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S. 997: Department of Veterans Affairs Construction, Accountability, and Reform Act

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S. 997: Department of Veterans Affairs Construction, Accountability, and Reform Act

114th Congress · introduced 2015-04-16 · Armed Forces and National Security · Latest: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

  1. Where it came from: introduced 2015-04-16 · official record
  2. Who proposed it: Sen. Gardner, Cory [R-CO] · what a sponsor is
  3. What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
  4. Where it stands now: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
  5. If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Department of Veterans Affairs Construction, Accountability, and Reform Act

Plain summary

Department of Veterans Affairs Construction, Accountability, and Reform Act This bill authorizes the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) to carry out the Aurora medical facility project to replace the VA Medical Center in Aurora, Colorado. The Secretary may not pay any bonus during FY2015-FY2016. If the project to replace the VA Medical Center in Aurora, Colorado, is not completed by September 30, 2016, the Secretary may not pay any bonus until the date on which the Secretary certifies to Congress that such major medical facility project is fully operational. The aggregate amount of subsequent fiscal year bonuses is capped through FY2024. The Secretary shall enter into an agreement with the Secretary of the Army for the Army Corps of Engineers to carry out the design, contract, construction management, and other similar services for the Aurora project. The Secretary is prohibited from carrying out any major medical facility project. The Secretary of the Army, through the Chief of Engineers, shall carry out all major medical facility projects for the Department. The Government Accountability Office shall review the Secretary's management of the Aurora project. The Secretary must notify Congress at least 120 days (currently at least 30 days) before obligating funds for major medical facility projects that exceed authorized amounts.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Department of Veterans Affairs Construction, Accountability, and Reform Act

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)

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The strongest published arguments

Arguments for (supporters)

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Arguments against (opponents)

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Alternatives

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Sen. Gardner, Cory [R-CO] · 1 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Michael F. Bennet (D-CO)

Agencies named in this bill

Found automatically: the agency's full official name appears in the bill title. A bill can affect agencies it does not name, so this list may be incomplete.

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (3)
Authorization
A law that creates or continues a government program and says what it may do, often with a suggested spending ceiling. An authorization alone does not provide money; a separate appropriation does.
Bill
A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).
Fiscal year
The 12-month period a government uses for its budget. The federal fiscal year runs from October 1 to September 30 and is named for the calendar year in which it ends. Most states use July 1 to June 30.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Record fed-us-cong114-s997 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong114 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong114