H.R. 3277House116th Congress (2019-2021)In Committee

To improve the leasing projects of the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes.

AI-Generated Summary

Updated April 14, 2026 at 6:29 AM UTC

The bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary to regularly update a handbook on planning and activating community‑based outpatient clinics, ensuring it reflects current policies, best practices, and clarifies staff roles for leasing projects. It also mandates that the handbook use the same definition of “community based outpatient clinic” as the VA’s VAST database and that this handbook guide oversight of VA medical centers and service networks. Additionally, the Secretary must provide guidance and training to VA health‑administration employees on the handbook within 180 days and with each subsequent update.

Key Provisions

Update the VA handbook on community‑based outpatient clinic leasing at least every five years, beginning within 180 days of the law’s enactment.
Ensure the handbook’s definition of “community based outpatient clinic” matches the definition in the VAST database.
Require the Veterans Health Administration to use the handbook’s best‑practice standards when overseeing VA medical centers and integrated service networks.
Mandate the Secretary to provide guidance and training to VHA employees on using the handbook, updating the training each time the handbook is revised.

Legislative Activity

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2 earlier actions

HouseCommittee Latest Action

Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

Health Subcommittee

July 16, 2019

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HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

June 13, 2019

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

Veterans' Affairs Committee

June 13, 2019

HouseCommittee

Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

Health Subcommittee

July 16, 2019

Bill Text

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Introduced in HouseIssued June 13, 2019

116th CONGRESS

1st Session

H. R. 3277

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

June 13, 2019

Mr. Kilmer (for himself, Mr. Bilirakis, Mr. Rutherford, Mr. Webster of Florida, and Ms. Kuster of New Hampshire) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs

A BILL

To improve the leasing projects of the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes.

Handbook to improve leasing projects

(a)

Update

Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, and not less than once every five-year period thereafter, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall update the handbook of the Department of Veterans Affairs titled Planning and Activating Community Based Outpatient Clinics, or a successor handbook, to reflect current policies, best practices, and clarify the roles and responsibilities of the personnel of the Department involved in the leasing projects of the Department.

(b)

CBOC

The Secretary shall ensure that the handbook specified in subsection (a) defines community based outpatient clinic in the same manner as such term is defined in the Veterans Health Administration Site Tracking database (commonly known as VAST) as of the date of the enactment of this Act.

(c)

Use of handbook standards for oversight

The Secretary shall ensure that the Veterans Health Administration incorporates the best practices contained in the handbook specified in subsection (a) in conducting oversight of the medical centers of the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Veterans Integrated Service Network.

Provision of training regarding handbook to improve leasing projects

Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall provide guidance and training to employees of the Veterans Health Administration for the use of the handbook specified in section 1(a). The Secretary shall update such guidance and training together with each update of such handbook.