[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2248 Engrossed Amendment House (EAH)]

<DOC>
                In the House of Representatives, U. S.,

                                                     December 10, 2018.
    Resolved, That the bill from the Senate (S. 2248) entitled ``An Act 
to amend title 38, United States Code, to authorize the Secretary of 
Veterans Affairs to provide certain burial benefits for spouses and 
children of veterans who are buried in tribal cemeteries, and for other 
purposes.'', do pass with the following

                               AMENDMENT:

            Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert:

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.

    (a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Veterans Benefits 
and Transition Act of 2018''.
    (b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents for this Act is as 
follows:

Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.

                           TITLE I--EDUCATION

Sec. 101. Inclusion of certain additional periods of active duty 
                            service for purposes of suspension of 
                            charges to entitlement during periods of 
                            suspended participation in Department of 
                            Veterans Affairs vocational rehabilitation 
                            programs.
Sec. 102. Provision of monthly housing stipend information under Post-
                            9/11 Educational Assistance Program.
Sec. 103. Disapproval for purposes of educational assistance programs 
                            of Department of Veterans Affairs of 
                            certain courses of education that do not 
                            permit individuals to attend or participate 
                            in courses pending payment.
Sec. 104. Provision of information on required additional actions to 
                            allow individuals to stay enrolled in 
                            courses of education pending receipt of 
                            educational assistance from department of 
                            veterans affairs.
Sec. 105. Calculation of monthly housing stipend under high technology 
                            pilot program based on location of campus 
                            where veteran attends classes.
Sec. 106. Clarification regarding applicability of authority to use 
                            educational assistance to pursue 
                            independent study programs at certain 
                            educational institutions that are not 
                            institutions of higher learning.

                       TITLE II--MEMORIAL AFFAIRS

Sec. 201. Eligibility of spouses and children of veterans buried in 
                            tribal cemeteries for certain Department of 
                            Veterans Affairs burial benefits.
Sec. 202. Department of Veterans Affairs provision of headstones and 
                            markers for, and interment in national 
                            cemeteries of, spouses and dependent 
                            children of members of the Armed Forces 
                            serving on active duty.

                        TITLE III--CIVIL RELIEF

Sec. 301. Termination of leases of premises of deceased servicemembers 
                            who die while in military service.
Sec. 302. Residence of spouses of servicemembers for tax purposes.
Sec. 303. Residence of spouses of servicemembers for voting.
Sec. 304. Termination of multichannel video programming and internet 
                            access service contracts.

                    TITLE IV--TRANSITION ASSISTANCE

Sec. 401. Study of community-based transition assistance programs for 
                            members of the Armed Forces after 
                            separation, retirement, or discharge.

                  TITLE V--DEPARTMENTAL ADMINISTRATION

Sec. 501. Misuse of Department of Veterans Affairs purchase cards by 
                            Department employees.
Sec. 502. Updating dependent information.
Sec. 503. Oversight of Electronic Health Record Modernization Program.
Sec. 504. Department of Veterans Affairs notice relating to debt 
                            collection activities.

                      TITLE VI--MEDICAL FACILITIES

Sec. 601. Authorization of major medical facility projects for fiscal 
                            year 2019.
Sec. 602. Plans to improve medical facilities of the Department of 
                            Veterans Affairs.

                        TITLE VII--OTHER MATTERS

Sec. 701. Homeless veterans reintegration programs.
Sec. 702. Technical corrections.
Sec. 703. Medical Surgical Prime Vendor program.
Sec. 704. Report on expanding access to dental care for veterans 
                            eligible for health care from the 
                            Department of Veterans Affairs.

                           TITLE I--EDUCATION

SEC. 101. INCLUSION OF CERTAIN ADDITIONAL PERIODS OF ACTIVE DUTY 
              SERVICE FOR PURPOSES OF SUSPENSION OF CHARGES TO 
              ENTITLEMENT DURING PERIODS OF SUSPENDED PARTICIPATION IN 
              DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION 
              PROGRAMS.

    Section 3105(e)(2) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by 
striking ``or 12304'' and inserting ``12304, 12304a, or 12304b''.

SEC. 102. PROVISION OF MONTHLY HOUSING STIPEND INFORMATION UNDER POST-
              9/11 EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.

    Section 3313 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding 
at the end the following new subsection:
    ``(k) Provision of Housing Stipend Payment Information.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall furnish to 
        individuals receiving educational assistance under this chapter 
        documentation that verifies the amount of the monthly housing 
        stipend the individual receives under this section.
            ``(2) Manner.--The Secretary shall make such documentation 
        available to the individual using an internet website in the 
        same manner the Secretary provides documentation verifying 
        compensation and other benefits furnished by the Secretary to 
        individuals.''.

SEC. 103. DISAPPROVAL FOR PURPOSES OF EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS 
              OF DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS OF CERTAIN COURSES OF 
              EDUCATION THAT DO NOT PERMIT INDIVIDUALS TO ATTEND OR 
              PARTICIPATE IN COURSES PENDING PAYMENT.

    (a) In General.--Section 3679 of title 38, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:
    ``(e)(1) Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, 
beginning on August 1, 2019, a State approving agency, or the Secretary 
when acting in the role of the State approving agency, shall disapprove 
a course of education provided by an educational institution that has 
in effect a policy that is inconsistent with any of the following:
            ``(A) A policy that permits any covered individual to 
        attend or participate in the course of education during the 
        period beginning on the date on which the individual provides 
        to the educational institution a certificate of eligibility for 
        entitlement to educational assistance under chapter 31 or 33 of 
        this title and ending on the earlier of the following dates:
                    ``(i) The date on which the Secretary provides 
                payment for such course of education to such 
                institution.
                    ``(ii) The date that is 90 days after the date on 
                which the educational institution certifies for tuition 
                and fees following receipt from the student such 
                certificate of eligibility.
            ``(B) A policy that ensures that the educational 
        institution will not impose any penalty, including the 
        assessment of late fees, the denial of access to classes, 
        libraries, or other institutional facilities, or the 
        requirement that a covered individual borrow additional funds, 
        on any covered individual because of the individual's inability 
        to meet his or her financial obligations to the institution due 
        to the delayed disbursement of a payment to be provided by the 
        Secretary under chapter 31 or 33 of this title.
    ``(2) For purposes of this subsection, a covered individual is any 
individual who is entitled to educational assistance under chapter 31 
or 33 of this title.
    ``(3) The Secretary may waive such requirements of paragraph (1) as 
the Secretary considers appropriate.
    ``(4) It shall not be inconsistent with a policy described in 
paragraph (1) for an educational institution to require a covered 
individual to take the following additional actions:
            ``(A) Submit a certificate of eligibility for entitlement 
        to educational assistance not later than the first day of a 
        course of education for which the individual has indicated the 
        individual wishes to use the individual's entitlement to 
        educational assistance.
            ``(B) Submit a written request to use such entitlement.
            ``(C) Provide additional information necessary to the 
        proper certification of enrollment by the educational 
        institution.''.
    (b) Prompt Payments.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall 
        take such actions as may be necessary to ensure that the 
        Secretary makes a payment to an educational institution on 
        behalf of an individual, who is entitled to educational 
        assistance under chapter 31 or 33 of title 38, United States 
        Code, and who is using such assistance to pursue a program of 
        education at the educational institution, not later than 60 
        days after the date on which the educational institution 
        certifies to the Secretary the applicable tuition and fees for 
        the individual.
            (2) Semiannual reports.--Not later than May 1 and October 1 
        of 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 semiannual report 
        summarizing any cases in which the Secretary failed to make a 
        payment described in paragraph (1) within the period set forth 
        in such paragraph and an explanation for each delayed 
        disbursement of payment.
    (c) Rule of Construction.--In a case in which an individual is 
unable to meet a financial obligation to an educational institution due 
to the delayed disbursement of a payment to be provided by the 
Secretary under chapter 31 or 33 of such title and the amount of such 
disbursement is less than anticipated, nothing in section 3679(e) of 
such title, as added by subsection (a), shall be construed to prohibit 
an educational institution from requiring additional payment or 
imposing a fee for the amount that is the difference between the amount 
of the financial obligation and the amount of the disbursement.

SEC. 104. PROVISION OF INFORMATION ON REQUIRED ADDITIONAL ACTIONS TO 
              ALLOW INDIVIDUALS TO STAY ENROLLED IN COURSES OF 
              EDUCATION PENDING RECEIPT OF EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE FROM 
              DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.

    Section 3698(c)(1)(C) of title 38, United States Code, is amended--
            (1) in clause (x), by striking ``; and'' and inserting a 
        semicolon;
            (2) in clause (xi), by striking the period at the end and 
        inserting ``; and''; and
            (3) by adding at the end the following new clause:
                    ``(xii) information on whether the institution 
                requires a covered individual to take additional action 
                pursuant to section 3679(e)(4) of this title to stay 
                enrolled in a course pending receipt of educational 
                assistance under a law administered by the 
                Secretary.''.

SEC. 105. CALCULATION OF MONTHLY HOUSING STIPEND UNDER HIGH TECHNOLOGY 
              PILOT PROGRAM BASED ON LOCATION OF CAMPUS WHERE VETERAN 
              ATTENDS CLASSES.

    Section 116(d)(1) of the Harry W. Colmery Veterans Educational 
Assistance Act of 2017 (Public Law 115-48, 38 U.S.C. 3001 (note)), is 
amended--
            (1) in subparagraph (A), by striking ``the institution at 
        which the individual is enrolled'' and inserting ``the campus 
        of the institution where the individual physically participates 
        in a majority of classes''; and
            (2) in subparagraph (B), by striking ``the amount payable'' 
        and all that follows through ``subparagraph (A)'' and inserting 
        ``the national average of the monthly amount of the basic 
        allowance for housing payable under section 403 of title 37, 
        United States Code, for a member with dependents in pay grade 
        E-5''.

SEC. 106. CLARIFICATION REGARDING APPLICABILITY OF AUTHORITY TO USE 
              EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE TO PURSUE INDEPENDENT STUDY 
              PROGRAMS AT CERTAIN EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS THAT ARE NOT 
              INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER LEARNING.

    The section heading for section 302 of the Harry W. Colmery 
Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2017 (Public Law 115-48; 131 
Stat. 990) is amended to read as follows (and the table of contents for 
such Act is conformed accordingly):

``SEC. 302. AUTHORIZATION FOR USE OF EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE UNDER ANY 
              OF THE EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS OF THE DEPARTMENT 
              OF VETERANS AFFAIRS TO PURSUE INDEPENDENT STUDY PROGRAMS 
              AT CERTAIN EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS THAT ARE NOT 
              INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER LEARNING.''.

                       TITLE II--MEMORIAL AFFAIRS

SEC. 201. ELIGIBILITY OF SPOUSES AND CHILDREN OF VETERANS BURIED IN 
              TRIBAL CEMETERIES FOR CERTAIN DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS 
              AFFAIRS BURIAL BENEFITS.

    Section 2306 of title 38, United States Code, is amended--
            (1) in subsection (a)(4), by inserting ``or a veterans' 
        cemetery owned by a tribal organization or on land owned by or 
        held in trust for a tribal organization'' after ``State'';
            (2) in subsection (b)(1), by inserting ``, a veterans' 
        cemetery of a tribal organization or on land owned by or held 
        in trust for a tribal organization'' after ``owned by a 
        State'';
            (3) in subsection (f)--
                    (A) by redesignating paragraphs (1) and (2) as 
                subparagraphs (A) and (B), respectively;
                    (B) by striking ``The Secretary'' and inserting 
                ``(1) The Secretary'';
                    (C) by striking ``a national cemetery or in a 
                veterans cemetery of a State or tribal organization for 
                which the Department has provided a grant under section 
                2408 of this title'' and inserting ``a covered 
                cemetery''; and
                    (D) by adding at the end the following:
    ``(2) The term `covered cemetery' means any of the following:
            ``(A) A national cemetery.
            ``(B) A veterans' cemetery of a State for which the 
        Department has provided a grant under section 2408 of this 
        title.
            ``(C) A veterans' cemetery of a tribal organization or on 
        land owned by or held in trust for a tribal organization for 
        which the Department has provided a grant under subsection (f) 
        of such section.''; and
            (4) by adding at the end the following new subsection:
    ``(i) In this section, the term `tribal organization' has the 
meaning given such term in section 3765 of this title.''.

SEC. 202. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS PROVISION OF HEADSTONES AND 
              MARKERS FOR, AND INTERMENT IN NATIONAL CEMETERIES OF, 
              SPOUSES AND DEPENDENT CHILDREN OF MEMBERS OF THE ARMED 
              FORCES SERVING ON ACTIVE DUTY.

    (a) Headstones and Markers.--Section 2306(b)(2) of title 38, United 
States Code, is amended--
            (1) in subparagraph (B), by inserting ``, or the spouse of 
        a member of the Armed Forces serving on active duty under 
        conditions other than dishonorable, as shown by a statement 
        from a general court-martial convening authority, at the time 
        of the spouse's death if such death occurs before October 1, 
        2024'' after ``veteran''; and
            (2) in subparagraph (C), by inserting ``, or the eligible 
        dependent child of a member of the Armed Forces serving on 
        active duty under conditions other than dishonorable, as shown 
        by a statement from a general court-martial convening 
        authority, at the time of the child's death if such death 
        occurs before October 1, 2024'' after ``veteran''.
    (b) Interment in National Cemeteries.--Section 2402(a)(5) of such 
title is amended by inserting ``, and the spouse, minor child, and, in 
the discretion of the Secretary, unmarried adult child of a member of 
the Armed Forces serving on active duty under conditions other than 
dishonorable, as shown by a statement from a general court-martial 
convening authority, at the time of the spouse's or child's death if 
such death occurs before October 1, 2024'' after ``paragraph (7)''.

                        TITLE III--CIVIL RELIEF

SEC. 301. TERMINATION OF LEASES OF PREMISES OF DECEASED SERVICEMEMBERS 
              WHO DIE WHILE IN MILITARY SERVICE.

    Section 305(a) of the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (50 U.S.C. 
3955) is amended--
            (1) in the subsection heading, by striking ``by Lessee'';
            (2) in the heading for paragraph (1), by striking ``In 
        general'' and inserting ``Termination by lessee''; and
            (3) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
            ``(3) Death of lessee.--The spouse of the lessee on a lease 
        described in subsection (b)(1) may terminate the lease during 
        the one-year period beginning on the date of the death of the 
        lessee, if the lessee dies while in military service or while 
        performing full-time National Guard duty, active Guard and 
        Reserve duty, or inactive-duty training (as such terms are 
        defined in section 101(d) of title 10, United States Code).''.

SEC. 302. RESIDENCE OF SPOUSES OF SERVICEMEMBERS FOR TAX PURPOSES.

    (a) Residence for Tax Purposes.--Section 511(a)(2) of the 
Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (50 U.S.C. 4001(a)(2)) is amended--
            (1) by striking ``A spouse'' and inserting the following:
                    ``(A) In general.--A spouse''; and
            (2) by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:
                    ``(B) Election.--For any taxable year of the 
                marriage, the spouse of a servicemember may elect to 
                use the same residence for purposes of taxation as the 
                servicemember regardless of the date on which the 
                marriage of the spouse and the servicemember 
                occurred.''.
    (b) Applicability.--The amendments made by subsection (a) shall 
apply with respect to any return of State or local income tax filed for 
any taxable year beginning with the taxable year that includes the date 
of the enactment of this Act.

SEC. 303. RESIDENCE OF SPOUSES OF SERVICEMEMBERS FOR VOTING.

    (a) In General.--Section 705(b) of the Servicemembers Civil Relief 
Act (50 U.S.C. 4025(b)) is amended--
            (1) by striking ``State or local office'' and all that 
        follows through the period at the end of paragraph (3) and 
        inserting ``State or local office--''; and
            (2) by adding at the end the following new paragraphs:
            ``(1) a person who is absent from a State because the 
        person is accompanying the person's spouse who is absent from 
        that same State in compliance with military or naval orders 
        shall not, solely by reason of that absence--
                    ``(A) be deemed to have lost a residence or 
                domicile in that State, without regard to whether or 
                not the person intends to return to that State;
                    ``(B) be deemed to have acquired a residence or 
                domicile in any other State; or
                    ``(C) be deemed to have become a resident in or a 
                resident of any other State; and
            ``(2) the spouse of a servicemember may elect to use the 
        same residence as the servicemember regardless of the date on 
        which the marriage of the spouse and the servicemember 
        occurred.''.
    (b) Effective Date.--The amendments made by subsection (a) shall 
take effect on the date that is 90 days after the date of the enactment 
of this Act.

SEC. 304. TERMINATION OF MULTICHANNEL VIDEO PROGRAMMING AND INTERNET 
              ACCESS SERVICE CONTRACTS.

    (a) In General.--Section 305A of the Servicemembers Civil Relief 
Act (50 U.S.C. 3956) is amended--
            (1) in the section heading, by inserting ``, multichannel 
        video programming, and internet access'' after ``telephone'';
            (2) in subsection (b), by striking ``cellular telephone 
        service or telephone exchange service'' and inserting 
        ``commercial mobile service, telephone exchange service, 
        internet access service, or multichannel video programming 
        service'';
            (3) in subsection (c), by inserting ``for commercial mobile 
        service or telephone exchange service'' before ``terminated'';
            (4) in subsection (d), in the matter preceding paragraph 
        (1), by striking ``cellular telephone service'' and inserting 
        ``commercial mobile service'';
            (5) in subsection (e)--
                    (A) by striking ``For any'' and inserting the 
                following:
            ``(1) In general.--For any'';
                    (B) by striking ``If the'' and inserting the 
                following:
            ``(2) Reinstatement of service.--If the''; and
                    (C) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(3) Return of provider-owned equipment.--If a 
        servicemember terminates a contract under subsection (a), the 
        servicemember shall return any provider-owned consumer premises 
        equipment to the service provider not later than 10 days after 
        the date on which service is disconnected.''; and
            (6) in subsection (g)--
                    (A) by redesignating paragraph (2) as paragraph 
                (4); and
                    (B) by striking paragraph (1) and inserting the 
                following:
            ``(1) The term `commercial mobile service' has the meaning 
        given that term in section 332(d) of the Communications Act of 
        1934 (47 U.S.C. 332(d)).
            ``(2) The term `multichannel video programming service' 
        means a subscription video service offered by a multichannel 
        video programming distributor, as that term is defined in 
        section 602 of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 522), 
        over a system the distributor owns or controls.
            ``(3) The term `provider-owned consumer premises equipment' 
        means any equipment that a provider of internet access service 
        or multichannel video programming service rents or loans to a 
        customer during the provision of that service, including 
        gateways, routers, cable modems, voice-capable modems, 
        CableCARDs, converters, digital adapters, remote controls, and 
        any other equipment provided.''.
    (b) Clerical Amendments.--
            (1) Title heading.--The heading for title III of the 
        Servicemembers Civil Relief Act is amended by striking 
        ``TELEPHONE'' and inserting ``COMMUNICATIONS''.
            (2) Table of contents.--The table of contents in section 
        1(b) of the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act is amended--
                    (A) by striking the item relating to title III and 
                inserting the following new item:

``TITLE III--RENT, INSTALLMENT CONTRACTS, MORTGAGES, LIENS, ASSIGNMENT, 
              LEASES, COMMUNICATIONS SERVICE CONTRACTS'';

                and
                    (B) by striking the item relating to section 305A 
                and inserting the following new item:

``Sec. 305A. Termination of telephone, multichannel video programming, 
                            and internet access service contracts.''.

                    TITLE IV--TRANSITION ASSISTANCE

SEC. 401. STUDY OF COMMUNITY-BASED TRANSITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS FOR 
              MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES AFTER SEPARATION, RETIREMENT, 
              OR DISCHARGE.

    (a) Study.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs, in consultation with 
State entities that serve members of the Armed Forces who are retired, 
separated, or discharged from the Armed Forces, shall enter into an 
agreement with an appropriate non-Federal entity to carry out a study 
to identify community-based programs--
            (1) that provide transition assistance to such members; and
            (2) operated by nonprofit entities.
    (b) Transmission to Members.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
shall transmit the list of programs identified under this section to 
the Secretary of Defense so the Secretaries of the military departments 
may provide information in the list to members of the Armed Forces who 
participate in the Transition Assistance Program under sections 1142 
and 1144 of title 10, United States Code.
    (c) Online Publication.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall 
publish the most recent version of the list of programs identified 
under this section on a public website of the Department of Veterans 
Affairs.

                  TITLE V--DEPARTMENTAL ADMINISTRATION

SEC. 501. MISUSE OF DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS PURCHASE CARDS BY 
              DEPARTMENT EMPLOYEES.

    (a) In General.--Subchapter I of chapter 7 of title 38, United 
States Code, is further amended by adding at the end the following new 
section:
``Sec. 728. Misuse of Department purchase cards
    ``(a) In General.--(1) The Secretary shall prohibit any employee of 
the Department who the Secretary or the Inspector General of the 
Department determines has knowingly misused a purchase card from 
serving as a purchase card holder or approving official.
    ``(2) Such a prohibition shall be in addition to any other 
applicable penalty.
    ``(b) Misuse.--For purposes of this section, the term `misuse' 
means--
            ``(1) splitting purchases;
            ``(2) exceeding applicable purchase card limits or purchase 
        thresholds;
            ``(3) purchasing any unauthorized item;
            ``(4) using a purchase card without being an authorized 
        purchase card holder; or
            ``(5) violating ethics standards.''.
    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections at the beginning of 
such chapter is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 
728 the following new item:

``728. Misuse of Department purchase cards.''.

SEC. 502. UPDATING DEPENDENT INFORMATION.

    The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall make such changes to such 
information technology systems of the Department of Veterans Affairs, 
including the eBenefits system or successor system, as may be necessary 
so that whenever the Secretary records in such systems information 
about a dependent of a person, the person is able to review and revise 
such information.

SEC. 503. OVERSIGHT OF ELECTRONIC HEALTH RECORD MODERNIZATION PROGRAM.

    (a) Program Documents.--Not later than 30 days after the date of 
the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall 
submit to the appropriate congressional committees the following 
documents concerning the Electronic Health Record Modernization 
Program:
            (1) Integrated Master Plan.
            (2) Integrated Master Schedule.
            (3) Program Management Plan.
            (4) Annual and lifecycle cost estimates, including, at a 
        minimum, cost elements relating to--
                    (A) Federal Government labor;
                    (B) contractor labor;
                    (C) hardware;
                    (D) software; and
                    (E) testing and evaluation.
            (5) Cost baseline.
            (6) Risk Management Plan.
            (7) Health IT Strategic Architecture Plan.
            (8) Transition Plan for implementing updated architecture.
            (9) Data Migration Plan.
            (10) System and Data Security Plan.
            (11) Application Implementation Plan.
            (12) System Design Documents.
            (13) Legacy Veterans Information Systems and Technology 
        Architecture Standardization, Security Enhancement, and 
        Consolidation Project Plan.
            (14) Health Data Interoperability Management Plan.
            (15) Community Care Vision and Implementation Plan, 
        including milestones and a detailed description of how complete 
        interoperability with non-Department health care providers will 
        be achieved.
    (b) Quarterly Updates.--Not later than 30 days after the end of 
each fiscal quarter during the period beginning with the fiscal quarter 
in which this Act is enacted and ending on the date on which the 
Electronic Health Record Modernization Program is completed, the 
Secretary shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees the 
most recent updated versions, if any exist, of the following documents:
            (1) Integrated Master Schedule.
            (2) Program Management Plan, including any written Program 
        Management Review material developed for the Program Management 
        Plan during the fiscal quarter covered by the submission.
            (3) Each document described in subsection (a)(4).
            (4) Performance Baseline Report for the fiscal quarter 
        covered by the submission or for the fiscal quarter ending the 
        fiscal year prior to the submission.
            (5) Budget Reconciliation Report.
            (6) Risk Management Plan and Risk Register.
    (c) Contracts.--Not later than 5 days after awarding a contract, 
order, or agreement, including any modifications thereto, under the 
Electronic Health Record Modernization Program, the Secretary shall 
submit to the appropriate congressional committees a copy of the entire 
such contract, order, agreement, or modification.
    (d) Notification.--
            (1) Requirement.--Not later than 10 days after an event 
        described in paragraph (2) occurs, the Secretary shall notify 
        the appropriate congressional committees of such occurrence, 
        including a description of the event and an explanation for why 
        such event occurred.
            (2) Event described.--An event described in this paragraph 
        is any of the following events regarding the Electronic Health 
        Record Modernization Program:
                    (A) The delay of any milestone or deliverable by 30 
                or more days.
                    (B) A request for equitable adjustment, equitable 
                adjustment, or change order exceeding $1,000,000 (as 
                such terms are defined in the Federal Acquisition 
                Regulation).
                    (C) The submission of any protest, claim, or 
                dispute, and the resolution of any protest, claim, or 
                dispute (as such terms are defined in the Federal 
                Acquisition Regulation).
                    (D) A loss of clinical or other data.
                    (E) A breach of patient privacy, including any--
                            (i) disclosure of protected health 
                        information that is not permitted under 
                        regulations promulgated under section 264(c) of 
                        the Health Insurance Portability and 
                        Accountability Act of 1996 (Public Law 104-191; 
                        42 U.S.C. 1320d-2 note); and
                            (ii) breach of sensitive personal 
                        information (as defined in section 5727 of 
                        title 38, United States Code).
    (e) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) The term ``appropriate congressional committees'' 
        means--
                    (A) the Committees on Veterans' Affairs of the 
                House of Representatives and the Senate; and
                    (B) the Committees on Appropriations of the House 
                of Representatives and the Senate.
            (2) The term ``Electronic Health Record Modernization 
        Program'' means--
                    (A) any activities by the Department of Veterans 
                Affairs to procure or implement an electronic health or 
                medical record system to replace any or all of the 
                Veterans Information Systems and Technology 
                Architecture, the Computerized Patient Record System, 
                the Joint Legacy Viewer, or the Enterprise Health 
                Management Platform; and
                    (B) any contracts or agreements entered into by the 
                Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out, support, or 
                analyze the activities under subparagraph (A).

SEC. 504. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS NOTICE RELATING TO DEBT 
              COLLECTION ACTIVITIES.

    (a) Debt Notification Letter Formats.--The Secretary of Veterans 
Affairs shall collaborate with veterans service organizations to 
develop a standard format for any letter provided to an individual who 
the Secretary determines is indebted to the United States by virtue of 
such individual's participation in a benefits program administered by 
the Secretary. Such letter shall be written in plain language and shall 
include a notice of the debt and a clear explanation of--
            (1) why the individual is indebted to the United States by 
        virtue of such person's participation in a benefits program 
        administered by the Secretary; and
            (2) the options available to the individual.
    (b) Delivery of Debt Notices by Standard Mail and Electronic 
Means.--The Secretary shall develop a method by which individuals may 
elect to receive notice of debt by electronic means and shall ensure, 
to the extent practicable, that the letter developed under subsection 
(a) is delivered--
            (1) by both standard mail and by electronic means to 
        intended recipients who have made such an election; and
            (2) only by standard mail to intended recipients who have 
        not made such an election.
    (c) Notice to Congress.--
            (1) Notices of completion.--Upon completion of the 
        development of the standard letter format required under 
        subsection (a) and upon completion of development of the method 
        by which individuals may elect to receive notice of debt by 
        electronic means under subsection (b), the Secretary shall 
        submit to Congress notice of the completion of the respective 
        development.
            (2) Progress reports.--If the Secretary has not submitted 
        each notice required by paragraph (1) by the date that is 90 
        days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary 
        shall--
                    (A) submit to Congress a report describing the 
                progress of the Secretary toward implementing 
                subsections (a) and (b) and an explanation for why the 
                respective development has not been completed; and
                    (B) every 30 days thereafter until all of the 
                notices required by paragraph (1) have been submitted, 
                submit to Congress an update to the report under 
                subparagraph (A) that includes an additional 
                explanation for the failure to complete the respective 
                development.
    (d) Study and Report.--
            (1) Study.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs, in 
        coordination with the Secretary of the Treasury, shall conduct 
        a study on the process by which individuals who are indebted to 
        the United States by virtue of their participation in a 
        benefits program administered by the Secretary of Veterans 
        Affairs are notified of debt collection efforts relating to 
        such indebtedness.
            (2) Elements.--The study required by paragraph (1) shall 
        include the following:
                    (A) An analysis of the scope of the problem of 
                individuals who are indebted to the United States by 
                virtue of their participation in a benefits program 
                administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs not 
                receiving debt collection notices relating to such 
                indebtedness.
                    (B) Identification of administrative actions the 
                Secretary of Veterans Affairs and the Secretary of the 
                Treasury can carry out to reduce the number of 
                incorrect or unknown addresses of such individuals in 
                the databases of the Department Veterans Affairs and 
                the Department of the Treasury and a timeline for 
                carrying out such actions.
                    (C) An estimate of the costs associated with 
                sending debt collection notices to such individuals by 
                certified mail.
                    (D) An analysis of whether, or to what extent, 
                sending debt collection notices to such individuals by 
                certified mail would address the problem analyzed under 
                subparagraph (A).
                    (E) An analysis of the requirements and resources 
                that would be necessary for the Secretary of Veterans 
                Affairs to establish a method for the Secretary to 
                display in one consolidated document the details 
                regarding all of the debts of an individual to the 
                United States by virtue of such individual's 
                participation in a benefits program administered by the 
                Secretary.
                    (F) An analysis of the extent to which such 
                individuals are so indebted by reason of actions by the 
                Secretary or by actions of the individual, including 
                any trends relating to whether the actions of the 
                individual may be by reason of error, 
                misrepresentation, or fraud.
            (3) Report.--Not later than one year after the date of the 
        enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, in 
        coordination with the Secretary of the Treasury, shall submit 
        to Congress a report on the findings of the Secretaries with 
        respect to the study conducted under paragraph (1).

                      TITLE VI--MEDICAL FACILITIES

SEC. 601. AUTHORIZATION OF MAJOR MEDICAL FACILITY PROJECTS FOR FISCAL 
              YEAR 2019.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs may carry out 
the following major medical facility projects in fiscal year 2019 at 
the locations specified and in an amount for each project not to exceed 
the amount specified for such location:
            (1) Construction of a community living center and 
        renovation of domiciliary and outpatient facilities in 
        Canandaigua, New York, in an amount not to exceed $351,980,000 
        (an increase of $193,000,000 as compared to the previous 
        authorization for such project).
            (2) Renovation of space for a simulation training education 
        center in North Chicago, Illinois, in an amount not to exceed 
        $15,980,000.
            (3) Construction of a surgical intensive care unit and 
        renovation to expand the operating room suite in Oklahoma City, 
        Oklahoma, in an amount not to exceed $29,461,000.
            (4) Construction of a new medical facility in Louisville, 
        Kentucky, in an amount not to exceed $450,000,000 (an increase 
        of $300,000,000 as compared to the previous authorization for 
        such project).
    (b) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs for fiscal year 2019 
or the year in which funds are appropriated for the Construction, Major 
Projects account, $847,421,000 for the projects authorized in 
subsection (a).

SEC. 602. PLANS TO IMPROVE MEDICAL FACILITIES OF THE DEPARTMENT OF 
              VETERANS AFFAIRS.

    (a) Plans Required.--
            (1) Plans of directors of medical facilities.--Not later 
        than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the 
        Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall require each director of a 
        medical facility of the Department of Veterans Affairs to 
        submit to the director of the Veterans Integrated Service 
        Network that covers the facility a plan to improve such 
        facility.
            (2) Plans of directors of veterans integrated service 
        networks.--The Secretary shall require each director of a 
        Veterans Integrated Service Network to submit to the Secretary, 
        not later than 60 days after receiving all of the plans under 
        paragraph (1), a plan, based on the plans received under 
        paragraph (1), to improve the facilities within that Veterans 
        Integrated Service Network in such a fashion that would improve 
        the ability of all facilities within that network to provide 
        the best and most efficient care to patients.
    (b) Regular Reports.--The Secretary shall ensure that each director 
of a Veterans Integrated Service Network submits to the Secretary, not 
later than two years after the date of the enactment of this Act and 
not less frequently than once every two years thereafter, a report on 
the actions taken by the director to improve the facilities within that 
Veterans Integrated Service Network and what further such actions might 
be necessary.
    (c) Sense of Congress on Use of Authorities to Investigate Medical 
Centers of the Department of Veterans Affairs.--It is the sense of 
Congress that the Secretary of Veterans Affairs should make full use of 
the authorities provided by section 2 of the Enhancing Veteran Care Act 
(Public Law 115-95; 38 U.S.C. 1701 note).

                        TITLE VII--OTHER MATTERS

SEC. 701. HOMELESS VETERANS REINTEGRATION PROGRAMS.

    Section 2021(a) of title 38, United States Code, is amended--
            (1) by striking ``reintegration of homeless veterans into 
        the labor force.'' and inserting the following: ``reintegration 
        into the labor force of--''; and
            (2) by adding at the end the following new paragraphs:
            ``(1) homeless veterans (including veterans who were 
        homeless but found housing during the 60-day period preceding 
        the date on which the veteran begins to participate in a 
        program under this section);
            ``(2) veterans participating in the Department of Veterans 
        Affairs supported housing program for which rental assistance 
        is provided pursuant to section 8(o)(19) of the United States 
        Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437f(o)(19)) or the Tribal HUD-
        VA Supportive Housing (Tribal HUD-VASH) program;
            ``(3) Indians who are veterans and receiving assistance 
        under the Native American Housing Assistance and Self 
        Determination Act of 1996 (25 U.S.C. 4101 et seq.);
            ``(4) veterans described in section 2023(e) of this title 
        or any other veterans who are transitioning from being 
        incarcerated; and
            ``(5) veterans participating in the Department of Veterans 
        Affairs rapid rehousing and prevention program authorized in 
        section 2044 of this title.''.

SEC. 702. TECHNICAL CORRECTIONS.

    (a) Title 38.--Title 38, United States Code, is amended as follows:
            (1) In the table of sections at the beginning of chapter 
        55, by inserting a period at the end of the item relating to 
        section 5501A.
            (2) In section 7463(c)(2)(B), by striking ``to answer to 
        answer'' and inserting ``to answer''.
    (b) Veterans' Benefits Improvements Act of 1996.--Section 504 of 
the Veterans' Benefits Improvements Act of 1996 (Public Law 104-275; 38 
U.S.C. 5101 note) is amended by redesignating the second subsection (c) 
as subsection (d).

SEC. 703. MEDICAL SURGICAL PRIME VENDOR PROGRAM.

    (a) Vendors.--In procuring certain medical, surgical, and dental 
supplies or laboratory supplies for medical centers of the Department 
of Veterans Affairs, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall carry out 
the Medical Surgical Prime Vendor program, or successor program, in a 
manner that--
            (1) requires the Secretary to award contracts to multiple 
        regional prime vendors instead of a single nationwide prime 
        vendor; and
            (2) prohibits a prime vendor from solely designing the 
        formulary of such supplies.
    (b) Clinically Driven Sourcing.--
            (1) Expertise.--In carrying out the formulary of supplies 
        under the Medical Surgical Prime Vendor program, or successor 
        program, the Secretary shall ensure that each employee of the 
        Department of Veterans Affairs who conducts formulary analyses 
        or makes decisions with respect to including items on the 
        formulary has medical expertise relevant to the items for which 
        the employee conducts such analyses or makes such decisions.
            (2) Lists.--Not later than 30 days after the date of the 
        enactment of this Act, and every six months thereafter with 
        respect to any updates, the Secretary shall submit to the 
        Committees on Veterans' Affairs of the House of Representatives 
        and the Senate a list of each employee described in paragraph 
        (1) and the relevant medical expertise of the employee, listed 
        by the categories of items in the formulary described in such 
        paragraph.

SEC. 704. REPORT ON EXPANDING ACCESS TO DENTAL CARE FOR VETERANS 
              ELIGIBLE FOR HEALTH CARE FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS 
              AFFAIRS.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 360 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs 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 the 
feasibility and advisability of expanding access to dental care for 
eligible veterans.
    (b) Elements.--The report required by subsection (a) shall include 
the following:
            (1) An analysis of access to dental care for eligible 
        veterans outside of the Department, including--
                    (A) the percentage of eligible veterans currently 
                enrolled in dental insurance through a third-party 
                payer, including--
                            (i) the dental insurance plan for veterans 
                        and survivors and dependents of veterans under 
                        section 1712C of title 38, United States Code;
                            (ii) the Medicaid program under title XIX 
                        of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396 et 
                        seq.); and
                            (iii) employer-sponsored dental insurance;
                    (B) the affordability of dental insurance described 
                in subparagraph (A); and
                    (C) the comprehensiveness of benefits of dental 
                insurance described in subparagraph (A).
            (2) An analysis of the current oral health needs of 
        eligible veterans, including an estimate of the number of 
        eligible veterans who--
                    (A) experience untreated cavities or decay;
                    (B) require dentures, implants, or other 
                restorative dental services; or
                    (C) have not received regular dental cleanings 
                within the two-year period preceding the report.
            (3) An analysis of the financial impact to the Department 
        of Veterans Affairs of providing dental care to eligible 
        veterans, including--
                    (A) whether the provision of such services would 
                result in a reduction in total health care costs;
                    (B) a cost-benefit analysis that indicates 
                potential cost savings to the Department over a 5-, 10-
                , and 20-year period; and
                    (C) projected cost savings to the Department and 
                across the broader health care system.
            (4) An analysis of the number and types of dental providers 
        necessary to treat eligible veterans, including--
                    (A) dentists;
                    (B) hygienists;
                    (C) dental technicians; and
                    (D) dental therapists.
    (c) Categories of Eligible Veterans.--The report required by 
subsection (a) shall be disaggregated by each of the following 
categories of eligible veterans:
            (1) Veterans enrolled in the system of annual patient 
        enrollment of the Department pursuant to the priority group 
        under subsection (a)(6) of section 1705 of such title.
            (2) Veterans enrolled in such system pursuant to the 
        priority group under subsection (a)(5) of such section.
            (3) Veterans enrolled in such system pursuant to a priority 
        group under any of subsections (a)(1) through (a)(4) of such 
        section.
            (4) Veterans enrolled in such system pursuant to a priority 
        group under subsection (a)(7) or (a)(8) of such section.
    (d) Eligible Veterans Defined.--In this section, the term 
``eligible veterans'' means veterans enrolled in the system of annual 
patient enrollment of the Department of Veterans Affairs established 
and operated under section 1705 of title 38, United States Code.

            Attest:

                                                                 Clerk.
115th CONGRESS

  2d Session

                                S. 2248

_______________________________________________________________________

                               AMENDMENT