[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 543 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
113th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 543
To require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to reorganize the Veterans
Integrated Service Networks of the Veterans Health Administration, and
for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
March 13, 2013
Mr. Burr (for himself and Mr. Coburn) introduced the following bill;
which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to reorganize the Veterans
Integrated Service Networks of the Veterans Health Administration, 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. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``VISN Reorganization Act of 2013''.
SEC. 2. ADMINISTRATION OF VETERANS INTEGRATED SERVICE NETWORKS.
(a) Veterans Integrated Service Networks.--
(1) In general.--Subchapter I of chapter 73 of title 38,
United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the
following new section:
``Sec. 7310. Veterans Integrated Service Networks
``(a) Organization.--The Secretary shall organize the Veterans
Health Administration in 12 geographically defined Veterans Integrated
Service Networks.
``(b) Alignment With Mission of Department.--The Secretary shall
ensure that the staff, services, and programs of each Veterans
Integrated Service Network are aligned with the mission of the
Department and the specific health care requirements of each population
of veterans in each Network.
``(c) Implementation of National Goals.--The Secretary shall ensure
that each Veterans Integrated Service Network takes appropriate
measures to implement the national goals of the Department within their
networks and associated medical centers.
``(d) Integrated Health Care System.--The Secretary shall ensure
that each Veterans Integrated Service Network maintains a regional
integrated healthcare system by--
``(1) implementing alliances with such other governmental,
public, and private health care organizations and practitioners
as the Secretary considers appropriate to meet the needs of
veterans in the Network;
``(2) providing oversight and management of, and taking
responsibility for, a regional budget for the activities of the
Veterans Health Administration in the geographic area of the
Network that--
``(A) is aligned with the budget guidelines of the
Department and the Veterans Health Administration; and
``(B) is balanced at the end of each fiscal year;
``(3) using national metrics to develop systems to provide
effective, efficient, and safe delivery of health care that is
rated as highly satisfactory by patients and families of
patients; and
``(4) ensuring high quality clinical programs and services
are rendered in and through--
``(A) the medical centers and outpatient clinics of
the Department that are located in the Network; and
``(B) other non-Department clinical or health care
delivery settings located in the Network.
``(e) Reduction in Duplicate Functions.--The Secretary shall ensure
that the Veterans Integrated Service Networks identify and reduce,
whenever practicable, the duplication of functions in clinical,
administrative, and operational processes and practices of the Veterans
Health Administration.
``(f) Collaboration and Cooperation.--The Secretary shall ensure
that each Veteran Integrated Service Network--
``(1) works to achieve maximum effectiveness in patient
care and safety, graduate medical education, and research; and
``(2) assesses the consolidation or realignment of
institutional functions, including capital asset, safety, and
operational support functions, in collaboration and cooperation
with other Veterans Integrated Service Networks and the
following offices or entities within the geographical area of
the Network:
``(A) The offices of the Veterans Benefits
Administration and the National Cemetery
Administration.
``(B) The offices, installations, and facilities of
the Department of Defense, including the offices,
installations, and facilities of each branch of the
Armed Forces and the reserve components of the Armed
Forces.
``(C) The offices, installations, and facilities of
the Coast Guard.
``(D) Offices of State and local agencies that have
a mission to provide assistance to veterans.
``(E) Medical schools and other affiliates.
``(F) Offices of Congress, offices of State and
local elected officials, and other government offices.
``(G) Federal, State and local emergency
preparedness organizations.
``(H) Community and faith-based organizations.
``(I) Such other offices of the Federal Government
as the Secretary considers appropriate.
``(g) Development and Sharing of Innovations and Practices.--The
Secretary shall ensure that the Veterans Integrated Service Networks
develop and share innovations and best practices with each other at the
local, regional, and national levels.
``(h) Headquarters.--(1) The Secretary shall ensure that each
Veterans Integrated Service Network has only one headquarters office.
``(2) The location of a headquarters office for a Veterans
Integrated Service Network shall be determined by the Secretary and co-
located with a Department of Veterans Affairs medical center.
``(3)(A) The Secretary may employ or contract for the services of
not more than 65 full time equivalent employees and contractors at the
headquarters of each Veterans Integrated Service Network.
``(B) Not less frequently than once each year, the Secretary shall
submit to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and the
Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the House of Representatives a report
on employment at the headquarters of Veterans Integrated Service
Networks during the most recently completed fiscal year.
``(C) Each report submitted under subparagraph (B) shall include
the following for the year covered by the report:
``(i) The number of individuals employed at each
headquarters of a Veterans Integrated Service Network.
``(ii) The number of individuals employed by the Veterans
Health Administration in each Veterans Integrated Service
Network who are not employed at the same location as the
headquarters of the Network.
``(iii) The title for each position of employment at a
headquarters of a Veterans Integrated Service Network.
``(iv) The title for each position of employment with the
Veterans Health Administration in each Veterans Integrated
Service Network that is not at the same location as the
headquarters of the Network.
``(v) An assessment of the impact on the budget of the
Department by the employment of individuals at the headquarters
of the Veterans Integrated Service Networks.
``(i) Triennial Structure Review, Reassessment, and Report.--(1)
Beginning three years after the date of the enactment of this section
and not less frequently than once every three years thereafter, the
Secretary shall conduct a review and assessment of the structure and
operations of the Veterans Integrated Service Networks.
``(2) Not later than 180 days after conducting a review and
assessment under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall submit to the
Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on
Veterans' Affairs of the House of Representatives a report on such
review and assessment, which shall include such recommendations for
legislative or regulatory action as the Secretary considers appropriate
to improve the Veterans Integrated Service Networks.''.
(2) Clerical amendment.--The table of sections at the
beginning of chapter 73 of such title is amended by inserting
after the item relating to section 7309 the following new item:
``7310. Veterans Integrated Service Networks.''.
(b) Consolidation of Networks.--
(1) In general.--In order to comply with section 7310(a) of
title 38, United States Code, as added by subsection (a), not
later than one year after the date of the enactment of this
Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall geographically
realign and combine the 21 Veterans Integrated Service Networks
in effect on the day before the date of the enactment of this
Act into 12 geographically defined Veterans Integrated Service
Networks as follows:
(A) Veterans Integrated Service Network 1, Veterans
Integrated Service Network 2, and Veterans Integrated
Service Network 3 shall be combined into a single
Veterans Integrated Service Network.
(B) Veterans Integrated Service Network 4 and
Veterans Integrated Service Network 5 shall be combined
into a single Veterans Integrated Service Network.
(C) Veterans Integrated Service Network 9 and
Veterans Integrated Service Network 10 shall be
combined into a single Veterans Integrated Service
Network.
(D) Veterans Integrated Service Network 11 and
Veterans Integrated Service Network 12 shall be
combined into a single Veterans Integrated Service
Network.
(E) Veterans Integrated Service Network 15 and
Veterans Integrated Service Network 23 shall be
combined into a single Veterans Integrated Service
Network.
(F) Veterans Integrated Service Network 17 and
Veterans Integrated Service Network 18 shall be
combined into a single Veterans Integrated Service
Network.
(G) Veterans Integrated Service Network 19 and
Veterans Integrated Service Network 20 shall be
combined into a single Veterans Integrated Service
Network.
(H) Veterans Integrated Service Network 21 and
Veterans Integrated Service Network 22 shall be
combined into a single Veterans Integrated Service
Network.
(2) Consolidation of headquarters.--
(A) In general.--Except as provided in subsection
(c), for each set of Veterans Integrated Service
Networks consolidated under paragraph (1), the
Secretary shall retain one of the headquarters of such
set in effect on the day before the date of the
enactment of this Act in the same location as in effect
on the day before such date and eliminate any other
headquarters of such set to meet the requirements of
section 7310(h) of such title, as added by subsection
(a).
(B) Reemployment assistance.--For each individual
whose position of employment is eliminated as a result
of eliminating a headquarters under subparagraph (A),
the Secretary shall take such measures as the Secretary
considers practicable to find a new position of
employment for such individual within the Department of
Veterans Affairs.
(3) Implementation plan.--Not later than 180 days after the
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit
to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and the
Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the House of Representatives
a plan to carry out this subsection.
(c) Relocation of Headquarters.--
(1) In general.--In the case of a headquarters office of a
Veterans Integrated Service Network that on the day before the
date of the enactment of this Act was in a location that was
not co-located with a Department of Veterans Affairs medical
center and the Secretary is engaged in a lease for such
location, the Secretary may--
(A) relocate such headquarters upon the expiration
of such lease so that such headquarters is co-located
as required by section 7310(h)(2) of such title, as
added by subsection (a); or
(B) notwithstanding section 7310(h)(2) of such
title, as so added, renew such lease or enter into a
new lease to keep such headquarters in such location.
(2) Report.--If the Secretary renews a lease or engages in
a new lease under paragraph (1)(B), the Secretary shall submit
to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and the
Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the House of Representatives,
before renewing such lease or engaging in such lease, a report
describing the reasons for such renewal or engagement. Such
report shall include the following:
(A) A list of Department of Veterans Affairs
medical centers in the Veterans Integrated Service
Network of the headquarters with underutilized
buildings, the number of such buildings, and the total
underutilized square footage for each such medical
center.
(B) The cost of the current lease (the annual
amount of rent, the total cost over the life of the
lease, and the total cost per square foot) and the
current square footage being leased.
(C) The cost of the new lease (the annual amount of
rent, the total cost over the life of the lease, and
the total cost per square foot) and the square footage
to be leased.
SEC. 3. REGIONAL SUPPORT CENTERS FOR VETERANS INTEGRATED SERVICE
NETWORKS.
(a) Regional Support Centers.--
(1) In general.--Subchapter I of chapter 73 of title 38,
United States Code, as amended by section 2(a), is further
amended by adding at the end the following new section:
``Sec. 7310A. Regional support centers for Veterans Integrated Service
Networks
``(a) Establishment.--The Secretary shall establish not more than
four regional support centers within the Veterans Health Administration
to assess the effectiveness and efficiency of the Veterans Integrated
Service Networks. The head of each regional support center shall report
to the Under Secretary of Health.
``(b) Functions.--The functions of the regional support centers
established under subsection (a) are as follows:
``(1) To assess the quality of work performed within
finance operations and other compliance related activities of
the Veterans Integrated Service Networks.
``(2) To assess how effectively and efficiently each
Veterans Integrated Service Network conducts outreach to
veterans who served in Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation
Iraqi Freedom, Operation New Dawn, or another contingency
operation (as defined in section 101 of title 10).
``(3) To assess how effectively and efficiently each
Veterans Integrated Service Network conducts programs for the
benefit of women veterans.
``(4) To assess how effectively and efficiently each
Veterans Integrated Service Network conducts programs that
address homelessness among veterans.
``(5) To assess how effectively and efficiently each
Veterans Integrated Service Network consumes energy.
``(6) To assess such other matters concerning the
operations and activities of the Veterans Integrated Service
Networks as the Secretary considers appropriate.
``(c) Staff.--The Secretary may hire such employees and contractors
as the Secretary considers appropriate to carry out the functions of
the regional support centers.
``(d) Location of Regional Support Centers.--(1) Except as provided
in paragraph (2), the location of each regional support center
established under subsection (a) shall be determined by the Secretary
and co-located with a Department of Veterans Affairs medical center.
``(2) The Secretary may choose a location for a regional support
center established under subsection (a) that is not co-located with a
Department of Veterans Affairs medical center if the Secretary submits
to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and the Committee
on Veterans' Affairs of the House of Representatives, before engaging
in a lease for such location, a report explaining the reasons for the
choice of the Secretary of a location for the regional support center
that is not co-located with a Department of Veterans Affairs medical
center. Such report shall include the following:
``(A) A list of Department of Veterans Affairs medical
centers in the Veterans Integrated Service Network of the
regional support center with underutilized buildings, the
number of all Veterans Health Administration buildings in such
Network, and the total underutilized square footage for each
medical center in such Network.
``(B) In the case that the Secretary engages in a lease for
the location of the regional support center, the cost of such
lease (the annual amount of rent, the total cost over the life
of the lease, and the total cost per square foot) and the
square footage to be leased.''.
(2) Clerical amendment.--The table of sections at the
beginning of chapter 73 of such title, as amended by section
2(a)(2), is further amended by inserting after the item
relating to section 7310 the following new item:
``7310A. Regional support centers for Veterans Integrated Service
Networks.''.
(b) Initial Staffing.--In providing for the initial staff of each
regional support center established under section 7310A(a) of title 38,
United States Code, as added by subsection (a), the Secretary of
Veterans Affairs shall, to the extent practicable, transfer employees
who were employed in positions at headquarters of Veterans Integrated
Service Networks that covered functions similar to those described in
section 7310A(b) of such title, as so added, from such headquarters to
regional support centers.
SEC. 4. CONSTRUCTION.
Nothing in this Act shall be construed to require any change in the
location or type of medical care or service provided by a Department of
Veterans Affairs medical center, a Department community-based
outpatient clinic, a center for readjustment counseling and related
mental health services for veterans under section 1712A of title 38,
United States Code (known as a ``vet center''), or another facility
that provides direct care or services under a law administered by the
Secretary of Veterans Affairs.
<all>