[Congressional Bills 104th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 991 Reported in Senate (RS)]

                                                       Calendar No. 264

104th CONGRESS

  1st Session

                                 S. 991

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

 To amend title 38, United States Code, and other statutes, to extend 
    VA's authority to operate various programs, collect copayments 
associated with provision of medical benefits, and obtain reimbursement 
              from insurance companies for care furnished.

_______________________________________________________________________

                           December 12, 1995

        Reported with an amendment and an amendment to the title
                                                       Calendar No. 264
104th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 S. 991

 To amend title 38, United States Code, and other statutes, to extend 
    VA's authority to operate various programs, collect copayments 
associated with provision of medical benefits, and obtain reimbursement 
              from insurance companies for care furnished.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                June 29 (legislative day, June 19), 1995

Mr. Simpson (by request) introduced the following bill; which was read 
        twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs

                           December 12, 1995

  Reported by Mr. Simpson, with an amendment and an amendment to the 
                                 title
 [Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed 
                               in italic]

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To amend title 38, United States Code, and other statutes, to extend 
    VA's authority to operate various programs, collect copayments 
associated with provision of medical benefits, and obtain reimbursement 
              from insurance companies for care furnished.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,
<DELETED>    Sec. 2. Section 1720A(e) is amended by striking ``1995'' 
and inserting in lieu thereof ``1997''.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    Sec. 3. Section 1720C(a) is amended by striking ``1995'' 
and inserting in lieu thereof ``1996''.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    Sec. 4. Section 1722A(c) is amended by striking ``1998'' 
and inserting in lieu thereof ``2000''.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    Sec. 5. (a) Section 1732 is amended--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) in the heading by striking ``and 
        grants'';</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) by striking subsection (b) and redesignating 
        subsections (c) and (d) as (b) and (c);</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) in subsection (b) as redesignated by striking 
        ``or grant'' both places it appears;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (4) in subsection (c) as redesignated by striking 
        ``and to make grants''.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) The table of sections at the beginning of chapter 17 
is amended by revising the item relating to section 1732 to read as 
follows:</DELETED>

<DELETED>``1732. Contracts to provide for the care and treatment of 
                            United States veterans by the Veterans 
                            Memorial Medical Center''.
<DELETED>    Sec. 6. Section 3735(c) is amended by striking ``1995'' 
and inserting in lieu thereof ``1997''.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    Sec. 7. Section 7451(d)(3)(C)(iii) is amended by striking 
``1995'' and inserting in lieu thereof ``1999''.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    Sec. 8. Section 7618 is amended by striking ``1995'' and 
inserting in lieu thereof ``1999''.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    Sec. 9. Section 8169 is amended by striking ``1995'' and 
inserting in lieu thereof ``1997''.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    Sec. 10. Section 115(d) of the Veterans' Benefits and 
Services Act of 1988, Public Law 100-322, is amended by striking 
``1995'' and inserting in lieu thereof ``1998''.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    Sec. 11. Section 7(a) of Public Law 102-54 is amended by 
striking ``1995'' and inserting in lieu thereof ``1998''.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    Sec. 12. Section 8013(e) of the Omnibus Budget 
Reconciliation Act of 1990 (Public Law 101-508) is amended by striking 
``1998'' and inserting in lieu thereof ``2000''.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    Sec. 13. The Secretary of Veterans Affairs may carry out 
the major medical facility projects for the Department of Veterans 
Affairs, and may carry out the major medical facility leases for that 
Department, for which funds are requested in the budget of the 
President for fiscal year 1996, and authorization is required under 
section 8104(a)(2) of title 38, United States Code.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    Sec. 14. (a) There are authorized to be appropriated to 
the Secretary of Veterans Affairs for fiscal year 1996--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) $224,800,000 for the major medical facility 
        projects authorized in section 13; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) $2,790,000 for the major medical facility 
        leases authorized in section 13.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) The projects authorized in section 13 may only be 
carried out using--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) funds appropriated for fiscal year 1996 
        pursuant to the authorization of appropriations in subsection 
        (a);</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) funds appropriated for Construction, Major 
        Projects for any fiscal year that remain available for 
        obligation; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) funds appropriated for Construction, Major 
        Projects for any fiscal year for a category of activity not 
        specific to a project.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    Sec. 15. Section 1710(e)(3) is amended to read as 
follows:</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(3) Hospital and nursing home care and medical 
        services may not be provided under or by virtue of subsection 
        (a)(1)(G) of this section--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(A) after December 31, 1996 in the case 
                of a veteran described in paragraph (1)(A); 
                or</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(B) after September 30, 1997 in the case 
                of a veteran described in paragraph (1)(C).''</DELETED>
<DELETED>    Sec. 16. Section 1712(a)(1)(D) is amended by striking out 
``December 31, 1995'' and inserting in lieu thereof ``September 10, 
1997''.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    Sec. 17. Section 1729(a)(2)(E) is amended by striking 
``1998'' and inserting in lieu thereof ``2000''.</DELETED>

SECTION 1. EXTENSION OF EXPIRING AUTHORITIES.

    (a) Authority To Provide Priority Health Care for Certain Veterans 
Exposed to Toxic Substances.--(1)(A) Effective June 29, 1995, 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''.
    (B) Any hospital or nursing home care or medical services furnished 
by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs by virtue of section 1710(a)(1)(G) 
of title 38, United States Code, during the period beginning on June 
30, 1995, and ending on the date of the enactment of this Act is hereby 
ratified.
    (2) Section 1712(a)(1)(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, 
1996,''.
    (d) Demonstration Project to Guarantee Adjustable Rate Mortgages.--
Section 3707(a) of such title is amended by striking out ``fiscal years 
1993, 1994, and 1995'' and inserting in lieu thereof ``fiscal years 
1993 through 1997''.
    (e) Agreements for Housing Assistance for Homeless Veterans.--
Section 3735(c) of such title is amended by striking out ``December 31, 
1995'' and inserting in lieu thereof ``December 31, 1997''.
    (f) Use of Data on Compensation for Certified Registered Nurse 
Anesthetists.--(1) Effective March 31, 1995, section 7451(d)(3)(C)(iii) 
of such title is amended by striking out ``April 1, 1995'' and 
inserting in lieu thereof ``December 31, 1999''.
    (2) The use by any director of a Department of Veterans Affairs 
health-care facility of data on rates of compensation paid to certified 
nurse anesthetists in a labor market area under section 7451(d)(3)(C) 
of title 38, United States Code, during the period beginning on April 
1, 1995, and ending on the date of the enactment of this Act is hereby 
ratified.
    (g) Health Professional Scholarship Program.--Section 7618 of such 
title is amended by striking out ``December 31, 1995'' and inserting in 
lieu thereof ``December 31, 1996''.
    (h) 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''.
    (i) Authority for Community-Based Residential Care for Homeless 
Chronically Mentally Ill Veterans and Other Veterans.--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''.
    (j) Demonstration Program of Compensated Work Therapy.--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,''.
    (k) Authority To Make Grants for Assistance in Furnishing Services 
and Assistance to Homeless Veterans.--(1) Section 3(a) of the Homeless 
Veterans Comprehensive Service Programs Act of 1992 (Public Law 102-
590; 106 Stat. 5136; 38 U.S.C. 7721 note) is amended by striking out 
``fiscal years 1993, 1994, and 1995,'' and inserting in lieu thereof 
``fiscal years 1993 through 1997,''.
    (2) Section 12 of such Act (106 Stat. 5142) is amended by striking 
out ``each of the fiscal years 1993, 1994, and 1995'' and inserting in 
lieu thereof ``each of fiscal years 1993 through 1997''.
    (l) Homeless Veterans' Reintegration Projects.--(1) Section 
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 
``October 1, 1996''.
    (m) Effective Date.--Except as provided in subsections (a)(1) and 
(f)(1), the amendments made by this section shall take effect on 
October 1, 1995.

    Amend the title to read as follows: ``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.''.