Department of Veterans Affairs Expiring Authorities Act of 2021

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 5293) to amend title 38, United States Code, to extend and modify certain authorities and requirements relating to the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and to insert extraneous material on H.R. 5293.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume to speak today in support of H.R. 5293, the Department of Veterans Affairs Expiring Authorities Act of 2021, offered by the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Mrvan), the chairman of our Technology Modernization Subcommittee and my good friend.

This package ensures continued operations of several programs that are vital to addressing the needs of veterans we serve.

First, this bill removes the December 31, 2021, expiration date and makes permanent VA's dental insurance program. This benefit allows qualifying veterans, survivors, and dependents the opportunity to purchase discounted dental insurance coverage that includes preventive, diagnostic, endodontic, restorative, surgical, and emergency dental services.

Each individual covered by the program pays the entire premium for coverage in addition to the full cost of any copays. Enrollment is voluntary and does not affect eligible individuals' entitlement to existing VHA outpatient dental services and treatment.

Second, H.R. 5293 will extend VA's authority to provide travel reimbursement for certain veterans living in highly rural areas to receive care at vet centers. These centers serve as a lifeline for veterans who may not feel comfortable seeking services at traditional VA medical facilities. They offer individual and group therapy, marriage and family counseling, and assist veterans in connecting to other VA benefits.

H.R. 5293 extends VA's authority to reimburse mileage, tolls, and other travel expenses veterans from highly rural areas may incur when traveling to vet centers.

Finally, H.R. 5293 will extend for 5 years VA's authority to operate the Communities Helping Invest through Property and Improvements Needed for Veterans Act of 2016 or the CHIP IN Act.

This program allows VA to accept donations from non-Federal entities of buildings and land that VA will use to address long-term infrastructure needs, including the delivery of healthcare services.

Examples of non-Federal entities that can make donations under the pilot include State and local authorities, a donor or donor group, limited liability corporations, or tax-exempt organizations.

The CHIP IN Act allows VA to use funds that have already been appropriated for a particular facility's construction project to assist a donor of real property and improvements with financing, designing, or constructing the facility to suit VA's needs.

Thus far, VA has accepted two donations: design and construction of a facility on the grounds of the VA Medical Center in Omaha, Nebraska; and construction of an inpatient facility in Tulsa, Oklahoma. This bill will extend VA's authority to accept similar donations in other locations.

Once again, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 5293, which will authorize the continued operation of these important programs.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I am prepared to close. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to join me in passing H.R. 5293, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. President, I wish to submit to the Senate a budget scorekeeping report. The report, which covers fiscal year 2022, was prepared by my staff on the Budget Committee and the Congressional Budget Office pursuant to section 308(b) and in aid of section 311 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, as amended. This information allows the Senate Budget Committee to determine if budgetary points of order lie against pending legislation.

The report shows the effect on spending and revenues of congressional action through September 15, 2022, as compared to the levels the Senate agreed to in the budget resolution for fiscal year 2022, S. Con. Res. 14. Since my last scorekeeping report on April 28, seven laws with significant budgetary effects have been signed by the President, and I have revised the levels in the budget resolution two times for legislation.

The Democratic staff of the Budget Committee prepared tables 1 and 2. Table 1 compares the mandatory spending of each authorizing committee against the enforceable allocations under section 302 of the Congressional Budget Act. It shows 10 of the 16 authorizing committees are in compliance with their allocations, either because no legislation with significant budgetary costs was enacted or the legislation qualified under the budget resolution for an allocation adjustment. Most of the spending above allowable levels is attributed to either the CHIPS Act of 2022 or the Honoring our PACT Act of 2022.

Table 2 shows the Senate pay-as-you-go--PAYGO--scorecard tallying enacted legislation with significant effects on mandatory spending and revenues. The scorecard shows a savings of $4.7 billion in 2022, a deficit of $174 billion over the 2022-2026 period, and a deficit of $528 billion over the 2022-2031 period. When compared to the allowable amounts on the PAYGO scorecard last adjusted on September 12, there is a deficit of $1.3 billion on the scorecard for 2022, $185 billion over the 2022-2026 period, and $667 billion over the 2022-2031 period.

In addition to these tables, I am submitting a letter from the Congressional Budget Office with further detail. For fiscal year 2022, current budgetary levels are within allowed amounts. Current law budget authority is $2.6 billion below the maximum allowed in the revised budget resolution, outlays are $17 billion below the allowed maximum, and revenues are $68 million above the allowed minimum. The tables also show that there has been no net change for Social Security.

I ask unanimous consent that the letter and accompanying tables from CBO be printed in the Congressional Record.

Mr. President, I wish to submit to the Senate a budget scorekeeping report. The report, which covers fiscal year 2022, was prepared by the Congressional Budget Office pursuant to section 308(b) and in aid of section 311 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, as amended. This information allows the Senate Budget Committee to determine if budgetary

points of order lie against pending legislation.

The report shows the effect on spending and revenues of congressional action through April 25, 2022, as compared to the levels the Senate agreed to in the budget resolution for fiscal year 2022, S. Con. Res 14. I have revised the levels in the budget resolution five times for legislation, as authorized by the resolution. The report shows the effects of the 11 laws signed by the President since the passage of the budget resolution with significant effects on budget authority, outlays, or revenues.

Tables 1 and 2 show that for fiscal year 2022, current law budget authority is $27 billion below the maximum allowed in the revised budget resolution, outlays are $18 billion below the allowed maximum, and revenues are $0.1 billion above the allowed minimum. They also show there has been no net change for Social Security.

The third table shows the Senate pay-as-you-go scorecard tallying enacted legislation with significant effects on mandatory spending and revenues. The scorecard shows a savings of $7.8 billion in 2022, $74.8 billion over the 2022-2026 period, and $139.9 billion over the 2022- 2031 period. When compared to the allowable amounts on the PAYGO scorecard last adjusted on March 2, there is a deficit of $668 million on the scorecard for 2022, a deficit of $687 million over the 2022-2026 period, and a surplus of $1.09 billion over the 2022-2031 period.

I ask unanimous consent that the letter and accompanying tables from CBO be printed in the Record.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 5293, the Department of Veterans Affairs Expiring Authorities Act of 2021. This bill is sponsored by the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Mrvan), and I thank him for introducing this bill to extend expiring authorities and programs.

The VA Expiring Authorities Act of 2021 would make VA dental insurance programs permanent so that veterans under VA's care are able to buy low-cost dental insurance coverage.

It would also allow veterans to continue to receive travel benefits when seeking support at vet centers.

It would also extend VA's Communities Helping Invest through Property and Improvements Needed, or CHIP IN for Vets pilot program by an additional 5 years.

The CHIP IN program allows VA to accept real property donations from nongovernment entities. The program was established by Congress in 2016. It

has already proven successful in delivering VA medical facilities to veterans in Nebraska and Oklahoma.

Extending this program has been a priority of the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Jackson) and the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Bacon). I appreciate their leadership on this.

I am also grateful to my fellow House and Senate committee leaders-- Chairman Takano, Chairman Tester, and Ranking Member Moran--for their work on this bill.

I urge my colleagues to join me in support of H.R. 5293. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers. I just urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of H.R. 5293, which was received from the House and is at the desk.

I ask unanimous consent that the bill be considered read three times and passed and that the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon table.