1.This Act may be cited as the
South Texas Veterans Access to Care
Act of 2007
.
2.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
estimates that more than 100,000 veterans reside in Far South Texas.
(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)Deployments
involving members of the Texas National Guard and Reservists from Texas will
serve to continue to increase the population of veterans in Far South
Texas.
3.Medical care for
veterans in Far South Texas
(a)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 should 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
ProspectusNot 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.
4.Public-private
venture for medical care for veterans in Far South Texas
(a)If
the option selected by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs under subsection (a)
of section 3 is the option specified in paragraph (1) of such subsection 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
AppropriationsThere are authorized to be appropriated such sums
as necessary for a public-private venture project under this section.
5.New Department of
Veterans Affairs medical center, Far South Texas
(a)If the option selected by the Secretary of Veterans
Affairs under subsection (a) of section 3 is the option specified in paragraph
(2) of such subsection 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
AppropriationsThere 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).
6.Shared facility
with Department of Defense, Far South Texas
(a)If the option selected by the Secretary of Veterans
Affairs under subsection (a) of section 3 is the option specified in paragraph
(3) of such subsection 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
AppropriationsThere are authorized to be appropriated such sums
as necessary for a Department of Veterans Affairs-Department of Defense venture
project under this section.
7.In 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.