An Act to amend title 38, United States Code, to extend the authority of the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out certain programs and activities, and for other purposes.
PL 104-110 (H.R.2353), enacted 02/13/1996

110 STAT. 768 
PUBLIC LAW 104-110—FEB. 13, 1996 
Public Law 104-110 
104th Congress 
An Act 
„ , ^„ iqqfi 
"^^ amend title 38, United States Code, to extend the authority of the Secretary 
® • 
' 
of Veterans Affairs to carry out certain programs and activities, to require certain 
[H.R. 2353] 
reports from the Secretary of Veterans Aifairs, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives 
of 
the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
TITLE I—EXTENSIONS OF AUTHORITY 
SEC. 101. EXTENSION OF AUTHORITIES UNDER TITLE 38, UNITED 
STATES CODE. 
(a) AUTHORITY TO PROVIDE PRIORITY HEALTH CARE FOR CER-
TAIN VETERANS EXPOSED TO TOXIC SUBSTANCES.—(1) Section 
1710(e)(3) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by striking 
out "after June 30, 1995," and all that follows through "December 
31, 1995" and inserting in lieu thereof "after December 31, 1996". 
(2) Section 1712(aXl)(D) of such title is amended by striking 
out "December 31, 1995," and inserting in lieu thereof "December 
31, 1996,". 
(b) DRUG AND ALCOHOL ABUSE AND DEPENDENCE.—Section 
1720A(e) of such title is amended by striking out "December 31, 
1995" and inserting in lieu thereof "December 31, 1997". 
(c) PILOT PROGRAM FOR NONINSTITUTIONAL ALTERNATIVES TO 
NURSING HOME CARE.—Section 1720C(a) of such title is amended 
by striking out "September 30, 1995," and inserting in lieu thereof 
"December 31, 1997,". 
(d) NEGOTIATED INTEREST RATES.—Section 3703(c)(4) of such 
title is amended by striking out subparagraph (D). 
(e) MORTGAGES FOR ENERGY EFFICIENT IMPROVEMENTS.—Sec-
tion 3710(d) of such title is amended by striking out paragraph 
(7). 
(f) 
ENHANCED 
LOAN 
ASSET 
SALE 
AUTHORITY.—Section 
3720(hX2) of such title is amended by striking out "December 31, 
1995" and inserting in lieu thereof "December 31, 1996". 
(g) AUTHORITY OF LENDERS OF AUTOMATICALLY GUARANTEED 
LOANS TO REVIEW APPRAISALS.—Section 3731(f) of such title is 
amended by striking out paragraph (3). 
(h) AGREEMENTS FOR HOUSING ASSISTANCE FOR HOMELESS VET-
ERANS.—Section 3735(c) of such title is amended by striking out 
"December 31, 1995" and inserting in lieu thereof "December 31, 
1997". 
(i) USE OF DATA ON COMPENSATION FOR CERTIFIED REGISTERED 
NURSE ANESTHETISTS.—Section 7451(d)(3)(C)(iii) of such title is 
PUBLIC LAW 104-110—FEB. 13, 1996 
110 STAT. 769 
amended by striking out "April 1, 1995" and inserting in lieu 
thereof "January 1, 1998". 
(j) HEALTH PROFESSIONAL SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM.—Section 
7618 of such title is amended by striking out "December 31, 1995" 
and inserting in lieu thereof "December 31, 1997". 
(k) ENHANCED-USE LEASES OF REAL PROPERTY.—Section 8169 
of such title is amended by striking out "December 31, 1995" and 
inserting in lieu thereof "December 31, 1997". 
SEC. 102. EXTENSION OF AUTHORITIES UNDER OTHER PROVISIONS 
OF LAW. 
(a) AUTHORITY FOR COMMUNITY-BASED RESIDENTIAL CARE FOR 
HOMELESS CHRONICALLY MENTALLY I I I VETERANS AND OTHER VET-
ERANS.—Section 115(d) of the Veterans' Benefits and Services Act 
of 1988 (38 U.S.C. 1712 note) is amended by striking out "September 
30, 1995" and inserting in lieu thereof "December 31, 1997". 
(b) DEMONSTRATION PROGRAM OF COMPENSATED WORK THER-
APY.—Section 7(a) of Public Law 102-54 (38 U.S.C. 1718 note) 
is amended by striking out "fiscal years 1991 through 1995" and 
inserting in lieu thereof "the period beginning on October 1, 1991, 
and ending on December 31, 1997,". 
(c) SERVICES AND ASSISTANCE TO HOMELESS VETERANS.—The 
Homeless Veterans Comprehensive Service Programs Act of 1992 
(Public Law 102-590; 38 U.S.C. 7721 note) is amended— 
(1) in section 2, by striking out "September 30, 1995," 
and inserting in lieu thereof "September 30, 1997,"; 
(2) in section 3(a)— 
(A) by inserting "(1)" before "Subject to"; 
(B) by striking out "fiscal years 1993, 1994, and 1995,"; 
and 
(C) by adding at the end the following new paragraph: 
"(2) The authority of the Secretary to make grants under this 
section expires on September 30, 1997."; and 
(3) in section 12, by striking out "each of the fiscal years 
1993, 1994, and 1995" and inserting in lieu thereof "each of 
fiscal years 1993 through 1997". 
(d) HOMELESS VETERANS' REINTEGRATION PROJECTS.—(1) Sec-
tion 738(e)(1) of the Stewart B. McKinney Homeless Assistance 
Act (42 U.S.C. 11448(e)(1)) is amended by adding at the end the 
following: 
"(D) $10,000,000 for fiscal year 1996.". 
(2) Section 741 of such Act (42 U.S.C. 11450) is amended 
by striking out "October 1, 1995" and inserting in lieu thereof 
"December 31, 1997". 
SEC. 103. RATIFICATION OF ACTIONS TAKEN DURING PERIOD OF 
38USC1710 
EXPIRED AUTHORITY. 
note. 
Any action taken by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs before 
the date of the enactment of this Act under a provision of law 
amended by this title that was taken during the period beginning 
on the date on which the authority of the Secretary under that 
provision of law expired and ending on the date of the enactment 
of this Act shall be considered to have the same force and effect 
as if the amendment to that provision of law made by this title 
had been in effect at the time of that action. 
110 STAT. 770 
PUBLIC LAW 104-110—FEB. 13, 1996 
TITLE II—OTHER PROVISIONS 
SEC. 201. CODIFICATION OF HOUSING REPORTING REQUIREMENTS 
AND CHANGES IN THEIR FREQUENCY. 
(a) CODIFICATION OF HOUSING RELATED REPORTING REQUIRE-
MENTS.—(1) Chapter 37 of title 38, United States Code, is amended 
by adding after section 3735 the following new section: 
"§ 3736. Reporting requirements 
"The annual report required by section 529 of this title shall 
include a discussion of the activities under this chapter. Beginning 
with the report submitted at the close of fiscal year 1996, and 
every second year thereafter, this discussion shall include informa-
tion regarding the following: 
"(1) Loans made to veterans whose only qualifying service 
was in the Selected Reserve. 
"(2) Interest rates and discount points which were nego-
tiated between the lender and the veteran pursuant to section 
3703(c)(4XA)(i) of this title. 
"(3) The determination of reasonable value by lenders 
pursuant to section 3731(f) (rf this title. 
"(4) Loans that include funds for energy efficiency improve-
ments pursuant to section 3710(a)(10) of this title. 
"(5) Direct loans to Native American veterans made pursu-
ant to subchapter V of this chapter.". 
(2) The table of sections at the beginning of such chapter 
is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 3735 
the following new item: 
"3736. Reporting requirements.". 
(b) REPEAL OF SUPERSEDED REPORTING REQUIREMENTS.—The 
Veterans Home Loan Program Amendments of 1992 (Public Law 
102-547; 106 Stat. 3633) is amended by striking out sections 2(c), 
33 use 3702 
3(b), 8(d), 9(c), and 10(b). 
note, 3703 note, 
3707 note, 3710 
SEC. 202. OTHER REPORT REQUIREMENTS. 
SUSCI720A' 
(a) REPORT ON CONSOLIDATION OF CERTAIN PROGRAMS.—The 
note. 
Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit to Congress, not later 
than March 1, 1997, a report on the advantages and disadvantages 
of consolidating into one program the following three programs: 
(1) The alcohol and drug abuse contract care program under 
section 1720A of title 38, United States Code. 
(2) The program to provide community-based residential 
care to homeless chronically mentally ill veterans under section 
115 of the Veterans' Benefits and Services Act of 1988 (38 
U.S.C. 1712 note). 
(3) The demonstration program under section 7 of Public 
Law 102-54 (38 U.S.C. 1718 note). 
38 use 7611 
(b) HEALTH PROFESSIONAL SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM.—(1) 
The 
note. 
Secretary shall submit to Congress, not later than March 31, 1997, 
a report setting forth the results of a study evaluating the operation 
of the health professional scholarship program under subchapter 
II of chapter 76 of title 38, United States Code. The study shall 
evaluate the efficacy of the program with respect to recruitment 
and retention of health care personnel for the Department of Veter-
ans Affairs and shall compare the costs and benefits of the program 
PUBLIC LAW 104-110—FEB. 13, 1996 
110 STAT. 771 
with the costs and benefits of alternative methods of ensuring 
adequate recruitment and retention of such personnel. 
(2) The Secretary shall carry out the study under this para- Contracts. 
graph through a private contractor. The report under paragraph 
(1) shall include the report of the contractor and the comments, 
if any, of the Secretary on that report. 
(c) ENHANCED USE LEASES.—^The Secretary shall submit to 38USC8i6i 
Congress, not later than March 31, 1997, a report evaluating the note. 
operation of the program under subchapter V of chapter 81 of 
title 38, United States Code. 
SEC. 203. CONTRACTS FOR UTILITIES, AUDIE L. MURPHY MEMORIAL 
Texas. 
HOSPITAL. 
(a) AUTHORITY TO CONTRACT.—Subject to subsection (b), the 
Secretary of Veterans Affairs may enter into contracts for the 
provision of utilities (including steam and chilled water) to the 
Audie L. Murphy Memorial Hospital in San Antonio, Texas. Each 
such contract may— 
(1) be for a period not to exceed 35 years; 
(2) provide for the construction and operation of a produc-
tion facility on or near property under the jurisdiction of the 
Secretary; 
(3) require capital contributions by the parties involved 
for the construction of such a facility, such contribution to 
be in the form of cash, equipment, or other in-kind contribution; 
and 
(4) provide for a predetermined formula to compute the 
cost of providing such utilities to the parties for the duration 
of the contract. 
(b) FUNDS.—^A contract may be entered into under subsection 
(a) only to the extent as provided for in advance in appropriations 
Acts. 
(c) ADDITIONAL TERMS.—^The Secretary may include in a con-
tract under subsection (a) such additional provisions as the Sec-
retary considers necessary to secure the provision of utilities and 
to protect the interests of the United States. 
Approved February 13, 1996. 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—H.R. 2353 (S. 991): 
HOUSE REPORTS: No. 104-275 (Comm. on Veterans' Affairs). 
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD: 
Vol. 141 (1995): Oct. 17, considered and passed House. 
Vol. 142 (1996): Jan. 5, considered and passed Senate, amended, in lieu of S. 
991. 
Jan. 25, House concurred in Senate amendments with 
amendments. 
Jan. 30, Senate concurred in House amendments.