Construction Reform, Authorization, and Choice Improvement Act of 2015

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Construction Reform, Authorization, 
and Choice Improvement Act of 2015''.

SEC. 2. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS CONSTRUCTION REFORMS.

    (a) Project Management.--Section 8103 of title 38, United States 
Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:
    ``(e) In the case of any super construction project (as such term 
is defined in section 8104(a)(4)(C)), the Secretary shall enter into an 
agreement with an appropriate non-Department entity to provide full 
project management services for the super construction project.''.
    (b) Application of Industry Standards.--Section 8103 of title 38, 
United States Code, as amended by subsection (a) is further amended by 
adding at the end the following new subsection:
    ``(f) To the maximum extent practicable, the Secretary shall use 
industry standards, standard designs, and best practices in carrying 
out the construction of medical facilities.''.
    (c) Limitation on Planning and Design for Super Construction 
Projects.--Section 8104(a) of title 38, United States Code, is 
amended--
            (1) by redesignating paragraph (3) as paragraph (4);
            (2) by inserting after paragraph (2) the following new 
        paragraph (3):
    ``(3) The Secretary may not obligate or expend funds for advance 
planning or design for any super construction project, until the date 
that is 60 days after the date on which the Secretary submits to the 
Committee on Veterans' Affairs and the Committee on Appropriations of 
the Senate and the Committee on Veterans' Affairs and the Committee on 
Appropriations of the House of Representatives notice of such 
obligation or expenditure.''; and
            (3) in paragraph (4), as redesignated by paragraph (1) of 
        this subsection, by adding at the end the following new 
        subparagraph:
            ``(C) The term `super construction project' means a project 
        for the construction, alteration, or acquisition of a medical 
        facility involving a total expenditure of more than 
        $100,000,000, but such term does not include an acquisition by 
        exchange.''.
    (d) Congressional Approval of Certain Projects.--
            (1) Projects that exceed specified amount.--Subsection (c) 
        of section 8104 of title 38, United States Code, is amended to 
        read as follows:
    ``(c) The Secretary may not obligate funds for a major medical 
facility project or a super construction project approved by a law 
described in subsection (a)(2) in an amount that would cause the total 
amount obligated for that project to exceed the amount specified in the 
law for that project (or would add to total obligations exceeding such 
specified amount) by more than 10 percent unless the Committee on 
Veterans' Affairs and the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate and 
the Committee on Veterans' Affairs and the Committee on Appropriations 
of the House of Representatives each approve in writing the obligation 
of those funds.''.
            (2) Use of extra amounts.--Subsection (d) of such section 
        is amended--
                    (A) in paragraph (2)(B), in the matter preceding 
                clause (i), by striking ``Whenever'' and inserting 
                ``Before''; and
                    (B) by adding at the end the following new 
                paragraph:
    ``(3) The Secretary may not obligate any funds described in 
paragraph (1) or amounts described in paragraph (2) before the date 
that is 30 days after the notification submitted under paragraph (1) or 
paragraph (2)(B), as the case may be, unless the Committee on Veterans' 
Affairs and the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate and the 
Committee on Veterans' Affairs and the Committee on Appropriations of 
the House of Representatives each approve in writing the obligation of 
those funds or amounts.''.
            (3) Notification requirements.--
                    (A) Committees required.--Subsection (d)(1) of such 
                section is amended by striking ``each committee'' and 
                inserting ``the Committee on Veterans' Affairs and the 
                Committee on Appropriations of the Senate and the 
                Committee on Veterans' Affairs and the Committee on 
                Appropriations of the House of Representatives''.
                    (B) Use of amounts from bid savings.--Subsection 
                (d)(2)(B) of such section is amended by adding at the 
                end the following new clause:
            ``(iv) With respect to the major construction project that 
        is the source of the bid savings--
                    ``(I) the amounts already obligated or available in 
                the project reserve for such project;
                    ``(II) the percentage of such project that has been 
                completed; and
                    ``(III) the amount of such bid savings that is 
                already obligated or otherwise being used for a purpose 
                other than such project.''.
    (e) Quarterly Report on Super Construction Projects.--
            (1) In general.--At the end of subchapter I of chapter 81 
        of title 38, United States Code, insert the following new 
        section:
``Sec. 8120. Quarterly report on super construction projects
    ``(a) Quarterly Reports Required.--Not later than 30 days after the 
last day of each fiscal quarter the Secretary shall submit to the 
Committees on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and House of 
Representatives on the super construction projects carried out by the 
Secretary during such quarter. Each such report shall include, for each 
such project--
            ``(1) the budgetary and scheduling status of the project, 
        as of the last day of the quarter covered by the report; and
            ``(2) the actual cost and schedule variances of the 
        project, as of such day, compared to the planned cost and 
        schedules for the project.
    ``(b) Super Construction Project Defined.--In this section, the 
term `super construction project' has the meaning given such term in 
section 8103(a)(4)(C) of this title.''.
            (2) Clerical amendment.--The table of sections at the 
        beginning of the chapter is amended by adding at the end of the 
        items relating to such subchapter the following new item:

``8120. Quarterly report on super construction projects.''.
    (f) Accelerated Master Planning for Each Medical Facility of the 
Department of Veterans Affairs.--
            (1) Existing facilities.--Not later than December 31, 2016, 
        the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall complete a master plan 
        described in paragraph (3) for each medical facility of the 
        Department of Veterans Affairs.
            (2) New facilities.--For each medical facility of the 
        Department for which construction is completed after the date 
        of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall complete a 
        master plan described in paragraph (3) for the facility by not 
        later than the earlier of the following dates:
                    (A) The date on which activation is completed.
                    (B) The date of the formal dedication of the 
                facility.
            (3) Master plan described.--A master plan described in this 
        paragraph is, with respect to a medical facility of the 
        Department, a plan to inform investment decisions and funding 
        requests over a 10-year period for construction projects at 
        such medical facility--
                    (A) to meet the health care needs of a changing 
                veteran population through a combination of health care 
                from the Department and other community resources; and
                    (B) to maximize the best use of the land and 
                structures comprising such medical facility.

SEC. 3. CLARIFICATION OF DISTANCE REQUIREMENT FOR EXPANDED AVAILABILITY 
              OF HOSPITAL CARE AND MEDICAL SERVICES FOR VETERANS 
              THROUGH THE USE OF AGREEMENTS WITH NON-DEPARTMENT OF 
              VETERANS AFFAIRS ENTITIES.

    (a) In General.--Section 101(b)(2) of the Veterans Access, Choice, 
and Accountability Act of 2014 (Public Law 113-146; 38 U.S.C. 1701 
note) is amended--
            (1) in subparagraph (B), by inserting ``(as calculated 
        based on distance traveled)'' after ``40 miles''; and
            (2) in subparagraph (D)(ii), by striking subclause (II), 
        and inserting the following new subclause (II):
                                    ``(II) faces an unusual or 
                                excessive burden in traveling to such a 
                                medical facility of the Department 
                                based on--
                                            ``(aa) geographical 
                                        challenges;
                                            ``(bb) environmental 
                                        factors, such as roads that are 
                                        not accessible to the general 
                                        public, traffic, or hazardous 
                                        weather;
                                            ``(cc) a medical condition 
                                        that impacts the ability to 
                                        travel; or
                                            ``(dd) other factors, as 
                                        determined by the Secretary.''.
    (b) Effective Date.--The amendments made by subsection (a) shall 
take effect on the date of the enactment of this Act and apply with 
respect to care or services provided on or after such date.

SEC. 4. MODIFICATION OF AUTHORIZATION OF FISCAL YEAR 2008 MAJOR MEDICAL 
              FACILITY PROJECT AT DEPARTMENT MEDICAL CENTER IN TAMPA, 
              FLORIDA.

    In chapter 3 of the Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2008 (Public 
Law 110-252; 122 Stat. 2326), in the matter under the heading 
``Department of Veterans Affairs-Departmental Administration-
Construction, Major Projects'', after ``Five Year Capital Plan'' insert 
the following: ``and for constructing a new bed tower at the Department 
of Veterans Affairs medical center in Tampa, Florida, in lieu of 
providing bed tower upgrades at such medical center''.

SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF FISCAL YEAR 2015 MAJOR MEDICAL FACILITY 
              PROJECTS.

    (a) Authorization.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs may carry out 
the following major medical facility projects in fiscal year 2015, with 
each project to be carried out in an amount not to exceed the amount 
specified for that project:
            (1) Construction of a community living center, outpatient 
        clinic, renovated domiciliary, and renovation of existing 
        buildings in Canandaigua, New York, in an amount not to exceed 
        $158,980,000.
            (2) Seismic corrections to the mental health and community 
        living center in Long Beach, California, in an amount not to 
        exceed $126,100,000.
            (3) Seismic correction of 12 buildings in West Los Angeles, 
        California, in an amount not to exceed $70,500,000.
            (4) Construction of a spinal cord injury building and 
        seismic corrections in San Diego, California, in an amount not 
        to exceed $205,840,000.
    (b) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs for fiscal year 2015 
or the year in which funds are appropriated for the Construction, Major 
Projects, account, a total of $561,420,000 for the projects authorized 
in subsection (a).

SEC. 6. PERMANENT AUTHORITY FOR EXPANDED AVAILABILITY OF HOSPITAL CARE 
              AND MEDICAL SERVICES FOR VETERANS THROUGH THE USE OF 
              AGREEMENTS WITH NON-DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS 
              ENTITIES.

    (a) In General.--Section 101 of the Veterans Access, Choice, and 
Accountability Act of 2014 (Public Law 113-146; 38 U.S.C. 1701 note) is 
amended--
            (1) by striking subsection (p); and
            (2) by redesignating subsections (q) through (s) as 
        subsections (p) through (r), respectively.
    (b) Conforming Amendments.--Such section is further amended--
            (1) in subsection (i)(2), by striking ``is authorized to 
        carry out this section pursuant to subsection (p)'' and 
        inserting ``carries out this section''; and
            (2) in subsection (q)(2), by striking subparagraph (F).

SEC. 7. SENSE OF CONGRESS REGARDING VETERANS CHOICE FUND.

    Section 802(e) of the Veterans Access, Choice, and Accountability 
Act of 2014 (Public Law 113-146; 128 Stat. 1803) is amended by striking 
``for each of fiscal years 2015 through 2017''.

Summary: Construction Reform, Authorization, and Choice Improvement Act of 2015 This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to: (1) enter into an agreement with an appropriate non-VA entity to provide full project management services for a super construction project; and (2) use industry standards, standard designs, and best practices in carrying out medical facility construction. A super construction project is one for the construction, alteration, or acquisition of a medical facility involving a total expenditure of more than $100 million (but does not include an acquisition by exchange). The VA is prohibited from:   obligating or expending funds for advance planning or design for any super construction project until 60 days after congressional notification,  obligating funds for a major medical facility project or a super construction project by more than 10% of the amount approved by law unless certain congressional committees each approve the obligation, and   using bid savings amounts or funds for other than their original purpose before 30 days after notifying such committees unless each committee approves the obligation.  The VA must complete a master plan for each VA medical facility meeting specified requirements to inform investment decisions and funding requests over a 10-year period for construction projects at the facility.  The 40-mile distance requirement for a veteran to use a non-VA medical facility under the veterans choice program of the Veterans Access, Choice, and Accountability Act of 2014 means 40 miles calculated on the basis of distance traveled.  The VA may carry out the following major medical facility projects in FY2015 (with each project not to exceed specified amounts):   construction of a community living center, outpatient clinic, renovated domiciliary, and renovation of existing buildings in Canandaigua, New York;  seismic corrections to the mental health and community living center in Long Beach, California;  seismic correction of 12 buildings in West Los Angeles, California; and  construction of a spinal cord injury building and seismic corrections in San Diego, California.  VA authority to make medical services and hospital care available for eligible veterans through agreements with non-VA entities shall now be permanent. The sense of Congress regarding the Veterans Choice Fund is revised.