S.Amdt. 2258

SA 2258. Mr. SANDERS submitted an amendment intended to be proposed
by him to the bill S. 2372, to amend title 38, United States Code, to
provide outer burial receptacles for remains buried in National Parks,
and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as
follows:

At the end of title V, add the following:

SEC. 513. APPROPRIATION OF AMOUNTS FOR HEALTH CARE FROM
DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.

(a) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that--
(1) the Veterans Access, Choice, and Accountability Act of
2014 (Public Law 113-146) established the Veterans Choice
Program under section 101 of such Act (Public Law 113-146; 38
U.S.C. 1701 note) as a temporary program to address a wait
time backlog for the receipt of health care from the
Department of Veterans Affairs and a shortage of health care
professionals at medical facilities of the Department;
(2) as of the date of the enactment of this Act, there are
approximately 45,000 vacancies at the Veterans Health
Administration; and
(3) of those vacancies, approximately 36,000 are vacancies
for positions relating to front line care for veterans.
(b) Appropriation of Amounts.--There is authorized to be
appropriated, and is appropriated, to the Secretary of
Veterans Affairs, out of any funds in the Treasury not
otherwise appropriated, $5,200,000,000 to carry out
subsection (d).
(c) Availability of Amounts.--The amount appropriated under
subsection (b) shall be available for obligation or
expenditure without fiscal year limitation.
(d) Use of Amounts.--The amount appropriated under
subsection (b) shall be used by the Secretary as follows:
(1) To increase the access of veterans to care as follows:
(A) To hire primary care and specialty care physicians for
employment in the Department of Veterans Affairs.
(B) To hire other medical staff, including the following:
(i) Physicians.
(ii) Nurses.
(iii) Social workers.
(iv) Mental health professionals.
(v) Dental professionals.
(vi) Other health care professionals as the Secretary
considers appropriate.
(C) To carry out the following:
(i) Section 7412 of title 38, United States Code.
(ii) Section 7302(e) of such title.
(iii) Section 301(b)(2) of the Veterans Access, Choice, and
Accountability Act of 2014 (Public Law 113-146; 38 U.S.C.
7302 note).
(D) To pay for expenses, equipment, and other costs
associated with the hiring of primary care physicians,
specialty care physicians, and other medical staff under
subparagraphs (A), (B), and (C).
(2) To improve the physical infrastructure of the
Department as follows:
(A) To maintain and operate hospitals, nursing homes,
domiciliary facilities, and other facilities of the Veterans
Health Administration.
(B) To enter into contracts or hire temporary employees to
repair, alter, or improve facilities under the jurisdiction
of the Department that are not otherwise provided for under
this paragraph.
(C) To carry out leases for facilities of the Department.
(D) To carry out minor construction projects of the
Department.
(e) Report.--
(1) In general.--Not later than one year after the date of
the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs
shall submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a
report on how the Secretary has obligated the amount
appropriated under subsection (b) as of the date of the
submittal of the report.
(2) Appropriate committees of congress defined.--In this
subsection, the term `` appropriate committees of Congress''
means--
(A) the Committee on Veterans' Affairs and the Committee on
Appropriations of the Senate; and
(B) the Committee on Veterans' Affairs and the Committee on
Appropriations of the House of Representatives.
(f) Funding Plan.--The Secretary shall submit to Congress a
funding plan describing how the Secretary intends to use the
amount appropriated under subsection (b).
(g) Emergency Designation.--
(1) Statutory paygo.--This section is designated as an
emergency requirement pursuant to section 4(g) of the
Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2010 (2 U.S.C. 933(g)).
(2) Senate designation.--In the Senate, this section is
designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section
4112(a) of H. Con. Res. 71 (115th Congress), the concurrent
resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2018.
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