[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2526 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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117th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 2526
To authorize the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Veterans
Affairs to enter into agreements for the planning, design, and
construction of facilities to be operated as shared medical facilities,
and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
July 28, 2021
Mr. Sullivan introduced the following bill; which was read twice and
referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To authorize the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Veterans
Affairs to enter into agreements for the planning, design, and
construction of facilities to be operated as shared medical facilities,
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. AUTHORITY OF SECRETARY OF DEFENSE AND SECRETARY OF VETERANS
AFFAIRS TO ENTER INTO AGREEMENTS FOR PLANNING, DESIGN,
AND CONSTRUCTION OF FACILITIES TO BE OPERATED AS SHARED
MEDICAL FACILITIES.
(a) Authority of Secretary of Defense.--
(1) In general.--Chapter 55 of title 10, United States
Code, is amended by inserting after section 1104 the following
new section:
``Sec. 1104a. Shared medical facilities with Department of Veterans
Affairs
``(a) Agreements.--The Secretary of Defense may enter into
agreements with the Secretary of Veterans Affairs for the planning,
design, and construction of facilities to be operated as shared medical
facilities.
``(b) Transfer of Funds by Secretary of Defense.--(1) The Secretary
of Defense may transfer to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs amounts as
follows:
``(A) For the construction of a shared medical facility,
amounts not in excess of the amount authorized under subsection
(a)(2) of section 2805 of this title, if--
``(i) the amount of the share of the Department of
Defense for the estimated cost of the project does not
exceed the amount authorized under such subsection; and
``(ii) the other requirements of such section have
been met with respect to funds identified for transfer.
``(B) For the planning, design, and construction of space
for a shared medical facility, amounts appropriated for the
Defense Health Program.
``(2) The authority to transfer funds under this section is in
addition to any other authority to transfer funds available to the
Secretary of Defense.
``(3) Section 2215 of this title does not apply to a transfer of
funds under this subsection.
``(c) Transfer of Funds to Secretary of Defense.--(1) Any amount
transferred to the Secretary of Defense by the Secretary of Veterans
Affairs for necessary expenses for the planning, design, and
construction of a shared medical facility, if the amount of the share
of the Department of Defense for the cost of such project does not
exceed the amount specified in section 2805(a)(2) of this title, may be
credited to accounts of the Department of Defense available for the
construction of a shared medical facility.
``(2) Any amount transferred to the Secretary of Defense by the
Secretary of Veterans Affairs for the purpose of the planning and
design of space for a shared medical facility may be credited to
accounts of the Department of Defense available for such purposes, and
may be used for such purposes.
``(3) Using accounts credited with transfers from the Secretary of
Veterans Affairs under paragraph (1), the Secretary of Defense may
carry out unspecified minor military construction projects, if the
share of the Department of Defense for the cost of such project does
not exceed the amount specified in section 2805(a)(2) of this title.
``(d) Merger of Amounts Transferred.--Any amount transferred to the
Secretary of Veterans Affairs under subsection (b) and any amount
transferred to the Secretary of Defense under subsection (c) shall be
merged with and available for the same purposes and the same period as
the appropriation or fund to which transferred.
``(e) Appropriation in Advance.--Amounts may be transferred
pursuant to the authority under this section only to the extent and in
the amounts provided in advance in appropriations Acts.
``(f) Shared Medical Facility Defined.--In this section, the term
`shared medical facility'--
``(1) means a building or buildings, or a campus, intended
to be used by both the Department of Veterans Affairs and the
Department of Defense for the provision of health care
services, whether under the jurisdiction of the Secretary of
Veterans Affairs or the Secretary of Defense, and whether or
not located on a military installation or on real property
under the jurisdiction of the Secretary of Veterans Affairs;
and
``(2) includes any necessary building and auxiliary
structure, garage, parking facility, mechanical equipment,
abutting and covered sidewalks, and accommodations for
attending personnel.''.
(2) Clerical amendment.--The table of sections at the
beginning of chapter 55 of such title is amended by inserting
after the item relating to section 1104 the following new item:
``1104a. Shared medical facilities with Department of Veterans
Affairs.''.
(b) Authority of Secretary of Veterans Affairs.--
(1) In general.--Chapter 81 of title 38, United States
Code, is amended by inserting after section 8111A the following
new section:
``Sec. 8111B. Shared medical facilities with Department of Defense
``(a) Agreements.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs may enter into
agreements with the Secretary of Defense for the planning, design, and
construction of facilities to be operated as shared medical facilities.
``(b) Transfer of Funds by Secretary of Veterans Affairs.--(1) The
Secretary of Veterans Affairs may transfer to the Department of Defense
amounts appropriated to the Department of Veterans Affairs for
`Construction, minor projects' for use for the planning, design, or
construction of a shared medical facility if the estimated share of the
project costs of the Department of Veterans Affairs does not exceed the
amount specified in section 8104(a)(3)(A) of this title.
``(2) The Secretary of Veterans Affairs may transfer to the
Department of Defense amounts appropriated to the Department of
Veterans Affairs for `Construction, major projects' for use for the
planning, design, or construction of a shared medical facility if--
``(A) the estimated share of the project costs of the
Department of Veterans Affairs exceeds the amount specified in
section 8104(a)(3)(A) of this title; and
``(B) the other requirements of section 8104 of this title
have been met with respect to amounts identified for transfer.
``(c) Transfer of Funds to Secretary of Veterans Affairs.--(1) Any
amount transferred to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs by the
Secretary of Defense for necessary expenses for the planning, design,
or construction of a shared medical facility, if the estimated share of
the project costs of the Department of Veterans Affairs does not exceed
the amount specified in section 8104(a)(3)(A) of this title, may be
credited to the `Construction, minor projects' account of the
Department of Veterans Affairs and used for the necessary expenses of
constructing such shared medical facility.
``(2) Any amount transferred to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs
by the Secretary of Defense for necessary expenses for the planning,
design, or construction of a shared medical facility, if the estimated
share of the project costs of the Department of Veterans Affairs
exceeds the amount specified in section 8104(a)(3)(A) of this title,
may be credited to the `Construction, major projects' account of the
Department of Veterans Affairs and used for the necessary expenses of
constructing such shared medical facility if the other requirements of
section 8104 of this title have been met with respect to amounts
identified for transfer.
``(d) Merger of Amounts Transferred.--Any amount transferred to the
Secretary of Defense under subsection (b) and any amount transferred to
the Secretary of Veterans Affairs under subsection (c) shall be merged
with and available for the same purposes and the same period as the
appropriation or fund to which transferred.
``(e) Appropriation in Advance.--Amounts may be transferred
pursuant to the authority under this section only to the extent and in
the amounts provided in advance in appropriations Acts.
``(f) Shared Medical Facility Defined.--In this section, the term
`shared medical facility'--
``(1) means a building or buildings, or a campus, intended
to be used by both the Department of Veterans Affairs and the
Department of Defense for the provision of health care
services, whether under the jurisdiction of the Secretary of
Veterans Affairs or the Secretary of Defense, and whether or
not located on a military installation or on real property
under the jurisdiction of the Secretary of Veterans Affairs;
and
``(2) includes any necessary building and auxiliary
structure, garage, parking facility, mechanical equipment,
abutting and covered sidewalks, and accommodations for
attending personnel.''.
(2) Clerical amendment.--The table of sections at the
beginning of subchapter I of chapter 81 of such title is
amended by inserting after the item relating to section 8111A
the following new item:
``8111B. Shared medical facilities with Department of Defense.''.
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