[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 128 (Friday, July 28, 2017)]
[House]
[Pages H6531-H6538]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS BONUS TRANSPARENCY ACT


                             General Leave

  Mr. ROE of TENNESSEE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all 
Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and 
include extraneous material in the Record on S. 114, as amended.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Tennessee?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. ROE of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 480, 
I call up the bill (S. 114) to amend title 38, United States Code, to 
require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to submit an annual report 
regarding performance awards and bonuses awarded to certain high-level 
employees of the Department of Veterans Affairs, and ask for its 
immediate consideration in the House.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to House Resolution 480, the 
amendment in the nature of a substitute printed in House Report 115-
262, shall be considered as adopted, and the bill, as amended, is 
considered read.
  The text of the bill, as amended, is as follows:

       Strike all after the enacting clause and insert the 
     following:

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.

       (a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``VA Choice 
     and Quality Employment Act of 2017''.
       (b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents for this Act 
     is as follows:

Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.

     TITLE I--APPROPRIATION OF AMOUNTS FOR VETERANS CHOICE PROGRAM

Sec. 101. Appropriation of amounts for Veterans Choice Program.

                      TITLE II--PERSONNEL MATTERS

Sec. 201. Modification to annual determination of staffing shortages in 
              Veterans Health Administration.
Sec. 202. Establishment of Department of Veterans Affairs Executive 
              Management Fellowship Program.
Sec. 203. Accountability of leaders for managing the Department of 
              Veterans Affairs.
Sec. 204. Reemployment of former employees at Department of Veterans 
              Affairs.
Sec. 205. Promotional opportunities for technical experts at Department 
              of Veterans Affairs.
Sec. 206. Employment of students and recent graduates by Department of 
              Veterans Affairs.
Sec. 207. Encouragement of transition of military medical professionals 
              into employment with Veterans Health Administration.
Sec. 208. Recruiting database at Department of Veterans Affairs.
Sec. 209. Training for human resources professionals of Veterans Health 
              Administration on recruitment and retention.
Sec. 210. Plan to hire directors of medical centers of Department of 
              Veterans Affairs.
Sec. 211. Exit surveys at Department of Veterans Affairs.
Sec. 212. Requirement that physician assistants employed by the 
              Department of Veterans Affairs receive competitive pay.
Sec. 213. Expansion of direct-hiring authority for Department of 
              Veterans Affairs in case of shortage of highly qualified 
              candidates.
Sec. 214. Comptroller General of the United States assessment of 
              succession planning at Department of Veterans Affairs.

                TITLE III--MAJOR MEDICAL FACILITY LEASES

Sec. 301. Authorization of certain major medical facility leases of the 
              Department of Veterans Affairs.
Sec. 302. Authorization of appropriations for medical facility leases.

                        TITLE IV--OTHER MATTERS

Sec. 401. Extension of reduction in amount of pension furnished by 
              Department of Veterans Affairs for certain veterans 
              covered by medicaid plans for services furnished by 
              nursing facilities.
Sec. 402. Extension of requirement for collection of fees for housing 
              loans guaranteed by Secretary of Veterans Affairs.
Sec. 403. Extension of authority to use income information.

     TITLE I--APPROPRIATION OF AMOUNTS FOR VETERANS CHOICE PROGRAM

     SEC. 101. APPROPRIATION OF AMOUNTS FOR VETERANS CHOICE 
                   PROGRAM.

       (a) In General.--There is authorized to be appropriated, 
     and is appropriated, to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, 
     out of any funds in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, 
     $2,100,000,000 to be deposited in the Veterans Choice Fund 
     under section 802 of the Veterans Access, Choice, and 
     Accountability Act of 2014 (Public Law 113-146; 38 U.S.C. 
     1701 note).
       (b) Availability.--The amount appropriated under subsection 
     (a) shall remain available until expended.

                      TITLE II--PERSONNEL MATTERS

     SEC. 201. MODIFICATION TO ANNUAL DETERMINATION OF STAFFING 
                   SHORTAGES IN VETERANS HEALTH ADMINISTRATION.

       Section 7412(a) of title 38, United States Code, is 
     amended--

[[Page H6532]]

       (1) by striking ``the five occupations'' and inserting ``at 
     a minimum, the five clinical occupations and the five 
     nonclinical occupations''; and
       (2) by striking ``throughout the Department'' and inserting 
     ``with respect to each medical center of the Department,''.

     SEC. 202. ESTABLISHMENT OF DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS 
                   EXECUTIVE MANAGEMENT FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM.

       (a) Fellowship Program.--Chapter 7 of title 38, United 
     States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following 
     new subchapter:

       ``SUBCHAPTER III--EXECUTIVE MANAGEMENT FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM

     ``Sec. 741. Executive Management Fellowship Program

       ``(a) Fellowship Program.--There is in the Department an 
     Executive Management Fellowship Program. The purpose of the 
     program shall be to provide--
       ``(1) eligible employees of the Veterans Benefits 
     Administration and the Veterans Health Administration with 
     training and experience in the private sector; and
       ``(2) eligible employees of a private-sector entity with 
     training and experience in the Department of Veterans 
     Affairs.
       ``(b) Fellowship.--(1) A fellowship provided under this 
     section is a 1-year fellowship during which--
       ``(A) with respect to a Department participant, the 
     participant receives training and experience at a private-
     sector entity that is engaged in the administration and 
     delivery of health care or other services similar to the 
     benefits administered by the Secretary; and
       ``(B) with respect to a private-sector participant, the 
     participant receives training and experience at the Veterans 
     Benefits Administration or the Veterans Health 
     Administration.
       ``(2) The Secretary shall enter into such agreements with 
     private-sector entities as are necessary to carry out this 
     section.
       ``(c) Selection of Recipients.--(1) In August of each year, 
     the Secretary shall select--
       ``(A) not fewer than 18 and not more than 30 eligible 
     employees of the Veterans Benefits Administration and the 
     Veterans Health Administration to receive a fellowship under 
     this section; and
       ``(B) not fewer than 18 and not more than 30 eligible 
     employees of private-sector entities to receive a fellowship 
     under this section.
       ``(2) To the extent practicable, the Secretary shall select 
     eligible employees under subparagraphs (A) and (B) of 
     paragraph (1) from among eligible employees who are veterans 
     in a manner that is reflective of the demographics of the 
     veteran population of the United States and that whenever 
     practicable provides a preference to such employees who 
     represent or service rural areas.
       ``(d) Eligible Employees.--For the purposes of this 
     section, an eligible employee is--
       ``(1) with respect to an employee of the Veterans Benefits 
     Administration or the Veterans Health Administration, an 
     employee who--
       ``(A) is compensated at a rate of basic pay not less than 
     the minimum rate of basic pay payable for grade GS-14 of the 
     General Schedule and not more than either the minimum rate of 
     basic pay payable to a member of the Senior Executive Service 
     under section 5382 of title 5 or the minimum rate of basic 
     pay payable pursuant to chapter 74 of this title, as the case 
     may be;
       ``(B) enters into an agreement with the Secretary under 
     subsection (e); and
       ``(C) submits to the Secretary an application containing 
     such information and assurances as the Secretary may require; 
     and
       ``(2) with respect to an employee of a private-sector 
     entity, an employee who--
       ``(A) is employed in a position whose duties and 
     responsibilities are commensurate with an employee of the 
     Department described in paragraph (1);
       ``(B) enters into an agreement with the Secretary under 
     subsection (e); and
       ``(C) submits to the Secretary an application containing 
     such information and assurances as the Secretary may require.
       ``(e) Agreements.--(1) An agreement between the Secretary 
     and a Department participant shall be in writing, shall be 
     signed by the participant, and shall include the following 
     provisions:
       ``(A) The Secretary's agreement to provide the participant 
     with a fellowship under this section;
       ``(B) The participant's agreement--
       ``(i) to accept the fellowship;
       ``(ii) after completion of the fellowship, to serve as a 
     full-time employee in the Veterans Benefits Administration or 
     the Veterans Health Administration for at least 2 years as 
     specified in the agreement; and
       ``(iii) that, during the 2-year period beginning on the 
     last day of the fellowship, the participant will not accept 
     employment in the same industry as the industry of the 
     private-sector entity at which the participant accepts the 
     fellowship.
       ``(C) A provision that any financial obligation of the 
     United States arising out of an agreement entered into under 
     this subchapter, and any obligation of the participant which 
     is conditioned on such agreement, is contingent upon funds 
     being appropriated.
       ``(D) A statement of the damages to which the United States 
     is entitled under this subchapter for the participant's 
     breach of the agreement.
       ``(E) Such other terms as the Secretary determines are 
     required to be included in the agreement.
       ``(2) An agreement between the Secretary and a private-
     sector participant shall be in writing, shall be signed by 
     the participant, and shall include the following provisions:
       ``(A) The Secretary's agreement to provide the participant 
     with a fellowship under this section.
       ``(B) The participant's agreement to accept the fellowship.
       ``(C) Such other terms as the Secretary determines are 
     required to be included in the agreement.
       ``(f) Treatment of Recipients.--(1) A Department 
     participant shall be considered an employee of the Department 
     for all purposes, including for purposes of receiving a 
     salary and benefits, and shall remain eligible for all 
     promotion and incentive programs otherwise available to such 
     an employee.
       ``(2) A private-sector participant shall be considered an 
     employee of the private-sector entity that employs the 
     participant for all purposes, including for purposes of 
     receiving a salary and benefits, and during the fellowship 
     shall be treated as a contractor of the Department.
       ``(g) Reports.--(1) Not later than 60 days after completing 
     a fellowship under this section, a recipient of the 
     fellowship shall submit to the Secretary a report on the 
     fellowship.
       ``(2) Each such report shall describe the duties of the 
     recipient during the fellowship and any recommendations of 
     the recipient for the application by the Secretary of 
     industry processes, technologies, and best practices.
       ``(3) Not later than 7 days after receiving each such 
     report, the Secretary shall submit to the Committees on 
     Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and House of Representatives 
     such report without change.
       ``(h) Definitions.--In this section:
       ``(1) The term `Department participant' means an employee 
     of the Veterans Benefits Administration or the Veterans 
     Health Administration who is participating in the fellowship 
     under this section.
       ``(2) The term `private-sector entity' includes an entity 
     operating under a public-private partnership.
       ``(3) The term `private-sector participant' means an 
     employee of a private-sector entity who is participating in 
     the fellowship under this section.''.
       (b) Deadline for Implementation.--Not later than 1 year 
     after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of 
     Veterans Affairs shall implement the Executive Management 
     Fellowship Program required under section 741 of title 38, 
     United States Code, as added by subsection (a).
       (c) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections at the 
     beginning of chapter 7 of title 38, United States Code, is 
     amended by adding at the end the following new items:

       ``subchapter iii--executive management fellowship program

``741. Executive Management Fellowship Program.''.

     SEC. 203. ACCOUNTABILITY OF LEADERS FOR MANAGING THE 
                   DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.

       (a) In General.--Subchapter I of chapter 7 of title 38, 
     United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the 
     following new section:

     ``Sec. 725. Annual performance plan for political appointees

       ``(a) In General.--The Secretary shall conduct an annual 
     performance plan for each political appointee of the 
     Department that is similar to the annual performance plan 
     conducted for an employee of the Department who is appointed 
     as a career appointee (as that term is defined in section 
     3132(a) of title 5) within the Senior Executive Service at 
     the Department.
       ``(b) Elements of Plan.--Each annual performance plan 
     conducted under subsection (a) with respect to a political 
     appointee of the Department shall include an assessment of 
     whether the appointee is meeting the following goals:
       ``(1) Recruiting, selecting, and retaining well-qualified 
     individuals for employment at the Department.
       ``(2) Engaging and motivating employees.
       ``(3) Training and developing employees and preparing those 
     employees for future leadership roles within the Department.
       ``(4) Holding each employee of the Department that is a 
     manager accountable for addressing issues relating to 
     performance, in particular issues relating to the performance 
     of employees that report to the manager.
       ``(c) Definition of Political Appointee.--In this section, 
     the term `political appointee' means an employee of the 
     Department who holds--
       ``(1) a position which has been excepted from the 
     competitive service by reason of its confidential, policy-
     determining, policy-making, or policy-advocating character; 
     or
       ``(2) a position in the Senior Executive Service as a 
     noncareer appointee (as such term is defined in section 
     3132(a) of title 5).''.
       (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections at the 
     beginning of chapter 7 of such title is amended by inserting 
     after the item relating to section 723 the following new 
     item:

``725. Annual performance plan for political appointees.''.

[[Page H6533]]

  


     SEC. 204. REEMPLOYMENT OF FORMER EMPLOYEES AT DEPARTMENT OF 
                   VETERANS AFFAIRS.

       (a) In General.--Notwithstanding sections 3309 through 3318 
     of title 5, United States Code, the Secretary of Veterans 
     Affairs may noncompetitively appoint a qualified former 
     career or career conditional employee to any position within 
     the competitive service at the Department of Veterans Affairs 
     that is one grade or equivalent higher than the grade or 
     equivalent of the position at the Department most recently 
     occupied by the employee.
       (b) Limitation.--The Secretary may not appoint a qualified 
     former employee to a position that is more than one grade (or 
     equivalent) higher than the position at the Department most 
     recently occupied by the employee.
       (c) Definition of Qualified Former Employee.--For purposes 
     of this section, the term ``qualified former employee'' means 
     any individual who--
       (1) formerly occupied any career or career conditional 
     position at the Department of Veterans Affairs within 2 years 
     before applying for reemployment at the Department;
       (2) voluntarily left such position, or was subject to a 
     reduction in force, and had a satisfactory performance record 
     while occupying such position; and
       (3) since leaving such position has maintained licensing 
     requirements, related to the position, if any, and gained 
     skill, knowledge, or other factors related to the position.

     SEC. 205. PROMOTIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR TECHNICAL EXPERTS AT 
                   DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.

       Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of 
     this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall establish a 
     promotional track system for employees of the Department of 
     Veterans Affairs that the Secretary determines are technical 
     experts pursuant to regulations prescribed by the Secretary 
     for purposes of carrying out this section. Such system 
     shall--
       (1) provide any such employee the opportunity to advance 
     within the Department without being required to transition to 
     a management position; and
       (2) for purposes of achieving career advancement--
       (A) provide for the establishment of new positions within 
     the Department; and
       (B) notwithstanding any other provision of law, provide for 
     increases in pay for any such employee.

     SEC. 206. EMPLOYMENT OF STUDENTS AND RECENT GRADUATES BY 
                   DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.

       (a) In General.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall 
     prescribe regulations to allow for excepted service 
     appointments of students and recent graduates leading to 
     conversion to career or career conditional employment of a 
     student or recent graduate of a qualifying educational 
     institution, as defined by the Department.
       (b) Applicability.--The conversion authority described in 
     subsection (a) shall be applicable to individuals in good 
     standing who--
       (1) are employed in a qualifying internship or fellowship 
     program at the Department;
       (2) are employed in the Department in a volunteer capacity 
     and performing substantive duties comparable to those of 
     individuals in internship or fellowship programs and meet the 
     required number of hours for conversion;
       (3) are employed in the Department under a contract or 
     agreement with an external nonprofit organization and 
     performing substantive duties comparable to those of 
     individuals in internship or fellowship programs;
       (4) have received educational assistance under chapter 33 
     of title 38, United States Code; or
       (5) graduated from a qualifying educational institution, as 
     defined by the Department, and have not reached 30 years of 
     age.
       (c) Uniformity.--For the purposes of paragraphs (2) and (3) 
     of subsection (b), hours of work performed by an individual 
     employed shall be considered equal to those performed by an 
     individual employed in a qualifying internship or fellowship 
     program by the Department.

     SEC. 207. ENCOURAGEMENT OF TRANSITION OF MILITARY MEDICAL 
                   PROFESSIONALS INTO EMPLOYMENT WITH VETERANS 
                   HEALTH ADMINISTRATION.

       The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall establish a program 
     to encourage an individual who serves in the Armed Forces 
     with a military occupational specialty relating to the 
     provision of health care to seek employment with the Veterans 
     Health Administration when the individual has been discharged 
     or released from service in the Armed Forces or is 
     contemplating separating from such service.

     SEC. 208. RECRUITING DATABASE AT DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS 
                   AFFAIRS.

       (a) Establishment.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall 
     establish a single database that lists--
       (1) each vacant position in the Department of Veterans 
     Affairs that the Secretary determines is critical to the 
     mission of the Department, difficult to fill, or both; and
       (2) each vacant position in the Department of Veterans 
     Affairs for a mental health professional.
       (b) Qualified Applicant.--If the Secretary determines that 
     an applicant for a vacant position listed in the database 
     established under subsection (a) is qualified for such 
     position but does not select the applicant for such position, 
     the Secretary, at the election of the applicant, may consider 
     the applicant for other similar vacant positions listed in 
     the database for which the applicant is qualified.
       (c) Prolonged Vacancies.--If the Secretary does not fill a 
     vacant position listed in the database established under 
     subsection (a) after a period determined appropriate by the 
     Secretary, the Secretary--
       (1) may ensure that applicants described in subsection (b) 
     are considered for such position; and
       (2) may use the database established under subsection (a) 
     to assist in filling such position.
       (d) Report.--Not later than one year after the date of the 
     enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to Congress 
     a report on the use and efficacy of the database established 
     under subsection (a).

     SEC. 209. TRAINING FOR HUMAN RESOURCES PROFESSIONALS OF 
                   VETERANS HEALTH ADMINISTRATION ON RECRUITMENT 
                   AND RETENTION.

       (a) In General.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall 
     provide to human resources professionals of the Veterans 
     Health Administration training on how to best recruit and 
     retain employees of the Veterans Health Administration, 
     including with respect to any recruitment and retention 
     matters that are unique to the Veterans Health Administration 
     pursuant to chapter 74 of title 38, United States Code, or 
     other provisions of law.
       (b) Virtual Training.--Training provided under this section 
     shall be provided virtually.
       (c) Amount of Training.--The Secretary shall ensure that 
     each human resources professional of the Veterans Health 
     Administration receives the training described in subsection 
     (a)--
       (1) as soon as practicable after being hired by the 
     Secretary as a human resources professional; and
       (2) annually thereafter.
       (d) Certification.--The Secretary shall require that each 
     human resources professional of the Veterans Health 
     Administration, upon the completion of the training described 
     in subsection (a), certifies that the professional received 
     the training and understands the information provided by the 
     training.
       (e) Annual Report.--Not less frequently than annually, the 
     Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs 
     of the Senate and the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the 
     House of Representatives a report on the training described 
     in subsection (a), including the cost of providing such 
     training and the number of human resources professionals who 
     received such training during the year covered by the report.

     SEC. 210. PLAN TO HIRE DIRECTORS OF MEDICAL CENTERS OF 
                   DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.

       (a) Plan.--Not later than 120 days after the date of the 
     enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
     shall develop and implement a plan to hire highly qualified 
     directors for each medical center of the Department of 
     Veterans Affairs that lacks a permanent director as of the 
     date of the plan.
       (b) Priority.--The Secretary shall prioritize under the 
     plan developed under subsection (a) the hiring of directors 
     for medical centers that have not had a permanent director 
     for the longest periods.
       (c) Matters Included.--The plan developed under subsection 
     (a) shall include the following:
       (1) A deadline to hire directors of medical centers of the 
     Department as described in such subsection.
       (2) Identification of the possible impediments to such 
     hiring.
       (3) Identification of opportunities to promote and train 
     candidates from within the Department to senior executive 
     positions in the Department, including as directors of 
     medical centers.
       (d) Submittal of Plan.--Not later than 120 days after the 
     date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit 
     to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and the 
     Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the House of 
     Representatives the plan developed under subsection (a).
       (e) Semiannual Reports.--Not later than 180 days after the 
     date of the enactment of this Act, and not later than 180 
     days thereafter, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee 
     on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on 
     Veterans' Affairs of the House of Representatives a report 
     containing a list of each medical center of the Department 
     that lacks a permanent director as of the date of the report.

     SEC. 211. EXIT SURVEYS AT DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.

       (a) Exit Surveys Required.--
       (1) In general.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall 
     develop and carry out a standardized exit survey to be 
     voluntarily completed by career and noncareer employees and 
     executives of the Department of Veterans Affairs who 
     voluntarily separate from the Department.
       (2) Consultation.--Such exit survey shall be developed in 
     consultation with an appropriate non-Department entity with 
     experience developing such surveys.
       (b) Survey Content.--The survey shall include, at a 
     minimum, the following:
       (1) Reasons for leaving the Department.
       (2) Efforts made by the supervisor of the employee to 
     retain the individual.
       (3) The extent of job satisfaction and engagement during 
     the employment.
       (4) The intent of employee to either remain employed within 
     the Federal Government or

[[Page H6534]]

     to leave employment with the Federal Government.
       (5) Such other matters as the Secretary determines 
     appropriate.
       (c) Anonymity of Survey Content.--The Secretary shall 
     ensure that data collected under subsection (a)--
       (1) is anonymized, including through the use of a location 
     that allows for privacy;
       (2) is not directly visible by another employee; and
       (3) does not require the departing employee to input any 
     personally identifiable data.
       (d) Sharing of Survey Data.--The Secretary shall ensure 
     that the results of the survey required by subsection (a) 
     are--
       (1) aggregated at the Veterans Integrated Service Network 
     level; and
       (2) shared on an annual basis with directors and managers 
     of facilities of the Department and the Veterans Integrated 
     Service Networks.
       (e) Annual Report.--
       (1) In general.--Not later than one year after the date of 
     the enactment of this Act and not less frequently than once 
     each year thereafter, the Secretary shall submit to the 
     Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and the 
     Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the House of 
     Representatives a report containing the aggregate results of 
     the exit survey under subsection (a) covering the year prior 
     to the report.
       (2) Contents.--Each report submitted under paragraph (1) 
     shall include, for the period covered by the report, the 
     following:
       (A) An analysis of the most common reasons employees choose 
     to leave the Department.
       (B) The steps the Secretary is taking to improve retention, 
     particularly for mission-critical occupations.
       (C) The demographic characteristics of employees choosing 
     to leave the Department.
       (D) Any legislative barriers to improving employee 
     retention.
       (E) The total number of employees who voluntarily separated 
     from the Department and the number and percentage of whom 
     took the exit survey under subsection (a).

     SEC. 212. REQUIREMENT THAT PHYSICIAN ASSISTANTS EMPLOYED BY 
                   THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS RECEIVE 
                   COMPETITIVE PAY.

       Section 7451(a)(2) of title 38, United States Code, is 
     amended--
       (1) by redesignating subparagraph (B) as subparagraph (C);
       (2) by inserting after subparagraph (A) the following new 
     subparagraph (B):
       ``(B) Physician assistant.''; and
       (3) in subparagraph (C), as redesignated by paragraph (1), 
     by striking ``and registered nurse'' and inserting 
     ``registered nurse, and physician assistant''.

     SEC. 213. EXPANSION OF DIRECT-HIRING AUTHORITY FOR DEPARTMENT 
                   OF VETERANS AFFAIRS IN CASE OF SHORTAGE OF 
                   HIGHLY QUALIFIED CANDIDATES.

       Section 3304(a)(3)(B) of title 5, United States Code, is 
     amended by inserting ``(or, with respect to the Department of 
     Veterans Affairs, that there exists a severe shortage of 
     highly qualified candidates)'' after ``severe shortage of 
     candidates''.

     SEC. 214. COMPTROLLER GENERAL OF THE UNITED STATES ASSESSMENT 
                   OF SUCCESSION PLANNING AT DEPARTMENT OF 
                   VETERANS AFFAIRS.

       (a) Assessment.--
       (1) In general.--The Comptroller General of the United 
     States shall assess the extent to which key succession 
     planning policies and guidance at the Department of Veterans 
     Affairs, including the Veterans Health Administration, the 
     Veterans Benefits Administration, and the National Cemetery 
     Administration, are consistent with leading practices for 
     succession and workforce planning identified by Comptroller 
     General.
       (2) Additional matters.--In carrying out the assessment 
     required by paragraph (1), the Comptroller General may assess 
     such other matters as the Comptroller General considers 
     appropriate.
       (b) Report.--Not later than two years after the date of the 
     enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General shall submit 
     to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and the 
     Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the House of 
     Representatives a report on the assessment carried out under 
     subsection (a).
       (c) Sense of Congress on Study on Compliance With Policies 
     and Guidance.--It is the sense of Congress that--
       (1) the Comptroller General should conduct a study to 
     examine the extent to which a sampling of installations of 
     the Department of Veterans Affairs are complying with 
     policies and guidance of the Department, as well as 
     applicable leading practices; and
       (2) the scope and timeframe of a study conducted as 
     described in paragraph (1) may be dependent upon the findings 
     of the Comptroller General with respect to the assessment 
     carried out under subsection (a).

                TITLE III--MAJOR MEDICAL FACILITY LEASES

     SEC. 301. AUTHORIZATION OF CERTAIN MAJOR MEDICAL FACILITY 
                   LEASES OF THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.

       The Secretary of Veterans Affairs may carry out the 
     following major medical facility leases at the locations 
     specified and in an amount for each lease not to exceed the 
     amount specified for such location (not including any 
     estimated cancellation costs):
       (1) For a replacement outpatient clinic, Ann Arbor, 
     Michigan, an amount not to exceed $4,247,000.
       (2) For a new outpatient mental health clinic, Birmingham, 
     Alabama, an amount not to exceed $6,649,000.
       (3) For new research space, Boston, Massachusetts, an 
     amount not to exceed $6,224,000.
       (4) For a replacement research space, Charleston, South 
     Carolina, an amount not to exceed $7,274,000.
       (5) For a replacement outpatient clinic, Corpus Christi, 
     Texas, an amount not to exceed $6,556,000.
       (6) For a replacement outpatient clinic, Daytona Beach, 
     Florida, an amount not to exceed $12,198,000.
       (7) For a replacement Chief Business Office Purchased Care 
     office space, Denver, Colorado, an amount not to exceed 
     $14,784,000.
       (8) For a replacement outpatient clinic, Fredericksburg, 
     Virginia, an amount not to exceed $45,015,000.
       (9) For a new outpatient clinic, Gainesville, Florida, an 
     amount not to exceed $7,891,000.
       (10) For an outpatient mental health clinic, Gainesville, 
     Florida, an amount not to exceed $4,320,000.
       (11) For a replacement outpatient clinic, Hampton Roads, 
     Virginia, an amount not to exceed $18,141,000.
       (12) For a replacement outpatient clinic, Indianapolis, 
     Indiana, an amount not to exceed $7,876,000.
       (13) For a replacement outpatient clinic, Jacksonville, 
     Florida, an amount not to exceed $18,623,000.
       (14) For a replacement outpatient clinic, Missoula, 
     Montana, an amount not to exceed $6,942,000.
       (15) For a replacement outpatient mental health clinic, 
     Northern Colorado, Colorado, an amount not to exceed 
     $8,904,000.
       (16) For a replacement outpatient clinic, Ocala, Florida, 
     an amount not to exceed $5,026,000.
       (17) For a new outpatient clinic, Oxnard, California, an 
     amount not to exceed $5,274,000.
       (18) For a new outpatient clinic, Pike County, Georgia, an 
     amount not to exceed $5,565,000.
       (19) For a new outpatient clinic, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 
     an amount not to exceed $6,247,000.
       (20) For a replacement outpatient clinic, Portland, Maine, 
     an amount not to exceed $6,808,000.
       (21) For a replacement outpatient clinic, Raleigh, North 
     Carolina, an amount not to exceed $21,870,000.
       (22) For a replacement outpatient clinic, phase II, 
     Rochester, New York, an amount not to exceed $3,645,000.
       (23) For a replacement research space, San Diego, 
     California, an amount not to exceed $4,852,000.
       (24) For a new outpatient clinic, Santa Rosa, California, 
     an amount not to exceed $6,922,000.
       (25) For a replacement mental health clinic, Tampa, 
     Florida, an amount not to exceed $13,387,000.
       (26) For a replacement outpatient clinic, Lakeland, Tampa, 
     Florida, an amount not to exceed $10,760,000.
       (27) For a replacement outpatient clinic, Terre Haute, 
     Indiana, an amount not to exceed $4,102,000.
       (28) For a replacement outpatient clinic, Rapid City, South 
     Dakota, an amount not to exceed $4,532,000.

     SEC. 302. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS FOR MEDICAL 
                   FACILITY LEASES.

       There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of 
     Veterans Affairs for fiscal year 2018 or the year in which 
     funds are appropriated for the Medical Facilities account 
     $274,634,000 for the major medical facility leases authorized 
     in section 301.

                        TITLE IV--OTHER MATTERS

     SEC. 401. EXTENSION OF REDUCTION IN AMOUNT OF PENSION 
                   FURNISHED BY DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS FOR 
                   CERTAIN VETERANS COVERED BY MEDICAID PLANS FOR 
                   SERVICES FURNISHED BY NURSING FACILITIES.

       Section 5503(d)(7) of title 38, United States Code, is 
     amended by striking ``September 30, 2024'' and inserting 
     ``September 30, 2027''.

     SEC. 402. EXTENSION OF REQUIREMENT FOR COLLECTION OF FEES FOR 
                   HOUSING LOANS GUARANTEED BY SECRETARY OF 
                   VETERANS AFFAIRS.

       Section 3729(b)(2) of title 38, United States Code, is 
     amended--
       (1) in subparagraph (A)--
       (A) in clause (iii), by striking ``September 30, 2024'' and 
     inserting ``September 30, 2027''; and
       (B) in clause (iv), by striking ``September 30, 2024'' and 
     inserting ``September 30, 2027'';
       (2) in subparagraph (B)--
       (A) in clause (i), by striking ``September 30, 2024'' and 
     inserting ``September 30, 2027''; and
       (B) in clause (ii), by striking ``September 30, 2024'' and 
     inserting ``September 30, 2027'';
       (3) in subparagraph (C)--
       (A) in clause (i), by striking ``September 30, 2024'' and 
     inserting ``September 30, 2027''; and
       (B) in clause (ii), by striking ``September 30, 2024'' and 
     inserting ``September 30, 2027''; and
       (4) in subparagraph (D)--
       (A) in clause (i), by striking ``September 30, 2024'' and 
     inserting ``September 30, 2027''; and
       (B) in clause (ii), by striking ``September 30, 2024'' and 
     inserting ``September 30, 2027''.

[[Page H6535]]

  


     SEC. 403. EXTENSION OF AUTHORITY TO USE INCOME INFORMATION.

       Section 5317(g) of title 38, United States Code, is amended 
     by striking ``September 30, 2024'' and inserting ``September 
     30, 2027''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Roe) and 
the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Walz) each will control 30 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Tennessee.
  Mr. ROE of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of S. 114, as amended, the VA 
Choice and Quality Employment Act of 2017.
  It has been a long week of negotiations, but we are here today with 
an agreement we--and, more importantly, our veterans--can all be proud 
to support. I know that I am.
  Ranking Member Walz and I have worked feverishly with our Senate 
counterparts to find a solution that can pass both Chambers and ensure 
that veterans will continue to be able to access care in the community.
  The VA Choice and Quality Improvement Act of 2017 would expand 
veteran access to care both inside and outside the Department of 
Veterans Affairs healthcare system by, number one, providing $2.1 
billion to sustain the Choice Program for the next 6 months, 
authorizing 28 VA medical center facility leases, and improving VA's 
ability to recruit and retain high-quality employees by including many 
of the provisions of H.R. 1367, as amended, which were sponsored by Dr. 
Brad Wenstrup, the chairman of the Subcommittee on Health, and 
unanimously approved by the House in March. I would be remiss if I did 
not impress upon my colleagues a sense of urgency about this 
legislation.
  The Choice Program was created 3 years ago in response to the 
nationwide VA access crisis that began with 40 veteran patients who 
died while waiting for VA care in Phoenix, Arizona. Due to much higher 
than expected veteran demand for Choice care, the program is slated to 
run out of money by mid-August. It would leave devastating consequences 
for veterans in its wake.
  Starting with an extremely tight 90-day implementation period and 
countless contract modifications with third-party administrators, I 
will be the first to admit that the Choice Program has been plagued 
with problems. But I will also tell you that the program has come a 
long way from where it once was and is responsible for more than 1 
million veterans getting the care they need closer to home and in a 
more timely manner. The good Lord only knows how many lives have been 
saved or prolonged. That is a success.
  If Choice were to end 3 weeks from now, Mr. Speaker, VA's most senior 
leaders, including Secretary Shulkin, have warned that waiting times 
for veteran patients will increase to pre-Choice Phoenix levels. They 
also said continuity of care would be disrupted for veterans across the 
country, and some of our most vulnerable veterans may not be able to 
get care without either a long, possibly debilitating wait time or an 
excessive travel distance. That is failure.
  Passage of this bill today, followed by swift passage by our 
colleagues in the Senate, would preserve Choice for the next 6 months. 
That would allow the program to continue serving veterans while we 
continue the hard work of creating a stronger, more integrated VA 
healthcare system for the years ahead.
  Some stakeholders have expressed frustration that Congress has not 
been adequately supporting VA's internal capacity for care and too much 
attention has been paid since the 2014 access crisis to addressing 
issues with growing veteran demand for community care programs, Choice 
included. They argue that providing increased funding for Choice 
without identical increases in funding for VA medical facilities is 
harmful to veterans. I totally disagree.
  I do not believe that argument is fair or constructive, given the 
historic funding increases that VA has received in recent years and the 
growth in staffing, programming, and the VA physical footprint that has 
resulted from those increases. In fact, VA's budget--that is the 
healthcare budget, not total budget. The VA's healthcare budget has 
grown more than $83 billion since I came to Congress in 2009.
  Mr. Speaker, we were spending $93.7 billion when I was sworn into 
this House in 2009. The President's request this year is $186.5 
billion. In the same time, the number of VA full-time employees has 
increased by almost 63,000. What is more, we just passed a MILCON-VA 
Appropriations bill which includes a $3.9 billion increase for VA 
medical care.
  Nevertheless, I have listened to the concerns of those stakeholders, 
which include many veterans service organizations, and I respect their 
viewpoints and their willingness to be strong advocates for our 
Nation's veterans. As a matter of fact, I belong to many of these 
organizations.
  That is why this bill includes provisions to increase VA internal 
capacity by authorizing 28 medical facility leases, most of which are 
for community-based outpatient clinics, and by enhancing VA's ability 
to maintain a robust, highly qualified workforce in recognition of the 
many challenges VA has in competing for workers in an extremely 
competitive hiring market.
  To offset a significant portion of the costs of this legislation, we 
have used offsets that have been used routinely on a bipartisan basis 
over the last decades and that were included in the legislation which 
first created the Choice Program 3 years ago.
  As I alluded to earlier, this bill was crafted as the result of 
negotiations between myself; my friend, Ranking Member Sergeant Major 
Walz; and Senators Isakson and Tester, the chairman and ranking member, 
respectively, on the Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs. I am 
grateful to them for this work.
  I am also grateful to my friends and colleagues in the House 
leadership for their efforts and willingness to do the sometimes 
difficult work of finding a solution that is in the best interests of 
both veterans and taxpayers and to our VSO partners for their input and 
support throughout the past weeks.
  There is still much work ahead. This is only a 6-month patch to the 
Choice Program. The ranking member and I have a framework agreement for 
moving forward, but that will require the cooperation and buy-in from 
all my colleagues in the House and Senate.

  Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to join me in supporting 
this legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. WALZ. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  I rise today and associate myself with the words of my friend and our 
chairman, the gentleman from Tennessee. I strongly recommend support 
for the newly amended S. 114, a bill, as the chairman so clearly 
stated, that not only extends veterans' access to care in the 
community, but provides additional funding for 28 critical leases to 
expand capacity and also makes sure we can recruit and retain the best 
medical professionals.
  Mr. Speaker, I would like to note that on Monday, someone, another 
Member, mentioned that they felt a disturbance in the force on Monday 
is the way they described it. There has been a reputation that I think 
is rightfully earned from the leadership of the chairman and the 
members of the committee that the House Veterans' Affairs Committee is 
here to do the business of this Nation's veterans and the taxpayers and 
that the politics that are necessary and that are a part of getting 
things done take a backseat to that.
  What you saw on Monday were disagreements. We could not come to an 
agreement. But instead of the theatrics of partisanship and instead of 
the politics of deconstruction, it was the politics of the possible. So 
instead of sulking away or sending out competing press releases, we 
came back together to try to find compromise on this. For that I am 
grateful.
  I am grateful as a veteran, and I am grateful as a citizen that, on a 
morning when many Americans are waking up wondering about our politics 
and seeing the theatrics that go on, I am here to tell you that under 
the chairman's leadership, the honorable gentleman from Tennessee, he 
is guiding this House and tying it into the Senate in the best 
interests of our Nation's veterans, taking in the concerns of the 
minority side and taking in the concerns of the veterans service 
organizations in a way that also means compromise on my Republican 
colleagues' side.
  That is hard to do, asking people to put their own personal ideology 
aside if

[[Page H6536]]

it is in the best interests of building a coalition and producing a 
piece of legislation that can pass through this House, the Senate, and 
be signed by the President. That is a tough order around here right 
now, and I am proud to stand with someone who has done it. I am proud 
to give my little piece of what it takes to do that.
  I would encourage my colleagues, let's show a strong sign not just to 
our veterans, not just to this piece of legislation that, the gentleman 
was right, is absolutely critical for the care of our veterans; let's 
send a sign to our fellow citizens that this democracy still can 
function, this democracy still can find answers, this democracy can put 
American citizens first, and we can walk away from this knowing that 
our job was to come here and do exactly that, and it will be done.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. ROE of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman 
from Maine (Mr. Poliquin), who is my good friend. I had the privilege 
of visiting Bruce Poliquin's beautiful State last summer.
  Mr. POLIQUIN. Mr. Speaker, I would remind you that ``Maine is 
Vacationland.'' If you have not booked your Maine vacation, there is 
still plenty of time.
  I would like to thank Chairman Roe, who is a Vietnam veteran himself 
and a doctor, in leading us down this path for better healthcare for 
our veterans.
  Mr. Speaker, it was, I believe, our first Commander in Chief, George 
Washington, who said, and I paraphrase, that we can never expect young 
men and women in this country to step forward and fight for their 
country and give us the freedom that we all enjoy unless and until we 
take care of those who have already sacrificed on the battlefield. That 
is what this is about.
  Mr. Speaker, in our State, we have about 125,000 veterans, and we 
love our veterans in the State of Maine. More than half of them are in 
the Second Congressional District that I represent, which is mostly 
central, down east, western, and northern Maine. Let me tell you, Mr. 
Speaker, we know how to shoot straight up in Maine, and we just need to 
make sure we take care of our veterans who live in rural areas.
  One of the great concerns I have--and I know the chairman and others 
on the committee have the same concern--is that what about if you are a 
veteran that lives far away from a medical hospital, a veterans 
hospital. In the State of Maine, we have one veterans hospital. It is 
called Togus. It is the first VA hospital in the country--about 150 
years old--and it was put together first to take care of those who have 
served on the battlefield in the Civil War.
  In northern Maine, you might live in Fort Kent or Van Buren or 
Madawaska and be a 5-hour drive away from Togus. If you are not feeling 
well, it is February and the snow is blowing sideways, it might be 
really tough to get down to Togus. That is why this Choice Program is 
so important. It allows our veterans who live far away from medical 
facilities to get their treatment close to home. This is something that 
I am a huge advocate of, and it is something we need to keep doing.
  Now, one more thing I want to mention if I may, Mr. Speaker, is that 
we all know that veterans heal better with other veterans. We are not 
in any way trying to replace the veterans' facilities. We have 
healthcare facilities in this country. But the Choice Program allows us 
to augment that care through the Choice Program where they are able to 
go to private facilities.
  Now, this emergency funding is absolutely critical. It will extend 
this program for 6 months instead of letting it run out of money in 3 
weeks. It also includes something that is highly important. I am so 
grateful to the chairman for including it. It includes the ability to 
authorize a lease in Portland, Maine, for a brand-new, state-of-the-
art, if you will, VA facility, a CBOC facility, an outpatient facility, 
that will serve about 4,000 veterans in the State of Maine.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Jody B. Hice of Georgia). The time of 
the gentleman has expired.
  Mr. ROE of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I yield the gentleman an 
additional 30 seconds.

                              {time}  1045

  Mr. POLIQUIN. Mr. Speaker, I thank Congresswoman Chellie Pingree from 
the First District of the State of Maine. I represent the Second 
District.
  I encourage everyone in this body, Republicans and Democrats, to 
please take care of our veterans. Please vote for S. 114 to renew the 
authorization in the emergency fund for the Choice Program.
  Mr. WALZ. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Takano), my good friend, the vice ranking member of the 
full Committee on Veterans' Affairs, who is also from a great vacation 
State.
  Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Chairman, I thank the ranking member for mentioning 
that so that it doesn't detract from my time. But please visit 
California, especially Riverside, California.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of S. 114, which prevents a 
funding lapse in the VA Choice Program while making critical 
investments to strengthen the Department of Veterans Affairs.
  This legislation is a significant improvement over the bill we 
considered earlier this week. It now includes leasing authorizations 
for VA medical facilities in 17 States across the country, and it 
includes several provisions that I introduced that will help address 
the VA's workforce shortages. This is what I hope to be the first step 
in providing the VA the tools it needs to meet its internal workforce 
challenges.
  As I have often said, the VA's ability to provide quality and timely 
care to our Nation's veterans will be determined by who it hires.
  There are nearly 50,000 vacancies at the VA that need to be filled. 
This bill strengthens and streamlines the VA's ability to recruit, 
hire, and retain talented and dedicated individuals. But more needs to 
be done to expand the VA's own internal capacity to provide care for 
our veterans.
  The VA Choice Program is a well-intentioned program, but it has not 
delivered on its promise to consistently cut wait times or improve 
care. We do not want to be back here in January passing another short-
term fix.
  Starting today, we have 6 months to come together and develop a more 
efficient and effective system to connect veterans with the care they 
need.
  Earlier this week, I expressed my desire to vote for a bill that 
avoids a funding gap in the Choice Program, while also recognizing the 
importance of a strong and sustainable VA. This legislation meets that 
standard, and I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes.''
  Mr. ROE of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman 
from Texas (Mr. Arrington), chairman of the Subcommittee on Economic 
Opportunity on the full Committee of Veterans' Affairs.
  Mr. ARRINGTON. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of S. 114, which will 
continue funding the Choice Program, an important reform to make sure 
that our veterans have access to quality care.
  For too long, our veterans, Mr. Speaker, have been trapped in a 
system that has failed them. They are in a single-payer system. We put 
them in a system that the Members of Congress wouldn't sign up for. For 
years, we haven't give them the same choice that we have given Medicaid 
patients and Medicare patients.
  The Choice Program isn't just common sense, it is common decency. We 
have asked these men and women to serve and to sacrifice for our 
freedom. They deserve the very best care. The only way they are going 
to get the best care is to have choice when they have geographic 
challenges or are waiting in line.
  We have all read the reports about how our veterans have waited in 
line, have gotten sicker, and some even died. It is unconscionable and 
unacceptable.
  I am so grateful that, in an institution that has a reputation of 
gridlock and dysfunction, we have a committee with leaders like 
Chairman Roe and Ranking Member Walz who will come together and put 
America first. So I am heartened by this and I applaud their 
leadership.
  I support this continuation of funding and the improved access to 
care for our heroes. I thank the chairman for the privilege of serving 
under the leadership of his committee.
  Mr. WALZ. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from 
California (Ms. Brownley), my good friend, a long-time champion of 
veterans, and

[[Page H6537]]

the ranking member of the Subcommittee on Health.
  Ms. BROWNLEY of California. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from 
Minnesota, our ranking member; and the gentleman from Tennessee, the 
chair, for their commitment to bipartisan solutions which helped get us 
the agreement that the House is considering today.
  I am extremely proud to work on the Veterans' Affairs Committee 
because we have shown that we can tackle the big issues in a bipartisan 
way. That is why I rise today in support of S. 114, which will address 
the immediate shortfall in funding for the Choice Program, while making 
needed investments in direct VA-provided care.
  I am so pleased that this bipartisan agreement includes my 
legislation authorizing 28 new VA healthcare facilities across the 
country. This bill will bring more care closer to home for veterans 
from coast to coast.
  The demand for VA healthcare is increasing, and many veterans face 
long wait times because outdated facilities are too small to 
accommodate the growing number of men and women seeking care.
  The leases authorized by this bill are located in 17 States, with 
nearly 12 million veterans living in them, who have been waiting years 
for improved access to care. This includes a new, larger clinic in the 
city of Oxnard, in my district, which will bring much-needed specialty 
care closer to home for our veterans in Ventura County.
  Veterans in my community and communities across the country have 
waited long enough for these expanded services, and I thank my 
colleagues on both sides of the aisle and our veterans service 
organizations for working with me to deliver this win for them.
  We can fund the VA Choice Program and fund other programs critical to 
the VA's mission, my mission, and the mission of my colleagues on both 
sides of the aisle: provide the care our veterans, who have risked 
their lives for our country, have earned and deserve.

  Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to support this legislation 
and help ensure veterans get the care they need and to make the 
investments we need to build a modern, veteran-centric 21st century VA.
  Mr. ROE of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I 
reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. WALZ. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Correa), a good friend and new member of the Veterans' 
Affairs Committee.
  Mr. CORREA. Mr. Speaker, first of all, I thank all of our veterans 
for their service and sacrifice for our great country.
  I come from California, the home of the greatest number of veterans 
in this great country. On their behalf, I would like to thank Chairman 
Roe and Ranking Member Walz for their tremendous job and leadership in 
addressing the needs of all of our veterans.
  I am pleased that we reached the bipartisan agreement, and I hope the 
rest of this place learns from the work the Veterans Affairs' Committee 
has done. I hope that tomorrow, when we wake up and open up those 
newspapers, this is a front-page story, because it deserves to be. 
Democrats and Republicans, everybody coming together to work for our 
veterans, that is the way it should be done.
  Three years ago, Congress created the Choice Program. This was an 
alternative to make sure that our veterans didn't have to wait to get 
the health services they needed.
  This bill will provide additional funding and short-term 
sustainability for this program called the Choice Program. This bill 
will also allow the Department of Veterans Affairs to open up more 
clinics and to hire additional doctors to make sure that our veterans 
get the service they deserve.
  Again, I am glad that we are here today and that we could work to 
make sure that our veterans get the services they earned. I urge all my 
colleagues to support this bipartisan measure.
  Mr. WALZ. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from 
Maine (Ms. Pingree), who is also on the Maine Tourism Board.
  Ms. PINGREE. Mr. Speaker, I thank the Ranking Member for yielding and 
allowing me to reinforce my colleague from the State of Maine and say: 
if you haven't made your plans, it is not too late. Lobster season is 
just picking up. I highly recommend a visit to the Maine coast or 
anywhere in the State of Maine.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this bill to provide the VA Choice 
Program with additional funds and to authorize several provisions to 
improve care for our Nation's veterans.
  Specifically, I want to recognize the authorization of a lease 
included in this bill for a community-based outpatient clinic in 
Portland, Maine, that will provide much-improved services to the 
veterans in that area. The new facility will be a huge step in 
improving the care for veterans in my district.
  The proposed facility will go a long way toward a more efficient, 
patient-centered approach to care and will provide a wide range of 
services, including audiology, dental, physical therapy, prosthetics, 
and women's health.
  Most of the veterans served by this new CBOC will be coming from the 
surrounding areas, and this new clinic will result in a much shorter 
commute for those veterans living in the most densely populated area of 
Maine.
  The entire Maine congressional delegation has worked for the 
authorization of this lease, including my colleague, Mr. Poliquin from 
Maine's Second District.
  I thank Congresswoman Brownley for introducing legislation earlier 
this year to authorize these leases and for her work on this issue.
  I am proud to support S. 114, and I thank Ranking Member Walz and 
Chairman Roe for their work on this legislation. The authorization of 
this lease represents a tremendous step for our State in providing 
veterans the proper care they have earned.
  Mr. ROE of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, since we are doing a Maine 
advertisement here today, I will say one thing negative about Maine. I 
herniated a disk in my back climbing Mount Katahdin with my good 
friend, French Hill from Arkansas, last summer. It wasn't all good.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. WALZ. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
  Mr. Speaker, as you heard here today from numerous members of the 
committee and others, this is how business should be done: looking out 
for our veterans, compromises being made.
  I do want to extend my thanks to Senator Isakson; Senator Tester; 
Secretary Shulkin; the DAVs and the other VSOs; and the staff on both 
sides of the aisle who are the ones who are carrying out late-night 
negotiations.
  I think the gentleman from Tennessee, Chairman Roe, did bring up a 
good point: this is the beginning of tough decisions that need to be 
made, tough negotiations.
  I hope everyone here understands that the continued good will and 
bipartisanship is going to be needed, because we have an opportunity to 
transform the VA into that 21st century VA, one that is more responsive 
to the needs of veterans, one that takes into account the realities of 
modern-day medicine that involves many outpatient clinics and different 
ways of delivering service, especially to rural veterans who we 
represent.
  This is a great start. It is one that I think we go from a stop on 
Monday to what I hope can be a unanimous vote for a good, smart piece 
of legislation.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this, and I yield back 
the balance of my time.
  Mr. ROE of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I do want to associate my remarks with those of the 
ranking member.
  We have a lot of thanks to go around, but the major thanks go to our 
veterans who serve this great Nation. I think it would be remiss on us 
and a pox on this body if we didn't do what is right for our veterans. 
And we are.

  As Mr. Walz said, this is just the first step, although a major one, 
in a transformative process that we have been given the opportunity on 
this committee to do.
  We serve 21 million veterans in this country that have served this 
Nation honorably. We have a great organization. I think a lot of times 
it doesn't get said that the VA does a lot of good work.
  I don't go home where there is not a day that I don't run into 
somebody at the grocery store or somewhere that

[[Page H6538]]

tells me of a positive thing that happened to them at the VA. It is not 
everywhere, though.
  I also get stopped and told and have stacks of documents on my desk 
that tell me the problems with the VA. We hear those loud and clear. I 
think both of us do.
  But I think it is an opportunity for us as a body--not just this 
committee, but the entire body--to thank our veterans, pass this bill 
unanimously, send it to the Senate, and then to the President's desk 
for his signature.
  I, once again, thank Mr. Walz, his committee and staff, and our 
committee and staff for working in a bipartisan way to pass this.
  Mr. Speaker, I encourage all Members to support S. 114, and I yield 
back the balance of my time.
  Mr. SABLAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the Amendment in the 
Nature of a Substitute to S. 114 that provides for a 6-month extension 
of the Choice program, as well as funding for VA recruitment and 
retention programs.
  Extension of the Choice program is good news for veterans in my 
district. The Northern Marianas is the only jurisdiction in our country 
that does not have a VA medical clinic and does not have a single, 
dedicated VA doctor or mental health professional. There is one 
physician contracted by the VA on a part-time basis. But she is at 
capacity and cannot take on any more veteran patients.
  So, it is the Choice program that allows the veterans I represent to 
obtain health care, where they live, rather than having to fly hundreds 
or thousands of miles, to Guam or to Hawai'i, for treatment.
  It was to ease that burden that I was one of the Members who 
identified and spoke up about the problem of access to service for 
veterans in remote and rural areas of America; and advocacy by Members 
from underserved areas helped lead to the creation of Choice.
  Make no mistake, the Choice program does not solve all of the issues 
of health care access that trouble Marianas veterans. A VA health 
clinic with VA staff in the Marianas remains my goal. But S. 114--short 
of a full-fledged clinic--does provide recruitment and retention 
authorities that could lead to having more VA staff in my district. 
That would be step in the right direction.
  Meanwhile, and until we have a real, full-time, fully staffed and 
equipped VA clinic in the Northern Marianas, the Choice program will 
continue to be needed to fill the gap and provide the care that 
veterans deserve.
  My thanks to Chairman Roe and Ranking Member Walz and to their staff 
for the time and effort that has gone into ensuring that Choice can 
continue for veterans in the Marianas--and in rural, remote, and 
underserved areas throughout America.
  I am also grateful to the many veteran service organizations, who 
have advised on this legislation and who have been steadfast in their 
commitment to improve the Department of Veterans' Affairs for those who 
served our Nation.

                              {time}  1100

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. All time for debate has expired.
  Pursuant to House Resolution 480, the previous question is ordered on 
the bill, as amended.
  The question is on the third reading of the bill.
  The bill was ordered to be read a third time, and was read the third 
time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the passage of the bill.
  The question was taken; and the Speaker pro tempore announced that 
the ayes appeared to have it.
  Mr. ROE of Tennessee. 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 question will be postponed.

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