[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 3421 Engrossed in Senate (ES)]


  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
109th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 3421

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 AN ACT


 
To authorize major medical facility projects and major medical facility 
leases for the Department of Veterans Affairs for fiscal years 2006 and 
                     2007, and for other purposes.

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

SECTION 1. AUTHORIZATION OF FISCAL YEAR 2006 MAJOR MEDICAL FACILITY 
              PROJECTS.

    The Secretary of Veterans Affairs may carry out the following major 
medical facility projects in fiscal year 2006, with each project to be 
carried out in the amount specified for that project:
            (1) Restoration, new construction or replacement of the 
        medical center facility for the Department of Veterans Affairs 
        Medical Center, New Orleans, Louisiana, due to damage from 
        Hurricane Katrina in an amount not to exceed $636,000,000. The 
        Secretary is authorized to carry out the project as a 
        collaborative effort consistent with the New Orleans 
        Collaborative Opportunities Study Group Report dated June 12, 
        2006.
            (2) Restoration of the Department of Veterans Affairs 
        Medical Center, Biloxi, Mississippi, and consolidation of 
        services performed at the Department of Veterans Affairs 
        Medical Center, Gulfport, Mississippi, in an amount not to 
        exceed $310,000,000.
            (3) Replacement of the Department of Veterans Affairs 
        Medical Center, Denver, Colorado, in an amount not to exceed 
        $98,000,000.

SEC. 2. EXTENSION OF AUTHORIZATION FOR MAJOR MEDICAL FACILITY 
              CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS AUTHORIZED UNDER CAPITAL ASSET 
              REALIGNMENT INITIATIVE.

    Notwithstanding subsection (d) of section 221 of the Veterans 
Health Care, Capital Asset, and Business Improvement Act of 2003 
(Public Law 108-170; 117 Stat. 2050), the Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
may enter into contracts before September 30, 2009, to carry out each 
major medical facility project, as originally authorized by such 
section 221, as follows with each project to be carried out in the 
amount specified for that project:
            (1) Construction of an outpatient clinic and regional 
        office at the Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, 
        Anchorage, Alaska, in an amount not to exceed $75,270,000.
            (2) Consolidation of clinical and administrative functions 
        of the Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center in 
        Cleveland, Ohio, and the Department of Veterans Affairs Medical 
        Center in Brecksville, Ohio, in an amount not to exceed 
        $102,300,000.
            (3) Construction of the Extended Care Building at the 
        Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Des Moines, 
        Iowa, in an amount not to exceed $25,000,000.
            (4) Renovation of patient wards at the Department of 
        Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Durham, North Carolina, in 
        an amount not to exceed $9,100,000.
            (5) Correction of patient privacy deficiencies at the 
        Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Gainesville, 
        Florida, in an amount not to exceed $85,200,000.
            (6) 7th and 8th Floor Wards Modernization addition at the 
        Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Indianapolis, 
        Indiana, in an amount not to exceed $27,400,000.
            (7) Construction of a new Medical Center Facility at the 
        Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Las Vegas, 
        Nevada, in an amount not to exceed $406,000,000.
            (8) Construction of an Ambulatory Surgery/Outpatient 
        Diagnostic Support Center in the Gulf South Submarket of 
        Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN) 8 and completion of 
        Phase I land purchase, Lee County, Florida, in an amount not to 
        exceed $65,100,000.
            (9) Seismic Corrections-Buildings 7 & 126 at the Department 
        of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Long Beach, California, in 
        an amount not to exceed $107,845,000.
            (10) Seismic Corrections-Buildings 500 & 501 at the 
        Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Los Angeles, 
        California, in an amount not to exceed $79,900,000.
            (11) Construction of a New Medical Center facility in the 
        Orlando, Florida, area in an amount not to exceed $377,700,000.
            (12) Consolidation of Campuses at the University Drive and 
        H. John Heinz III divisions, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in an 
        amount not to exceed $189,205,000.
            (13) Ward Upgrades and Expansion at the Department of 
        Veterans Affairs Medical Center, San Antonio, Texas, in an 
        amount not to exceed $19,100,000.
            (14) Seismic Corrections-Building 1, Phase 1 Design at the 
        Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, San Juan, Puerto 
        Rico, in an amount not to exceed $15,000,000.
            (15) Construction of a Spinal Cord Injury Center at the 
        Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Syracuse, New 
        York, in an amount not to exceed $53,900,000.
            (16) Upgrade Essential Electrical Distribution Systems at 
        the Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Tampa, 
        Florida, in an amount not to exceed $49,000,000.
            (17) Expansion of the Spinal Cord Injury Center addition at 
        the Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Tampa, 
        Florida, in an amount not to exceed $7,100,000.
            (18) Blind Rehabilitation and Psychiatric Bed renovation 
        and new construction project at the Department of Veterans 
        Affairs Medical Center, Temple, Texas, in an amount not to 
        exceed $56,000,000.

SEC. 3. AUTHORIZATION OF FISCAL YEAR 2007 MAJOR MEDICAL FACILITY 
              PROJECTS.

    The Secretary of Veterans Affairs may carry out the following major 
medical facility projects in fiscal year 2007 in the amount specified 
for each project:
            (1) Seismic Corrections, Nursing Home Care Unit and 
        Dietetics at the Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, 
        American Lake, Washington, in an amount not to exceed 
        $38,220,000.
            (2) Replacement of Operating Suite at the Department of 
        Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Columbia, Missouri, in an 
        amount not to exceed $25,830,000.
            (3) Construction of a new clinical addition at the 
        Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Fayetteville, 
        Arkansas, in an amount not to exceed $56,163,000.
            (4) Construction of Spinal Cord Injury Center at the 
        Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Milwaukee, 
        Wisconsin, in an amount not to exceed $32,500,000.
            (5) Medical facility improvements and cemetery expansion of 
        Jefferson Barracks at the Department of Veterans Affairs 
        Medical Center, St. Louis, Missouri, in an amount not to exceed 
        $69,053,000.

SEC. 4. AUTHORIZATION OF FISCAL YEAR 2006 MAJOR MEDICAL FACILITY 
              LEASES.

    The Secretary of Veterans Affairs may carry out the following major 
medical facility leases in fiscal year 2006 at the locations specified, 
and in an amount for each lease not to exceed the amount shown for such 
location:
            (1) For an outpatient clinic, Baltimore, Maryland, 
        $10,908,000.
            (2) For an outpatient clinic, Evansville, Illinois, 
        $8,989,000.
            (3) For an outpatient clinic, Smith County, Texas, 
        $5,093,000.

SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF FISCAL YEAR 2007 MAJOR MEDICAL FACILITY 
              LEASES.

    The Secretary of Veterans Affairs may carry out the following major 
medical facility leases in fiscal year 2007 at the locations specified, 
and in an amount for each lease not to exceed the amount shown for such 
location:
            (1) For an outpatient and specialty care clinic, Austin, 
        Texas, $6,163,000.
            (2) For an outpatient clinic, Lowell, Massachusetts, 
        $2,520,000.
            (3) For an outpatient clinic, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 
        $4,409,000.
            (4) For up to four outpatient clinics, Las Vegas, Nevada, 
        $8,518,000.
            (5) For an outpatient clinic, Parma, Ohio, $5,032,000.

SEC. 6. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    (a) Authorization of Appropriations for Fiscal Year 2006 Major 
Medical Facility Projects.--There is authorized to be appropriated to 
the Secretary of Veterans Affairs for fiscal year 2006 for the 
Construction, Major Projects, account, $1,044,000,000 for the projects 
authorized in section 1.
    (b) Authorization of Appropriations for Major Medical Facility 
Projects Under Capital Asset Realignment Initiative.--
            (1) Authorization of appropriations.--There is authorized 
        to be appropriated for the Secretary of Veterans Affairs for 
        fiscal year 2007 for the Construction, Major Projects, account, 
        $1,750,120,000 for the projects whose authorization is extended 
        by section 2.
            (2) Availability.--Amounts appropriated pursuant to the 
        authorization of appropriations in paragraph (1) shall remain 
        available until September 30, 2009.
    (c) Authorization of Appropriations for Fiscal Year 2007 Major 
Medical Facility Projects.--There is authorized to be appropriated to 
the Secretary of Veterans Affairs for fiscal year 2007 for the 
Construction, Major Projects, account, $221,766,000 for the projects 
authorized in section 3.
    (d) Authorization of Appropriations for Major Medical Facility 
Leases.--
            (1) Fiscal year 2006 leases.--There is authorized to be 
        appropriated for the Secretary of Veterans Affairs for fiscal 
        year 2006 for the Medical Care account, $24,990,000 for the 
        leases authorized in section 4.
            (2) Fiscal year 2007 leases.--There is authorized to be 
        appropriated for the Secretary of Veterans Affairs for fiscal 
        year 2007 for the Medical Care account, $26,642,000 for the 
        leases authorized in section 5.
    (e) Limitation.--The projects authorized in sections 1 and 2 may 
only be carried out using--
            (1) funds appropriated for fiscal year 2006 or 2007 
        pursuant to the authorization of appropriations in subsections 
        (a), (b), and (c) of this section;
            (2) funds available for Construction, Major Projects, for a 
        fiscal year before fiscal year 2006 that remain available for 
        obligation;
            (3) funds available for Construction, Major Projects, for a 
        fiscal year after fiscal year 2006 or 2007 that are available 
        for obligation; and
            (4) funds appropriated for Construction, Major Projects, 
        for fiscal year 2006 or 2007 for a category of activity not 
        specific to a project.

SEC. 7. INCREASE IN THRESHOLD FOR MAJOR MEDICAL FACILITY PROJECTS.

    (a) Increase.--Section 8104(a)(3)(A) of title 38, United States 
Code, is amended by striking ``$7,000,000'' and inserting 
``$10,000,000''.
    (b) Effective Date.--The amendment made by subsection (a) shall 
take effect on October 1, 2006, and shall apply with respect to any 
fiscal year beginning on or after that date.

SEC. 8. EXPANSION OF ELIGIBILITY UNDER SURVIVORS' AND DEPENDENTS 
              EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.

    (a) Eligibility for Dependents of Servicemembers.--
            (1) Children.--Section 3501(a)(1)(A) of title 38, United 
        States Code, is amended--
                    (A) in clause (ii) by striking ``or'' at the end;
                    (B) by redesignating clause (iii) as clause (iv); 
                and
                    (C) by inserting after clause (ii) the following 
                clause (iii):
                    ``(iii) is hospitalized or receiving outpatient 
                medical care, services, or treatment pending discharge 
                from the active military, naval, or air service for a 
                total disability permanent in nature resulting from a 
                service-connected disability (as determined by the 
                Secretary), or''.
            (2) Spouses.--Subparagraph (D) of section 3501(a)(1) of 
        such title is amended to read as follows:
            ``(D)(i) the spouse of any veteran who has a total 
        disability permanent in nature resulting from a service-
        connected disability,
            ``(ii) the spouse of any person who is hospitalized or 
        receiving outpatient medical care, services, or treatment 
        pending discharge from the active military, naval, or air 
        service for a total disability permanent in nature resulting 
        from a service-connected disability (as determined by the 
        Secretary), or
            ``(iii) the surviving spouse of a veteran who died while a 
        disability so evaluated was in existence,''.
    (b) Conforming Amendments.--
            (1) Duration of assistance.--Section 3511 of such title is 
        amended--
                    (A) in subsection (a)(1), by striking ``both 
                sections 3501(a)(1)(D)(i) and 3501(a)(1)(D)(ii)'' and 
                inserting ``sections 3501(a)(1)(D)(i), 
                3501(a)(1)(D)(ii), and 3501(a)(1)(D)(iii)'';
                    (B) in subsection (b)(2), by striking 
                ``3501(a)(1)(A)(iii)'' and inserting 
                ``3501(a)(1)(A)(iv)''; and
                    (C) in subsection (c), by striking 
                ``3501(a)(1)(A)(iii), 3501(a)(1)(C), or 
                3501(a)(1)(D)(i)'' and inserting ``3501(a)(1)(A)(iv), 
                3501(a)(1)(C), 3501(a)(1)(D)(i), or 
                3501(a)(1)(D)(ii)''.
            (2) Period of eligibility.--Section 3512 of such title is 
        amended--
                    (A) in subsection (a)(6), by striking 
                ``3501(a)(1)(A)(iii)'' and inserting 
                ``3501(a)(1)(A)(iv)'';
                    (B) in subsection (b)(1)(A), by striking 
                ``3501(a)(1)(D)(i), or 3501(a)(1)(D)(ii) of this 
                title.'' and all that follows through the end, and 
                inserting the following: ``or 3501(a)(1)(D) of this 
                title. In the case of a surviving spouse made eligible 
                by clause (iii) of section 3501(a)(1)(D), the 10-year 
                period may not be reduced by any earlier period during 
                which the person otherwise was eligible for educational 
                assistance under this chapter as a spouse described in 
                clause (i) or (ii) of that section.''; and
                    (C) in subsection (d), by striking ``veteran'' and 
                inserting ``person''.
            (3) Effective dates.--Section 5113(b)(3) of such title is 
        amended by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:
            ``(D) The term `veteran' includes a person as described in 
        sections 3501(a)(1)(A)(iii) and 3501(a)(1)(D)(ii) of this 
        title.''.

            Passed the Senate September 26, 2006.

            Attest:

                                                             Secretary.
109th CONGRESS

  2d Session

                                S. 3421

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 AN ACT

To authorize major medical facility projects and major medical facility 
leases for the Department of Veterans Affairs for fiscal years 2006 and 
                     2007, and for other purposes.