[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 167 (Tuesday, November 10, 2015)]
[Senate]
[Page S7918]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 2792. Mr. McCAIN submitted an amendment intended to be proposed to 
amendment SA 2763 proposed by Mr. Kirk (for himself, Mr. Tester, and 
Ms. Mikulski) to the bill H.R. 2029, making appropriations for military 
construction, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and related agencies 
for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2016, and for other purposes; 
which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

       At the end of title II, add the following:

     SEC. 2___. EXPANSION OF CHOICE PROGRAM OF DEPARTMENT OF 
                   VETERANS AFFAIRS.

       (a) Elimination of Sunset.--
       (1) In general.--Section 101 of the Veterans Access, 
     Choice, and Accountability Act of 2014 (Public Law 113-146; 
     38 U.S.C. 1701 note) is amended--
       (A) by striking subsection (p); and
       (B) by redesignating subsections (q), (r), (s), and (t) as 
     subsections (p), (q), (r), and (s), respectively.
       (2) Conforming amendments.--Such section is amended--
       (A) in subsection (i)(2), by striking ``during the period 
     in which the Secretary is authorized to carry out this 
     section pursuant to subsection (p)''; and
       (B) in subsection (p)(2), as redesignated by paragraph 
     (1)(B), by striking subparagraph (F).
       (b) Expansion of Eligibility.--
       (1) In general.--Subsection (b) of such section is amended 
     to read as follows:
       ``(b) Eligible Veterans.--A veteran is an eligible veteran 
     for purposes of this section if the veteran is enrolled in 
     the patient enrollment system of the Department of Veterans 
     Affairs established and operated under section 1705 of title 
     38, United States Code, including any such veteran who has 
     not received hospital care or medical services from the 
     Department and has contacted the Department seeking an 
     initial appointment from the Department for the receipt of 
     such care or services.''.
       (2) Conforming amendments.--Such section is amended--
       (A) in subsection (c)(1)--
       (i) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by striking 
     ``In the case of an eligible veteran described in subsection 
     (b)(2)(A), the Secretary shall, at the election of the 
     eligible veteran'' and inserting ``The Secretary shall, at 
     the election of an eligible veteran''; and
       (ii) in subparagraph (A), by striking ``described in such 
     subsection'' and inserting ``of the Veterans Health 
     Administration'';
       (B) in subsection (f)(1), by striking ``subsection (b)(1)'' 
     and inserting ``subsection (b)'';
       (C) in subsection (g), by striking paragraph (3); and
       (D) in subsection (p)(2)(A), as redesignated by subsection 
     (a)(1)(B), by striking ``, disaggregated by--'' and all that 
     follows through ``subsection (b)(2)(D)''.
       (c) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section 
     shall apply with respect to hospital care and medical 
     services furnished under section 101 of the Veterans Access, 
     Choice, and Accountability Act of 2014 (Public Law 113-146; 
     38 U.S.C. 1701 note) on and after the date that is 90 days 
     after the date of the enactment of this Act.
                                 ______