[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 593 Introduced in House (IH)]

114th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 593

 To extend the authorization for the construction of the Department of 
Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Aurora, Colorado, and to direct the 
Secretary of Veterans Affairs to enter into an agreement with the Army 
            Corps of Engineers to manage such construction.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            January 28, 2015

 Mr. Coffman (for himself, Mr. Perlmutter, Mr. Lamborn, Mr. Polis, Mr. 
Tipton, Ms. DeGette, and Mr. Buck) introduced the following bill; which 
           was referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To extend the authorization for the construction of the Department of 
Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Aurora, Colorado, and to direct the 
Secretary of Veterans Affairs to enter into an agreement with the Army 
            Corps of Engineers to manage such construction.

    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 ``Aurora VA Hospital Financing and 
Construction Reform Act of 2015''.

SEC. 2. EXTENSION OF AUTHORIZATION OF MAJOR MEDICAL FACILITY PROJECT TO 
              REPLACE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS MEDICAL CENTER IN 
              DENVER, COLORADO.

    The Secretary of Veterans Affairs may carry out the major medical 
facility project to replace the Department of Veterans Affairs Medical 
Center in Denver, Colorado, in an amount not to exceed a total of 
$1,100,000,000.

SEC. 3. MANAGEMENT OF DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS MEDICAL CENTER IN 
              AURORA, COLORADO.

    (a) Transfer of Construction Agent Responsibilities.--Not later 
than 30 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary 
of Veterans Affairs shall enter into an agreement under section 1535 of 
title 31, United States Code (commonly referred to as the ``Economy 
Act''), with the Army Corps of Engineers to obtain, on a reimbursable 
basis, the services of the Army Corps of Engineers for construction 
agent responsibilities associated with the Aurora medical facility 
project until the date on which the project is completed, as defined in 
the agreement. Notwithstanding such section 1535, funds to implement 
this work may be obligated at the time the reimbursable order is 
accepted by the Army Corps of Engineers.
    (b) Duties.--
            (1) Responsibilities.--Under the agreement entered into 
        under subsection (a), the Army Corps of Engineers shall have 
        the authority to perform the project, design, contract and 
        construction management necessary to complete the remaining 
        work at the Aurora medical facility project. Such authority 
        shall include entering into new contracts in accordance with 
        the Federal Acquisition Regulation to fulfill construction 
        agent responsibilities associated with such project. A 
        determination will be made if entering into a new contract 
        agreement with the current prime contractor is consistent with 
        the Federal Acquisition Regulation and in the best interests of 
        the Government.
            (2) Information required.--In accordance with subsection 
        (d)(1), the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall provide the 
        Army Corps of Engineers with the information needed to ensure 
        that the Army Corps of Engineers understands the requirements 
        for the successful operation of the Aurora medical facility 
        project.
    (c) Plans and Reports.--
            (1) Completion plans.--Not later than 90 days after 
        entering into the agreement under subsection (a), the Secretary 
        of Veterans Affairs, based upon the advice of the Army Corps of 
        Engineers provided under the agreement entered into under 
        subsection (a), shall submit to the Committees on Veterans' 
        Affairs of the House of Representatives and the Senate detailed 
        plans, including estimated costs, to complete construction of 
        the Aurora medical facility project.
            (2) Progress reports.--Not later than 180 days after 
        entering into the agreement under subsection (a), and each 180-
        day period thereafter until the date on which the Aurora 
        medical facility project is completed, the Secretary of 
        Veterans Affairs, based on the advice of the Army Corps of 
        Engineers provided under the agreement entered into under 
        subsection (a), shall submit to the Committees on Veterans' 
        Affairs of the House of Representatives and Senate a report 
        detailing the progress on the Aurora medical facility project.
    (d) Cooperation.--
            (1) Information.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall 
        provide the Army Corps of Engineers with any documents or 
        information which the Army Corps of Engineers determines 
        necessary to carry out subsections (a) and (b).
            (2) Assistance.--Upon request by the Army Corps of 
        Engineers, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall provide to 
        the Army Corps of Engineers any assistance that the Army Corps 
        of Engineers determines necessary to carry out subsections (a) 
        and (b). Such assistance shall be provided at no cost to the 
        Army Corps of Engineers.
    (e) Aurora Medical Facility Project Defined.--In this section, the 
term ``Aurora medical facility project'' means the major medical 
facility project specified in section 2 to replace the Department of 
Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Denver, Colorado.
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