TASK DEFINITION: In this task, you are given text for US Congressional and California state bills, your task is to generate a summary for this bill.
PROBLEM: SECTION 1. RENEWABLE PORTFOLIO STANDARD.

    (a) In General.--Title VI of the Public Utility Regulatory Policies 
Act of 1978 (16 U.S.C. 2601 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end 
the following:

``SEC. 610. FEDERAL RENEWABLE PORTFOLIO STANDARD.

    ``(a) Renewable Energy Requirement.--
            ``(1) In general.--Each electric utility that sells 
        electricity to electric consumers shall obtain a percentage of 
        the base amount of electricity it sells to electric consumers 
        in any calendar year from new renewable energy or existing 
        renewable energy. The percentage obtained in a calendar year 
        shall not be less than the amount specified in the following 
        table:

 
 
 
``Calendar year:                    Minimum annual percentage:
  2010............................  1
  2011............................  2
  2012............................  4
  2013............................  6
  2014............................  8
  2015............................  10
  2016............................  12
  2017............................  14
  2018............................  16
  2019............................  18
  2020............................  20
  2021............................  21
  2022............................  22
  2023............................  23
  2024............................  24
  2025............................  25.

            ``(2) Means of compliance.--An electric utility shall meet 
        the requirements of paragraph (1) by--
                    ``(A) submitting to the Secretary renewable energy 
                credits issued under subsection (b);
                    ``(B) making alternative compliance payments to the 
                Secretary at the rate of 2 cents per kilowatt hour (as 
                adjusted for inflation under subsection (g)); or
                    ``(C) a combination of activities described in 
                subparagraphs (A) and (B).
    ``(b) Renewable Energy Credit Trading Program.--
            ``(1) In general.--Not later than July 1, 2009, the 
        Secretary shall establish a renewable energy credit trading 
        program under which electric utilities shall submit to the 
        Secretary renewable energy credits to certify the compliance of 
        the electric utilities with respect to obligations under 
        subsection (a)(1).
            ``(2) Administration.--As part of the program, the 
        Secretary shall--
                    ``(A) issue tradeable renewable energy credits to 
                generators of electric energy from new renewable 
                energy;
                    ``(B) issue nontradeable renewable energy credits 
                to generators of electric energy from existing 
                renewable energy;
                    ``(C) issue renewable energy credits to electric 
                utilities associated with State renewable portfolio 
                standard compliance mechanisms pursuant to subsection 
                (h);
                    ``(D) ensure that a kilowatt hour, including the 
                associated renewable energy credit, shall be used only 
                once for purposes of compliance with this Act;
                    ``(E) allow double credits for generation from 
                facilities on Indian land, and triple credits for 
                generation from small renewable distributed generators 
                (meaning those no larger than 1 megawatt); and
                    ``(F) ensure that, with respect to a purchaser 
                that, as of the date of enactment of this section, has 
                a purchase agreement from a renewable energy facility 
                placed in service before that date, the credit 
                associated with the generation of renewable energy 
                under the contract is issued to the purchaser of the 
                electric energy.
            ``(3) Duration.--A credit described in subparagraph (A) or 
        (B) of paragraph (2) may only be used for compliance with this 
        section during the 3-year period beginning on the date of 
        issuance of the credit.
            ``(4) Transfers.--An electric utility that holds credits in 
        excess of the quantity of credits needed to comply with 
        subsection (a) may transfer the credits to another electric 
        utility in the same utility holding company system.
            ``(5) Delegation of market function.--The Secretary may 
        delegate to an appropriate market-making entity the 
        administration of a national tradeable renewable energy credit 
        market for purposes of creating a transparent national market 
        for the sale or trade of renewable energy credits.
    ``(c) Enforcement.--
            ``(1) Civil penalties.--Any electric utility that fails to 
        meet the compliance requirements of subsection (a) shall be 
        subject to a civil penalty.
            ``(2) Amount of penalty.--The amount of the civil penalty 
        shall be determined by multiplying the number of kilowatt-hours 
        of electric energy sold to electric consumers in violation of 
        subsection (a) by the greater of 2 cents (adjusted for 
        inflation under subsection (g)) or 200 percent of the average 
        market value of renewable energy credits during the year in 
        which the violation occurred.
            ``(3) Mitigation or waiver.--The Secretary may mitigate or 
        waive a civil penalty under this subsection if the electric 
        utility was unable to comply with subsection (a) for reasons 
        outside of the reasonable control of the utility. The Secretary 
        shall reduce the amount of any penalty determined under 
        paragraph (2) by an amount paid by the electric utility to a 
        State for failure to comply with the requirement of a State 
        renewable energy program if the State requirement is greater 
        than the applicable requirement of subsection (a).
            ``(4) Procedure for assessing penalty.--The Secretary shall 
        assess a civil penalty under this subsection in accordance with 
        the procedures prescribed by section 333(d) of the Energy 
        Policy and Conservation Act of 1954 (42 U.S.C. 6303).
    ``(d) State Renewable Energy Account Program.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall establish, not later 
        than December 31, 2008, a State renewable energy account 
        program.
            ``(2) Deposits.--All money collected by the Secretary from 
        alternative compliance payments and the assessment of civil 
        penalties under this section shall be deposited into the 
        renewable energy account established pursuant to this 
        subsection. The State renewable energy account shall be held by 
        the Secretary and shall not be transferred to the Treasury 
        Department.
            ``(3) Use.--Proceeds deposited in the State renewable 
        energy account shall be used by the Secretary, subject to 
        appropriations, for a program to provide grants to the State 
        agency responsible for developing State energy conservation 
        plans under section 362 of the Energy Policy and Conservation 
        Act (42 U.S.C. 6322) for the purposes of promoting renewable 
        energy production, including programs that promote technologies 
        that reduce the use of electricity at customer sites such as 
        solar water heating.
            ``(4) Administration.--The Secretary may issue guidelines 
        and criteria for grants awarded under this subsection. State 
        energy offices receiving grants under this section shall 
        maintain such records and evidence of compliance as the 
        Secretary may require.
            ``(5) Preference.--In allocating funds under this program, 
        the Secretary shall give preference--
                    ``(A) to States in regions which have a 
                disproportionately small share of economically 
                sustainable renewable energy generation capacity; and
                    ``(B) to State programs to stimulate or enhance 
                innovative renewable energy technologies.
    ``(e) Rules.--The Secretary shall issue rules implementing this 
section not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this 
section.
    ``(f) Exemptions.--This section shall not apply in any calendar 
year to an electric utility--
            ``(1) that sold less than 4,000,000 megawatt-hours of 
        electric energy to electric consumers during the preceding 
        calendar year; or
            ``(2) in Hawaii.
    ``(g) Inflation Adjustment.--Not later than December 31 of each 
year beginning in 2008, the Secretary shall adjust for inflation the 
price of a renewable energy credit under subsection (b)(2) and the 
amount of the civil penalty per kilowatt-hour under subsection (c)(2).
    ``(h) State Programs.--
            ``(1) In general.--Nothing in this section diminishes any 
        authority of a State or political subdivision of a State to 
        adopt or enforce any law or regulation respecting renewable 
        energy, but, except as provided in subsection (c)(3), no such 
        law or regulation shall relieve any person of any requirement 
        otherwise applicable under this section. The Secretary, in 
        consultation with States having such renewable energy programs, 
        shall, to the maximum extent practicable, facilitate 
        coordination between the Federal program and State programs.
            ``(2) Regulations.--
                    ``(A) In general.--The Secretary, in consultation 
                with States, shall promulgate regulations to ensure 
                that an electric utility subject to the requirements of 
                this section that is also subject to a State renewable 
                energy standard receives renewable energy credits in 
                relation to equivalent quantities of renewable energy 
                associated with compliance mechanisms, other than the 
                generation or purchase of renewable energy by the 
                electric utility, including the acquisition of 
                certificates or credits and the payment of taxes, fees, 
                surcharges, or other financial compliance mechanisms by 
                the electric utility or a customer of the electric 
                utility, directly associated with the generation or 
                purchase of renewable energy.
                    ``(B) Prohibition on double counting.--The 
                regulations promulgated under this paragraph shall 
                ensure that a kilowatt hour associated with a renewable 
                energy credit issued pursuant to this subsection shall 
                not be used for compliance with this section more than 
                once.
    ``(i) Recovery of Costs.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Commission shall issue and enforce 
        such regulations as are necessary to ensure that an electric 
        utility recovers all prudently incurred costs associated with 
        compliance with this section.
            ``(2) Applicable law.--A regulation under paragraph (1) 
        shall be enforceable in accordance with the provisions of law 
        applicable to enforcement of regulations under the Federal 
        Power Act (16 U.S.C. 791a et seq.).
    ``(j) Wind Energy Development Study.--The Secretary, in 
consultation with appropriate Federal and State agencies, shall 
conduct, and submit to Congress a report describing the results of, a 
study on methods to increase transmission line capacity for wind energy 
development.
    ``(k) Definitions.--In this section:
            ``(1) Base amount of electricity.--The term `base amount of 
        electricity' means the total amount of electricity sold by an 
        electric utility to electric consumers in a calendar year, 
        excluding municipal waste and electricity generated by a 
        hydroelectric facility (including a pumped storage facility, 
        but excluding incremental hydropower).
            ``(2) Distributed generation facility.--The term 
        `distributed generation facility' means a facility at a 
        customer site.
            ``(3) Existing renewable energy.--The term `existing 
        renewable energy' means, except as provided in paragraph 
        (7)(B), electric energy generated at a facility (including a 
        distributed generation facility) placed in service prior to 
        January 1, 2001, from solar, wind, or geothermal energy, ocean 
        energy, biomass (as defined in section 203(a) of the Energy 
        Policy Act of 2005), or landfill gas.
            ``(4) Geothermal energy.--The term `geothermal energy' 
        means energy derived from a geothermal deposit (within the 
        meaning of section 613(e)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code of 
        1986).
            ``(5) Incremental geothermal production.--
                    ``(A) In general.--The term `incremental geothermal 
                production' means for any year the excess of--
                            ``(i) the total kilowatt hours of 
                        electricity produced from a facility (including 
                        a distributed generation facility) using 
                        geothermal energy; over
                            ``(ii) the average annual kilowatt hours 
                        produced at such facility for 5 of the previous 
                        7 calendar years before the date of enactment 
                        of this section after eliminating the highest 
                        and the lowest kilowatt hour production years 
                        in such 7-year period.
                    ``(B) Special rule.--A facility described in 
                subparagraph (A) that was placed in service at least 7 
                years before the date of enactment of this section 
                shall, commencing with the year in which such date of 
                enactment occurs, reduce the amount calculated under 
                subparagraph (A)(ii) each year, on a cumulative basis, 
                by the average percentage decrease in the annual 
                kilowatt hour production for the 7-year period 
                described in subparagraph (A)(ii) with such cumulative 
                sum not to exceed 30 percent.
            ``(6) Incremental hydropower.--The term `incremental 
        hydropower' means additional energy generated as a result of 
        efficiency improvements or capacity additions made on or after 
        January 1, 2001, or the effective date of an existing 
        applicable State renewable portfolio standard program at a 
        hydroelectric facility that was placed in service before that 
        date. The term does not include additional energy generated as 
        a result of operational changes not directly associated with 
        efficiency improvements or capacity additions. Efficiency 
        improvements and capacity additions shall be measured on the 
        basis of the same water flow information used to determine a 
        historic average annual generation baseline for the 
        hydroelectric facility and certified by the Secretary or the 
        Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.
            ``(7) New renewable energy.--The term `new renewable 
        energy' means--
                    ``(A) electric energy generated at a facility 
                (including a distributed generation facility) placed in 
                service on or after January 1, 2001, from--
                            ``(i) solar, wind, or geothermal energy or 
                        ocean energy;
                            ``(ii) biomass (as defined in section 
                        203(b) of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 
                        U.S.C. 15852(b));
                            ``(iii) landfill gas; or
                            ``(iv) incremental hydropower; and
                    ``(B) for electric energy generated at a facility 
                (including a distributed generation facility) placed in 
                service prior to the date of enactment of this 
                section--
                            ``(i) the additional energy above the 
                        average generation in the 3 years preceding the 
                        date of enactment of this section at the 
                        facility from--
                                    ``(I) solar or wind energy or ocean 
                                energy;
                                    ``(II) biomass (as defined in 
                                section 203(b) of the Energy Policy Act 
                                of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 15852(b));
                                    ``(III) landfill gas; or
                                    ``(IV) incremental hydropower.
                            ``(ii) incremental geothermal production.
            ``(8) Ocean energy.--The term `ocean energy' includes 
        current, wave, tidal, and thermal energy.
    ``(l) Sunset.--This section expires on December 31, 2040.''.
    (b) Table of Contents Amendment.--The table of contents of the 
Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 (16 U.S.C. prec. 2601) 
is amended by adding at the end of the items relating to title VI the 
following:

``Sec. 610. Federal renewable portfolio standard.''.

SOLUTION: Amends the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 to set forth a federal renewable energy portfolio standard applicable to calendar years 2010 to 2025.

Instructs the Secretary of Energy to establish: (1) a renewable energy credit trading program under which electric utilities shall submit to the Secretary renewable energy credits to certify their compliance with such standard; and (2) a state renewable energy account program for grants to state agencies to promote renewable energy production (including programs that promote technologies that reduce the use of electricity at customer sites such as solar water heating).



Requires the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to issue and enforce regulations to ensure that an electric utility recovers all prudently incurred costs associated with compliance with this Act.

Instructs the Secretary to study and report to Congress on methods to increase transmission line capacity for wind energy development.

PROBLEM: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Senator Paul Simon Water for the 
Poor Enhancement Act of 2008''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) The Senator Paul Simon Water for the Poor Act of 2005 
        (Public Law 109-121)--
                    (A) makes access to safe water and sanitation for 
                developing countries a specific policy objective of 
                United States foreign assistance programs;
                    (B) requires the Secretary of State to--
                            (i) develop a strategy to elevate the role 
                        of water and sanitation policy; and
                            (ii) improve the effectiveness of United 
                        States assistance programs undertaken in 
                        support of that strategy;
                    (C) codifies Target 10 of the United Nations 
                Millennium Development Goals; and
                    (D) seeks to reduce the proportion of people who 
                are unable to reach or afford safe drinking water and 
                basic sanitation by 50 percent by 2015.
            (2) On December 20, 2006, the United Nations General 
        Assembly, in GA Resolution 61/192, declared 2008 as the 
        International Year of Sanitation, in recognition of the impact 
        of sanitation on public health, poverty reduction, economic and 
        social development, and the environment.
            (3) On August 1, 2008, Congress passed H. Con. Res. 318, 
        which--
                    (A) supports the goals and ideals of the 
                International Year of Sanitation; and
                    (B) recognizes the importance of sanitation on 
                public health, poverty reduction, economic and social 
                development, and the environment.
            (4) While progress is being made on safe water and 
        sanitation efforts--
                    (A) more than 884,000,000 people throughout the 
                world lack access to safe drinking water; and
                    (B) 2 of every 5 people in the world do not have 
                access to basic sanitation services.
            (5) The health consequences of unsafe drinking water and 
        poor sanitation are staggering, accounting for--
                    (A) nearly 10 percent of the global burden of 
                disease; and
                    (B) more than 2,000,000 deaths each year.
            (6) The effects of climate change are expected to produce 
        severe consequences for water availability and resource 
        management in the future, with 2,800,000,000 people in more 
        than 48 countries expected to face severe and chronic water 
        shortages by 2025.
            (7) The impact of water scarcity on conflict and 
        instability is evident in many parts of the world, including 
        the Darfur region of Sudan, where demand for water resources 
        has contributed to armed conflict between nomadic ethnic groups 
        and local farming communities.
            (8) In order to further the United States contribution to 
        safe water and sanitation efforts, it is necessary to--
                    (A) expand foreign assistance capacity to address 
                the challenges described in this section; and
                    (B) represent issues related to water and 
                sanitation at the highest levels of United States 
                foreign assistance deliberations, including 
                deliberations related to issues of global health, food 
                security, the environment, global warming, and maternal 
                and child mortality.

SEC. 3. PURPOSE.

    The purpose of this Act is to enhance the capacity of the United 
States Government to fully implement the Senator Paul Simon Water for 
the Poor Act of 2005 (Public Law 109-121).

SEC. 4. DEVELOPING UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT CAPACITY.

    Section 135 of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2151h) 
is amended by adding at the end the following:
    ``(e) Office of Water.--
            ``(1) Establishment.--To carry out the purposes of 
        subsection (a), the Administrator of the United States Agency 
        for International Development shall establish the Office of 
        Water.
            ``(2) Leadership.--The Office of Water shall be headed by 
        an Assistant Administrator for Safe Water and Sanitation, who 
        shall report directly to the Administrator.
            ``(3) Duties.--The Assistant Administrator shall--
                    ``(A) implement this section and the Senator Paul 
                Simon Water for the Poor Act of 2005 (Public Law 109-
                121); and
                    ``(B) place primary emphasis on providing safe, 
                affordable, and sustainable drinking water, sanitation, 
                and hygiene.
    ``(f) Bureau of International Water.--
            ``(1) Establishment.--To increase the capacity of the 
        Department of State to address international issues regarding 
        safe water, sanitation, and other international water programs, 
        the Secretary of State shall establish the Bureau for 
        International Water within the Office of the Under Secretary 
        for Democracy and Global Affairs (referred to in this 
        subsection as the `Bureau').
            ``(2) Duties.--The Bureau shall--
                    ``(A) oversee and coordinate the diplomatic policy 
                of the United States Government with respect to global 
                freshwater issues, including--
                            ``(i) access to safe drinking water and 
                        sanitation;
                            ``(ii) river basin and watershed 
                        management;
                            ``(iii) transboundary conflict;
                            ``(iv) agricultural and urban productivity 
                        of water resources;
                            ``(v) pollution mitigation; and
                            ``(vi) adaptation to hydrologic change due 
                        to climate variability; and
                    ``(B) ensure that international freshwater issues 
                are represented--
                            ``(i) within the United States Government; 
                        and
                            ``(ii) in key diplomatic, development, and 
                        scientific efforts with other nations and 
                        multilateral organizations.''.

SEC. 5. SAFE WATER AND SANITATION STRATEGY.

    Section 6(e) of the Senator Paul Simon Water for the Poor Act of 
2005 (Public Law 109-121) is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (5), by striking ``and'' at the end;
            (2) in paragraph (6), by striking the period at the end and 
        inserting a semicolon; and
            (3) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(7) an assessment of the extent to which the United 
        States Government's efforts are reaching the goal described in 
        section 135(a)(2) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 
        U.S.C. 2152h(a)(2)); and
            ``(8) recommendations on what the United States Government 
        would need to do to help achieve the goal referred to in 
        paragraph (7) if the United States Government's efforts were 
        proportional to its share of the world's economy.''.

SEC. 6. DEVELOPING LOCAL CAPACITY.

    The Senator Paul Simon Water for the Poor Act of 2005 (Public Law 
109-121) is amended--
            (1) by redesignating sections 9, 10, and 11 as sections 10, 
        11, and 12, respectively; and
            (2) by inserting after section 8 the following:

``SEC. 9. WATER AND SANITATION MANAGERS TRAINING PROGRAM.

    ``(a) Establishment.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Secretary of State and the 
        Administrator of the United States Agency for International 
        Development shall establish, in every priority country, a 
        program to train local, in-country water and sanitation 
        managers, and other officials of countries that receive 
        assistance under section 135 of the Foreign Assistance Act of 
        1961 to promote the capacity of recipient governments to 
        provide affordable, equitable, and sustainable access to safe 
        drinking water and sanitation.
            ``(2) Coordination.--The program established under 
        subsection (a) shall be coordinated by the lead country water 
        manager designated in subsection (c)(2).
            ``(3) Expansion.--The Secretary and Administrator may 
        establish the program described in this section in additional 
        countries if the receipt of such training would be most 
        beneficial, with due consideration given to good governance.
    ``(b) Designation.--The United States Chief of Mission within each 
country receiving a `high priority' designation under section 6(f) 
shall--
            ``(1) designate safe drinking water and sanitation as a 
        strategic objective;
            ``(2) appoint an in-country water and sanitation manager 
        within the Mission to coordinate the in-country implementation 
        of this Act and section 135 of the Foreign Assistance Act of 
        1961 with local water managers, local government officials, the 
        Department of State, and the Office of Water of the United 
        States Agency for International Development; and
            ``(3) coordinate with the Development Credit Authority and 
        the Global Development Alliance to further the purposes of this 
        Act.''.

SEC. 7. GRANTS FOR LOW COST CLEAN WATER AND SANITATION TECHNOLOGIES.

    Section 135(c) of the Foreign Assistance Act (22 U.S.C. 2152h(c)) 
is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (3), by striking ``and'' at the end;
            (2) in paragraph (4), by striking the period at the end; 
        and
            (3) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(5) provide grants through the United States Agency for 
        International Development to foster the development of low cost 
        and sustainable technologies for providing clean water and 
        sanitation that are suitable for use in high priority 
        countries, particularly in places with limited resources and 
        infrastructure.''.

SEC. 8. UPDATED REPORT REGARDING WATER FOR PEACE AND SECURITY.

    Section 11(b) of the Senator Paul Simon Water for the Poor Act of 
2005, as redesignated by section 6, is amended by adding at the end the 
following: ``The report submitted under this subsection shall include 
an assessment of current and likely future political tensions over 
water sources and an assessment of the expected impacts of global 
climate change on water supplies in 10, 25, and 50 years.''.

SEC. 9. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There are authorized to be appropriated for fiscal year 2009 and 
each subsequent fiscal year such sums as may be necessary to carry out 
this Act and the amendments made by this Act.

SEC. 10. CONSTRUCTION.

    This Act shall be implemented in a manner consistent with the 
Senator Paul Simon Water for the Poor Act of 2005 (Public Law 109-121). 
Nothing in this Act shall be construed in such a way as to override or 
take precedence over the implementation of that Act.

SOLUTION: Senator Paul Simon Water for the Poor Enhancement Act of 2008 - Amends the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to direct the Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to establish the Office of Water which shall: (1) implement the Senator Paul Simon Water for the Poor Act of 2005; and (2) place primary emphasis on providing safe drinking water, sanitation, and hygiene.

Directs the Secretary of State to establish the Bureau for International Water within the Office of the Under Secretary for Democracy and Global Affairs which shall: (1) coordinate U.S. diplomatic policy regarding global freshwater issues; and (2) ensure that international freshwater issues are represented within the U.S. government.

Amends the Senator Paul Simon Water for the Poor Act of 2005 to: (1) direct the Secretary and the Administrator to establish in every priority country a program to train local water and sanitation managers to promote government capacity to provide access to safe drinking water and sanitation; and (2) require that the water for peace and security report includes an assessment of current and likely future political tensions over water sources and an assessment of the future impacts of global climate change on water supplies.

Amends the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to authorize grants through USAID to develop technologies for providing clean water and sanitation in high priority countries with limited resources and infrastructure.

PROBLEM: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Department of Veterans Affairs 
Health Care Expansion Act of 1996''.

SEC. 2. IMPROVED EFFICIENCY IN HEALTH CARE RESOURCE MANAGEMENT.

    (a) Repeal of Sunset Provision.--Section 204 of the Veterans Health 
Care Act of 1992 (Public Law 102-585; 106 Stat. 4950) is repealed.
    (b) Cost Recovery.--Title II of such Act is further amended by 
adding at the end the following new section:

``SEC. 207. AUTHORITY TO BILL HEALTH-PLAN CONTRACTS.

    ``(a) Right To Recover.--In the case of a primary beneficiary (as 
described in section 201(2)(B)) who has coverage under a health-plan 
contract, as defined in section 1729(i)(1)(A) of title 38, United 
States Code, and who is furnished care or services by a Department 
medical facility pursuant to this title, the United States shall have 
the right to recover or collect charges for such care or services from 
such health-plan contract to the extent that the beneficiary (or the 
provider of the care or services) would be eligible to receive payment 
for such care or services from such health-plan contract if the care or 
services had not been furnished by a department or agency of the United 
States. Any funds received from such health-plan contract shall be 
credited to funds that have been allotted to the facility that 
furnished the care or services.
    ``(b) Enforcement.--The right of the United States to recover under 
such a beneficiary's health-plan contract shall be enforceable in the 
same manner as that provided by subsections (a)(3), (b), (c)(1), (d), 
(f), (h), and (i) of section 1729 of title 38, United States Code.''.

SEC. 3. SHARING AGREEMENTS FOR HEALTH CARE RESOURCES.

    (a) Repeal of Section 8151.--(1) Subchapter IV of chapter 81 of 
title 38, United States Code, is amended--
            (A) by striking out section 8151; and
            (B) by redesignating sections 8152, 8153, 8154, 8155, 8156, 
        8157, and 8158 as sections 8151, 8152, 8153, 8154, 8155, 8156, 
        and 8157, respectively.
    (2) The table of sections at the beginning of such chapter is 
amended--
            (A) by striking out the item relating to section 8151; and
            (B) by revising the items relating to sections 8152, 8153, 
        8154, 8155, 8156, 8157, and 8158 to reflect the redesignations 
        by paragraph (1)(B).
    (b) Revised Authority for Sharing Agreements.--Section 8152 of such 
title (as redesignated by subsection (a)(1)(B)) is amended--
            (1) in subsection (a)(1)(A)--
                    (A) by striking out ``specialized medical 
                resources'' and inserting in lieu thereof ``health-care 
                resources''; and
                    (B) by striking out ``other'' and all that follows 
                through ``medical schools'' and inserting in lieu 
                thereof ``any medical school, health-care provider, 
                health-care plan, insurer, or other entity or 
                individual'';
            (2) in subsection (a)(2) by striking out ``only'' and all 
        that follows through ``are not'' and inserting in lieu thereof 
        ``if such resources are not, or would not be,'';
            (3) in subsection (b), by striking out ``reciprocal 
        reimbursement'' in the first sentence and all that follows 
        through the period at the end of that sentence and inserting in 
        lieu thereof ``payment to the Department in accordance with 
        procedures that provide appropriate flexibility to negotiate 
        payment which is in the best interest of the Government.'';
            (4) in subsection (d), by striking out ``preclude such 
        payment, in accordance with--'' and all that follows through 
        ``to such facility therefor'' and inserting in lieu thereof 
        ``preclude such payment to such facility for such care or 
        services'';
            (5) by redesignating subsection (e) as subsection (f); and
            (6) by inserting after subsection (d) the following new 
        subsection (e):
    ``(e) The Secretary may make an arrangement that authorizes the 
furnishing of services by the Secretary under this section to 
individuals who are not veterans only if the Secretary determines--
            ``(1) that such an arrangement will not result in the 
        denial of, or a delay in providing access to, care to any 
        veteran at that facility; and
            ``(2) that such an arrangement--
                    ``(A) is necessary to maintain an acceptable level 
                and quality of service to veterans at that facility; or
                    ``(B) will result in the improvement of services to 
                eligible veterans at that facility.''.
    (c) Cross-Reference Amendments.--(1) Section 8110(c)(3)(A) of such 
title is amended by striking out ``8153'' and inserting in lieu thereof 
``8152''.
    (2) Subsection (b) of section 8154 of such title (as redesignated 
by subsection (a)(1)(B)) is amended by striking out ``section 8154'' 
and inserting in lieu thereof ``section 8153''.
    (3) Section 8156 of such title (as redesignated by subsection 
(a)(1)(B)) is amended--
            (A) in subsection (a), by striking out ``section 8153(a)'' 
        and inserting in lieu thereof ``section 8152(a)''; and
            (B) in subsection (b)(3), by striking out ``section 8153'' 
        and inserting in lieu thereof ``section 8152''.
    (4) Subsection (a) of section 8157 of such title (as redesignated 
by subsection (a)(1)(B)) is amended--
            (A) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking out 
        ``section 8157'' and ``section 8153(a)'' and inserting in lieu 
        thereof ``section 8156'' and ``section 8152(a)'', respectively; 
        and
            (B) in paragraph (1), by striking out ``section 
        8157(b)(4)'' and inserting in lieu thereof ``section 
        8156(b)(4)''.

SEC. 4. PERSONNEL FURNISHING SHARED RESOURCES.

    Section 712(b)(2) of title 38, United States Code, is amended--
            (1) by striking out ``the sum of--'' and inserting in lieu 
        thereof ``the sum of the following:'';
            (2) by capitalizing the first letter of the first word of 
        each of subparagraphs (A) and (B);
            (3) by striking out ``; and'' at the end of subparagraph 
        (A) and inserting in lieu thereof a period; and
            (4) by adding at the end the following:
                    ``(C) The number of such positions in the 
                Department during that fiscal year held by persons 
                involved in providing health-care resources under 
                section 8111 or 8152 of this title.''.

SOLUTION:
Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Expansion Act of 1996 - Repeals a provision of the Veterans Health Care Act of 1992 which terminates the authority of the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (Secretary) to enter into an agreement with the Secretary of Defense for the sharing of health care. 
Entitles the United States to recover or collect from a private health care plan charges for care or services furnished by a Department of Veterans Affairs medical facility to a primary beneficiary of such plan to the extent that the beneficiary would be eligible under the plan to receive payment if the care or services had not been furnished by a U.S. department or agency. 
Repeals a statement of congressional purpose regarding the sharing of health care resources of the Department with certain other entities. 
Authorizes the Secretary to share all health care resources (currently, only specialized medical resources) with medical schools, health-care facilities and research centers (current law), as well as with any health-care provider or plan, insurer, or other entity or individual. 
Repeals a provision requiring reciprocal reimbursement of the cost of such shared resources, instead providing for payment to the Department under procedures which allow appropriate flexibility to negotiate a payment which is in the best interest of the Government. 
Authorizes the Secretary to enter into an arrangement that authorizes the furnishing of services to non-veterans only if the Secretary determines that such an arrangement:  (1) will not result in the denial of or delay in the provision of care to any veteran at that facility; and (2) is necessary to maintain an acceptable level and quality of service to veterans and will result in the improvement of services to eligible veterans at that facility. 
Excludes from limitations on the number of full-time equivalent positions permitted in the Department those positions held by persons involved in providing health care resources under sharing arrangements.