[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 144 (Tuesday, September 17, 2024)]
[House]
[Pages H5274-H5275]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
{time} 1700
FISCAL YEAR 2024 VETERANS AFFAIRS MAJOR MEDICAL FACILITY AUTHORIZATION
ACT
Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill
(H.R. 6324) to authorize major medical facility projects for the
Department of Veterans Affairs for fiscal year 2024, and for other
purposes, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 6324
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 2024 Veterans
Affairs Major Medical Facility Authorization Act''.
SEC. 2. AUTHORIZATION OF MAJOR MEDICAL FACILITY PROJECTS OF
DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS FOR FISCAL YEAR
2024.
(a) In General.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs may
carry out the following major medical facility projects in
fiscal year 2024 at the locations specified and in an amount
for each project not to exceed the amount specified for such
location:
(1) Construction of a new specialty care building 201,
renovation of building 18, and expansion of parking
facilities in American Lake, Washington, in an amount not to
exceed $155,600,000.
(2) Expansion of clinical space for mental health,
expansion of parking facilities, and land acquisition in
Dallas, Texas, in an amount not to exceed $93,100,000.
(3) Construction of a new health care center and utility
plant in El Paso, Texas, in an amount not to exceed
$759,200,000.
(4) Replacement of community living center and expansion of
parking facilities in Perry Point, Maryland, in an amount not
to exceed $274,310,000.
(5) Seismic retrofit and renovation of buildings 100 and
101, roadway and site improvements, construction of a new
specialty care facility, and demolition and expansion of
parking facilities in Portland, Oregon, in an amount not to
exceed $613,000,000.
(6) Initiation of replacement of the medical center of the
Sierra Nevada Health Care System of the Department of
Veterans Affairs, including land acquisition and preliminary
site work, in Reno, Nevada, in an amount not to exceed
$223,800,000.
(7) Construction of a new spinal cord injury building,
partial renovation of building 1, parking facilities, central
utility plant upgrades, and the seismic retrofit of the
existing spinal cord injury building 11 at the San Diego
Health Care System of the Department in San Diego,
California, in an amount not to exceed $311,700,000.
(8) Construction of a new research facility, parking
structure, and demolition in San Francisco, California, in an
amount not to exceed $264,500,000.
(9) Seismic corrections for building 1, construction of a
new administrative building, and expansion of the outpatient
clinic and parking structure in San Juan, Puerto Rico, in an
amount not to exceed $370,370,000.
(10) Phase 1 of the replacement of bed tower, expansion of
clinical building, consolidation of administrative building
and warehouse, water tower, and new utility plant and parking
garages in St. Louis, Missouri, in an amount not to exceed
$135,340,000.
(11) Construction of a new surgical and clinical space
tower, renovation of buildings 1 and 2, and demolition in
West Haven, Connecticut, in an amount not to exceed
$153,128,000.
(b) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized
to be appropriated to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs for
fiscal year 2024 or the year in which funds are appropriated
for the Construction, Major Projects account, $3,354,048,000
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
H.R. 6324, as amended.
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 today in support of my bill, H.R. 6324, as
amended. H.R. 6324 will authorize major VA medical construction
projects in Washington, Texas, Maryland, Oregon, Nevada, California,
Missouri, Connecticut, and Puerto Rico.
Updating VA's aging infrastructure is a constant process. In order to
best serve our Nation's veterans and provide them with the modern
healthcare that they deserve, it is essential that we fund projects
like these.
The projects in this bill include new healthcare centers, a community
living center, specialty care buildings, mental health clinics,
research facilities, and others. The average VA medical center is
decades older than the average private hospital.
I still believe the best way to solve the problem would be to align
spending on VA facilities with the veteran population. Unfortunately,
that is not being taken care of in the Senate. We have passed it out of
here.
We also need to fund the construction projects VA is requesting right
now. This legislation would deliver new facilities in communities
throughout the country.
I recognize the work of my colleagues on both sides of the aisle for
helping with this legislation and bringing this bill to the floor on
behalf of our Nation's veterans.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 6324, and 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 H.R. 6324, the Fiscal
Year 2024 Veterans Affairs Major Medical Facility Authorization Act, as
amended.
I have always supported providing sufficient funding for VA
construction projects which make critical investments in improving
veterans' access to healthcare and modernizing the facilities where
they receive their care.
[[Page H5275]]
These investments come at a critical time, when VA employees are
being asked to do more with less and provide world-class care in aging
and outdated buildings.
The average age of VA-owned buildings is approaching 60 years old,
with 1,800 buildings still in active use that are designated as
historic or eligible for historic status. Meanwhile, private-sector
hospitals are less than 15 years old on average.
Despite its aging infrastructure and these challenges, the Department
of Veterans Affairs continues to deliver high-quality healthcare, with
VA hospitals once again this year outperforming private hospitals on
the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services' annual hospital quality
star ratings.
To ensure VA can continue providing exceptional care for years to
come, we must invest appropriately in its infrastructure.
H.R. 6324, as amended, authorizes more than $3.35 billion for major
medical facility construction projects in 11 locations, including:
$759.2 million for construction of a new healthcare center and utility
plant in El Paso, Texas; $274.3 million for replacement of a community
living center and expansion of parking facilities in Perry Point,
Maryland; $613 million for seismic retrofitting and renovation of
buildings, construction of a new specialty care facility, and parking
upgrades in Portland, Oregon; and $311.7 million for construction of a
new spinal cord injury building, utility plant upgrades, seismic
retrofitting, and other projects in San Diego, California.
These projects will ensure the veterans in these communities have
access to the highest level of care VA can provide. This legislation is
a crucial step to continue our goal of making critical investments in
the modernization of VA medical facilities.
Mr. Speaker, I wholeheartedly support H.R. 6324, as amended, I urge
my colleagues to do the same, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I am ready to close, and I reserve the balance
of my time.
Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
I ask all of my colleagues to join me in passing H.R. 6324, the
Fiscal Year 2024 Veterans Affairs Major Medical Facility Authorization
Act, as amended, and I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, once again, I encourage all Members to support
the legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.
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, H.R. 6324, as amended.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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