,,ii  #aadth ,,congress  #ast ,session  
,s4 #iig  ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the
 ,,united ,,states  ,april #af1 #bjae   
,mr4 ,gardner introduced the following  
bill2 which was read twice and referred 
to the ,committee on ,veterans' ,affairs
  ,a ,,bill  ,to extend the             
authorization for the major medical     
facility project to replace the medical 
center of the ,department of ,veterans  
,affairs in ,aurora1 ,colorado1 to      
direct the ,secretary of ,veterans      
,affairs to enter into an agreement with
 the ,army ,corps of ,engineers to      
manage the construction of such project1
 to transfer the authority to carry out 
future major medical facility projects  
of the ,department from the ,secretary  
to the ,army ,corps of ,engineers1 and  
for other purposes4  #a4 ,short title   
,this ,act may be cited as the          
,department of ,veterans ,affairs       
,construction1 ,accountability1 and     
,reform ,act4  #b4 ,extension of        
authorization of major medical facility 

project to replace ,department of       
,veterans ,affairs ,medical ,center in  
,aurora1 ,colorado ,the ,secretary of   
,veterans ,affairs may carry out the    
major medical facility project to       
replace the medical center of the       
,department of ,veterans ,affairs in    
,aurora1 ,colorado1 planned for under   
section #bac7a7 of the ,veterans ,health
 ,care1 ,capital ,asset1 and ,business  
,improvement ,act of #bjjc 7,public ,law
 #ajh-agj2 #aag ,stat4 #bjdi71 in an    
amount not to exceed a total of         
#a1gcj1jjj1jjj4  #c4 ,prohibition on    
bonuses until major medical facility    
project to replace ,department of       
,veterans ,affairs ,medical ,center in  
,aurora1 ,colorado1 is operational  7a7 
,prohibition on bonuses during fiscal   
years #bjae and #bjaf ,during fiscal    
years #bjae and #bjaf1 the ,secretary of
 ,veterans ,affairs may not pay any     
bonus4  7b7 ,prohibition on bonuses     
until operation of medical center ,if   
the major medical facility project      

specified in section #b to replace the  
,department of ,veterans ,affairs       
,medical ,center in ,aurora1 ,colorado1 
is not completed by ,september #cj1     
#bjaf1 the ,secretary may not pay any   
bonus until the date on which the       
,secretary certifies to the ,committee  
on ,veterans' ,affairs of the ,senate   
and the ,committee on ,veterans'        
,affairs of the ,house of               
,representatives that such major medical
 facility project is fully operational4 
7c7 ,limitation on bonuses ,during the  
fiscal year in which the ,secretary may 
begin to pay a bonus pursuant to        
subsection 7b71 and each fiscal year    
thereafter through fiscal year #bjbd1   
the ,secretary shall ensure that the    
aggregate amount of bonuses paid by the 
,secretary during each such fiscal year 
does not exceed #cfj1jjj1jjj4  7d7      
,bonus defined ,in this subsection1 the 
term bonus means any bonus or award     
under chapter #de or #ec of title #e1   
,united ,states ,code1 or any other     

bonus or award authorized under such    
title or title #ch1 ,united ,states     
,code4  7e7 ,conforming repeal ,section 
#gje of the ,veterans ,access1 ,choice1 
and ,accountability ,act of #bjad       
7,public ,law #aac-adf2 #ch ,u4,s4,c4   
#gjc note7 is repealed4  #d4 ,management
 of ,department of ,veterans ,affairs   
,medical ,center in ,aurora1 ,colorado  
7a7 ,transfer of construction agent     
responsibilities  7#a7 ,in general ,not 
later than #ij days after the date of   
the enactment of this ,act1 the         
,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs shall  
enter into an agreement with the        
,secretary of the ,army1 acting through 
the ,chief of ,engineers1 for the ,army 
,corps of ,engineers to carry out1 on a 
reimbursable basis1 the design1         
contract1 construction management1 and  
other similar services for the ,aurora  
medical facility project4  7#b7         
,treatment of agreement ,the agreement  
entered into under paragraph 7#a7 shall 
be subject to subsections 7b7 through   

7e7 of section #aece of title #ca1      
,united ,states ,code4  7b7 ,duties     
7#a7 ,in general ,under the agreement   
entered into under subsection 7a71 the  
,army ,corps of ,engineers may perform  
the project1 design1 contract1 and      
construction management necessary to    
complete the work at the ,aurora medical
 facility project that is remaining as  
of the date of the enactment of this    
,act4  7#b7 ,new contracts  7,a7 ,in    
general ,the authority under paragraph  
7#a7 shall include the authority to     
enter into new contracts in accordance  
with the ,federal ,acquisition          
,regulation to fulfill construction     
agent responsibilities associated with  
the ,aurora medical facility project4   
7,b7 ,prime contractor ,the ,secretary  
of the ,army1 acting through the ,chief 
of ,engineers1 shall determine whether  
entering into a new contract agreement  
with the prime contractor as of the date
 of the enactment of this ,act is       
consistent with the ,federal            

,acquisition ,regulation and in the best
 interests of the ,federal ,government4 
7#c7 ,information required ,in          
accordance with subsection 7d77#a71 the 
,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs shall  
provide the ,army ,corps of ,engineers  
with the information needed to ensure   
that the ,army ,corps of ,engineers     
understands the requirements for the    
successful operation of the ,aurora     
medical facility project4  7c7 ,plans   
and reports  7#a7 ,completion ,plans    
,not later than #fj days after entering 
into the agreement under subsection 7a71
 the ,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs1  
based upon the advice of the ,army      
,corps of ,engineers provided under such
 agreement1 shall submit to the         
,committee on ,veterans' ,affairs of the
 ,senate and the ,committee on          
,veterans' ,affairs of the ,house of    
,representatives detailed plans1        
including estimated costs1 to complete  
construction of the ,aurora medical     
facility project4  7#b7 ,progress       

,reports ,not later than #ahj days after
 entering into the agreement under      
subsection 7a71 and each #ahj-;day      
period thereafter until the date on     
which the ,aurora medical facility      
project is completed1 the ,secretary of 
,veterans ,affairs1 based on the advice 
of the ,army ,corps of ,engineers       
provided under the agreement entered    
into under subsection 7a71 shall submit 
to the ,committees on ,veterans'        
,affairs of the ,house of               
,representatives and ,senate a report   
detailing the progress on the ,aurora   
medical facility project4  7d7          
,cooperation  7#a7 ,information ,the    
,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs shall  
provide the ,army ,corps of ,engineers  
with any documents or information that  
the ,army ,corps of ,engineers          
determines necessary to carry out       
subsections 7a7 and 7b74  7#b7          
,assistance  7,a7 ,in general ,upon     
request by the ,army ,corps of          
,engineers1 the ,secretary of ,veterans 

,affairs shall provide to the ,army     
,corps of ,engineers any assistance that
 the ,army ,corps of ,engineers         
determines necessary to carry out       
subsections 7a7 and 7b74  7,b7 ,no cost 
,any assistance provided under          
subparagraph 7,a7 shall be at no cost to
 the ,army ,corps of ,engineers4  7e7   
,aurora medical facility project defined
 ,in this section1 the term ,aurora     
medical facility project means the major
 medical facility project specified in  
section #b to replace the medical center
 of the ,department of ,veterans        
,affairs in ,aurora1 ,colorado4  #e4    
,prohibition on ,secretary of ,veterans 
,affairs carrying out major medical     
facility projects  7a7 ,army ,corps of  
,engineers ,subchapter ,i of chapter #ha
 of title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 is
 amended by inserting after section     
#hajc the following new section3        
#hajc;,a4 ,authority of ,army ,corps of 
,engineers to carry out major medical   
facility projects  7a7 ,prohibition     

,notwithstanding any other provision of 
law1 the ,secretary may not carry out   
any major medical facility project4  7b7
 ,army ,corps of ,engineers             
,notwithstanding any other provision of 
law1 the ,secretary of the ,army1 acting
 through the ,chief of ,engineers1 shall
 carry out all major medical facility   
projects for the ,department4  7c7      
,agreements  7#a7 ,the ,chief of        
,engineers shall enter into an agreement
 with the ,secretary of ,veterans       
,affairs to carry out1 on a reimbursable
 basis1 design1 contract1 construction  
management1 and similar services for    
major medical facility projects pursuant
 to subsection 7b74  7#b7 ,each         
agreement entered into under paragraph  
7#a7 shall be subject to subsections 7b7
 through 7e7 of section #aece of title  
#ca4  7d7 ,duties  7#a7 ,under an       
agreement entered into under subsection 
7c71 the ,army ,corps of ,engineers may 
perform the project1 design1 contract1  
and construction management necessary to

 complete the major medical facility    
project covered by the agreement1       
including entering into new contracts in
 accordance with the ,federal           
,acquisition ,regulation to fulfill     
construction agent responsibilities     
associated with such project4  7#b7 ,the
 ,secretary shall provide the ,army     
,corps of ,engineers with any documents 
or information needed for the ,army     
,corps of ,engineers to carry out major 
medical facility projects pursuant to   
subsection 7b74  7#c7 ,upon request by  
the ,army ,corps of ,engineers1 the     
,secretary shall provide to the ,army   
,corps of ,engineers1 at no cost to the 
,army ,corps of ,engineers1 any         
assistance that the ,army ,corps of     
,engineers determines necessary to carry
 out major medical facility projects    
pursuant to subsection 7b74  7e7 ,major 
medical facility project defined ,in    
this section1 the term major medical    
facility project has the meaning given  
that term in section #hajd7;a77#c77;,a7 

of this title4  7f7 ,applicability ,this
 section shall apply with respect to any
 major medical facility project that    
begins after the date of the enactment  
of this section4  4  7b7 ,clerical      
amendment ,the table of sections at the 
beginning of such chapter is amended by 
inserting after the item relating to    
section #hajc the following new item3   
#hajc;,a4 ,authority of ,army ,corps of 
,engineers to carry out major medical   
facility projects4  4  7c7 ,conforming  
amendments ,title #ch1 ,united ,states  
,code1 is further amended-- 7#a7 in     
section #cab;,a7c7--  7,a7 in paragraph 
7#a71 by striking ,the ,director of and 
inserting ,except as provided by section
 #hajc;,a of this title1 the ,director  
of2 and  7,b7 in paragraph 7#b71 by     
striking ,in carrying out and inserting 
,except as provided by section #hajc;,a 
of this title1 in carrying out2  7#b7 in
 section #hajc7;a71 by striking section 
#hajd and inserting sections #hajc;,a   
and #hajd2  7#c7 in section #hajd1 by   

adding at the end the following new     
subsection3  7i7 ,the ,secretary shall  
carry out this section in accordance    
with section #hajc;,a of this title1    
including with respect to obligating or 
expending funds described in this       
section4  2 and  7#d7 in section #hajf--
  7,a7 in subsection 7a71 by striking   
,the ,secretary may and inserting       
,subject to section #hajc;,a of this    
title1 the ,secretary may2  7,b7 in     
subsection 7b77#a71 by striking ,the    
,secretary may and inserting ,subject to
 section #hajc;,a of this title1 the    
,secretary may2 and  7,c7 in subsection 
7c71 by inserting 7except under section 
#hajc;,a7 after this subchapter4  #f4   
,comptroller ,general report on         
management of ,department of ,veterans  
,affairs ,medical ,center in ,aurora1   
,colorado  7a7 ,review  7#a7 ,in general
 ,the ,comptroller ,general of the      
,united ,states shall review the        
management by the ,secretary of         
,veterans ,affairs of the ,aurora       

medical facility project1 including with
 respect to the thoroughness and        
accuracy of the investigation into      
mismanagement conducted by the          
administrative investigation board      
established by the ,secretary4  7#b7    
,elements ,the review required under    
paragraph 7#a7 shall include a review of
 the following3 7,a7 ,any potential     
misconduct or criminal activity         
committed by employees of the           
,department of ,veterans ,affairs that  
may have contributed to the significant 
cost overruns of the ,aurora medical    
facility project4  7,b7 ,when senior    
officials of the ,department knew1 or   
should have known1 that such project was
 likely to incur significant cost       
overruns4  7,c7 ,the justification of   
the ,secretary for withholding from     
,congress any information relating to   
the significant cost overruns of such   
project4  7b7 ,report ,not later than   
#ahj days after the date on which the   
,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs        

concludes the investigation conducted by
 the administrative investigation board 
described in subsection 7a71 the        
,comptroller ,general of the ,united    
,states shall submit to the ,committee  
on ,veterans' ,affairs of the ,senate   
and the ,committee on ,veterans'        
,affairs of the ,house of               
,representatives a report containing the
 results of the review required under   
such subsection4  7c7 ,aurora medical   
facility project defined ,in this       
section1 the term ,aurora medical       
facility project means the major medical
 facility project specified in section  
#b to replace the medical center of the 
,department of ,veterans ,affairs in    
,aurora1 ,colorado4  #g4 ,notification  
to ,congress for use of funds for major 
medical facility projects that exceed   
authorized amounts ,section #hajd7;c7 of
 title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 is   
amended by striking #cj days and        
inserting #abj days4