H. R. 2471—502 
Provided further, That if the cost of administration of such an 
insurance program exceeds the amount of surplus earnings accumu-
lated in that program, reimbursement shall be made only to the 
extent of such surplus earnings: Provided further, That the Sec-
retary shall determine the cost of administration for fiscal year 
2022 which is properly allocable to the provision of each such 
insurance program and to the provision of any total disability 
income insurance included in that insurance program. 
SEC. 209. Amounts deducted from enhanced-use lease proceeds 
to reimburse an account for expenses incurred by that account 
during a prior fiscal year for providing enhanced-use lease services 
shall be available until expended. 
(INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS) 
SEC. 210. Funds available in this title or funds for salaries 
and other administrative expenses shall also be available to 
reimburse the Office of Resolution Management, Diversity and 
Inclusion, the Office of Employment Discrimination Complaint Adju-
dication, and the Alternative Dispute Resolution function within 
the Office of Human Resources and Administration for all services 
provided at rates which will recover actual costs but not to exceed 
$78,417,225 for the Office of Resolution Management, Diversity 
and Inclusion, $6,609,000 for the Office of Employment Discrimina-
tion Complaint Adjudication, and $3,822,000 for the Alternative 
Dispute Resolution function within the Office of Human Resources 
and Administration: Provided, That payments 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. No funds of the Department of Veterans Affairs 
shall be available for hospital care, nursing home care, or medical 
services provided to any person under chapter 17 of title 38, United 
States Code, for a non-service-connected disability described in sec-
tion 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 informa-
tion 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. 212. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, proceeds 
or revenues derived from enhanced-use leasing activities (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 improvements 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 ‘‘Construc-
tion, Major Projects’’ and ‘‘Construction, Minor Projects’’.
H. R. 2471—503 
SEC. 213. Amounts made available under ‘‘Medical Services’’ 
are available— 
(1) for furnishing recreational facilities, supplies, and equip-
ment; 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. 214. Such sums as may be deposited into the Medical 
Care Collections Fund pursuant to section 1729A of title 38, United 
States Code, may be transferred to the ‘‘Medical Services’’ and 
‘‘Medical Community Care’’ accounts to remain available until 
expended for the purposes of these accounts. 
SEC. 215. The Secretary of Veterans Affairs may enter into 
agreements with Federally Qualified Health Centers in the State 
of Alaska and Indian tribes and tribal organizations which are 
party to the Alaska Native Health Compact with the Indian Health 
Service, to provide healthcare, including behavioral health and 
dental care, to veterans in rural Alaska. The Secretary shall require 
participating veterans 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. 216. Such sums as may be deposited into the Department 
of Veterans Affairs Capital Asset Fund pursuant to section 8118 
of title 38, United States Code, may be transferred to the ‘‘Construc-
tion, Major Projects’’ and ‘‘Construction, Minor Projects’’ accounts, 
to remain available until expended for the purposes of these 
accounts. 
SEC. 217. 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 Congress a report 
on the financial status of the Department of Veterans Affairs for 
the preceding quarter: Provided, That, at a minimum, the report 
shall include the direction contained in the paragraph entitled 
‘‘Quarterly reporting’’, under the heading ‘‘General Administration’’ 
in the joint explanatory statement accompanying Public Law 114– 
223. 
(INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS) 
SEC. 218. Amounts made available under the ‘‘Medical Serv-
ices’’, ‘‘Medical Community Care’’, ‘‘Medical Support and Compli-
ance’’, ‘‘Medical Facilities’’, ‘‘General Operating Expenses, Veterans 
Benefits Administration’’, ‘‘Board of Veterans Appeals’’, ‘‘General 
Administration’’, and ‘‘National Cemetery Administration’’ accounts 
for fiscal year 2022 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 Tech-
nology Systems’’ account: Provided further, That, before a transfer 
may take place, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall request
H. R. 2471—504 
from the Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress 
the authority to make the transfer and an approval is issued. 
(INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS) 
SEC. 219. Of the amounts appropriated to the Department 
of Veterans Affairs for fiscal year 2022 for ‘‘Medical Services’’, 
‘‘Medical Community Care’’, ‘‘Medical Support and Compliance’’, 
‘‘Medical Facilities’’, ‘‘Construction, Minor Projects’’, and ‘‘Informa-
tion Technology Systems’’, up to $379,009,000, plus reimbursements, 
may be transferred to the Joint Department of Defense—Depart-
ment 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 com-
bined 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): Provided, That addi-
tional funds may be transferred from accounts designated in this 
section to the Joint Department of Defense—Department of Vet-
erans Affairs Medical Facility Demonstration Fund upon written 
notification by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to the Committees 
on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress: Provided further, 
That section 220 of title II of division J of Public Law 116–260 
is repealed. 
(INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS) 
SEC. 220. Of the amounts appropriated to the Department 
of Veterans Affairs which become available on October 1, 2022, 
for ‘‘Medical Services’’, ‘‘Medical Community Care’’, ‘‘Medical Sup-
port and Compliance’’, and ‘‘Medical Facilities’’, up to $323,242,000, 
plus reimbursements, may be transferred to the Joint Department 
of Defense—Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Facility Dem-
onstration 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 
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 Defense— 
Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Facility Demonstration 
Fund upon written notification by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
to the Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress. 
(INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS) 
SEC. 221. Such sums as may be deposited into the Medical 
Care Collections Fund pursuant to section 1729A of title 38, United 
States Code, for healthcare provided at facilities 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 
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010 (Public Law 111–84; 123
H. R. 2471—505 
Stat. 3571); and (2) for operations of the facilities 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): Provided, That, 
notwithstanding section 1704(b)(3) of the National Defense 
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010 (Public Law 111–84; 123 
Stat. 2573), amounts transferred to the Joint Department of 
Defense—Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Facility Dem-
onstration Fund shall remain available until expended. 
(INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS) 
SEC. 222. Of the amounts available in this title for ‘‘Medical 
Services’’, ‘‘Medical Community Care’’, ‘‘Medical Support and 
Compliance’’, and ‘‘Medical Facilities’’, a minimum of $15,000,000 
shall be transferred to the DOD–VA Health Care Sharing Incentive 
Fund, as authorized by section 8111(d) of title 38, United States 
Code, to remain available until expended, for any purpose author-
ized by section 8111 of title 38, United States Code. 
SEC. 223. None of the funds available to the Department of 
Veterans Affairs, in this or any other Act, may be used to replace 
the current system by which the Veterans Integrated Service Net-
works select and contract for diabetes monitoring supplies and 
equipment. 
SEC. 224. The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall notify 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 programmed amount of the project, 
whichever is less: Provided, That such notification shall occur within 
14 days of a contract identifying the programmed amount: Provided 
further, That the Secretary shall notify the Committees on Appro-
priations of both Houses of Congress 14 days prior to the obligation 
of such bid savings and shall describe the anticipated use of such 
savings. 
SEC. 225. None of the funds made available for ‘‘Construction, 
Major Projects’’ may be used for a project in excess 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 Affairs receives approval from the 
Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress. 
SEC. 226. 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 Congress a quar-
terly report containing performance measures and data from each 
Veterans Benefits Administration Regional Office: Provided, That, 
at a minimum, the report shall include the direction contained 
in the section entitled ‘‘Disability claims backlog’’, under the heading 
‘‘General Operating Expenses, Veterans Benefits Administration’’ 
in the joint explanatory statement accompanying Public Law 114– 
223: Provided further, That the report shall also include information 
on the number of appeals pending at the Veterans Benefits Adminis-
tration as well as the Board of Veterans Appeals on a quarterly 
basis. 
SEC. 227. The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall provide writ-
ten notification to the Committees on Appropriations of both Houses 
of Congress 15 days prior to organizational changes which result 
in the transfer of 25 or more full-time equivalents from one
H. R. 2471—506 
organizational unit of the Department of Veterans Affairs to 
another. 
SEC. 228. The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall provide on 
a quarterly basis to the Committees on Appropriations of both 
Houses of Congress notification of any single national outreach 
and awareness marketing campaign in which obligations exceed 
$1,000,000. 
(INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS) 
SEC. 229. The Secretary of Veterans Affairs, upon determination 
that such action is necessary to address needs of the Veterans 
Health Administration, may transfer to the ‘‘Medical Services’’ 
account any discretionary appropriations made available for fiscal 
year 2022 in this title (except appropriations made to the ‘‘General 
Operating Expenses, Veterans Benefits Administration’’ account) 
or any discretionary unobligated balances within the Department 
of Veterans Affairs, including those appropriated for fiscal year 
2022, that were provided in advance by appropriations Acts: Pro-
vided, That transfers shall be made only with the approval of 
the Office of Management and Budget: Provided further, That the 
transfer authority provided in this section is in addition to any 
other transfer authority provided by law: Provided further, That 
no amounts may be transferred from amounts that were designated 
by Congress as an emergency requirement pursuant to a concurrent 
resolution on the budget or the Balanced Budget and Emergency 
Deficit Control Act of 1985: Provided further, That such authority 
to transfer may not be used unless for higher priority items, based 
on emergent healthcare requirements, than those for which origi-
nally appropriated and in no case where the item for which funds 
are requested has been denied by Congress: Provided further, That, 
upon determination that all or part of the funds transferred from 
an appropriation are not necessary, such amounts may be trans-
ferred back to that appropriation and shall be available for the 
same purposes as originally appropriated: 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. 
(INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS) 
SEC. 230. Amounts made available for the Department of Vet-
erans Affairs for fiscal year 2022, under the ‘‘Board of Veterans 
Appeals’’ and the ‘‘General Operating Expenses, Veterans Benefits 
Administration’’ accounts may be transferred between such 
accounts: Provided, 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. 
SEC. 231. The Secretary of Veterans Affairs may not reprogram 
funds among major construction projects or programs if such 
instance of reprogramming will exceed $7,000,000, unless such re-
programming is approved by the Committees on Appropriations 
of both Houses of Congress. 
SEC. 232. (a) The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall ensure 
that the toll-free suicide hotline under section 1720F(h) of title 
38, United States Code—
H. R. 2471—507 
(1) provides to individuals who contact the hotline imme-
diate assistance from a trained professional; and 
(2) adheres to all requirements of the American Association 
of Suicidology. 
(b)(1) None of the funds made available by this Act may be 
used to enforce or otherwise carry out any Executive action that 
prohibits the Secretary of Veterans Affairs from appointing an 
individual to occupy a vacant civil service position, or establishing 
a new civil service position, at the Department of Veterans Affairs 
with respect to such a position relating to the hotline specified 
in subsection (a). 
(2) In this subsection— 
(A) the term ‘‘civil service’’ has the meaning given such 
term in section 2101(1) of title 5, United States Code; and 
(B) the term ‘‘Executive action’’ includes— 
(i) any Executive order, Presidential memorandum, or 
other action by the President; and 
(ii) any agency policy, order, or other directive. 
(c)(1) The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall conduct a study 
on the effectiveness of the hotline specified in subsection (a) during 
the 5-year period beginning on January 1, 2016, based on an anal-
ysis of national suicide data and data collected from such hotline. 
(2) At a minimum, the study required by paragraph (1) shall— 
(A) determine the number of veterans who contact the 
hotline specified in subsection (a) and who receive follow up 
services from the hotline or mental health services from the 
Department of Veterans Affairs thereafter; 
(B) determine the number of veterans who contact the 
hotline who are not referred to, or do not continue receiving, 
mental health care who commit suicide; and 
(C) determine the number of veterans described in subpara-
graph (A) who commit or attempt suicide. 
SEC. 233. Effective during the period beginning on October 
1, 2018, and ending on January 1, 2024, none of the funds made 
available to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs by this or any other 
Act may be obligated or expended in contravention of the ‘‘Veterans 
Health Administration Clinical Preventive Services Guidance State-
ment on the Veterans Health Administration’s Screening for Breast 
Cancer Guidance’’ published on May 10, 2017, as issued by the 
Veterans Health Administration National Center for Health Pro-
motion and Disease Prevention. 
SEC. 234. (a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the 
amounts appropriated or otherwise made available to the Depart-
ment of Veterans Affairs for the ‘‘Medical Services’’ account may 
be used to provide— 
(1) fertility counseling and treatment using assisted repro-
ductive technology to a covered veteran or the spouse of a 
covered veteran; or 
(2) adoption reimbursement to a covered veteran. 
(b) In this section: 
(1) The term ‘‘service-connected’’ has the meaning given 
such term in section 101 of title 38, United States Code. 
(2) The term ‘‘covered veteran’’ means a veteran, as such 
term is defined in section 101 of title 38, United States Code, 
who has a service-connected disability that results in the 
inability of the veteran to procreate without the use of fertility 
treatment.
H. R. 2471—508 
(3) The term ‘‘assisted reproductive technology’’ means 
benefits relating to reproductive assistance provided to a 
member of the Armed Forces who incurs a serious injury or 
illness on active duty pursuant to section 1074(c)(4)(A) of title 
10, United States Code, as described in the memorandum on 
the subject of ‘‘Policy for Assisted Reproductive Services for 
the Benefit of Seriously or Severely Ill/Injured (Category II 
or III) Active Duty Service Members’’ issued by the Assistant 
Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs on April 3, 2012, and 
the guidance issued to implement such policy, including any 
limitations on the amount of such benefits available to such 
a member except that— 
(A) the time periods regarding embryo cryopreservation 
and storage set forth in part III(G) and in part IV(H) 
of such memorandum shall not apply; and 
(B) such term includes embryo cryopreservation and 
storage without limitation on the duration of such 
cryopreservation and storage. 
(4) The term ‘‘adoption reimbursement’’ means reimburse-
ment for the adoption-related expenses for an adoption that 
is finalized after the date of the enactment of this Act under 
the same terms as apply under the adoption reimbursement 
program of the Department of Defense, as authorized in Depart-
ment of Defense Instruction 1341.09, including the reimburse-
ment limits and requirements set forth in such instruction. 
(c) Amounts made available for the purposes specified in sub-
section (a) of this section are subject to the requirements for funds 
contained in section 508 of division H of the Consolidated Appropria-
tions Act, 2018 (Public Law 115–141). 
SEC. 235. None of the funds appropriated or otherwise made 
available by this Act or any other Act for the Department of Vet-
erans 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 Inde-
pendent Agencies Appropriations Act, 2006 (Public Law 109–115; 
119 Stat. 2506); or (2) section 8110(a)(5) of title 38, United States 
Code. 
SEC. 236. Section 842 of Public Law 109–115 shall not apply 
to conversion of an activity or function of the Veterans Health 
Administration, Veterans Benefits Administration, or National 
Cemetery Administration to contractor performance by a business 
concern that is at least 51 percent owned by one or more Indian 
tribes as defined in section 5304(e) of title 25, United States Code, 
or one or more Native Hawaiian Organizations as defined in section 
637(a)(15) of title 15, United States Code. 
SEC. 237. (a) Except as provided in subsection (b), the Secretary 
of Veterans Affairs, in consultation with the Secretary of Defense 
and the Secretary of Labor, shall discontinue using Social Security 
account numbers to identify individuals in all information systems 
of the Department of Veterans Affairs as follows: 
(1) For all veterans submitting to the Secretary of Veterans 
Affairs new claims for benefits under laws administered by 
the Secretary, not later than March 23, 2023. 
(2) For all individuals not described in paragraph (1), not 
later than March 23, 2026. 
(b) The Secretary of Veterans Affairs may use a Social Security 
account number to identify an individual in an information system
H. R. 2471—509 
of the Department of Veterans Affairs if and only if the use of 
such number is required to obtain information the Secretary 
requires from an information system that is not under the jurisdic-
tion of the Secretary. 
(c) The matter in subsections (a) and (b) shall supersede section 
238 of Public Law 116–94. 
SEC. 238. For funds provided to the Department of Veterans 
Affairs for each of fiscal year 2022 and 2023 for ‘‘Medical Services’’, 
section 239 of division A of Public Law 114–223 shall apply. 
SEC. 239. None of the funds appropriated in this or prior 
appropriations Acts or otherwise made available to the Department 
of Veterans Affairs may be used to transfer any amounts from 
the Filipino Veterans Equity Compensation Fund to any other 
account within the Department of Veterans Affairs. 
SEC. 240. Of the funds provided to the Department of Veterans 
Affairs for each of fiscal year 2022 and fiscal year 2023 for ‘‘Medical 
Services’’, funds may be used in each year to carry out and expand 
the child care program authorized by section 205 of Public Law 
111–163, notwithstanding subsection (e) of such section. 
SEC. 241. None of the funds appropriated or otherwise made 
available in this title may be used by the Secretary of Veterans 
Affairs to enter into an agreement related to resolving a dispute 
or claim with an individual that would restrict in any way the 
individual from speaking to members of Congress or their staff 
on any topic not otherwise prohibited from disclosure by Federal 
law or required by Executive order to be kept secret in the interest 
of national defense or the conduct of foreign affairs. 
SEC. 242. For funds provided to the Department of Veterans 
Affairs for each of fiscal year 2022 and 2023, section 258 of division 
A of Public Law 114–223 shall apply. 
SEC. 243. (a) None of the funds appropriated or otherwise 
made available by this Act may be used to deny an Inspector 
General funded under this Act timely access to any records, docu-
ments, or other materials available to the department or agency 
over which that Inspector General has responsibilities under the 
Inspector General Act of 1978 (5 U.S.C. App.), or to prevent or 
impede the access of the Inspector General to such records, docu-
ments, or other materials, under any provision of law, except a 
provision of law that expressly refers to such Inspector General 
and expressly limits the right of access. 
(b) A department or agency covered by this section shall provide 
its Inspector General access to all records, documents, and other 
materials in a timely manner. 
(c) Each Inspector General shall ensure compliance with statu-
tory limitations on disclosure relevant to the information provided 
by the establishment over which that Inspector General has respon-
sibilities under the Inspector General Act of 1978 (5 U.S.C. App.). 
(d) Each Inspector General covered by this section shall report 
to the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate and the Com-
mittee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives within 
5 calendar days of any failure by any department or agency covered 
by this section to comply with this requirement. 
SEC. 244. None of the funds made available in this Act may 
be used in a manner that would increase wait times for veterans 
who seek care at medical facilities of the Department of Veterans 
Affairs.
H. R. 2471—510 
SEC. 245. None of the funds appropriated or otherwise made 
available by this Act to the Veterans Health Administration may 
be used in fiscal year 2022 to convert any program which received 
specific purpose funds in fiscal year 2021 to a general purpose 
funded program unless the Secretary of Veterans Affairs submits 
written notification of any such proposal to the Committees on 
Appropriations of both Houses of Congress at least 30 days prior 
to any such action and an approval is issued by the Committees. 
SEC. 246. For funds provided to the Department of Veterans 
Affairs for each of fiscal year 2022 and 2023, section 248 of division 
A of Public Law 114–223 shall apply. 
SEC. 247. (a) None of the funds appropriated or otherwise 
made available by this Act may be used to conduct research com-
mencing on or after October 1, 2019, that uses any canine, feline, 
or non-human primate unless the Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
approves such research specifically and in writing pursuant to 
subsection (b). 
(b)(1) The Secretary of Veterans Affairs may approve the con-
duct of research commencing on or after October 1, 2019, using 
canines, felines, or non-human primates if the Secretary determines 
that— 
(A) the scientific objectives of the research can only be 
met by using such canines, felines, or non-human primates; 
(B) such scientific objectives are directly related to an ill-
ness or injury that is combat-related; and 
(C) the research is consistent with the revised Department 
of Veterans Affairs canine research policy document dated 
December 15, 2017, including any subsequent revisions to such 
document. 
(2) The Secretary may not delegate the authority under this 
subsection. 
(c) If the Secretary approves any new research pursuant to 
subsection (b), not later than 30 days before the commencement 
of such research, the Secretary shall submit to the Committees 
on Appropriations of the Senate and House of Representatives 
a report describing— 
(1) the nature of the research to be conducted using canines, 
felines, or non-human primates; 
(2) the date on which the Secretary approved the research; 
(3) the justification for the determination of the Secretary 
that the scientific objectives of such research could only be 
met using canines, felines, or non-human primates; 
(4) the frequency and duration of such research; and 
(5) the protocols in place to ensure the necessity, safety, 
and efficacy of the research. 
(d) Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment 
of this Act, and biannually thereafter, the Secretary shall submit 
to such Committees a report describing— 
(1) any research being conducted by the Department of 
Veterans Affairs using canines, felines, or non-human primates 
as of the date of the submittal of the report; 
(2) the circumstances under which such research was con-
ducted using canines, felines, or non-human primates; 
(3) the justification for using canines, felines, or non-human 
primates to conduct such research; and 
(4) the protocols in place to ensure the necessity, safety, 
and efficacy of such research.