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Q: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Internet Tax Nondiscrimination 
Act''.
SEC. 2. FOUR-YEAR EXTENSION OF INTERNET TAX MORATORIUM.
    (a) In General.--Subsection (a) of section 1101 of the Internet Tax 
Freedom Act (47 U.S.C. 151 note) is amended to read as follows:
    ``(a) Moratorium.--No State or political subdivision thereof may 
impose any of the following taxes during the period beginning November 
1, 2003, and ending November 1, 2007:
        ``(1) Taxes on Internet access.
        ``(2) Multiple or discriminatory taxes on electronic 
    commerce.''.
    (b) Conforming Amendments.--(1) Section 1101 of the Internet Tax 
Freedom Act (47 U.S.C. 151 note) is amended by striking subsection (d) 
and redesignating subsections (e) and (f) as subsections (d) and (e), 
respectively.
    (2) Section 1104(10) of the Internet Tax Freedom Act (47 U.S.C. 151 
note) is amended to read as follows:
        ``(10) Tax on internet access.--
            ``(A) In general.--The term `tax on Internet access' means 
        a tax on Internet access, regardless of whether such tax is 
        imposed on a provider of Internet access or a buyer of Internet 
        access and regardless of the terminology used to describe the 
        tax.
            ``(B) General exception.--The term `tax on Internet access' 
        does not include a tax levied upon or measured by net income, 
        capital stock, net worth, or property value.''.
    (3) Section 1104(2)(B)(i) of the Internet Tax Freedom Act (47 
U.S.C. 151 note) is amended by striking ``except with respect to a tax 
(on Internet access) that was generally imposed and actually enforced 
prior to October 1, 1998,''.
    (c) Internet Access Service; Internet Access.--
        (1) Internet access service.--Paragraph (3)(D) of section 
    1101(d) (as redesignated by subsection (b)(1) of this section) of 
    the Internet Tax Freedom Act (47 U.S.C. 151 note) is amended by 
    striking the second sentence and inserting ``The term `Internet 
    access service' does not include telecommunications services, 
    except to the extent such services are purchased, used, or sold by 
    a provider of Internet access to provide Internet access.''.
        (2) Internet access.--Section 1104(5) of that Act is amended by 
    striking the second sentence and inserting ``The term `Internet 
    access' does not include telecommunications services, except to the 
    extent such services are purchased, used, or sold by a provider of 
    Internet access to provide Internet access.''.
SEC. 3. GRANDFATHERING OF STATES THAT TAX INTERNET ACCESS.
    The Internet Tax Freedom Act (47 U.S.C. 151 note) is amended--
        (1) by redesignating section 1104 as section 1105; and
        (2) by inserting after section 1103 the following:

``SEC. 1104. GRANDFATHERING OF STATES THAT TAX INTERNET ACCESS.

    ``(a) Pre-October 1998 Taxes.--
        ``(1) In general.--Section 1101(a) does not apply to a tax on 
    Internet access that was generally imposed and actually enforced 
    prior to October 1, 1998, if, before that date--
            ``(A) the tax was authorized by statute; and
            ``(B) either--
              ``(i) a provider of Internet access services had a 
            reasonable opportunity to know, by virtue of a rule or 
            other public proclamation made by the appropriate 
            administrative agency of the State or political subdivision 
            thereof, that such agency has interpreted and applied such 
            tax to Internet access services; or
              ``(ii) a State or political subdivision thereof generally 
            collected such tax on charges for Internet access.
        ``(2) Termination.--
            ``(A) In general.--Except as provided in subparagraph (B), 
        this subsection shall not apply after November 1, 2007.
            ``(B) State telecommunications service tax.--
                ``(i) Date for termination.--This subsection shall not 
            apply after November 1, 2006, with respect to a State 
            telecommunications service tax described in clause (ii).
                ``(ii) Description of tax.--A State telecommunications 
            service tax referred to in subclause (i) is a State tax--

                    ``(I) enacted by State law on or after October 1, 
                1991, and imposing a tax on telecommunications service; 
                and
                    ``(II) applied to Internet access through 
                administrative code or regulation issued on or after 
                December 1, 2002.''.

    ``(b) Pre-November 2003 Taxes.--
        ``(1) In general.--Section 1101(a) does not apply to a tax on 
    Internet access that was generally imposed and actually enforced as 
    of November 1, 2003, if, as of that date, the tax was authorized by 
    statute and--
            ``(A) a provider of Internet access services had a 
        reasonable opportunity to know by virtue of a public rule or 
        other public proclamation made by the appropriate 
        administrative agency of the State or political subdivision 
        thereof, that such agency has interpreted and applied such tax 
        to Internet access services; and
            ``(B) a State or political subdivision thereof generally 
        collected such tax on charges for Internet access.
        ``(2) Termination.--This subsection shall not apply after 
    November 1, 2005.''.

SEC. 4. ACCOUNTING RULE.

    The Internet Tax Freedom Act (47 U.S.C. 151 note) is amended by 
adding at the end the following:

``SEC. 1106. ACCOUNTING RULE.

    ``(a) In General.--If charges for Internet access are aggregated 
with and not separately stated from charges for telecommunications 
services or other charges that are subject to taxation, then the 
charges for Internet access may be subject to taxation unless the 
Internet access provider can reasonably identify the charges for 
Internet access from its books and records kept in the regular course 
of business.
    ``(b) Definitions.--In this section:
        ``(1) Charges for internet access.--The term `charges for 
    Internet access' means all charges for Internet access as defined 
    in section 1105(5).
        ``(2) Charges for telecommunications services.--The term 
    `charges for telecommunications services' means all charges for 
    telecommunications services, except to the extent such services are 
    purchased, used, or sold by a provider of Internet access to 
    provide Internet access.''.

SEC. 5. EFFECT ON OTHER LAWS.

    The Internet Tax Freedom Act (47 U.S.C. 151 note), as amended by 
section 4, is amended by adding at the end the following:

``SEC. 1107. EFFECT ON OTHER LAWS.

    ``(a) Universal Service.--Nothing in this Act shall prevent the 
imposition or collection of any fees or charges used to preserve and 
advance Federal universal service or similar State programs--
        ``(1) authorized by section 254 of the Communications Act of 
    1934 (47 U.S.C. 254); or
        ``(2) in effect on February 8, 1996.
    ``(b) 911 and E-911 Services.--Nothing in this Act shall prevent 
the imposition or collection, on a service used for access to 911 or E-
911 services, of any fee or charge specifically designated or presented 
as dedicated by a State or political subdivision thereof for the 
support of 911 or E-911 services if no portion of the revenue derived 
from such fee or charge is obligated or expended for any purpose other 
than support of 911 or E-911 services.
    ``(c) Non-Tax Regulatory Proceedings.--Nothing in this Act shall be 
construed to affect any Federal or State regulatory proceeding that is 
not related to taxation.''.
SEC. 6. EXCEPTION FOR VOICE AND OTHER SERVICES OVER THE INTERNET.
    The Internet Tax Freedom Act (47 U.S.C. 151 note), as amended by 
section 5, is amended by adding at the end the following:

``SEC. 1108. EXCEPTION FOR VOICE SERVICES OVER THE INTERNET.

    ``Nothing in this Act shall be construed to affect the imposition 
of tax on a charge for voice or similar service utilizing Internet 
Protocol or any successor protocol. This section shall not apply to any 
services that are incidental to Internet access, such as voice-capable 
e-mail or instant messaging.''.

SEC. 6A. EXCEPTION FOR TEXAS MUNICIPAL ACCESS LINE FEE.

    The Internet Tax Freedom Act (47 U.S.C. 151 note), as amended by 
section 6, is amended by adding at the end the following:

``SEC. 1109. EXCEPTION FOR TEXAS MUNICIPAL ACCESS LINE FEE.

    ``Nothing in this Act shall prohibit Texas or a political 
subdivision thereof from imposing or collecting the Texas municipal 
access line fee pursuant to Texas Local Govt. Code Ann. ch. 283 (Vernon 
2005) and the definition of access line as determined by the Public 
Utility Commission of Texas in its `Order Adopting Amendments to 
Section 26.465 As Approved At The February 13, 2003 Public Hearing', 
issued March 5, 2003, in Project No. 26412.''.
SEC. 7. GAO STUDY OF EFFECTS OF INTERNET TAX MORATORIUM ON STATE AND 
LOCAL GOVERNMENTS AND ON BROADBAND DEPLOYMENT.
    The Comptroller General shall conduct a study of the impact of the 
Internet tax moratorium, including its effects on the revenues of State 
and local governments and on the deployment and adoption of broadband 
technologies for Internet access throughout the United States, 
including the impact of the Internet Tax Freedom Act (47 U.S.C. 151 
note) on build-out of broadband technology resources in rural 
underserved areas of the country. The study shall compare deployment 
and adoption rates in States that tax broadband Internet access service 
with States that do not tax such service, and take into account other 
factors to determine whether the Internet Tax Freedom Act has had an 
impact on the deployment or adoption of broadband Internet access 
services. The Comptroller General shall report the findings, 
conclusions, and any recommendations from the study to the Senate 
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and the House of 
Representatives Committee on Energy and Commerce no later than November 
1, 2005.

SEC. 8. EFFECTIVE DATE.

    The amendments made by this Act take effect on November 1, 2003.

                               Speaker of the House of Representatives.

                            Vice President of the United States and    
                                               President of the Senate.

A: Internet Tax Nondiscrimination Act - (Sec. 2) Amends the Internet Tax Freedom Act to extend the ban on State taxation of Internet access and on multiple or discriminatory taxes on electronic commerce until November 1, 2007.

Changes the definition of "tax on Internet access" to: (1) mean a tax on Internet access regardless of whether such tax is imposed on a provider of Internet access or a buyer of Internet access and regardless of the terminology used to describe the tax; and (2) exclude a tax levied upon or measured by net income, capital stock, net worth, or property value.

Changes the definition of "Internet access service" to exclude telecommunications services (current law), except to the extent such services are purchased, used, or sold by an Internet access provider to provide Internet access.

(Sec. 3) Extends: (1) through November 1, 2007, the Internet access taxing authority of States that had a tax on Internet access prior to October 1, 1998; and (2) through November 1, 2005, the Internet access taxing authority of States that had a tax on Internet access as of November 1, 2003.

Terminates after November 1, 2006, the authority of a State to tax Internet access with respect to a State telecommunications service tax: (1) enacted by State law on or after October 1, 1991, and imposing a tax on telecommunications service; and (2) applied to Internet access through administrative code or regulation issued on or after December 1, 2002.

(Sec. 4) Permits subjecting Internet access charges to taxation if they are aggregated with telecommunications service charges and the provider cannot identify them from regular business records.

(Sec. 5) Specifies that nothing in this Act shall prevent the imposition of fees to preserve and advance Federal universal service (or similar State programs) or 911 or E-911 services.

(Sec. 6) Specifies that nothing in this Act shall be construed to affect any Federal or state regulatory proceeding that is not related to taxation or the imposition of a tax on a charge for voice or similar service utilizing Internet Protocol or any successor protocol (except for services that are incidental to Internet access, such as voice-capable e-mail or instant messaging).

(Sec. 6A) Exempts the State of Texas, or its political subdivisions, from the Internet tax moratorium with respect to the imposition or collection of the Texas municipal access line fee.

(Sec. 7) Directs the Comptroller General to study and report to specified congressional committees on the impact of the Internet tax moratorium on State and local government revenues and on the deployment and adoption of broadband technologies for Internet access throughout the United States.
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Q: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Educational Technology Utilization 
Extension Assistance Act''.

SEC. 2. PURPOSE.

    It is the purpose of this Act to improve the utilization of 
educational technologies in elementary and secondary education by 
creating an educational technology extension service based at 
undergraduate institutions of higher education.

SEC. 3. FINDINGS.

    The Congress finds the following:
            (1) Extension services such as the Manufacturing Extension 
        Partnership and the Agricultural Extension Service have proven 
        to be effective public/private partnerships to integrate new 
        technologies and to improve utilization of existing 
        technologies by small to medium sized manufacturers and the 
        United States agricultural community.
            (2) Undergraduate institutions of higher education working 
        with non-profit organizations, State, and Federal agencies can 
        tailor educational technology extension programs to meet 
        specific local and regional requirements.
            (3) Undergraduate institutions of higher education, often 
        with the assistance of the National Science Foundation, have 
        for the past 20 years been integrating educational technologies 
        into their curricula, and as such they can draw upon their own 
        experiences to advise elementary and secondary school educators 
        on ways to integrate a variety of educational technologies into 
        the educational process.
            (4) Many elementary and secondary school systems, 
        particularly in rural and traditionally under served areas, 
        lack general information on the most effective methods to 
        integrate their existing technology infrastructure, as well as 
        new educational technology, into the educational process and 
        curriculum.
            (5) Most Federal and State educational technology programs 
        have focused on acquiring educational technologies with less 
        emphasis on the utilization of those technologies in the 
        classroom and the training and infrastructural requirements 
        needed to efficiently support those types of technologies. As a 
        result, in many instances, the full potential of educational 
        technology has not been realized.
            (6) Our global economy is increasingly reliant on a 
        workforce not only comfortable with technology, but also able 
        to integrate rapid technological changes into the production 
        process. As such, in order to remain competitive in a global 
        economy, it is imperative that we maintain a work-ready labor 
        force.
            (7) According to ``Teacher Quality: A Report on the 
        Preparation and Qualifications of Public School Teacher'', 
        prepared by the Department of Education, only 1 in 5 teachers 
        felt they were well prepared to work in a modern classroom.
            (8) The most common form of professional development for 
        teachers continue to be workshops that typically last no more 
        than one day and have little relevance to teachers' work in the 
        classroom.
            (9) A 1998 national survey completed by the Department of 
        Education found that only 19 percent of teachers had been 
        formally mentored by another teacher, and that 70 percent of 
        these teachers felt that this collaboration was very helpful to 
        their teaching.

SEC. 4. PROGRAM AUTHORIZED.

    (a) General Authority.--The Director of the National Science 
Foundation, in cooperation with the Secretary of Education and the 
Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology, shall 
provide assistance for the creation and support of regional centers for 
the utilization of educational technologies (hereinafter in this Act 
referred to as ``ETU Centers'').
    (b) Functions of Centers.--
            (1) Establishment.--ETU Centers may be established at any 
        institution of higher education, but such centers may include 
        the participation of non-profit entities, organizations, or 
        groups thereof.
            (2) Objectives of centers.--The objective of the ETU 
        Centers is to enhance the utilization of educational 
        technologies in elementary and secondary education through--
                    (A) advising of elementary and secondary school 
                administrators, school boards, and teachers on the 
                adoption and utilization of new educational 
                technologies and the utility of local schools' existing 
                educational technology assets and infrastructure;
                    (B) participation of individuals from the private 
                sector, universities, State and local governments, and 
                other Federal agencies;
                    (C) active dissemination of technical and 
                management information about the use of educational 
                technologies; and
                    (D) utilization, where appropriate, of the 
                expertise and capabilities that exists in Federal 
                laboratories and Federal agencies.
            (3) Activities of centers.--The activities of the ETU 
        Centers shall include the following:
                    (A) The active transfer and dissemination of 
                research findings and ETU Center expertise to local 
                school authorities, including but not limited to school 
                administrators, school boards, and teachers.
                    (B) The training of teachers in the integration of 
                local schools existing educational technology 
                infrastructure into their instructional design.
                    (C) The training and advising of teachers, 
                administrators, and school board members in the 
                acquisition, utilization, and support of educational 
                technologies.
                    (D) Support services to teachers, administrators, 
                and school board members as agreed upon by ETU Center 
                representatives and local school authorities.
                    (E) The advising of teachers, administrators, and 
                school board members on current skill set standards 
                employed by private industry.
    (c) Program Administration.--
            (1) Proposed rules.--The Director of the National Science 
        Foundation, after consultation with the Secretary of Education 
        and the Director of the National Institute of Standards and 
        Technology, shall publish in the Federal Register, within 90 
        days after the date of the enactment of this Act, a proposed 
        rules for the program for establishing ETU Centers, including--
                    (A) a description of the program;
                    (B) the procedure to be followed by applicant;
                    (C) the criteria for determining qualified 
                applicants; and
                    (D) the criteria, including those listed in the 
                following sections, for choosing recipients of 
                financial assistance under this section from among 
                qualified applicants.
            (2) Final rules.--The Director of the National Science 
        Foundation shall publish final rules for the program under this 
        Act after the expiration of a 30-day comment period on such 
        proposed rules.
    (d) Eligibility and Selection.--
            (1) Applications required.--Any undergraduate institution 
        of higher education, consortia of such institutions, non-profit 
        organizations, or groups thereof may submit an application for 
        financial support under this section in accordance with the 
        procedures established under subsection (c). In order to 
        receive assistance under this Act, an applicant shall provide 
        adequate assurances that will contribute 50 percent or more of 
        the proposed Center's capital and annual operating and 
        maintenance costs.
            (2) Selection.--The Director of the National Science 
        Foundation, in conjunction with the Secretary of Education and 
        the Director of the National Institute of Standards and 
        Technology, shall subject each application to competitive, 
        merit review. In making a decision whether to approve such 
        application and provide financial support under this section, 
        the Director of the National Science Foundation shall consider 
        at a minimum--
                    (A) the merits of the application, particularly 
                those portions of the application regarding the 
                adaption of training and educational technologies to 
                the needs of particular regions;
                    (B) the quality of service to be provided;
                    (C) the geographical diversity and extent of 
                service area, with particular emphasis on rural and 
                traditionally underdeveloped areas; and
                    (D) the percentage of funding and amount of in-kind 
                commitment from other sources.
            (3) Evaluation.--Each ETU Center which receives financial 
        assistance under this section shall be evaluated during its 
        third year of operation by an evaluation panel appointed by the 
        Director of the National Science Foundation. Each evaluation 
        panel shall measure the involved Center's performance against 
        the objectives specified in this section. Funding for an ETU 
        Center shall not be renewed unless the evaluation is positive.

SEC. 6. DEFINITION.

    As used in this Act, the term ``institution of higher education'' 
has the meaning given that term by section 101 of the Higher Education 
Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001).

A: Educational Technology Utilization Extension Assistance Act - Requires the Director of the National Science Foundation (NSF), in cooperation with the Secretary of Education and the Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), to provide assistance for the creation and support of regional centers for the utilization of educational technologies (ETU Centers).  Allows ETU Centers to be established at any institution of higher education, and to include the participation of non-profit entities and organizations. 
Requires ETU Centers to enhance the use of educational technologies in elementary and secondary education through: (1) advising school administrators, school boards, and teachers on adopting and using new educational technologies and the usefulness of local schools' existing educational technology assets and infrastructure; (2) participation of individuals from the private sector, universities, State and local governments, and other Federal agencies; (3) active dissemination of technical and management information about the use of educational technologies; and (4) appropriate use of the expertise and capabilities that exist in Federal laboratories and Federal agencies. 
Requires ETU Centers' activities to include: (1) active transfer and dissemination of research findings and ETU Center expertise to local school authorities; (2) training teachers in integrating schools' existing educational technology infrastructure into their instructional design; (3) training and advising teachers, administrators, and school board members in acquiring, using, and supporting educational technologies; (4) support services to teachers, administrators, and school board members; and (5) advising teachers, administrators, and school board members on current skill set standards employed by private industry. 
Sets forth requirements for program administration and application and selection procedures.  Allows any undergraduate institution of higher education, consortia of such institutions and non-profit organizations to apply for financial support in accordance with the procedures.  Requires each applicant to provide adequate assurances that it will contribute 50 percent or more of the proposed ETU Center's capital and annual operating and maintenance costs. 
Requires the NSF Director, in conjunction with the Secretary of Education and the NIST Director, to subject each application to competitive merit review, including specified considerations. Requires each ETU Center to be evaluated during its third year of operation.  Requires a positive evaluation for renewal of funding.
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Q: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Veterans' Credit Protection Act''.

SEC. 2. OUTREACH TO VETERANS REGARDING EFFECT OF CERTAIN DELAYED 
              PAYMENTS BY DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS CHIEF BUSINESS 
              OFFICE.

    (a) Outreach.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall conduct 
outreach, including through national and local veterans service 
organizations, to inform veterans of how to resolve credit issues 
caused by delayed payment of a claim for emergency hospital care, 
medical services, or other emergency health care furnished through a 
non-Department of Veterans Affairs provider. The Secretary shall 
establish a toll-free telephone number for veterans to report such 
credit issues to the Chief Business Office of the Department of 
Veterans Affairs.
    (b) Annual Report.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall 
        annually submit to Congress a report on the effectiveness of 
        the Chief Business Office in providing timely payment of proper 
        invoices for emergency hospital care, medical services, or 
        other emergency health care furnished through non-Department of 
        Veterans Affairs providers by the required payment date during 
        both the five-year period preceding the date of the report and 
        the one-year period preceding such date. For any part of the 
        period covered by a report under this subsection that occurred 
        before October 1, 2014, the report shall evaluate the provision 
        of such payments by the Veterans Integrated Service Networks.
            (2) Matters included.--The reports under paragraph (1) 
        shall include, for each period covered by the report, the 
        following:
                    (A) The number of veterans who contacted the 
                Secretary regarding a delayed payment that negatively 
                affected, or will potentially negatively affect, the 
                credit of the veteran.
                    (B) The total amount of interest penalties paid by 
                the Secretary of Veterans Affairs under section 3902 of 
                title 31, United States Code, by reason of a delayed 
                payment.
                    (C) The number of proper invoices submitted, listed 
                in a table for each quarter and fiscal year of each 
                such period that includes--
                            (i) the total amount owed by the Secretary 
                        under the proper invoices;
                            (ii) the payment status of each proper 
                        invoice, as of the date of the report; and
                            (iii) the period that elapsed until each 
                        proper invoice was paid, including an 
                        explanation of any delayed payment.
                    (D) Any comments regarding delayed payments made by 
                medical providers.
                    (E) A description of the best practices that the 
                Chief Business Office can carry out to provide timely 
                payment of a proper invoice, including a plan to 
                improve such timely payments.
    (c) Quarterly Reports on Pending Claims.--The Chief Business Office 
of the Department of Veterans Affairs shall submit to Congress 
quarterly reports on the number of pending claims for reimbursement for 
emergency hospital care, medical services, and other emergency health 
care furnished through non-Department of Veterans Affairs providers. 
Each such report shall include each of the following:
            (1) The total number of such pending claims for each 
        hospital system of the Department, as of the last day of the 
        quarter covered by the report.
            (2) The total number of veterans who submitted such a 
        pending claim in each State, as of such day.
            (3) The aggregate amount of all such pending claims in each 
        State, as of such day.
            (4) As of such day--
                    (A) the number of such pending claims that have 
                been pending for 30 days or longer;
                    (B) the number of such pending claims that have 
                been pending for 90 days or longer; and
                    (C) the number of such pending claims that have 
                been pending for 365 days or longer.
            (5) For each hospital system, for the quarter covered by 
        the report--
                    (A) the number of claims for reimbursement for 
                emergency hospital care, medical services, and other 
                emergency health care furnished through non-Department 
                of Veterans Affairs providers approved during such 
                quarter;
                    (B) the number of such claims denied during such 
                quarter; and
                    (C) the number of such claims denied listed by each 
                denial reason group.
    (d) Comptroller General Study.--
            (1) In general.--The Comptroller General of the United 
        States shall conduct a study that evaluates the effectiveness 
        of the Chief Business Office in providing timely payment of a 
        proper invoice for emergency hospital care, medical services, 
        or other emergency health care furnished through non-Department 
        of Veterans Affairs providers by the required payment date.
            (2) Submittal.--The Comptroller General shall submit to 
        Congress a report on the study conducted under paragraph (1), 
        including the total amount of interest penalties paid by the 
        Secretary of Veterans Affairs under section 3902 of title 31, 
        United States Code, by reason of a delayed payment.
    (e) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) The term ``delayed payment'' means a proper invoice 
        that is not paid by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs until 
        after the required payment date.
            (2) The term ``proper invoice'' has the meaning given that 
        term in section 3901(a) of title 31, United States Code.
            (3) The term ``required payment date'' means the date that 
        payment is due for a contract pursuant to section 3903(a) of 
        title 31, United States Code.

A:
Veterans' Credit Protection Act  Directs the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to: (1) conduct outreach to inform veterans of how to resolve credit issues caused by a delayed payment of a claim for emergency hospital care, medical services, or other emergency health care furnished through a non-VA provider; and (2) establish a toll-free telephone number for veterans to report such issues to the Chief Business Office of the VA. Requires the VA to report annually on the effectiveness of such Office in providing timely payment of proper invoices for emergency hospital care, medical services, or other emergency health care furnished through non-VA providers by the required payment date during both the preceding five-year period and the preceding one-year period. Requires the report, for any part of the period covered by such a report that occurred before October 1, 2014, to evaluate the provision of such payments by the Veterans Integrated Service Networks.  Requires such report to include:   the number of veterans who contacted the VA regarding delayed payments that could negatively affect their credit; the total amount of interest penalties paid by the VA by reason of delayed payments; the number of proper invoices submitted, the amount owed for and the payment status of such invoices, and the periods that elapsed before such invoices were paid; any comments regarding delayed payments made by medical providers; and  a description of the best practices to provide timely payment of a proper invoice, including a plan to improve such timely payments.  Directs: (1) the Office to submit to Congress quarterly reports on the number of pending claims for reimbursement for emergency hospital care, medical services, and other emergency health care furnished through non-VA providers; and (2) the Comptroller General to conduct a study that evaluates the effectiveness of the Office in providing timely payment of a proper invoice for such care by the required payment date.
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