Department of Veterans Affairs Expiring Authorities Act of 2015
Latest action · Sep 30, 2015 Became Public Law No: 114-58.
Progress
Where this bill reached, and when. A stage with no date was not reached; one that failed a vote and later carried shows the date it carried.
- IntroducedSep 25, 2015
- Passed SenateSep 25, 2015
- Passed HouseSep 30, 2015
- To the PresidentSep 30, 2015
- Became lawSep 30, 2015Public Law 114-58
Summary
(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The expanded summary of the Senate passed version is repeated here.)
Department of Veterans Affairs Expiring Authorities Act of 2015
This bill extends specified Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) programs.
TITLE I--EXTENSIONS OF AUTHORITY RELATING TO HEALTH CARE
(Sec. 101) Authority for collection of copayments for hospital care and nursing home care is extended through FY2016.
(Sec. 102) The requirement to provide nursing home care to certain veterans with service-connected disabilities is extended through December 31, 2016.
(Sec. 103) The authorization of appropriations for assistance and support services for caregivers is extended through FY2016.
(Sec. 104) Authority for recovery from third parties of the cost of care and services furnished to veterans with health-plan contracts for non-service-connected disability is extended through FY2016.
(Sec. 105) Authority for the pilot program on assistance for child care for certain veterans receiving health care is extended through December 31, 2016.
(Sec. 106) Authority to make grants to veterans service organizations for transportation of highly rural veterans is extended through FY2016.
(Sec. 107) Authority for the Department of Defense (DOD)-VA Health Care Sharing Incentive Fund is extended through FY2016.
(Sec. 108) Authority for the Joint DOD-VA Demonstration Fund is extended through FY2017.
(Sec. 109) Authority for the pilot program on counseling in retreat settings for women veterans newly separated from service is extended through December 31, 2016.
TITLE II--EXTENSIONS OF AUTHORITY RELATING TO BENEFITS
(Sec. 201) Authority for the Veterans' Advisory Committee on Education is extended through December 31, 2016.
(Sec. 202) Specified housing loan provisions and definitions, including the calculation of net value of real property at time of foreclosure, are extended through FY2016.
(Sec. 203) Authority relating to vendee loans is extended through FY2016.
(Sec. 204) Authority for rehabilitation and vocational benefits at VA facilities to members of the Armed Forces with severe injuries or illnesses is extended through December 31, 2016.
TITLE III--EXTENSIONS OF AUTHORITY RELATING TO HOMELESSNESS
(Sec. 301) Authority for homeless veterans reintegration programs is extended through FY2016.
(Sec. 302) Authority for the homeless women veterans and homeless veterans with children reintegration program is extended through FY2016.
(Sec. 303) Authority for housing assistance for homeless veterans is extended through FY2016.
(Sec. 304) Authority for financial assistance for supportive services for very low-income veteran families in permanent housing is extended through FY2016.
(Sec. 305) Authority for the grant program for homeless veterans with special needs is extended through FY2016.
(Sec. 306) Authority for the Advisory Committee on Homeless Veterans is extended through December 31, 2016.
(Sec. 307) Authority for treatment and rehabilitation services for seriously mentally ill and homeless veterans, including a program to provide homeless veterans with benefits and services at certain locations, is extended through FY2016.
(Sec. 308) Authority for referral and counseling services for certain veterans at risk of homelessness is extended through FY2016.
TITLE IV--OTHER EXTENSIONS AND MODIFICATIONS OF AUTHORITY
(Sec. 401) Authority for transportation of individuals to and from VA facilities for vocational rehabilitation, counseling, treatment, or care is extended through December 31, 2016.
(Sec. 402) Authority for monthly assistance allowances under the Office of National Veterans Sports Programs and Special Events is extended through December 31, 2016.
(Sec. 403) Authority for operation of the VA regional office in Manila, the Republic of the Philippines is extended through FY2016.
(Sec. 404) The requirement to provide annual reports to Congress regarding equitable relief in the case of administrative error is extended through December 31, 2016.
(Sec. 405) The authorization for appropriations for adaptive sports programs for disabled veterans and members of the Armed Forces is extended through FY2016.
(Sec. 406) Authority for the Advisory Committee on Minority Veterans is extended through December 31, 2016.
(Sec. 407) Authority for temporary eligibility expansion for specially adapted housing assistance for certain veterans with disabilities causing difficulty ambulating is extended through FY2016.
(Sec. 408) Authority to enter into agreement with the National Academy of Sciences regarding associations between diseases and exposure to dioxin and other chemical compounds in herbicides is extended through December 31, 2016.
(Sec. 409) Authority for performance of medical disabilities examinations by contract physicians is extended through December 31, 2016.
(Sec. 410) The current multipliers used in calculating the fees the VA may pay to educational institutions and apprenticeship providers for reports regarding each eligible individual's enrollment in veterans' education or training programs and the interruption or termination of their participation in such programs is extended through FY2016.
(Sec. 411) The requirement for an annual report on the DOD-VA Interagency Program Office is extended through FY2016.
(Sec. 412) Funding authority is modified to provide for constructing a new bed tower at the VA medical center in Tampa, Florida, in lieu of providing bed tower upgrades at such medical center.
(Sec. 413) The VA may carry out the following major medical facility projects (with each project not to exceed specified amounts):
- construction of a community living center, outpatient clinic, renovated domiciliary, and renovation of existing buildings in Canandaigua, New York;
- seismic corrections to the mental health and community living center in Long Beach, California;
- seismic correction of 12 buildings in West Los Angeles, California; and
- construction of a spinal cord injury building and seismic corrections in San Diego, California.
TITLE V--MATTERS RELATING TO MEDICAL FACILITY PROJECT IN DENVER
(Sec. 501) The amount authorized for the replacement of the existing VA Medical Center in Denver, Colorado, is increased.
It is the sense of Congress that the Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2016 authorizes the VA to transfer discretionary unobligated balances appropriated for FY2015 and discretionary advance appropriations for FY2016 to fund such increase.
The VA may not transfer amounts from the Veterans Choice Fund to carry out this medical facility construction project.
(Sec. 502) The VA shall enter into an agreement with an appropriate non-VA federal entity to provide full project management services for any super construction project, including management over the project design, acquisition, construction, and contract changes. Such agreement shall require reimbursement to the federal entity for project management service costs.
TITLE VI--OTHER MATTERS
(Sec. 601) Various technical and clerical amendments are made.
Recorded votes 1
Newest first. Open one to see how every member voted.
| Roll call | Question | Result | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| House 526 | On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass | Passed423–0 | Sep 30, 2015 |
Cosponsors 1
Members who signed on, in the order they did. All signed on Sep 25, 2015.
| Seat | Cosponsor | Signed on | |
|---|---|---|---|
| D-CT | Richard Blumenthal | Original | Sep 25, 2015 |
Actions 17
Everything that happened, newest first.
- Sep 30, 2015Mr. Miller (FL) moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.
- Sep 30, 2015Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H6719-6727)
- Sep 30, 2015DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on S. 2082.
- Sep 30, 2015At the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 8, rule XX, the Chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed.
- Sep 30, 2015Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H6730-6731)
- Sep 30, 2015Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 423 - 0 (Roll no. 526). (text: CR H6719-6722)
- Sep 30, 2015Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- Sep 30, 2015Presented to President.
- Sep 30, 2015Signed by President.
- Sep 30, 2015Became Public Law No: 114-58.
- Sep 28, 2015Received in the House.
- Sep 28, 2015Held at the desk.
- Sep 25, 2015Introduced in Senate
- Sep 25, 2015Introduced in the Senate, read twice.
- Sep 25, 2015Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent. (consideration: CR S6955-6959)
- Sep 25, 2015Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent. (text: CR S6956-6958)
- Sep 25, 2015Message on Senate action sent to the House.
In the Congressional Record 2
Days the Record’s own index lists this bill, newest first, with the pages and the members it names. Pages starting H are the House, S the Senate, E Extensions of Remarks.
| Where | In the Record | Members | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| House · Senate | Debate and remarks H6719–H6727, S7037Text printed H6719–H6722 | Christopher H. Smith R-NJ, Corrine Brown D-FL, Cory Gardner R-CO, Dina Titus D-NV, Doug Lamborn R-CO, Ed Perlmutter D-CO, Jeff Miller R-FL, Mike Coffman R-CO, Ralph Lee Abraham R-LA, Timothy J. Walz D-MN, Tom Price R-GA | Sep 30, 2015 |
| Senate | Debate and remarks S6955, S6956Text printed S6956–S6958Amendments S6955, S6956 | Cory Gardner R-CO, Mike Lee R-UT (amendment) | Sep 25, 2015 |
Research
What has been written about this bill: committee reports, cost estimates, the sponsor’s authority statement, printed hearings and the Congressional Research Service’s work.
Congressional Budget Office cost estimate
- Sep 29, 2015S. 2082, Department of Veterans Affairs Expiring Authorities Act of 2015As passed on September 25, 2015
Printed hearings 1
Hearings whose printed record names this bill, newest first: hearings on it, and wider hearings where it came up.
| Number | Hearing | Committee | Held |
|---|---|---|---|
| Serial No. 114-78 | FROM TUMULT TO TRANSFORMATION: THE COMMISSION ON CARE AND THE FUTURE OF THE VA HEALTHCARE SYSTEM122 pages | Veterans' Affairs Committee | Sep 7, 2016 |
CRS reports 3
Congressional Research Service work that CRS links to this bill or the law it became, newest first.
Cite it 3
Products on other subjects that cite it, usually among other measures.
| Product | Title | Kind | Published |
|---|---|---|---|
| R47163 | Department of Veterans Affairs: Claims Process and Compensation and Pension Exams by Contracted Physicians Archived | Report | Jun 22, 2022 |
| R44586 | GI Bill Legislation Enacted in the 114th Congress | Report | Mar 2, 2017 |
| R44241 | Department of Veterans Affairs FY2016 Appropriations: In Brief Archived | Report | Feb 24, 2016 |
Amendments 1
Amendments offered to this bill.
| Amendment | Description | Offered by | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| SA 2700 | To prohibit the transfer of amounts from the Veterans Choice Fund to fund the increase of the authorization to carry out the medical facility construction project of the Department of Veterans Affairs in Denver, Colorado. | Mike Lee R-UTfor Cory Gardner | Amendment SA 2700 agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent. |
Related bills 5
Companion bills and other measures the record links to this one.
| Bill | Title | Relationship | Latest action |
|---|---|---|---|
| S 2048 | Keeping Our Commitment to Ending Veteran Homelessness Act of 2015 | Related bill | Sep 17, 2015 |
| S 3246 | A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to extend authority for operation of the Department of Veterans Affairs Regional Office in Manila, the Republic of the Philippines. | Related bill | Jul 14, 2016 |
| S 3249 | Keeping Our Commitment to Ending Veteran Homelessness Act of 2016 | Related bill | Jul 14, 2016 |
| HR 3596 | Department of Veterans Affairs Expiring Authorities Act of 2015 | Related bill | Nov 23, 2015 |
| HR 5985 | Department of Veterans Affairs Expiring Authorities Act of 2016 | Related bill | Oct 19, 2016 |
Titles 5
Every title it has carried, official and short, at each stage.
- Official Title as Introduced
- A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to extend certain expiring provisions of law administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes.
- Short Titles as Introduced
- Department of Veterans Affairs Expiring Authorities Act of 2015
- Short Titles as Passed House
- Department of Veterans Affairs Expiring Authorities Act of 2015
- Short Titles as Passed Senate
- Department of Veterans Affairs Expiring Authorities Act of 2015
- Short Titles as Enacted
- Department of Veterans Affairs Expiring Authorities Act of 2015
Subjects
Assigned by the Library of Congress. Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security.
- Administrative remedies
- Advisory bodies
- Armed Forces and National Security
- Asia
- Building construction
- California
- Child care and development
- Colorado
- Congressional oversight
- Department of Defense
- Department of Veterans Affairs
- Disability and paralysis
- Employment and training programs
- Executive agency funding and structure
- Florida
- Hazardous wastes and toxic substances
- Health care costs and insurance
- Health care coverage and access
- Health facilities and institutions
- Health personnel
- Hospital care
- Housing finance and home ownership
- Housing for the elderly and disabled
- Long-term, rehabilitative, and terminal care
- Low- and moderate-income housing
- Medical tests and diagnostic methods
- Mental health
- New York State
- Philippines
- Physical fitness and lifestyle
- Residential rehabilitation and home repair
- Rural conditions and development
- Transportation costs
- Veterans' education, employment, rehabilitation
- Veterans' loans, housing, homeless programs
- Veterans' medical care
- Veterans' organizations and recognition
Text 3
Each version as it was printed, newest first.
- —Enrolled Bill
- Sep 25, 2015Engrossed in Senate
- Sep 25, 2015Considered and Passed Senate
Everything here is as published by Congress: the summary is the Congressional Research Service's, the action wording is the clerks', and the subjects are the Library of Congress's. How far it got is read from the actions themselves, taking the most recent one of each kind, so a bill that failed a vote and later passed is shown as having passed. Records come from this bill on Congress.gov and govinfo.gov; cost estimates are the Congressional Budget Office's, and the hearings are the printed hearings GovInfo publishes, which can appear months after the hearing.
