I 

113TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 4234 

To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out a pilot program 

to reduce the shortage of psychiatrists in the Veterans Health Administration of the Department of Veterans Affairs by offering competitive 

employment incentives to certain psychiatrists, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MARCH 13, 2014 

Mr. BUCSHON (for himself and Mr. DAVID SCOTT of Georgia) introduced the 

following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 

A BILL 

To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out 

a pilot program to reduce the shortage of psychiatrists 

in the Veterans Health Administration of the Department of Veterans Affairs by offering competitive employment incentives to certain psychiatrists, 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 ‘‘Ensuring Veterans’ 

5 Resiliency Act’’. 


smartinez on DSK6TPTVN1PROD with BILLS
2 

•HR 4234 IH

1 SEC. 2. PILOT PROGRAM FOR REPAYMENT OF EDU2 CATIONAL LOANS FOR CERTAIN PSYCHIA3 TRISTS OF VETERANS HEALTH ADMINISTRA4 TION. 

5 (a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary of Veterans 

6 Affairs shall carry out a pilot program to repay a loan 

7 of an individual described in subsection (b) that— 

8 (1) was used by the individual to finance edu9 cation regarding psychiatric medicine, including edu10 cation leading to an undergraduate degree and edu11 cation leading to the degree of doctor of medicine or 

12 of doctor of osteopathy; and 

13 (2) was obtained from a governmental entity, 

14 private financial institution, school, or other author15 ized entity, as determined by the Secretary. 

16 (b) ELIGIBLE INDIVIDUALS.—To be eligible to obtain 

17 a loan repayment under this section, an individual shall— 

18 (1) either— 

19 (A) be licensed or eligible for licensure to 

20 practice psychiatric medicine in the Veterans 

21 Health Administration of the Department of 

22 Veterans Affairs; or 

23 (B) be enrolled in the final year of a resi24 dency program leading to a specialty qualifica25 tion in psychiatric medicine that is approved by 


smartinez on DSK6TPTVN1PROD with BILLS
3 

•HR 4234 IH

1 the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical 

2 Education; and 

3 (2) as determined appropriate by the Secretary, 

4 demonstrate a commitment to a long-term career as 

5 a psychiatrist in the Veterans Health Administra6 tion, including by requiring a set number of years of 

7 obligated service. 

8 (c) SELECTION.—The Secretary shall select not less 

9 than 10 individuals described in subsection (b) to partici10 pate in the pilot program for each year in which the Sec11 retary carries out the pilot program. 

12 (d) LOAN REPAYMENTS.— 

13 (1) AMOUNTS.—Subject to the limits estab14 lished by paragraph (2), a loan repayment under 

15 this section may consist of payment of the principal, 

16 interest, and related expenses of a loan obtained by 

17 an individual described in subsection (b) for all edu18 cational expenses (including tuition, fees, books, and 

19 laboratory expenses) relating to a degree described 

20 in subsection (a)(1). 

21 (2) LIMIT.—For each year of obligated service 

22 that an individual agrees to serve in an agreement 

23 described in subsection (b)(2), the Secretary may 

24 pay not more than $60,000 on behalf of the indi25 vidual. 


smartinez on DSK6TPTVN1PROD with BILLS
4 

•HR 4234 IH

1 (e) BREACH.— 

2 (1) LIABILITY.—An individual who participates 

3 in the pilot program under subsection (a) who fails 

4 to satisfy the commitment described in subsection 

5 (b)(2) shall be liable to the United States, in lieu of 

6 any service obligation arising from such participa7 tion, for the amount which has been paid or is pay8 able to or on behalf of the individual under the pro9 gram, reduced by the proportion that the number of 

10 days served for completion of the service obligation 

11 bears to the total number of days in the period of 

12 obligated service of the individual. 

13 (2) REPAYMENT PERIOD.—Any amount of dam14 ages which the United States is entitled to recover 

15 under this subsection shall be paid to the United 

16 States within the one-year period beginning on the 

17 date of the breach of the agreement. 

18 (f) PROHIBITION ON SIMULTANEOUS ELIGIBILITY.— 

19 An individual who is participating in any other program 

20 of the Federal Government that repays the educational 

21 loans of the individual may not participate in the pilot pro22 gram under subsection (a). 

23 (g) REPORT.—Not later than 90 days after the date 

24 on which the pilot program terminates under subsection 

25 (g), the Secretary shall submit to the Committees on VetVerDate Mar 15 2010 00:42 Mar 20, 2014 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H4234.IH H4234

smartinez on DSK6TPTVN1PROD with BILLS
5 

•HR 4234 IH

1 erans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives and the 

2 Senate a report on the pilot program. The report shall 

3 include the overall effect of the pilot program on the psy4 chiatric workforce shortage of the Veterans Health Ad5 ministration, the long-term stability of such workforce, 

6 and overall workforce strategies of the Veterans Health 

7 Administration that seek to promote the physical and 

8 mental resiliency of all veterans. 

9 (h) REGULATIONS.—The Secretary shall prescribe 

10 regulations to carry out this section, including standards 

11 for qualified loans and authorized payees and other terms 

12 and conditions for the making of loan repayments. 

13 (i) TERMINATION.—The authority to carry out the 

14 pilot program shall expire on the date that is three years 

15 after the date on which the Secretary commences the pilot 

16 program. 

17 SEC. 3. COMPTROLLER GENERAL STUDY ON PAY DISPARI18 TIES OF PSYCHIATRISTS OF VETERANS 

19 HEALTH ADMINISTRATION. 

20 (a) STUDY.—Not later than one year after the date 

21 of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of 

22 the United States shall conduct a study of pay disparities 

23 among psychiatrists of the Veterans Health Administra24 tion of the Department of Veterans Affairs. The study 

25 shall include— 


smartinez on DSK6TPTVN1PROD with BILLS
6 

•HR 4234 IH

1 (1) an examination of laws, regulations, prac2 tices, and policies, including salary flexibilities, that 

3 contribute to such disparities; and 

4 (2) recommendations with respect to legislative 

5 or regulatory actions to improve equity in pay 

6 among such psychiatrists. 

7 (b) REPORT.—Not later than one year after the date 

8 on which the Comptroller General completes the study 

9 under subsection (a), the Comptroller General shall sub10 mit to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the House 

11 of Representatives and the Senate a report containing the 

12 results of the study. 

Æ 


smartinez on DSK6TPTVN1PROD with BILLS