[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 113 (Wednesday, September 13, 2006)]
[House]
[Pages H6453-H6459]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS MEDICAL FACILITY AUTHORIZATION ACT OF 
                                  2006

  Mr. BUYER. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill 
(H.R. 5815) to authorize major medical facility projects and major 
medical facility leases for the Department of Veterans Affairs for 
fiscal years 2006 and 2007, and for other purposes, as amended.
  The Clerk read as follows

                               H.R. 5815

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.

       (a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Department 
     of Veterans Affairs Medical Facility Authorization Act of 
     2006''.
       (b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents for this Act 
     is as follows:

Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
Sec. 2. Authorization of major medical facility project, Biloxi and 
              Gulfport, Mississippi.
Sec. 3. Authorization of design, construction, and operation of major 
              medical facility project, New Orleans, Louisiana.
Sec. 4. Authorization of design, construction, and operation of a major 
              medical facility project, Charleston, South Carolina.
Sec. 5. Authorization of site purchase for major medical facility 
              project, replacement site, Denver Colorado.
Sec. 6. Extension of authorization for certain major medical facility 
              construction projects previously authorized in connection 
              with Capital Asset Realignment Initiative.
Sec. 7. Authorization of major medical facility leases.
Sec. 8.  Authorization of appropriations.
Sec. 9. Sense of Congress and report on option for medical facility 
              improvements in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Sec. 10. Land conveyance, city of Fort Thomas, Kentucky.
Sec. 11. Establishment within the Department of Veterans Affairs of a 
              career position responsible for Department-wide 
              construction and facilities management.
Sec. 12. Business plans for enhanced access to outpatient care in 
              certain rural areas.
Sec. 13. Report on option for construction of a Department of Veterans 
              Affairs medical center in Okaloosa County, Florida.

     SEC. 2. AUTHORIZATION OF MAJOR MEDICAL FACILITY PROJECT, 
                   BILOXI AND GULFPORT, MISSISSIPPI.

       (a) Project Authorization.--The Secretary of Veterans 
     Affairs may carry out a major medical facility project for 
     restoration of the Department of Veterans Affairs Medical 
     Center, Biloxi, Mississippi, and consolidation of services 
     performed at the Department of Veterans Affairs Medical 
     Center, Gulfport, Mississippi.
       (b) Cost Limitation.--The project authorized by subsection 
     (a) shall be carried out in an amount not to exceed 
     $310,000,000.
       (c) Requirement for Joint-Use Facility.--The project 
     authorized by subsection (a) may only be carried out as part 
     of a joint-use facility shared by the Department of Veterans 
     Affairs with Keesler Air Force Base, Biloxi, Mississippi.

     SEC. 3. AUTHORIZATION OF DESIGN, CONSTRUCTION, AND OPERATION 
                   OF MAJOR MEDICAL FACILITY PROJECT, NEW ORLEANS, 
                   LOUISIANA.

       (a) Agreement Authorized.--The Secretary of Veterans 
     Affairs may enter into an agreement with the Louisiana State 
     University to design, construct, and operate a co-located, 
     joint-use medical facility in or near New Orleans to replace 
     the medical center facility for the Department of Veterans 
     Affairs Medical Center, New Orleans, Louisiana, damaged by 
     Hurricane Katrina in August 2005.
       (b) Cost Limitation.--Advance planning and design for a co-
     located, joint-use medical facility in or near New Orleans 
     under subsection (a) shall be carried out in an amount not to 
     exceed $100,000,000.

     SEC. 4. AUTHORIZATION OF DESIGN, CONSTRUCTION, AND OPERATION 
                   OF A MAJOR MEDICAL FACILITY PROJECT, 
                   CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA.

       (a) Agreement Authorized.--The Secretary of Veterans 
     Affairs may enter into an agreement with the Medical 
     University of South Carolina to design, construct, and 
     operate a co-located joint-use medical facility in 
     Charleston, South Carolina, to replace the Ralph H. Johnson 
     Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Charleston, 
     South Carolina.
       (b) Cost Limitation.--Advance planning and design for a co-
     located, joint-use medical facility in Charleston, South 
     Carolina, under subsection (a) shall be carried out in an 
     amount not to exceed $70,000,000.

     SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF SITE PURCHASE FOR MAJOR MEDICAL 
                   FACILITY PROJECT, REPLACEMENT SITE, DENVER 
                   COLORADO.

       (a) Authorization.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs may 
     enter into an agreement to purchase a site for the 
     replacement of the Department of Veterans Affairs Medical 
     Center, Denver, Colorado, in an amount not to exceed 
     $98,000,000.
       (b) Report.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the 
     enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
     shall submit to the Committees on Veterans' Affairs of the 
     Senate and House of Representatives a report identifying and 
     outlining the various options available to the Department for 
     replacing the current Department of Veterans Affairs Medical 
     Center, Denver, Colorado. The report shall include the 
     following:
       (1) The feasibility of entering into a partnership with a 
     Federal, State, or local governmental agency, or a suitable 
     non-profit organization, for the construction and operation 
     of a new facility.
       (2) The medical, legal, and financial implications of each 
     of the options identified, including recommendations 
     regarding any statutory changes necessary for the Department 
     to carry out any of the options identified.
       (3) A detailed cost-benefit analysis of each of the options 
     identified.
       (4) Estimates regarding the length of time and associated 
     costs needed to complete such a facility under each of the 
     options identified.

     SEC. 6. EXTENSION OF AUTHORIZATION FOR CERTAIN MAJOR MEDICAL 
                   FACILITY CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS PREVIOUSLY 
                   AUTHORIZED IN CONNECTION WITH CAPITAL ASSET 
                   REALIGNMENT INITIATIVE.

       The Secretary of Veterans Affairs may carry out the 
     following major medical facility projects, with each such 
     project to be carried out in the amount specified for that 
     project:
       (1) Construction of an outpatient clinic and regional 
     office at the Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, 
     Anchorage, Alaska, in an amount not to exceed $75,270,000.
       (2) Consolidation of clinical and administrative functions 
     of the Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, 
     Cleveland, Ohio, and the Department of Veterans Affairs 
     Medical Center, Brecksville, Ohio, in an amount not to exceed 
     $102,300,000.
       (3) Construction of the extended care building at the 
     Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Des Moines, 
     Iowa, in an amount not to exceed $25,000,000.
       (4) Renovation of patient wards at the Department of 
     Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, in 
     an amount not to exceed $9,100,000.
       (5) Correction of patient privacy deficiencies at the 
     Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Gainesville, 
     Florida, in an amount not to exceed $85,200,000.
       (6) 7th and 8th floor wards modernization addition at the 
     Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Indianapolis, 
     Indiana, in an amount not to exceed $27,400,000.
       (7) Construction of a new medical center facility at the 
     Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Las Vegas, 
     Nevada, in an amount not to exceed $406,000,000.
       (8) Construction of an ambulatory surgery/outpatient 
     diagnostic support center in the Gulf South Submarket of 
     Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN) 8 and completion 
     of Phase I land purchase, Lee County, Florida, in an amount 
     not to exceed $65,100,000.
       (9) Seismic corrections, Buildings 7 and 126, Department of 
     Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Long Beach, California, in 
     an amount not to exceed $107,845,000.
       (10) Seismic corrections, Buildings 500 and 501, Department 
     of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Los Angeles, California, 
     in an amount not to exceed $79,900,000.
       (11) Construction of a new medical center facility, 
     Orlando, Florida, to be located at the site in Lake Nona 
     known as site selection C, which is directly south of the 
     interchange between SR-417 and Lake Nona Boulevard and is 
     part of a science and research park that is likely to include 
     the proposed campus of the medical school of the University 
     of Central Florida, in an amount not to exceed $377,700,000.
       (12) Consolidation of campuses at the University Drive and 
     H. John Heinz III divisions, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in an 
     amount not to exceed $189,205,000.
       (13) Ward upgrades and expansion at the Department of 
     Veterans Affairs Medical Center, San Antonio, Texas, in an 
     amount not to exceed $19,100,000.
       (14) Construction of a spinal cord injury center, 
     Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Syracuse, New 
     York, in an amount not to exceed $77,700,000.
       (15) Upgrade essential electrical distribution systems, 
     Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Tampa, 
     Florida, in an amount not to exceed $49,000,000.
       (16) Expansion of the spinal cord injury center addition, 
     Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Tampa, 
     Florida, in an amount not to exceed $7,100,000.
       (17) Blind rehabilitation and psychiatric bed renovation 
     and new construction project, Department of Veterans Affairs 
     Medical Center, Temple, Texas, in an amount not to exceed 
     $56,000,000.

     SEC. 7. AUTHORIZATION OF MAJOR MEDICAL FACILITY LEASES.

       (a) Fiscal Year 2006 Leases.--The Secretary of Veterans 
     Affairs may carry out the

[[Page H6454]]

     following major medical facility leases in fiscal year 2006 
     at the locations specified, in an amount for each lease not 
     to exceed the amount specified for that location:
       (1) For an outpatient clinic, Baltimore, Maryland, 
     $10,908,000.
       (2) For an outpatient clinic, Evansville, Indiana, 
     $8,989,000.
       (3) For an outpatient clinic, Smith County, Texas, 
     $5,093,000.
       (b) Fiscal Year 2007 Leases.--The Secretary of Veterans 
     Affairs may carry out the following major medical facility 
     leases in fiscal year 2007 at the locations specified, in an 
     amount for each lease not to exceed the amount specified for 
     that location:
       (1) For an outpatient and specialty care clinic, Austin, 
     Texas, $6,163,000.
       (2) For an outpatient clinic, Lowell, Massachusetts, 
     $2,520,000.
       (3) For an outpatient clinic, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 
     $4,409,000.
       (4) For up to four outpatient clinics, Las Vegas, Nevada, 
     $8,518,000.
       (5) For an outpatient clinic, Parma, Ohio, $5,032,000.

     SEC. 8. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

       (a) Authorization of Appropriations for Fiscal Year 2006 
     Major Medical Facility Projects.--There is authorized to be 
     appropriated to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs for fiscal 
     year 2006 for the Construction, Major Projects, account, a 
     total of $578,000,000, of which--
       (1) $310,000,000 is for the project authorized in section 
     2;
       (2) $100,000,000 is for the advance planning and design 
     authorized in section 3;
       (3) $70,000,000 is for the advanced planning authorized in 
     section 4; and
       (4) $98,000,000 is for the purchase of a site authorized in 
     section 5.
       (b) Authorization of Appropriations for Major Medical 
     Facility Projects Under Capital Asset Realignment 
     Initiative.--There is authorized to be appropriated for the 
     Secretary of Veterans Affairs for fiscal year 2007 for the 
     Construction, Major Projects, account, $1,758,920,000 for the 
     projects specified in section 6.
       (c) Authorization of Appropriations for Major Medical 
     Facility Leases.--
       (1) Fiscal year 2006 leases.--There is authorized to be 
     appropriated for the Secretary of Veterans Affairs for fiscal 
     year 2006 for the Medical Care account, $24,990,000 for the 
     leases authorized in section 7(a).
       (2) Fiscal year 2007 leases.--There is authorized to be 
     appropriated for the Secretary of Veterans Affairs for fiscal 
     year 2007 for the Medical Care account, $26,642,000 for the 
     leases authorized in section 7(b).
       (d) Limitation.--The projects authorized in sections 2, 3, 
     4, 5, and 6 may only be carried out using--
       (1) funds appropriated for fiscal year 2006 or 2007 
     pursuant to the authorization of appropriations in 
     subsections (a), (b), and (c);
       (2) funds available for Construction, Major Projects, for a 
     fiscal year before fiscal year 2006 that remain available for 
     obligation;
       (3) funds available for Construction, Major Projects, for a 
     fiscal year after fiscal year 2006 or 2007 that are available 
     for obligation; and
       (4) funds appropriated for Construction, Major Projects, 
     for fiscal year 2006 or 2007 for a category of activity not 
     specific to a project.

     SEC. 9. SENSE OF CONGRESS AND REPORT ON OPTION FOR MEDICAL 
                   FACILITY IMPROVEMENTS IN SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO.

       (a) Sense of Congress.--Recognizing that concern for the 
     need for medical facility improvements in San Juan, Puerto 
     Rico, is not being adequately addressed, it is the sense of 
     Congress that the Secretary of Veterans Affairs should take 
     steps to explore all options for addressing that concern, 
     including the option of a public/private partnership to 
     construct and operate a facility that would replace the 
     current Department of Veterans Affairs medical center in San 
     Juan, Puerto Rico.
       (b) Report.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the 
     enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
     shall submit to the Committees on Veterans' Affairs of the 
     Senate and House of Representatives a report identifying and 
     outlining the various options available to the Department for 
     replacing the current Department of Veterans Affairs Medical 
     Center, San Juan, Puerto Rico. The report shall include the 
     following:
       (1) The feasibility of entering into a partnership with a 
     Federal, Commonwealth, or local governmental agency, or a 
     suitable non-profit organization, for the construction and 
     operation of a new facility.
       (2) The medical, legal, and financial implications of each 
     of the options identified, including recommendations 
     regarding any statutory changes necessary for the Department 
     to carry out any of the options identified.
       (3) A detailed cost-benefit analysis of each of the options 
     identified.
       (4) Estimates regarding the length of time and associated 
     costs needed to complete such a facility under each of the 
     options identified.

     SEC. 10. LAND CONVEYANCE, CITY OF FORT THOMAS, KENTUCKY.

       (a) Conveyance Authorized.--The Secretary of Veterans 
     Affairs may convey to the city of Fort Thomas, Kentucky (in 
     this section referred to as the ``City''), all right, title, 
     and interest of the United States in and to a parcel of real 
     property, including the 15 structures located thereon, 
     consisting of approximately 11.75 acres that is managed by 
     the Department of Veterans Affairs and located in the 
     northeastern portion of Tower Park in Fort Thomas, Kentucky. 
     Any such conveyance shall be subject to valid existing 
     rights, easements, and rights-of-way.
       (b) Consideration.--As consideration for the conveyance 
     under subsection (a), the City shall pay to the United States 
     an amount equal to the fair market value of the conveyed real 
     property, as determined by the Secretary.
       (c) Treatment of Consideration.--The consideration received 
     under subsection (b) shall be deposited, at the discretion of 
     the Secretary, in the ``Medical facilities'' account or the 
     ``Construction, minor projects'' account (or a combination of 
     those accounts) and shall be available to the Secretary, 
     without limitation and until expended--
       (1) to cover costs incurred by the Secretary associated 
     with the environmental remediation of the real property 
     before conveyance under subsection (a); and
       (2) with any funds remaining after the Secretary has 
     covered costs as required under paragraph (1), for 
     acquisition of a site for use as a parking facility, or 
     contract (by lease or otherwise) for the operation of a 
     parking facility, to be used in connection with the 
     Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Facility, Cincinnati, 
     Ohio.
       (d) Release From Liability.--Effective on the date of the 
     conveyance under subsection (a), the United States shall not 
     be liable for damages arising out of any act, omission, or 
     occurrence relating to the conveyed real property, but shall 
     continue to be liable for damages caused by acts of 
     negligence committed by the United States or by any employee 
     or agent of the United States before the date of conveyance, 
     consistent with chapter 171 of title 28, United States Code.
       (e) Payment of Costs of Conveyance.--
       (1) Payment required.--The Secretary shall require the City 
     to cover costs to be incurred by the Secretary, or to 
     reimburse the Secretary for costs incurred by the Secretary, 
     to carry out the conveyance under subsection (a), including 
     survey costs, costs related to environmental documentation, 
     and other administrative costs related to the conveyance. If 
     amounts are collected from the City in advance of the 
     Secretary incurring the actual costs, and the amount 
     collected exceeds the costs actually incurred by the 
     Secretary to carry out the conveyance, the Secretary shall 
     refund the excess amount to the City.
       (2) Treatment of amounts received.--Amounts received as 
     reimbursement under paragraph (1) shall be credited to the 
     fund or account that was used to cover the costs incurred by 
     the Secretary in carrying out the conveyance. Amounts so 
     credited shall be merged with amounts in such fund or account 
     and shall be available for the same purposes, and subject to 
     the same conditions and limitations, as amounts in such fund 
     or account.
       (f) Description of Property.--The exact acreage and legal 
     description of the real property to be conveyed under 
     subsection (a) shall be determined by a survey satisfactory 
     to the Secretary.
       (g) Additional Terms and Conditions.--The Secretary may 
     require such additional terms and conditions in connection 
     with the conveyance under subsection (a) as the Secretary 
     considers necessary to protect the interests of the United 
     States.

     SEC. 11. ESTABLISHMENT WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS 
                   AFFAIRS OF A CAREER POSITION RESPONSIBLE FOR 
                   DEPARTMENT-WIDE CONSTRUCTION AND FACILITIES 
                   MANAGEMENT.

       (a) Establishment of Position.--Chapter 3 of title 38, 
     United States Code, is amended by inserting after section 312 
     the following new section:

     ``Sec. 312A. Director, Construction and Facilities Management

       ``(a) Career Position.--There is in the Department the 
     position of Director, Construction and Facilities Management. 
     The position of Director, Construction and Facilities 
     Management, is a career position with responsibility for 
     construction and facilities management across the Department, 
     including responsibility for all major and minor construction 
     projects. The individual appointed as Director shall be 
     appointed by the Secretary and shall provide direct support 
     to the Secretary and report to the Deputy Secretary of the 
     Department.
       ``(b) Qualifications.--The individual appointed to the 
     position of Director, Construction and Facilities Management, 
     shall be an individual who--
       ``(1) holds an undergraduate or master's degree in 
     architectural design or engineering; and
       ``(2) has substantive professional experience in the area 
     of construction project management.
       ``(c) Responsibilities.--The individual appointed to the 
     position of Director, Construction and Facilities Management, 
     shall be responsible for overseeing and managing the 
     planning, design, construction, and facilities operation, 
     including infrastructure, of the Department's major and minor 
     construction projects and performing such other functions as 
     the Secretary prescribes. Such oversight and management 
     responsibilities shall include each of the following:
       ``(1) Developing and updating short and long-range 
     strategic capital investment strategies and plans.
       ``(2) Planning, designing, and building facilities, 
     determining architectural and engineering requirements as 
     well as ensuring compliance with all applicable laws relating 
     to the Department's construction program.

[[Page H6455]]

       ``(3) Overseeing and managing the construction of 
     Department facilities.
       ``(4) Managing the Department's short and long-term leasing 
     activity.
       ``(5) Repairing and maintaining the Department's 
     facilities, including custodial services, building management 
     and administration, and maintenance of roads, grounds, and 
     infrastructure.
       ``(6) Managing the procurement and acquisition processes, 
     including contract award related to design, construction, 
     furnishing, and supplies and equipment.''.
       (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections at the 
     beginning of such chapter is amended by inserting after the 
     item relating to section 312 the following new item:

``312A. Director, Construction and Facilities Management.''.

     SEC. 12. BUSINESS PLANS FOR ENHANCED ACCESS TO OUTPATIENT 
                   CARE IN CERTAIN RURAL AREAS.

       (a) Requirement.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
     the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
     shall submit to the Committees on Veterans' Affairs of the 
     Senate and House of Representatives a business plan for 
     enhanced access to outpatient care (as described in 
     subsection (b)) for primary care, mental health care, and 
     specialty care in each of the following areas:
       (1) The Lewiston-Auburn area of Maine.
       (2) The area of Houlton, Maine.
       (3) The area of Dover-Foxcroft, Maine.
       (4) Whiteside County, Illinois.
       (b) Means of Enhanced Access.--The means of enhanced access 
     to outpatient care to be covered by the business plans under 
     subsection (a) are, with respect to each area specified in 
     that subsection, one or more of the following:
       (1) New sites of care.
       (2) Expansions at existing sites of care.
       (3) Use of existing authority and policies to contract for 
     care where necessary.
       (4) Increased use of telemedicine.

     SEC. 13. REPORT ON OPTION FOR CONSTRUCTION OF A DEPARTMENT OF 
                   VETERANS AFFAIRS MEDICAL CENTER IN OKALOOSA 
                   COUNTY, FLORIDA.

        Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of 
     this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit to 
     the Committees on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and House 
     of Representatives a report identifying and outlining the 
     various options available to the Department for the placement 
     of a Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center in 
     Okaloosa County, Florida. The report shall include the 
     following:
       (1) The feasibility of entering into a partnership with 
     Eglin Air Force Base for the construction and operation of a 
     new, joint Department of Veterans Affairs-Department of 
     Defense facility.
       (2) The medical, legal, and financial implications of each 
     of the options identified, including recommendations 
     regarding any statutory changes necessary for the Department 
     to carry out any of the options identified.
       (3) A detailed cost-benefit analysis of each of the options 
     identified.
       (4) Estimates regarding the length of time and associated 
     costs needed to complete such a facility under each of the 
     options identified.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Indiana (Mr. Buyer) and the gentleman from Maine (Mr. Michaud) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Indiana.
  Mr. BUYER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  H.R. 5815, the Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Facility 
Authorization Act of 2006, would ensure that we will act officially and 
provide the right facilities at the right places given the current 
veteran populations that we can expect in the coming years.
  I thank my colleagues, Henry Brown, the chairman of our Subcommittee 
on Health, and Mike Michaud, the subcommittee ranking member, for their 
hard work on a bipartisan bill that deploys new models for providing 
health care. These models show great promise for veterans who want 
cutting-edge care as close to their home as possible.
  Mr. Speaker, the very nature of health care delivery has changed 
dramatically over the last 15 years, yet the VA has not built a single 
hospital in that time. Some challenges ahead of us deal with, for 
example, in New Orleans the damage by Hurricane Katrina and that along 
the coast of Mississippi. Some put a price tag on a new New Orleans VA 
facility at around $600 million. I recently toured a new cutting-edge 
tertiary care hospital in Indiana built for about $280 million. So 
trying to figure out how we build new hospitals for the government and 
at the same time trying to do one that is cost effective is the 
challenge.
  When we look at the VA, the VA has some aging infrastructure and we 
must replace some facilities, not only the ones damaged by the 
hurricanes, but also we need to modernize others. This bill will help 
rationalize the work, including the actions necessary along the Gulf 
Coast where we restored the VA medical centers in Biloxi and in New 
Orleans.
  We will also move forward with construction in Charleston, South 
Carolina, with regard to delivering a new model, and Mr. Brown will be 
talking about that in a moment. We will be purchasing property in 
Denver. We will work toward a facility in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The 
bill would authorize the construction of 17 major facility projects 
authorized in the last session of Congress, including Las Vegas and 
Orlando, all of which align with the demand projected for the next two 
decades.
  Mr. Speaker, after World War II, the VA faced a huge influx of 
returning service members and a worrisome shortage of doctors. 
Responding to the challenge, the VA in 1946 formed its affiliation 
program with medical schools.
  A wise decision at the VA, made two generations ago by some far-
seeing leaders, among them Army General Omar Bradley, a post war VA 
administrator, enabled the agency to avail itself of the country's best 
doctors and nurses, and opened VA to the country's best health care 
practices, ensuring it had the capacity to care for millions of new 
patients.
  According to VA, more than 150 VA facilities have affiliations with 
more than 100 medical schools, dozens of dental schools and more than 
1,200 other schools across the country. VA trains 50,000 students and 
residents each year, more than half of the physicians practicing in the 
United States, and a similar portion of nurses, I might add, have 
experienced parts of their professional education in the VA health care 
system. The VA has built up considerable experience leveraging service 
and quality throughout this collaboration.
  As the visionaries of 1946 dared to look beyond the familiar 
patterns, we must now be willing to consider the possibilities that new 
ideas generate. These new ideas can also generate controversy. Some 
veterans are concerned that some form of collaboration may dilute the 
``veterans' identity'' of a VA hospital. That is not an intention on 
our part at all.
  Mr. Speaker, the facts show that the last 50 years of affiliation 
have meant better VA care for veterans. If a veteran in the Capital 
area went to Washington, DC Veteran Center for an emergency, that 
veteran would likely be seen by a doctor also on staff at the George 
Washington University Medical Center. A veteran being seen at the Ralph 
Johnson VA Medical Center in Charleston, South Carolina, is almost 
certain, the chances are about 90 percent, to be seen by a doctor also 
on staff with the Medical University of South Carolina. You do not hear 
complaints from veterans about these arrangements.
  H.R. 5815 would position VA to leverage existing affiliation 
relationships with top notch medical universities and build a new 
relationship with these universities, while preserving the veterans' 
identity through a collaboration of shared facilities.
  In Biloxi, the bill would take advantage of the joint-use facility 
being shared with Keesler Air Force Base in Biloxi.
  Veterans in the New Orleans area would benefit from a new agreement 
that we are most hopeful could have fruition with Louisiana State 
University for the construction and operation of a collocated joint-use 
medical facility.
  In Charleston, South Carolina, we would move forward with the 
building and operation of a joint-use facility with the Medical 
University of South Carolina.
  Mr. Speaker, this legislation would authorize the purchase of a site 
in Denver for the ultimate replacement of the medical facility there 
and would require the VA to report to us and our Senate counterpart on 
the viability of engaging in a public-private partnership that would 
reduce taxpayer burden as construction begins.
  Mr. Speaker, resources are not on the side of isolated facilities. 
Enhanced collaboration means that the most expensive equipment, such as 
medical imaging devices, could be shared between VA and university 
facilities. As new technology becomes available with its inevitable 
steep price tag, it could be more easily acquired through these 
collaborative efforts.

[[Page H6456]]

  Sharing expensive capital assets reduces duplication and waste. 
Physicians can more easily travel from the university facility to the 
VA's facility. That, in turn, means that the veterans will get quality 
care much faster. This logic has appealed to veterans advocates with 
whom I have spoken.
  This bill would also help the VA grow the expertise that has gone 
fallow over the past decade and a half, since VA's last construction 
project. H.R. 5815 would establish within the VA a senior Civil Service 
position whose role would be to provide department-wide executive 
leadership over all construction and facility management.
  Mr. Speaker, the total cost of this legislation is approximately $2.4 
billion.
  Shortly I will turn to my distinguished colleague, Mr. Brown of South 
Carolina, chairman of the Subcommittee on Health, for a detailed 
explanation of the bill.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time
  Mr. MICHAUD. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise in support of H.R. 5815. This 
legislation will authorize the Department of Veterans Affairs major 
medical facility projects and leases for fiscal year 2006 and 2007. I 
wish to commend my good friend and colleague, the chairman of the 
committee, Chairman Buyer, for his willingness to bring this 
legislation forward to the House. It is an excellent piece of 
legislation. I want to commend also a good friend and colleague, the 
chairman of the Health Subcommittee, Henry Brown of South Carolina, for 
his work on this legislation as well.
  It is a good bill. It is long overdue that the Committee on Veterans 
Affairs and this Congress get back to our job of authorizing 
construction of veterans medical facilities. This bill takes important 
steps forward in rebuilding the VA's presence in New Orleans and 
Mississippi. It is important that we do all that we can to help our 
veterans in the Gulf region. This bill also authorizes many of the VA's 
most urgent projects, projects whose authorization expires at the end 
of the month.
  I am eagerly awaiting further study and discussion of possible 
collaborative efforts of the VA that may result in both enhanced care 
for patients and savings for our taxpayers. Although I am excited about 
these possibilities, we must also make sure that the needs of veterans 
are fully met and that the veterans health care system retains its 
distinct identity as a health care system dedicated to the unique needs 
of our veterans.
  If this health care system is to maintain its position at the 
forefront of American medicine, then we must make prudent investments 
in the infrastructure that will enable this care to take place. We must 
modernize these facilities that are antiquated, we must build new 
facilities in areas that are seeing increased numbers of veterans and 
we must take steps to ensure that the underserved areas do not remain 
underserved for long.
  I would like to thank the staff of both sides of the aisle for their 
hard work on this legislation. They put a lot of time and effort in 
this legislation.
  This is a good, bipartisan bill, and I hope our committee can bring 
more good bills like this one to the floor before the end of the year. 
I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 5815.
  Mr. BUYER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 6\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from 
South Carolina (Mr. Brown).
  Mr. BROWN of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for 
yielding me this time. I want to thank our committee chairman, Mr. 
Buyer, for all of his hard work in bringing this bill to the House 
floor this morning. Also I would like to recognize the work of my good 
friend and ranking member of the subcommittee, Mr. Michaud of Maine, 
for his contribution and bipartisanship and cooperation in moving this 
bill forward.

                              {time}  1300

  I believe it is vital that VA better manage their medical facility 
capital assets to meet the needs of our Nation's veterans. VA has not 
constructed a new hospital in nearly 15 years, and as a result, a good 
amount of this institutional memory has been lost. It is important that 
we reassemble the processes that will allow VA to build appropriately 
sized facilities where they are truly needed and, at the same time, be 
prudent stewards of the taxpayers' money. Opportunities exist to 
reevaluate the traditional thinking and create new models for facility 
financing and construction that take full advantage of existing and 
potential collaborative relationships with medical universities, 
research partners, and other nonprofit organizations.
  My bill, H.R. 5815, as amended, would ensure that major medical 
facility projects are appropriately prioritized and support the out-
year health care demands of the veteran population. It would 
reinstitute a sense of centralized, consolidated institutional 
knowledge within the VA in the areas of construction and project 
management and also require VA to embrace opportunities to improve the 
quality of the care delivered through collaborative partnerships.
  Collaboration is becoming increasingly essential in delivering health 
care across the Nation. So long as we remain true to the distinct 
identity of the VA, and so long as we ensure the continued quality 
associated with VA care, VA collaboration on joint ventures with its 
extensive medical university affiliations and the Department of Defense 
can be mutually advantageous for all organizations by reducing capital 
and operational costs and eliminating duplications of clinical 
infrastructure such as operating rooms, labs, and expensive medical 
equipment.
  Let me briefly highlight some of the measures included in the bill. 
H.R. 5815 would authorize a total of about $2.4 billion for VA medical 
facility construction projects and leases.
  Section 2 of the bill would authorize $310 million to restore the VA 
medical center in Biloxi, Mississippi, and consolidate the services 
performed in Gulfport, Mississippi because of the damage from Hurricane 
Katrina. The project authorized may only be carried out as part of the 
joint-use facility shared by VA with Keesler Air Force Base, which is 
also in Biloxi and located in very close proximity to the existing VA 
medical center.
  Section 3 of the bill would authorize $100 million for VA to enter 
into an agreement with the Louisiana State University to design, 
construct, and operate a co-located, joint-use medical facility in or 
near New Orleans to replace the medical center damaged by Hurricane 
Katrina in August of 2005. The $100 million for advance planning and 
design effectively places a ceiling on how much can be expended while 
LSU and VA work toward a viable, collaborative model of care. This 
allows Congress the ability to assess progress and exercise prudent 
oversight prior to the actual construction of the facility.
  Section 4 of the bill would authorize $70 million for VA to enter 
into an agreement with the Medical University of South Carolina to 
design, construct, and operate a co-located, joint-use medical facility 
in Charleston, South Carolina, to replace the Ralph H. Johnson VA 
Medical Center. Similar to New Orleans, this provision allows the 
Department and Medical University the opportunity to thoroughly examine 
the opportunities and benefits that may exist as a result of co-
location, while only providing the funding necessary to plan and design 
a new facility. I would like to share my special thanks with the 
chairman of the committee, Steve Buyer, for his diligence on this 
project.
  We have come a long way with the VA over the past years, and I 
appreciate the momentum you have helped provide. Thank you, Mr. 
Chairman.
  Section 5 of the bill would authorize $98 million for VA to purchase 
a site for the replacement of the VA medical center in Denver, 
Colorado. It would also require VA to submit a report to this committee 
and our Senate counterpart on the viability of entering into a public-
private partnership for the construction and operation of the 
anticipated replacement facility. This would allow the taxpayers a 
reprieve from front-end loading the capital costs associated with 
building a state-of-the-art facility.
  Section 6 of the bill would extend authorization for 17 major medical 
facility construction projects previously authorized under Public Law 
108-170, but for which VA is unlikely to have contracts awarded by the 
end of this fiscal year. The bill would authorize $1.76 billion for 
these projects. The projects include the construction of

[[Page H6457]]

new medical centers in Las Vegas, Nevada, and Orlando, Florida, and the 
expansion of the Spinal Cord Injury Center in Tampa, Florida.
  Section 7 of the bill would authorize the appropriation of $52 
million and give VA the authorization to enter into certain major 
medical facility leases in eight different areas for needed outpatient 
clinics.
  Section 9 of the bill expresses the sense of Congress that VA should 
take steps to explore all options prior to our approval of funding 
expensive renovations in San Juan, Puerto Rico, that in the end will 
still fall short of the capacity needed to handle the projected 
workload for the region. VA would be required to provide a report on 
the various options available, including the option of a public or 
nonprofit organization partnership to construct and operate a new 
facility that would replace the current medical center.
  Section 11 of the bill would establish within VA a new career 
position with responsibility for construction and facilities management 
across all segments of the Department.
  Mr. Speaker, this is a carefully developed bill that represents the 
diligence and bipartisan work of the committee in this jurisdiction 
over VA construction matters. The key provisions of H.R. 5815 are 
supported by the administration, and I urge my colleagues to join me in 
support of this legislation.
  Mr. MICHAUD. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the good gentleman 
from California, Bob Filner
  Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding and thank 
the committee and the Chair for moving this bill forward.
  I rise also in support of H.R. 5815. It has been some time now since 
Congress acted to address the health care infrastructure of the 
Department of Veterans Affairs. I am pleased, along with everyone else, 
that the Committee on Veterans' Affairs has reasserted its traditional 
role in this area.
  We have supported the CARES process, the Capital Asset Realignment 
for Enhanced Services, but have always maintained that the most 
important part of that acronym is at the end, that is, ``enhanced 
services.'' Realignment is certainly essential, but enhanced services 
are critical.
  As the CARES report to the Secretary stated in 2004: ``VA 
infrastructure and support facilities, many built in the aftermath of 
World War II, are not all configured for contemporary health care 
delivery, and some are no longer appropriately located. Moreover, with 
an average age exceeding 50 years, these buildings are becoming more 
costly to maintain.''
  We all know that VA health care is a national asset. Our committee 
has been trying to ensure that veterans receive the health care they 
have earned and deserve. While health care funding should remain our 
biggest priority, we must also see to it that the facilities where 
veterans receive this health care are modern and up to date, as well as 
conveniently located to their place of residence. It is difficult to 
provide the most modern health care in facilities that are half a 
century old. It is time that we recognize this and move forward in 
bringing the aging VA infrastructure up to the standards of the 21st 
century.
  This bill is an important step in the process. It provides the 
authorization for the VA to complete the projects it has started. It 
provides the authorization for us to rebuild VA facilities that were 
destroyed by Hurricane Katrina, and it provides authority to further 
the VA's collaborative efforts, efforts that hold the promise of 
enhancing health care for our veterans while maintaining the unique 
identity of the VA health care system.
  We must ensure that VA construction projects are authorized, that the 
resources are provided to quickly complete them, and that we provide 
all the resources needed to maintain high quality health care in the 
Veterans Administration. We must keep our promises to the men and women 
who have served our Nation in the past and, of course, are serving us 
today.
  So I thank my colleagues on the Veterans' Affairs Committee for their 
work on this issue and urge speedy passage of this important 
legislation
  Mr. MICHAUD. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman and 
fighter for veterans issues from the great State of Florida, Corrine 
Brown.
  Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to support 
this bill and the hard work put in by Chairman Brown and Ranking Member 
Michaud.
  I am especially pleased that the committee has chosen to authorize 
the construction of a new medical center facility in Orlando, Florida, 
for $377.7 million and to require the facility to be located at the 
site in Lake Nona known as site selection C.
  It has been documented for 25 years, let me repeat, 25 years, that a 
VA hospital is badly needed in central Florida. As a 14-year member of 
the Veterans' Affairs Committee, I have been working to obtain a 
hospital in this area, something that has always been one of my top 
committee priorities. When the Naval Training Center was closed, I was 
excited to work with former Secretary Jesse Brown to open the clinic 
that was badly needed for central Florida veterans. It is time for a 
full medical center.
  It is important that the veterans of the central Florida region have 
a VA medical center that will serve all the needs to provide the type 
of health care that the VA is known for.
  I am especially pleased that the VA medical center will be co-located 
with the new Florida State medical school near an urban medical 
complex, in an area where doctors and research professors can work 
collaboratively on the needs of our area veterans. As many studies have 
shown, teaching hospitals give the best care and for the veterans to 
have access to this care and the veterans to have the same access is 
invaluable. It is the ultimate urban model, one that needs to be 
followed at all levels of medical treatment from Florida and throughout 
the Nation.
  The many hearings we have held to discuss the benefits of working 
together have shown the benefits, and the path has been set for success 
in other institutions. This is a win-win for everyone in the VA system 
in the central Florida area, and the veterans are truly deserving of 
this facility.
  Again, this is a great day and long overdue day for the central 
Florida community and for central Florida veterans. It is also a great 
day for all veterans from all over the Nation who will come to central 
Florida.
  Thank you again, Mr. Chairman and Mr. Ranking Member.
  Mr. BUYER. Mr. Speaker, at this time I yield 2\1/2\ minutes to the 
delegate from Puerto Rico (Mr. Fortuno).
  Mr. FORTUNO. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the Veterans Affairs Medical 
Facility Authorization Act. This bipartisan proposal, which I am 
honored to cosponsor with Chairman Brown and Ranking Member Michaud, 
would authorize major medical facility projects and major medical 
facility leases for the Department of Veterans Affairs for fiscal years 
2006 and 2007.
  As Puerto Rico's sole representative in Congress, I want to thank 
Chairman Brown and Ranking Member Michaud for agreeing to include 
section 9 of this bill. This section recognizes the need for medical 
facility improvements in San Juan, Puerto Rico. I request that the 
Secretary of Veterans Affairs take steps to explore all options for 
addressing these concerns, including the option of a public/private 
partnership to construct and operate a facility that would replace the 
current Department of Veterans Affairs medical center in San Juan, 
Puerto Rico. The San Juan VA Medical Center is a 319-acute-care-bed 
facility with documented condition deficiencies.
  In October of 2002, a decision was made to develop a two-phased 
strategy for the San Juan VA Medical Center: phase one, a new six-story 
tower with 314 beds; phase two, a main building renovation that will 
include asbestos abatement, sprinklers, utility improvements, and would 
correct seismic deficiencies.
  On April 14, 2006, an $84.05 million construction contract was 
awarded for phase one. The building is expected to be completed in May 
2009. The existing facility has approximately 630,845 gross square 
feet, and the proposed new tower would provide an additional 250,000 
feet. However, the CARES review determined that San Juan, based on 
current and projected workload, requires a total of 1,283,547 gross 
square feet to efficiently service our veterans. The current two-phase 
plan still falls

[[Page H6458]]

far short of the requirements identified under CARES by nearly 402,702 
gross square feet.

                              {time}  1315

  Given the documented substantial facility deficiencies, I am 
concerned about the U.S. taxpayers continuing to fund expensive 
renovations in San Juan which will ultimately fail to meet the capacity 
needed to handle the predicted workload.
  For this reason, this bill requires that no later than 180 days after 
the date of the enactment of this act, the Secretary of Veterans 
Affairs shall submit to the Committee of Veterans' Affairs of the House 
and the Senate a report identifying and outlining the various options 
available to the Department for replacing the current Department of 
Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Puerto Rico.
  Mr. Speaker, Puerto Rican veterans have served with honor and 
distinction in the Armed Forces of the United States in all wars and 
conflicts since 1917. Currently, over 9,000 of our men and women are 
active in our Nation's war on terrorism. Puerto Ricans have always 
responded to the call of defending our Nation, ranking number sixth in 
per capita contribution in Army, Reserve, and National Guard, fourth in 
the Reserve deployments when compared to units, and four Medals of 
Honor in Korea.
  In closing, I would like to once again thank Chairmen Buyer and 
Brown, Ranking Members Evans and Michaud, and committee staff for their 
report and their fine work.
  Mr. BUYER. I thank the delegate for his work on this bill.
  I yield 1\1/4\ minutes to Mr. Stearns of Florida
  Mr. STEARNS. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the time from my distinguished 
colleague.
  I am delighted today that we are voting today on H.R. 5815 that 
includes about $85 million for the Gainesville, Florida Malcom Randall 
Medical Center to correct patient privacy deficiencies. My colleagues, 
north Florida and south Georgia veterans rely on this hospital, and it 
will be well served by this appropriation. Further, this bill 
authorizes a long-awaited hospital in Orlando. And like the hospital in 
Gainesville, there is a synergistic collaboration of VA, academia, and 
industry research all coming together to make things better.
  We initiated the Capital Asset Realignment for Enhanced Services 
(CARES) process a few years ago. It is a comprehensive, objective 
system-wide approach to projecting into the future the appropriate 
function, size, and location of VA facilities. Out of CARES and then-
Secretary Principi's recommendation came the decisions on which we are 
voting today. It was carefully thought out, and I commend the chairman.
  What we learned from CARES is nothing we don't all know: veterans, 
like many seniors, are retiring to Florida. Every day they are crossing 
the border coming into our hospitals in the southern States, and we 
need to put the care where the veterans are coming and where they are 
located, Mr. Speaker. So I look forward to voting on this, and I 
appreciate the chairman's help
  Mr. MICHAUD. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 3 minutes to the 
gentlewoman from Nevada who has been a true advocate for veterans 
health care, Congresswoman Shelley Berkley. 
  Ms. BERKLEY. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.
  I rise in strong support of this remarkably good piece of 
legislation, and I would like to thank both Mr. Brown and Mr. Michaud, 
in particular the chairman Mr. Buyer and our ranking member Mr. Filner, 
for bringing us to this point with this legislation.
  I had the great pleasure of hosting both Mr. Filner and Mr. Buyer in 
Las Vegas so they could see for themselves firsthand what the needs of 
my veterans were. The day that Mr. Buyer was touring our shared VA 
hospital facility, the hospital facility was on divert, and 
unfortunately every other hospital in the Las Vegas area was also on 
divert. It is a very common occurrence in the fastest growing community 
in the United States, and that is why this is such an important piece 
of legislation.
  I represent the Las Vegas area of the State of Nevada. It is the 
fastest growing community in the United States. But I also have the 
fastest growing veterans population in the United States, and no health 
care facilities in which to treat these 200,000-plus veterans that call 
southern Nevada home.
  After the CARES study, it was determined that Las Vegas was indeed 
entitled to an entire medical complex, and I am very happy to say that 
this piece of legislation authorizes a medical complex that is 
comprised of three buildings, an 80-bed VA hospital, full-service VA 
hospital, a full-service outpatient clinic to take care of the needs of 
our veterans, and a 120-bed long-term facility which is so desperately 
needed in the southern Nevada area.
  It will be located on 147 acres in north Las Vegas on the corner of 
the 215 and Pecos Road. This land has already been transferred to the 
VA, so we don't have to worry about the land. This land has already 
been blessed by the Southern Nevada Paiute Tribe in a remarkable 
ceremony. We have already been allocated $259 million, and the VA 
Secretary in his testimony in front of our committee has stated on 
numerous occasions that the balance of the amount to finish this VA 
medical complex will be contained in the 2008 budget. I am absolutely 
delighted to be able to go back to the veterans in southern Nevada and 
let them know that my colleagues in the United States Congress 
recognized their needs and are answering the call and providing the 
needs for our veterans.
  I am looking forward to the groundbreaking that will be taking place 
in October. I am waiting for the VA Secretary to let us know when this 
groundbreaking will take place. We will do vertical construction at the 
beginning of next year, and hopefully this complex will be completed 
for our veterans in 2010.
  Mr. BUYER. I yield to Mr. Feeney of Florida 2 minutes.
  (Mr. FEENEY asked and was given permission to revise and extend his 
remarks.)
  Mr. FEENEY. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank Chairman Buyer, I want to 
thank Chairman Brown, and I want to thank Ranking Member Michaud, 
because as several of my colleagues from central Florida have said, our 
community in central Florida, which is home to almost 850,000 veterans, 
has for 30 years waited to get service that much of the rest of the 
country has enjoyed.
  Over 45 percent of our veterans are underserved, according to the 
veterans' own criteria in having to travel more than 2 hours for 
treatment. That doesn't include the many people that call central 
Florida their winter home from all over the districts from my friends 
around the rest of the country. It doesn't include the veterans that 
come as tourists that need immediate attention. We will be able to 
finally, after three decades, provide the attention that these much 
deserved veterans need.
  I would tell you that over 50 percent of our veterans have a service-
connected disability; 18 percent of them have posttraumatic stress 
syndrome, and it is very difficult for them to travel as far as 
Jacksonville or Tampa or beyond. We are the largest metropolitan area 
in the country that is not currently served by a VA medical center. We 
thank the CARES commission. We congratulate our friends in Las Vegas 
for their much needed funding for a new hospital, and we are very, very 
grateful for our colleagues.
  I will finish by saying that this site is a very, very exciting site. 
Five years ago, there was simply nothing existing here. Within 5 years, 
we will have a University of Central Florida brand-new medical school. 
We will have a Burnham Institute, one of the finest research medical 
facilities in the entire world, all sorts of spin-off businesses. The 
University of Central Florida, the University of Florida, probably 
Florida State University will all have medical research facilities 
located nearby.
  In sum I would say that, out of nowhere, we have built a medical 
city, and in the midst of it our great central Florida veterans will be 
being treated. They will remember what we have done here today. Again, 
I express my appreciation for all of you
  Today, there are more than 26.5 million veterans living in the United 
States and Puerto Rico with more than 1.8 million of them residing in 
the State of Florida. That is the second highest total in America, only 
behind California. More than one-third of these live in the Central 
Florida area alone. This number does not include those veterans who 
choose to

[[Page H6459]]

make Florida their home during the winter months of the year and those 
veterans who visit the numerous vacation areas in Central Florida, 
which can number in the tens of thousands.
  According to the VA, Central Florida is the number one destination 
for combat veterans and veterans 65 years of age or older. It is also 
the number one area for veterans who have 50 percent or more service 
connected disability, and 18 percent of our veterans have post 
traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
  Yet Orlando is the largest metropolitan area in the country that is 
not serviced by a VA medical center. In 2004, Orlando and its 
surrounding area was identified by the Department of Veterans Affairs 
through the Capital Asset Realignment for Enhanced Services (CARES) 
Commission as an area in need of a new VA medical center. CARES was 
intended to be a comprehensive, system-wide approach, identifying the 
demand for VA care and projecting into the future the appropriate 
function, size, and location for VA facilities. At this same time, 
CARES identified the need for a new medical complex in Las Vegas, 
Nevada. This need was appropriate and warranted, and the facility in 
Las Vegas has received funding and is scheduled to break ground this 
year. However, a hospital in Central Florida still remains an idea.
  Orlando area veterans along with the 128 active veterans service 
organizations in the Central Florida region average 2 hours of travel 
time to get to VA hospitals located in Tampa, Gainesville, and 
Jacksonville. This includes veterans who live in Orange, Seminole, 
Brevard, and Volusia counties. In fact, only 45% of our veterans are 
within the VA's access standards for hospital care. An Orlando VA 
medical center would cut most drive times in half, making it more 
convenient and cut down travel costs. A closer facility would also mean 
veterans would pursue the medical services provided by the VA and lead 
to a better quality of life, which they deserve.
  Concerns have arisen from Central Florida veterans associations in 
the area that a VA medical center will not come to fruition. At a May 
1st public hearing administered by the Orlando VA Hospital Site 
Selection Committee, many veterans were accusing lawmakers of not 
caring for veterans because of the slow progress that has been made.
  As of now, $25 million had been authorized by the VA for the Orlando 
VA Medical Center to assist in site selection, design, and planning. 
Choosing a site needs to be done while balancing the accessibility 
needs of Central Florida's veterans, along with the long-term economic 
impact the hospital will have on the State. This is essential as we 
look for ways to leverage funds to maximize investment benefit.
  This bill would authorize more than $377 million for the construction 
of this desperately needed facility at the Lake Nona site. This site 
will include a proposed medical school for the University of Central 
Florida and the future site of a laboratory research facility from the 
Burnha Institute, one of the world's leading healthcare and cancer 
research institutes.

  This stunning trifecta for Orlando: the VA hospital, the UCF Medical 
School, and the Burnham Institute will be valuable to both local 
veterans and the VA, as the medical school and research environment 
will provide insight into innovative and cutting-edge technologies 
which could serve as a vehicle for sharing expensive medical equipment. 
We also have confirmation from Orlando's Florida hospital that they 
look forward to partnering with the VA to help share in the costs of 
diagnostic equipment and contribute to residency and staffing needs. 
This commitment will ensure that those who have served our country have 
access to additional resources to further enhance the medical services 
the VA may offer to them.
  Veterans in Central Florida have been waiting for nearly three 
decades for a new complex that has continuously met delays. I 
appreciate this opportunity to express Central Florida's immediate and 
urgent need for a medical facility and I strongly urge passage of this 
bill so that our growing veterans' population may finally have 
appropriate access to vital health care services.
  Mr. MICHAUD. Mr. Speaker, once again I would like to thank the good 
chairman of the committee, Chairman Buyer, and chairman of the House 
Subcommittee, Henry Brown, for their hard work that they have done on 
this legislation, really making it a concerted effort to bringing on 
board today so that we can vote on this legislation. But, once again, 
the staff. I know this is not an easy process. The staff on both sides 
of the aisle have worked very diligently in this effort. So I do want 
to commend the staff on both sides of the aisle, and I really 
appreciate the chairman's strong advocacy for veterans and veterans 
issues, and enjoyed working with him on this legislation.
  Mr. BUYER. Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield?
  Mr. MICHAUD. I yield to the gentleman from Indiana.
  Mr. BUYER. Likewise, you do such good because you are a genuine human 
being, and I want to thank you for your leadership. And it was a treat 
and joy to work with you and Chairman Brown on this, along with your 
staff.
  I appreciate you also recognizing the staff. Mr. Tucker who is 
sitting there next to you, when I think of his work, and Mr. Weekly and 
Ms. Dunn, but also that of Jim Lariviere, Jim who now has been 
activated as a colonel in the Marine Corps in Afghanistan, Kelly Craven 
and Jim Holley who is also here on the floor for their hard work.
  But I also want to pause and, if I might, this is a pretty large bill 
and we have had to work with a lot of different Members. So if I might, 
I would like to thank, in particular, Mr. Michaud for your work. I want 
to thank Mr. Evans for his bipartisanship and his good work and his 
leadership. I also want to thank Chairman Brown for his work on the 
Charleston project, Mr. Fortuno for his work in Puerto Rico, Ms. 
Berkley in Las Vegas, Mr. Beauprez in Denver, Mr. Baker for New 
Orleans.
  And we got a full court press when it came to Orlando. We had 
leadership of Mr. Stearns, Mr. Feeney, Ms. Brown, Chairman Miller, Mr. 
Keller, Chairman Bilirakis, and Ms. Ginny Brown-Waite. So we got the 
full court press when it came to Orlando; we got the message. And it 
was just a real treat in working with all of them, and I thank the 
gentleman for recognizing them.
  Mr. MICHAUD. And, likewise, it has been a real treat. And even though 
I do not represent the State of Florida, there are a lot of snow birds 
from the State of Maine, veterans that go to Florida. So I have heard 
from my veterans as well as far as the facilities in Florida. I really 
appreciate your comments, Mr. Chairman.
  Mr. Speaker, I would yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. BUYER. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 5815 is a well-thought-out bill. It is 
the product of thorough bipartisan collaboration. I urge my colleagues 
to act favorably now and move this legislation to the Senate so that we 
can give our veterans the assurances of new and improved medical 
facilities
  Mr. EVANS. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise in support of H.R. 5815, 
the VA construction authorization bill. I commend my colleagues on the 
Committee in producing this important piece of legislation.
  I am glad to see Congress once again fulfilling its responsibility to 
authorize new health care facilities for veterans. This is an important 
task. Veterans deserve the highest quality of health care.
  I urge my colleagues to support this bill.
  Mr. BUYER. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Buyer) that the House suspend the rules and 
pass the bill, H.R. 5815, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor 
thereof) the rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

                          ____________________