[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 83 (Monday, May 21, 2018)]
[Senate]
[Page S2798]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 2258. Mr. SANDERS submitted an amendment intended to be proposed 
by him to the bill S. 2372, to amend title 38, United States Code, to 
provide outer burial receptacles for remains buried in National Parks, 
and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as 
follows:

       At the end of title V, add the following:

     SEC. 513. APPROPRIATION OF AMOUNTS FOR HEALTH CARE FROM 
                   DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.

       (a) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that--
       (1) the Veterans Access, Choice, and Accountability Act of 
     2014 (Public Law 113-146) established the Veterans Choice 
     Program under section 101 of such Act (Public Law 113-146; 38 
     U.S.C. 1701 note) as a temporary program to address a wait 
     time backlog for the receipt of health care from the 
     Department of Veterans Affairs and a shortage of health care 
     professionals at medical facilities of the Department;
       (2) as of the date of the enactment of this Act, there are 
     approximately 45,000 vacancies at the Veterans Health 
     Administration; and
       (3) of those vacancies, approximately 36,000 are vacancies 
     for positions relating to front line care for veterans.
       (b) Appropriation of Amounts.--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, $5,200,000,000 to carry out 
     subsection (d).
       (c) Availability of Amounts.--The amount appropriated under 
     subsection (b) shall be available for obligation or 
     expenditure without fiscal year limitation.
       (d) Use of Amounts.--The amount appropriated under 
     subsection (b) shall be used by the Secretary as follows:
       (1) To increase the access of veterans to care as follows:
       (A) To hire primary care and specialty care physicians for 
     employment in the Department of Veterans Affairs.
       (B) To hire other medical staff, including the following:
       (i) Physicians.
       (ii) Nurses.
       (iii) Social workers.
       (iv) Mental health professionals.
       (v) Dental professionals.
       (vi) Other health care professionals as the Secretary 
     considers appropriate.
       (C) To carry out the following:
       (i) Section 7412 of title 38, United States Code.
       (ii) Section 7302(e) of such title.
       (iii) Section 301(b)(2) of the Veterans Access, Choice, and 
     Accountability Act of 2014 (Public Law 113-146; 38 U.S.C. 
     7302 note).
       (D) To pay for expenses, equipment, and other costs 
     associated with the hiring of primary care physicians, 
     specialty care physicians, and other medical staff under 
     subparagraphs (A), (B), and (C).
       (2) To improve the physical infrastructure of the 
     Department as follows:
       (A) To maintain and operate hospitals, nursing homes, 
     domiciliary facilities, and other facilities of the Veterans 
     Health Administration.
       (B) To enter into contracts or hire temporary employees to 
     repair, alter, or improve facilities under the jurisdiction 
     of the Department that are not otherwise provided for under 
     this paragraph.
       (C) To carry out leases for facilities of the Department.
       (D) To carry out minor construction projects of the 
     Department.
       (e) Report.--
       (1) In general.--Not later than one year after the date of 
     the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
     shall submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a 
     report on how the Secretary has obligated the amount 
     appropriated under subsection (b) as of the date of the 
     submittal of the report.
       (2) Appropriate committees of congress defined.--In this 
     subsection, the term `` appropriate committees of Congress'' 
     means--
       (A) the Committee on Veterans' Affairs and the Committee on 
     Appropriations of the Senate; and
       (B) the Committee on Veterans' Affairs and the Committee on 
     Appropriations of the House of Representatives.
       (f) Funding Plan.--The Secretary shall submit to Congress a 
     funding plan describing how the Secretary intends to use the 
     amount appropriated under subsection (b).
       (g) Emergency Designation.--
       (1) Statutory paygo.--This section is designated as an 
     emergency requirement pursuant to section 4(g) of the 
     Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2010 (2 U.S.C. 933(g)).
       (2) Senate designation.--In the Senate, this section is 
     designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section 
     4112(a) of H. Con. Res. 71 (115th Congress), the concurrent 
     resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2018.
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