[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 120 (Thursday, July 13, 2023)]
[Senate]
[Page S2696]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 570. Mr. REED (for himself, Mr. Moran, Mr. Rounds, and Mr. Hoeven) 
submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by him to the bill S. 
2226, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2024 for military 
activities of the Department of Defense, for military construction, and 
for defense activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe 
military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for other 
purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

        At the end of subtitle G of title X, add the following:

     SEC. 1083. ADJUSTMENT OF THRESHOLD AMOUNT FOR MINOR MEDICAL 
                   FACILITY PROJECTS OF DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS 
                   AFFAIRS.

       (a) Short Title.--This section may be cited as the 
     ``Department of Veterans Affairs Minor Construction Threshold 
     Adjustment Act of 2023''.
       (b) Adjustment of Threshold Amount.--Section 8104(a) of 
     title 38, United States Code, is amended--
       (1) in paragraph (3)(A), by striking ``$20,000,000'' each 
     place it appears and inserting ``the amount specified in 
     paragraph (4)''; and
       (2) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
       ``(4)(A) The amount specified in this paragraph is 
     $30,000,000, as adjusted pursuant to this paragraph.
       ``(B)(i) The Secretary shall develop, through regulations, 
     a mechanism to adjust the amount under subparagraph (A) to 
     account for relevant factors relating to construction, cost 
     of land, real estate, economic conditions, labor conditions, 
     inflation, and other relevant factors the Secretary considers 
     necessary to ensure such amount keeps pace with all economic 
     conditions that impact the price of construction projects, to 
     include planning, management, and delivery of the project.
       ``(ii) In developing the mechanism under clause (i), the 
     Secretary may--
       ``(I) use a mechanism or index already relied upon by the 
     Department for other relevant programs, a mechanism or index 
     used by another Federal agency, or a commercial mechanism or 
     index if such mechanism or index satisfactorily addresses the 
     intent of this subparagraph; or
       ``(II) create a new mechanism or index if the Secretary 
     considers it appropriate and necessary to do so.
       ``(C)(i) Not less frequently than once every two years, the 
     Secretary shall--
       ``(I) adjust the amount under subparagraph (A); or
       ``(II) publish a notice in the Federal Register indicating 
     that no adjustment is warranted.
       ``(ii) Not later than 30 days before adjusting an amount 
     pursuant to clause (i)(I) or publishing a notice pursuant to 
     clause (i)(II), the Secretary shall notify the Committee on 
     Veterans' Affairs and the Committee on Appropriations of the 
     Senate and the Committee on Veterans' Affairs and the 
     Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives.
       ``(D) The Secretary shall determine a logical schedule for 
     adjustments under this paragraph to take effect so that the 
     amounts for and types of construction projects requested by 
     the Department in the budget of the President under section 
     1105(a) of title 31 are consistent with the threshold for 
     construction projects as so adjusted.''.
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