Summary “Veterans Benefits, Health Care, and Information Technology Act of 2006” TITLE I – VETERANS’ ATTORNEY REPRESENTATION Sec. 101. Allows veterans dissatisfied with a decision of Department of Veterans Affairs to retain and pay an agent or attorney for representation. Sets forth additional grounds for suspending or excluding agents and attorneys from representation of veterans. Requires the VA Secretary to promulgate regulations for implementing the provisions. TITLE II – HEALTH MATTERS Sec. 201. Authorizes the VA to hire marriage and family therapists and licensed mental health counselors. Requires the VA to provide Congress with a report on marriage and family therapy workload for the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder. Sec. 202. Provides authority for the VA to increase pay for the position of the Chief Nursing Officer not to exceed the maximum rate established for the Senior Executive Service. Sec. 203. Requires VA to ensure that each VA Community Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC) has the capacity to provide mental health services. Requires VA's National Center on Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) to collaborate with DOD to enhance training and treatment of PTSD and promote pre- and post-deployment resilience of veterans, and authorizes $2 million to be appropriated for carrying out the collaborative PTSD requirements. Requires VA to review PTSD clinical guidelines to enable clinicians to better distinguish between PTSD and traumatic brain injury. Sec. 204. Consistent with privacy laws, authorizes VA to release needed information for organ donation. Requires VA to prescribe regulations within 180 days of enactment. Sec. 205. Increases the number of Vet Centers capable of providing health services and counseling through tele-health linkages with VA medical facilities. Sec. 206. Directs the VA Secretary to publish a strategic plan for long-term care of veterans. Sec. 207. Requires VA to establish Blind Rehabilitation Outpatient Specialists at not fewer than 35 additional VA facilities within 30 months after the date of enactment. Authorizes $3.5 million for FY 2007 through FY 2012 for new positions. Sec. 208. Extends through 2008 a report requirement concerning VA’s compliance requirements to maintain capacity to provide for the specialized treatment and rehabilitative needs of disabled veterans. Extends authorization for the biennial report of the VA Advisory Committee on Women Veterans through 2008. Sec. 209. Permanently authorizes, subject to appropriations, at least six VA Parkinson’s Disease Research Education and Clinical Centers (PADRECCs) and at least two Multiple Sclerosis Centers of Excellence. Sec. 210. Repeals the four-year terms of office for the Under Secretary for Health and Under Secretary for Benefits positions. Sec. 211. Expands authorities for State veterans’ homes. Requires the VA Secretary to reimburse State veterans’ homes for the cost of care of a veteran with a 70 percent or greater service-connected condition and would require that medications be provided, at no cost, to veterans with a 50 percent or greater service-connected disability. Authorizes a VA pilot program to deem a total of 100 beds in non-VA facilities to be eligible for State veterans’ home per diem payments. Sec. 212. Establishes a VA Office of Rural Health Care. Requires the Director of the Office of Rural Health care to develop a plan to improve the access and quality of care for enrolled veterans, including measures for meeting the long-term care and mental health needs of veterans. The plan must be provide to Congress by September 30, 2007. Requires VA to submit a report to Congress by March 30, 2007, on identifying each CBOC identified in CARES that has been opened and the CBOCs and access point that would be opened in FY 2007 or FY 2008. Sec. 213. Requires VA to conduct an extensive outreach program to veterans who reside in rural communities and who served in Iraq and Afghanistan. Sec. 214. Authorizes a two-year pilot program to improve VA assistance provided to caregivers, particularly in home-based settings, and authorizes $5 million for each fiscal year to carrying out the pilot program. Sec. 215. Requires not less than 100 additional outreach staff for Vet Centers. Sec. 216. Authorizes Vet Centers to provide bereavement counseling to all immediate family members of a member of the Armed Forces who die in the course of their military service. Sec. 217. Authorizes for FY 2007, $180 million for the provision of readjustment counseling and related mental health services through Vet Centers. TITLE III– EDUCATION MATTERS Sec. 301. Expands eligibility for Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance program to dependents of severely disabled servicemembers who have not yet been discharged from military service. Sec. 302. Restores lost entitlement for survivors and dependents of veterans who discontinue a program of education because of being ordered to full-time National Guard duty. Sec. 303. Exempts Federal, state or local government institutions from the rule that requires a non-accredited education program to have a pro rata refund policy for unused tuition. Sec. 304. Extends work-study programs for veteran students at State approving agencies, State veterans cemeteries and national cemeteries, and State homes until June 30, 2007. Sec. 305. Requires VA and DoD to submit separate reports to Congress on the Montgomery GI Bill educational assistance program. Sec. 306. Requires the Secretary of the VA to report to Congress on ways to streamline the administrative processes and procedures of veterans’ education benefits. Sec. 307. Technical amendments relating to education laws. TITLE IV – NATIONAL CEMETERY AND MEMORIAL AFFAIRS Sec. 401. Authorizes VA to provide Government memorial headstones or markers and memorial inscriptions for deceased dependent children of veterans whose remains are unavailable for burial. Sec. 402. Authorizes VA to furnish Government markers for marked graves of veterans at private cemeteries until December 31, 2007. Sec. 403. Authorizes the VA to make grants to Indian tribal organizations for establishing, expanding or improving veterans’ cemeteries on trust lands. Sec. 404. Provides for the removal of remains of Russell Wayne Wagner from Arlington National Cemetery. TITLE V - HOUSING AND SMALL BUSINESS MATTERS Sec. 501. Extends VA’s authority to guarantee loans for veterans and survivors to purchase stock or membership in a residential cooperative housing units. Sec. 502. Improves VA’s goals for participation by small businesses owned and controlled by veterans in procurement contracts. Sec. 503. Improves contracting priority for veteran owned small businesses contracting with the VA. TITLE VI- EMPLOYMENT MATTERS Sec. 601. Requires training of new disabled veterans’ outreach program specialists and local veterans’ employment representatives by the National Veterans’ Training Institute. Sec. 602. Clarifies rules for part-time employment for disabled veterans’ outreach program specialists and local veterans’ employment representatives. Sec. 603. Authorizes the Assistant Secretary of Veterans Employment and Training Service to permit incentive awards for employment service offices as well as individual employees. Sec. 604. Authorizes a demonstration project on credentialing and licensure of veterans. Sec. 605. Requires the Department of Labor to issue regulations for priority of service of veterans and dependents in job placement programs. TITLE VII-HOMELESS VETERANS ASSISTANCE Sec. 703. Reaffirms the national goal of to end homelessness among veterans. Sec. 702. Provides a sense of Congress on the response of the Federal Government to the needs of homeless veterans. Sec. 703. Permanently authorized VA homeless grant and per diem program. Authorizes $130 million in appropriations for the program for FY 2007 and each year thereafter. Sec. 704. Extends authorization for VA to provide treatment and rehabilitation for seriously mentally ill and homeless veterans through December 31, 2011. Extends authorization through December 31, 2011, for VA to provide comprehensive, coordinated and intensive services for homeless veterans at a minimum of 20 sites. Sec. 705. Extends authority through December 31, 2011, for VA to enter into agreement s with nonprofit organizations to utilize properties in VA’s inventory to shelter homeless veterans and their families. Sec. 706. Authorizes apportions of $7 million for FY 2007 through FY 2011 for VA’s grant program for homeless veterans with special needs (i.e., women, frail elderly, terminally ill, or chronically mentally ill). Sec. 707. Extends authorization of appropriations of $1 million for FY 2007 through FY 2012 for grants to provide technical assistance to homeless veteran service providers. Sec. 708. Requires the annual VA report on assistance to homeless veterans to include information on VA’s efforts to coordinate with other federal agencies the delivery of housing and services to homeless veterans. Sec. 709. Extends the authorization for the VA Advisory Committee on Homeless Veterans through December 31, 2006. Requires the Executive Director of the Interagency Council on Homelessness, the Under Secretary for Health and the Under Secretary for Benefits to be ex officio members of the advisory committee. Sec. 710. Authorizes appropriations for additional rental assistance vouchers for veterans. TITLE VIII-CONSTRUCTION MATTERS Sec. 801. Authorizes $300 million for the restoration, new construction or replacement of the New Orleans, Louisiana, VA medical center. Authorize $310 million for the restoration of the VA medical center in Biloxi, Mississippi and consolidation of services performed at the VA medical center in Gulfport, Mississippi. Authorize $98 million for the replacement of the Denver, Colorado, VA medical center. Sec. 802. Extends authorization for certain major medical facility construction projects previously authorized in connection with Capital Asset Realignment Initiative. Sec. 803. Authorizes fiscal year 2007 major medical facility projects. Sec. 804. Authorizes $36.8 million for advancing planning and design for a co-located and joint use medical facility in Charleston, South Carolina. Sec. 805. Authorizes major medical facility leases for FY 2006. 1) Authorizes a lease for an outpatient clinic in Baltimore, Maryland, in the amount of $10,908,000. 2) Authorizes a lease for an outpatient clinic in Evansville, Indiana, in the amount of $8,989,000. 3) Authorizes a lease for an outpatient clinic in Smith County, Texas, in the amount of $5,093,000. Sec. 806. Authorizes major medical facility leases for FY 2007. 1) Authorizes a lease for an outpatient and specialty care clinic in Austin, Texas, in the amount of $6,163,000. 2) Authorizes a lease for an outpatient clinic in Lowell, Massachusetts, in the amount of $2,520,000. 3) Authorizes a lease for an outpatient clinic in Grand Rapids, Michigan, in the amount of $4,409,000. 4) Authorizes up to four leases for outpatient clinics in Las Vegas, Nevada, in the amount of $8,518,000. 5) Authorizes a lease for an outpatient clinic in Parma, Ohio, in the amount of $5,032,000. Sec. 807. Authorizes appropriations. Sec. 811. Establishes a VA Director of Construction and Facilities Management. Sec. 812. Increases the threshold for major medical facility projects that require Congressional authorization from $7,000,000 to $10,000,000. Sec. 813. Authorizes the conveyance of VA property to the city of Fort Thomas, Kentucky. Sec. 821. Requires a report on options for medical facility improvements in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Sec. 822. Requires VA to develop business plans for enhanced access to outpatient care in certain rural areas. Sec. 823. Requires a report on options for construction of Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Okaloosa County, Florida. TITLE IX- INFORMATION SECURITY MATTERS Sec. 901. Short Title – Department of Veterans Affairs Information Security Enactment of 2006 Sec. 902. Establishes VA Information Security Programs and Requirements. Amends Title 38, Chapter 57 by adding Subchapter III – Information Security 5721 Explains the purpose of the program 5722 Establishes policy and key elements of the program 5723 Establishes responsibilities for the Secretary, Assistant Secretary for Information Technology, Associate Deputy Assistant Secretary for Cyber and Information Security, Department Information Owners, other key officials, and the Inspector General 5724 Establishes requirements and actions to be taken when sensitive data may have been compromised. Requires VA to promulgate regulations. 5725 Establishes contractor requirements. 5726 Defines reporting requirements to the Committees 5727 Defines terms used in the section 5728 Authorizes appropriations and clerical amendments Sec. 903. Establishes a VA Information Security Education Assistance Programs. Amends Title 38, Chapter 78 by adding a new chapter. 7901 Explains the purpose of the program 7902 Establishes opportunity and requirements for scholarship program 7903 Establishes opportunity and requirements for education debt reduction program 7904 Establishes preferences for awarding financial assistance 7905 Establishes a requirement that recipient be honorably discharged from service 7906 Establishes requirement for Secretary to prescribe regulations 7907 Provides for termination of the program TITLE X- OTHER MATTERS Sec. 1001. Requires VA to also notify the Senate and House Committees on Veterans concerning the transfer of appropriations when mandated to provide notification to other Congressional committees. Sec. 1002. Treats veterans who are incarcerated in privately operated prisons in the same manner as veterans who are incarcerated in Federal or State prisons for the purposes of receipt of veterans’ benefits. Sec. 1003. Extends VA authority to provide care for veterans who participated in chemical and biological warfare testing conducted by the Department of Defense, known as “Project Shipboard Hazard and Defense (SHAD) through December 31, 2007. Sec. 1004. Provides for technical and clerical corrections in Title 38. Sec. 1005. An increase in benefits to be paid in 2007 was enacted by Public Law 109-361. These provisions codify the statutory rates for Veterans’ Service-connected Disability Compensation, additional compensation for dependents, clothing allowance for certain disabled veterans, Dependency and Indemnity Compensation for surviving spouses, additional dependency and indemnity compensation for children and supplemental dependency and indemnity compensation for certain children. Sec. 1006. Provides for coordination of the provisions included in the Veterans Programs Extension Act of 2006, H.R. 6342. 1