,,ii  #aahth ,,congress  #ast ,session  
,s4 #bagd  ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of     
,,the ,,united ,,states  ,june #bb1     
#bjbc,mr4 ,tester 7for himself1 ,mr4    
,moran1 ,mr4 ,reed1 ,mr4 ,rounds1 and   
,mr4 ,hoeven7 introduced the following  
bill2 which was read twice and referred 
to the ,committee on ,veterans' ,affairs
  ,a ,,bill  ,to amend title #ch1       
,united ,states ,code1 to adjust the    
threshold amount for minor medical      
facility construction projects of the   
,department of ,veterans ,affairs1 and  
for other purposes4  #a4 ,short title   
,this ,act may be cited as the          
,department of ,veterans ,affairs ,minor
 ,construction ,threshold ,adjustment   
,act of #bjbc4  #b4 ,adjustment of      
threshold amount for minor medical      
facility projects of ,department of     
,veterans ,affairs ,section #hajd7;a7 of
 title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 is   
amended-- 7#a7 in paragraph 7#c77;,a71  
by striking #bj1jjj1jjj each place it   
appears and inserting the amount        

specified in paragraph 7#d72 and  7#b7  
by adding at the end the following new  
paragraph3  7#d7 7,a7 ,the amount       
specified in this paragraph is          
#cj1jjj1jjj1 as adjusted pursuant to    
this paragraph4  7,b7 7i7 ,the          
,secretary shall develop1 through       
regulations1 a mechanism to adjust the  
amount under subparagraph 7,a7 to       
account for relevant factors relating to
 construction1 cost of land1 real       
estate1 economic conditions1 labor      
conditions1 inflation1 and other        
relevant factors the ,secretary         
considers necessary to ensure such      
amount keeps pace with all economic     
conditions that impact the price of     
construction projects1 to include       
planning1 management1 and delivery of   
the project4  7ii7 ,in developing the   
mechanism under clause 7i71 the         
,secretary may-- 7,i7 use a mechanism or
 index already relied upon by the       
,department for other relevant programs1
 a mechanism or index used by another   

,federal agency1 or a commercial        
mechanism or index if such mechanism or 
index satisfactorily addresses the      
intent of this subparagraph2 or  7,,ii7 
create a new mechanism or index if the  
,secretary considers it appropriate and 
necessary to do so4  7,c7 7i7 ,not less 
frequently than once every two years1   
the ,secretary shall-- 7,i7 adjust the  
amount under subparagraph 7,a72 or      
7,,ii7 publish a notice in the ,federal 
,register indicating that no adjustment 
is warranted4  7ii7 ,not later than #cj 
days before adjusting an amount pursuant
 to clause 7i77,i7 or publishing a      
notice pursuant to clause 7i77,,ii71 the
 ,secretary shall notify the ,committee 
on ,veterans' ,affairs and the          
,committee on ,appropriations of the    
,senate and the ,committee on ,veterans'
 ,affairs and the ,committee on         
,appropriations of the ,house of        
,representatives4  7,d7 ,the ,secretary 
shall determine a logical schedule for  
adjustments under this paragraph to take

 effect so that the amounts for and     
types of construction projects requested
 by the ,department in the budget of the
 ,president under section #aaje7;a7 of  
title #ca are consistent with the       
threshold for construction projects as  
so adjusted4  4