[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 285 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

114th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 S. 285

 To authorize the construction of a replacement medical center of the 
 Department of Veterans Affairs in Aurora, Colorado, and to direct the 
Secretary of Veterans Affairs to enter into an agreement with the Chief 
  of Engineers to act as the construction agent with respect to such 
                 construction, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            January 28, 2015

Mr. Gardner (for himself and Mr. Bennet) introduced the following bill; 
which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To authorize the construction of a replacement medical center of the 
 Department of Veterans Affairs in Aurora, Colorado, and to direct the 
Secretary of Veterans Affairs to enter into an agreement with the Chief 
  of Engineers to act as the construction agent with respect to such 
                 construction, 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 ``Aurora Veterans Affairs Hospital 
Financing and Construction Reform Act of 2015''.

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

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

SEC. 3. CONSTRUCTION AGENT FOR CONSTRUCTION OF DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS 
              AFFAIRS MEDICAL CENTER IN AURORA, COLORADO.

    (a) Agreement for Construction Agent Authority.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 30 days after the date of 
        the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
        shall enter into an agreement with the Chief of Engineers to 
        procure the services of the Chief of Engineers as the 
        construction agent with respect to carrying out the Aurora 
        medical facility project until the date on which the project is 
        completed.
            (2) Reimbursement.--The Secretary shall reimburse the Chief 
        of Engineers for services procured under paragraph (1) in 
        accordance with section 1535 of title 31, United States Code 
        (commonly referred to as the ``Economy Act''), except that 
        amounts required to carry out the Aurora medical facility 
        project shall be obligated by the Secretary at the time a 
        reimbursable order is accepted by the Chief of Engineers.
    (b) Duties.--
            (1) In general.--Pursuant to the agreement entered into 
        under subsection (a), the Chief of Engineers shall, as the 
        construction agent with respect to the Aurora medical facility 
        project, be given the authority to perform the project, design, 
        contract, and construction management necessary to complete 
        such project.
            (2) New contracts.--The authority under paragraph (1) shall 
        include the following:
                    (A) The authority to enter into new contracts in 
                compliance with the Federal Acquisition Regulation.
                    (B) The authority to determine whether entering 
                into a new contract with the prime contractor of the 
                Aurora medical facility project as of the day before 
                the date of the enactment of this Act is consistent 
                with the Federal Acquisition Regulation and in the best 
                interests of the Federal Government.
    (c) Plans and Reports.--
            (1) Completion plan.--Not later than 90 days after entering 
        into the agreement under subsection (a), the Secretary of 
        Veterans Affairs shall, in consultation with the Chief of 
        Engineers, submit to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the 
        Senate and the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the House of 
        Representatives a detailed plan, including estimated costs, to 
        complete the construction of the Aurora medical facility 
        project.
            (2) Progress reports.--Not later than 180 days after 
        entering into the agreement under subsection (a), and not less 
        frequently than once during each 180-day period thereafter 
        until the date on which the Aurora medical facility project is 
        completed, the Secretary shall, in consultation with the Chief 
        of Engineers, submit to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of 
        the Senate and the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the House 
        of Representatives a report detailing the progress of the 
        Aurora medical facility project.
    (d) Cooperation.--
            (1) Information.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall 
        provide to the Chief of Engineers any documents or information 
        that the Chief of Engineers considers necessary to carry out 
        this section, including information relating to the successful 
        operation of a medical facility.
            (2) Assistance.--Upon request by the Chief of Engineers, 
        the Secretary shall provide to the Chief of Engineers, at no 
        cost to the Chief of Engineers, any assistance that the Chief 
        of Engineers considers necessary to carry out this section.
    (e) Aurora Medical Facility Project Defined.--In this section, the 
term ``Aurora medical facility project'' means the major medical 
facility project planned for under section 213(1) of the Veterans 
Health Care, Capital Asset, and Business Improvement Act of 2003 
(Public Law 108-170; 117 Stat. 2049) and authorized by section 2 to 
replace the medical center of the Department of Veterans Affairs in 
Aurora, Colorado.
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