S. 2169 (is) To encourage States to require a holding period for any student expelled for bringing a gun to school. ...

	Web GovRecords.org

                                                       Calendar No. 414
105th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 2168

                          [Report No. 105-216]

   Making appropriations for the Departments of Veterans Affairs and 
  Housing and Urban Development, and for sundry independent agencies, 
   commissions, corporations, and offices for the fiscal year ending 
              September 30, 1999, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             June 12, 1998

Mr. Bond, from the Committee on Appropriations, reported the following 
     original bill; which was read twice and placed on the calendar

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   Making appropriations for the Departments of Veterans Affairs and 
  Housing and Urban Development, and for sundry independent agencies, 
   commissions, corporations, and offices for the fiscal year ending 
              September 30, 1999, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled, That the following sums 
are appropriated, out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise 
appropriated, for the Departments of Veterans Affairs and Housing and 
Urban Development, and for sundry independent agencies, commissions, 
corporations, and offices for the fiscal year ending September 30, 
1999, and for other purposes, namely:

                TITLE I--DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS

                    Veterans Benefits Administration

                       compensation and pensions

                     (including transfers of funds)

    For the payment of compensation benefits to or on behalf of 
veterans and a pilot program for disability examinations as authorized 
by law (38 U.S.C. 107, chapters 11, 13, 18, 51, 53, 55, and 61); 
pension benefits to or on behalf of veterans as authorized by law (38 
U.S.C. chapters 15, 51, 53, 55, and 61; 92 Stat. 2508); and burial 
benefits, emergency and other officers' retirement pay, adjusted-
service credits and certificates, payment of premiums due on commercial 
life insurance policies guaranteed under the provisions of Article IV 
of the Soldiers' and Sailors' Civil Relief Act of 1940, as amended, and 
for other benefits as authorized by law (38 U.S.C. 107, 1312, 1977, and 
2106, chapters 23, 51, 53, 55, and 61; 50 U.S.C. App. 540-548; 43 Stat. 
122, 123; 45 Stat. 735; 76 Stat. 1198); $21,857,058,000, to remain 
available until expended: Provided, That not to exceed $24,534,000 of 
the amount appropriated shall be reimbursed to ``General operating 
expenses'' and ``Medical care'' for necessary expenses in implementing 
those provisions authorized in the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 
1990, and in the Veterans' Benefits Act of 1992 (38 U.S.C. chapters 51, 
53, and 55), the funding source for which is specifically provided as 
the ``Compensation and pensions'' appropriation: Provided further, That 
such sums as may be earned on an actual qualifying patient basis, shall 
be reimbursed to ``Medical facilities revolving fund'' to augment the 
funding of individual medical facilities for nursing home care provided 
to pensioners as authorized.

                         readjustment benefits

    For the payment of readjustment and rehabilitation benefits to or 
on behalf of veterans as authorized by 38 U.S.C. chapters 21, 30, 31, 
34, 35, 36, 39, 51, 53, 55, and 61, $1,175,000,000, to remain available 
until expended: Provided, That funds shall be available to pay any 
court order, court award or any compromise settlement arising from 
litigation involving the vocational training program authorized by 
section 18 of Public Law 98-77, as amended.

                   veterans insurance and indemnities

    For military and naval insurance, national service life insurance, 
servicemen's indemnities, service-disabled veterans insurance, and 
veterans mortgage life insurance as authorized by 38 U.S.C. chapter 19; 
70 Stat. 887; 72 Stat. 487, $46,450,000, to remain available until 
expended.

         veterans housing benefit program fund program account

                     (including transfer of funds)

    For the cost of direct and guaranteed loans, such sums as may be 
necessary to carry out the program, as authorized by 38 U.S.C. chapter 
37, as amended: Provided, That such costs, including the cost of 
modifying such loans, shall be as defined in section 502 of the 
Congressional Budget Act of 1974, as amended: Provided further, That 
during fiscal year 1999, within the resources available, not to exceed 
$300,000 in gross obligations for direct loans are authorized for 
specially adapted housing loans: Provided further, That during 1999 any 
moneys that would be otherwise deposited into or paid from the Loan 
Guaranty Revolving Fund, the Guaranty and Indemnity Fund, or the Direct 
Loan Revolving Fund shall be deposited into or paid from the Veterans 
Housing Benefit Program Fund: Provided further, That any balances in 
the Loan Guaranty Revolving Fund, the Guaranty and Indemnity Fund, or 
the Direct Loan Revolving Fund on the effective date of this Act may be 
transferred to and merged with the Veterans Housing Benefit Program 
Fund.
    In addition, for administrative expenses to carry out the direct 
and guaranteed loan programs, $159,121,000, which may be transferred to 
and merged with the appropriation for ``General operating expenses''.

                  education loan fund program account

                     (including transfer of funds)

    For the cost of direct loans, $1,000, as authorized by 38 U.S.C. 
3698, as amended: Provided, That such costs, including the cost of 
modifying such loans, shall be as defined in section 502 of the 
Congressional Budget Act of 1974, as amended: Provided further, That 
these funds are available to subsidize gross obligations for the 
principal amount of direct loans not to exceed $3,000.
    In addition, for administrative expenses necessary to carry out the 
direct loan program, $206,000, which may be transferred to and merged 
with the appropriation for ``General operating expenses''.

            vocational rehabilitation loans program account

                     (including transfer of funds)

    For the cost of direct loans, $55,000, as authorized by 38 U.S.C. 
chapter 31, as amended: Provided, That such costs, including the cost 
of modifying such loans, shall be as defined in section 502 of the 
Congressional Budget Act of 1974, as amended: Provided further, That 
these funds are available to subsidize gross obligations for the 
principal amount of direct loans not to exceed $2,401,000.
    In addition, for administrative expenses necessary to carry out the 
direct loan program, $400,000, which may be transferred to and merged 
with the appropriation for ``General operating expenses''.

          native american veteran housing loan program account

                     (including transfer of funds)

    For administrative expenses to carry out the direct loan program 
authorized by 38 U.S.C. chapter 37, subchapter V, as amended, $515,000, 
which may be transferred to and merged with the appropriation for 
``General operating expenses''.

                     Veterans Health Administration

                              medical care

                     (including transfer of funds)

    For necessary expenses for the maintenance and operation of 
hospitals, nursing homes, and domiciliary facilities; for furnishing, 
as authorized by law, inpatient and outpatient care and treatment to 
beneficiaries of the Department of Veterans Affairs, including care and 
treatment in facilities not under the jurisdiction of the Department; 
and furnishing recreational facilities, supplies, and equipment; 
funeral, burial, and other expenses incidental thereto for 
beneficiaries receiving care in the Department; administrative expenses 
in support of planning, design, project management, real property 
acquisition and disposition, construction and renovation of any 
facility under the jurisdiction or for the use of the Department; 
oversight, engineering and architectural activities not charged to 
project cost; repairing, altering, improving or providing facilities in 
the several hospitals and homes under the jurisdiction of the 
Department, not otherwise provided for, either by contract or by the 
hire of temporary employees and purchase of materials; uniforms or 
allowances therefor, as authorized by 5 U.S.C. 5901-5902; aid to State 
homes as authorized by 38 U.S.C. 1741; administrative and legal 
expenses of the Department for collecting and recovering amounts owed 
the Department as authorized under 38 U.S.C. chapter 17, and the 
Federal Medical Care Recovery Act, 42 U.S.C. 2651 et seq.; and not to 
exceed $8,000,000 to fund cost comparison studies as referred to in 38 
U.S.C. 8110(a)(5); $17,250,000,000, plus reimbursements: Provided, That 
of the funds made available under this heading, $687,000,000 is for the 
equipment and land and structures object classifications only, which 
amount shall not become available for obligation until August 1, 1999, 
and shall remain available until September 30, 2000.
    In addition, in conformance with Public Law 105-33 establishing the 
Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Care Collections Fund, such sums 
as may be deposited to such Fund pursuant to 38 U.S.C. 1729A may be 
transferred to this account, to remain available until expended for the 
purposes of this account.

                    medical and prosthetic research

    For necessary expenses in carrying out programs of medical and 
prosthetic research and development as authorized by 38 U.S.C. chapter 
73, to remain available until September 30, 2000, $310,000,000, plus 
reimbursements.

      medical administration and miscellaneous operating expenses

    For necessary expenses in the administration of the medical, 
hospital, nursing home, domiciliary, construction, supply, and research 
activities, as authorized by law; administrative expenses in support of 
planning, design, project management, architectural, engineering, real 
property acquisition and disposition, construction and renovation of 
any facility under the jurisdiction or for the use of the Department of 
Veterans Affairs, including site acquisition; engineering and 
architectural activities not charged to project cost; and research and 
development in building construction technology; $60,000,000, plus 
reimbursements.

                   general post fund, national homes

                     (including transfer of funds)

    For the cost of direct loans, $7,000, as authorized by Public Law 
102-54, section 8, which shall be transferred from the ``General post 
fund'': Provided, That such costs, including the cost of modifying such 
loans, shall be as defined in section 502 of the Congressional Budget 
Act of 1974, as amended: Provided further, That these funds are 
available to subsidize gross obligations for the principal amount of 
direct loans not to exceed $70,000.
    In addition, for administrative expenses to carry out the direct 
loan programs, $54,000, which shall be transferred from the ``General 
post fund'', as authorized by Public Law 102-54, section 8.

                      Departmental Administration

                       general operating expenses

    For necessary operating expenses of the Department of Veterans 
Affairs, not otherwise provided for, including uniforms or allowances 
therefor; not to exceed $25,000 for official reception and 
representation expenses; hire of passenger motor vehicles; and 
reimbursement of the General Services Administration for security guard 
services, and the Department of Defense for the cost of overseas 
employee mail; $854,661,000: Provided, That funds under this heading 
shall be available to administer the Service Members Occupational 
Conversion and Training Act.

                        national cemetery system

    For necessary expenses for the maintenance and operation of the 
National Cemetery System, not otherwise provided for, including 
uniforms or allowances therefor; cemeterial expenses as authorized by 
law; purchase of six passenger motor vehicles for use in cemeterial 
operations; and hire of passenger motor vehicles, $92,006,000.

                      office of inspector general

    For necessary expenses of the Office of Inspector General in 
carrying out the Inspector General Act of 1978, as amended, 
$36,000,000.

                      construction, major projects

    For constructing, altering, extending and improving any of the 
facilities under the jurisdiction or for the use of the Department of 
Veterans Affairs, or for any of the purposes set forth in sections 316, 
2404, 2406, 8102, 8103, 8106, 8108, 8109, 8110, and 8122 of 38 U.S.C., 
including planning, architectural and engineering services, maintenance 
or guarantee period services costs associated with equipment guarantees 
provided under the project, services of claims analysts, offsite 
utility and storm drainage system construction costs, and site 
acquisition, where the estimated cost of a project is $4,000,000 or 
more or where funds for a project were made available in a previous 
major project appropriation, $142,300,000, to remain available until 
expended: Provided, That except for advance planning of projects funded 
through the advance planning fund and the design of projects funded 
through the design fund, none of these funds shall be used for any 
project which has not been considered and approved by the Congress in 
the budgetary process: Provided further, That funds provided in this 
appropriation for fiscal year 1999, for each approved project shall be 
obligated (1) by the awarding of a construction documents contract by 
September 30, 1999, and (2) by the awarding of a construction contract 
by September 30, 2000: Provided further, That the Secretary shall 
promptly report in writing to the Committees on Appropriations any 
approved major construction project in which obligations are not 
incurred within the time limitations established above: Provided 
further, That no funds from any other account except the ``Parking 
revolving fund'', may be obligated for constructing, altering, 
extending, or improving a project which was approved in the budget 
process and funded in this account until one year after substantial 
completion and beneficial occupancy by the Department of Veterans 
Affairs of the project or any part thereof with respect to that part 
only.

                      construction, minor projects

    For constructing, altering, extending, and improving any of the 
facilities under the jurisdiction or for the use of the Department of 
Veterans Affairs, including planning, architectural and engineering 
services, maintenance or guarantee period services costs associated 
with equipment guarantees provided under the project, services of 
claims analysts, offsite utility and storm drainage system construction 
costs, and site acquisition, or for any of the purposes set forth in 
sections 316, 2404, 2406, 8102, 8103, 8106, 8108, 8109, 8110, and 8122 
of 38 U.S.C., where the estimated cost of a project is less than 

Other Popular 105th Congressional Bills Documents:

Other Documents:

105th Congressional Bills Records and Documents