,,ii  #aadth ,,congress  #b;d ,session  
,h4 ,r4 #fdce  ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of 
,,the ,,united ,,states  ,december #h1  
#bjaf,received  ,,an ,,act  ,to         
authorize the ,directors of ,veterans   
,integrated ,service ,networks of the   
,department of ,veterans ,affairs to    
enter into contracts with appropriate   
civilian accreditation entities or      
appropriate health care evaluation      
entities to investigate medical centers 
of the ,department of ,veterans         
,affairs4  #a4 ,authority of ,directors 
of ,veterans ,integrated ,service       
,networks to investigate medical centers
 of the ,department of ,veterans        
,affairs  7a7 ,in general ,the ,director
 of a ,veterans ,integrated ,service    
,network of the ,department of ,veterans
 ,affairs may contract with an          
appropriate entity specializing in      
civilian accreditation or health care   
evaluation to investigate any medical   
center within such ,network to assess   
and report deficiencies of the          

facilities at such medical center4  7b7 
,coordination ,before entering into any 
contract under subsection 7a71 the      
,director of a ,veterans ,integrated    
,service ,network shall notify the      
,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs1 the   
,inspector ,general of the ,department  
of ,veterans ,affairs1 and the          
,comptroller ,general of the ,united    
,states for purposes of coordinating any
 investigation conducted pursuant to    
such contract with any other            
investigations or accreditations that   
may be ongoing4  7c7 ,rule of           
construction ,nothing in this section   
may be construed-- 7#a7 to prevent the  
,office of the ,inspector ,general of   
the ,department of ,veterans ,affairs   
from conducting any review1 audit1      
evaluation1 or inspection regarding a   
topic for which a review is conducted   
under subsection 7a72 or  7#b7 to modify
 the requirement that employees of the  
,department assist with any review1     
audit1 evaluation1 or inspection        

conducted by the ,office of the         
,inspector ,general of the ,department4 
,passed the ,house of ,representatives  
,december #g1 #bjaf4,karen ,l4          
,haas1,clerk