[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 48 (Monday, March 23, 2015)]
[House]
[Pages H1822-H1824]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS BUDGET PLANNING REFORM ACT OF 2015
Mr. MILLER of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and
pass the bill (H.R. 216) to amend title 38, United States Code, to
direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to submit to Congress a
Future-Years Veterans Program and a quadrennial veterans review, to
establish in the Department of Veterans Affairs a Chief Strategy
Officer, and for other purposes, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 216
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 Budget Planning Reform Act of 2015''.
SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF STRATEGIC PLANS TO IMPROVE PROGRAMS
AND BENEFITS FOR VETERANS.
(a) Future-Years Veterans Program.--
(1) In general.--Chapter 1 of title 38, United States Code,
is amended by adding at the end the following new section:
``Sec. 119. Future-Years Veterans Program
``(a) Submission to Congress.--The Secretary shall submit
to Congress each year, at or about the time that the
President's budget is submitted to Congress pursuant to
section 1105(a) of title 31, a Future-Years Veterans Program
reflecting the estimated expenditures and proposed
appropriations included in that budget. Any such Future-Years
Veterans Program shall cover the fiscal year with respect to
which the budget is submitted and at least the four
succeeding fiscal years.
``(b) Consistency.--(1) The Secretary shall ensure that
amounts described in subparagraph (A) of paragraph (2) for
any fiscal year are consistent with amounts described in
subparagraph (B) of such paragraph for that fiscal year.
``(2) Amounts referred to in paragraph (1) are the
following:
``(A) The amounts specified in program and budget
information submitted to Congress by the Secretary in support
of expenditure estimates and proposed appropriations in the
budget submitted to Congress by the President under section
1105(a) of title 31 for any fiscal year, as shown in the
Future-Years Veterans Program submitted pursuant to
subsection (a).
``(B) The total amounts of estimated expenditures and
proposed appropriations necessary to support the programs,
projects, and activities of the Department of Veterans
Affairs included pursuant to paragraph (5) of section 1105(a)
of title 31 in the budget submitted to Congress under that
section for any fiscal year.
``(c) Contents.--The Future-Years Veterans Program under
subsection (a) shall set forth the five-year plan of the
Department to address the commitment of the United States to
veterans and the resources necessary to meet that commitment
and shall be developed and updated, as appropriate, annually
by the Secretary. Each Future-Years Veterans Program shall
include an explanation of--
``(1) the information that was used to develop program
planning guidance for the Future-Years Veterans Program; and
``(2) how the resource allocations included in the Future-
Years Veterans Program correlate to such five-year strategy.
``(d) Publication.--The Secretary shall publish on a
publically accessible Internet website of the Department each
Future-Years Veterans Program submitted pursuant to
subsection (a).''.
(2) Clerical amendment.--The table of sections at the
beginning of such chapter is amended by inserting after the
item relating to section 118 the following new item:
``119. Future-Years Veterans Program.''.
(3) Effective date.--Section 119 of title 38, United States
Code, as added by paragraph (1), shall apply with respect to
the preparation and submission of the budget request for the
Department of Veterans Affairs for fiscal year 2020 and
fiscal years thereafter.
(b) Quadrennial Veterans Review.--
(1) In general.--Such chapter is further amended by adding
after section 119, as added by subsection (a)(1), the
following new section:
``Sec. 120. Quadrennial veterans review
``(a) Requirement.--(1) Not later than fiscal year 2019,
and every fourth year thereafter, the Secretary shall conduct
a review of the strategy for meeting the commitment of the
United States to veterans and the resources necessary to meet
that commitment (in this section referred to as a
`quadrennial veterans review').
``(2) Each quadrennial veterans review shall include a
comprehensive examination of the policies and strategies of
the United States with respect to veterans, including
recommendations regarding the long-term strategy and
priorities for programs, services, benefits, and outcomes
regarding veterans and guidance on the programs, assets,
capabilities, budget, policies, and authorities of the
Department.
``(3) The Secretary shall conduct each quadrennial veterans
review in consultation with key officials of the Department,
the heads of other Federal agencies, and other relevant
governmental and nongovernmental entities, including State,
local, and tribal government officials, members of Congress,
veterans service organizations, private sector
representatives, academics, and other policy experts.
``(4) The Secretary shall ensure that each quadrennial
veterans review is coordinated with the Future-Years Veterans
Program required under section 119 of this title.
``(b) Contents of Review.--In each quadrennial veterans
review, the Secretary shall--
``(1) delineate a veterans strategy consistent with the
commitment of the United States to veterans and refine a
strategy for the types of, and provision of, programs,
services, benefits, and outcomes consistent with current
authorities and requirements;
``(2) outline and prioritize the full range of programs and
capabilities regarding veterans provided by the Federal
Government;
``(3) identify the budget plan required to provide
sufficient resources to successfully execute the full range
of such programs and capabilities;
``(4) include an assessment of the organizational alignment
of the Department with respect to the strategy referred to in
paragraph (1) and the programs and capabilities referred to
in paragraph (2);
``(5) review and assess the effectiveness of the mechanisms
of the Department for executing the process of turning the
requirements identified in the quadrennial veterans review
into a plan to meet such requirements, including an
expenditure plan for the Department; and
``(6) identify emerging trends, problems, opportunities,
and issues that could affect veterans or the Department
during the ten-year period following the period covered by
the review.
``(c) Submission to Congress.--(1) The Secretary shall
submit to the Committees on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate
and the House of Representatives a report regarding each
quadrennial veterans review. The Secretary shall submit the
report in the year following the year in which the review is
conducted, but not later than the date on which the President
submits to Congress the budget for the next fiscal year under
section 1105 of title 31.
``(2) Each report submitted under paragraph (1) shall
include--
[[Page H1823]]
``(A) the results of the quadrennial veterans review;
``(B) a description of the challenges to, and opportunities
for, the assumed or defined veterans-related interests of the
Nation that were examined for the purposes of that review;
``(C) the strategy for meeting the Nation's commitment to
veterans, including a prioritized list of the missions of the
Department;
``(D) a description of the interagency cooperation,
preparedness of Federal assets, infrastructure, budget plan,
and other elements of the programs and policies of the Nation
associated with the strategy referred to in subsection (b)(1)
that are required to execute successfully the full range of
programs and capabilities identified in such strategy and the
programs and capabilities outlined under subsection (b)(2);
``(E) an assessment of the organizational alignment of the
Department with the strategy referred to in subsection (b)(1)
and the programs and capabilities outlined under subsection
(b)(2), including the Department's organizational structure,
management systems, budget and accounting systems, human
resources systems, procurement systems, and physical and
technical infrastructure;
``(F) a discussion of the status of cooperation among
Federal agencies in the effort to promote national support
for veterans;
``(G) a discussion of the status of cooperation between the
Federal Government and State, local, and tribal governments
in supporting veterans and providing programs, services,
benefits, and outcomes to assist veterans;
``(H) an explanation of any underlying assumptions used in
conducting the review; and
``(I) any other matter the Secretary considers appropriate.
``(d) Publication.--The Secretary shall publish on a
publically accessible Internet website of the Department each
quadrennial veterans review submitted pursuant to subsection
(c).
``(e) Independent Veterans Review Panel.--(1) Not later
than February 1 of a year in which a quadrennial veterans
review is conducted under this section, the Secretary shall
establish an independent panel to be known as the Independent
Veterans Review Panel (in this subsection referred to as the
`Panel'). The Panel shall have the duties set forth in this
subsection.
``(2) The Panel shall be composed of 10 members who are
recognized experts in matters relating to veterans. The
members shall be appointed as follows:
``(A) Two by the chairman of the Committee on Veterans'
Affairs of the House of Representatives.
``(B) Two by the chairman of the Committee on Veterans'
Affairs of the Senate.
``(C) Two by the ranking member of the Committee on
Veterans' Affairs of the House of Representatives.
``(D) Two by the ranking member of the Committee on
Veterans' Affairs of the Senate.
``(E) Two by the Secretary, who shall serve as co-chairs of
the panel.
``(3) Members shall be appointed for the life of the Panel.
Any vacancy in the Panel shall be filled in the same manner
as the original appointment.
``(4) The Panel shall have the following duties with
respect to a quadrennial veterans review:
``(A) While the review is being conducted, the Panel shall
review the updates from the Secretary required under
paragraph (7) on the progress of the conduct of the review.
``(B) The Panel shall--
``(i) review the Secretary's terms of reference and any
other materials providing the basis for, or substantial
inputs to, the work of the Department of Veterans Affairs on
the quadrennial veterans review;
``(ii) conduct an assessment of the assumptions, strategy,
findings, and risks included in the report on the quadrennial
veterans review required in subsection (c);
``(iii) conduct an independent assessment of a variety of
strategies for delivering services and support to veterans;
``(iv) review the resource requirements identified pursuant
to subsection (b)(3) and, to the extent practicable, make a
general comparison to the resource requirements to support
the strategies assessed under this subparagraph; and
``(v) provide to the Committees on Veterans' Affairs of the
Senate and the House of Representatives and the Secretary,
through the report under paragraph (7), any recommendations
the Panel determines appropriate.
``(5) If the Secretary has not appointed members to the
Panel under paragraph (2)(E) by February 1 of a year in which
a quadrennial veterans review is conducted under this
section, the Panel shall convene for its first meeting with
the remaining members.
``(6) Not later than three months after the date on which
the report on a quadrennial veterans review is submitted
under subsection (c) to the Committees on Veterans' Affairs
of the Senate and the House of Representatives, the Panel
shall submit to such committees a report containing an
assessment of the quadrennial veterans review, including a
description of the items addressed under paragraph (4) with
respect to that quadrennial veterans review.
``(7) Periodically, but not less often than every 60 days
during the life of the panel, or at the request of the co-
chairs, the Secretary shall brief the Panel on the progress
of the conduct of the quadrennial veterans review.
``(8)(A) The Panel may request directly from the Department
such information as the Panel considers necessary to carry
out its duties under this subsection. The Secretary shall
cooperate with the Panel to ensure that information requested
by the Panel under this subparagraph is promptly provided to
the maximum extent practical.
``(B) Upon the request of the co-chairs, the Secretary
shall make available to the Panel the services of any
federally funded research and development center that is
covered by a sponsoring agreement of the Department.
``(C) The Panel shall have the authorities provided in
section 3161 of title 5 and shall be subject to the
conditions set forth in such section.
``(D) Funds for activities of the Panel shall be provided
from amounts available to the Department.
``(9) The Panel shall terminate 45 days after the date on
which the Panel submits the report on the quadrennial
veterans review under paragraph (6).''.
(2) Clerical amendment.--The table of sections at the
beginning of such chapter is amended by inserting after the
item relating to section 119, as added by subsection (a)(2),
the following new item:
``120. Quadrennial veterans review.''.
(c) Policy Guidance.--
(1) In general.--Such chapter is further amended by adding
after section 120, as added by subsection (b)(1), the
following new section:
``Sec. 121. Policy guidance
``The Secretary shall provide annually to the appropriate
officials of the Department written policy guidance for the
preparation and review of the planning and program
recommendations and budget proposals of the elements of the
Department of such officials. Such guidance shall include
guidance on the objectives of the Department in accordance
with Future-Years Veterans Program under section 119 of this
title and the quadrennial veterans review under section 120
and the resource levels projected to be available for the
period of time for which such recommendations and proposals
are to be effective.''.
(2) Clerical amendment.--The table of sections at the
beginning of such chapter is amended by inserting after the
item relating to section 120, as added by subsection (b)(2),
the following new item:
``121. Policy guidance.''.
SEC. 3. CHIEF STRATEGY OFFICER OF THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS
AFFAIRS.
(a) In General.--Chapter 3 of title 38, United States Code,
is amended by adding at the end the following new section:
``Sec. 323. Chief Strategy Officer
``(a) In General.--The Secretary shall designate the
Assistant Secretary whose functions include planning,
studies, and evaluations as the Chief Strategy Officer of the
Department. The Chief Strategy Officer shall advise the
Secretary on long-range strategy and implications.
``(b) Responsibilities.--The Chief Strategy Officer is the
principal advisor to the Secretary and other senior officials
of the Department, and shall provide independent analysis and
advice to the Secretary and such officials. The Chief
Strategy Officer shall carry out the following
responsibilities:
``(1) Conducting cost estimation and cost analysis for the
programs of the Department.
``(2) Establishing policies for, and overseeing the
integration of, the planning, programming, budgeting and
execution process for the Department.
``(3) Providing analysis and advice on matters relating to
the planning and programming phase of the planning,
programming, budgeting and execution process, and the
preparation of materials and guidance for such process, as
directed by the Secretary, working in coordination with the
Assistant Secretary for Management.
``(4) Developing and executing the Future-Years Veterans
Program of the Department, as specified under section 119 of
this title.
``(5) Developing resource discussions relating to
requirements under consideration in the quadrennial veterans
review under section 120 of this title.
``(6) Formulating study guidance for analysis of
alternatives for programs and initiatives, including any
necessary acquisitions, development, or procurement
commensurate with such alternatives, and performance of such
analysis as directed by the Secretary.
``(7) Reviewing, analyzing, and evaluating programs for
executing approved strategies and policies, ensuring that
information on programs and expected outcomes is presented
accurately and completely.
``(8) Ensuring that the costs of programs and alternatives
are presented accurately and completely by assisting in
establishing standards, policies, and procedures for the
conduct of cost estimation and cost analysis throughout the
Department, including guidance relating to the proper
selection of confidence levels in cost estimates generally
and for specific programs of the Department.
``(9) Conducting studies at the request of the Secretary
regarding costs, policy assumptions, and strategic
implications of current policies and possible alternatives.
``(10) Communicating directly to the Secretary and the
Deputy Secretary of Veterans Affairs about matters for which
the Chief Strategy Officer is responsible without obtaining
the approval or concurrence of any other official within the
Department.''.
[[Page H1824]]
(b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections at the
beginning of such chapter is amended by inserting after the
item relating to section 322 the following new item:
``323. Chief Strategy Officer.''.
SEC. 4. PROHIBITION ON NEW APPROPRIATIONS.
No additional funds are authorized to be appropriated to
carry out this Act or the amendments made by this Act. This
Act and such amendments shall be carried out using amounts
otherwise available for the Department of Veterans Affairs.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Florida (Mr. Miller) and the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr.
Clyburn) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Florida.
General Leave
Mr. MILLER of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all
Members have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their
remarks and add extraneous material on H.R. 216, as amended.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Florida?
There was no objection.
Mr. MILLER of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Mr. Speaker, H.R. 216, as amended, would revise the process by which
the Department of Veterans Affairs prepares its annual budget as a
means to provide Congress with greater transparency regarding VA's
alignment of resource requirements with its strategic goals.
The bill directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to submit annually
to Congress a Future-Years Veterans Program reflecting estimated
expenditures and proposed appropriations included in the budget for
that fiscal year and the subsequent 4 fiscal years.
The bill would also require the Secretary, in 2019 and every 4 years
thereafter, to conduct a review of the strategy for meeting the
Nation's commitment to veterans and the resources needed to implement
the strategy. To assist the Secretary in carrying out the 5-year plan
and the quadrennial review, the bill would require the Secretary to
designate a chief strategy officer to advise the Secretary on long-
range VA strategy and implications.
Finally, the bill puts in place a 10-member panel to study the
quadrennial review and report back to the Congress on the panel's
opinions of the review's findings. The combination of the 5-year budget
look-ahead, the quadrennial review, and the panel is intended to
increase our ability to determine VA's future needs in a manner that
provides checks and balances that currently do not exist.
Mr. Speaker, this really is a commonsense bill. No longer would VA be
able to announce ambitious goals such as ending homelessness or
eliminating the claims backlog without Members of Congress and the
public having insight into the estimated long-range resources that are
going to be needed to meet those goals.
With a $168 billion budget, veterans and taxpayers deserve full
transparency when it comes to how scarce resources are planned to be
allocated.
I must also add that this bill makes no additional fund available and
would require VA to accomplish this bill's requirements within its
existing resources.
With that, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. CLYBURN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 216, as amended, the
Department of Veterans Affairs Budget Planning Reform Act of 2015.
This bill represents a bipartisan effort of the Veterans Affairs'
Committee, building on the work of former Ranking Member Michael
Michaud and current Ranking Member Corrine Brown of Florida.
I also want to thank Chairman Jeff Miller, Mr. Doug Lamborn of
Colorado, and all of the members of the committee for their efforts on
behalf of this bill.
H.R. 216 would codify and strengthen efforts by the VA to improve the
manner in which it matches resources with requirements. H.R. 216 will
improve transparency and give us in Congress, veterans, and the
American people a better sense of where the VA is going and how it
intends to get there.
It is often said that the journey of a thousand miles begins with a
single step. Far too often, it seems that, in terms of budget planning,
the VA is focused on the single step and not the thousand-mile journey.
Currently, the majority of the VA's programs are provided funding
under what is called ``advance appropriations.'' This means that the VA
budget is put in place well before the start of the fiscal year in
which it will be needed.
{time} 1645
This also means that the VA is attempting to estimate the demands it
will face many, many months down the road. H.R. 216 will assist the VA
in ensuring that these estimates are as reliable as possible.
H.R. 216 will provide the necessary framework for the VA to
strategically determine how best to meet the needs of veterans, while
ensuring that this framework and these decisions are transparent and
justified. This will assist our work here in Congress and give veterans
the peace of mind that the VA is looking to the future and not caught
in the past.
H.R. 216 would require the VA to lay out a 5-year budget plan
beginning in fiscal year 2020. This budget plan would be informed by a
quadrennial review, initially required in fiscal year 2019, and then
upgraded every 4 years. This would give the VA plenty of time to ensure
that its internal processes can support these requirements.
H.R. 216 would also require the Secretary to provide annual policy
guidance to ensure that near-term budgets are aligned with the VA's
longer-term strategic outlook.
Many of the challenges the VA is facing today are remarkably similar
to the problems it was facing when I served on the committee two
decades ago. There is always a challenge to fit the available resources
to the immediate needs and to focus on what will be required in the
months ahead. It is easy to lose focus on where we are going while
meeting the emergencies and crises of today.
I believe that H.R. 216 will assist all of us in keeping the entire
journey in mind and not the single step. It will provide the
information we need to look ahead, enable veterans and the American
people to have the information they need to be assured that we are on
the right track, and better enable the VA to get the resources it truly
needs to meet the challenges it faces.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. MILLER of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I have no speakers, so if the
gentleman is prepared to close, I am also prepared to close.
Mr. CLYBURN. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 216.
I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. MILLER of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I do want to thank my good
friend, Mr. Clyburn, for helping manage this bill for Ms. Brown and
also to say thank you to our former colleague, Mr. Michaud, who did, in
fact, work long and hard to get this piece of legislation brought to
the floor.
Once again, I encourage all Members to support H.R. 216, as amended.
I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Florida (Mr. Miller) that the House suspend the rules
and pass the bill, H.R. 216, as amended.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
Mr. MILLER of Florida. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and
nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further
proceedings on this motion will be postponed.
____________________