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SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ''Veterans' Hospital Emergency Repair
Act''.

SEC. 2. AUTHORIZATION OF MAJOR MEDICAL FACILITY PROJECTS FOR PATIENT
CARE IMPROVEMENTS.

(a) In General.--(1) The Secretary of Veterans Affairs is
authorized to carry out major medical facility projects in accordance
with this section, using funds appropriated for fiscal year 2002 or
fiscal year 2003 pursuant to section 3. The cost of any such project
may not exceed $25,000,000.
(2) Projects carried out under this section are not subject to
section 8104(a)(2) of title 38, United States Code.
(b) Purpose of Projects.--A project carried out pursuant to
subsection (a) may be carried out only at a Department of Veterans
Affairs medical center and only for the purpose of improving,
renovating, and updating to contemporary standards patient care
facilities. In selecting medical centers for projects under subsection
(a), the Secretary shall select projects to improve, renovate, or
update facilities to achieve one or more of the following:
(1) Seismic protection improvements related to patient
safety.
(2) Fire safety improvements.
(3) Improvements to utility systems and ancillary patient
care facilities.
(4) Improved accommodation for persons with disabilities,
including barrier-free access.
(5) Improvements to facilities carrying out specialized
programs of the Department, including the following:
(A) Blind rehabilitation centers.
(B) Facilities carrying out inpatient and
residential programs for seriously mentally ill
veterans, including mental illness research, education,
and clinical centers.
(C) Facilities carrying out residential and
rehabilitation programs for veterans with substance-use
disorders.
(D) Facilities carrying out physical medicine and
rehabilitation activities.
(E) Facilities providing long-term care, including
geriatric research, education, and clinical centers,
adult day care centers, and nursing home care
facilities.
(F) Facilities providing amputation care, including
facilities for prosthetics, orthotics programs, and
sensory aids.
(G) Spinal cord injury centers.
(H) Facilities carrying out traumatic brain injury
programs.
(I) Facilities carrying out women veterans' health
programs (including particularly programs involving
privacy and accommodation for female patients).
(J) Facilities for hospice and palliative care
programs.
(c) Review Process.--(1) Before a project is submitted to the
Secretary with a recommendation that it be approved as a project to be
carried out under the authority of this section, the project shall be
reviewed by an independent board within the Department of Veterans
Affairs constituted by the Secretary to evaluate capital investment
projects. The board shall review each such project to determine the
project's relevance to the medical care mission of the Department and
whether the project improves, renovates, and updates patient care
facilities of the Department in accordance with this section.
(2) In selecting projects to be carried out under the authority of
this section, the Secretary shall consider the recommendations of the
board under paragraph (1). In any case in which the Secretary selects a
project to be carried out under this section that was not recommended
for approval by the board under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall
include in the report of the Secretary under section 4(b) notice of
such selection and the Secretary's reasons for not following the
recommendation of the board with respect to the project.

SEC. 3. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

(a) In General.--There are authorized to be appropriated to the
Secretary of Veterans Affairs for the Construction, Major Projects,
account for projects under section 2--
(1) $250,000,000 for fiscal year 2002; and
(2) $300,000,000 for fiscal year 2003.
(b) Limitation.--Projects may be carried out under section 2 only
using funds appropriated pursuant to the authorization of
appropriations in subsection (a).

SEC. 4. REPORTS.

(a) GAO Report.--Not later than April 1, 2003, the Comptroller
General shall submit to the Committees on Veterans' Affairs and on
Appropriations of the Senate and House of Representatives a report
evaluating the advantages and disadvantages of congressional
authorization for projects of the type described in section 2(b)
through general authorization as provided by section 2(a), rather than
through specific authorization as would otherwise be applicable under
section 8104(a)(2) of title 38, United States Code. Such report shall
include a description of the actions of the Secretary of Veterans
Affairs during fiscal year 2002 to select and carry out projects under
section 2.
(b) Secretary Report.--Not later than 120 days after the date on
which the site for the final project under section 2 is selected, the
Secretary shall submit to the committees referred to in subsection (a)
a report on the authorization process under section 2. The Secretary
shall include in the report the following:
(1) A listing by project of each project selected by the
Secretary under that section, together with a prospectus
description of the purposes of the project, the estimated cost
of the project, and a statement attesting to the review of the
project under section 2(c), and, if that project was not
recommended by the board, the Secretary's justification under
section 2(d) for not following the recommendation of the board.
(2) An assessment of the utility to the Department of
Veterans Affairs of the authorization process.
(3) Such recommendations as the Secretary considers
appropriate for future congressional policy for authorizations
of major and minor medical facility construction projects for
the Department.
(4) Any other matter that the Secretary considers to be
appropriate with respect to oversight by Congress of capital
facilities projects of the Department.
Veterans' Hospital Emergency Repair Act - Authorizes the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out major medical facility projects at Department of Veterans Affairs medical centers for improving, renovating, and updating patient care facilities. Requires the Secretary to use FY 2002 or 2003 appropriated funds for such purpose. Limits to $25 million the cost of any single project. Requires an independent board within the Department to review projects before their selection.