[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2174 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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118th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 2174

 To amend title 38, United States Code, to adjust the threshold amount 
 for minor medical facility construction projects of the Department of 
               Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             June 22, 2023

   Mr. Tester (for himself, Mr. Moran, Mr. Reed, Mr. Rounds, and Mr. 
    Hoeven) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
             referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To amend title 38, United States Code, to adjust the threshold amount 
 for minor medical facility construction projects of the Department of 
               Veterans Affairs, 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 ``Department of Veterans Affairs Minor 
Construction Threshold Adjustment Act of 2023''.

SEC. 2. ADJUSTMENT OF THRESHOLD AMOUNT FOR MINOR MEDICAL FACILITY 
              PROJECTS OF DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.

    Section 8104(a) of title 38, United States Code, is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (3)(A), by striking ``$20,000,000'' each 
        place it appears and inserting ``the amount specified in 
        paragraph (4)''; and
            (2) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
    ``(4)(A) The amount specified in this paragraph is $30,000,000, as 
adjusted pursuant to this paragraph.
    ``(B)(i) The Secretary shall develop, through regulations, a 
mechanism to adjust the amount under subparagraph (A) to account for 
relevant factors relating to construction, cost of land, real estate, 
economic conditions, labor conditions, inflation, and other relevant 
factors the Secretary considers necessary to ensure such amount keeps 
pace with all economic conditions that impact the price of construction 
projects, to include planning, management, and delivery of the project.
    ``(ii) In developing the mechanism under clause (i), the Secretary 
may--
            ``(I) use a mechanism or index already relied upon by the 
        Department for other relevant programs, a mechanism or index 
        used by another Federal agency, or a commercial mechanism or 
        index if such mechanism or index satisfactorily addresses the 
        intent of this subparagraph; or
            ``(II) create a new mechanism or index if the Secretary 
        considers it appropriate and necessary to do so.
    ``(C)(i) Not less frequently than once every two years, the 
Secretary shall--
            ``(I) adjust the amount under subparagraph (A); or
            ``(II) publish a notice in the Federal Register indicating 
        that no adjustment is warranted.
    ``(ii) Not later than 30 days before adjusting an amount pursuant 
to clause (i)(I) or publishing a notice pursuant to clause (i)(II), the 
Secretary shall notify the Committee on Veterans' Affairs and the 
Committee on Appropriations of the Senate and the Committee on 
Veterans' Affairs and the Committee on Appropriations of the House of 
Representatives.
    ``(D) The Secretary shall determine a logical schedule for 
adjustments under this paragraph to take effect so that the amounts for 
and types of construction projects requested by the Department in the 
budget of the President under section 1105(a) of title 31 are 
consistent with the threshold for construction projects as so 
adjusted.''.
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