[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 7]
[House]
[Pages 9536-9537]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




    TO EXTEND THE AUTHORIZATION TO CARRY OUT THE REPLACEMENT OF THE 
   EXISTING MEDICAL CENTER OF THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS IN 
                            DENVER, COLORADO

  Mr. COFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to take from the 
Speaker's table the bill (S. 1568) to extend the authorization to carry 
out the replacement of the existing medical center of the Department of 
Veterans Affairs in Denver, Colorado, to authorize transfers of amounts 
to carry out the replacement of such medical center, and for other 
purposes, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Carter of Georgia). Is there objection 
to the request of the gentleman from Colorado?
  Mr. PERLMUTTER. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the right to object, although 
I don't object.
  I just want to thank my friend from Colorado, the authorizing 
committee, and the appropriators for providing some time through the 
end of the fiscal year. It gives the Army Corps of Engineers, the VA, 
and the contractor an opportunity to continue construction of our big 
VA Medical Center in Colorado. We still have a long-term solution that 
has to be resolved, but this gives everybody some breathing room to get 
that done.
  With that, I withdraw my reservation.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Colorado?
  There was no objection.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                                S. 1568

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. EXTENSION OF AUTHORIZATION FOR DEPARTMENT OF 
                   VETERANS AFFAIRS MAJOR MEDICAL FACILITY PROJECT 
                   PREVIOUSLY AUTHORIZED.

       Section 2(a) of the Construction Authorization and Choice 
     Improvement Act (Public Law 114-19) is amended--
       (1) by striking ``in fiscal year 2015,''; and
       (2) by striking ``$900,000,000'' and inserting 
     ``$1,050,000,000''.

     SEC. 2. LIMITED, ONE-TIME AUTHORITY TO TRANSFER SPECIFIC 
                   AMOUNTS TO CARRY OUT MAJOR MEDICAL FACILITY 
                   PROJECT IN DENVER, COLORADO.

       (a) In General.--Of the unobligated balances of amounts 
     available to the Department of Veterans Affairs for fiscal 
     year 2015, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs may transfer 
     amounts from the appropriations accounts under the following 
     headings, in the amounts and from the activities specified, 
     to the appropriations account under the heading 
     ``Construction, Major Projects'':
       (1) ``Medical Services'', $6,494,000 to be derived from 
     amounts available for the Human Capital Investment Plan.
       (2) ``Medical Support and Compliance'', $1,611,000 to be 
     derived from amounts available for the Human Capital 
     Investment Plan.
       (3) ``Medical Facilities'', $80,735,000 to be derived from 
     amounts available for green energy projects of the 
     Department.
       (4) ``National Cemetery Administration'', $60,000 to be 
     derived from amounts available for the Human Capital 
     Investment Plan.
       (5) ``General Administration'', $1,130,000 to be derived 
     from amounts available for the Office of the Secretary.
       (6) ``General Operating Expenses, Veterans Benefits 
     Administration'', $670,000 to be derived from amounts 
     available for the Human Capital Investment Plan.
       (7) ``Information Technology Systems'', $240,000 to be 
     derived from amounts available for the Human Capital 
     Investment Plan.
       (8) ``Construction, Minor Projects'', $3,000,000 to be 
     derived from amounts available for minor construction 
     projects at the staff offices of the Department.
       (b) Transfer of Amounts Available in Funds.--
       (1) Revolving supply fund.--Of the unobligated balances of 
     amounts available in the revolving supply fund of the 
     Department under section 8121 of title 38, United States 
     Code, the Secretary may transfer $20,030,000 to the 
     appropriations account under the heading ``Construction, 
     Major Projects''.
       (2) Franchise fund.--Of the unobligated balances of amounts 
     available in the Department of Veterans Affairs Franchise 
     Fund established in title I of the Departments of

[[Page 9537]]

     Veterans Affairs and Housing and Urban Development, and 
     Independent Agencies Appropriations Act, 1997 (Public Law 
     104-204; 31 U.S.C. 501 note), the Secretary may transfer 
     $36,030,000 to the appropriations account under the heading 
     ``Construction, Major Projects''.
       (c) Use of Amounts and Availability.--The amounts 
     transferred under subsections (a) and (b) shall--
       (1) be used only to carry out the major medical facility 
     construction project in Denver, Colorado, specified in 
     section 2 of the Construction Authorization and Choice 
     Improvement Act (Public Law 114-19); and
       (2) remain available until September 30, 2016.

  The bill was ordered to be read a third time, was read the third 
time, and passed, and a motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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