PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 102.
Congressional Research Service
Version 01 · Reported to Senate with amendment(s) · Jun 27, 2013
Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2014 - Title I: Department of Defense - Appropriates funds for FY2014 for the Department of Defense (DOD) for: (1) military construction for the Army, Navy and Marine Corps, and Air Force (military departments), DOD, the Army and Air National Guard, and the Army, Navy, and Air Force reserves; (2) the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Security Investment Program; (3) family housing construction and related operation and maintenance for the military departments and DOD; (4) the Department of Defense Family Housing Improvement Fund; (5) chemical demilitarization construction; and (6) the Department of Defense Base Closure Account.
(Sec. 101) Specifies restrictions and authorizations regarding the use of funds appropriated in this title and in other military construction appropriations Acts.
(Sec. 110) Prohibits appropriated funds (funds) from being used to initiate a new installation overseas without prior notification to the congressional appropriations committees.
Showing the opening paragraphs of the official summary.
(Sec. 113) Directs the Secretary of Defense (Secretary) to notify the appropriate congressional committees 30 days in advance of the plans and scope of any proposed military exercise involving U.S. personnel if construction costs are anticipated to exceed $100,000.
(Sec. 120) Authorizes the transfer of DOD funds for expenses associated with the Homeowners Assistance Program under the Metropolitan Demonstration Cities and Metropolitan Development Act of 1966.
(Sec. 123) Places specified restrictions and limitations on the obligation or expenditure of funds made available in this title or in any other military construction appropriations Act to carry out a military construction, land acquisition, or family housing project at or for a military installation approved for closure, or for supporting a function that has been approved for realignment to another installation, in 2005 under the Defense Base Closure and Realignment Act of 1990.
(Sec. 124) Provides for the transfer of lapsed unobligated military construction and family housing funds into the Foreign Currency Fluctuations, Defense account.
(Sec. 126) Prohibits funds from being used for planning and design and construction of projects at Arlington National Cemetery.
(Sec. 127) Prohibits funds from being used to decommission the Combined Heat and Power Plant at Clear Air Force Station, Alaska, until the Comptroller General conducts a review of whether such action is the most cost-effective and beneficial option for the day-to-day operations and missions at such installation.
Title II: Department of Veterans Affairs - Authorizes appropriations for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) for: (1) the Veterans Benefits Administration, (2) readjustment benefits, (3) veterans insurance and indemnities, (4) the Veterans Housing Benefit Program Fund, (5) the Vocational Rehabilitation Loans Program, (6) the Native American Veteran Housing Loan Program, (7) the Veterans Health Administration (including for medical and prosthetic research and information technology systems), (8) the National Cemetery Administration, (9) the Office of the Inspector General, (10) construction for major and minor projects, and (11) grants for the construction of state extended care facilities and veterans cemeteries.
(Sec. 201) Specifies restrictions and authorizations regarding the use of funds appropriated in this title.
(Sec. 210) Makes funds from this title available to reimburse expenses of the Office of Resolution Management and the Office of Employment Discrimination Complaint Adjudication, within specified limits.
(Sec. 216) Authorizes the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (Secretary, for purposes of this title) to enter into agreements with certain Indian tribes and tribal organizations in rural Alaska to provide health care, including behavioral health and dental care.
(Sec. 219) Directs the Secretary to report quarterly to the appropriations committees on the financial status of the Veterans Health Administration (VHA).
(Sec. 224) Allows certain VA funds to be used to fund operations of the Captain James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center. Requires written notification from the Secretary to the appropriations committees of any fund transfers for such purpose.
(Sec. 227) Directs the Secretary to notify the appropriations committees on all bid savings in major construction projects that total at least $5 million or 5% of the programmed amount, whichever is less.
(Sec. 229) Prohibits funds from being used to enter into contracts using procedures that do not give small businesses owned and controlled by veterans any available preference.
(Sec. 230) Directs the Secretary to submit quarterly to the appropriations committees specified information concerning veterans' disability compensation claims, including the number pending, the timeliness of their completion, and error rates.
Title III: Related Agencies - Appropriates funds for: (1) the American Battle Monuments Commission, (2) the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, (3) cemeterial expenses, and (4) the Armed Forces Retirement Home.
Title IV: General Provisions - (Sec. 401) Specifies restrictions and authorities regarding the use of funds appropriated in this Act.
(Sec. 409) Prohibits this Act's funds from being used for: (1) maintaining or establishing a computer network unless such network blocks the viewing, downloading, and exchanging of pornography; (2) renovating, expanding, or constructing any facility in the United States in order to house any non-U.S. citizen detained at U.S. Naval Station, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba; (3) sending or paying for the attendance of more than 50 employees from a federal department or agency at any conference outside the United States, unless the relevant Secretary notifies the appropriations committees in advance that such attendance is important to the national interest; or (4) paying for travel and conference activities not in compliance with federal employee travel requirements.
(Sec. 412) Requires the head of any executive branch entity funded by this Act to submit annual reports to the Inspector General or senior ethics official regarding the costs and contracting procedures related to each conference held by such entity during FY2014 for which the cost was more than $100,000. Sets forth restrictions on the use of grants or contracts for conference costs.
(Sec. 413) Expresses the sense of the Senate that the Senate should immediately request a conference with the House of Representatives on the FY2014 budget, appoint conferees, and convene such conference in order to complete work on a final FY2014 budget conference report.
People & committees
Rep. Culberson, John Abney [R-TX-7] · R–TX
Legislative record
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Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 102.
Committee on Appropriations. Reported by Senator Johnson SD, with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. With written report No. 113-48.
Committee on Appropriations. Reported by Senator Johnson SD, with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. With written report No. 113-48.
Committee on Appropriations. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Appropriations.
Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 421 - 4 (Roll no. 193).
House roll call 193 · Individual votesPassed/agreed to in House: On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 421 - 4 (Roll no. 193).
House roll call 193 · Individual votesOn motion to recommit with instructions Failed by recorded vote: 198 - 227 (Roll no. 192).
House roll call 192 · Individual votesThe previous question on the motion to recommit with instructions was ordered without objection. (consideration: CR H3087-3088)
DEBATE - The House proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Enyart motion to recommit with instructions. The instructions contained in the motion seek to require the bill to be reported back to the House with an amendment to add $9.2 million in funding for the hiring of 94 additional claims processors. The increase would be offset by funds from the Departmental Administration account of the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Mr. Enyart moved to recommit with instructions to Appropriations. (consideration: CR H3086-3088; text: CR H3086)
The House adopted the amendments en gross as agreed to by the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union.
The previous question was ordered pursuant to the rule. (consideration: CR H3086)
The House rose from the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union to report H.R. 2216.
On motion to rise and report Agreed to by voice vote.
Mr. Culberson moved for the Committee of the Whole to rise and report.
UNFINISHED BUSINESS - The Chair announced that the unfinished business was the question on adoption of amendments which had been debated earlier and on which further proceedings had been postponed.
POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS - At the conclusion of debate on the King (IA) amendment, the Chair put the question on adoption of the amendment and by voice vote, announced that the ayes had prevailed. Mr. Bishop (GA) demanded a recorded vote and the Chair postponed further proceedings on the question of adoption of the amendment until later in the legislative day.
DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 243, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with debate on the King (IA) amendment under the five-minute rule.
DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 243, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with debate on the Murphy (FL) amendment under the five-minute rule.
DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 243, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with debate on the Tipton amendment under the five-minute rule.
DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 243, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with debate on the Engel amendment under the five-minute rule.
DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 243, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with debate on the Terry amendment under the five-minute rule.
DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 243, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with debate on the Murphy (FL) amendment under the five-minute rule.
DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 243, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with debate on the Runyan amendment under the five-minute rule.
DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 243, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with debate on the Grayson amendment under the five-minute rule.
DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 243, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with debate on the Rothfus amendment No. 3 under the five-minute rule.
DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 243, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with debate on the Kuster amendment under the five-minute rule.
DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 243, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with debate on the Kingston amendment under the five-minute rule.
DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 243, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with debate on the Farr amendment No. 2 under the five-minute rule.
POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS - At the conclusion of debate on the Moran amendment, the Chair put the question on adoption of the amendment and by voice vote, announced that the noes had prevailed. Mr. Moran demanded a recorded vote and the Chair postponed further proceedings on the question of adoption of the amendment until later in the legislative day.
DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 243, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with debate on the Moran amendment under the five-minute rule.
DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 243, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with debate on the Culberson amendment under the five-minute rule.
POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS - At the conclusion of debate on the Amodei amendment, the Chair put the question on adoption of the amendment and by voice vote, announced that the noes had prevailed. Mr. Amodei demanded a recorded vote and the Chair postponed further proceedings on the question of adoption of the amendment until later in the legislative day.
DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 243, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with debate on the Amodei amendment under the five-minute rule.
DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 243, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with debate on the Gallego amendment under the five-minute rule.
DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 243, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with debate on the Blumenauer amendment under the five-minute rule.
DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 243, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with debate on the Griffith (VA) amendment No. 1 under the five-minute rule.
DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 243, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with debate on the second Broun (GA) amendment under the five-minute rule.
POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS - At the conclusion of debate on the first Broun (GA) amendment, the Chair put the question on adoption of the amendment and by voice vote, announced that the noes had prevailed. Mr. Broun (GA) demanded a recorded vote and the Chair postponed further proceedings on the question of adoption of the amendment until later in the legislative day.
DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 243, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with debate on the first Broun (GA) amendment under the five-minute rule.
GENERAL DEBATE - The Committee of the Whole proceeded with one hour of general debate on H.R. 2216.
The Speaker designated the Honorable Ileana Ros-Lehtinen to act as Chairwoman of the Committee.
House resolved itself into the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union pursuant to H. Res. 243 and Rule XVIII.
The resolution provides for consideration of H.R. 2216 and H.R. 2217. The resolution provides for one hour of general debate on each bill. The resolution provides that each bill shall be considered for amendment under the five-minute rule. The resolution provides that the Chair may accord priority in recognition to Members who have pre-printed their amendments in the Congressional Record. The resolution provides one motion to recommit for each bill with or without instructions.
Considered under the provisions of rule H. Res. 243. (consideration: CR H3044-3088; text of Title I as reported in House: CR H3057, H3058, H3059-3061, H3061-3062; text of Title II as reported in House: CR H3062, H3063, H3064, H3067, H3069-3071; text of Title III as reported in House: CR H3071; text of Title IV as reported in House: CR H3071, H3071-3072, H3073)
Rules Committee Resolution H. Res. 243 Reported to House. Resolution provides for one hour of general debate for each bill.
Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 63.
The House Committee on Appropriations reported an original measure, H. Rept. 113-90, by Mr. Culberson.
The House Committee on Appropriations reported an original measure, H. Rept. 113-90, by Mr. Culberson.
Introduced in House
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Analyze H.R.2216 as objectively as possible. Explain its main provisions, who would be affected, possible benefits and harms, implementation, exceptions, and uncertainties. Present the strongest arguments for and against it, and identify evidence needed to assess its public impact.
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