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Question: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Family Telephone Connection 
Protection Act of 2005''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    The Congress finds that:
            (1) The telephone is the primary method by which 
        individuals correspond and maintain contact with family members 
        who are incarcerated in correctional institutions.
            (2) Except for emergency purposes, family members are not 
        allowed to call people incarcerated in correctional 
        institutions; incarcerated persons are typically allowed to 
        call family members and other pre-approved individuals only 
        through payphones physically located on the premises of 
        correctional institutions.
            (3) Inmate telephone service in correctional institutions 
        often is limited to collect calling.
            (4) Regardless of whether the prisoners' calls are placed 
        collect or through a debit account, the prisoners' family 
        members typically pay for the calls, either through their 
        telephone bills, in the case of collect calls received from 
        prisoners, or by making deposits directly into prisoners' debit 
        accounts.
            (5) Innocent citizens are paying excessive telephone 
        charges simply due to having a family member or loved one who 
        is incarcerated.
            (6) The rates for calls from correctional institutions are 
        some of the highest rates in the United States, with some per-
        minute charges reaching $1 and service or connection charges of 
        $3.95 per call.
            (7) Information compiled by the Congress and the Federal 
        Communications Commission shows that the high rates are due in 
        part to the lack of competition between telephone companies 
        that provide long distance inmate telephone service to 
        correctional institutions.
            (8) There are no competitive forces providing incentives 
        for those carriers to lower prices or operate efficiently 
        because, unlike the mass market, only one carrier is typically 
        permitted to provide long distance inmate telephone service 
        within each correctional institution.
            (9) High calling rates also are due in part to commissions 
        that carriers pay to correctional institution administrators 
        for the exclusive right to provide long distance inmate 
        telephone service in a correctional facility. In some cases, 
        such commissions account for 50 percent or more of the total 
        charges.
            (10) The collection of such commissions by correctional 
        institution administrators and state departments of correction 
        based upon interstate telecommunications revenues is a burden 
        on interstate commerce.
            (11) Due to the lack of competition for telephone services 
        within correctional institutions, families of people in prison, 
        many of whom have low incomes, cannot choose the long distance 
        carrier with the lowest calling rates and must pay the 
        excessive rates charged by the carrier having the exclusive 
        right to provide long distance service to the correctional 
        institution from which the call originates.
            (12) It is the policy of the United States to ensure that 
        all Americans are afforded just and reasonable communications 
        services, including those families that pay rates for inmate 
        telephone service.
            (13) It is clear from various studies that maintaining 
        frequent and meaningful communications between people who are 
        incarcerated and family members is key to the successful social 
        reintegration of formerly incarcerated individuals. Such 
        contact reduces recidivism and facilitates rehabilitation, 
        which in turn reduces crime and the future costs of 
        imprisonment.
            (14) Frequent communications between incarcerated persons 
        and family members is burdened, and in some cases, prevented, 
        by excessive inmate telephone service rates. Excessive inmate 
        telephone service rates thus weaken the family and community 
        ties that are necessary for successful reentry into society by 
        persons who were formerly incarcerated and the reduction in 
        crime resulting from successful reentry.
            (15) The Commission has the expertise and authority to 
        regulate inmate telephone service. Because parties to 
        Commission rulemaking proceedings have raised issues regarding 
        its authority to implement meaningful relief for excessive 
        inmate telephone service rates, Congress finds it necessary and 
        appropriate to reaffirm that the Commission has the authority 
        to implement the types of relief set forth in this Act.

SEC. 3. RESTRICTIONS ON THE PROVISION OF INMATE TELEPHONE SERVICE.

    (a) Definitions.--Section 226(a) of the Communications Act of 1934 
(47 U.S.C. 226(a)) is amended adding at the end the following new 
paragraphs:
            ``(10) The term `collect' or `collect call' refers to a 
        telephone call from a person incarcerated in a correctional 
        institution that is billed to the subscriber receiving the 
        call.
            ``(11) The term `commission' refers to a fee or other 
        payment by a provider of inmate telephone service to an 
        administrator of a correctional institution, department of 
        correction, or similar entity, based upon, or partly upon, 
        inmate telephone service revenue.
            ``(12) The term `debit account' refers to the payment of 
        inmate telephone service through a prisoner's prepaid card or 
        other account, which can be accessed only through an access 
        code, personal identification number, or similar identifier.
            ``(13) The term `inmate telephone service' includes the 
        provision of telephone service enabling persons incarcerated in 
        correctional institutions to originate interstate calls at 
        payphones or other telephones that are designated for 
        prisoners' personal use, regardless of whether the calls are 
        collect, paid through a debit account, or paid through any 
        other means.
            ``(14) The term `provider of inmate telephone service' 
        means any common carrier that provides inmate telephone service 
        or any other person determined by the Commission to be 
        providing inmate telephone service.''.
    (b) Regulations.--Section 226 is further amended--
            (1) by redesignating subsection (i) as subsection (k); and
            (2) inserting after subsection (h) the following new 
        subsections:
    ``(i) Regulation of Inmate Telephone Service.--
            ``(1) Rates.--In order to ensure that charges for inmate 
        telephone service are just, reasonable, and nondiscriminatory, 
        the Commission shall consider, either in a rulemaking 
        proceeding that is pending as of the date of enactment of the 
        Family Telephone Connection Protection Act of 2005 or in a new 
        rulemaking proceeding, the following types of regulation of 
        inmate telephone service, all of which are within the 
        Commission's jurisdiction and authority:
                    ``(A) prescribing a maximum uniform per-minute 
                compensation rate;
                    ``(B) prescribing a maximum uniform service 
                connection or other per-call compensation rate;
                    ``(C) prescribing variable maximum compensation 
                rates depending on such factors as carrier costs, the 
                size of the correctional facility served, and other 
                relevant factors identified by the Commission;
                    ``(D) requiring providers of inmate telephone 
                service to offer both collect calling and debit account 
                services;
                    ``(E) prohibiting the payment of commissions by 
                providers of inmate telephone service to administrators 
                of correctional institutions, departments of 
                correction, and similar entities; and
                    ``(F) requiring administrators of correctional 
                institutions, departments of correction, and similar 
                entities to allow more than one provider of inmate 
                telephone service to provide interstate inmate 
                telephone service at a correctional institution in 
                order that prisoners have a choice of such providers.
            ``(2) Scope.--The regulations adopted by the Commission 
        shall be technologically neutral and shall not jeopardize 
        legitimate security and penelogical interests. To the extent 
        the Commission regulations reduce or eliminate the revenue 
        derived by administrators of correctional institutions, 
        departments of correction, and similar entities from the 
        receipt of commissions, such effects of Commission regulations 
        shall not be considered as jeopardizing or otherwise affecting 
        legitimate security or penelogical interests.
            ``(3) Deadlines and periodic review.--The Commission shall 
        prescribe regulations to implement the provisions of this 
        subsection within one year after the date of enactment of the 
        Family Telephone Connection Protection Act of 2005. The 
        Commission shall review, on a triennial basis, the regulations 
        promulgated under this subsection, including whether any 
        Commission-established compensation rates should be modified.
            ``(4) State preemption.--To the extent that any State 
        requirements are inconsistent with the Commission's regulations 
        affecting or pertaining to interstate inmate telephone service, 
        including restrictions on the payment of commissions based upon 
        interstate inmate telephone service revenues or earnings, the 
        Commission's regulations on such matters shall preempt such 
        State requirements.
    ``(j) Inmate Telephone Service Fully Subject to Sections 251 and 
252.--
            ``(1) Inmate telephone service is fully subject to the 
        requirements of sections 251 and 252 of this Act.
            ``(2) No provider of inmate telephone service may block or 
        otherwise refuse to carry a call placed by an incarcerated 
        person on the grounds that the provider has no contractual or 
        other arrangement with the local exchange carrier serving the 
        intended recipient of the call or other common carrier involved 
        in any portion of the transmission of the call.''.

Answer: Family Telephone Connection Protection Act of 2005 - Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to direct the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to consider the following types of regulation of inmate telephone service: (1) prescribing a maximum uniform per-minute rate (paid to telephone service providers); (2) prescribing a maximum uniform service connection or other per-call rate; (3) prescribing variable maximum rates depending on factors such as carrier costs or the size of the correctional facility; (4) requiring providers of inmate telephone service to offer both collect calling and debit account services; (5) prohibiting the payment of commissions by such providers to administrators of correctional facilities; and (6) requiring such administrators to allow more than one service provider at a facility so that prisoners have a choice.


Question: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Rural Emergency Acute Care Hospital 
Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) According to the University of North Carolina's Center 
        for Health Services Research, 55 rural hospitals have closed in 
        the Unites States since January 2010.
            (2) In 2014, iVantage conducted a study for the National 
        Rural Health Association and found 283 hospitals at risk of 
        closure based upon performance indicators that matched those 
        facilities already forced to close in this decade.
            (3) Researchers at the University of North Carolina 
        identified inpatient volume as a substantial contributing 
        factor to the financial performance of rural hospitals, with 
        many of the at-risk hospitals having an average daily bed 
        census of less than 2.
            (4) Adverse impacts to the local economy and the loss of 
        timely access to emergency medical care are 2 major effects of 
        rural hospital closures.
            (5) According to the National Center for Rural Health 
        Works, the typical rural hospital creates over 140 jobs and 
        generates $6,800,000 in compensation while serving an average 
        population of 14,600.
            (6) The 2014 iVantage study estimates that the 283 at-risk 
        hospitals could result in the loss of 36,000 health care jobs, 
        50,000 community jobs, and $10,600,000,000 in gross domestic 
        product.
            (7) Time is the most critical factor for achieving 
        successful outcomes in emergency medicine, and emergency 
        medical clinicians refer to the time-sensitive period during 
        which successful outcomes may be best achieved as the ``golden 
        hour''.
            (8) The National Conference of State Legislatures states 
        that 60 percent of trauma deaths in the United States occur in 
        rural areas, where only 15 percent of the population is 
        represented.
            (9) The disproportionate percentage of trauma deaths in 
        rural areas is likely attributable in large part to a 
        combination of response time to the scene and distance to the 
        nearest emergency room to stabilize trauma victims.
            (10) The percentage of trauma deaths occurring in rural 
        areas could continue to increase as more rural hospitals close, 
        further limiting access to emergency services and requiring 
        patients to travel longer distances to receive emergency 
        medical care.
            (11) The creation of a rural emergency hospital designation 
        under the Medicare program will allow facilities in rural areas 
        to provide emergency medical services without having to 
        maintain inpatient beds.
            (12) In addition to providing emergency care, rural 
        emergency hospitals could convert the space previously used for 
        inpatient services to provide other medical services including, 
        but not limited to, observation care, skilled nursing facility 
        care, infusion services, hemodialysis, home health, hospice, 
        nursing home care, population health, and telemedicine 
        services.

SEC. 3. RURAL EMERGENCY HOSPITAL PROGRAM.

    (a) In General.--
            (1) Rural emergency hospital and services defined.--Section 
        1861 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395x) is amended--
                    (A) in subsection (e), in the last sentence of the 
                matter following paragraph (9), by inserting ``or a 
                rural emergency hospital (as defined in section 
                1861(iii)(1))'' before the period at the end; and
                    (B) by adding at the end the following subsection:

    ``Rural Emergency Hospital; Rural Emergency Hospital Outpatient 
                                Services

    ``(iii)(1) The term `rural emergency hospital' means a facility 
that--
            ``(A)(i) as of December 31, 2014--
                            ``(I) was a critical access hospital; or
                            ``(II) was a hospital with not more than 50 
                        beds located in a county (or equivalent unit of 
                        local government) in a rural area (as defined 
                        in section 1886(d)(2)(D)), or was a hospital 
                        with not more than 50 beds that was treated as 
                        being located in a rural area pursuant to 
                        section 1886(d)(8)(E); or
                    ``(ii) was a critical access hospital described in 
                clause (i)(I) or a hospital described in clause (i)(II) 
                that ceased operations during the period beginning on 
                the date that is 5 years prior to the date of the 
                enactment of this subsection and ending on December 30, 
                2014;
            ``(B) provides 24-hour emergency medical care and 
        observation care that does not exceed an annual per patient 
        average of 24 hours or more than 1 midnight;
            ``(C) does not provide any acute care inpatient beds and 
        has protocols in place for the timely transfer of patients who 
        require acute care inpatient services or other inpatient 
        services;
            ``(D) has elected to be designated as a rural emergency 
        hospital;
            ``(E) has received approval to operate as a rural emergency 
        hospital from the State under section 1834(r)(3)(A); and
            ``(F) is certified by the Secretary under section 
        1834(r)(3)(B).
    ``(2) The term `rural emergency hospital outpatient services' means 
medical and other health services furnished by a rural emergency 
hospital on an outpatient basis.
    ``(3) Nothing in this subsection or section 1834(r)(3) shall be 
construed to prohibit a rural emergency hospital from providing 
extended care services.''.
            (2) Payment for rural emergency hospital services.--
                    (A) In general.--Section 1833(a) of the Social 
                Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395l(a)) is amended--
                            (i) in paragraph (8), by striking ``and'' 
                        at the end;
                            (ii) in paragraph (9), by striking the 
                        period at the end and inserting ``; and''; and
                            (iii) by inserting after paragraph (9) the 
                        following new paragraph:
            ``(10) in the case of rural emergency hospital emergency 
        services and services provided by a rural emergency hospital or 
        other provider of ambulance services to transport patients who 
        require acute care inpatient services or other inpatient 
        services from such rural emergency hospital to a hospital or 
        critical access hospital, the amounts described in section 
        1834(r).''.
                    (B) Payment amount.--Section 1834 of the Social 
                Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395m) is amended by adding at 
                the end the following subsection:
    ``(r) Payment Rules Relating to Rural Emergency Hospitals.--
            ``(1) Payment for rural emergency hospital outpatient 
        services.--
                    ``(A) In general.--The amount of payment for rural 
                emergency hospital outpatient services of a rural 
                emergency hospital is equal to 110 percent of the 
                reasonable costs of providing such services.
                    ``(B) Telehealth services.--For purposes of this 
                paragraph, in determining the reasonable costs of 
                providing rural emergency hospital outpatient services, 
                costs associated with having a backup physician 
                available via a telecommunications system shall be 
                considered reasonable costs.
            ``(2) Payment for transportation services.--The amount of 
        payment for services provided by a rural emergency hospital or 
        other provider of ambulance services to transport patients who 
        require acute care inpatient services or other inpatient 
        services from such rural emergency hospital to a hospital or 
        critical access hospital is equal to 110 percent of the 
        reasonable costs of providing such services.
            ``(3) Requirements for rural emergency hospitals.--
                    ``(A) State approval to operate as a rural 
                emergency hospital.--No payment shall be made under 
                this subsection to a facility, or to a provider of 
                ambulance services providing transportation services 
                from such facility, unless the State in which the 
                facility is located has approved the facility's 
                designation as a rural emergency hospital.
                    ``(B) Certification of rural emergency hospital.--
                            ``(i) In general.--No payment shall be made 
                        under this subsection to a facility, or to a 
                        provider of ambulance services providing 
                        transportation services from such facility, 
                        unless the facility has been certified by the 
                        Secretary as a rural emergency hospital.
                            ``(ii) Certification requirements.--The 
                        Secretary shall certify a facility as a rural 
                        emergency hospital if the facility--
                                    ``(I) meets the criteria for rural 
                                emergency hospitals described in 
                                subparagraphs (A) through (E) of 
                                section 1861(iii)(1);
                                    ``(II) either--
                                            ``(aa) is verified by the 
                                        American College of Surgeons as 
                                        having the resources required 
                                        of a level IV trauma center or 
                                        higher; or
                                            ``(bb) employs healthcare 
                                        professionals that successfully 
                                        completed the Advanced Trauma 
                                        Life Support Course offered by 
                                        the American College of 
                                        Surgeons within the preceding 4 
                                        years;
                                    ``(III) has in effect a transfer 
                                agreement with a level I or level II 
                                trauma center; and
                                    ``(IV) meets such staff training 
                                and certification requirements as the 
                                Secretary may require.
            ``(4) Coinsurance.--
                    ``(A) In general.--The amount of payment for rural 
                emergency hospital services or transportation services 
                made to a rural emergency hospital or other provider of 
                ambulance services under this subsection shall be 
                reduced by the coinsurance amount described in 
                subparagraph (B).
                    ``(B) Coinsurance amount.--The coinsurance amount 
                described in this subparagraph, with respect to an item 
                or service provided by a rural emergency hospital or 
                provider of ambulance services, shall be calculated in 
                the same manner as the coinsurance amount for an 
                outpatient critical access hospital service is 
                calculated under section 1866(a)(2).''.
    (b) Waiver of Distance Requirement for Replacement CAHs; Subsequent 
Redesignation of Rural Emergency Hospitals as CAHs.--Section 1820(c)(2) 
of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395i-4(c)(2)) is amended--
            (1) in subparagraph (B)(i)(I), by inserting ``subject to 
        subparagraph (F),'' before ``is located''; and
            (2) by adding at the end the following new subparagraphs:
                    ``(F) Option to waive distance requirement.--
                Beginning on the date of the enactment of this 
                subparagraph, for every critical access hospital 
                located in a State that is certified as a rural 
                emergency hospital under section 1834(r)(3)(B), the 
                State shall have the option of waiving the distance 
                requirement described in subparagraph (B)(i)(I) with 
                respect to another facility located in the State that 
                is seeking designation as a critical access hospital 
                under this paragraph.
                    ``(G) Redesignation of a rural emergency hospital 
                as a critical access hospital.--A rural emergency 
                hospital that was previously designated as a critical 
                access hospital under this paragraph may elect to be 
                redesignated as a critical access hospital (in the same 
                manner that the hospital was originally designated as a 
                critical access hospital) at any time, subject to such 
                conditions as the Secretary may establish.''.
    (c) Studies and Reports.--
            (1) Studies.--The Secretary of Health & Human Services 
        shall conduct 3 studies to evaluate the impact of rural 
        emergency hospitals on the availability of health care and 
        health outcomes in rural areas (as defined in section 
        1886(d)(2)(D) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395ww)). 
        The Secretary shall conduct a study--
                    (A) 2 years after the date of the enactment of this 
                Act;
                    (B) 5 years after the date of the enactment of this 
                Act; and
                    (C) 10 years after the date of the enactment of 
                this Act.
            (2) Reports.--Not later than 6 months after each date that 
        the Secretary of Health & Human Services is required to conduct 
        a study under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall submit a 
        report to Congress containing the results of each such study.
    (d) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall 
apply to items and services furnished on or after the date that is 1 
year after the date of the enactment of this Act.

SEC. 4. INCLUSION OF EMERGENCY MEDICINE AS HEALTH SERVICES UNDER THE 
              NATIONAL HEALTH SERVICE CORPS.

    Section 331(a)(3)(D) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 
254d(a)(3)(D)) is amended by inserting ``, and includes emergency 
medicine provided by physicians in a rural emergency hospital (as 
defined in section 1861(iii) of the Social Security Act)'' before the 
period.

SEC. 5. PERMITTING HOSPITALS WITH APPROVED RESIDENCY PROGRAMS IN 
              EMERGENCY MEDICINE TO INCLUDE TIME SPENT BY INTERNS AND 
              RESIDENTS IN THE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT OF A RURAL HOSPITAL 
              IN FULL-TIME EQUIVALENT COUNT.

    (a) Indirect Medical Education.--Section 1886(d)(5)(B)(iv) of the 
Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395ww(d)(5)(B)(iv)) is amended by 
adding at the end the following new subclause:
            ``(III) Effective for discharges occurring on or after 
        October 1, 2015, all of the time spent in patient care 
        activities in the emergency department of a rural hospital by 
        interns and residents in emergency medicine from a hospital 
        with an approved medical residency training program (as defined 
        in subsection (h)(5)(A)) in such specialty shall be included in 
        determining the number of full-time equivalent interns and 
        residents in such program if the hospital with such program 
        incurs the costs of the stipends and fringe benefits of the 
        interns or residents during the time the interns or residents 
        spend in that rural hospital in accordance with subclause (II). 
        In this subclause, the term `rural hospital' means a hospital 
        that is located in a rural area (as defined for purposes of 
        paragraph (2)(D)).''.
    (b) Direct Medical Education.--Section 1886(h)(4)(E) of the Social 
Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395(h)(4)) is amended--
            (1) in clause (ii), by striking the period at the end and 
        inserting ``; and'';
            (2) by inserting after clause (ii) the following new 
        clause:
                            ``(iii) effective for cost reporting 
                        periods beginning on or after July 1, 2015, all 
                        of the time so spent in the emergency 
                        department of a rural hospital by residents in 
                        emergency medicine from a hospital with an 
                        approved medical residency training program in 
                        such specialty shall be counted towards the 
                        determination of full-time equivalency in such 
                        program if the hospital with such program bears 
                        all, or substantially all, of the costs of 
                        training such residents in the rural hospital. 
                        In this subparagraph, the term `rural hospital' 
                        means a hospital that is located in a rural 
                        area (as defined for purposes of subsection 
                        (d)(2)(D)).''; and
            (3) by adding at the end the following new sentence: ``For 
        purposes of this subparagraph, the emergency department of a 
        rural hospital described in clause (iii) is a nonprovider 
        setting.''.

Answer: Rural Emergency Acute Care Hospital Act  This bill amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to designate as a rural emergency hospital any facility that as of December 31, 2014, was:   a critical access hospital (CAH) or a hospital with at most 50 beds located in a county in a rural area or treated as located in a rural area, or one of such hospitals that ceased operations during the period beginning five years before enactment of this Act and ending on December 30, 2014.  A rural emergency hospital:  must provide 24-hour emergency medical care and observation care not exceeding an annual per patient average of 24 hours or more than 1 midnight, does not provide any acute care inpatient beds and has protocols in place for the timely transfer of patients who require acute care inpatient services or other inpatient services, has elected to be designated as a rural emergency hospital, has received approval to operate as one from the state, and is certified by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).  Medicare part B (Supplementary Medical Insurance Benefits) shall cover rural emergency hospital emergency services as well as ambulance services provided by a rural emergency hospital or other provider to transport patients who require acute care inpatient services or other inpatient services from the rural emergency hospital to a hospital or a CAH. Payment for rural emergency hospital outpatient services of a rural emergency hospital, including telehealth and ambulance services, shall be 110% percent of their reasonable costs. Rural emergency hospitals must be approved by the state and certified by HHS. States shall have the option of waiving a specified distance requirement between a CAH certified as a rural emergency hospital and another facility located in the state that is seeking designation as a CAH. Primary health services which the National Health Service Corps may provide under the Public Health Service Act shall include emergency medicine provided by physicians in a rural emergency hospital. Hospitals with approved residency programs in emergency medicine shall include time spent by interns and residents in the emergency department of a rural hospital in the full-time equivalent count with respect to reimbursement for the indirect (stipend, fringe benefit) and direct (all or substantially all training) costs of medical education in subsection (d) hospitals. (Generally, a subsection [d] hospital is an acute care hospital, particularly one that receives payments under Medicare's inpatient prospective payment system [IPPS] when providing covered inpatient services to eligible beneficiaries.)


Question: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Veterans Economic Opportunity 
Administration Act of 2013''.

SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF VETERANS ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY ADMINISTRATION 
              OF DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.

    (a) Economic Opportunity Administration.--Part V of title 38, 
United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new 
chapter:

       ``CHAPTER 80--VETERANS ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY ADMINISTRATION

``8001. Organization of Administration.
``8002. Functions of Administration.
``Sec. 8001. Organization of Administration
    ``(a) Veterans Economic Opportunity Administration.--There is in 
the Department of Veterans Affairs a Veterans Economic Opportunity 
Administration. The primary function of the Veterans Economic 
Opportunity Administration is the administration of the programs of the 
Department which provide assistance related to economic opportunity to 
veterans and their dependents and survivors.
    ``(b) Under Secretary for Economic Opportunity.--The Veterans 
Economic Opportunity Administration is under the Under Secretary for 
Veterans Economic Opportunity, who is directly responsible to the 
Secretary for the operations of the Administration.
``Sec. 8002. Functions of Administration
    ``The Veterans Economic Opportunity Administration is responsible 
for the administration of the following programs of the Department:
            ``(1) Vocational rehabilitation and employment programs.
            ``(2) Educational assistance programs.
            ``(3) Veterans' housing loan and related programs.
            ``(4) Veterans small business programs, including the 
        program under section 8127 of this title.''.
    (b) Clerical Amendments.--The tables of chapters at the beginning 
of title 38, and of part V of title 38, are each amended by inserting 
after the item relating to chapter 79 the following new item:

``80. Veterans Economic Opportunity Administration..........    8001''.

SEC. 3. UNDER SECRETARY FOR VETERANS ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY.

    (a) Under Secretary.--Chapter 3 of title 38, United States Code, is 
amended by inserting after section 306 the following new section:
``Sec. 306A. Under Secretary for Veterans Economic Opportunity
    ``(a) Under Secretary.--There is in the Department an Under 
Secretary for Veterans Economic Opportunity, who is appointed by the 
President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. The Under 
Secretary for Veterans Economic Opportunity shall be appointed without 
regard to political affiliation or activity and solely on the basis of 
demonstrated ability in--
            ``(1) information technology; and
            ``(2) the administration of programs within the Veterans 
        Economic Opportunity Administration or programs of similar 
        content and scope.
    ``(b) Responsibilities.--The Under Secretary for Veterans Economic 
Opportunity is the head of, and is directly responsible to the 
Secretary for the operations of, the Veterans Economic Opportunity 
Administration.
    ``(c) Vacancies.--(1) Whenever a vacancy in the position of Under 
Secretary for Veterans Economic Opportunity occurs or is anticipated, 
the Secretary shall establish a commission to recommend individuals to 
the President for appointment to the position.
    ``(2) A commission established under this subsection shall be 
composed of the following members appointed by the Secretary:
            ``(A) Three persons representing education and training, 
        vocational rehabilitation, employment, real estate, mortgage 
        finance and related industries, and survivor benefits 
        activities affected by the Veterans Economic Opportunity 
        Administration.
            ``(B) Two persons representing veterans served by the 
        Veterans Economic Opportunity Administration.
            ``(C) Two persons who have experience in the management of 
        private sector benefits programs of similar content and scope 
        to the economic opportunity programs of the Department.
            ``(D) The Deputy Secretary of Veterans Affairs.
            ``(E) The chairman of the Veterans' Advisory Committee on 
        Education formed under section 3692 of this title.
            ``(F) One person who has held the position of Under 
        Secretary for Veterans Economic Opportunity, if the Secretary 
        determines that it is desirable for such person to be a member 
        of the commission.
    ``(3) A commission established under this subsection shall 
recommend at least three individuals for appointment to the position of 
Under Secretary for Veterans Economic Opportunity. The commission shall 
submit all recommendations to the Secretary. The Secretary shall 
forward the recommendations to the President and the Committees on 
Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and House of Representatives with any 
comments the Secretary considers appropriate. Thereafter, the President 
may request the commission to recommend additional individuals for 
appointment.
    ``(4) The Assistant Secretary or Deputy Assistant Secretary of 
Veterans Affairs who performs personnel management and labor relations 
functions shall serve as the executive secretary of a commission 
established under this subsection.
    ``(d) Qualifications of Recommended Individuals.--Each individual 
recommended to the President by the commission for appointment to the 
position of Under Secretary for Veterans Economic Opportunity shall be 
an individual who has held a senior level position in the private 
sector with responsibilities relating to at least one of the following:
            ``(1) Education policy.
            ``(2) Vocational rehabilitation.
            ``(3) Employment.
            ``(4) Home loan finance.
            ``(5) Small business development.''.
    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections at the beginning of 
such chapter is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 
306 the following new item:

``306A. Under Secretary for Veterans Economic Opportunity.''.
    (c) Conforming Amendments.--Such title is further amended--
            (1) in section 7701(a), by inserting after ``assistance'' 
        the following: ``, other than assistance related to economic 
        opportunity,'';
            (2) in section 7703, by striking paragraphs (2) and (3) and 
        redesignating paragraphs (4) and (5) as paragraphs (2) and (3), 
        respectively;
            (3) in section 306(c)(2), by striking subparagraphs (A) and 
        (E) and redesignating subparagraphs (B), (C), (D), and (F), as 
        subparagraphs (A) through (D), respectively;
            (4) in section 317(d), by inserting after ``Under Secretary 
        for Benefits'' the following: ``, the Under Secretary for 
        Veterans Economic Opportunity,'';
            (5) in section 318(d)(2), by inserting after ``Under 
        Secretary for Benefits'' the following: ``, the Under Secretary 
        for Veterans Economic Opportunity,'';
            (6) in section 516(e)(2)(C), by striking ``Health and the 
        Under Secretary for Benefits'' and inserting ``Health, the 
        Under Secretary for Benefits, and the Under Secretary for 
        Veterans Economic Opportunity'';
            (7) in section 541(a)(2)(B), by striking ``Health and the 
        Under Secretary for Benefits'' and inserting ``Health, the 
        Under Secretary for Benefits, and the Under Secretary for 
        Veterans Economic Opportunity'';
            (8) in section 542(a)(2)(A)(iii), by striking ``Health and 
        the Under Secretary for Benefits'' and inserting ``Health, the 
        Under Secretary for Benefits, and the Under Secretary for 
        Veterans Economic Opportunity'';
            (9) in section 544(a)(2)(B)(vi), by striking ``Health and 
        the Under Secretary for Benefits'' and inserting ``Health, the 
        Under Secretary for Benefits, and the Under Secretary for 
        Veterans Economic Opportunity''; and
            (10) in section 709(c)(2)(A), by inserting after ``Under 
        Secretary for Benefits'' the following: ``, the Under Secretary 
        for Veterans Economic Opportunity,''.
    (d) Full-Time Employees.--For fiscal year 2014, the aggregate 
number of full-time equivalent employees authorized for the Veterans 
Benefit Administration and the Veterans Economic Opportunity 
Administration, as established under chapter 80 of title 38, United 
States Code, as added by section 2, may not exceed 20,851.

Answer:
Veterans Economic Opportunity Administration Act of 2013 - Establishes in the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) a Veterans Economic Opportunity Administration (VEOA), headed by the Under Secretary for Veterans Economic Opportunity, to administer VA programs of economic opportunity assistance to veterans and their dependents and survivors. Requires VEOA to administer the following VA programs: (1) vocational rehabilitation and employment programs; (2) educational assistance programs; (3) veterans' housing loan and related programs; and (4) veterans' small business programs, including the program to increase participation in VA contracts by small business concerns owned and controlled by veterans who have service-connected disabilities and by veterans who do not have such disabilities. Limits the aggregate number of full-time equivalent employees authorized for the Veterans Benefit Administration and VEOA for FY2014.