URGENT: ACTION NEEDED: US House Bill: HR 2514...
Posted: Mon Jun 11, 2007 4:35 pm
URGENT: ACTION NEEDED: Assured Funding for the VA Health
Care System: US House Bill: HR 2514
The following US House Bill, HR 2514, is for the assured funding of the VA Health Care System.
The bill has 73 co-sponsors. Please review the list and then contact your respective US Representatives to strongly encourage them to become co-sponsors of this long overdue legislation.
I will contact my US Senators, inform them of the House legislation, and ask them to author a companion Senate bill. Please do the same with your US Senators.
This vital piece of legislation has been four+ years worth of work by VVA. Now, more than ever, we need a concerted team effort to add more Representatives to the list of co-sponsors, and to convince our Senators to become the author(s) and sponsors of a companion bill from the Senate.
Everyone, time to do our best to push this bill through the process to become law. We need this bill passed to help not only our generation of veterans, but all generations of veterans.
Thank you in advance for your upcoming hard work and team effort.
John A Miterko
Chair, Government Affairs Committee
Assured Funding for Veterans Health Care Act (Introduced in House)
HR 2514 IH
110th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 2514
To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for an assured adequate level of funding for veterans health care.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
May 24, 2007
Mr. HARE (for himself, Mr. FILNER, Ms. KILPATRICK, Mr. LARSON of Connecticut, Mr. COURTNEY, Mr. KLEIN of Florida, Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania, Mr. GRIJALVA, Mr. DOYLE, Mr. BOSWELL, Mr. REYES, Mr. UDALL of New Mexico, Mr. DEFAZIO, Mrs. JONES of Ohio, Ms. MCCOLLUM of Minnesota, Mr. PETERSON of Minnesota, Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas, Ms. SHEA-PORTER, Mr. HINCHEY, Mr. ELLISON, Ms. BERKLEY, Mr. HOLDEN, Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida, Ms. HERSETH SANDLIN, Mr. COHEN, Mr. KAGEN, Ms. HOOLEY, Mr. MCINTYRE, Mr. CLEAVER, Mr. ALLEN, Mr. TIERNEY, Mr. ENGEL, Mr. KUCINICH, Ms. WOOLSEY, Mr. STUPAK, Ms. CARSON, Mr. MCDERMOTT, Mr. WEXLER, Mr. NEAL of Massachusetts, Mr. PASCRELL, Mr. LIPINSKI, Mr. BACA, Mr. MCGOVERN, Mr. VAN HOLLEN, Ms. CLARKE, Mr. DELAHUNT, Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia, Mr. DOGGETT, Ms. BALDWIN, Mr. NADLER, Mr. YARMUTH, Mr. POMEROY, Mr. SCOTT of Virginia, Mr. CONYERS, Mr. TIM MURPHY of Pennsylvania, Mr. SCHIFF, Mr. WELCH of Vermont, Ms. LINDA T. SANCHEZ of California, Mr. HIGGINS, Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas, Mr. MARKEY, Mr. STARK, Mr. BRALEY of Iowa, Mr. ALTMIRE, Mrs. MCCARTHY of New York, Mr. MURPHY of Connecticut, Mr. LOEBSACK, Ms. SCHAKOWSKY, Mr. CARNEY, Mr. HALL of New York, Mrs. BOYDA of Kansas, Mr. SPACE, Mr. RODRIGUEZ, and Mr. SARBANES) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs
A BILL
To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for an assured adequate level of funding for veterans health care.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the `Assured Funding for Veterans Health Care Act'.
SEC. 2. ASSURANCE OF ADEQUATE FUNDING FOR VETERANS HEALTH CARE.
(a) In General- Chapter 3 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new section:
`Sec. 321. Assured funding for veterans health care
`(a) For each fiscal year, the Secretary of the Treasury shall make available to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs the amount determined under subsection (b) with respect to that fiscal year. Each such amount is available, without fiscal year limitation, for the programs, functions, and activities of the Veterans Health Administration, as specified in subsection (c). `(b)(1) The amount applicable to fiscal year 2008 under this subsection is the amount equal to 130 percent of the amount obligated by the Department during fiscal year 2006 for the purposes specified in subsection (c). `(2) The amount applicable to any fiscal year after fiscal year 2008 under this subsection is the amount equal to the product of the following:
`(A) The sum of--
`(i) the number of veterans enrolled in the Department health care system under section 1705 of this title as of July 1 preceding the beginning of such fiscal year; and `(ii) the number of persons eligible for health care under chapter 17 of this title who are not covered by clause (i) and who were provided hospital care or medical services under such chapter at any time during the fiscal year preceding such fiscal year. `(B) The per capita baseline amount, as increased from time to time pursuant to paragraph (3)(B). `(3)(A) For purposes of paragraph (2)(B), the term `per capita baseline amount' means the amount equal to--
`(i) the amount specified in paragraph (1), divided by `(ii) the number of veterans enrolled in the Department health care system under section 1705 of this title as of September 30, 2006. `(B) With respect to any fiscal year, the Secretary shall provide a percentage increase (rounded to the nearest dollar) in the per capita baseline amount equal to the percentage by which--
`(i) the Consumer Price Index (all Urban Consumers, United States City Average, Hospital and related services, Seasonally Adjusted), published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the Department of Labor for the 12-month period ending on the June 30 preceding the beginning of the fiscal year for which the increase is made, exceeds `(ii) such Consumer Price Index for the 12-month period preceeding the 12-month period described in clause (i). `(c)(1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), the purposes for which amounts made available pursuant to subsection (a) shall be all programs, functions, and activities of the Veterans Health Administration. `(2) Amounts made available pursuant to subsection (a) are not available for--
`(A) construction, acquisition, or alteration of medical facilities as provided in subchapter I of chapter 81 of this title (other than for such repairs as were provided for before the the date of the enactment of this section through the Medical Care appropriation for the Department); or `(B) grants under subchapter III of chapter 81 of this title.'. (b) Clerical Amendment- The table of sections at the beginning of such chapter is amended by adding at the end the following new item:
`321. Assured funding for veterans health care.'.
Care System: US House Bill: HR 2514
The following US House Bill, HR 2514, is for the assured funding of the VA Health Care System.
The bill has 73 co-sponsors. Please review the list and then contact your respective US Representatives to strongly encourage them to become co-sponsors of this long overdue legislation.
I will contact my US Senators, inform them of the House legislation, and ask them to author a companion Senate bill. Please do the same with your US Senators.
This vital piece of legislation has been four+ years worth of work by VVA. Now, more than ever, we need a concerted team effort to add more Representatives to the list of co-sponsors, and to convince our Senators to become the author(s) and sponsors of a companion bill from the Senate.
Everyone, time to do our best to push this bill through the process to become law. We need this bill passed to help not only our generation of veterans, but all generations of veterans.
Thank you in advance for your upcoming hard work and team effort.
John A Miterko
Chair, Government Affairs Committee
Assured Funding for Veterans Health Care Act (Introduced in House)
HR 2514 IH
110th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 2514
To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for an assured adequate level of funding for veterans health care.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
May 24, 2007
Mr. HARE (for himself, Mr. FILNER, Ms. KILPATRICK, Mr. LARSON of Connecticut, Mr. COURTNEY, Mr. KLEIN of Florida, Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania, Mr. GRIJALVA, Mr. DOYLE, Mr. BOSWELL, Mr. REYES, Mr. UDALL of New Mexico, Mr. DEFAZIO, Mrs. JONES of Ohio, Ms. MCCOLLUM of Minnesota, Mr. PETERSON of Minnesota, Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas, Ms. SHEA-PORTER, Mr. HINCHEY, Mr. ELLISON, Ms. BERKLEY, Mr. HOLDEN, Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida, Ms. HERSETH SANDLIN, Mr. COHEN, Mr. KAGEN, Ms. HOOLEY, Mr. MCINTYRE, Mr. CLEAVER, Mr. ALLEN, Mr. TIERNEY, Mr. ENGEL, Mr. KUCINICH, Ms. WOOLSEY, Mr. STUPAK, Ms. CARSON, Mr. MCDERMOTT, Mr. WEXLER, Mr. NEAL of Massachusetts, Mr. PASCRELL, Mr. LIPINSKI, Mr. BACA, Mr. MCGOVERN, Mr. VAN HOLLEN, Ms. CLARKE, Mr. DELAHUNT, Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia, Mr. DOGGETT, Ms. BALDWIN, Mr. NADLER, Mr. YARMUTH, Mr. POMEROY, Mr. SCOTT of Virginia, Mr. CONYERS, Mr. TIM MURPHY of Pennsylvania, Mr. SCHIFF, Mr. WELCH of Vermont, Ms. LINDA T. SANCHEZ of California, Mr. HIGGINS, Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas, Mr. MARKEY, Mr. STARK, Mr. BRALEY of Iowa, Mr. ALTMIRE, Mrs. MCCARTHY of New York, Mr. MURPHY of Connecticut, Mr. LOEBSACK, Ms. SCHAKOWSKY, Mr. CARNEY, Mr. HALL of New York, Mrs. BOYDA of Kansas, Mr. SPACE, Mr. RODRIGUEZ, and Mr. SARBANES) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs
A BILL
To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for an assured adequate level of funding for veterans health care.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the `Assured Funding for Veterans Health Care Act'.
SEC. 2. ASSURANCE OF ADEQUATE FUNDING FOR VETERANS HEALTH CARE.
(a) In General- Chapter 3 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new section:
`Sec. 321. Assured funding for veterans health care
`(a) For each fiscal year, the Secretary of the Treasury shall make available to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs the amount determined under subsection (b) with respect to that fiscal year. Each such amount is available, without fiscal year limitation, for the programs, functions, and activities of the Veterans Health Administration, as specified in subsection (c). `(b)(1) The amount applicable to fiscal year 2008 under this subsection is the amount equal to 130 percent of the amount obligated by the Department during fiscal year 2006 for the purposes specified in subsection (c). `(2) The amount applicable to any fiscal year after fiscal year 2008 under this subsection is the amount equal to the product of the following:
`(A) The sum of--
`(i) the number of veterans enrolled in the Department health care system under section 1705 of this title as of July 1 preceding the beginning of such fiscal year; and `(ii) the number of persons eligible for health care under chapter 17 of this title who are not covered by clause (i) and who were provided hospital care or medical services under such chapter at any time during the fiscal year preceding such fiscal year. `(B) The per capita baseline amount, as increased from time to time pursuant to paragraph (3)(B). `(3)(A) For purposes of paragraph (2)(B), the term `per capita baseline amount' means the amount equal to--
`(i) the amount specified in paragraph (1), divided by `(ii) the number of veterans enrolled in the Department health care system under section 1705 of this title as of September 30, 2006. `(B) With respect to any fiscal year, the Secretary shall provide a percentage increase (rounded to the nearest dollar) in the per capita baseline amount equal to the percentage by which--
`(i) the Consumer Price Index (all Urban Consumers, United States City Average, Hospital and related services, Seasonally Adjusted), published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the Department of Labor for the 12-month period ending on the June 30 preceding the beginning of the fiscal year for which the increase is made, exceeds `(ii) such Consumer Price Index for the 12-month period preceeding the 12-month period described in clause (i). `(c)(1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), the purposes for which amounts made available pursuant to subsection (a) shall be all programs, functions, and activities of the Veterans Health Administration. `(2) Amounts made available pursuant to subsection (a) are not available for--
`(A) construction, acquisition, or alteration of medical facilities as provided in subchapter I of chapter 81 of this title (other than for such repairs as were provided for before the the date of the enactment of this section through the Medical Care appropriation for the Department); or `(B) grants under subchapter III of chapter 81 of this title.'. (b) Clerical Amendment- The table of sections at the beginning of such chapter is amended by adding at the end the following new item:
`321. Assured funding for veterans health care.'.