VA Major Construction Authorization and Expiring Authorities Extension Act of 2012

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 6375) to authorize certain Department of Veterans Affairs major medical facility projects and leases, to amend title 38, United States Code, to extend certain authorities of the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I might consume.

This bill, as amended, would authorize certain Department of Veterans Affairs major medical facility projects, and it would also extend certain expiring authorities.

It encompasses VA's fiscal year for 2013, for major medical facility projects, and already tracks with the resources we have already provided to the Department for health care matters in the appropriations bill that was passed by the House with bipartisan support. It would aid in the delivery of health care to services and to servicemembers, veterans, and their families in communities all across this country.

It authorizes two major medical facility projects, the construction of a mental health building at the VA Medical Center in Seattle, Washington, in an amount not to exceed $222 million, and the construction of a spinal cord injury center at the VA Medical Center in Dallas, Texas, in an amount not to exceed $155.2 million.

Section 102 of the bill would authorize the renovation of the surgical suite and operating rooms at the Medical Center in Miami, in an amount not to exceed $41 million. I would note that this project was originally undertaken by the Department in 2007 as two separate minor construction projects.

However, in 2008, the two separate projects were combined into a single initiative without the knowledge of VA's central office, or the approval, in direct violation of established procedures. The VA officials first became aware of this issue in February of this year, and in April of this year they determined that the combined project constituted a major construction project that had moved forward without congressional authorization as required by law.

Work on the project is currently suspended, at a cost of approximately $6,000 a day. As soon as our committee became aware of the issue, we requested an in-depth briefing from VA officials to get to the bottom of the issue and to ensure that the leaders of the VA responsible for this egregious oversight were, in fact, held accountable.

It's really nothing short of unacceptable to this committee and, I would hope, to this Congress that this facility had been openly flouting VA policy and, more importantly, breaking Federal law for 4 years without consequence before somebody at VA took notice.

How many other VA projects have moved forward without regard for proper procedure, legal requirements, or congressional authorization; and how long has the central office not been paying attention?

The committee will continue to be vigorous in our oversight. But in the meantime, we cannot allow the American taxpayer or the veterans of south Florida to suffer because of a bureaucratic failing or lack of leadership.

The Department has proposed using approximately $12.1 million in prior-year major construction advance planning funds to complete the remainder of the Miami project; and I've been assured repeatedly by VA officials that the use of this money will in no way negatively impact the planning or design of any other project.

I've also been assured by the Department that once congressional authorization is received, the project can be completed in 120 days. I'm hopeful that the Department is correct in its assessment of the work that remains and that this provision will allow for the completion of this project to better serve the veterans in the Miami area.

Section 103 of this bill would authorize the appropriation of $377.2 million for VA major construction projects. Title II of this bill would extend expiring authorities for several programs within VA, including programs designed to help veterans keep their homes, gain greater access to compensation and pension examinations, better serve veterans living in the Philippines, and provide supportive services to those who are homeless.

This legislation represents a bipartisan effort; and I'd like to express my thanks to the ranking member, Mr. Filner, and Mr. Michaud for his hard work and leadership in quickly advancing this important legislation to the floor.

And before I yield, I'd like to point out that the bill before us today does not include major medical facility lease authorizations, as it normally would, due to concerns raised late last week by the Congressional Budget Office about how to properly account for the total cost of VA's lease authorization.

Mr. Speaker, I want to assure our veterans and stakeholders that I am committed to working closely with my colleagues in the Senate, the administration's Office of Management and Budget, and the Congressional Budget Office to find a way forward on those important authorizations in the very near future.

I urge all of my colleagues to join me in support of H.R. 6375, as amended.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, we have no more speakers on this particular piece of legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks on H.R. 6375, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate my colleague for helping to point out the fact that the Senate, itself, has not acted on many of the pieces of legislation that, in fact, this House has passed and sent over to it. It is a shame that, for the last 3 years, they have not taken up such good legislation.

With that, I thank my colleagues once again for their support, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

I'd like to thank my colleagues for the hard work and effort on this very important bill as well.

Each year, as we assess the construction needs of the Department of Veterans Affairs, we do so with the safety and health of our veterans in mind, as well as fulfilling our statutory requirements to authorize major medical facility projects. This is a responsibility that we do not take lightly.

H.R. 6375, the VA Major Construction Authorization and Expiring Authorities Extension Act of 2012, would authorize approximately over $377 million for major medical facility projects. Specifically included is the authorization for a mental health building at the VA Medical Center in Seattle, Washington, and for a spinal cord injury facility at the VA Medical Center in Dallas, Texas. Mr. Speaker, these authorizations provide the Department of Veterans Affairs the ability to provide state-of-the-art health care and services to our Nation's veterans wherever they choose to live.

I would like to take a few moments to comment on section 102, which provides the authority for the renovation of the surgical suite and the operating rooms at the VA Medical Center in Miami, Florida.

Earlier this year, it was brought to the committee's attention that VA was going to need additional authorization to finish the renovation of the operating suites in Miami. It is my understanding that, during the design phase of the original projects, an assessment was conducted, and the recommendation was to completely close down the surgical suite because of infection control and safety issues related to construction. Because of these, two smaller Miami projects were combined, and the cost exceeded the monetary threshold of $10 million that governs the need to seek congressional authority. Working in a bipartisan manner, with the concerns for the safe continuation of surgery in the Miami VA Medical Center always first and foremost in our minds, we have included this project so that VA can move forward without delay.

In addition to major facility projects, H.R. 6375 provides for the extension of certain expiring authorities. I am pleased to strongly support the extensions of the programs that directly affect some of our most vulnerable veterans--the serious mentally ill and homeless. Finally, Mr. Speaker, we have also included an extension of VA's contract authority with private providers of compensation and pension exams.

I support these provisions, but I also want to ensure that we remain vigilant in our oversight of this authority. As such, I am pleased to see 1-year extensions of these authorities, and I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 6375.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, in closing, I would encourage my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support this particular piece of legislation, which is very important for our veterans.

I would be remiss, though, if I didn't say that, like my colleague from New York earlier, I am disappointed that we are leaving Washington when we have a lot of work to do, such as the middle class tax cuts, the farm bill, the Violence Against Women Act, and responsible deficit reduction, as well as my bill that addresses the issue of our military, members of which are supposed to be clothed from head to toe with American-made clothing. The fact that the administration is not complying with the Berry amendment is very disappointing. Hopefully, we will be able to address these issues before the end of the year so that we can take care of a lot of the concerns that my constituents have brought forth.

With that, I yield back the balance of my time.

General Leave

I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the consideration of H.R. 6375 which was received from the House and is at the desk.

I ask unanimous consent that the bill be read three times and passed, the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table with no intervening action or debate, and any related statements be printed in the Record.