[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5870 Introduced in House (IH)]








109th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 5870

  To provide for the health care needs of veterans in far South Texas.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 24, 2006

 Mr. Ortiz (for himself, Mr. Hinojosa, and Mr. Doggett) introduced the 
   following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans' 
                                Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To provide for the health care needs of veterans in far South Texas.

    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 ``South Texas Veterans Access to Care 
Act of 2006''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS; DEFINITION.

    (a) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
            (1) The current and future health care needs of veterans 
        residing in the Far South Texas area are not being fully met by 
        the Department of Veterans Affairs.
            (2) The Department of Veterans Affairs states that, as of 
        January 1, 2006, the number of veterans in Far South Texas is 
        approximately 114,000.
            (3) In its Capital Asset Realignment for Enhanced Services 
        study, the Department of Veterans Affairs found that fewer than 
        three percent of its enrollees in the Valley-Coastal Bend 
        Market of Veterans Integrated Service Network 17 reside within 
        its acute hospital access standards.
            (4) Travel times for veterans from the market referred to 
        in paragraph (3) can exceed six hours from their residences to 
        the nearest Department of Veterans Affairs hospital for acute 
        inpatient health care.
            (5) Even with the significant travel times, veterans from 
        Far South Texas demonstrate a high demand for health care 
        services from the Department of Veterans Affairs.
            (6) Current deployments involving members of the Texas 
        National Guard and Reservists from Texas will continue to 
        inflate projections by the Department of Veterans Affairs of 
        demand.
    (b) Definition.--For purposes of this Act, the term ``Far South 
Texas'' means the following counties of the State of Texas: Aransas, 
Bee, Brooks, Calhoun, Cameron, Crockett, DeWitt, Dimmit, Duval, Goliad, 
Hidalgo, Jackson, Jim Hogg, Jim Wells, Kenedy, Kleberg, Nueces, 
Refugio, San Patricio, Starr, Victoria, Webb, Willacy, and Zapata.

SEC. 3. MEDICAL CARE FOR VETERANS IN FAR SOUTH TEXAS.

    (a) Determination.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall 
determine, and notify Congress pursuant to subsection (b), whether the 
needs of veterans in Far South Texas for acute inpatient hospital care 
shall be met--
            (1) through a project for a public-private venture to 
        provide inpatient services and long-term care to veterans in an 
        existing facility in Far South Texas;
            (2) through a project for construction of a new full-
        service, 50-bed hospital with a 125-bed nursing home in Far 
        South Texas; or
            (3) through a sharing agreement with a military treatment 
        facility in Far South Texas.
    (b) Notification and Prospectus.--Not later than 180 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to 
Congress a report--
            (1) identifying which of the three options specified in 
        subsection (a) has been selected by the Secretary; and
            (2) providing, for the option selected, a prospectus that 
        includes, at a minimum, the matter specified in paragraphs (1) 
        through (8) of section 8104(b) of title 38, United States Code, 
        and the project timelines.

SEC. 4. PUBLIC-PRIVATE VENTURE FOR MEDICAL CARE FOR VETERANS IN FAR 
              SOUTH TEXAS.

    (a) Project.--If the option selected by the Secretary of Veterans 
Affairs under section 3(a) is the option specified in paragraph (1) of 
that section for a project of a public-private venture to provide 
inpatient and long-term care to veterans at an existing facility in Far 
South Texas, then the Secretary shall, subject to the availability of 
appropriations for such purpose, take such steps as necessary to enter 
into an agreement with an appropriate private-sector entity to provide 
for inpatient and long-term care services for veterans at an existing 
facility in one of the counties of Far South Texas. Such an agreement 
may include provision for construction of a new wing or other addition 
at such facility to provide additional services that will, under the 
agreement, be leased by the United States and dedicated to care and 
treatment of veterans by the Secretary under title 38, United States 
Code.
    (b) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated such sums as necessary for a public-private venture 
project under this section.

SEC. 5. NEW DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS MEDICAL CENTER, FAR SOUTH 
              TEXAS.

    (a) Project Authorization.--If the option selected by the Secretary 
of Veterans Affairs under section 3(a) is the option specified in 
paragraph (2) of that section for a project for construction in Far 
South Texas of a new full-service, 175-bed facility providing inpatient 
and long-term care services. Such facility shall be located in the 
county in Far South Texas that the Secretary determines most suitable 
to meet the health care needs of veterans in the region.
    (b) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to the Construction, Major Projects, account of the 
Department of Veterans Affairs, in addition to any other amounts 
authorized for that account, the amount of $175,000,000 for the project 
authorized by subsection (a).

SEC. 6. SHARED FACILITY WITH DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE, FAR SOUTH TEXAS.

    (a) Project Authorization.--If the option selected by the Secretary 
of Veterans Affairs under section 3(a) is the option specified in 
paragraph (3) of that section for a project of a Department of Veterans 
Affairs-Department of Defense shared facility to provide inpatient and 
long-term care to veterans at an existing facility in Far South Texas, 
then the Secretary shall, subject to the availability of appropriations 
for such purpose, take such steps as necessary to enter into an 
agreement with an appropriate military treatment facility to provide 
for inpatient and long-term care services for veterans at an existing 
facility in one of the counties of Far South Texas. Such an agreement 
may include provision for construction of a new wing or other addition 
at such facility to provide additional services that will, under the 
agreement, be leased by the United States and dedicated to care and 
treatment of veterans by the Secretary under title 38, United States 
Code.
    (b) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated such sums as necessary for a Department of Veterans 
Affairs-Department of Defense venture project under this section.
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