[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 199 (Thursday, December 12, 2019)]
[Senate]
[Page S7030]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. MORAN:
  S.J. Res. 61. A joint resolution approving the request of the 
Secretary of Veterans Affairs for a waiver under section 1703E(f) of 
title 38, United States Code; to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
  Mr. MORAN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to submit the 
following letter from U.S. Secretary of Veterans Affairs, Robert L. 
Wilkie, for the Record.
  So Ordered.

     Hon. Mitch McConnell,
     Majority Leader, U.S. Senate,
     Washington, DC 20510.
       Dear Senator McConnell: In accordance with the requirements 
     of section 1703E(f)(2) of title 38, United States Code, 
     enclosed is the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) report on 
     a request for a waiver to allow VA to pilot community 
     partnered collaborations to expand dental care for Veterans. 
     We request that copies of this waiver be provided to the 
     Chair and Ranking Member of applicable standing committees 
     with jurisdiction to report a bill to amend the provision or 
     provisions of law that would be waived by VA, consistent with 
     section 1703E(f)(3).
       As required by section 1703E(f)(2), the enclosed report 
     describes in detail the specific authorities to be waived 
     under the pilot program; the standard or standards to be used 
     in the pilot program in lieu of the waived authorities; the 
     reasons for such waiver or waivers; a description of the 
     metric or metrics VA will use to determine the effect of the 
     waiver or waivers upon the access to and quality, timeliness, 
     or patient satisfaction of care and services furnished 
     through the pilot program; the anticipated cost savings, if 
     any, of the pilot program; the schedule for interim reports 
     on the pilot program describing the results of the pilot 
     program so far and the feasibility and advisability of 
     continuing the pilot program; the schedule for the 
     termination of the pilot program and the submission of a 
     final report on the pilot program describing the result of 
     the pilot program and the feasibility and advisability of 
     making the pilot program permanent; and the estimated budget 
     of the pilot program.
       Consistent with section 17.450 of title 38, Code of Federal 
     Regulations, this report also includes the geographic 
     locations for each pilot program, the rationale for those 
     selections, and how VA believes the selected locations will 
     address deficits in care for a defined population; any 
     applicable provision of existing regulations implementing any 
     laws to be waived; and any more specific definitions of terms 
     included in section 17.450(b), as necessitated by the 
     specific provisions of the proposed pilot program.
       The Office of Management and Budget advises that there is 
     no objection to the submission of this waiver proposal to 
     Congress and that its enactment would be in accord with the 
     program of the President.
       Thank you for your continuing support of our mission. A 
     similar letter has been sent to other leaders of the Congress 
     and the House and Senate Committees on Veterans' Affairs.
           Sincerely,
     Robert L. Wilkie.

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