Title: A bill to authorize the construction of a major medical facility for the Department of Veterans Affairs in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and for other purposes.
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security

Summary:
This bill authorizes the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to carry out a major medical facility project starting in FY2021 for the construction of a VA medical center in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
The bill requires the VA and the Department of Defense to jointly submit a report assessing the feasibility and advisability of providing health care services to both veterans and active duty service members at the new Colorado facility.
After appropriations are provided for the project, the VA must enter into an agreement with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to procure services to carry out the major medical facility project to completion as the construction agent.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 4856 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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116th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 4856

   To authorize the construction of a major medical facility for the 
 Department of Veterans Affairs in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and for 
                            other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

             October 23 (legislative day, October 19), 2020

  Mr. Gardner introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
             referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To authorize the construction of a major medical facility for the 
 Department of Veterans Affairs in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and for 
                            other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. AUTHORIZATION OF MAJOR MEDICAL FACILITY FOR THE DEPARTMENT 
              OF VETERANS AFFAIRS, COLORADO SPRINGS, COLORADO.

    (a) Authorization.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs may carry out 
a major medical facility project in fiscal year 2021 and subsequent 
fiscal years for the construction of a Department of Veterans Affairs 
medical center in Colorado Springs, Colorado, designed to serve El Paso 
County, Colorado, and surrounding areas.
    (b) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs for fiscal year 2021 
and subsequent fiscal years for the Construction, Major Projects, 
account, such sums as may be necessary to carry out the major medical 
facility project authorized by subsection (a).
    (c) Report on Joint VA-DoD Use.--
            (1) Report required.--Not later than 180 days after the 
        date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans 
        Affairs and the Secretary of Defense shall jointly submit to 
        the appropriate committees of Congress a report setting forth a 
        joint assessment by the Secretaries of the feasibility and 
        advisability of the use of the medical center authorized by 
        subsection (a) for the provision of health care services to 
        both veterans and members of the Armed Forces on active duty.
            (2) Elements.--The report required by paragraph (1) shall 
        include the following:
                    (A) The assessment described in paragraph (1).
                    (B) An assessment of the feasibility and 
                advisability of locating the medical center authorized 
                by subsection (a) on real property under the 
                jurisdiction of the Secretary of Defense.
                    (C) If the assessment described in paragraph (1) is 
                that the use as described in that paragraph is feasible 
                and advisable, the following:
                            (i) A description of the use, as so 
                        described, during the 10-year period beginning 
                        on the date of completion of the major medical 
                        facility project.
                            (ii) The strategic capital investment plan 
                        for the medical facility project, jointly 
                        conducted by the Secretaries.
                            (iii) A unified budget for the use during 
                        such period, allocating costs appropriately 
                        among the Department of Veterans Affairs and 
                        the Department of Defense.
                    (D) Such other matters as the Secretary of Veterans 
                Affairs and the Secretary of Defense jointly consider 
                appropriate.
            (3) Appropriate committees of congress defined.--In this 
        subsection, the term ``appropriate committees of Congress'' 
        means--
                    (A) the Committee on Veterans' Affairs and the 
                Committee on Armed Services of the Senate; and
                    (B) the Committee on Veterans' Affairs and the 
                Committee on Armed Services of the House of 
                Representatives.
    (d) Construction Agent Authority.--
            (1) Construction agent authority.--
                    (A) In general.--Not later than 30 days after the 
                date of the enactment of the Act first appropriating 
                funds to carry out the major medical facility project 
                authorized by subsection (a), the Secretary of Veterans 
                Affairs shall enter into an agreement with the Chief of 
                Engineers to procure the services of the Chief of 
                Engineers as the construction agent with respect to 
                carrying out the major medical facility project until 
                the date on which the major medical facility project is 
                completed.
                    (B) Reimbursement.--The Secretary shall reimburse 
                the Chief of Engineers for services procured under 
                subparagraph (A) in accordance with section 1535 of 
                title 31, United States Code (commonly referred to as 
                the ``Economy Act''), except that amounts required to 
                carry out the major medical facility project shall be 
                obligated by the Secretary at the time a reimbursable 
                order is accepted by the Chief of Engineers.
            (2) Duties.--
                    (A) In general.--Pursuant to the agreement entered 
                into under paragraph (1), the Chief of Engineers shall, 
                as the construction agent with respect to the major 
                medical facility project authorized by subsection (a), 
                be given the authority to perform the project, design, 
                contract, and construction management necessary to 
                complete the major medical facility project.
                    (B) New contracts.--The authority under 
                subparagraph (A) shall include the authority to enter 
                into new contracts in compliance with the Federal 
                Acquisition Regulation.
            (3) Plans and reports.--
                    (A) Completion plan.--Not later than 90 days after 
                entering into the agreement under paragraph (1), the 
                Secretary shall, in consultation with the Chief of 
                Engineers, submit to the appropriate committees of 
                Congress a detailed plan, including estimated costs, to 
                complete the construction of the major medical facility 
                project authorized by subsection (a).
                    (B) Progress reports.--Not later than 180 days 
                after entering into the agreement under paragraph (1), 
                and not less frequently than once during each 180-day 
                period thereafter until the date on which the major 
                medical facility project is completed, the Secretary 
                shall, in consultation with the Chief of Engineers, 
                submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a 
                report detailing the progress of the major medical 
                facility project.
            (4) Cooperation.--
                    (A) Information.--The Secretary shall provide to 
                the Chief of Engineers any documents or information 
                that the Chief of Engineers considers necessary to 
                carry out this subsection, including information 
                relating to the successful operation of a medical 
                facility.
                    (B) Assistance.--Upon request by the Chief of 
                Engineers, the Secretary shall provide to the Chief of 
                Engineers, at no cost to the Chief of Engineers, any 
                assistance that the Chief of Engineers considers 
                necessary to carry out this subsection.
            (5) Appropriate committees of congress defined.--In this 
        subsection, the term ``appropriate committees of Congress'' 
        means--
                    (A) the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the 
                Senate; and
                    (B) the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the House 
                of Representatives.
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