[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1290 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







109th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 1290

      To appropriate $1,975,183,000 for medical care for veterans.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             June 23, 2005

  Mrs. Murray introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
              referred to the Committee on Appropriations

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
      To appropriate $1,975,183,000 for medical care for veterans.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled, That the following sum 
is appropriated, out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise 
appropriated, for the Department of Veterans Affairs for the fiscal 
year ending September 30, 2005, namely:

                     DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS

                     Veterans Health Administration

                            Medical Services

    For necessary expenses for furnishing, as authorized by law, 
outpatient and inpatient care and treatment to beneficiaries of the 
Department of Veterans Affairs and veterans as described in paragraphs 
(1) through (8) of section 1705(a) of title 38, United States Code, 
including care and treatment in facilities not under the jurisdiction 
of the department and including medical supplies and equipment and 
salaries and expenses of health-care employees hired under title 38, 
United States Code, and to aid State homes as authorized under section 
1741 of title 38, United States Code; $1,975,183,000 plus 
reimbursements: Provided, That of the amount under this heading, 
$610,183,000 shall be available to address the needs of servicemembers 
deployed for Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom; 
Provided further, That of the amount under this heading, $840,000,000 
shall be available, in equal amounts of $40,000,000, for each Veterans 
Integrated Service Network (VISN) to meet current and pending care and 
treatment requirements: Provided further, That of the amount under this 
heading, $525,000,000 shall be available for mental health care and 
treatment, including increased funding for centers for the provision of 
readjustment counseling and related mental health services under 
section 1712A of title 38, United States Code (commonly referred to as 
``Vet Centers''), increased funding for post traumatic stress disorder 
(PTSD) programs, funding for the provision of primary care 
consultations for mental health, funding for the provision of mental 
health counseling in Community Based Outreach Centers (CBOCs), and 
funding to facilitate the provision of mental health services by 
Department of Veterans Affairs facilities that do not currently provide 
such services: Provided further, That the amount under this heading 
shall remain available until expended.
                                 <all>