[Congressional Bills 104th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2813 Introduced in House (IH)]

  1st Session
                                H. R. 2813

  To ensure that payments during fiscal year 1996 of compensation for 
    veterans with service-connected disabilities, of dependency and 
  indemnity compensation for survivors of such veterans, and of other 
   veterans benefits, and payments to Department of Veterans Affairs 
 contractors providing services directly related to patient health and 
    safety, are made regardless of Government financial shortfalls.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           December 20, 1995

 Mr. Hutchinson (for himself, Mr. Stump, Mr. Smith of New Jersey, Mr. 
Bilirakis, Mr. Buyer, Mr. Quinn, Mr. Bachus, Mr. Stearns, Mr. Ney, Mr. 
Fox of Pennsylvania, Mr. Barr of Georgia, Mr. Hayworth, Mr. Cooley, Mr. 
   Schaefer, Mr. Chabot, Mr. Weldon of Florida, Mr. Thornberry, Mr. 
   Coburn, Mr. Montgomery, Mr. Edwards, Mr. Spence, Mr. Mascara, Mr. 
 Kennedy of Massachusetts, Mr. Doyle, Mr. Cunningham, Mr. Tejeda, Mr. 
 Everett, Mr. Weller, Mr. Flanagan, Ms. Brown of Florida, Mr. Neumann, 
 Mr. Hoekstra, Mr. Riggs, Mr. Taylor of North Carolina, Mr. Towns, Mr. 
 Davis, Mr. Deal of Georgia, Mr. Dellums, Mr. Dicks, Mr. Ehrlich, Mr. 
    Dickey, Mr. Traficant, Mr. Hastings of Florida, Mr. Hefley, Mr. 
  Packard, Mr. Mica, Mr. Bunn of Oregon, Mr. Parker, Mr. LaHood, Ms. 
   Danner, Mr. Diaz-Balart, Ms. Dunn of Washington, Mr. Ehlers, Mr. 
English of Pennsylvania, Mr. Ewing, Mr. Ballenger, Mr. LaTourette, Mr. 
  Lucas, Mr. Dornan, Mr. Emerson, Mr. Largent, Mr. Hall of Ohio, Mr. 
  Heineman, Mr. Hancock, Mrs. Lincoln, Mr. Laughlin, Mr. Tanner, Mr. 
   Duncan, Mr. McHugh, Mr. Norwood, Mr. Nethercutt, Mr. McInnis, Mr. 
   Linder, Mr. McIntosh, Mr. Metcalf, Mr. Martini, Mr. McCollum, Mr. 
 Hayes, Mr. McKeon, Mr. McDade, Mr. McCrery, Mr. Baker of California, 
  Mr. Lazio of New York, and Mr. Horn) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Appropriations, and in addition 
to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, for a period to be subsequently 
   determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such 
 provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To ensure that payments during fiscal year 1996 of compensation for 
    veterans with service-connected disabilities, of dependency and 
  indemnity compensation for survivors of such veterans, and of other 
   veterans benefits, and payments to Department of Veterans Affairs 
 contractors providing services directly related to patient health and 
    safety, are made regardless of Government financial shortfalls.

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

SECTION 1. ENSURED PAYMENT DURING FISCAL YEAR 1996 OF VETERANS' 
              BENEFITS IN EVENT OF LACK OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    (a) Payments Required.--In any case during fiscal year 1996 in 
which appropriations are not otherwise available for programs, 
projects, and activities of the Department of Veterans Affairs, the 
Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall nevertheless ensure that--
            (1) payments of existing veterans' benefits are made in 
        accordance with regular procedures and schedules and in 
        accordance with eligibility requirements for such benefits; and
            (2) payments to contractors of the Veterans Health 
        Administration of the Department of Veterans Affairs are made 
        when due in the case of services provided that directly relate 
        to patient health and safety.
    (b) Funding.--There is hereby appropriated such sums as may be 
necessary for the payments pursuant to subsection (a), including such 
amounts as may be necessary for the costs of administration of such 
payments.
    (c) Charging of Accounts When Appropriations Made.--In any case in 
which the Secretary uses the authority of subsection (a) to make 
payments, applicable accounts shall be charged for amounts so paid, and 
for the costs of administration of such payments, when regular 
appropriations become available for those purposes.
    (d) Existing Benefits Specified.--For purposes of this section, 
existing veterans' benefits are benefits under laws administered by the 
Secretary of Veterans Affairs that have been adjudicated and authorized 
for payment as of--
            (1) December 15, 1995; or
            (2) if appropriations for such benefits are available 
        (other than pursuant to subsection (b)) after December 15, 
        1995, the last day on which appropriations for payment of such 
        benefits are available (other than pursuant to subsection (b)).

SEC. 2. ENSURED PAYMENT DURING FISCAL YEAR 1996 OF VETERANS' BENEFITS 
              IN EVENT DEBT CEILING LIMIT IS REACHED.

    (a) Payments Required.--In any case during fiscal year 1996 in 
which certain functions of the Government are delayed, deferred, or 
canceled due to a limitation on the ability of the Government to borrow 
funds, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall nevertheless ensure that 
payments of existing veterans' benefits are made in accordance with 
regular procedures and schedules and in accordance with eligibility 
requirements for such benefits, and receipts and disbursements of the 
Government shall be managed so as to ensure that the requirement 
imposed by this section on the Secretary is complied with.
    (b) Existing Benefits Specified.--For purposes of this section, 
existing veterans' benefits are benefits under laws administered by the 
Secretary of Veterans Affairs that have been adjudicated and authorized 
for payment as of the day on which it becomes necessary for certain 
functions of the Government to be delayed, deferred, or canceled due to 
a limitation on the ability of the Government to borrow funds.
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