[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 107 (Tuesday, June 20, 2023)]
[House]
[Pages H2975-H2976]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




FISCAL YEAR 2023 VETERANS AFFAIRS MAJOR MEDICAL FACILITY AUTHORIZATION 
                                  ACT

  Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill 
(S. 30) to authorize major medical facility projects for the Department 
of Veterans Affairs for fiscal year 2023, and for other purposes.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                                 S. 30

       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 ``Fiscal Year 2023 Veterans 
     Affairs Major Medical Facility Authorization Act''.

     SEC. 2. AUTHORIZATION OF MAJOR MEDICAL FACILITY PROJECTS OF 
                   DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS FOR FISCAL YEAR 
                   2023.

       (a) In General.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs may 
     carry out the following major medical facility projects in 
     fiscal year 2023 at the locations specified and in an amount 
     for each project not to exceed the amount specified for such 
     location:
       (1) Construction of a community-based outpatient clinic and 
     national cemetery in Alameda, California, in an amount not to 
     exceed $395,000,000.
       (2) Construction of a community living center and 
     renovation of domiciliary and outpatient facilities in 
     Canandaigua, New York, in an amount not to exceed 
     $506,400,000.
       (3) Construction of a new health care center in El Paso, 
     Texas, in an amount not to exceed $700,000,000.
       (4) Seismic upgrade and specialty care improvements in Fort 
     Harrison, Montana, in an amount not to exceed $88,600,000.
       (5) Realignment and closure of the Livermore campus in 
     Livermore, California, in an amount not to exceed 
     $490,000,000.
       (6) Construction of a new medical facility in Louisville, 
     Kentucky, in an amount not to exceed $1,013,000,000.
       (7) Seismic retrofit and renovation, roadway and site 
     improvements, construction of a new specialty care facility, 
     demolition, and expansion of parking facilities in Portland, 
     Oregon, in an amount not to exceed $523,000,000.
       (b) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized 
     to be appropriated to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs for 
     fiscal year 2023 or the year in which funds are appropriated 
     for the Construction, Major Projects account, $3,716,000,000 
     for the projects authorized in subsection (a).

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Illinois (Mr. Bost) and the gentleman from California (Mr. Takano) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Illinois.


                             General Leave

  Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks on 
S. 30.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Illinois?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of S. 30. This bill would authorize VA 
major medical facility construction projects in California, New York, 
Texas, Montana, Kentucky, and Oregon.
  As chairman, I have committed time and time again to provide the 
necessary funding that ensures our Nation's veterans receive the 
quality care they deserve.

[[Page H2976]]

  


                              {time}  1615

  It is well known that the VA healthcare system has serious 
infrastructure issues and needs critical renovations. Authorizing these 
projects will help the thousands of veterans who live in these six 
States have better access to care in modern settings.
  I appreciate Senator Tester and Senator Moran for their work 
introducing this important bill. I also thank Representative Chavez-
DeRemer for introducing a similar bill in the House. It has my full 
support today.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise to express my support for S. 30, the Fiscal Year 
2023 Veterans Affairs Major Medical Facility Authorization Act.
  I thank the chairman of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee, 
Senator Tester, and Ranking Member Moran for introducing this important 
legislation.
  Every year, the Department of Veterans Affairs submits an annual 
budget request to Congress. Our job is to authorize and appropriate the 
funding VA needs to care for America's veterans and their families.
  More than 9 million veterans are enrolled in VA's healthcare system, 
utilizing roughly 1,300 healthcare facilities across the system. Within 
VA's budget request are funds to replace and modernize these medical 
facilities.
  This year's major construction request totals just over $3.7 billion 
and will build a new healthcare center in El Paso, Texas; construct an 
outpatient clinic and a national cemetery in Alameda, California; erect 
a new medical facility in Louisville, Kentucky; and allow for seismic 
upgrades and specialty care improvements in Fort Harrison, Montana, 
among other things.
  Mr. Speaker, funding VA infrastructure remains an important and 
critical issue. In recent years, the committee has highlighted VA's 
aging infrastructure and the critical need to address that issue. 
Delivering 21st century healthcare using outdated facilities is far 
from ideal and certainly not what our veterans deserve. If the VA is to 
be inclusive and treat all veterans who have served, we should not 
delay retrofitting facilities as we strive to meet the growing and 
ever-changing needs of our diverse veteran community.
  Last year, we passed my Honoring our PACT Act, which will 
significantly expand eligibility and, consequently, utilization of VA 
healthcare in the coming years.
  Just last week, NPR published a story highlighting, once again, a 
Medicare survey showing VA hospitals are outperforming private 
hospitals in all categories of patient satisfaction. Despite outdated, 
antiquated facilities, VA still provides exceptional care. Imagine the 
levels of care VA could achieve if it had all the needed resources.
  In order to serve our veterans and provide them with the care they 
deserve and need, we must start making serious investments in our 
outdated infrastructure.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask all my colleagues to join me in passing S. 30, the 
Fiscal Year 2023 Veterans Affairs Major Medical Facility Authorization 
Act, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I encourage all Members to support this 
legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise to express my support for S. 30, 
Fiscal Year 2023 Veterans Affairs Major Medical Facility Authorization 
Act.
  It is always my honor to address issues related to the wellbeing of 
the women and men who served and continue to serve our country.
  As noted by the Congressional Budget Office, this bill authorizes the 
appropriation of $3.7 billion for fiscal year 2023 for the construction 
and renovation of seven major VA medical facilities for the Department 
of Veterans Affairs.
  With approximately 360,000 employees, roughly 1,600 health care 
facilities, 144 medical centers, and 1,232 outpatient sites, the 
Department of Veterans Affairs remains one of the largest and most 
complex agencies in the U.S. Government.
  The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) provides health care to 
approximately 9 million veterans annually.
  Over the past ten years, more than 60,000 veterans have died by 
suicide, and 20 veterans die by suicide each day.
  Between 2005 and 2017, nearly 79,000 veterans killed themselves, more 
than the total number of troops who have died in the wars in Vietnam, 
Iraq, and Afghanistan combined (roughly 65,000).
  There has never been a more urgent time than this that requires the 
urgent need for rebuilding the department's flailing infrastructure and 
resolving staffing shortage in VA medical facilities.
  It is equally important to keep the focus on efforts to reduce wait 
times and availability by specialty, adequately address the veteran 
suicide rate, and find lasting solutions to the overall healthcare 
needs of our veterans.
  It is therefore appropriate for this House to vote for this bill to 
ensure that the Veterans Health Administration's (VHA) major medical 
facilities receive the needed attention that they deserve to meet the 
health needs of our veterans.
  This bill does not only help with furnishing inpatient and outpatient 
care and treatment of veterans and their dependents, but also supports 
the care and treatment in non-VA facilities; community-based outpatient 
clinics, medical supplies, and equipment.
  This bill will benefit the operations of VA medical centers (VAMCs) 
and other medical facilities, such as community-based outpatient 
clinics (CBOCs), Vet Centers, and other veteran-related community care 
programs.
  It will also benefit many VA medical facility services like the 
Community Care Program (VCCP), the Camp Lejeune Family Member Program 
(CLFMP), CHAMPVA, the Foreign Medical Program (FMP), the Children of 
Women Vietnam Veterans Health Care Benefits Program (CWVV), and the 
Indian Health Service (IHS)/Tribal Health Programs (THP) Reimbursement 
Agreements Program.
  I applaud President Biden's administration for keeping its promise to 
adopt a comprehensive public health and crisis sector approach to 
address suicide among veterans, service members, and their families 
within his first 200 days in office.
  Since taking office, the Biden administration has made commendable 
progress in filling the department's 50,000 empty positions especially 
in ways that reflect the diversity that exists within the active-duty 
and veteran community.
  This bill helps to build on that progress by addressing the 
department's aging infrastructure, which has been in place for roughly 
58 years.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Bost) that the House suspend the rules and 
pass the bill, S. 30.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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