,,ib ,union ,calendar ,no4 #afg #aacth ,,congress #ast ,session ,h4 ,r4 #ahjd ,report ,no4 #aac-bbg ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,april #bf1 #bjac ,mr4 ,huelskamp introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,veterans' ,affairs ,september #be1 #bjac ,reported with amendments1 committed to the ,committee of the ,whole ,house on the ,state of the ,union1 and ordered to be printed ,strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic ,for text of introduced bill1 see copy of bill as introduced on ,april #bf1 #bjac ,a ,,bill ,to amend title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 to direct the ,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs to submit to ,congress semiannual reports on the cost of foreign travel made by employees of the ,department of ,veterans ,affairs4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,veterans ,accountability ,act of #bjac4 #b4 ,semiannual reports to ,congress on cost of certain travel 7a7 ,in general ,subchapter ,i of chapter #e of title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 is amended by adding at the end the following new section3 #eah4 ,semiannual reports to ,congress on cost of certain travel 7a7 ,semiannual reports ,not later than ,june #cj1 #bjad1 and not later than #fj days after each #ahj-;day period thereafter1 the ,secretary shall submit to the ,committee on ,veterans' ,affairs of the ,house of ,representatives and the ,committee on ,veterans' ,affairs of the ,senate a semiannual report on covered travel made during the #ahj-;day period covered by the report4 7b7 ,matters included ,each report under subsection 7a7 shall include the following3 7#a7 ,with respect to each instance of covered travel made during the period covered by the report-- 7,a7 the purpose of such travel2 7,b7 the destination2 7,c7 the name and title of each employee included on such travel2 7,d7 the duration of such travel2 7,e7 the total cost to the ,department of such travel2 and 7,f7 with respect to covered travel described in subsection 7d77#b71 the identity of the person or entity that paid or reimbursed for such travel4 7#b7 ,the final costs to the ,department with respect to all covered travel made during the period covered by the report1 including costs relating to-- 7,a7 transportation1 including fares for travel by air1 rail1 bus1 ferry1 cruise ship1 taxi1 mass transit1 or other mode of transportation2 7,b7 expenses or reimbursements relating to operating and maintaining a car1 including the costs of fuel and mileage2 7,c7 passport and visa fees2 7,d7 lodging2 7,e7 per diem payments2 7,f7 baggage charges2 7,g7 computer rental fees2 7,h7 rental of halls1 auditoriums1 or other spaces2 7,i7 entertainment2 7,j7 contractors2 7,k7 registration fees2 and 7,l7 promotional items4 7c7 ,duplicative information ,each report under subsection 7a7 shall include the information described in subsection 7b7 regardless of whether such information is also included in a report under section #eag of this title4 7d7 ,covered travel defined ,in this section1 the term covered travel means travel made by an employee of the ,department of ,veterans ,affairs1 including an employee who is stationed in a foreign country1 on official business to any of the following locations3 7#a7 ,if the ,department or other element of the ,federal ,government pays for such travel1 a location outside of-- 7,a7 the several ,states2 7,b7 the ,district of ,columbia2 7,c7 a territory1 commonwealth1 or possession of the ,united ,states2 7,d7 ,indian lands 7as defined in section #d7d7 of the ,indian ,gaming ,regulatory ,act 7#be ,u4,s4,c4 #bgjc7d7772 or 7,e7 the territorial waters of the ,united ,states4 7#b7 ,if any person or entity other than the ,federal ,government pays 7or reimburses7 for such travel1 any location1 regardless of whether the location is inside or outside of the ,united ,states4 4 7b7 ,clerical amendment ,the table of sections at the beginning of such chapter is amended by adding after the item relating to section #eag the following new item3 #eah4 ,semiannual reports to ,congress on cost of certain travel4 4 #c4 ,report of infectious disease at medical facilities of ,department of ,veterans ,affairs 7a7 ,in general ,section #gcaa of title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection3 7f7 7#a7 ,the ,secretary shall report to the appropriate entity each case of a notifiable infectious disease or condition that is diagnosed at a medical facility of the ,department of ,veterans ,affairs in accordance with the laws of the ,state in which the facility is located4 7#b7 ,in addition to reporting each case of a notifiable infectious disease or condition at a medical facility of the ,department pursuant to paragraph 7#a71 the ,secretary shall report each such case that is classified as a health-care-associated infection sentinel event to the accrediting organization of such facility4 7#c7 7,a7 ,if the ,secretary fails to report a case of a notifiable infectious disease or condition at a medical facility of the ,department in accordance with ,state law pursuant to paragraph 7#a71 the ,secretary shall-- 7i7 take any remedial action required under the laws of the ,state to correct such failure2 and 7ii7 if the ,secretary does not correct such failure pursuant to clause 7i71 pay to the ,state an amount equal to the amount that a medical facility not owned by the ,federal ,government that is located in the same ,state would pay as a penalty to such ,state for such failure4 7,b7 ,the ,state may file a civil action against the ,secretary in the ,united ,states district court for the district in which the medical facility is located to recover from the ,united ,states the amount described in subparagraph 7,a77ii74 7,c7 ,a civil action under subparagraph 7,b7 may not be commenced later than two years after the cause of action accrues4 7#d7 7,a7 ,in any case in which the ,inspector ,general of the ,department suspects that a director of a ,veterans ,integrated ,service ,network has failed to comply with an applicable provision of this subsection1 the ,inspector ,general shall conduct an investigation to determine whether such director failed to comply with an applicable provision of this section4 7,b7 ,if the ,inspector ,general determines under subparagraph 7,a7 that a director has failed to comply with a provision of this subsection1 the ,secretary shall suspend such director for such period as the ,secretary considers appropriate under subchapter ,i or subchapter ,,ii of chapter #ge of title #e1 as the case may be4 ,in addition to such suspension1 the ,secretary may impose such other administrative disciplinary action on the director as the ,secretary considers appropriate and for which the ,secretary is otherwise authorized4 7#e7 ,the ,secretary shall-- 7,a7 maintain records of each notifiable infectious disease or condition reported pursuant to paragraph 7#a72 and 7,b7 submit to the ,committees on ,veterans' ,affairs of the ,house of ,representatives and the ,senate a notification of each such notifiable infectious disease or condition4 7#f7 ,in this subsection1 the term notifiable infectious disease or condition means any infectious disease or condition that is-- 7,a7 on the list of nationally notifiable diseases or conditions published by the ,council of ,state and ,territorial ,epidemiologists and the ,centers for ,disease ,control and ,prevention2 or 7,b7 covered by a provision of law of a ,state that requires the reporting of infectious diseases or conditions4 4 7b7 ,effective date ,the reporting requirement under section #gcaa7;f7 of title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 as added by subsection 7a71 shall apply with respect to a case of a notifiable infectious disease or condition diagnosed at a medical facility of the ,department of ,veterans ,affairs on or after the date that is #fj days after the date of the enactment of this ,act4 #d4 ,prohibition of visual recording without informed consent ,section #gcca of title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 is amended-- 7#a7 by striking ,the ,secretary1 upon and inserting 7a7 ,in general4--,the ,secretary1 upon2 and 7#b7 by adding at the end the following new subsection3 7b7 ,visual recording 7#a7 ,the ,secretary shall prescribe regulations establishing procedures to ensure that1 except as provided by paragraph 7#b71 any visual recording made by the ,secretary of a patient during the course of furnishing care under this title is carried out only with the full and informed consent of the patient or1 in appropriate cases1 a representative thereof4 7#b7 ,the ,secretary may waive the requirement for informed consent under paragraph 7#a7 with respect to the visual recording of a patient if such recording is made-- 7,a7 pursuant to a determination by a physician or psychologist that such recording is medically necessary or necessary for the safety of the patient2 7,b7 pursuant to a warrant or order of a court of competent jurisdiction2 or 7,c7 in a public setting where a person would not have a reasonable expectation to privacy1 such as a waiting room or hallway1 and such recording is for general security purposes not particularized to the patient4 7#c7 ,in this subsection1 the term visual recording means the recording or transmission of images or video1 but does not include-- 7,a7 medical imaging1 including such imaging produced by radiographic procedures1 nuclear medicine1 endoscopy1 ultrasound1 or other similar procedures2 or 7,b7 images1 video1 and other clinical information transmitted for the purposes of providing treatment through telehealth and telemedicine technologies4 4 ,amend the title so as to read3 ,a bill to amend title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 to direct the ,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs to submit to ,congress semiannual reports on the cost of certain travel made by employees of the ,department of ,veterans ,affairs1 and for other purposes44 ,september #be1 #bjac ,reported with amendments1 committed to the ,committee of the ,whole ,house on the ,state of the ,union1 and ordered to be printed