shall—
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† HR 2577 EAS 
(1) provide for the conduct by the Office of In-
spector General of the Department of Veterans Affairs 
of an inspection or audit of the use of Federal award 
GU1103 in the amount of $3,265,487 that was 
awarded in 2013 to renovate a veteran’s cemetery in 
Guam under the Veterans Cemetery Grants Program 
of the Department of Veterans Affairs, including— 
(A) an itemized accounting of the use of 
such award; or 
(B) if no such itemized accounting is pos-
sible, an explanation of why any amounts in 
connection with such award are unaccounted for; 
(2) submit to the Committee on Appropriations 
and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate 
and the Committee on Appropriations and the Com-
mittee on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Represent-
atives a report on the results on the inspection or 
audit conducted under paragraph (1); and 
(3) publish the results on the inspection or audit 
conducted under paragraph (1) on a publicly avail-
able Internet website of the Department. 
SEC. 261. (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 equivalents within any program of rehabilita-
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† HR 2577 EAS 
tion conducted under chapter 31 of title 38, United States 
Code, does not exceed 125 veterans to one full-time employ-
ment equivalent. 
(b) Not later than 180 days after the date of the enact-
ment 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 Sec-
retary considers necessary to reduce the veteran-to- 
staff ratio for each such program. 
SEC. 262. Not later than September 30, 2017, the Sec-
retary of Veterans Affairs shall submit to Congress a plan 
on modernizing the system of the Veterans Health Adminis-
tration for processing claims by non-Department of Vet-
erans Affairs health care providers for reimbursement for 
health care provided to veterans under the laws adminis-
tered by the Secretary. 
AUTHORIZATION OF CERTAIN MAJOR MEDICAL FACILITY 
PROJECTS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS 
SEC. 263. (a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds the fol-
lowing: 
(1) The Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, 
and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2016, 
which was passed by the Senate on November 10,
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2015, without a single vote cast against the bill, and 
the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2016 include 
the following amounts to be appropriated to the De-
partment of Veterans Affairs: 
(A) $35,000,000 to make seismic corrections 
to Building 208 at the West Los Angeles Medical 
Center of the Department in Los Angeles, Cali-
fornia, which, according to the Department, is a 
building that is designated as having an excep-
tionally high risk of sustaining substantial dam-
age or collapsing during an earthquake. 
(B) $158,000,000 to provide for the con-
struction of a new research building, site work, 
and demolition at the San Francisco Veterans 
Affairs Medical Center. 
(C) $161,000,000 to replace Building 133 
with a new community living center at the Long 
Beach Veterans Affairs Medical Center, which, 
according to the Department, is a building that 
is designated as having an extremely high risk of 
sustaining major damage during an earthquake. 
(D) $468,800,000 for construction projects 
that are critical to the Department for ensuring 
health care access and safety at medical facilities 
in Louisville, Kentucky, Jefferson Barracks in
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St. Louis, Missouri, Perry Point, Maryland, 
American Lake, Washington, Alameda, Cali-
fornia, and Livermore, California. 
(2) The Department is unable to obligate or ex-
pend the amounts described in paragraph (1), other 
than for construction design, because the Department 
lacks an explicit authorization by an Act of Congress 
pursuant to section 8104(a)(2) of title 38, United 
States Code, to carry out the major medical facility 
projects described in such paragraph. 
(3) Among the major medical facility projects de-
scribed in paragraph (1), three are critical seismic 
safety projects in California. 
(4) Every day that the critical seismic safety 
projects described in paragraph (3) are delayed in-
creases the risk of a life-threatening building failure 
in the case of a major seismic event. 
(5) According to the United States Geological 
Survey— 
(A) California has more than a 99 percent 
chance of experiencing an earthquake of mag-
nitude 6.7 or greater in the next 30 years; 
(B) even earthquakes of less severity than 
magnitude 6.7 can cause life threatening damage 
to seismically unsafe buildings; and
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(C) in California, earthquakes of magnitude 
6.0 or greater occur on average once every 1.2 
years. 
(6) On January 20, 2016, the Senate passed this 
legislation by unanimous consent as S. 2422, 114th 
Congress. 
(b) AUTHORIZATION.—The Secretary of Veterans Af-
fairs may carry out the following major medical facility 
projects, with each project to be carried out in an amount 
not to exceed the amount specified for that project: 
(1) Seismic corrections to buildings, including 
retrofitting and replacement of high-risk buildings, in 
San Francisco, California, in an amount not to ex-
ceed $180,480,000. 
(2) Seismic corrections to facilities, including fa-
cilities to support homeless veterans, at the medical 
center in West Los Angeles, California, in an amount 
not to exceed $105,500,000. 
(3) Seismic corrections to the mental health and 
community living center in Long Beach, California, 
in an amount not to exceed $287,100,000. 
(4) Construction of an outpatient clinic, admin-
istrative space, cemetery, and columbarium in Ala-
meda, California, in an amount not to exceed 
$87,332,000.
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(5) Realignment of medical facilities in Liver-
more, California, in an amount not to exceed 
$194,430,000. 
(6) Construction of a medical center in Louis-
ville, Kentucky, in an amount not to exceed 
$150,000,000. 
(7) Construction of a replacement community 
living center in Perry Point, Maryland, in an 
amount not to exceed $92,700,000. 
(8) Seismic corrections and other renovations to 
several buildings and construction of a specialty care 
building in American Lake, Washington, in an 
amount not to exceed $16,260,000. 
(c) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS FOR CON-
STRUCTION.—There is authorized to be appropriated to the 
Secretary of Veterans Affairs for fiscal year 2016 or the 
year in which funds are appropriated for the Construction, 
Major Projects, account, $1,113,802,000 for the projects au-
thorized in subsection (b). 
(d) LIMITATION.—The projects authorized in sub-
section (b) may only be carried out using— 
(1) funds appropriated for fiscal year 2016 pur-
suant to the authorization of appropriations in sub-
section (c);
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(2) funds available for Construction, Major 
Projects, for a fiscal year before fiscal year 2016 that 
remain available for obligation; 
(3) funds available for Construction, Major 
Projects, for a fiscal year after fiscal year 2016 that 
remain available for obligation; 
(4) funds appropriated for Construction, Major 
Projects, for fiscal year 2016 for a category of activity 
not specific to a project; 
(5) funds appropriated for Construction, Major 
Projects, for a fiscal year before fiscal year 2016 for 
a category of activity not specific to a project; and 
(6) funds appropriated for Construction, Major 
Projects, for a fiscal year after fiscal year 2016 for a 
category of activity not specific to a project. 
SEC. 264. (a) None of the funds made available in this 
Act may be used to deny an Inspector General funded under 
this Act timely access to any records, documents, or other 
materials available to the department or agency over which 
that Inspector General has responsibilities under the In-
spector General Act of 1978 (5 U.S.C. App.), or to prevent 
or impede that Inspector General’s access to such records, 
documents, or other materials, under any provision of law, 
except a provision of law that expressly refers to the Inspec-
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tor General and expressly limits the Inspector General’s 
right of access. 
(b) A department or agency covered by this section 
shall provide its Inspector General with access to all such 
records, documents, and other materials in a timely man-
ner. 
(c) Each Inspector General shall ensure compliance 
with statutory limitations on disclosure relevant to the in-
formation provided by the establishment over which that In-
spector General has responsibilities under the Inspector 
General Act of 1978 (5 U.S.C. App.). 
(d) Each Inspector General covered by this section 
shall report to the Committees on Appropriations of the 
House of Representatives and the Senate within 5 calendar 
days any failures to comply with this requirement. 
SEC. 265. Not later than 180 days after the date of 
the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
shall submit to the Committee on Appropriations of the 
Senate and the Committee on Appropriations of the House 
of Representatives a report that contains an update on the 
progress of the Department of Veterans Affairs in com-
pleting the Rural Veterans Burial Initiative and the ex-
pected timeline for completion of such initiative. 
SEC. 266. Of the funds made available in this title for 
fiscal year 2017 for medical support and compliance, not
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less than $21,000,000 shall be made available to the Sec-
retary of Veterans Affairs to hire Medical Center Directors 
and employees for other management and clinical positions 
that are critical to the Department of Veterans Affairs in 
order to fill vacancies in such positions. 
SEC. 267. 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 mem-
bers of Congress or their staff on any topic not otherwise 
prohibited from disclosure by Federal law. 
PREVENTION OF CERTAIN HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS FROM 
PROVIDING
NON-DEPARTMENT
HEALTH
CARE
SERV-
ICES TO VETERANS 
SEC. 268. (a) IN GENERAL.—One year after enactment 
of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall deny or 
revoke the eligibility of a health care provider to provide 
non-Department health care services to veterans if the Sec-
retary determines that— 
(1) the health care provider was removed from 
employment with the Department of Veterans Affairs 
due to conduct that violated a policy of the Depart-
ment relating to the delivery of safe and appropriate 
patient care;
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(2) the health care provider violated the require-
ments of a medical license of the health care provider; 
(3) the health care provider had a Department 
credential revoked and the Secretary determines that 
the grounds for such revocation impacts the ability of 
the health care provider to deliver safe and appro-
priate care; or 
(4) the health care provider violated a law for 
which a term of imprisonment of more than one year 
may be imposed. 
(b) PERMISSIVE ACTION.—One year after enactment 
of this Act, the Secretary may deny, revoke, or suspend the 
eligibility of a health care provider to provide non-Depart-
ment health care services if the Secretary has reasonable 
belief that such action is necessary to immediately protect 
the health, safety, or welfare of veterans and— 
(1) the health care provider is under investiga-
tion by the medical licensing board of a State in 
which the health care provider is licensed or practices; 
(2) the health care provider has entered into a 
settlement agreement for a disciplinary charge relat-
ing to the practice of medicine by the health care pro-
vider; or 
(3) the Secretary otherwise determines that such 
action is appropriate under the circumstances.
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(c) SUSPENSION.—The Secretary shall suspend the eli-
gibility of a health care provider to provide non-Depart-
ment health care services to veterans if the health care pro-
vider is suspended from serving as a health care provider 
of the Department. 
(d) INITIAL REVIEW.—The Secretary shall review the 
Department employment status and history of each health 
care provider providing non-Department health care serv-
ices to determine instances of circumstances described in 
paragraphs (a) through (c) and shall take action as appro-
priate to each circumstance as described in paragraphs (a) 
through (c). 
(e) REPORT REQUIRED.—Not later than two years 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller 
General of the United States shall submit to Congress a re-
port on the implementation by the Secretary of this section, 
including the following: 
(1) The aggregate number of health care pro-
viders denied or suspended under this section from 
participation in providing non-Department health 
care services. 
(2) An evaluation of any impact on access to 
care for patients or staffing shortages in programs of 
the Department providing non-Department health 
care services.
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(3) An explanation of the coordination of the De-
partment with the medical licensing boards of States 
in implementing this section, the amount of involve-
ment of such boards in such implementation, and ef-
forts by the Department to address any concerns 
raised by such boards with respect to such implemen-
tation. 
(4) Such recommendations as the Comptroller 
General considers appropriate regarding harmonizing 
eligibility criteria between health care providers of the 
Department and health care providers eligible to pro-
vide non-Department health care services. 
(f) NON-DEPARTMENT HEALTH CARE SERVICES DE-
FINED.—In this section, the term ‘‘non-Department health 
care services’’ means— 
(1) services provided under subchapter I of chap-
ter 17 of title 38, United States Code, at non-Depart-
ment facilities (as defined in section 1701 of such 
title); 
(2) services provided under section 101 of the 
Veterans Access, Choice, and Accountability Act of 
2014 (Public Law 113–146; 38 U.S.C. 1701 note); 
(3) services purchased through the Medical Com-
munity Care account of the Department; or
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(4) services purchased with amounts deposited in 
the Veterans Choice Fund under section 802 of the 
Veterans Access, Choice, and Accountability Act of 
2014. 
TITLE III 
RELATED AGENCIES 
AMERICAN BATTLE MONUMENTS COMMISSION 
SALARIES AND EXPENSES 
For necessary expenses, not otherwise provided for, of 
the American Battle Monuments Commission, including the 
acquisition of land or interest in land in foreign countries; 
purchases and repair of uniforms for caretakers of national 
cemeteries and monuments outside of the United States and 
its territories and possessions; rent of office and garage 
space in foreign countries; purchase (one-for-one replace-
ment basis only) and hire of passenger motor vehicles; not 
to exceed $7,500 for official reception and representation 
expenses; and insurance of official motor vehicles in foreign 
countries, when required by law of such countries, 
$75,100,000 to remain available until expended. 
FOREIGN CURRENCY FLUCTUATIONS ACCOUNT 
For necessary expenses, not otherwise provided for, of 
the American Battle Monuments Commission, such sums as 
may be necessary, to remain available until expended, for
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purposes authorized by section 2109 of title 36, United 
States Code. 
UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR VETERANS 
CLAIMS 
SALARIES AND EXPENSES 
For necessary expenses for the operation of the United 
States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims as authorized 
by sections 7251 through 7298 of title 38, United States 
Code, $30,945,100: Provided, That $2,500,000 shall be 
available for the purpose of providing financial assistance 
as described, and in accordance with the process and report-
ing procedures set forth under this heading in Public Law 
102–229. 
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE—CIVIL 
CEMETERIAL EXPENSES, ARMY 
SALARIES AND EXPENSES 
For necessary expenses for maintenance, operation, 
and improvement of Arlington National Cemetery and Sol-
diers’ and Airmen’s Home National Cemetery, including 
the purchase or lease of passenger motor vehicles for replace-
ment on a one-for-one basis only, and not to exceed $1,000 
for 
official 
reception 
and 
representation 
expenses, 
$70,800,000 of which not to exceed $28,000,000 shall re-
main available until September 30, 2019. In addition, such 
sums as may be necessary for parking maintenance, repairs
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and replacement, to be derived from the ‘‘Lease of Depart-
ment of Defense Real Property for Defense Agencies’’ ac-
count. 
ARMED FORCES RETIREMENT HOME 
TRUST FUND 
For expenses necessary for the Armed Forces Retire-
ment Home to operate and maintain the Armed Forces Re-
tirement Home—Washington, District of Columbia, and the 
Armed Forces Retirement Home—Gulfport, Mississippi, to 
be paid from funds available in the Armed Forces Retire-
ment Home Trust Fund, $64,300,000, of which $1,000,000 
shall remain available until expended for construction and 
renovation of the physical plants at the Armed Forces Re-
tirement Home—Washington, District of Columbia, and the 
Armed Forces Retirement Home—Gulfport, Mississippi: 
Provided, That of the amounts made available under this 
heading from funds available in the Armed Forces Retire-
ment Home Trust Fund, $22,000,000 shall be paid from 
the general fund of the Treasury to the Trust Fund. 
ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS 
SEC. 301. Funds appropriated in this Act under the 
heading ‘‘Department of Defense—Civil, Cemeterial Ex-
penses, Army’’, may be provided to Arlington County, Vir-
ginia, for the relocation of the federally owned water main
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at Arlington National Cemetery, making additional land 
available for ground burials. 
SEC. 302. Amounts deposited into the special account 
established under 10 U.S.C. 4727 are appropriated and 
shall be available until expended to support activities at 
the Army National Military Cemeteries. 
TITLE IV 
GENERAL PROVISIONS 
SEC. 401. No part of any appropriation contained in 
this Act shall remain available for obligation beyond the 
current fiscal year unless expressly so provided herein. 
SEC. 402. None of the funds made available in this 
Act may be used for any program, project, or activity, when 
it is made known to the Federal entity or official to which 
the funds are made available that the program, project, or 
activity is not in compliance with any Federal law relating 
to risk assessment, the protection of private property rights, 
or unfunded mandates. 
SEC. 403. All departments and agencies funded under 
this Act are encouraged, within the limits of the existing 
statutory authorities and funding, to expand their use of 
‘‘E-Commerce’’ technologies and procedures in the conduct 
of their business practices and public service activities. 
SEC. 404. Unless stated otherwise, all reports and noti-
fications required by this Act shall be submitted to the Sub-
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committee on Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, 
and Related Agencies of the Committee on Appropriations 
of the House of Representatives and the Subcommittee on 
Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, and Related 
Agencies of the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate. 
SEC. 405. None of the funds made available in this 
Act may be transferred to any department, agency, or in-
strumentality of the United States Government except pur-
suant to a transfer made by, or transfer authority provided 
in, this or any other appropriations Act. 
SEC. 406. (a) Any agency receiving funds made avail-
able in this Act, shall, subject to subsections (b) and (c), 
post on the public Web site of that agency any report re-
quired to be submitted by the Congress in this or any other 
Act, upon the determination by the head of the agency that 
it shall serve the national interest. 
(b) Subsection (a) shall not apply to a report if— 
(1) the public posting of the report compromises 
national security; or 
(2) the report contains confidential or propri-
etary information. 
(c) The head of the agency posting such report shall 
do so only after such report has been made available to the 
requesting Committee or Committees of Congress for no less 
than 45 days.
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SEC. 407. (a) None of the funds made available in this 
Act may be used to maintain or establish a computer net-
work unless such network blocks the viewing, downloading, 
and exchanging of pornography. 
(b) Nothing in subsection (a) shall limit the use of 
funds necessary for any Federal, State, tribal, or local law 
enforcement agency or any other entity carrying out crimi-
nal investigations, prosecution, or adjudication activities. 
SEC. 408. None of the funds made available in this 
Act may be used by an agency of the executive branch to 
pay for first-class travel by an employee of the agency in 
contravention of sections 301–10.122 through 301–10.124 of 
title 41, Code of Federal Regulations. 
SEC. 409. (a) IN GENERAL.—None of the funds appro-
priated or otherwise made available to the Department of 
Defense in this Act may be used to construct, renovate, or 
expand any facility in the United States, its territories, or 
possessions to house any individual detained at United 
States Naval Station, Guanta´namo Bay, Cuba, for the pur-
poses of detention or imprisonment in the custody or under 
the control of the Department of Defense. 
(b) The prohibition in subsection (a) shall not apply 
to any modification of facilities at United States Naval 
Station, Guanta´namo Bay, Cuba.
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(c) An individual described in this subsection is any 
individual who, as of June 24, 2009, is located at United 
States Naval Station, Guanta´namo Bay, Cuba, and who— 
(1) is not a citizen of the United States or a 
member of the Armed Forces of the United States; and 
(2) is— 
(A) in the custody or under the effective 
control of the Department of Defense; or 
(B) otherwise under detention at United 
States Naval Station, Guanta´namo Bay, Cuba. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Military Construction, 
Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 
2017’’. 
TITLE V 
ZIKA RESPONSE AND PREPAREDNESS 
CHAPTER 1 
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN 
SERVICES 
HEALTH RESOURCES AND SERVICES ADMINISTRATION 
PRIMARY HEALTH CARE 
For an additional amount for fiscal year 2016 for 
‘‘Primary Health Care’’, $40,000,000 to remain available 
until September 30, 2017, to prevent, prepare for, and re-
spond to Zika virus, other vector-borne diseases, and related 
health outcomes, domestically and internationally: Pro-
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vided, That funds appropriated in this paragraph shall be 
used to expand the delivery of primary health services au-
thorized by section 330 of the Public Health Service 
(‘‘PHS’’) Act in Puerto Rico and other territories: Provided 
further, That such amount is designated by the Congress 
as an emergency requirement pursuant to section 
251(b)(2)(A)(i) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency 
Deficit Control Act of 1985. 
HEALTH WORKFORCE 
For an additional amount for fiscal year 2016 for 
‘‘Health Workforce’’, $6,000,000 to remain available until 
September 30, 2017, to prevent, prepare for, and respond 
to Zika virus, other vector-borne diseases, and related health 
outcomes, domestically and internationally: Provided, That 
funds appropriated in this paragraph may, for purposes 
of providing primary health services in areas affected by 
Zika virus or other vector-borne diseases, be used to assign 
National Health Service Corps (‘‘NHSC’’) members to 
Puerto Rico and other Territories, notwithstanding the as-
signment priorities and limitations in or under sections 
333(a)(1)(D), 333(b), or 333A(a) of the PHS Act, and to 
make NHSC Loan Repayment Program awards under sec-
tion 338B of such Act: Provided further, That for purposes 
of the previous proviso, section 331(a)(3)(D) of the PHS 
Act shall be applied as if the term ‘‘primary health services’’
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included health services regarding pediatric subspecialists: 
Provided further, That such amount is designated by the 
Congress as an emergency requirement pursuant to section 
251(b)(2)(A)(i) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency 
Deficit Control Act of 1985. 
MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH 
For an additional amount for fiscal year 2016 for 
‘‘Maternal and Child Health’’, $5,000,000 to remain avail-
able until September 30, 2017, to prevent, prepare for, and 
respond to Zika virus, other vector-borne diseases, and re-
lated health outcomes, domestically and internationally: 
Provided, That funds appropriated in this paragraph may 
be awarded for projects of regional and national signifi-
cance in Puerto Rico and other Territories authorized 
under section 501 of the Social Security Act, notwith-
standing section 502 of such Act: Provided further, That 
such amount is designated by the Congress as an emergency 
requirement pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(A)(i) of the Bal-
anced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985. 
CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION 
CDC-WIDE ACTIVITIES AND PROGRAM SUPPORT 
For an additional amount for fiscal year 2016 for 
‘‘CDC-Wide 
Activities 
and 
Program 
Support’’, 
$449,000,000, to remain available until September 30, 
2017, to prevent, prepare for, and respond to Zika virus,
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other vector-borne diseases, and related health outcomes, do-
mestically and internationally; and to carry out titles II, 
III, and XVII of the PHS Act with respect to domestic pre-
paredness and global health: Provided, That products pur-
chased with these funds may, at the discretion of the Sec-
retary of Health and Human Services, be deposited in the 
Strategic National Stockpile under section 319F–2 of the 
PHS Act: Provided further, That funds may be used for 
purchase and insurance of official motor vehicles in foreign 
countries: Provided further, That the provisions in section 
317S of the PHS Act shall not apply to the use of funds 
appropriated in this paragraph: Provided further, That 
funds appropriated in this paragraph may be used for 
grants for the construction, alteration, or renovation of non- 
federally owned facilities to improve preparedness and re-
sponse capability at the State and local level: Provided fur-
ther, That of the amount appropriated in this paragraph, 
$88,000,000 may be used to reimburse accounts adminis-
tered by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for 
obligations incurred for Zika virus response prior to the 
enactment of this Act: Provided further, That such amount 
is designated by the Congress as an emergency requirement 
pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(A)(i) of the Balanced Budget 
and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985.
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NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH 
NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ALLERGY AND INFECTIOUS 
DISEASES 
For an additional amount for fiscal year 2016 for 
‘‘National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases’’, 
$200,000,000, to remain available until September 30, 
2017, to prevent, prepare for, and respond to Zika virus, 
other vector-borne diseases, and related health outcomes, do-
mestically and internationally, including expenses related 
to carrying out section 301 and title IV of the PHS Act: 
Provided, That such amount is designated by the Congress 
as an emergency requirement pursuant to section 
251(b)(2)(A)(i) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency 
Deficit Control Act of 1985. 
OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY 
PUBLIC HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES EMERGENCY FUND 
(INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS) 
For an additional amount for fiscal year 2016 for 
‘‘Public Health and Social Services Emergency Fund’’, 
$150,000,000, to remain available until September 30, 
2017, to prevent, prepare for, and respond to Zika virus, 
other vector-borne diseases, and related health outcomes, do-
mestically and internationally; to develop necessary coun-
termeasures and vaccines, including the development and 
purchase of vaccines, therapeutics, diagnostics, necessary
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medical supplies, and administrative activities; for car-
rying out titles II, III, and XVII of the PHS Act with re-
spect to domestic preparedness and global health; and for 
additional payments for distribution as provided for under 
the ‘‘Social Services Block Grant Program’’: Provided, That 
funds appropriated in this paragraph may be used to pro-
cure security countermeasures (as defined in section 319F– 
2(c)(1)(B) of the PHS Act, as amended by this Act): Pro-
vided further, That paragraphs (1) and (7)(C) of subsection 
(c) of section 319F–2 of the PHS Act, but no other provi-
sions of such section, shall apply to such security counter-
measures procured with funds appropriated in this para-
graph: Provided further, That products purchased with 
funds appropriated in this paragraph may, at the discre-
tion of the Secretary of Health and Human Services, be 
deposited in the Strategic National Stockpile under section 
319F–2 of the PHS Act: Provided further, That counter-
measures related to the Zika virus procured with funds ap-
propriated in this paragraph shall be deemed to be security 
countermeasures as defined in section 319F–2(c)(1) of the 
PHS Act, and paragraph (7)(C), but no other provision, 
of such section 319F–2(c) shall apply to procurements of 
such countermeasures: Provided further, That $75,000,000 
shall be transferred to ‘‘Social Services Block Grant’’ for 
health services, notwithstanding section 2005(a)(4) of the
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Social Security Act, in territories with active or local trans-
mission cases of the Zika virus, as confirmed by the Centers 
for Disease Control and Prevention: Provided further, That 
the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall dis-
tribute funds transferred to the ‘‘Social Services Block 
Grant’’ in this paragraph to such territories in accordance 
with objective criteria that are made available to the public: 
Provided further, That such amount is designated by the 
Congress as an emergency requirement pursuant to section 
251(b)(2)(A)(i) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency 
Deficit Control Act of 1985. 
GENERAL PROVISIONS—THIS CHAPTER 
(INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS) 
SEC. 501. For purposes of preventing, preparing for, 
and responding to Zika virus, other vector-borne diseases, 
and related health outcomes domestically and internation-
ally, the Secretary of Health and Human Services may use 
funds provided in this chapter to acquire, lease, construct, 
alter, renovate, equip, furnish, or manage facilities outside 
of the United States, as necessary to conduct such programs, 
in consultation with the Secretary of State, either directly 
for the use of the United States Government or for the use, 
pursuant to grants, direct assistance, or cooperative agree-
ments, of public or nonprofit private institutions or agen-
cies in participating foreign countries.
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SEC. 502. Funds appropriated by this chapter may be 
used by the heads of the Department of Health and Human 
Services, Department of State, and the Agency for Inter-
national Development to appoint, without regard to the 
provisions of sections 3309 through 3319 of title 5 of the 
United States Code, candidates needed for positions to per-
form critical work relating to Zika response for which— 
(1) public notice has been given; and 
(2) the Secretary of Health and Human Services 
has determined that such a public health threat exists. 
SEC. 503. Funds appropriated in this chapter may be 
transferred to, and merged with, other appropriation ac-
counts under the headings ‘‘Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention’’, ‘‘Public Health and Social Services Emer-
gency Fund’’, ‘‘Health Resources and Services Administra-
tion’’, and ‘‘National Institutes of Health’’ for the purposes 
specified in this chapter following consultation with the Of-
fice of Management and Budget: Provided, That the Com-
mittees on Appropriations shall be notified 10 days in ad-
vance of any such transfer: Provided further, That, upon 
a determination that all or part of the funds transferred 
from an appropriation are not necessary, such amounts 
may be transferred back to that appropriation: Provided 
further, That none of the funds made available by this chap-
ter may be transferred pursuant to the authority in section
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206 of division G of Public Law 113–235 or section 241(a) 
of the PHS Act. 
SEC. 504. Not later than 30 days after enactment of 
this Act, the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall 
provide a detailed spend plan of anticipated uses of funds 
made available in this chapter, including estimated per-
sonnel and administrative costs, to the Committees on Ap-
propriations: Provided, That such plans shall be updated 
and submitted to the Committee on Appropriations of the 
Senate every 90 days until September 30, 2017, and every 
180 days thereafter until all funds have been fully expended. 
CHAPTER 2 
DEPARTMENT OF STATE 
ADMINISTRATION OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS 
DIPLOMATIC AND CONSULAR PROGRAMS 
For an additional amount for fiscal year 2016 for 
‘‘Diplomatic and Consular Programs’’, $14,594,000, to re-
main available until September 30, 2017, for necessary ex-
penses to support response efforts related to the Zika virus 
and related health outcomes, other vector-borne diseases, or 
other infectious diseases: Provided, That up to $4,000,000 
may be made available for medical evacuation costs of any 
other Department or agency of the United States under 
Chief of Mission authority, and may be transferred to any 
other appropriation of such Department or agency for such
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costs: Provided further, That such amount is designated by 
the Congress as an emergency requirement pursuant to sec-
tion 251(b)(2)(A)(i) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency 
Deficit Control Act of 1985. 
EMERGENCIES IN THE DIPLOMATIC AND CONSULAR 
SERVICE 
For an additional amount for fiscal year 2016 for 
‘‘Emergencies in the Diplomatic and Consular Service’’, 
$4,000,000 for necessary expenses to support response efforts 
related to the Zika virus and related health outcomes, other 
vector-borne diseases, or other infectious diseases, to remain 
available until expended: Provided, That such amount is 
designated by the Congress as an emergency requirement 
pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(A)(i) of the Balanced Budget 
and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985. 
REPATRIATION LOANS PROGRAM ACCOUNT 
For an additional amount for fiscal year 2016 for 
‘‘Repatriation Loans Program Account’’ for the cost of di-
rect loans, $1,000,000, to support response efforts related 
to the Zika virus and related health outcomes, other vector- 
borne diseases, or other infectious diseases, to remain avail-
able until expended: Provided, That such costs, including 
costs of modifying such loans, shall be as defined in section 
502 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974: Provided fur-
ther, That such funds are available to subsidize an addi-
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tional amount of gross obligations for the principal amount 
of direct loans not to exceed $1,880,406: Provided further, 
That such amount is designated by the Congress as an emer-
gency requirement pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(A)(i) of 
the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act 
of 1985. 
UNITED STATES AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL 
DEVELOPMENT 
FUNDS APPROPRIATED TO THE PRESIDENT 
OPERATING EXPENSES 
For an additional amount for fiscal year 2016 for 
‘‘Operating Expenses’’, $10,000,000, to remain available 
until September 30, 2017, for necessary expenses to support 
response efforts related to the Zika virus and related health 
outcomes, other vector-borne diseases, or other infectious dis-
eases: Provided, That such amount is designated by the 
Congress as an emergency requirement pursuant to section 
251(b)(2)(A)(i) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency 
Deficit Control Act of 1985. 
BILATERAL ECONOMIC ASSISTANCE 
FUNDS APPROPRIATED TO THE PRESIDENT 
GLOBAL HEALTH PROGRAMS 
For an additional amount for fiscal year 2016 for 
‘‘Global Health Programs’’, $211,000,000, to remain avail-
able until expended, for necessary expenses for assistance
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or research to prevent, treat, or otherwise respond to the 
Zika virus and related health outcomes, other vector-borne 
diseases, or other infectious diseases: Provided, That such 
funds may be made available for multi-year funding com-
mitments to incentivize the development of global health 
technologies, following consultation with the Committees on 
Appropriations: Provided further, That none of the funds 
appropriated in this chapter may be made available for the 
Grand Challenges for Development program: Provided fur-
ther, That such amount is designated by the Congress as 
an 
emergency 
requirement 
pursuant 
to 
section 
251(b)(2)(A)(i) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency 
Deficit Control Act of 1985. 
INTERNATIONAL SECURITY ASSISTANCE 
DEPARTMENT OF STATE 
NONPROLIFERATION, ANTI-TERRORISM, DEMINING AND 
RELATED PROGRAMS 
For an additional amount for fiscal year 2016 for 
‘‘Nonproliferation, Anti-terrorism, Demining and Related 
Programs’’, $4,000,000, to remain available until Sep-
tember 30, 2017, for necessary expenses to support response 
and research efforts related to the Zika virus and related 
health outcomes, other vector-borne diseases, or other infec-
tious diseases: Provided, That such amount is designated 
by the Congress as an emergency requirement pursuant to
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section 251(b)(2)(A)(i) of the Balanced Budget and Emer-
gency Deficit Control Act of 1985. 
MULTILATERAL ASSISTANCE 
FUNDS APPROPRIATED TO THE PRESIDENT 
INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS AND PROGRAMS 
For an additional amount for fiscal year 2016 for 
‘‘International Organizations and Programs’’, $13,500,000, 
to remain available until September 30, 2017 for necessary 
expenses to support response and research efforts related to 
the Zika virus and related health outcomes, other vector- 
borne diseases, or other infectious diseases: Provided, That 
section 307(a) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 shall 
not apply to funds appropriated under this heading: Pro-
vided further, That such amount is designated by the Con-
gress as an emergency requirement pursuant to section 
251(b)(2)(A)(i) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency 
Deficit Control Act of 1985. 
GENERAL PROVISIONS—THIS CHAPTER 
(INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS) 
SEC. 505. (a) Funds appropriated by this chapter 
under the headings ‘‘Global Health Programs’’, ‘‘Non-
proliferation, Anti-terrorism, Demining and Related Pro-
grams’’, ‘‘International Organizations and Programs’’, and 
‘‘Operating Expenses’’ may be transferred to, and merged
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with, funds appropriated by this chapter under such head-
ings to carry out the purposes of this chapter. 
(b) Funds appropriated by this chapter under the 
headings ‘‘Diplomatic and Consular Programs’’, ‘‘Emer-
gencies in the Diplomatic and Consular Service’’, and ‘‘Re-
patriation Loans Program Account’’ may be transferred to, 
and merged with, funds appropriated by this chapter under 
such headings to carry out the purposes of this chapter. 
(c) The transfer authorities provided by this section 
are in addition to any other transfer authority provided 
by law. 
(d) Upon a determination that all or part of the funds 
transferred pursuant to the authorities provided by this sec-
tion are not necessary for such purposes, such amounts may 
be transferred back to such appropriations. 
(e) No funds shall be transferred pursuant to this sec-
tion unless at least 15 days prior to making such transfer 
the Secretary of State or the Administrator of the United 
States Agency for International Development (USAID), as 
appropriate, notifies the Committees on Appropriations in 
writing of the details of any such transfer. 
NOTIFICATION REQUIREMENT 
SEC. 506. Funds appropriated by this chapter that are 
made available to respond to the Zika virus outbreak, other 
vector-borne diseases, or other infectious diseases shall not
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be available for obligation unless the Secretary of State or 
the USAID Administrator, as appropriate, notifies the 
Committees on Appropriations in writing at least 15 days 
in advance of such obligation. 
SPEND PLAN REQUIREMENT 
SEC. 507. Not later than 45 days after enactment of 
this Act and prior to the obligation of funds made available 
by this chapter to respond to the Zika virus outbreak, other 
vector-borne diseases, or other infectious diseases, the Sec-
retary of State and the USAID Administrator, as appro-
priate, shall submit spend plans to the Committees on Ap-
propriations on the anticipated uses of funds on a country 
and project basis, including estimated personnel and ad-
ministrative costs: Provided, That such plans shall be up-
dated and submitted to the Committee on Appropriations 
every 90 days until September 30, 2017, and every 180 days 
thereafter until all funds have been fully expended. 
COMPTROLLER GENERAL OVERSIGHT 
SEC. 508. Of the funds appropriated by this chapter, 
up to $500,000 shall be made available to the Comptroller 
General of the United States, to remain available until ex-
pended, for oversight of activities supported pursuant to 
this chapter with funds appropriated by this chapter: Pro-
vided, That the Secretary of State and USAID Adminis-
trator, as appropriate, and the Comptroller General shall
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consult with the Committees on Appropriations prior to ob-
ligating such funds. 
RESCISSION 
SEC. 509. Of the unobligated balances available under 
the heading ‘‘Operating Expenses’’ in title IX of the Depart-
ment of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs 
Appropriations Act, 2015 (division J of Public Law 113– 
235), $10,000,000 are rescinded: Provided, That such 
amounts are designated by the Congress as an emergency 
requirement pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(A)(i) of the Bal-
anced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985. 
CHAPTER 3 
GENERAL PROVISIONS—THIS TITLE 
EXTENSION OF AUTHORITIES AND PROVISIONS 
SEC. 510. Unless otherwise provided for by this title, 
the additional amounts appropriated pursuant to this title 
for fiscal year 2016 are subject to the requirements for funds 
contained in the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2016 
(Public Law 114–113). 
PERSONAL SERVICE CONTRACTORS 
SEC. 511. Funds made available by this title to sup-
port response efforts related to the Zika virus and related 
health outcomes, other vector-borne diseases, or other infec-
tious diseases may be used to enter into contracts with indi-
viduals for the provision of personal services (as described
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in section 104 of part 37 of title 48, Code of Federal Regula-
tions (48 CFR 37.104)), within the United States and 
abroad, subject to prior consultation with, and the notifica-
tion procedures of, the Committees on Appropriations: Pro-
vided, That such individuals may not be deemed employees 
of the United States for the purpose of any law adminis-
tered by the Office of Personnel Management. 
DESIGNATION REQUIREMENT 
SEC. 512. Each amount designated in this title by the 
Congress as an emergency requirement pursuant to section 
251(b)(2)(A)(i) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency 
Deficit Control Act of 1985 shall be available (or rescinded, 
if applicable) only if the President subsequently so des-
ignates all such amounts and transmits such designations 
to the Congress. 
EFFECTIVE DATE 
SEC. 513. This title shall become effective immediately 
upon enactment of this Act. 
Attest: 
Secretary.