For the purposes of this subchapter:

(1) The term “alter”, with respect to a medical facility, means to repair, remodel, improve, or extend such medical facility.

(2) The terms “construct” and “alter”, with respect to a medical facility, include such engineering, architectural, legal, fiscal, and economic investigations and studies and such surveys, designs, plans, construction documents, specifications, procedures, and other similar actions as are necessary for the construction or alteration, as the case may be, of such medical facility and as are carried out after the completion of the advanced planning (including the development of project requirements and design development) for such facility.

(3) The term “medical facility” means any facility or part thereof which is, or will be, under the jurisdiction of the Secretary, or as otherwise authorized by law, for the provision of health-care services (including hospital, outpatient clinic, nursing home, or domiciliary care or medical services), including any necessary building and auxiliary structure, garage, parking facility, mechanical equipment, trackage facilities leading thereto, abutting sidewalks, accommodations for attending personnel, and recreation facilities associated therewith.

(4) The term “committee” means the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives or the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate, and the term “committees” means both such committees.

(Added Pub. L. 96–22, title III, § 301(a), June 13, 1979, 93 Stat. 55, § 5001; renumbered § 8101, Pub. L. 102–40, title IV, § 402(b)(1), May 7, 1991, 105 Stat. 238; amended Pub. L. 102–83, § 4(b)(1), (2)(E), Aug. 6, 1991, 105 Stat. 404, 405; Pub. L. 104–262, title II, § 207(a), Oct. 9, 1996, 110 Stat. 3190; Pub. L. 115–182, title V, § 503(a), June 6, 2018, 132 Stat. 1476.)