,i  #aad? ,,congress  #a/ ,session  ,h4 
,r4 #dabe  ,,9 ,,! ,,h\se ,,(           
,,repres5tatives  ,novemb] #ai1 #bjae   
,mrs4 ,watson ,coleman 7= h]self1 ,mr4  
,ha/+s1 ,mr4 ,honda1 ,mrs4 ,lawr5ce1    
,mr4 ,mc,govern1 ,mr4 ,pallone1 ,mr4    
,payne1 & ,mr4 ,sires7 introduc$ !      
foll[+ bill2 :i* 0 ref]r$ to !          
,committee on ,vet]ans' ,affairs  ,a    
,,bill  ,to direct ! ,secret>y (        
,vet]ans ,affairs to conduct a /udy on !
 feasibility ( ! ,secret>y ent]+ into   
public-private p>tn]%ips to improve !   
access ( vet]ans to m$ical facilities 9 
d5sely populat$ communities & rural     
communities4  #a4 ,/udy on feasibility (
 public-private p>tn]%ips to improve    
access ( vet]ans to m$ical facilities 9 
d5sely populat$ communities & rural     
communities  7a7 ,/udy ,! ,secret>y (   
,vet]ans ,affairs %all conduct a /udy on
 ! feasibility ( ! ,secret>y ent]+ into 
cov]$ public-private p>tn]%ips to       
improve ! access ( vet]ans to m$ical    
facilities ( ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans     

,affairs 9 d5sely populat$ communities &
 rural communities4 ,su* /udy %all      
include ! foll[+3 7#a7 ,an evaluation ( 
! ability ( vet]ans to access m$ical    
facilities ( ! ,dep>tm5t 9 d5sely       
populat$ communities & rural            
communities1 includ+ ! id5tification (  
issues t dim9i% su* access 9 su*        
communities1 includ+ ) respect to su*   
dim9i%$ access t affects only c]ta9     
populations ( vet]ans or c]ta9 k9ds (   
heal? c>e4  7#b7 ,an evaluation ( :e!r !
 requirem5t = ,congressional approval = 
major m$ical facility leases "u section 
#hajd ( title #ch1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code1 
delays su* access4  7#c7 ,an evaluation 
( h[ cov]$ public-private p>tn]%ips may 
improve ! ability ( vet]ans to access   
m$ical facilities ( ! ,dep>tm5t 9 d5sely
 populat$ communities & rural           
communities4  7#d7 ,an evaluation ( :e!r
 und]us$ m$ical facilities ( ! ,dep>tm5t
 meet build+ codes4  7#e7               
,recomm5dations by ! ,secret>y on h[ to 
improve su* access1 includ+ ) respect to

 any regulatory or legislative actions  
requir$ to make su* improvem5ts4  7b7   
,report ,n lat] ?an #ahj days aft] !    
date ( ! enactm5t ( ?is ,act1 !         
,secret>y %all submit to ! ,committees  
on ,vet]ans' ,affairs ( ! ,h\se (       
,repres5tatives & ! ,s5ate a report     
conta9+ ! /udy "u subsection 7a74  7c7  
,def9itions ,9 ?is section3  7#a7 ,! t]m
 cov]$ public-private p>tn]%ips means   
leases or o!r agreem5ts ent]$ into by ! 
,secret>y ) non-,dep>tm5t facilities "u 
:i* ! ,secret>y w e/abli% a m$ical      
facility ( ! ,dep>tm5t 9 ! unus$ or     
und]us$ space ( ! non-,dep>tm5t         
facility4  7#b7 ,! t]m d5sely populat$  
communities means communities t are 9 an
 urbaniz$ area or an urban clu/]1 z     
det]m9$ by ! ,bureau ( ! ,c5sus4  7#c7  
,! t]m non-,dep>tm5t facilities has !   
mean+ giv5 t t]m 9 section #agja ( title
 #ch1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code4  7#d7 ,! t]m 
rural communities means ! rural areas "u
 ! jurisdiction ( ! ,(fice ( ,rural     
,heal? ( ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs

 e/abli%$ by section #gcjh ( title #ch1 
,unit$ ,/ates ,code4