[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 41 (Thursday, March 13, 2003)]
[Senate]
[Page S3733]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. CAMPBELL (for himself and Mr. Allard):
  S. 613. A bill to authorize the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to 
construct, lease, or modify major medical facilities at the site of the 
former Fitzsimons Army Medical Center, Aurora, Colorado; to the 
Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
  Mr. CAMPBELL. Mr. President, today I am introducing a bill to 
facilitate the move of the Denver Veterans Affairs Medical Center, 
DVAMC, from its present site in Denver to the former Fitzsimons Army 
Medical Center in Aurora, Colorado. I am pleased to be joined in this 
effort by my friend and colleague Senator Allard as an original co-
sponsor.
  The bill would authorize the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to 
construct, lease or modify major medical facilities at the site of the 
former Fitzsimons Army Medical Center. It instructs the Secretary to 
work with the Department of Defense in planning a joint Federal project 
that would serve the health care needs of active duty Air Force and the 
VA. It would also require the Secretary to submit a report to the 
Committees on Appropriations and the Committees on Veterans Affairs of 
the Senate and the House of Representatives. This report would detail 
the options selected by the Secretary and any information on further 
planning needed to carry out the move.
  The relocation of the DVAMC to the former Fitzsimons site offers a 
unique opportunity to provide the highest quality medical care for our 
veterans and certain members of our military. The University of 
Colorado Health Sciences Center, UCHSC, is moving its facilities from 
its overcrowded location near downtown Denver to the Fitzsimons site, a 
decommissioned Army base. The UCHSC and the DVAMC have long operated on 
adjacent campuses and have shared faculty, medical residents, and 
access to equipment. A DVAMC move to the new location in conjunction 
with the DOD would allow such cost-effective cooperation to continue, 
for the benefit of our veterans, active duty Air Force members and all 
taxpayers.
  The need to move is pressing. A recent VA study concludes that the 
Colorado State veterans' population will experience one of the highest 
percent increases nationally in veterans age 65 and over between 1990 
and 2020. The present VA hospital was built in the 1950's. While still 
able to provide service, the core facilities are approaching the end of 
their useful lives and many of the patient care units have fallen 
horribly out of date. Studies indicate that co-location with the 
University on a state-of-the-art medical campus would be a cost 
effective way to give veterans and active duty Air Force members in the 
region the highest quality of care. The move would also provide a 
tremendous opportunity to showcase a nationwide model of cooperation 
between the University, the Department of Veterans Affairs, VA, and the 
Department of Defense.
  The VA needs to move quickly. Assisting our veterans with their 
medical needs is a promise we, as a country, made long ago.
  The savings we can realize by approving the timely transfer of our 
veterans' medical treatment facilities in the Denver region compels me 
to urge my colleagues to act quickly on this bill. We must not miss out 
on this opportunity to serve America's veterans and their families by 
ensuring that they receive the excellent medical care they deserve.
  I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the 
Record.
  There being no objection, the bill was ordered to be printed in the 
Record, as follows:

                                 S. 613

       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 ``Veterans' New Fitzsimons 
     Health Care Facilities Act of 2003''.

     SEC. 2. AUTHORIZATION OF MAJOR MEDICAL FACILITY PROJECTS, 
                   FORMER FITZSIMONS ARMY MEDICAL CENTER, AURORA, 
                   COLORADO.

       (a) Authorization.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs may 
     carry out major medical facility projects under section 8104 
     of title 38, United States Code, at the site of the former 
     Fitzsimons Army Medical Center, Aurora, Colorado. Projects to 
     be carried out at such site shall be selected by the 
     Secretary and may include inpatient and outpatient facilities 
     providing acute, sub-acute, primary, and long-term care 
     services. Project costs shall be limited to an amount not to 
     exceed a total of $300,000,000 if a combination of direct 
     construction by the Department of Veterans Affairs and 
     capital leasing is selected under subsection (b) and no more 
     than $30,000,000 per year in capital leasing costs if a 
     leasing option is selected as the sole option under 
     subsection (b).
       (b) Selection of Capital Option.--The Secretary of Veterans 
     shall select the capital option to carry out the authority 
     provided in subsection (a) of either--
       (1) direct construction by the Department of Veterans 
     Affairs or a combination of direct construction and capital 
     leasing; or
       (2) capital leasing alone.
       (c) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized 
     to be appropriated to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs for 
     fiscal years 2004, 2005, 2006, and 2007 for ``Construction, 
     Major Projects'' for the purposes authorized in subsection 
     (a)--
       (1) a total of $300,000,000, if direct construction, or a 
     combination of direct construction and capital leasing, is 
     chosen pursuant to subsection (b) for purposes of the 
     projects authorized in subsection (a); and
       (2) $30,000,000 for each such fiscal year, if capital 
     leasing alone is chosen pursuant to subsection (b) for 
     purposes of the projects authorized in subsection (a).
       (d) Limitation.--The projects authorized in subsection (a) 
     may only be carried out using--
       (1) funds appropriated for fiscal year 2004, 2005, 2006, or 
     2007 pursuant to the authorization of appropriations in 
     subsection (a);
       (2) funds appropriated for Construction, Major Projects, 
     for a fiscal year before fiscal year 2004 that remain 
     available for obligation; and
       (3) funds appropriated for Construction, Major Projects, 
     for fiscal year 2004, 2005, 2006, or 2007 for a category of 
     activity not specific to a project.
       (e) Report to Congressional Committees.--Not later than 120 
     days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the 
     Secretary shall submit to the Committees on Appropriations 
     and the Committees on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and 
     House of Representatives a report on this section. The report 
     shall include notice of the option selected by the Secretary 
     pursuant to subsection (b) to carry out the authority 
     provided by subsection (a), information on any further 
     planning required to carry out the authority provided in 
     subsection (a), and other information of assistance to the 
     committees with respect to such authority.

     SEC. 3. JOINT ACTIVITIES TO ADDRESS HEALTH CARE NEEDS OF 
                   VETERANS AND MEMBERS OF THE AIR FORCE.

       The Secretary of Veterans Affairs and the Secretary of the 
     Air Force shall undertake such joint activities as the 
     Secretaries consider appropriate to address the health care 
     needs of veterans and members of the Air Force on active 
     duty.
                                 ______