VA Community Infrastructure Act

Bill: 116-hr-2866
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Cunningham, Joe [D-SC-1]
Introduced: 2019-05-21
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Health care coverage and access

Health care quality

Health facilities and institutions

Infrastructure development

State and local government operations

Veterans' medical care
Latest action: action_date: 2019-06-11
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

Summaries:
action_date: 2019-05-21
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p><b>VA Community Infrastructure Act</b></p> <p>This bill authorizes a 10-year pilot program under which the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) may assist state and local governments in addressing deficiencies in community infrastructure that is supportive of VA medical facilities by making grants, concluding cooperative agreements, and supplementing funds available under other federal programs. Community infrastructure includes any (1) transportation project; (2) flood or natural disaster mitigation project; (3) hospital, police, fire, emergency response, or other community support facility; or (4) utility infrastructure projects owned by a state or local government.</p> <p>Assistance shall be available where the VA determines such assistance will enhance the resilience of the medical facility or quality of life of veterans eligible to receive care at such facilities.</p>

tv_txt: I 116th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 2866 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES May 21, 2019 Mr. Cunningham (for himself and Mr. Bilirakis ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs A BILL To amend title 38, United States Code, to authorize the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to enter into grants or other agreements to assist State and local governments with community infrastructure projects that support medical facilities of the Department of Veterans Affairs.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the VA Community Infrastructure Act . 2. Veteran community infrastructure pilot program (a) Establishment Chapter 81 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by inserting after section 8117 the following new section: 8117A. Veteran community infrastructure pilot program (a) Authority The Secretary of Veterans Affairs may make grants, conclude cooperative agreements, and supplement funds available under Federal programs administered by agencies other than the Department of Veterans Affairs to assist State and local governments to address deficiencies in community infrastructure supportive of medical facilities if the Secretary determines that such assistance will enhance the resilience of the medical facility or the quality of life of veterans eligible to receive care at such medical facility. (b) Criteria The Secretary shall establish criteria for the selection of community infrastructure proj­ects to receive assistance under subsection (a). The criteria shall include a preference toward medical facilities in areas with large veteran populations or areas experiencing high rates of growth in the veteran population. (c) Funds Amounts appropriated or otherwise made available for assistance under subsection (a) may remain available until expended. (d) Termination The authority under this section shall terminate on the date that is 10 years after the date of the enactment of this section. (e) Definitions In this section: (1) The term community infrastructure means any— (A) transportation project; (B) flood or natural disaster mitigation project; (C) hospital, police, fire, emergency response, or other community support facility; or (D) water, waste-water, te­le­com­mu­ni­ca­tions, electric, gas, or other utility infrastructure project that is owned by a State or local government. (2) The term medical facility has the meaning given in section 8101 of this title. . (b) Clerical amendment The table of sections at the beginning of such chapter is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 8117 the following new item: 8117A. Veteran community infrastructure pilot program. .