Construction Reform Act of 2016
Floor Speech
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Mr. MILLER of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3106) to authorize Department major medical facility construction projects for fiscal year 2015, to amend title 38, United States Code, to make certain improvements in the administration of Department medical facility construction projects, and for other purposes, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
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Mr. MILLER of Florida. 3106, as amended.
Mr. Speaker, I do rise in support of H.R. 3106, as amended, the Construction Reform Act of 2016. This bill would strengthen the Department of Veterans Affairs' major construction program by making a number of needed improvements to VA's construction management processes.
As the owner and operator of one of the Federal Government's largest real property portfolios, VA manages a complex and costly major medical facility construction program.
In recent years, that program has been fraught with failures and mismanagement that has led to millions of dollars of cost increases and years of schedule delays on all of VA's major medical facility construction projects.
The most glaring example of these failings can be seen in the construction of the replacement VA medical center in Denver, Colorado.
The discussion surrounding that facility--if my colleagues will recall--began more than 16 years ago, in 1999. Construction is now expected to conclude in 2018. Upon completion, that project will be more than $1 billion over budget and many, many years behind schedule. That is assuming, of course, that the project does not experience any further delays.
To prevent any further construction calamities like the ongoing one in Denver, this bill would require VA to use industry standards, standard designs, and best practices for all medical facility construction projects; to complete a master plan for each VA medical facility; and to provide regular reports on super construction projects.
To further strengthen oversight of VA's construction projects, the bill would also create an assistant inspector general for construction within the VA Office of Inspector General.
These are commonsense reforms that will lead, ultimately, to better facilities for our veterans and better use of our taxpayers' hard- earned dollars. I urge all my colleagues to support this legislation.
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