VA Construction Assistance Act of 2014

Bill: 113-hr-3593
Sponsor: Rep. Coffman, Mike [R-CO-6]
Introduced: 2013-11-21 in the House
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Army Corps of Engineers
Building construction
Colorado
Congressional oversight
Department of Defense
Department of Veterans Affairs
Florida
Government buildings, facilities, and property
Health facilities and institutions
Louisiana
Public contracts and procurement
Veterans' medical care

Summary:
action_date: 2013-11-21
text: 
VA Construction Assistance Act of 2013 - Expresses the sense of Congress that: (1) the management of the major medical center construction projects of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has been an abysmal failure; (2) the Secretary of Veterans Affairs should fully implement all recommendations made by the Comptroller General in an April 2013 report to improve VA construction procedures; and (3) management of the major medical facility projects currently underway in Denver, Colorado, Orlando, Florida, and New Orleans, Louisiana, (covered projects) should be subject to the oversight of a special project manager of the Army Corps of Engineers that is independent of the VA.
 
Requires the Secretary, for any construction or alteration project that is a major medical facility project, to: (1) use the services of a medical equipment planner as part of the architectural and engineering firm for the project, (2) develop and use a project management plan to ensure clear and consistent communication among all parties, (3) subject the project to construction peer excellence review, (4) develop a metrics program to enable the monitoring of change-order processing time and goals for the change-order process consistent with the best practices of other federal agencies, and (5) use design-build processes to minimize multiple change orders.
 
Directs the Secretary to procure the services of the Army Corps of Engineers with respect to appointing not less than one special project manager who has experience in managing construction projects that exceed $60 million to oversee such covered projects until completion. Requires a special project manager to submit to specified congressional committees detailed plans of a covered project and progress reports, which shall include an analysis of all changes ordered by the VA and recommendations for improving the operation of any construction-related activity to reduce costs or complete the project in a more timely manner.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

action_date: 2014-09-15
text: 

(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary of that version is repeated here.)

 
VA Construction Assistance Act of 2013 - Expresses the sense of Congress that: (1) the management of the major medical center construction projects of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has been an abysmal failure; (2) the Secretary of Veterans Affairs should fully implement all recommendations made by the Comptroller General in an April 2013 report to improve VA construction procedures; and (3) management of the major medical facility projects currently underway in Denver, Colorado, Orlando, Florida, and New Orleans, Louisiana, (covered projects) should be subject to the oversight of a special project manager of the Army Corps of Engineers that is independent of the VA.
 
Requires the Secretary, for any construction or alteration project that is a major medical facility project, to: (1) use the services of a medical equipment planner as part of the architectural and engineering firm for the project, (2) develop and use a project management plan to ensure clear and consistent communication among all parties, (3) subject the project to construction peer excellence review, (4) develop a metrics program to enable the monitoring of change-order processing time and goals for the change-order process consistent with the best practices of other federal agencies, and (5) use design-build processes to minimize multiple change orders.
 
Directs the Secretary to procure the services of the Army Corps of Engineers with respect to appointing not less than one special project manager who has experience in managing construction projects that exceed $60 million to oversee such covered projects until completion. Requires a special project manager to submit to specified congressional committees detailed plans of a covered project and progress reports, which shall include an analysis of all changes ordered by the VA and recommendations for improving the operation of any construction-related activity to reduce costs or complete the project in a more timely manner. 

action_date: 2014-09-16
text: 
VA Construction Assistance Act of 2014 - (Sec. 2) Expresses the sense of Congress that: (1) the management of the major medical center construction projects of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has been an abysmal failure; and (2) the Secretary of Veterans Affairs should fully implement all recommendations made by the Comptroller General in an April 2013 report to improve VA construction procedures.
 
(Sec. 3) Requires the Secretary, for any construction or alteration project that is a major medical facility project, to: (1) use the services of a medical equipment planner as part of the architectural and engineering firm for the project, (2) develop and use a project management plan to ensure clear and consistent communication among all parties, (3) subject the project to construction peer excellence review, (4) develop a metrics program to enable the monitoring of change-order processing time and goals for the change-order process consistent with the best practices of other federal agencies, and (5) use design-build processes to minimize multiple change orders.
 
(Sec. 4) Directs the Secretary to procure the services of the Army Corps of Engineers with respect to appointing not less than one special project manager who has experience in managing construction projects that exceed $60 million to oversee such covered projects until completion. Requires a special project manager to submit to specified congressional committees detailed plans of a covered project and progress reports, which shall include an analysis of all changes ordered by the VA and recommendations for improving the operation of any construction-related activity to reduce costs or complete the project in a more timely manner.
 
Defines &quot;covered projects&quot; to mean each construction project that is a major medical facility project that: (1) was the subject of a report by the Comptroller General (GAO) titled &quot;Additional Actions Needed to Decrease Delays and Lower Costs of Major Medical-Facility Projects,&quot; published in April 2013; and (2) has not been activated to accept patients as of this Act's enactment.
 
(Sec. 5) Prohibits additional funds from being authorized to be appropriated to carry out this Act.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2014-09-17
text: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
action_date: 2014-09-16
text: Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
action_date: 2014-09-16
text: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H7581-7582)
action_date: 2014-09-16
text: Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.(text: CR H7581-7582)
action_date: 2014-09-16
text: DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 3593.
action_date: 2014-09-16
text: Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H7581-7585)
action_date: 2014-09-16
text: Mr. Lamborn moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
action_date: 2014-09-15
text: Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 433.
action_date: 2014-09-15
text: Reported by the Committee on Veterans' Affairs. H. Rept. 113-586.
action_date: 2014-09-15
text: Reported by the Committee on Veterans' Affairs. H. Rept. 113-586.
action_date: 2014-09-10
text: Ordered to be Reported by Voice Vote.
action_date: 2014-09-10
text: Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
action_date: 2014-03-25
text: Subcommittee Hearings Held.
action_date: 2014-03-07
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations.
action_date: 2014-03-07
text: Subcommittee on Health Discharged.
action_date: 2013-12-11
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
action_date: 2013-11-21
text: Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
action_date: 2013-11-21
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2013-11-21
text: Introduced in House