79–008

106TH CONGRESS REPORT " ! HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 2d Session 106–875

PROVIDING FOR THE CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 5109, THE

DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS HEALTH CARE

PERSONNEL ACT OF 2000

SEPTEMBER 20, 2000.—Referred to the House Calendar and ordered to be printed

Mr. DIAZ-BALART, from the Committee on Rules,

submitted the following

REPORT

[To accompany H. Res. 585]

The Committee on Rules, having had under consideration House

Resolution 585, by a nonrecord vote, report the same to the House

with the recommendation that the resolution be adopted.

SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS OF THE RESOLUTION

The resolution provides for the consideration of H.R. 5109, the

Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel Act of 2000,

under a modified closed rule. The rule provides one hour of debate

in the House divided equally between the chairman and ranking

minority member of the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.

The rule provides that the amendment recommended by the

Committee on Veterans’ Affairs now printed in the bill shall be

considered as adopted. The rule further waives all points of order

against the bill, as amended, and against its consideration. The

rule makes in order the amendment printed in this report which

shall be considered as read and shall not be subject to amendment.

The rule also waives all points of order against the amendment

printed in this report.

Finally, the rule provides one motion to recommit, with or without instructions.

TEXT OF AMENDMENT MADE IN ORDER UNDER THE RULE

AN AMENDMENT TO BE OFFERED BY REPRESENTATIVE STUMP OF

ARIZONA, OR REPRESENTATIVE EVANS OF ILLINOIS, OR A DESIGNEE, DEBATABLE FOR 10 MINUTES

At the end of title I, insert the following new section (and conform the table of contents in section 1(b) accordingly):

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SEC. 108. CHIROPRACTORS AND CHIROPRACTIC CARE.

(a) EMPLOYMENT CATEGORY.—(1) Section 7401(1) is amended by

inserting ‘‘chiropractors,’’ after ‘‘optometrist,’’.

(2) Section 7402(b)(10) is amended by inserting ‘‘chiropractor,’’

after ‘‘physician assistant,’’.

(3) Section 7403(a)(2) is amended by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:

‘‘(H) Chiropractors.’’.

(4) Section 7421(b) is amended by adding at the end the following

new paragraph:

‘‘(8) Chiropractors.’’.

(b) CHIROPRACTIC HEALTH CARE PLAN.—(1) Not later than March

31, 2001, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall complete development of a plan to improve the provision of chiropractic health care

services and benefits by the Department of Veterans Affairs.

(2) The plan shall (in a manner consistent with the Veterans

Health Administration policy on chiropractic services as in effect on

May 4, 2000) provide for the following:

(A) Improving the provision of chiropractic services by the

Veterans Health Administration.

(B) Assessing the cost and clinical policy implications of providing direct access to the full scope of chiropractic services, as

determined by the Secretary, including at a minimum, care for

neuromusculoskeletal conditions typical among veterans.

(C) A detailed analysis of the projected costs of fully integrating chiropractic health care services into the Department

of Veterans Affairs health care system.

(D) A review of the adequacy of any proposed treatment facility at which chiropractic services would be provided to veterans.

(E) An examination of any other relevant factors that the

Secretary considers appropriate, particularly those associated

with the effect of providing the full scope of chiropractic services on the so-called ‘‘primary care’’ model of the delivery of

care and services to enrolled veterans as practiced within the

Veterans Health Administration.

(F) Such other matters as the Secretary considers important

in the consideration of the introduction of chiropractic services

in the Department of Veterans Affairs.

(3) Not later than June 30, 2001, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit a report on the plan required under paragraph

(1) to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and House

of Representatives. The report shall address each of the matters

specified in paragraph (2).

(c) CONSULTATION REQUIREMENT.—The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall consult with the advisory committee established under

section 7323 of title 38, United States Code, regarding the following:

(1) The development and implementation of the plan required under subsection (b).

(2) Each report that the Secretary is required to submit to

Congress regarding the plan.

(3) The selection of the Department treatment facilities at

which the chiropractic services described in subsection (b)(2)(A)

are to be provided.

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(d) CONTINUATION OF CURRENT SERVICES.—Until the plan required under subsection (b) is implemented, the Secretary shall

continue to furnish at least the same level of chiropractic health

care services and benefits under chapter 17 of title 38, United

States Code, that is provided during fiscal year 2000 at medical

treatment facilities that provide such services and benefits.

(e) GAO REPORTS.—The Comptroller General shall monitor the

development and implementation of the plan required under subsection (b), including the administration of services and benefits

under the plan, and shall periodically submit to the committees referred to in subsection (b)(3) written reports on such development

and implementation.

(f) ADVISORY COMMITTEE.—(1) Subchapter II of chapter 73 of title

38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new section:

‘‘§ 7323. Advisory Committee on Complementary and Alternative Medicine and Chiropractic Care

‘‘(a) The Secretary, acting through the Under Secretary for

Health, shall establish in the Veterans Health Administration an

Advisory Committee on Complementary and Alternative Medicine

and Chiropractic Care.

‘‘(b) Members of the committee shall be appointed from persons

representing the major providers of, and disciplines in, complementary and alternative medicine and chiropractic care, including the

following:

‘‘(1) Acupuncture.

‘‘(2) Nutritional intervention.

‘‘(3) Botanical therapy.

‘‘(4) Mind/body medicine.

‘‘(5) Physical and manual therapy.

‘‘(6) Pharmacological and biological agents.

‘‘(7) Chiropractic therapy.

‘‘(8) Such others as may be identified by the National Institutes of Health.

‘‘(c) The committee shall meet at intervals as determined by the

Secretary and shall provide advice and recommendations to the

Secretary and Under Secretary on the establishment of programs

and policies associated with the delivery of complementary and alternative medicine and chiropractic services, including the following:

‘‘(1) Guidance and recommendations to the Secretary and

Under Secretary on the need to establish programs of care for

those disciplines.

‘‘(2) Evaluations.

‘‘(3) Research and development.

‘‘(4) Academic affiliations and other relationships and activities related to alternative health services.

‘‘(d) The committee shall—

‘‘(1) advise the Under Secretary regarding complementary

and alternative medicine and chiropractic care; and

‘‘(2) make recommendations to the Under Secretary—

‘‘(A) for improving programs of such care at specific facilities and throughout the Veterans Health Administration;

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‘‘(B) for establishing special programs of education and

training relevant to such care for employees of the Veterans Health Administration;

‘‘(C) regarding research needs and priorities relevant to

such care; and

‘‘(D) regarding the appropriate allocation of resources for

all such activities.

‘‘(e)(1) Not later than April 1, 2001, the Secretary shall submit

to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and House of

Representatives a report on the implementation of this section. The

report shall include the following:

‘‘(A) A list of the members of the committee.

‘‘(B) The findings and recommendations made by the committee to the Under Secretary for Health and the views of the

Under Secretary on such findings and recommendations.

‘‘(2) Not later than February 1, 2002, and February 1 of each of

the three following years, the Secretary shall submit to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and House of Representatives a report containing information updating the reports submitted under this subsection before the submission of such report.’’.

(2) The table of sections at the beginning of such chapter is

amended by inserting after the item relating to section 7322 the

following new item:

‘‘7323. Advisory Committee on Complementary and Alternative Medicine and Chiropractic Care.’’.

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