S.Amdt. 3139

SA 3139. Mr. MERKLEY (for himself, Mr. Crapo, and Mr. Risch)
submitted an amendment intended to be proposed to amendment SA 2977
submitted by Ms. Collins and intended to be proposed to the bill H.R.
3944, making appropriations for military construction, the Department
of Veterans Affairs, and related agencies for the fiscal year ending
September 30, 2026, and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on
the table; as follows:

At the appropriate place in title II of division A, insert
the following:
Sec. ___. (a) Not later than 180 days after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United
States shall submit to the Committee on Appropriations of the
Senate, the Committee on Appropriations of the House of
Representatives, and each Member of Congress a report on the
current backlog in funding for construction and renovation of
State homes for veterans.
(b) The report required by subsection (a) shall include the
following:
(1) A list of all unfunded or partially funded applications
for construction grants for State homes, including those
identified on the priority lists for fiscal year 2024 and
2025.
(2) The estimated total funding required to fully fund all
projects under such pending applications.
(3) A description of the key hurdles to clearing the
backlog of construction grant applications, including
administrative, regulatory, and funding-related barriers.
(4) Any recommendations for administrative or legislative
action to reduce delays and accelerate the approval and
completion of State home projects.
(5) An exploration of potential options for interim or
alternative sources of funding to sustain or advance priority
projects currently awaiting Federal support, including an
evaluation of such options for feasibility and potential
impact.
(c) The requirement under subsection (b)(5) shall not be
construed as relieving Congress of its responsibility to fund
State homes fully and in a timely manner.
(d) In this section, the term ``State home'' has the
meaning given that term in section 101 of title 38, United
States Code.
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