[House Report 114-814]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
114th Congress } { Report
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
2d Session } { 114-814
======================================================================
COMMUNITIES HELPING INVEST THROUGH PROPERTY AND IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED FOR
VETERANS ACT OF 2016
_______
November 14, 2016.--Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on
the State of the Union and ordered to be printed
_______
Mr. Miller of Florida, from the Committee on Veterans' Affairs,
submitted the following
R E P O R T
[To accompany H.R. 5099]
[Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]
The Committee on Veterans' Affairs, to whom was referred
the bill (H.R. 5099) to establish a pilot program on
partnership agreements to construct new facilities for the
Department of Veterans Affairs, having considered the same,
report favorably thereon with an amendment and recommend that
the bill as amended do pass.
CONTENTS
Page
Amendment........................................................ 2
Purpose and Summary.............................................. 3
Background and Need for Legislation.............................. 4
Hearings......................................................... 6
Subcommittee Consideration....................................... 6
Committee Consideration.......................................... 6
Committee Votes.................................................. 6
Committee Oversight Findings..................................... 6
Statement of General Performance Goals and Objectives............ 6
New Budget Authority, Entitlement Authority, and Tax Expenditures 6
Earmarks and Tax and Tariff Benefits............................. 6
Committee Cost Estimate.......................................... 7
Congressional Budget Office Estimate............................. 7
Federal Mandates Statement....................................... 8
Advisory Committee Statement..................................... 8
Constitutional Authority Statement............................... 8
Applicability to Legislative Branch.............................. 8
Statement on Duplication of Federal Programs..................... 8
Disclosure of Directed Rulemaking................................ 9
Section-by-Section Analysis of the Legislation................... 9
Changes in Existing Law Made by the Bill as Reported............. 11
AMENDMENT
The amendment is as follows:
Strike all after the enacting clause and insert the
following:
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Communities Helping Invest through
Property and Improvements Needed for Veterans Act of 2016'' or the
``CHIP IN for Vets Act of 2016''.
SEC. 2. PILOT PROGRAM ON ACCEPTANCE BY THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS
AFFAIRS OF DONATED FACILITIES AND RELATED
IMPROVEMENTS.
(a) Pilot Program Authorized.--
(1) In general.--Notwithstanding sections 8103 and 8104 of
title 38, United States Code, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs
may carry out a pilot program under which the Secretary may
accept donations of the following property from entities
described in paragraph (2):
(A) Real property (including structures and equipment
associated therewith)--
(i) that includes a constructed facility; or
(ii) to be used as the site of a facility
constructed by the entity.
(B) A facility to be constructed by the entity on
real property of the Department of Veterans Affairs.
(2) Entities described.--Entities described in this paragraph
are the following:
(A) A State or local authority.
(B) An organization that is described in section
501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and is
exempt from taxation under section 501(a) of such Code.
(C) A limited liability corporation.
(D) A private entity.
(E) A donor or donor group.
(F) Any other non-Federal Government entity.
(3) Limitation.--The Secretary may accept not more than five
donations of real property and facility improvements under the
pilot program and as described in this section.
(b) Conditions for Acceptance of Property.--The Secretary may accept
the donation of a property described in subsection (a)(1) under the
pilot program only if--
(1) the property is--
(A) a property with respect to which funds have been
appropriated for a Department facility project; or
(B) a property identified as--
(i) meeting a need of the Department as part
of the long-range capital planning process of
the Department; and
(ii) the location for a Department facility
project that is included on the Strategic
Capital Investment Planning process priority
list in the most recent budget submitted to
Congress by the President pursuant to section
1105(a) of title 31, United States Code; and
(2) an entity described in subsection (a)(2) has entered into
or is willing to enter into a formal agreement with the
Secretary in accordance with subsection (c) under which the
entity agrees to independently donate the real property,
improvements, goods, or services, for the Department facility
project in an amount acceptable to the Secretary and at no
additional cost to the Federal Government.
(c) Requirement to Enter Into an Agreement.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary may accept real property and
improvements donated under the pilot program by an entity
described in subsection (a)(2) only if the entity enters into a
formal agreement with the Secretary that provides for--
(A) the donation of real property and improvements
(including structures and equipment associated
therewith) that includes a constructed facility; or
(B) the construction by the entity of a facility on--
(i) real property and improvements of the
Department of Veterans Affairs; or
(ii) real property and improvements donated
to the Department by the entity.
(2) Content of formal agreements.--With respect to an entity
described in subsection (a)(2) that seeks to enter into a
formal agreement under paragraph (1) of this subsection that
includes the construction by the entity of a facility, the
formal agreement shall provide for the following:
(A) The entity shall conduct all necessary
environmental and historic preservation due diligence,
shall comply with all local zoning requirements (except
for studies and consultations required of the
Department under Federal law), and shall obtain all
permits required in connection with the construction of
the facility.
(B) The entity shall use construction standards
required of the Department when designing and building
the facility, except to the extent the Secretary
determines otherwise.
(C) The entity shall provide the real property,
improvements, goods, or services in a manner described
in subsection (b)(2) sufficient to complete the
construction of the facility, at no additional cost to
the Federal Government.
(d) No Payment of Rent or Usage Fees.--The Secretary may not pay
rent, usage fees, or any other amounts to an entity described in
subsection (a)(2) or any other entity for the use or occupancy of real
property or improvements donated under this section.
(e) Funding.--
(1) From department.--
(A) In general.--The Secretary may not provide funds
to help the entity finance, design, or construct a
facility in connection with real property and
improvements donated under the pilot program by an
entity described in subsection (a)(2) that are in
addition to the funds appropriated for the facility as
of the date on which the Secretary and the entity enter
into a formal agreement under subsection (c) for the
donation of the real property and improvements.
(B) Terms and conditions.--The Secretary shall
provide funds pursuant to subparagraph (A) under such
terms, conditions, and schedule as the Secretary
determines appropriate.
(2) From entity.--An entity described in subsection (a)(2)
that is donating a facility constructed by the entity under the
pilot program shall be required, pursuant to a formal agreement
entered into under subsection (c), to provide other funds in
addition to the amounts provided by the Department under
paragraph (1) that are needed to complete construction of the
facility.
(f) Application.--An entity described in subsection (a)(2) that seeks
to donate real property and improvements under the pilot program shall
submit to the Secretary an application to address needs relating to
facilities of the Department, including health care needs, identified
in the Construction and Long-Range Capital Plan of the Department, at
such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the
Secretary may require.
(g) Information on Donations and Related Projects.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary shall include in the budget
submitted to Congress by the President pursuant to section
1105(a) of title 31, United States Code, information regarding
real property and improvements donated under the pilot program
during the year preceding the submittal of the budget and the
status of facility projects relating to that property.
(2) Elements.--Information submitted under paragraph (1)
shall provide a detailed status of donations of real property
and improvements conducted under the pilot program and facility
projects relating to that property, including the percentage
completion of the donations and projects.
(h) Biennial Report of Comptroller General of the United States.--Not
less frequently than once every two years until the termination date
set forth in subsection (i), the Comptroller General of the United
States shall submit to Congress a report on the donation agreements
entered into under the pilot program.
(i) Termination.--The authority for the Secretary to accept donations
under the pilot program shall terminate on the date that is five years
after the date of the enactment of this Act.
(j) Rule of Construction.--Nothing in this section shall be construed
as a limitation on the authority of the Secretary to enter into other
arrangements or agreements that are authorized by law and not
inconsistent with this section.
PURPOSE AND SUMMARY
H.R. 5099, a bill to establish a pilot program on
partnership agreements to construct new facilities for the
Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), was introduced by
Representative Brad Ashford of Nebraska on April 28, 2016. H.R.
5099, as amended, would authorize VA to carry out a five-year
pilot program for the purpose of assessing the feasibility and
advisability of accepting not more than five real property
donations from certain entities, including a State or local
authority, as well as a non-profit, limited liability company
(LLC), private entity, donor/donor group, or other non-Federal
entity.
BACKGROUND AND NEED FOR LEGISLATION
VA is one of the Federal government's largest real property
holders with responsibility for capital assets including
hundreds of VA medical facilities and administrative offices.
The Independent Assessment of the Health Care Delivery Systems
and Management Processes of VA found that the average Veterans
Health Administration building was fifty years old, five times
older than the average non-profit hospital system building.\1\
Given that, maintaining and updating VA capital assets is
increasingly complex and costly. Currently, VA identifies
capital needs through the Strategic Capital Investment Planning
(SCIP) process. The SCIP process identifies capital needs and
prioritizes construction projects based on those needs.
Projects are then included in the department's annual budget
submission. A major medical facility construction project over
$10 million or major medical facility lease averaging more than
$1 million in rent annually must be authorized by law.
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\1\Independent Assessment of the Health Care Delivery Systems and
Management Processes of the Department of Veterans Affairs, September
1, 2015, http://www.va.gov/opa/choiceact/documents/assessments/
integrated_report.pdf.
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In recent years, VA's construction and leasing programs
have been fraught with mismanagement and failure culminating in
persistent delays and cost overruns. In April 2013, the
Government Accountability Office (GAO) found that, ``VA was
managing the construction of 50 major medical-facility projects
costing between $10 million and hundreds of millions of
dollars.''\2\ For the largest construction projects, cost
increases ranged from 66 percent to 427 percent and delays
ranged from 14 to 86 months when compared to the projects'
original estimates.\3\ The replacement medical center
construction project in Denver (Aurora), Colorado alone
increased in cost from $328 million to $800 million from 2004
to 2012 and, while originally estimated to be complete in
February 2014, has been delayed until at least 2018.\4\ That
project subsequently skyrocketed to a cost of over $1.7
billion, which is exclusive of the over $300 million it will
cost to activate the hospital once completed.
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\2\Government Accountability Office testimony before the Senate
Committee on Veterans' Affairs, ``Actions to Address Cost Increases and
Schedule Delays at Denver and Other VA Major Medical-Facility
Projects.'' April 24, 2015. http://www.gao.gov/assets/670/669833.pdf.
\3\Ibid.
\4\Government Accountability Office report, ``VA's Actions to
Address Cost Increases at Denver and Other Major Medical-Facility
Projects.'' April 22, 2014. http://www.gao.gov/assets/670/662689.pdf.
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Projects like Denver and others have prompted the Committee
to search for innovative ways to help VA meet current and
future infrastructure needs in a timely, fiscally responsible
manner. The Committee believes that allowing VA to accept
unconditional donations of property improvements, goods, or
services from community donors could help achieve this goal.
Currently, VA may accept a donated facility if the donated
facility is already complete. However, it can be challenging to
find existing facilities that meet the requirements for a
Federal medical facility and also meet the needs of VA's
patients.
According to VA, the Department has identified upwards of
twenty-five to thirty locations where donations from private
entities could assist the Department in acquiring a needed
facility.\5\ One such location is Omaha, Nebraska. VA first
proposed building a new medical facility in Omaha in the FY
2011 budget submission.\6\ According to the Omaha project
prospectus found in the FY 2011 budget submission, ``[a]fter 60
years, the electrical distribution system, the heating,
ventilation and air condition systems, and the piping systems
[in the existing Omaha facility] are failing.''\7\ Furthermore,
the existing facility is space constrained and has life-safety
and infectious disease issues in inpatient and support
units.\8\ The proposed project would correct these issues and
ensure sufficient space in a modern facility is available to
treat veteran patients.\9\ The proposed project received $56
million in appropriated funds in 2011 but has not received
additional funding in the five years since.\10\ However, VA has
been approached by private entities in the Omaha area that
would be interested in donating a privately funded facility to
meet the needs of veteran patients in Omaha without additional
Federal funding or a VA construction project.
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\5\Staff briefing provided by VA regarding how the Department would
implement H.R. 5099, as amended; October 27, 2016.
\6\VA FY2011 Budget. Vol. 4. 2-3. http://www.va.gov/budget/docs/
summary/archive/FY-2011_VA-BudgetSubmission.zip.
\7\Ibid. 2-35.
\8\Ibid.
\9\Ibid.
\10\Full Committee Markup of H.R. 5047; H.R. 5428; H.R. 4757; H.R.
5166; H.R. 3216; H.R. 4150; H.R. 5099; H.R. 5162; H.R. 5392; H.R. 5399;
and, H.R. 5600. September 21, 2016.
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Section 1 of this bill would allow VA to carry out a five-
year pilot program in order to assess the feasibility of
accepting up to five donations of real property from an outside
entity, including a State or local authority, non-profit, LLC,
private entity, donor/donor group, or other non-Federal entity.
VA would be authorized to select property for the pilot only if
an entity has entered into or is willing to enter into a formal
agreement with VA to independently donate real property in an
amount deemed acceptable by VA and the property in question:
has received appropriated funds; has been identified, through
long-range capital planning, as meeting a need; and is included
in the SCIP priority list in the most recent VA budget
submission. The department would be required to enter into
formal agreements to provide for the donation of real property
that include: a constructed facility; the construction by the
entity of a facility on VA property or real property donated to
VA by an entity; compliance with local zoning requirements,
permits, and VA construction standards; and any necessary items
needed to complete construction at no additional cost to the
Federal government. VA would be prohibited from paying rent,
usage fees, or in any other way compensating an entity for the
use of the donated property. VA would also be prohibited from
providing funds to an entity to help finance, design, or
construct a facility in connection with a donation, beyond
funds already appropriated for the facility. Furthermore, any
donation received under this pilot program would be considered
an unconditional donation, with no possibility for payments,
lease-backs, or any other form of compensation to the donor.
HEARINGS
There were no Full Committee or Subcommittee hearings on
H.R. 5099, as amended.
SUBCOMMITTEE CONSIDERATION
There was no Subcommittee markup of H.R. 5099, as amended.
COMMITTEE CONSIDERATION
On September 21, 2016, the Full Committee met in open
markup session, a quorum being present, and ordered H.R. 5099,
as amended, reported favorably to the House of Representatives
by voice vote. During consideration of the bill, the following
amendment in the nature of a substitute was considered and
agreed to by voice vote:
An Amendment in the Nature of a Substitute to H.R.
5099 offered by Representative Tim Walz of Minnesota.
COMMITTEE VOTES
In compliance with clause 3(b) of rule XIII of the Rules of
the House of Representatives, there were no recorded votes
taken on amendments or in connection with ordering H.R. 5099,
as amended, reported to the House. A motion by Representative
Mark Takano of California to favorably report H.R. 5099, as
amended, to the House of Representatives was agreed to by voice
vote.
COMMITTEE OVERSIGHT FINDINGS
In compliance with clause 3(c)(1) of rule XIII and clause
(2)(b)(1) of rule X of the Rules of the House of
Representatives, the Committee's oversight findings and
recommendations are reflected in the descriptive portions of
this report.
STATEMENT OF GENERAL PERFORMANCE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
In accordance with clause 3(c)(4) of rule XIII of the Rules
of the House of Representatives, the Committee's performance
goals and objectives are to create a pilot program to assess
the feasibility and advisability of accepting not more than
five real property donations from certain entities, such as a
State or local authority, or a non-Federal entity.
NEW BUDGET AUTHORITY, ENTITLEMENT AUTHORITY, AND TAX EXPENDITURES
In compliance with clause 3(c)(2) of rule XIII of the Rules
of the House of Representatives, the Committee adopts as its
own the estimate of new budget authority, entitlement
authority, or tax expenditures or revenues contained in the
cost estimate prepared by the Director of the Congressional
Budget Office pursuant to section 402 of the Congressional
Budget Act of 1974.
EARMARKS AND TAX AND TARIFF BENEFITS
H.R. 5099, as amended, does not contain any Congressional
earmarks, limited tax benefits, or limited tariff benefits as
defined in clause 9 of rule XXI of the Rules of the House of
Representatives.
COMMITTEE COST ESTIMATE
The Committee adopts as its own the cost estimate on H.R.
5099, as amended, prepared by the Director of the Congressional
Budget Office pursuant to section 402 of the Congressional
Budget Act of 1974.
CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE COST ESTIMATE
Pursuant to clause 3(c)(3) of rule XIII of the Rules of the
House of Representatives, the following is the cost estimate
for H.R. 5099, as amended, provided by the Congressional Budget
Office pursuant to section 402 of the Congressional Budget Act
of 1974:
U.S. Congress,
Congressional Budget Office,
Washington, DC, October 26, 2016.
Hon. Jeff Miller,
Chairman, Committee on Veterans' Affairs,
House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
Dear Mr. Chairman: The Congressional Budget Office has
prepared the enclosed cost estimate for H.R. 5099, the
Communities Helping Invest through Property Improvements Needed
for Veterans Act of 2016.
If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be
pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contact is David Newman.
Sincerely,
Keith Hall.
Enclosure.
H.R. 5099--Communities Helping Invest through Property Improvements
Needed for Veterans Act of 2016
H.R. 5099 would authorize the Department of Veterans
Affairs (VA) to accept up to five donations of real property
such as land or facilities from nonfederal entities for a pilot
program to construct VA facilities. Any such donated property
would need to meet a requirement for capital improvements that
VA had previously identified as necessary to provide services
or benefits to veterans. The department could help finance such
a project using any amounts that had been appropriated for that
project before it entered into an agreement with the nonfederal
entity. The bill would prohibit VA from spending any funds from
a subsequent appropriation to complete construction of a
donated facility or to pay for the use of such a facility once
it is complete. The authority to accept such donations would
expire five years after enactment of the bill.
VA is authorized to accept certain donations of land or
facilities under current law. The department can also accept
in-kind compensation rather than cash--such as the use of
facilities--as part of its authority to enter enhanced-use
leases.\1\ In some instances when VA has accepted facilities as
in-kind compensation, the department has explicitly or
implicitly committed to making payments from subsequent
appropriations for the use of those facilities. Such
commitments constitute contract authority, a form of direct
spending. If VA entered into such commitments, the increase in
direct spending would be significant.
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\1\For additional information on enhanced-use leases see
Congressional Budget Office, cost estimate for H.R. 3484, the Los
Angeles Homeless Veterans Leasing Act of 2016 (May 17, 2016), https://
www.cbo.gov/publication/51583.
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H.R. 5099 includes provisions that are intended to prevent
VA from making similar commitments. However, the legislative
language would be subject to interpretation by the implementing
agency. Thus, despite those provisions, CBO believes that in
some circumstances VA could still make such commitments under
the bill. On the basis of conversations with department
officials CBO expects that VA is unlikely to do so. However,
because there is some probability of VA entering into such
commitments, CBO estimates that enacting the bill--on a
probabilistic basis--would increase direct spending by an
insignificant amount.
Pay-as-you-go procedures apply because enacting the
legislation would affect direct spending. Enacting the bill
would not affect revenues. CBO estimates that enacting the
legislation would not increase net direct spending or on-budget
deficits in any of the four consecutive 10-year periods
beginning in 2027.
H.R. 5099 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector
mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act. Any
costs incurred by state, local, or tribal governments to fund
construction projects for the benefit of veterans would result
from participation in a voluntary federal program.
The CBO staff contact for this estimate is David Newman.
The estimate was approved by H. Samuel Papenfuss, Deputy
Assistant Director for Budget Analysis.
FEDERAL MANDATES STATEMENT
The Committee adopts as its own the estimate of Federal
mandates regarding H.R. 5099, as amended, prepared by the
Director of the Congressional Budget Office pursuant to section
423 of the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act.
ADVISORY COMMITTEE STATEMENT
No advisory committees within the meaning of section 5(b)
of the Federal Advisory Committee Act would be created by H.R.
5099, as amended.
STATEMENT OF CONSTITUTIONAL AUTHORITY
Pursuant to Article I, section 8 of the United States
Constitution, H.R. 5099, as amended, is authorized by Congress'
power to ``provide for the common Defense and general Welfare
of the United States.''
APPLICABILITY TO LEGISLATIVE BRANCH
The Committee finds that H.R. 5099, as amended, does not
relate to the terms and conditions of employment or access to
public services or accommodations within the meaning of section
102(b)(3) of the Congressional Accountability Act.
STATEMENT ON DUPLICATION OF FEDERAL PROGRAMS
Pursuant to section 3(g) of H. Res. 5, 114th Cong. (2015),
the Committee finds that no provision of H.R. 5099, as amended,
establishes or reauthorizes a program of the Federal Government
known to be duplicative of another Federal program, a program
that was included in any report from the Government
Accountability Office to Congress pursuant to section 21 of
Public Law 111-139, or a program related to a program
identified in the most recent Catalog of Federal Domestic
Assistance.
DISCLOSURE OF DIRECTED RULEMAKING
Pursuant to section 3(i) of H. Res. 5, 114th Cong. (2015),
the Committee estimates that H.R. 5099, as amended, contains no
directed rule making that would require the Secretary to
prescribe regulations.
SECTION-BY-SECTION ANALYSIS OF THE LEGISLATION
Section 1. Short title
Section 1 of the bill would provide the short title for
H.R. 5099, as amended, as the ``Communities Helping Invest
through Property and Improvements Needed for Veterans Act of
2016,'' or the ``CHIP IN for Vets Act of 2016.''
Section 2. Pilot program on acceptance by the Department of Veterans
Affairs of donated facilities and related improvements
Section 2(a) of the bill would authorize the Secretary to
carry out a pilot program to accept not more than five
donations from certain entities of real property (to include
structures and associated equipment) that includes a
constructed facility or is to be used as the site of a facility
constructed by an entity; or a facility to be constructed by an
entity on VA-owned real property. Permissible entities are
defined as: (A) a State or local authority; (B) an organization
described in section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of
1986 and is exempt from taxation under section 501(a) of that
Code; (C) a limited liability company; (D) a private entity;
(E) a donor or donor group; or (F) any other non-Federal
government entity.
Section 2(b) of the bill would authorize the Secretary to
accept real property donations under the pilot program
described in Section 2(a) of the bill only if the property is
one: (1) for which funds have already been appropriated; (2)
that meets a need identified in VA's long-range capital
planning process; and that is located in an area already on
VA's Strategic Capital Investment Planning process priority
list in the President's most recent budget submission. Further,
the donating entity must be one that has entered into or is
willing to enter into a formal agreement with VA under which
the entity agrees to independently donate the real property,
improvements, goods, or services for the VA facility project in
an amount acceptable to the Secretary and at no additional cost
to the Federal government.
Section 2(c) of the bill would authorize the Secretary to
accept real property and improvements by an entity described in
Section 2(a) of the bill only if the entity enters into a
formal agreement with the Secretary that provides for the
donation of real property and improvements (including
structures and equipment) that includes a constructed facility
or the construction by the entity of a facility on VA owned or
donated property. Section 2(c) of the bill would further
require that an entity described in Section 2(a) that seeks to
enter into a formal agreement that includes the construction by
the entity of a facility to provide for: (A) all necessary
environmental and historic preservation due diligence,
compliance with all local zoning requirements, and all permits
required in connection with the facility's construction; (B)
adherence to all construction standards required of VA when
designing and building the facility; and (C) donations
sufficient to complete the construction of the facility, at no
additional cost to the Federal government.
Section 2(d) of the bill would prohibit the Secretary from
paying rent, usage fees, or any other amounts to an entity
described in section 2(a) of the bill or any other amounts to
an entity for the use or occupancy of real property or
improvements donated under this Section.
Section 2(e) of the bill would prohibit the Secretary from
providing funds that are in addition to the funds appropriated
as of the date on which the Secretary and the entity described
in Section 2(a) of the bill enter into a formal agreement to
help an entity described in Section 2(a) of the bill finance,
design, or construct a facility in connection with real
property and improvements donated. Section 2(e) of the bill
would further require that the Secretary provide such funds
under such terms, conditions, and schedule as the Secretary
determines appropriate, and that an entity described in Section
2(a) of the bill that is donating a facility constructed by the
entity shall be required to provide other funds in addition to
the amounts provided by the department that are needed to
complete construction of the facility.
Section 2(f) of the bill would require that an entity
described in Section 2(a) of the bill that seeks to donate real
property and improvements to VA submit an application to
address needs relating to VA facilities, identified in the VA
Construction and Long-Range Capital Plan at such time and in
such manner as the Secretary may require.
Section 2(g) of the bill would require the Secretary to
include in the President's budget submitted to Congress
pursuant to section 1105(a) of title 31, U.S.C., information
regarding any real property and improvements donated under the
pilot program established by Section 2(a) of the bill during
the year preceding that budget's submittal. That information
must contain the status of any facility projects relating to
that property to include a detailed status of donations of real
property and improvements conducted under the pilot program and
facility projects relating to that property such as the
percentage completion of the donations and projects.
Section 2(h) of the bill would require the Comptroller
General of the United States to submit a report to Congress on
the donation agreements entered into under the pilot program
established by Section 2(a) of the bill no less frequently than
once every two years until the termination date provided in
Section 2(i) of the bill.
Section 2(i) of the bill would stipulate that the
Secretary's authority to accept donations under the pilot
program established by Section 2(a) of the bill is terminated
five years after the date of the enactment of this Act.
Section 2(j) of the bill would stipulate that nothing in
Section 2 of the bill limits the authority of the Secretary to
enter into other arrangements or agreements that are authorized
by law and not inconsistent with this Act.
CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW MADE BY THE BILL, AS REPORTED
If enacted, this bill would make no changes in existing
law.
[all]