Veterans Health Programs Improvement Act of 2004
Public Law 108-422 · H.R. 3936 · 108th Congress · began in the House
Signed by George W. Bush (R) on Nov 30, 2004 · Armed Forces and National Security
Sponsor: Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ-4)
Cosponsors (18): Rep. Lane Evans, Rep. Ike Skelton,
Passage votes
- HouseVoice vote
- SenateUnanimous consent
Data notes
The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.
Summary
The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.
Department of Veterans Affairs Real Property and Facilities Management Improvement Act of 2004 - Title I: Real Property and Facilities Matters - Subtitle A: Real Property and Facilities Administration - (Sec. 101) Amends Federal veterans' provisions to authorize the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to dispose of excess real property of the Department of Veterans Affairs by: (1) transfer to or exchange with another Federal department or agency; or (2) conveyance to or exchange with a State or political subdivision, Indian tribe, public entity, or private person or entity (thereby eliminating certain other transfer requirements). Sets forth disposal procedures. Requires: (1) disposal proceeds to be deposited into the Capital Asset Fund (established in this section); and (2) the Secretary to include in annual budget justification documents a report on each such disposal. Provides authorized Fund uses. Authorizes FY 2005 appropriations to the Fund.
(Sec. 102) Modifies business plan-based determinations relating to the Secretary's enhanced-use lease authority by: (1) requiring consideration of the needs of the Veterans Benefits Administration or the National Cemetery Administration; and (2) allowing the Department to receive facilities, space, or services in consideration for such a lease regardless of whether the facilities, space, or services are on the leased property.
(Sec. 103) Authorizes funds in a Department construction or capital account that are available for a construction or non-recurring maintenance project to be used for the construction or relocation of a surface parking lot incidental to such project.
(Sec. 104) Prohibits the Secretary from implementing a mission change for a medical facility (with an exception) until 90 days after the Secretary submits to the congressional veterans' committees written notice of the mission change.
(Sec. 105) Terminates the Nursing Home Revolving Fund. Transfers unobligated balances to the Capital Asset Fund.
(Sec. 106) Removes congressional notice-and-wait limits on the use of Advanced Planning Fund amounts for major medical facility projects when funds for such projects have already been authorized by law.
(Sec. 107) Authorizes the Secretary to lease any undeveloped land or unused or underutilized buildings or lots of the National Cemetery Administration. Allows a lease term of up to ten years. Establishes in the Treasury the National Cemetery Administration Facilities Operation Fund to cover costs incurred by such Administration in operating and maintaining its property.
Subtitle B: Transfers of Property - (Sec. 111) Directs the Administrator of General Services to transfer to the Secretary specified General Services Administration property north of the Army Reserve facility in Boise, Idaho, for purposes relating to the delivery of benefits to veterans.
Subtitle C: Designation of Facilities - (Sec. 121) Designates the Department medical center in the Bronx, New York, as the James J. Peters Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center.
(Sec. 122) Designates the memorial to former prisoners of war and members of the Armed Forces missing in action that is under construction at Riverside National Cemetery, California, as the Prisoner of War/Missing in Action National Memorial.
Subtitle D: Other Matters - (Sec. 131) Requires the Secretary, upon determining to convey, lease, or dispose of all or part of the Louisville Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Kentucky, to engage in negotiations for such conveyance, lease, or disposal solely with the Commonwealth of Kentucky. Limits the duration of such requirement to one year after the commencement of such negotiations. Requires such negotiations to address the utilization of such Center for the primary purpose of the provision of services for veterans and related activities.
Title II: Benefits Matters - (Sec. 201) Exempts veterans receiving hospice care from certain Department copayment requirements.
(Sec. 202) Makes permanent (currently terminates at the end of 2004) the Department's authority to provide counseling and treatment to veterans suffering from an incident of sexual trauma that occurred during service. Expands such authority to include members of the reserves suffering from an incident that occurred during training.
(Sec. 203) States that Department per diem payments to States for the care of veterans in State nursing homes shall not be considered a liability of a third party or otherwise utilized to offset or reduce any other payment made to assist veterans.
(Sec. 204) Authorizes the Secretary to provide up to 14 days of care following birth for the newborn child of a woman veteran receiving maternity care furnished by the Department if the child was delivered in a Department facility or a Department-contracted facility.
(Sec. 205) Directs the Secretary, subject to the appropriation of funds, to establish and operate at least one and up to three centers for research, education, and clinical activities on blast injuries. Outlines requirements for proposals submitted for the designation of a center. Authorizes appropriations. Requires reports during 2006 through 2008 from the Secretary to the veterans' committees on center status and activities.
(Sec. 206) Extends through: (1) 2009 required reports from the Special Medical Advisory Group on care and treatment provided to disabled veterans; and (2) 2005 a pilot program to evaluate three different models of providing long-term care to veterans.
(Sec. 207) Requires an annual report from the Secretary to the veterans' committees on the waiting times of veterans for appointments for care and services from the Department.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
- Veterans' Affairs Committee · House · markup by, referred to, reported bySubcommittee: Benefits Subcommittee
Data notes
A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.
Related bills
1 bill the Library of Congress relates to this one.
S. 2485Procedurally-relatedRelated document
Department of Veterans Affairs Real Property and Facilities Management Improvement Act of 2004
Data notes
Related bills are identified by the Congressional Research Service, the House and the Senate: companion and identical bills, bills with similar text, bills that were folded into this law, and rules that brought it to the floor. A bill that is itself a public law in this site’s data links here; the others link to Congress.gov.
Timeline
From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 35 actions.
- Nov 30, 2004Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 108-422.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Nov 20, 2004FloorFloor · Presented to President.
- Nov 17, 2004Resolving differencesResolving differences · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · On motion that the House suspend the rules and agree to the Senate amendments Agreed to by voice vote.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Mr. Smith (NJ) moved that the House suspend the rules and agree to the Senate amendments.
- FloorFloor · DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 3936.
- OtherOther · Resolving differences -- House actions: On motion that the House suspend the rules and agree to the Senate amendments Agreed to by voice vote.
- Nov 16, 2004FloorFloor · Message on Senate action sent to the House.
- Oct 9, 2004FloorFloor · See also S. 2485.
- FloorFloor · Passed Senate in lieu of S. 2485 with an amendment and an amendment to the Title by Unanimous Consent.
- FloorFloor · Senate struck all after the Enacting Clause and substituted the language of S. 2485 amended.
- FloorFloor · Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent.
- CommitteeCommittee · Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs discharged by Unanimous Consent.
- Sep 7, 2004CommitteeCommittee · Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
- Jul 21, 2004CommitteeCommittee · Received in the Senate.
- Jul 20, 2004FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- FloorFloor · On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote.
- FloorFloor · DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 3936.
- FloorFloor · Considered under suspension of the rules.
- FloorFloor · Mr. Smith (NJ) moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.
- Jun 25, 2004CalendarCalendar · Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 336.
- CommitteeCommittee · Committee on Armed Services discharged.
- CommitteeCommittee · House Committee on Armed Services Granted an extension for further consideration ending not later than June 25, 2004.
- CommitteeCommittee · Reported by the Committee on Veterans' Affairs. H. Rept. 108-574, Part I.
- May 19, 2004CommitteeCommittee · Ordered to be Reported by Voice Vote.
- CommitteeCommittee · Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
- May 13, 2004CommitteeCommittee · Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee by Voice Vote.
- CommitteeCommittee · Subcommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
- Apr 29, 2004CommitteeCommittee · Subcommittee Hearings Held.
Data notes
Every action the Library of Congress lists for the bill, from introduction to signing, plus the dated committee hearings. The source lists many steps twice (the chamber’s own entry and the Library of Congress copy, or a presidential and a became-law entry with the same words); those are shown once. Amendments are listed in their own section.
Amendments
1 amendment offered to the bill, with the last recorded step of each.
- Agreed to
S.Amdt. 4049SenateSen. Arlen SpecterR-PA· offered Oct 9, 2004Agreed to
To amend the title.
Oct 9, 2004: Amendment SA 4049 agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent.
Data notes
Amendments offered to this bill in either chamber, as the Library of Congress records them: each with a status read from its last recorded step: agreed to, rejected, withdrawn, ruled out of order, fell with another amendment, or offered with no vote recorded (most Senate amendments are only ever offered). The wording of each amendment is the source’s. Amendments to amendments and amendments to other bills are not listed.
Official record
The bill’s full text is on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.