[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 183 (Thursday, November 9, 2017)]
[Senate]
[Pages S7166-S7167]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       ENHANCING VETERAN CARE ACT

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the 
Committee on Veterans' Affairs be discharged from further consideration 
of S. 1266 and the Senate proceed to its immediate consideration.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The clerk will report the bill by title.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       A bill (S. 1266) to authorize the Secretary of Veterans 
     Affairs to enter into contracts with nonprofit organizations 
     to investigate medical centers of the Department of Veterans 
     Affairs.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the bill.
  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the bill 
be considered read a third time and passed and the motion to reconsider 
be considered made and laid upon the table.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The bill (S. 1266) was ordered to be engrossed for a third reading, 
was read the third time, and passed, as follows:

                                S. 1266

       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 ``Enhancing Veteran Care 
     Act''.

     SEC. 2. INVESTIGATION OF MEDICAL CENTERS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF 
                   VETERANS AFFAIRS.

       (a) In General.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs may 
     contract with a nonprofit organization that accredits health 
     care organizations and programs in the United States to 
     investigate a medical center of the Department of Veterans 
     Affairs to assess and report deficiencies of the facilities 
     at such medical center.
       (b) Authority of Directors.--
       (1) In general.--Subject to coordination under paragraph 
     (2), the Secretary shall delegate the authority under 
     subsection (a) to contract for an investigation at a medical 
     center of the Department to the Director of the Veterans 
     Integrated Service Network in which the medical center is 
     located or the director of such medical center.
       (2) Coordination.--Before entering into a contract under 
     paragraph (1), the Director of a Veterans Integrated Service 
     Network or the director of a medical center, as the case may 
     be, shall notify the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, the 
     Inspector General of the Department of Veterans Affairs, and 
     the Comptroller General of the United States for purposes of 
     coordinating any investigation conducted pursuant to such 
     contract with any other investigations that may be ongoing.
       (c) Rule of Construction.--Nothing in this section may be 
     construed--

[[Page S7167]]

       (1) to prevent the Office of the Inspector General of the 
     Department of Veterans Affairs from conducting any review, 
     audit, evaluation, or inspection regarding a topic for which 
     an investigation is conducted under this section; or
       (2) to modify the requirement that employees of the 
     Department assist with any review, audit, evaluation, or 
     inspection conducted by the Office of the Inspector General 
     of the Department.

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