A bill to authorize the construction of a major medical facility for the Department of Veterans Affairs in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and for other purposes.

II 116TH CONGRESS 2D SESSION S. 4856 To authorize the construction of a major medical facility for the Department of Veterans Affairs in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and for other purposes. IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES OCTOBER 23 (legislative day, OCTOBER 19), 2020 Mr. GARDNER introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs A BILL To authorize the construction of a major medical facility for the Department of Veterans Affairs in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- 1 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 SECTION 1. AUTHORIZATION OF MAJOR MEDICAL FACILITY 3 FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AF- 4 FAIRS, COLORADO SPRINGS, COLORADO. 5 (a) AUTHORIZATION.—The Secretary of Veterans Af- 6 fairs may carry out a major medical facility project in fis- 7 cal year 2021 and subsequent fiscal years for the construc- 8 tion of a Department of Veterans Affairs medical center 9 VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:47 Oct 30, 2020 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S4856.IS S4856 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with BILLS 2 •S 4856 IS in Colorado Springs, Colorado, designed to serve El Paso 1 County, Colorado, and surrounding areas. 2 (b) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 3 authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of Veterans 4 Affairs for fiscal year 2021 and subsequent fiscal years 5 for the Construction, Major Projects, account, such sums 6 as may be necessary to carry out the major medical facility 7 project authorized by subsection (a). 8 (c) REPORT ON JOINT VA-DOD USE.— 9 (1) REPORT REQUIRED.—Not later than 180 10 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the 11 Secretary of Veterans Affairs and the Secretary of 12 Defense shall jointly submit to the appropriate com- 13 mittees of Congress a report setting forth a joint as- 14 sessment by the Secretaries of the feasibility and ad- 15 visability of the use of the medical center authorized 16 by subsection (a) for the provision of health care 17 services to both veterans and members of the Armed 18 Forces on active duty. 19 (2) ELEMENTS.—The report required by para- 20 graph (1) shall include the following: 21 (A) The assessment described in paragraph 22 (1). 23 (B) An assessment of the feasibility and 24 advisability of locating the medical center au- 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:47 Oct 30, 2020 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S4856.IS S4856 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with BILLS 3 •S 4856 IS thorized by subsection (a) on real property 1 under the jurisdiction of the Secretary of De- 2 fense. 3 (C) If the assessment described in para- 4 graph (1) is that the use as described in that 5 paragraph is feasible and advisable, the fol- 6 lowing: 7 (i) A description of the use, as so de- 8 scribed, during the 10-year period begin- 9 ning on the date of completion of the 10 major medical facility project. 11 (ii) The strategic capital investment 12 plan for the medical facility project, jointly 13 conducted by the Secretaries. 14 (iii) A unified budget for the use dur- 15 ing such period, allocating costs appro- 16 priately among the Department of Vet- 17 erans Affairs and the Department of De- 18 fense. 19 (D) Such other matters as the Secretary of 20 Veterans Affairs and the Secretary of Defense 21 jointly consider appropriate. 22 (3) APPROPRIATE COMMITTEES OF CONGRESS 23 DEFINED.—In this subsection, the term ‘‘appro- 24 priate committees of Congress’’ means— 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:47 Oct 30, 2020 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S4856.IS S4856 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with BILLS 4 •S 4856 IS (A) the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 1 and the Committee on Armed Services of the 2 Senate; and 3 (B) the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 4 and the Committee on Armed Services of the 5 House of Representatives. 6 (d) CONSTRUCTION AGENT AUTHORITY.— 7 (1) CONSTRUCTION AGENT AUTHORITY.— 8 (A) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 30 days 9 after the date of the enactment of the Act first 10 appropriating funds to carry out the major 11 medical facility project authorized by subsection 12 (a), the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall 13 enter into an agreement with the Chief of Engi- 14 neers to procure the services of the Chief of En- 15 gineers as the construction agent with respect 16 to carrying out the major medical facility 17 project until the date on which the major med- 18 ical facility project is completed. 19 (B) REIMBURSEMENT.—The Secretary 20 shall reimburse the Chief of Engineers for serv- 21 ices procured under subparagraph (A) in ac- 22 cordance with section 1535 of title 31, United 23 States Code (commonly referred to as the 24 ‘‘Economy Act’’), except that amounts required 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:47 Oct 30, 2020 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S4856.IS S4856 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with BILLS 5 •S 4856 IS to carry out the major medical facility project 1 shall be obligated by the Secretary at the time 2 a reimbursable order is accepted by the Chief of 3 Engineers. 4 (2) DUTIES.— 5 (A) IN GENERAL.—Pursuant to the agree- 6 ment entered into under paragraph (1), the 7 Chief of Engineers shall, as the construction 8 agent with respect to the major medical facility 9 project authorized by subsection (a), be given 10 the authority to perform the project, design, 11 contract, and construction management nec- 12 essary to complete the major medical facility 13 project. 14 (B) NEW CONTRACTS.—The authority 15 under subparagraph (A) shall include the au- 16 thority to enter into new contracts in compli- 17 ance with the Federal Acquisition Regulation. 18 (3) PLANS AND REPORTS.— 19 (A) COMPLETION PLAN.—Not later than 20 90 days after entering into the agreement 21 under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall, in 22 consultation with the Chief of Engineers, sub- 23 mit to the appropriate committees of Congress 24 a detailed plan, including estimated costs, to 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:47 Oct 30, 2020 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S4856.IS S4856 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with BILLS 6 •S 4856 IS complete the construction of the major medical 1 facility project authorized by subsection (a). 2 (B) PROGRESS REPORTS.—Not later than 3 180 days after entering into the agreement 4 under paragraph (1), and not less frequently 5 than once during each 180-day period there- 6 after until the date on which the major medical 7 facility project is completed, the Secretary shall, 8 in consultation with the Chief of Engineers, 9 submit to the appropriate committees of Con- 10 gress a report detailing the progress of the 11 major medical facility project. 12 (4) COOPERATION.— 13 (A) INFORMATION.—The Secretary shall 14 provide to the Chief of Engineers any docu- 15 ments or information that the Chief of Engi- 16 neers considers necessary to carry out this sub- 17 section, including information relating to the 18 successful operation of a medical facility. 19 (B) ASSISTANCE.—Upon request by the 20 Chief of Engineers, the Secretary shall provide 21 to the Chief of Engineers, at no cost to the 22 Chief of Engineers, any assistance that the 23 Chief of Engineers considers necessary to carry 24 out this subsection. 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:47 Oct 30, 2020 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00006 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S4856.IS S4856 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with BILLS 7 •S 4856 IS (5) APPROPRIATE COMMITTEES OF CONGRESS 1 DEFINED.—In this subsection, the term ‘‘appro- 2 priate committees of Congress’’ means— 3 (A) the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of 4 the Senate; and 5 (B) the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of 6 the House of Representatives. 7 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:47 Oct 30, 2020 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00007 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\S4856.IS S4856 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with BILLS