[Congressional Bills 104th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2353 Referred in Senate (RFS)]

  1st Session
                                H. R. 2353


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            October 18, 1995

Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 AN ACT


 
   To amend title 38, United States Code, to extend certain expiring 
authorities of the Department of Veterans Affairs relating to delivery 
          of health and medical care, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. EXTENSION OF EXPIRING AUTHORITIES OF DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS 
              AFFAIRS.

    (a) Hospital Care and Medical Services for Persian Gulf Veterans 
Exposed to Toxic Substances.--(1) Section 1710(e)(3) of title 38, 
United States Code, is amended by striking out ``December 31, 1995'' 
and inserting in lieu thereof ``December 31, 1998''.
    (2) Section 1712(a)(1)(D) of such title is amended by striking out 
``December 31, 1995'' and inserting in lieu thereof ``December 31, 
1998''.
    (b) Contract Authority for Alcohol and Drug Abuse Care.--Subsection 
(e) of section 1720A of such title is amended by striking out 
``December 31, 1995'' and inserting in lieu thereof ``December 31, 
1997''.
    (c) Nursing Home Care Alternatives.--(1) Section 1720C(a) of such 
title is amended by striking out ``September 30, 1995'' and inserting 
in lieu thereof ``December 31, 1997''.
    (2) The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit to Congress, not 
later than March 31, 1997, a report on the medical efficacy and cost 
effectiveness, and disadvantages and advantages, associated with the 
use by the Secretary of noninstitutional alternatives to nursing home 
care.
    (d) Health Scholarships Program.--(1) Section 7618 of such title is 
amended by striking out ``December 31, 1995'' and inserting in lieu 
thereof ``December 31, 1997''.
    (2)(A) The Secretary of Veterans Affairs 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 Veterans Affairs and shall compare the costs and benefits 
of the program with the costs and benefits of alternative methods of 
ensuring adequate recruitment and retention of such personnel.
    (B) The Secretary shall carry out the study under this paragraph 
through a private contractor. The report under subparagraph (A) shall 
include the report of the contractor and the comments, if any, of the 
Secretary on that report.
    (e) Enhanced-Use Leases of Real Property.--(1) Section 8169 of such 
title is amended by striking out ``December 31, 1995'' and inserting in 
lieu thereof ``December 31, 1997''.
    (2) The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit to Congress, not 
later than March 31, 1997, a report evaluating the operation of the 
program under subchapter V of chapter 81 of title 38, United States 
Code.
    (f) Community-Based Residential Care for Homeless Chronically 
Mentally Ill Veterans.--Section 115(d) of the Veterans' Benefits and 
Services Act of 1988 (Public Law 100-322; 38 U.S.C. 1712 note) is 
amended by striking out ``September 30, 1995'' and inserting in lieu 
thereof ``December 31, 1997''.
    (g) Demonstration Program of Compensated Work Therapy and 
Therapeutic Transitional Housing.--Section 7 of Public Law 102-54 (38 
U.S.C. 1718 note) is amended--
            (1) in subsection (a), by striking out ``During fiscal 
        years 1991 through 1995, the Secretary'' and inserting in lieu 
        thereof ``The Secretary''; and
            (2) by adding at the end the following:
    ``(m) Sunset.--The authority for the demonstration program under 
this section expires on December 31, 1997.''.
    (h) Homeless Veterans Pilot Program.--The Homeless Veterans 
Comprehensive Service Programs Act of 1992 (Public Law 102-590) is 
amended as follows:
            (1) Section 2(a) (38 U.S.C. 7721 note) is amended by 
        striking out ``September 30, 1995'' and inserting in lieu 
        thereof ``December 31, 1998''.
            (2) Section 3(a) (38 U.S.C. 7721 note) is amended by 
        striking out ``, during fiscal years 1993, 1994, and 1995,''.
            (3) Section 12 (38 U.S.C. 7721 note) is amended by striking 
        out ``each of the fiscal years 1993, 1994, and 1995'' and 
inserting in lieu thereof ``each fiscal year through 1998''.

SEC. 2. REPORTS.

    (a) Report on Consolidation of Certain Programs.--The 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).
    (b) Report on Scientific Evidence Concerning Health Consequences of 
Military Service in Persian Gulf War.--(1) The Secretary of Veterans 
Affairs shall, in consultation with the National Academy of Sciences 
and with officials of other appropriate Federal departments and 
agencies, review the scientific evidence, and assess the strength of 
such evidence, concerning association between military service in the 
Southwest Asia theater of operations during the Persian Gulf War and 
any disease that may be associated with such service.
    (2) The Secretary shall, not later than March 1, 1998, submit to 
the Committees on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and the House of 
Representatives a report on the findings of the review and assessment 
under paragraph (1).

SEC. 3. REPEAL OF AUTHORITY TO MAKE GRANTS TO VETERANS MEMORIAL MEDICAL 
              CENTER IN THE PHILIPPINES.

    (a) Repeal.--Section 1732 of title 38, United States Code, is 
amended--
            (1) by striking out subsection (b);
            (2) by redesignating subsection (c) as subsection (b) and 
        striking out ``or grant'' both places it appears in that 
        subsection; and
            (3) by redesignating subsection (d) as subsection (c) and 
        striking out ``and to make grants'' in that subsection.
    (b) Clerical Amendments.--(1) The heading of such section is 
amended by striking out ``and grants''.
    (2) The item relating to such section in the table of sections at 
the beginning of chapter 17 of such title is amended by striking out 
``and grants''.

SEC. 4. DISPLAY OF POW/MIA FLAG AT DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS 
              MEDICAL CENTERS.

    (a) Daily Display of Flag.--Subsection (a) of section 1084 of the 
National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Years 1992 and 1993 
(Public Law 102-190; 36 U.S.C. 189 note) is amended--
            (1) by striking out ``and'' at the end of paragraph (1);
            (2) by striking out the period at the end of paragraph (2) 
        and inserting in lieu thereof ``; and''; and
            (3) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(3) on, or on the grounds of, each Department of Veterans 
        Affairs medical center (except as provided in subsection (e)), 
        on every day on which the flag of the United States is 
        displayed.''.
    (b) Exception for Certain Department of Veterans Affairs Medical 
Centers.--Such section is further amended--
            (1) by redesignating subsection (e) as subsection (f); and
            (2) by inserting after subsection (d) the following new 
        subsection (e):
    ``(e) Special Rule for Display at Department of Veterans Affairs 
Medical Centers.--(1) Upon a determination by the director of a 
Department of Veterans Affairs medical center that the daily display of 
the POW/MIA flag at that medical center may be detrimental to the 
treatment of patients at that center, the provisions of subsection 
(a)(3) shall be inapplicable with respect to that medical center.
    ``(2) Whenever the director of a Department of Veterans Affairs 
medical center makes a determination described in paragraph (1), that 
officer shall submit a report on such determination, including the 
basis for the determination, to the Under Secretary for Health of the 
Department of Veterans Affairs.''.
    (c) Procurement and Distribution of Flags.--(1) Subsection (c) of 
such section is amended by striking out ``Within 30 days after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the Administrator'' and inserting in lieu 
thereof ``The Administrator''.
    (2) The Administrator of General Services shall carry out 
subsection (c) of section 1084 of the National Defense Authorization 
Act for Fiscal Years 1992 and 1993 (Public Law 102-190; 36 U.S.C. 189 
note) with respect to the procurement and distribution of POW/MIA flags 
for the purposes of paragraph (3) of subsection (a) of such section (as 
added by subsection (a) of this section) within 30 days after the date 
of the enactment of this Act.

SEC. 5. CONTRACTS FOR UTILITIES, AUDIE L. MURPHY MEMORIAL 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 
        production 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 contract 
under subsection (a) such additional provisions as the Secretary 
considers necessary to secure the provision of utilities and to protect 
the interests of the United States.

SEC. 6. NAME OF DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS MEDICAL CENTER, WALLA 
              WALLA, WASHINGTON.

    The Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center located at 77 
Wainwright Drive, Walla Walla, Washington, shall after the date of the 
enactment of this Act be known and designated as the ``Jonathan M. 
Wainwright Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center''. Any 
reference to that medical center in any law, regulation, map, document, 
paper, or other record of the United States shall be considered to be a 
reference to the Jonathan M. Wainwright Department of Veterans Affairs 
Medical Center.

            Passed the House of Representatives October 17, 1995.

            Attest:

                                                ROBIN H. CARLE,

                                                                 Clerk.