Putting Veterans Funding First Act of 2013

Putting Veterans Funding First Act of 2013 - (Sec. 3) Authorizes the provision of advance appropriations for the following discretionary (under current law, medical care) accounts of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA): (1) Veterans Health Administration Medical Services, Medical Support and Compliance, Medical Facilities, and Medical and Prosthetic Research; (2) National Cemetery Administration; and (3) Veterans Benefits Administration, Native American Veteran Housing Loan Program.

Authorizes the provision of advance appropriations for the following VA discretionary administration accounts: (1) general operating expenses, (2) information technology systems, (3) the Office of the Inspector General, (4) construction for major and minor projects, and (5) grants for the construction of state extended care facilities and veterans cemeteries.

(Sec. 4) Requires the Comptroller General, for each of FY2015-FY2017, to: (1) review the budget requests for the VA Medical Services, Medical Support and Compliance, and Medical Facilities accounts contained in the President's budget request for that fiscal year; and (2) report review results to the congressional veterans, appropriations, and budget committees.

(Sec. 5) Directs the VA Secretary to submit annually to Congress a future-years veterans program reflecting estimated expenditures and proposed appropriations included in the budget for that fiscal year. Requires each program to set forth a five-year VA plan to address the U.S. commitment to veterans and the resources necessary to meet that commitment. Requires the Secretary, in 2017 and quadrennially thereafter, to conduct a review of the strategy for meeting such commitment and resources requirement (quadrennial veterans review). Requires each review to be coordinated with the future-years veterans program. Directs the Secretary to report to the veterans committees on each review. Directs the Secretary to provide annually to the appropriate VA officials written policy guidance for the preparation and review of the planning and program recommendations and budget proposals of the VA elements of such officials. Requires the Secretary to designate a Chief Strategy Officer to advise the Secretary on long-range VA strategy and implications.

(Sec. 6) Directs the Secretary to: (1) study and report to the veterans committees on the functions and organizational structure of the Office of the Secretary and the VA, and (2) contract for an independent study covering the same matters.

(Sec. 7) Prohibits the Secretary from paying any performance award to a VA Senior Executive Service employee during FY2014-FY2018.

[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 813 Introduced in House (IH)]

113th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 813

     To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for advance 
appropriations for certain discretionary accounts of the Department of 
                           Veterans Affairs.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           February 25, 2013

  Mr. Miller of Florida (for himself and Mr. Michaud) introduced the 
   following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans' 
                                Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
     To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for advance 
appropriations for certain discretionary accounts of the Department of 
                           Veterans Affairs.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Putting Veterans Funding First Act 
of 2013''.

SEC. 2. ADVANCE APPROPRIATIONS FOR CERTAIN DISCRETIONARY ACCOUNTS OF 
              THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.

    (a) In General.--Section 117 of title 38, United States Code, is 
amended--
            (1) by striking ``medical care accounts of the Department'' 
        each place it appears and inserting ``discretionary accounts of 
        the Department'';
            (2) in subsection (c)--
                    (A) by striking ``medical care accounts of the 
                Veterans Health Administration, Department of Veterans 
                Affairs account'' and inserting ``accounts of the 
                Department of Veterans Affairs account'';
                    (B) in paragraph (1), by inserting ``Veterans 
                Health Administration,'' after ``(1)'';
                    (C) in paragraph (2), by inserting ``Veterans 
                Health Administration,'' after ``(2)'';
                    (D) in paragraph (3), by inserting ``Veterans 
                Health Administration,'' after ``(3)'';
                    (E) by adding at the end the following new 
                paragraphs:
            ``(4) Veterans Health Administration, Medical Research and 
        Support.
            ``(5) National Cemetery Administration.
            ``(6) Veterans Benefits Administration, Native American 
        Veteran Housing Loan Program Account.
            ``(7) Departmental Administration, General Administration, 
        General Operating Expenses.
            ``(8) Departmental Administration, General Operating 
        Expenses, Veterans Benefits Administration.
            ``(9) Departmental Administration, Information Technology 
        Systems.
            ``(10) Departmental Administration, Office of the Inspector 
        General.
            ``(11) Departmental Administration, Construction, Major 
        Projects.
            ``(12) Departmental Administration, Construction, Minor 
        Projects.
            ``(13) Departmental Administration, Grants for Construction 
        of State Extended Care Facilities.
            ``(14) Departmental Administration, Grants for Construction 
        of Veterans Cemeteries.''; and
                    (F) in the subsection heading, by striking 
                ``Medical Care Accounts'' and inserting ``Discretionary 
                Accounts''; and
            (3) in the section heading, by striking ``certain medical 
        care accounts'' and inserting ``certain discretionary 
        accounts''.
    (b) Effective Date.--The amendments made by subsection (a) shall 
apply with respect to fiscal year 2016 and each subsequent fiscal year.
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