DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS

DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS Veterans Health Administration MEDICAL SERVICES For an additional amount for “Medical Services”, $466,778,000, to remain available until expended, of which $30,000,000 shall be for the establishment of at least one new Level I comprehensive polytrauma center; $9,440,000 shall be for the establishment of 121 STAT. 168 polytrauma residential transitional rehabilitation programs; $10,000,000 shall be for additional transition caseworkers; $20,000,000 shall be for substance abuse treatment programs; $20,000,000 shall be for readjustment counseling; $10,000,000 shall be for blind rehabilitation services; $100,000,000 shall be for enhancements to mental health services; $8,000,000 shall be for polytrauma support clinic teams; $5,356,000 shall be for additional polytrauma points of contact; $228,982,000 shall be for treatment of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom veterans; and $25,000,000 shall be for prosthetics. MEDICAL ADMINISTRATION For an additional amount for “Medical Administration”, $250,000,000, to remain available until expended. MEDICAL FACILITIES For an additional amount for “Medical Facilities”, $595,000,000, to remain available until expended, of which $45,000,000 shall be used for facility and equipment upgrades at the Department of Veterans Affairs polytrauma network sites; and $550,000,000 shall be for non-recurring maintenance as identified in the Department of Veterans Affairs Facility Condition Assessment report: Provided, That the amount provided under this heading for non-recurring maintenance shall be allocated in a manner not subject to the Veterans Equitable Resource Allocation: Provided further, That within 30 days of enactment of this Act the Secretary shall submit to the Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress an expenditure plan, by project, for non-recurring maintenance prior to obligation: Provided further, That semi-annually, on October 1 and April 1, the Secretary shall submit to the Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress a report on the status of funding for non-recurring maintenance, including obligations and unobligated balances for each project identified in the expenditure plan. MEDICAL AND PROSTHETIC RESEARCH For an additional amount for “Medical and Prosthetic Research”, $32,500,000, to remain available until expended, which shall be used for research related to the unique medical needs of returning Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom veterans. Departmental Administration General Operating Expenses (including transfer of funds) For an additional amount for “General Operating Expenses”, $83,200,000, to remain available until expended, of which $1,250,000 shall be for digitization of military records; $60,750,000 shall be for expenses related to hiring and training new claims processing personnel; up to $1,200,000 shall be for an independent study of the organizational structure, management and coordination processes, including seamless transition, utilized by the Department of Veterans Affairs to provide health care and benefits to active 121 STAT. 169 duty personnel and veterans, including those returning Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom veterans; and $20,000,000 shall be for disability examinations: Provided, That not to exceed $1,250,000 of the amount appropriated under this heading may be transferred to the Department of Defense for the digitization of military records used to verify stressors for benefits claims. INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SYSTEMS For an additional amount for “Information Technology Systems”, $35,100,000, to remain available until expended, of which $20,000,000 shall be for information technology support and improvements for processing of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom veterans benefits claims, including making electronic Department of Defense medical records available for claims processing and enabling electronic benefits applications by veterans; and $15,100,000 shall be for electronic data breach remediation and prevention. CONSTRUCTION, MINOR PROJECTS For an additional amount for “Construction, Minor Projects”, $326,000,000, to remain available until expended, of which up to $36,000,000 shall be for construction costs associated with the establishment of polytrauma residential transitional rehabilitation programs.