[United States Statutes at Large, Volume 123, 111th Congress, 1st Session]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

123 STAT. 2137

Public Law 111-81
111th Congress

An Act


 
To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide advance appropriations
authority for certain accounts of the Department of Veterans Affairs,
and for other purposes. <>

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 ``Veterans Health Care Budget Reform
and Transparency Act of 2009''.
SEC. 2. PRESIDENT'S BUDGET SUBMISSION.

Section 1105(a) of title 31, United States Code, is amended by
adding at the end the following new paragraph:
``(36) information on estimates of appropriations for the
fiscal year following the fiscal year for which the budget is
submitted for the following medical care accounts of the
Veterans Health Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs
account:
``(A) Medical Services.
``(B) Medical Support and Compliance.
``(C) Medical Facilities.''.
SEC. 3. ADVANCE APPROPRIATIONS FOR CERTAIN MEDICAL CARE ACCOUNTS
OF THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.

(a) In General.--Chapter 1 of title 38, United States Code, is
amended by inserting after section 116 the following new section:
``Sec. 117. Advance appropriations for certain medical care
accounts

``(a) In General.--For each fiscal year, beginning with fiscal year
2011, discretionary new budget authority provided in an appropriations
Act for the medical care accounts of the Department shall--
``(1) be made available for that fiscal year; and
``(2) include, for each such account, advance discretionary
new budget authority that first becomes available for the first
fiscal year after the budget year.

``(b) Estimates Required.--The Secretary shall include in documents
submitted to Congress in support of the President's budget submitted
pursuant to section 1105 of title 31, United States Code, detailed
estimates of the funds necessary for the medical care accounts of the
Department for the fiscal year following the fiscal year for which the
budget is submitted.
``(c) Medical Care Accounts.-- <> For purposes of
this section, the term `medical care accounts of the Department' means
the

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123 STAT. 2138

following medical care accounts of the Veterans Health Administration,
Department of Veterans Affairs account:
``(1) Medical Services.
``(2) Medical Support and Compliance.
``(3) Medical Facilities.

``(d) Annual Report.--Not later than July 31 of each year, the
Secretary shall submit to Congress an annual report on the sufficiency
of the Department's resources for the next fiscal year beginning after
the date of the submittal of the report for the provision of medical
care. Such report shall also include estimates of the workload and
demand data for that fiscal year.''.
(b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections at the beginning of
such chapter is amended by inserting after the item relating to section
113 the following new line:

``117. Advance appropriations for certain medical care accounts.''.

SEC. 4. <> COMPTROLLER GENERAL REVIEW OF
THE ACCURACY OF VA MEDICAL CARE BUDGET
SUBMISSION IN RELATION TO BASELINE HEALTH CARE
MODEL PROJECTION.

(a) Review of Accuracy of Medical Care Budget Submission.--The
Comptroller General shall conduct a review of each budget of the
President for a fiscal year that is submitted to Congress pursuant to
section 1105(a) of title 31 in order to assess whether or not the
relevant components of the amounts requested in such budget for such
fiscal year for the medical care accounts of the Department of Veterans
Affairs specified in section 117(c) of title 38, United States Code, as
added by section 3, are consistent with estimates of the resources
required by the Department for the provision of medical care and
services in such fiscal year, as forecast using the Enrollee Health Care
Projection Model, or other methodologies used by the Department.
(b) Reports.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 120 days after the date of
each year in 2011, 2012, and 2013, on which the President
submits the budget request for the next fiscal year under
section 1105 of title 31, United States Code, the Comptroller
General shall submit to the Committees on Veterans' Affairs,
Appropriations, and the Budget of the Senate and the Committees
on Veterans' Affairs, Appropriations, and the Budget of the
House of Representatives and to the Secretary a report on the
review conducted under subsection (a).
(2) Elements.--Each report under this paragraph shall
include, for the fiscal year beginning in the year in which such
report is submitted, the following:
(A) An assessment of the review conducted under
subsection (a).
(B) The basis for such assessment.
(C) Such additional information as the Comptroller
General determines appropriate.


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123 STAT. 2139

(3) Availability to the public.--Each report submitted under
this subsection shall also be made available to the public.

Approved October 22, 2009.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY--H.R. 1016 (S. 423):
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HOUSE REPORTS: No. 111-171 (Comm. on Veterans' Affairs).
SENATE REPORTS: No. 111-41 (Comm. on Veterans' Affairs) accompanying S.
423.
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 155 (2009):
June 23, considered and passed House.
Aug. 6, considered and passed Senate, amended, in lieu of S.
423.
Oct. 8, House concurred in Senate amendment with an
amendment pursuant to H. Res. 804.
Oct. 13, Senate concurred in House amendment.
DAILY COMPILATION OF PRESIDENTIAL DOCUMENTS (2009):
Oct. 22, Presidential remarks.