[104th Congress Public Law 110]
[From the U.S. Government Printing Office]
<DOC>
[DOCID: f:publ110.104]
EXTENSION OF AUTHORITY FOR CERTAIN
VETERANS' AFFAIRS PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES
[[Page 110 STAT. 768]]
Public Law 104-110
104th Congress
An Act
To amend title 38, United States Code, to extend the authority of the
Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out certain programs and
activities, to require certain reports from the Secretary of Veterans
Affairs, and for other purposes. <<NOTE: Feb. 13, 1996 - [H.R. 2353]>>
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
TITLE I--EXTENSIONS OF AUTHORITY
SEC. 101. EXTENSION OF AUTHORITIES UNDER TITLE 38, UNITED STATES CODE.
(a) Authority To Provide Priority Health Care for Certain Veterans
Exposed to Toxic Substances.--(1) Section 1710(e)(3) of title 38, United
States Code, is amended by striking out ``after June 30, 1995,'' and all
that follows through ``December 31, 1995'' and inserting in lieu thereof
``after December 31, 1996''.
(2) Section 1712(a)(1)(D) of such title is amended by striking out
``December 31, 1995,'' and inserting in lieu thereof ``December 31,
1996,''.
(b) Drug and Alcohol Abuse and Dependence.--Section 1720A(e) of such
title is amended by striking out ``December 31, 1995'' and inserting in
lieu thereof ``December 31, 1997''.
(c) Pilot Program for Noninstitutional Alternatives to Nursing Home
Care.--Section 1720C(a) of such title is amended by striking out
``September 30, 1995,'' and inserting in lieu thereof ``December 31,
1997,''.
(d) Negotiated Interest Rates.--Section 3703(c)(4) of such title is
amended by striking out subparagraph (D).
(e) Mortgages for Energy Efficient Improvements.--Section 3710(d) of
such title is amended by striking out paragraph (7).
(f) Enhanced Loan Asset Sale Authority.--Section 3720(h)(2) of such
title is amended by striking out ``December 31, 1995'' and inserting in
lieu thereof ``December 31, 1996''.
(g) Authority of Lenders of Automatically Guaranteed Loans To Review
Appraisals.--Section 3731(f) of such title is amended by striking out
paragraph (3).
(h) Agreements for Housing Assistance for Homeless Veterans.--
Section 3735(c) of such title is amended by striking out ``December 31,
1995'' and inserting in lieu thereof ``December 31, 1997''.
(i) Use of Data on Compensation for Certified Registered Nurse
Anesthetists.--Section 7451(d)(3)(C)(iii) of such title is
[[Page 110 STAT. 769]]
amended by striking out ``April 1, 1995'' and inserting in lieu thereof
``January 1, 1998''.
(j) Health Professional Scholarship Program.--Section 7618 of such
title is amended by striking out ``December 31, 1995'' and inserting in
lieu thereof ``December 31, 1997''.
(k) Enhanced-Use Leases of Real Property.--Section 8169 of such
title is amended by striking out ``December 31, 1995'' and inserting in
lieu thereof ``December 31, 1997''.
SEC. 102. EXTENSION OF AUTHORITIES UNDER OTHER PROVISIONS OF LAW.
(a) Authority for Community-Based Residential Care for Homeless
Chronically Mentally Ill Veterans and Other Veterans.--Section 115(d) of
the Veterans' Benefits and Services Act of 1988 (38 U.S.C. 1712 note) is
amended by striking out ``September 30, 1995'' and inserting in lieu
thereof ``December 31, 1997''.
(b) Demonstration Program of Compensated Work Therapy.--Section 7(a)
of Public Law 102-54 (38 U.S.C. 1718 note) is amended by striking out
``fiscal years 1991 through 1995'' and inserting in lieu thereof ``the
period beginning on October 1, 1991, and ending on December 31, 1997,''.
(c) Services and Assistance to Homeless Veterans.--The Homeless
Veterans Comprehensive Service Programs Act of 1992 (Public Law 102-590;
38 U.S.C. 7721 note) is amended--
(1) in section 2, by striking out ``September 30, 1995,''
and inserting in lieu thereof ``September 30, 1997,'';
(2) in section 3(a)--
(A) by inserting ``(1)'' before ``Subject to'';
(B) by striking out ``fiscal years 1993, 1994, and
1995,''; and
(C) by adding at the end the following new
paragraph:
``(2) The authority of the Secretary to make grants under this
section expires on September 30, 1997.''; and
(3) in section 12, by striking out ``each of the fiscal
years 1993, 1994, and 1995'' and inserting in lieu thereof
``each of fiscal years 1993 through 1997''.
(d) Homeless Veterans' Reintegration Projects.--(1) Section
738(e)(1) of the Stewart B. McKinney Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C.
11448(e)(1)) is amended by adding at the end the following:
``(D) $10,000,000 for fiscal year 1996.''.
(2) Section 741 of such Act (42 U.S.C. 11450) is amended by striking
out ``October 1, 1995'' and inserting in lieu thereof ``December 31,
1997''.
SEC. 103. <<NOTE: 38 USC 1710 note.>> RATIFICATION OF ACTIONS TAKEN
DURING PERIOD OF EXPIRED AUTHORITY.
Any action taken by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs before the
date of the enactment of this Act under a provision of law amended by
this title that was taken during the period beginning on the date on
which the authority of the Secretary under that provision of law expired
and ending on the date of the enactment of this Act shall be considered
to have the same force and effect as if the amendment to that provision
of law made by this title had been in effect at the time of that action.
[[Page 110 STAT. 770]]
TITLE II--OTHER PROVISIONS
SEC. 201. CODIFICATION OF HOUSING REPORTING REQUIREMENTS AND CHANGES IN
THEIR FREQUENCY.
(a) Codification of Housing Related Reporting Requirements.--(1)
Chapter 37 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding after
section 3735 the following new section:
``Sec. 3736. Reporting requirements
``The annual report required by section 529 of this title shall
include a discussion of the activities under this chapter. Beginning
with the report submitted at the close of fiscal year 1996, and every
second year thereafter, this discussion shall include information
regarding the following:
``(1) Loans made to veterans whose only qualifying service
was in the Selected Reserve.
``(2) Interest rates and discount points which were
negotiated between the lender and the veteran pursuant to
section 3703(c)(4)(A)(i) of this title.
``(3) The determination of reasonable value by lenders
pursuant to section 3731(f) of this title.
``(4) Loans that include funds for energy efficiency
improvements pursuant to section 3710(a)(10) of this title.
``(5) Direct loans to Native American veterans made pursuant
to subchapter V of this chapter.''.
(2) The table of sections at the beginning of such chapter is
amended by inserting after the item relating to section 3735 the
following new item:
``3736. Reporting requirements.''.
(b) Repeal of Superseded Reporting Requirements.--The Veterans Home
Loan Program Amendments of 1992 (Public Law 102-547; 106 Stat. 3633) is
amended by striking out sections 2(c), 3(b), 8(d), 9(c), and
10(b). <<NOTE: 33 USC 3702 note, 3703 note, 3707 note, 3710 note, 3761
note.>>
SEC. 202. OTHER REPORT REQUIREMENTS.
(a) <<NOTE: 38 USC 1720A note.>> Report on Consolidation of Certain
Programs.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit to Congress,
not later than March 1, 1997, a report on the advantages and
disadvantages of consolidating into one program the following three
programs:
(1) The alcohol and drug abuse contract care program under
section 1720A of title 38, United States Code.
(2) The program to provide community-based residential care
to homeless chronically mentally ill veterans under section 115
of the Veterans' Benefits and Services Act of 1988 (38 U.S.C.
1712 note).
(3) The demonstration program under section 7 of Public Law
102-54 (38 U.S.C. 1718 note).
(b) <<NOTE: 38 USC 7611 note.>> Health Professional Scholarship
Program.--(1) The Secretary shall submit to Congress, not later than
March 31, 1997, a report setting forth the results of a study evaluating
the operation of the health professional scholarship program under
subchapter II of chapter 76 of title 38, United States Code. The study
shall evaluate the efficacy of the program with respect to recruitment
and retention of health care personnel for the Department of Veterans
Affairs and shall compare the costs and benefits of the program
[[Page 110 STAT. 771]]
with the costs and benefits of alternative methods of ensuring adequate
recruitment and retention of such personnel.
(2) <<NOTE: Contracts.>> The Secretary shall carry out the study
under this paragraph through a private contractor. The report under
paragraph (1) shall include the report of the contractor and the
comments, if any, of the Secretary on that report.
(c) <<NOTE: 38 USC 8161 note.>> Enhanced Use Leases.--The Secretary
shall submit to Congress, not later than March 31, 1997, a report
evaluating the operation of the program under subchapter V of chapter 81
of title 38, United States Code.
SEC. 203. CONTRACTS FOR UTILITIES, AUDIE L. MURPHY
MEMORIAL <<NOTE: Texas.>> HOSPITAL.
(a) Authority To Contract.--Subject to subsection (b), the Secretary
of Veterans Affairs may enter into contracts for the provision of
utilities (including steam and chilled water) to the Audie L. Murphy
Memorial Hospital in San Antonio, Texas. Each such contract may--
(1) be for a period not to exceed 35 years;
(2) provide for the construction and operation of a
production facility on or near property under the jurisdiction
of the Secretary;
(3) require capital contributions by the parties involved
for the construction of such a facility, such contribution to be
in the form of cash, equipment, or other in-kind contribution;
and
(4) provide for a predetermined formula to compute the cost
of providing such utilities to the parties for the duration of
the contract.
(b) Funds.--A contract may be entered into under subsection (a) only
to the extent as provided for in advance in appropriations Acts.
(c) Additional Terms.--The Secretary may include in a contract under
subsection (a) such additional provisions as the Secretary considers
necessary to secure the provision of utilities and to protect the
interests of the United States.
Approved February 13, 1996.
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY--H.R. 2353 (S. 991):
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HOUSE REPORTS: No. 104-275 (Comm. on Veterans' Affairs).
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD:
Vol. 141 (1995):
Oct. 17, considered and passed
House.
Vol. 142 (1996):
Jan. 5, considered and passed
Senate, amended, in lieu of S.
991.
Jan. 25, House concurred in Senate
amendments with amendments.
Jan. 30, Senate concurred in House
amendments.
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