I 

111TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 919 

To amend title 38, United States Code, to enhance the capacity of the 

Department of Veterans Affairs to recruit and retain nurses and other 

critical health care professionals, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

FEBRUARY 9, 2009 

Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas introduced the following bill; which 

was referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 

A BILL 

To amend title 38, United States Code, to enhance the 

capacity of the Department of Veterans Affairs to recruit 

and retain nurses and other critical health care professionals, and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Veterans’ Medical Per5 sonnel Recruitment and Retention Act of 2009’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. ENHANCEMENT OF AUTHORITIES FOR RETENTION 

2 OF MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS. 

3 (a) SECRETARIAL AUTHORITY TO EXTEND TITLE 38 

4 STATUS TO ADDITIONAL POSITIONS.— 

5 (1) IN GENERAL.—Paragraph (3) of section 

6 7401 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by 

7 striking ‘‘and blind rehabilitation outpatient special8 ists.’’ and inserting the following: ‘‘blind rehabilita9 tion outpatient specialists, and such other classes of 

10 health care occupations as the Secretary considers 

11 necessary for the recruitment and retention needs of 

12 the Department subject to the following require13 ments: 

14 ‘‘(A) Not later than 45 days before the 

15 Secretary appoints any personnel for a class of 

16 health care occupations that is not specifically 

17 listed in this paragraph, the Secretary shall 

18 submit to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 

19 of the Senate, the Committee on Veterans’ Af20 fairs of the House of Representatives, and the 

21 Office of Management and Budget notice of 

22 such appointment. 

23 ‘‘(B) Before submitting notice under sub24 paragraph (A), the Secretary shall solicit com25 ments from any labor organization representing 


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1 employees in such class and include such com2 ments in such notice.’’. 

3 (2) APPOINTMENT OF NURSE ASSISTANTS.— 

4 Such paragraph is further amended by inserting 

5 ‘‘nurse assistants,’’ after ‘‘licensed practical or voca6 tional nurses,’’. 

7 (b) PROBATIONARY PERIODS FOR NURSES.—Section 

8 7403(b) of such title is amended— 

9 (1) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘Appoint10 ments’’ and inserting ‘‘Except as otherwise provided 

11 in this subsection, appointments’’; 

12 (2) by redesignating paragraph (2) as para13 graph (4); and 

14 (3) by inserting after paragraph (1) the fol15 lowing new paragraphs: 

16 ‘‘(2) An appointment of a nurse under this chapter, 

17 whether on a full-time basis or a part-time basis, shall be 

18 for a probationary period ending upon the completion by 

19 the person so appointed of 4,180 hours of work pursuant 

20 to such appointment. 

21 ‘‘(3) An appointment described in subsection (a) on 

22 a part-time basis of a person who has previously served 

23 on a full-time basis for the probationary period for the 

24 position concerned shall be without a probationary pe25 riod.’’. 


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1 (c) PROHIBITION ON TEMPORARY PART-TIME NURSE

2 APPOINTMENTS IN EXCESS OF 4,180 HOURS.—Section 

3 7405(f)(2) of such title is amended by inserting after 

4 ‘‘year’’ the following: ‘‘, except that a part-time appoint5 ment of a nurse shall be for a period that does not exceed 

6 4,180 hours’’. 

7 (d) WAIVER OF OFFSET FROM PAY FOR CERTAIN

8 REEMPLOYED ANNUITANTS.— 

9 (1) IN GENERAL.—Section 7405 of such title is 

10 amended by adding at the end the following: 

11 ‘‘(g)(1) The Secretary may waive the application of 

12 sections 8344 and 8468 of title 5 (relating to annuities 

13 and pay on reemployment) or any other similar provision 

14 of law under a Government retirement system on a case15 by-case basis for an annuitant reemployed on a temporary 

16 basis under the authority of subsection (a) in a position 

17 described under paragraph (1) of that subsection. 

18 ‘‘(2) An annuitant for whom a waiver under para19 graph (1) is in effect shall not be considered an employee 

20 for purposes of any Government retirement system. 

21 ‘‘(3) An annuitant for whom a waiver under para22 graph (1) is in effect shall be subject to the provisions 

23 of chapter 71 of title 5 (including all labor authority and 

24 labor representative collective bargaining agreements) ap25 plicable to the position to which appointed. 


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1 ‘‘(4) In this subsection: 

2 ‘‘(A) The term ‘annuitant’ means an annuitant 

3 under a Government retirement system. 

4 ‘‘(B) The term ‘employee’ has the meaning 

5 under section 2105 of title 5. 

6 ‘‘(C) The term ‘Government retirement system’ 

7 means a retirement system established by law for 

8 employees of the Government of the United States.’’. 

9 (2) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendment made 

10 by paragraph (1) shall take effect on the date that 

11 is six months after the date of the enactment of this 

12 Act, and shall apply to pay periods beginning on or 

13 after such effective date. 

14 (e) MINIMUM RATE OF BASIC PAY FOR APPOINTEES

15 TO THE OFFICE OF THE UNDER SECRETARY FOR

16 HEALTH SET TO LOWEST RATE OF BASIC PAY PAYABLE

17 FOR A SENIOR EXECUTIVE SERVICE POSITION.— 

18 (1) IN GENERAL.—Section 7404(a) of such title 

19 is amended— 

20 (A) by striking ‘‘The annual’’ and insert21 ing ‘‘(1) The annual’’; 

22 (B) by striking ‘‘The pay’’ and inserting 

23 the following: 

24 ‘‘(2) The pay’’; 


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1 (C) by striking ‘‘under the preceding sen2 tence’’ and inserting ‘‘under paragraph (1)’’; 

3 and 

4 (D) by adding at the end the following: 

5 ‘‘(3) The minimum rate of basic pay for a position 

6 to which an Executive order applies under paragraph (1) 

7 and is not described by paragraph (2) may not be less 

8 than the lowest rate of basic pay payable for a Senior Ex9 ecutive Service position under section 5382 of title 5.’’. 

10 (2) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made 

11 by paragraph (1) shall take effect on the first day 

12 of the first pay period beginning after the day that 

13 is 180 days after the date of the enactment of this 

14 Act. 

15 (f) COMPARABILITY PAY PROGRAM FOR APPOINTEES

16 TO THE OFFICE OF THE UNDER SECRETARY FOR

17 HEALTH.—Section 7410 of such title is amended— 

18 (1) by striking ‘‘The Secretary may’’ and in19 serting ‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary may’’; 

20 and 

21 (2) by adding at the end the following new sub22 section: 

23 ‘‘(b) COMPARABILITY PAY FOR APPOINTEES TO THE

24 OFFICE OF THE UNDER SECRETARY FOR HEALTH.—(1) 

25 The Secretary may authorize the Under Secretary for 


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1 Health to provide comparability pay of not more than 

2 $100,000 per year to individuals of the Veterans Health 

3 Administration appointed under section 7306 of this title 

4 who are not physicians or dentists to achieve annual pay 

5 levels for such individuals that are comparable with annual 

6 pay levels of individuals with similar positions in the pri7 vate sector. 

8 ‘‘(2) Comparability pay under paragraph (1) for an 

9 individual is in addition to all other pay, awards, and per10 formance bonuses paid to such individual under this title. 

11 ‘‘(3) Except as provided in paragraph (4), com12 parability pay under paragraph (1) for an individual shall 

13 be considered basic pay for all purposes, including retire14 ment benefits under chapters 83 and 84 of title 5, and 

15 other benefits. 

16 ‘‘(4) Comparability pay under paragraph (1) for an 

17 individual shall not be considered basic pay for purposes 

18 of adverse actions under subchapter V of this chapter. 

19 ‘‘(5) Comparability pay under paragraph (1) may not 

20 be awarded to an individual in an amount that would re21 sult in an aggregate amount of pay (including bonuses and 

22 awards) received by such individual in a year under this 

23 title that is greater than the annual pay of the Presi24 dent.’’. 


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1 (g) SPECIAL INCENTIVE PAY FOR DEPARTMENT

2 PHARMACIST EXECUTIVES.—Section 7410 of such title, 

3 as amended by subsection (f), is further amended by add4 ing at the end the following new subsection: 

5 ‘‘(c) SPECIAL INCENTIVE PAY FOR DEPARTMENT

6 PHARMACIST EXECUTIVES.—(1) In order to recruit and 

7 retain highly qualified Department pharmacist executives, 

8 the Secretary may authorize the Under Secretary for 

9 Health to pay special incentive pay of not more than 

10 $40,000 per year to an individual of the Veterans Health 

11 Administration who is a pharmacist executive. 

12 ‘‘(2) In determining whether and how much special 

13 pay to provide to such individual, the Under Secretary 

14 shall consider the following: 

15 ‘‘(A) The grade and step of the position of the 

16 individual. 

17 ‘‘(B) The scope and complexity of the position 

18 of the individual. 

19 ‘‘(C) The personal qualifications of the indi20 vidual. 

21 ‘‘(D) The characteristics of the labor market 

22 concerned. 

23 ‘‘(E) Such other factors as the Secretary con24 siders appropriate. 


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1 ‘‘(3) Special incentive pay under paragraph (1) for 

2 an individual is in addition to all other pay (including 

3 basic pay) and allowances to which the individual is enti4 tled. 

5 ‘‘(4) Except as provided in paragraph (5), special in6 centive pay under paragraph (1) for an individual shall 

7 be considered basic pay for all purposes, including retire8 ment benefits under chapters 83 and 84 of title 5, and 

9 other benefits. 

10 ‘‘(5) Special incentive pay under paragraph (1) for 

11 an individual shall not be considered basic pay for pur12 poses of adverse actions under subchapter V of this chap13 ter. 

14 ‘‘(6) Special incentive pay under paragraph (1) may 

15 not be awarded to an individual in an amount that would 

16 result in an aggregate amount of pay (including bonuses 

17 and awards) received by such individual in a year under 

18 this title that is greater than the annual pay of the Presi19 dent.’’. 

20 (h) PAY FOR PHYSICIANS AND DENTISTS.— 

21 (1) NON-FOREIGN COST OF LIVING ADJUST22 MENT ALLOWANCE.—Section 7431(b) of such title is 

23 amended by adding at the end the following: 

24 ‘‘(5) The non-foreign cost of living adjustment 

25 allowance authorized under section 5941 of title 5 


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1 for physicians and dentists whose pay is set under 

2 this section shall be determined as a percentage of 

3 base pay only.’’. 

4 (2) MARKET PAY DETERMINATIONS FOR PHYSI5 CIANS AND DENTISTS IN ADMINISTRATIVE OR EXEC6 UTIVE LEADERSHIP POSITIONS.—Section 

7 7431(c)(4)(B)(i) of such title is amended by adding 

8 at the end the following: ‘‘The Secretary may ex9 empt physicians and dentists occupying administra10 tive or executive leadership positions from the re11 quirements of the previous sentence.’’. 

12 (3) EXCEPTION TO PROHIBITION ON REDUC13 TION OF MARKET PAY.—Section 7431(c)(7) of such 

14 title is amended by striking ‘‘concerned.’’ and insert15 ing ‘‘concerned, unless there is a change in board 

16 certification or reduction of privileges.’’. 

17 (i) ADJUSTMENT OF PAY CAP FOR NURSES.—Sec18 tion 7451(c)(2) of such title is amended by striking ‘‘title 

19 5’’ and inserting ‘‘title 5 or in level of GS–15 as prescribed 

20 under section 5332 of such title, whichever is greater’’. 

21 (j) EXEMPTION FOR CERTIFIED REGISTERED NURSE

22 ANESTHETISTS FROM LIMITATION ON AUTHORIZED COM23 PETITIVE PAY.—Section 7451(c)(2) of such title is further 

24 amended by adding at the end the following new sentence: 

25 ‘‘The maximum rate of basic pay for a grade for the posiVerDate Nov 24 2008 03:21 Feb 10, 2009 Jkt 079200 PO 00000 Frm 00010 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H919.IH H919

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1 tion of certified registered nurse anesthetist pursuant to 

2 an adjustment under subsection (d) may exceed the max3 imum rate otherwise provided in the preceding sentence.’’. 

4 (k) LOCALITY PAY SCALE COMPUTATIONS.— 

5 (1) EDUCATION, TRAINING, AND SUPPORT FOR

6 FACILITY DIRECTORS IN WAGE SURVEYS.—Section 

7 7451(d)(3) of such title is amended by adding at the 

8 end the following new subparagraph: 

9 ‘‘(F) The Under Secretary for Health shall provide 

10 appropriate education, training, and support to directors 

11 of Department health-care facilities in the conduct and use 

12 of surveys under this paragraph.’’. 

13 (2) INFORMATION ON METHODOLOGY USED IN

14 WAGE SURVEYS.—Section 7451(e)(4) of such title is 

15 amended— 

16 (A) by redesignating subparagraph (D) as 

17 subparagraph (E); and 

18 (B) by inserting after subparagraph (C) 

19 the following new subparagraph (D): 

20 ‘‘(D) In any case in which the director conducts 

21 such a wage survey during the period covered by the 

22 report and makes adjustment in rates of basic pay 

23 applicable to one or more covered positions at the fa24 cility, information on the methodology used in mak25 ing such adjustment or adjustments.’’. 


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1 (3) DISCLOSURE OF INFORMATION TO PERSONS

2 IN COVERED POSITIONS.—Section 7451(e) of such 

3 title is further amended by adding at the end the 

4 following new paragraph: 

5 ‘‘(6)(A) Upon the request of an individual described 

6 in subparagraph (B) for a report provided under para7 graph (4) with respect to a Department health care facil8 ity, the Under Secretary for Health or the director of such 

9 facility shall provide to the individual the most current re10 port for such facility provided under such paragraph. 

11 ‘‘(B) An individual described in this subparagraph 

12 is— 

13 ‘‘(i) an individual in a covered position at a De14 partment health care facility; or 

15 ‘‘(ii) a representative of the labor organization 

16 representing that individual who is designated by 

17 that individual to make the request.’’. 

18 (l) INCREASED LIMITATION ON SPECIAL PAY FOR

19 NURSE EXECUTIVES.—Section 7452(g)(2) of such title is 

20 amended by striking ‘‘$25,000’’ and inserting 

21 ‘‘$100,000’’. 

22 (m) ELIGIBILITY OF PART-TIME NURSES FOR ADDI23 TIONAL NURSE PAY.— 

24 (1) IN GENERAL.—Section 7453 of such title is 

25 amended— 


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1 (A) in subsection (a), by striking ‘‘a 

2 nurse’’ and inserting ‘‘a full-time nurse or part3 time nurse’’; 

4 (B) in subsection (b)— 

5 (i) in the first sentence— 

6 (I) by striking ‘‘on a tour of 

7 duty’’; 

8 (II) by striking ‘‘on such tour’’; 

9 and 

10 (III) by striking ‘‘of such tour’’ 

11 and inserting ‘‘of such service’’; and 

12 (ii) in the second sentence, by striking 

13 ‘‘of such tour’’ and inserting ‘‘of such serv14 ice’’; 

15 (C) in subsection (c)— 

16 (i) by striking ‘‘on a tour of duty’’; 

17 and 

18 (ii) by striking ‘‘on such tour’’; and 

19 (D) in subsection (e)— 

20 (i) in paragraph (1), by striking 

21 ‘‘eight hours in a day’’ and inserting 

22 ‘‘eight consecutive hours’’; and 

23 (ii) in paragraph (5)(A), by striking 

24 ‘‘tour of duty’’ and inserting ‘‘period of 

25 service’’. 


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1 (2) EXCLUSION OF APPLICATION OF ADDI2 TIONAL NURSE PAY PROVISIONS TO CERTAIN ADDI3 TIONAL EMPLOYEES.—Section 7454(b)(3) of such 

4 title is amended to read as follows: 

5 ‘‘(3) Employees appointed under section 7408 of this 

6 title performing service on a tour of duty, any part of 

7 which is within the period commencing at midnight Friday 

8 and ending at midnight Sunday, shall receive additional 

9 pay in addition to the rate of basic pay provided such em10 ployees for each hour of service on such tour at a rate 

11 equal to 25 percent of such employee’s hourly rate of basic 

12 pay.’’. 

13 (n) EXEMPTION OF ADDITIONAL NURSE POSITIONS

14 FROM LIMITATION ON INCREASE IN RATES OF BASIC

15 PAY.—Section 7455(c)(1) of such title is amended by in16 serting after ‘‘nurse anesthetists,’’ the following: ‘‘licensed 

17 practical nurses, licensed vocational nurses, and nursing 

18 positions otherwise covered by title 5,’’. 

19 SEC. 3. LIMITATIONS ON OVERTIME DUTY, WEEKEND DUTY, 

20 AND ALTERNATIVE WORK SCHEDULES FOR 

21 NURSES. 

22 (a) OVERTIME DUTY.— 

23 (1) IN GENERAL.—Subchapter IV of chapter 74 

24 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by add25 ing at the end the following new section: 


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1 ‘‘§ 7459. Nurses: special rules for overtime duty 

2 ‘‘(a) LIMITATION.—Except as provided in subsection 

3 (c), the Secretary may not require a nurse to work more 

4 than 40 hours (or 24 hours if such nurse is covered under 

5 section 7456) in an administrative work week or more 

6 than eight consecutive hours (or 12 hours if such nurse 

7 is covered under section 7456 or 7456A). 

8 ‘‘(b) VOLUNTARY OVERTIME.—(1) A nurse may on 

9 a voluntary basis elect to work hours otherwise prohibited 

10 by subsection (a). 

11 ‘‘(2) The refusal of a nurse to work hours prohibited 

12 by subsection (a) shall not be grounds to discriminate 

13 (within the meaning of section 704(a) of the Civil Rights 

14 Act of 1964 (42 U.S.C. 2000e–3(a))) against the nurse, 

15 to dismiss or discharge the nurse, or to take any other 

16 adverse personnel action against the nurse. 

17 ‘‘(c) OVERTIME UNDER EMERGENCY CIR18 CUMSTANCES.—(1) Subject to paragraph (2), the Sec19 retary may require a nurse to work hours otherwise pro20 hibited by subsection (a) if— 

21 ‘‘(A) the work is a consequence of an emer22 gency that could not have been reasonably antici23 pated; 

24 ‘‘(B) the emergency is non-recurring and is not 

25 caused by or aggravated by the inattention of the 


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1 Secretary or lack of reasonable contingency planning 

2 by the Secretary; 

3 ‘‘(C) the Secretary has exhausted all good faith, 

4 reasonable attempts to obtain voluntary workers; 

5 ‘‘(D) the nurse has critical skills and expertise 

6 that are required for the work; and 

7 ‘‘(E) the work involves work for which the 

8 standard of care for a patient assignment requires 

9 continuity of care through completion of a case, 

10 treatment, or procedure. 

11 ‘‘(2) A nurse may not be required to work hours 

12 under this subsection after the requirement for a direct 

13 role by the nurse in responding to medical needs resulting 

14 from the emergency ends. 

15 ‘‘(d) NURSE DEFINED.—In this section, the term 

16 ‘nurse’ includes the following: 

17 ‘‘(1) A registered nurse. 

18 ‘‘(2) A licensed practical or vocational nurse. 

19 ‘‘(3) A nurse assistant appointed under this 

20 chapter or title 5. 

21 ‘‘(4) Any other nurse position designated by the 

22 Secretary for purposes of this section.’’. 

23 (2) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sec24 tions at the beginning of chapter 74 of such title is 


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1 amended by inserting after the item relating to sec2 tion 7458 the following new item: 

‘‘7459. Nurses: special rules for overtime duty.’’. 

3 (b) WEEKEND DUTY.—Section 7456 of such title is 

4 amended— 

5 (1) in subsection (a) by striking ‘‘regularly 

6 scheduled 12-hour tour of duty’’ and inserting 

7 ‘‘scheduled 12-hour periods of service’’; 

8 (2) in subsection (b)— 

9 (A) in paragraph (2), by striking ‘‘service 

10 performed as part of a regularly scheduled 12- 

11 hour tour of duty’’ and inserting ‘‘any service 

12 performed’’; and 

13 (B) in paragraph (3)— 

14 (i) in subparagraph (A), by striking 

15 ‘‘regularly scheduled two 12-hour tours of 

16 duty’’ and inserting ‘‘scheduled 12-hour 

17 period of service’’; 

18 (ii) in subparagraph (B), by striking 

19 ‘‘regularly scheduled two 12-hour tour of 

20 duty’’ and inserting ‘‘scheduled 12-hour 

21 period of service’’; and 

22 (iii) in subparagraph (C), by striking 

23 ‘‘regularly scheduled two 12-hour tours of 

24 duty’’ and inserting ‘‘scheduled two 12- 

25 hour periods of service’’; 


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1 (3) by striking subsection (c); and 

2 (4) by redesignating subsection (d) as sub3 section (c). 

4 (c) ALTERNATE WORK SCHEDULES.— 

5 (1) IN GENERAL.—Section 7456A(b)(1)(A) of 

6 such title is amended by striking ‘‘three regularly 

7 scheduled’’ and all that follows through the period at 

8 the end and inserting ‘‘six regularly scheduled 12- 

9 hour periods of service within a pay period shall be 

10 considered for all purposes to have worked a full 80- 

11 hour pay period.’’. 

12 (2) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.—Section 

13 7456A(b) of such title is amended— 

14 (A) in the subsection heading, by striking 

15 ‘‘36/40’’ and inserting ‘‘72/80’’; 

16 (B) in paragraph (2)— 

17 (i) in subparagraph (A), by striking 

18 ‘‘40-hour basic work week’’ and inserting 

19 ‘‘80-hour pay period’’; 

20 (ii) in subparagraph (B), by striking 

21 ‘‘regularly scheduled 36-hour tour of duty 

22 within the work week’’ and inserting 

23 ‘‘scheduled 72-hour period of service within 

24 the bi-weekly pay period’’; 

25 (iii) in subparagraph (C)— 


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1 (I) in clause (i), by striking ‘‘reg2 ularly scheduled 36-hour tour of duty 

3 within an administrative work week’’ 

4 and inserting ‘‘scheduled 72-hour pe5 riod of service within an administra6 tive pay period’’; 

7 (II) in clause (ii), by striking 

8 ‘‘regularly scheduled 12-hour tour of 

9 duty’’ and inserting ‘‘scheduled 12- 

10 hour period of service’’; and 

11 (III) in clause (iii), by striking 

12 ‘‘regularly scheduled 36-hour tour of 

13 duty work week’’ and inserting 

14 ‘‘scheduled 72-hour period of service 

15 pay period’’; and 

16 (iv) in subparagraph (D), by striking 

17 ‘‘regularly scheduled 12-hour tour of duty’’ 

18 and inserting ‘‘scheduled 12-hour period of 

19 service’’; and 

20 (C) in paragraph (3), by striking ‘‘regu21 larly scheduled 12-hour tour of duty’’ and in22 serting ‘‘scheduled 12-hour period of service’’. 


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1 SEC. 4. IMPROVEMENTS TO CERTAIN EDUCATIONAL AS2 SISTANCE PROGRAMS. 

3 (a) REINSTATEMENT OF HEALTH PROFESSIONALS

4 EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM.— 

5 (1) IN GENERAL.—Section 7618 of title 38, 

6 United States Code, is amended by striking ‘‘Decem7 ber 31, 1998’’ and inserting ‘‘December 31, 2013’’. 

8 (2) EXPANSION OF ELIGIBILITY REQUIRE9 MENTS.—Paragraph (2) of section 7612(b) of such 

10 title is amended by striking ‘‘(under section’’ and all 

11 that follows through the period at the end and in12 serting the following: ‘‘as an appointee under para13 graph (1) or (3) of section 7401 of this title.’’. 

14 (b) IMPROVEMENTS TO EDUCATION DEBT REDUC15 TION PROGRAM.— 

16 (1) INCLUSION OF EMPLOYEE RETENTION AS

17 PURPOSE OF PROGRAM.—Section 7681(a)(2) of such 

18 title is amended by inserting ‘‘and retention’’ after 

19 ‘‘recruitment’’ the first time it appears. 

20 (2) ELIGIBILITY.—Section 7682 of such title is 

21 amended— 

22 (A) in subsection (a)(1), by striking ‘‘a re23 cently appointed’’ and inserting ‘‘an’’; and 

24 (B) by striking subsection (c). 

25 (3) MAXIMUM AMOUNTS OF ASSISTANCE.—Sec26 tion 7683(d)(1) of such title is amended— 


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1 (A) by striking ‘‘$44,000’’ and inserting 

2 ‘‘$60,000’’; and 

3 (B) by striking ‘‘$10,000’’ and inserting 

4 ‘‘$12,000’’. 

5 (c) LOAN REPAYMENT PROGRAM FOR CLINICAL RE6 SEARCHERS FROM DISADVANTAGED BACKGROUNDS.— 

7 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Veterans 

8 Affairs, in consultation with the Secretary of Health 

9 and Human Services, may utilize the authorities 

10 available in section 487E of the Public Health Serv11 ice Act (42 U.S.C. 288–5) for the repayment of the 

12 principal and interest of educational loans of appro13 priately qualified health professionals who are from 

14 disadvantaged backgrounds in order to secure clin15 ical research by such professionals for the Veterans 

16 Health Administration. 

17 (2) LIMITATIONS.—The exercise by the Sec18 retary of Veterans Affairs of the authorities referred 

19 to in paragraph (1) shall be subject to the conditions 

20 and limitations specified in paragraphs (2) and (3) 

21 of section 487E(a) of the Public Health Service Act 

22 (42 U.S.C. 288–5(2) and (3)). 

23 (3) FUNDING.—Amounts for the repayment of 

24 principal and interest of educational loans under this 

25 subsection shall be derived from amounts available 


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1 to the Secretary of Veterans for the Veterans Health 

2 Administration for Medical Services. 

Æ 


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