(b) 
OUTPATIENT
MEDICAL
SERVICES.—Section
1712(f) is amended by adding at the end the following
new paragraph:
‘‘(5) A veteran may not be required to make a pay-
ment under this subsection for any medical services if the
Secretary does not notify the veteran in writing of the
amount owed for those services before the end of the two-
year period beginning on the date on which the services
were provided, unless the reason the Secretary did not no-
tify the veteran within such period was due to reliance
by the Secretary on information furnished by the veteran
to the Secretary which was subsequently determined to be
erroneous.’’.
(c) MEDICATIONS.—Section 1722A(a) is amended by
adding at the end the following new paragraph:
‘‘(4) A veteran may not be required to make a pay-
ment under this subsection for any supply of medication
if the Secretary does not notify the veteran in writing of
the amount owed for that medication before the end of
the two-year period beginning on the date on which the
medication is supplied, unless the reason the Secretary did
not notify the veteran within such period was due to reli-
ance by the Secretary on information furnished by the vet-
eran to the Secretary which was subsequently determined
to be erroneous.’’.
SEC. 503. CHILD CARE SERVICES.
(a) REVISED CHILD CARE AUTHORITY.—Chapter 81
is amended by inserting after section 8116 the following
new section:
‘‘§ 8117. Child care centers
‘‘(a) The Secretary may provide for the operation of
child care centers at Department facilities. The operation
of such centers under this section shall be carried out to
the extent that the Secretary determines, based on the de-
mand of employees of the Department for the care in-
volved, that such operation is in the best interest of the
Department and that it is practicable to do so.
‘‘(b)(1) In offering child care services under this sec-
tion, the Secretary shall give priority (in the following
order) to employees of—
‘‘(A) the Department;
‘‘(B) other departments and agencies of the
Federal Government, and
‘‘(C) schools affiliated with the Department and
corporations created under section 7361 of this title.
‘‘(2) To the extent that space is available, the Sec-
retary may provide child care services to members of the
public at a child care center operated under this section
if the Secretary determines that to do so is necessary to
assure the financial success of that center.
‘‘(c)(1) The Secretary shall establish reasonable
charges for child care services provided at each child care
center operated under this section. Such charges may be
established at different rates for different centers.
‘‘(2) In establishing charges for child care services
provided at a center, the Secretary—
‘‘(A) shall (except as provided in paragraph (3))
establish the charges so as to ensure that the sum
of all charges for child care services at that center
is sufficient to meet the staffing expenses of that
center; and
‘‘(B) may also may consider the expenses of
constructing or acquiring space for the center, the
expenses of converting existing space into the center,
and the expenses of equipment and services fur-
nished to the center under subsection (d)(2).
‘‘(3) The Secretary may establish charges for child
care services provided at a center at rates less than those
necessary to ensure that the sum of all charges for child
care services at that center is sufficient to meet the staff-
ing expenses of that center if the Secretary determines
(with respect to a particular facility of the Department)
that—
‘‘(A) the operation of a child care center at that
facility would help overcome serious recruitment or
retention problems;
‘‘(B) adherence to the requirement to establish
charges for child care services at that center at rates
sufficient to meet the staffing expenses of that cen-
ter would make the operation of a child care center
at that facility unfeasible; and
‘‘(C) there are no other practical alternatives to
meeting the needs of employees at that facility for
child care services.
‘‘(4) Proceeds from charges for child care services
shall be credited to the applicable Department of Veterans
Affairs account and shall be allotted to the facility served
by the child care center and shall remain available until
expended.
‘‘(d) In connection with the establishment and oper-
ation of a child care center under this section, the Sec-
retary—
‘‘(1) may construct or alter space in any De-
partment facility, and may lease space in a non-
Department facility for a term not to exceed 20
years, for use as a child care center;
‘‘(2) may provide, out of operating funds, other
items and services necessary for the operation of the
center, including furniture, office machines and
equipment, utility and custodial services, and other
necessary services and amenities;
‘‘(3) shall provide for the participation (directly
or through a parent advisory committee) of parents
of children receiving care in the center in the estab-
lishment of policies to govern the operation of the
center and in the oversight of the implementation of
such policies;
‘‘(4) shall require the development and use of a
process for determining the fitness and suitability of
prospective employees of or volunteers at the center;
and
‘‘(5) shall require in connection with the oper-
ation of the center compliance with all State and
local laws, ordinances, and regulations relating to
health and safety and the operation of child care
centers.
‘‘(e) The Secretary shall prescribe guidelines to carry
out this section.
‘‘(f) For the purpose of this section, the term ‘parent
advisory committee’ means a committee comprised of, and
selected by, the parents of children receiving care in a
child care center operated under this section.’’.
(b) CONFORMING REPEAL.—Section 7809 is re-
pealed.
(c) CLERICAL AMENDMENTS.—(1) The table of sec-
tions at the beginning of chapter 81 is amended by insert-
ing after the item relating to section 8116 the following
new item:
‘‘8117. Child care centers.’’.
(2) The table of sections at the beginning of chapter
78 is amended by striking out the item relating to section
7809.
Passed the House of Representatives May 18, 1993.
Attest:
DONNALD K. ANDERSON,
Clerk.
HR 2034 RFS——2