US Congress House Bill 3593 (Prior Session Legislation)

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Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Republican 7-1)
Status: Engrossed on September 17 2014 - 50% progression, died in committee
Action: 2014-09-17 - Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
Pending: Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee
Text: Latest bill text (Engrossed) [PDF]

VA Construction Assistance Act of 2014 - (Sec. 2) Expresses the sense of Congress that: (1) the management of the major medical center construction projects of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has been an abysmal failure; and (2) the Secretary of Veterans Affairs should fully implement all recommendations made by the Comptroller General in an April 2013 report to improve VA construction procedures. (Sec. 3) Requires the Secretary, for any construction or alteration project that is a major medical facility project, to: (1) use the services of a medical equipment planner as part of the architectural and engineering firm for the project, (2) develop and use a project management plan to ensure clear and consistent communication among all parties, (3) subject the project to construction peer excellence review, (4) develop a metrics program to enable the monitoring of change-order processing time and goals for the change-order process consistent with the best practices of other federal agencies, and (5) use design-build processes to minimize multiple change orders. (Sec. 4) Directs the Secretary to procure the services of the Army Corps of Engineers with respect to appointing not less than one special project manager who has experience in managing construction projects that exceed $60 million to oversee such covered projects until completion. Requires a special project manager to submit to specified congressional committees detailed plans of a covered project and progress reports, which shall include an analysis of all changes ordered by the VA and recommendations for improving the operation of any construction-related activity to reduce costs or complete the project in a more timely manner. Defines "covered projects" to mean each construction project that is a major medical facility project that: (1) was the subject of a report by the Comptroller General (GAO) titled "Additional Actions Needed to Decrease Delays and Lower Costs of Major Medical-Facility Projects," published in April 2013; and (2) has not been activated to accept patients as of this Act's enactment. (Sec. 5) Prohibits additional funds from being authorized to be appropriated to carry out this Act.

VA Construction Assistance Act of 2014

Rep. Mike Coffman [R-CO]	Rep. Randy Forbes [R-VA]	Sen. Cory Gardner [R-CO]	Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick [D-AZ]
Rep. Doug Lamborn [R-CO]	Rep. David Roe [R-TN]	Rep. Steve Stivers [R-OH]	Rep. Scott Tipton [R-CO]

Date	Chamber	Action
2014-09-17	Senate	Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
2014-09-16	House	Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
2014-09-16	House	On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H7581-7582)
2014-09-16	House	DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 3593.
2014-09-16	House	Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H7581-7585)
2014-09-16	House	Mr. Lamborn moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
2014-09-15	House	Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 433.
2014-09-15	House	Reported by the Committee on Veterans' Affairs. H. Rept. 113-586.
2014-09-10	House	Ordered to be Reported by Voice Vote.
2014-09-10	House	Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
2014-03-25	House	Subcommittee Hearings Held.
2014-03-07	House	Referred to the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations.
2014-03-07	House	Subcommittee on Health Discharged.
2013-12-11	House	Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
2013-11-21	House	Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

Type	Source
Summary	https://www.congress.gov/bill/113th-congress/house-bill/3593/all-info
Text	https://www.congress.gov/113/bills/hr3593/BILLS-113hr3593ih.pdf
Text	https://www.congress.gov/113/bills/hr3593/BILLS-113hr3593rh.pdf
Text	https://www.congress.gov/113/bills/hr3593/BILLS-113hr3593eh.pdf