[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 613 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







108th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 S. 613

To authorize the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to construct, lease, or 
 modify major medical facilities at the site of the former Fitzsimons 
                 Army Medical Center, Aurora, Colorado.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             March 13, 2003

  Mr. Campbell (for himself and Mr. Allard) introduced the following 
 bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' 
                                Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To authorize the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to construct, lease, or 
 modify major medical facilities at the site of the former Fitzsimons 
                 Army Medical Center, Aurora, Colorado.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

     This Act may be cited as the ``Veterans' New Fitzsimons Health 
Care Facilities Act of 2003''.

SEC. 2. AUTHORIZATION OF MAJOR MEDICAL FACILITY PROJECTS, FORMER 
              FITZSIMONS ARMY MEDICAL CENTER, AURORA, COLORADO.

    (a) Authorization.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs may carry out 
major medical facility projects under section 8104 of title 38, United 
States Code, at the site of the former Fitzsimons Army Medical Center, 
Aurora, Colorado. Projects to be carried out at such site shall be 
selected by the Secretary and may include inpatient and outpatient 
facilities providing acute, sub-acute, primary, and long-term care 
services. Project costs shall be limited to an amount not to exceed a 
total of $300,000,000 if a combination of direct construction by the 
Department of Veterans Affairs and capital leasing is selected under 
subsection (b) and no more than $30,000,000 per year in capital leasing 
costs if a leasing option is selected as the sole option under 
subsection (b).
    (b) Selection of Capital Option.--The Secretary of Veterans shall 
select the capital option to carry out the authority provided in 
subsection (a) of either--
            (1) direct construction by the Department of Veterans 
        Affairs or a combination of direct construction and capital 
        leasing; or
            (2) capital leasing alone.
    (c) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs for fiscal years 
2004, 2005, 2006, and 2007 for ``Construction, Major Projects'' for the 
purposes authorized in subsection (a)--
            (1) a total of $300,000,000, if direct construction, or a 
        combination of direct construction and capital leasing, is 
        chosen pursuant to subsection (b) for purposes of the projects 
        authorized in subsection (a); and
            (2) $30,000,000 for each such fiscal year, if capital 
        leasing alone is chosen pursuant to subsection (b) for purposes 
        of the projects authorized in subsection (a).
    (d) Limitation.--The projects authorized in subsection (a) may only 
be carried out using--
            (1) funds appropriated for fiscal year 2004, 2005, 2006, or 
        2007 pursuant to the authorization of appropriations in 
        subsection (a);
            (2) funds appropriated for Construction, Major Projects, 
        for a fiscal year before fiscal year 2004 that remain available 
        for obligation; and
            (3) funds appropriated for Construction, Major Projects, 
        for fiscal year 2004, 2005, 2006, or 2007 for a category of 
        activity not specific to a project.
    (e) Report to Congressional Committees.--Not later than 120 days 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit 
to the Committees on Appropriations and the Committees on Veterans' 
Affairs of the Senate and House of Representatives a report on this 
section. The report shall include notice of the option selected by the 
Secretary pursuant to subsection (b) to carry out the authority 
provided by subsection (a), information on any further planning 
required to carry out the authority provided in subsection (a), and 
other information of assistance to the committees with respect to such 
authority.

SEC. 3. JOINT ACTIVITIES TO ADDRESS HEALTH CARE NEEDS OF VETERANS AND 
              MEMBERS OF THE AIR FORCE.

    The Secretary of Veterans Affairs and the Secretary of the Air 
Force shall undertake such joint activities as the Secretaries consider 
appropriate to address the health care needs of veterans and members of 
the Air Force on active duty.
                                 <all>