,i  #aaith ,,congress  #b;d ,session    
,h4 ,r4 #ifeb  ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of  
,,representatives  ,july #ac1 #bjbf,ms4 
,king-,hinds introduced the following   
bill2 which was referred to the         
,committee on ,veterans' ,affairs  ,a   
,,bill  ,to authorize the ,secretary of 
,veterans ,affairs to carry out a minor 
medical facility project in ,saipan1    
,commonwealth of the ,northern ,mariana 
,islands4  #a4 ,short title  ,this ,act 
may be cited as the ,northern ,marianas 
,,va ,community-,based ,outpatient      
,clinic ,authorization ,act of #bjbf4   
#b4 ,authorization of minor medical     
facility project for community-based    
outpatient clinic in ,saipan1           
,commonwealth of the ,northern ,mariana 
,islands  7a7 ,in general ,the          
,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs may    
carry out a minor medical facility      
project in fiscal year #bjbg in ,saipan1
 ,commonwealth of the ,northern ,mariana
 ,islands1 for the construction1 lease1 
build-to-lease1 renovation1 alteration1 

repair1 or retrofit of a community-based
 outpatient clinic in an amount not to  
exceed #c1fif1jjj4  7b7 ,use of existing
 structures ,in carrying out the project
 authorized under subsection 7a71 the   
,secretary may use amounts authorized to
 be appropriated under subsection 7e7 to
 conduct such construction activities as
 the ,secretary determines appropriate  
for such project4  7c7 ,flexibility in  
building standards ,in carrying out the 
project authorized under subsection 7a71
 the ,secretary may apply such          
alternative building1 design1 space1    
resiliency1 or construction standards as
 the ,secretary determines appropriate  
for the unique geographic1 logistical1  
and market conditions of the            
,commonwealth of the ,northern ,mariana 
,islands1 if the ,secretary determines  
such standards will ensure that the     
facility is safe1 accessible1           
functional1 and suitable for the        
delivery of outpatient care under laws  
administered by the ,secretary to       

veterans4  7d7 ,required considerations 
,in determining the feasibility of the  
project under subsection 7a7 or in      
determining the type of facility at     
which to carry out the project under    
such subsection 7a71 the ,secretary     
shall consider the elevated costs and   
logistical challenges associated with   
construction1 leasing1 renovation1      
alteration1 repair1 and retrofit        
activities in the ,commonwealth of the  
,northern ,mariana ,islands1 including--
  7#a7 the lack of a permanent          
,department of ,veterans ,affairs       
clinical presence in the ,commonwealth2 
7#b7 the geographic distance of existing
 medical facilities from the            
,commonwealth2  7#c7 the need to ship   
construction materials for such project 
by ocean transport2  7#d7 the limited   
availability of--  7,a7 construction    
contractors and subcontractors2 and     
7,b7 contractor housing2 and  7#e7 the  
need to reduce the burden of traveling  
to medical facilities for veterans      

residing in the ,commonwealth4  7e7     
,authorization of appropriations ,there 
are authorized to be appropriated to the
 ,secretary for fiscal year #bjbg1 for  
the project authorized under subsection 
7a71 #c1fif1jjj1 to be deposited in the 
,construction1 minor ,projects account  
of the ,department4