II 

111TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 246 

To amend title 38, United States Code, to improve the quality of care 

provided to veterans in Department of Veterans Affairs medical facilities, 

to encourage highly qualified doctors to serve in hard-to-fill positions 

in such medical facilities, and for other purposes. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

JANUARY 14, 2009 

Mr. DURBIN introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred 

to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 

A BILL 

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

quality of care provided to veterans in Department of 

Veterans Affairs medical facilities, to encourage highly 

qualified doctors to serve in hard-to-fill positions in such 

medical facilities, 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 Health Care 

5 Quality Improvement Act’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. STANDARDS FOR APPOINTMENT AND PRACTICE OF 

2 PHYSICIANS IN DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS 

3 AFFAIRS MEDICAL FACILITIES. 

4 (a) STANDARDS.— 

5 (1) IN GENERAL.—Subchapter I of chapter 74 

6 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by in7 serting after section 7402 the following new section: 

8 ‘‘§ 7402A. Appointment and practice of physicians: 

9 standards 

10 ‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall, acting 

11 through the Under Secretary for Health, prescribe stand12 ards to be met by individuals in order to qualify for ap13 pointment in the Administration in the position of physi14 cian and to practice as a physician in medical facilities 

15 of the Administration. The standards shall incorporate the 

16 requirements of this section. 

17 ‘‘(b) DISCLOSURE OF CERTAIN INFORMATION BE18 FORE APPOINTMENT.—Each individual seeking appoint19 ment in the Administration in the position of physician 

20 shall do the following: 

21 ‘‘(1) Provide the Secretary a full and complete 

22 explanation of the following: 

23 ‘‘(A) Each lawsuit, civil action, or other 

24 claim (whether open or closed) brought against 

25 the individual for medical malpractice or neg26 ligence (other than a lawsuit, action, or claim 


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1 closed without any judgment against or pay2 ment by or on behalf of the individual). 

3 ‘‘(B) Each payment made by or on behalf 

4 of the individual to settle any lawsuit, action, or 

5 claim covered by subparagraph (A). 

6 ‘‘(C) Each investigation or disciplinary ac7 tion taken against the individual relating to the 

8 individual’s performance as a physician. 

9 ‘‘(2) Submit a written request and authoriza10 tion to the State licensing board of each State in 

11 which the individual holds or has held a license to 

12 practice medicine to disclose to the Secretary any in13 formation in the records of such State on the fol14 lowing: 

15 ‘‘(A) Each lawsuit, civil action, or other 

16 claim brought against the individual for medical 

17 malpractice or negligence covered by paragraph 

18 (1)(A) that occurred in such State. 

19 ‘‘(B) Each payment made by or on behalf 

20 of the individual to settle any lawsuit, action, or 

21 claim covered by subparagraph (A). 

22 ‘‘(C) Each medical malpractice judgment 

23 against the individual by the courts or adminis24 trative agencies or bodies of such State. 


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1 ‘‘(D) Each disciplinary action taken or 

2 under consideration against the individual by 

3 an administrative agency or body of such State. 

4 ‘‘(E) Any change in the status of the li5 cense to practice medicine issued the individual 

6 by such State, including any voluntary or non7 disciplinary surrendering of such license by the 

8 individual. 

9 ‘‘(F) Any open investigation of the indi10 vidual by an administrative agency or body of 

11 such State, or any outstanding allegation 

12 against the individual before such an adminis13 trative agency or body. 

14 ‘‘(G) Any written notification to the indi15 vidual by such State of a potential termination 

16 of such license for cause or otherwise. 

17 ‘‘(c) DISCLOSURE OF CERTAIN INFORMATION FOL18 LOWING APPOINTMENT.—(1) Each individual appointed 

19 in the Administration in the position of physician after 

20 the date of the enactment of the Veterans Health Care 

21 Quality Improvement Act shall, as a condition of service 

22 under the appointment, disclose to the Secretary, not later 

23 than 30 days after the occurrence of such event, the fol24 lowing: 


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1 ‘‘(A) A judgment against the individual for 

2 medical malpractice or negligence. 

3 ‘‘(B) A payment made by or on behalf of the 

4 individual to settle any lawsuit, action, or claim dis5 closed under paragraph (1) or (2) of subsection (b). 

6 ‘‘(C) Any disposition of or material change in a 

7 matter disclosed under paragraph (1) or (2) of sub8 section (b). 

9 ‘‘(2) Each individual appointed in the Administration 

10 in the position of physician as of the date of the enactment 

11 of the Veterans Health Care Quality Improvement Act 

12 shall do the following: 

13 ‘‘(A) Not later than the end of the 60-day pe14 riod beginning on the date of the enactment of that 

15 Act and as a condition of service under the appoint16 ment after the end of that period, submit the re17 quest and authorization described in subsection 

18 (b)(2). 

19 ‘‘(B) Agree, as a condition of service under the 

20 appointment, to disclose to the Secretary, not later 

21 than 30 days after the occurrence of such event, the 

22 following: 

23 ‘‘(i) A judgment against the individual for 

24 medical malpractice or negligence. 


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1 ‘‘(ii) A payment made by or on behalf of 

2 the individual to settle any lawsuit, action, or 

3 claim disclosed pursuant to subparagraph (A) 

4 or under this subparagraph. 

5 ‘‘(iii) Any disposition of or material change 

6 in a matter disclosed pursuant to subparagraph 

7 (A) or under this subparagraph. 

8 ‘‘(3) Each individual appointed in the Administration 

9 in the position of physician shall, as part of the biennial 

10 review of the performance of the physician under the ap11 pointment, submit the request and authorization described 

12 in subsection (b)(2). The requirement of this paragraph 

13 is in addition to the requirements of paragraph (1) or (2), 

14 as applicable. 

15 ‘‘(d) INVESTIGATION OF DISCLOSED MATTERS.—(1) 

16 The Director of the Veterans Integrated Services Network 

17 (VISN) in which an individual is seeking appointment in 

18 the Administration in the position of physician shall per19 form an investigation (in such manner as the standards 

20 required by this section shall specify) of each matter dis21 closed under subsection (b) with respect to the individual. 

22 ‘‘(2) The Director of the Veterans Integrated Serv23 ices Network in which an individual is appointed in the 

24 Administration in the position of physician shall perform 

25 an investigation (in a manner so specified) of each matter 


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1 disclosed under subsection (c) with respect to the indi2 vidual. 

3 ‘‘(3) The results of each investigation performed 

4 under this subsection shall be fully documented. 

5 ‘‘(e) APPROVAL OF APPOINTMENTS BY DIRECTORS

6 OF VISNS.—(1) An individual may not be appointed in 

7 the Administration in the position of physician without the 

8 approval of the Director of the Veterans Integrated Serv9 ices Network in which the individual will first serve under 

10 the appointment. 

11 ‘‘(2) In approving the appointment under this sub12 section of an individual for whom any matters have been 

13 disclosed under subsection (b), a Director shall— 

14 ‘‘(A) certify in writing the completion of the 

15 performance of the investigation under subsection 

16 (d)(1) of each such matter, including the results of 

17 such investigation; and 

18 ‘‘(B) provide a written justification why any 

19 matters raised in the course of such investigation do 

20 not disqualify the individual from appointment. 

21 ‘‘(3) A Director shall provide copies of the certifi22 cation and the written justification with respect to an indi23 vidual under paragraph (2) to the National Quality Assur24 ance Officer and the Quality Assurance Officer of the NetVerDate Nov 24 2008 03:37 Jan 16, 2009 Jkt 079200 PO 00000 Frm 00007 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S246.IS S246

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1 work in which the individual will first serve under the ap2 proved appointment. 

3 ‘‘(f) ENROLLMENT OF PHYSICIANS WITH PRACTICE

4 PRIVILEGES IN PROACTIVE DISCLOSURE SERVICE.—Each 

5 medical facility of the Department at which physicians are 

6 extended the privileges of practice shall enroll each physi7 cian extended such privileges in the Proactive Disclosure 

8 Service of the National Practitioners Data Bank 

9 ‘‘(g) ENCOURAGEMENT OF EMPLOYMENT OF PHYSI10 CIANS WITH BOARD CERTIFICATION.—The Secretary 

11 shall include in each performance contract with a Director 

12 of a Veterans Integrated Services Network a provision 

13 that encourages the Director to hire in such Network phy14 sicians who are board certified in the specialty in which 

15 the physicians will practice. Each such provision shall in16 clude such elements as the Secretary considers appro17 priate.’’. 

18 (2) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sec19 tions at the beginning of chapter 74 of such title is 

20 amended by inserting after the item relating to sec21 tion 7402 the following new item: 

‘‘7402A. Appointment and practice of physicians: standards.’’. 

22 (b) EFFECTIVE DATE AND APPLICABILITY.— 

23 (1) EFFECTIVE DATE.—Except as provided in 

24 paragraph (2) and (3), the amendments made by 


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1 subsection (a) shall take effect on the date of the en2 actment of this Act. 

3 (2) ENROLLMENT IN PROACTIVE DISCLOSURE

4 SERVICE OF PHYSICIANS PRACTICING ON EFFECTIVE

5 DATE.—In the case of an individual appointed to the 

6 Veterans Health Administration in the position of 

7 physician as of the date of the enactment of this 

8 Act, the requirements of subsection (f) of section 

9 7402A of title 38, United States Code, as added by 

10 subsection (a), shall take effect on the date that is 

11 60 days after the date of the enactment of this Act. 

12 (3) CONTRACT PROVISIONS ENCOURAGING EM13 PLOYMENT OF PHYSICIANS WITH BOARD CERTIFI14 CATION.—The provisions of subsection (g) of such 

15 section 7402A, as so added, shall apply to any per16 formance contract of a Director of a Veterans Inte17 grated Services Network entered into during or after 

18 the first cycle of such performance contracts begin19 ning on or after that date. 

20 SEC. 3. ENHANCEMENT OF QUALITY ASSURANCE BY THE 

21 VETERANS HEALTH ADMINISTRATION. 

22 (a) ENHANCEMENT OF QUALITY ASSURANCE

23 THROUGH QUALITY ASSURANCE OFFICERS.— 


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1 (1) IN GENERAL.—Subchapter II of chapter 73 

2 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by in3 serting after section 7311 the following new section: 

4 ‘‘§ 7311A. Quality assurance officers 

5 ‘‘(a) NATIONAL QUALITY ASSURANCE OFFICER.—(1) 

6 The Under Secretary for Health shall designate an official 

7 of the Veterans Health Administration to act as the prin8 cipal quality assurance officer for the quality-assurance 

9 program required by section 7311 of this title. The official 

10 so designated may be known as the ‘National Quality As11 surance Officer of the Veterans Health Administration’ (in 

12 this section referred to as the ‘National Quality Assurance 

13 Officer’). 

14 ‘‘(2) The National Quality Assurance Officer shall re15 port directly to the Under Secretary for Health in the dis16 charge of responsibilities and duties of the Officer under 

17 this section. 

18 ‘‘(3) The National Quality Assurance Officer shall be 

19 the official within the Administration who is principally 

20 responsible for the quality-assurance program referred to 

21 in paragraph (1). In carrying out that responsibility, the 

22 Officer shall be responsible for— 

23 ‘‘(A) establishing and enforcing the require24 ments of that program; and 


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1 ‘‘(B) carrying out such other responsibilities 

2 and duties relating to quality assurance in the Ad3 ministration as the Under Secretary for Health shall 

4 specify. 

5 ‘‘(4) The requirements under paragraph (3) shall in6 clude requirements regarding the following: 

7 ‘‘(A) A confidential system for the submittal of 

8 reports by Administration personnel regarding qual9 ity assurance at Department facilities. 

10 ‘‘(B) Mechanisms for the peer review of the ac11 tions of individuals appointed in the Administration 

12 in the position of physician. 

13 ‘‘(C) Mechanisms for the accountability of the 

14 facility director and chief medical officer of each Ad15 ministration medical facility for the actions of physi16 cians in such facility. 

17 ‘‘(b) QUALITY ASSURANCE OFFICERS FOR VISNS.— 

18 (1) The Director of each Veterans Integrated Services 

19 Network (VISN) shall appoint an official of the Network 

20 to act as the quality assurance officer of the Network. 

21 ‘‘(2) Each official appointed as a quality assurance 

22 officer under this subsection shall be a board-certified phy23 sician. 

24 ‘‘(3) The quality assurance officer for a Veterans In25 tegrated Services Network shall report to the Director of 


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1 the Veterans Integrated Services Network, and to the Na2 tional Quality Assurance Officer, regarding the discharge 

3 of the responsibilities and duties of the officer under this 

4 section. 

5 ‘‘(4) The quality assurance officer for a Veterans In6 tegrated Services Network shall— 

7 ‘‘(A) direct the quality assurance office in the 

8 Network; and 

9 ‘‘(B) coordinate, monitor, and oversee the qual10 ity-assurance programs and activities of the Admin11 istration medical facilities in the Network in order to 

12 ensure the thorough and uniform discharge of qual13 ity assurance requirements under such programs 

14 and activities throughout such facilities. 

15 ‘‘(c) QUALITY ASSURANCE OFFICERS FOR MEDICAL

16 FACILITIES.—(1) The director of each Administration 

17 medical facility shall appoint a quality assurance officer 

18 for that facility. 

19 ‘‘(2) Each official appointed as a quality assurance 

20 officer under this subsection shall be a board-certified phy21 sician. 

22 ‘‘(3) The official appointed as a quality assurance of23 ficer for a facility under this subsection shall be a prac24 ticing physician at the facility. If the official appointed as 

25 quality assurance officer for a facility has other clinical 


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1 or administrative duties, the director of the facility shall 

2 ensure that those duties are sufficiently limited in scope 

3 so as to ensure that those duties do not prevent the officer 

4 from effectively discharging the responsibilities and duties 

5 of quality assurance officer at the facility. 

6 ‘‘(4) The quality assurance officer for a facility shall 

7 report directly to the director of the facility, and to the 

8 quality assurance officer of the Veterans Integrated Serv9 ices Network in which the facility is located, regarding the 

10 discharge of the responsibilities and duties of the quality 

11 assurance officer under this section. 

12 ‘‘(5) The quality assurance officer for a facility shall 

13 be responsible for designing, disseminating, and imple14 menting quality-assurance programs and activities for the 

15 facility that meet the requirements established by the Na16 tional Quality Assurance Officer under subsection (a).’’. 

17 (2) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sec18 tions at the beginning of chapter 73 of such title is 

19 amended by inserting after the item relating to sec20 tion 7311 the following new item: 

‘‘7311A. Quality assurance officers.’’. 

21 (b) REPORTS ON QUALITY CONCERNS UNDER QUAL22 ITY-ASSURANCE PROGRAM.—Section 7311(b) of such title 

23 is amended by adding at the end the following new para24 graph: 


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1 ‘‘(4) As part of the quality-assurance program, the 

2 Under Secretary for Health shall establish mechanisms 

3 through which employees of Administration facilities may 

4 submit reports, on a confidential basis, on matters relating 

5 to quality of care in Administration facilities to the quality 

6 assurance officers of such facilities under section 

7 7311A(c) of this title and to the quality assurance officers 

8 of the Veterans Integrated Services Networks (VISNs) in 

9 which such facilities are located under section 7311A(b) 

10 of this title. The mechanisms shall provide for the prompt 

11 and thorough review of any reports so submitted by the 

12 receiving officials.’’. 

13 (c) REVIEW OF CURRENT HEALTH CARE QUALITY

14 SAFEGUARDS.— 

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

16 Affairs shall conduct a comprehensive review of all 

17 current policies and protocols of the Department of 

18 Veterans Affairs for maintaining health care quality 

19 and patient safety at Department of Veterans Af20 fairs medical facilities. The review shall include a re21 view and assessment of the National Surgical Qual22 ity Improvement Program (NSQIP), including an 

23 assessment of— 

24 (A) the efficacy of the quality indicators 

25 under the program; 


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1 (B) the efficacy of the data collection 

2 methods under the program; 

3 (C) the efficacy of the frequency with 

4 which regular data analyses are performed 

5 under the program; and 

6 (D) the extent to which the resources allo7 cated to the program are adequate to fulfill the 

8 stated function of the program. 

9 (2) REPORT.—Not later than 60 days after the 

10 date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary 

11 shall submit to Congress a report on the review con12 ducted under paragraph (1), including the findings 

13 of the Secretary as a result of the review and such 

14 recommendations as the Secretary considers appro15 priate in light of the review. 

16 SEC. 4. INCENTIVES TO ENCOURAGE HIGH-QUALITY PHYSI17 CIANS TO SERVE IN THE VETERANS HEALTH 

18 ADMINISTRATION. 

19 (a) INCENTIVES REQUIRED.— 

20 (1) IN GENERAL.—Subchapter III of chapter 

21 74 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by 

22 inserting after section 7431 the following new sec23 tion: 


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1 ‘‘§ 7431A. Physicians: additional incentives for service 

2 in hard-to-fill positions 

3 ‘‘(a) LOAN REPAYMENT FOR PHYSICIANS WHO

4 SERVE IN HARD-TO-FILL POSITIONS.—(1) In order to re5 cruit and retain physicians in the Administration in hard6 to-fill positions (as designated by the Secretary for pur7 poses of this subsection), the Secretary shall carry out a 

8 program under which the Secretary may repay, for each 

9 individual who agrees to serve as a physician for a period 

10 of not less than three years in an Administration facility 

11 in such a position and seeks such repayment, any loan 

12 of such individual as follows: 

13 ‘‘(A) Any loan of the individual described in 

14 paragraphs (1) through (4) of section 16302(a) of 

15 title 10. 

16 ‘‘(B) Any other loan of the individual des17 ignated by the Secretary for purposes of this sub18 section the proceeds of which were used by the indi19 vidual to finance education leading to the medical 

20 degree of the individual. 

21 ‘‘(2) Each individual seeking repayment of loans 

22 under paragraph (1) shall enter into an agreement with 

23 the Secretary regarding the repayment of loans. Under the 

24 agreement, the individual shall agree— 

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1 ministration facility specified in the agreement for 

2 such period of years as the agreement shall specify; 

3 and 

4 ‘‘(B) to possess and retain for the period of the 

5 agreement such professional qualifications as are 

6 necessary for the service specified under subpara7 graph (A). 

8 ‘‘(3) Repayment of loans under this subsection shall 

9 be made on the basis of complete years of service under 

10 the agreement under this subsection. The amount to be 

11 repayed under an agreement under this subsection for a 

12 complete year of service specified in the agreement shall 

13 be such amount, not to exceed $30,000, for each complete 

14 year of service as the agreement shall specify. 

15 ‘‘(4) An individual receiving loan repayment under 

16 paragraph (1) who does not satisfy the requirements of 

17 the agreement under paragraph (2) shall be subject to 

18 such repayment requirements as the Secretary shall speci19 fy in the agreement. 

20 ‘‘(b) TUITION REIMBURSEMENT FOR PHYSICIAN

21 STUDENTS WHO AGREE TO SERVE IN HARD-TO-FILL

22 POSITIONS.—(1) In order to recruit and retain physicians 

23 in the Administration in hard-to-fill positions (as des24 ignated by the Secretary for purposes of this subsection), 

25 the Secretary shall carry out a program under which the 


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1 Secretary may reimburse individuals who are enrolled in 

2 a course of education leading toward board certification 

3 as a physician and seek such reimbursement for the tui4 tion charged for pursuit of such course of education if 

5 such individuals agree to serve as a physician in an Ad6 ministration facility in such a position. 

7 ‘‘(2) Each individual seeking tuition reimbursement 

8 under paragraph (1) shall enter into an agreement with 

9 the Secretary regarding such tuition reimbursement. 

10 Under the agreement, the individuals shall agree— 

11 ‘‘(A) to satisfactorily complete the course of 

12 education of the individual described in paragraph 

13 (1); and 

14 ‘‘(B) upon completion of the course of edu15 cation, to become board-certified as a physician; and 

16 ‘‘(C) upon completion of the matters referred to 

17 in subparagraphs (A) and (B)— 

18 ‘‘(i) to perform satisfactory service in a 

19 physician position specified in the agreement in 

20 an Administration facility specified in the 

21 agreement for such period of years as the 

22 agreement shall specify; and 

23 ‘‘(ii) to possess and retain for the period of 

24 the agreement such professional qualifications 


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1 as are necessary for the service specified under 

2 clause (i). 

3 ‘‘(3) The amount of reimbursement payable to an in4 dividual under paragraph (1) for a year may not exceed 

5 $30,000. 

6 ‘‘(4) Any individual receiving tuition reimbursement 

7 under paragraph (1) who does not satisfy the require8 ments of the agreement under paragraph (2) shall be sub9 ject to such repayment requirements as the Secretary shall 

10 specify in the agreement. 

11 ‘‘(5) An individual receiving tuition reimbursement 

12 under paragraph (1) for pursuit of a course of education 

13 shall also be paid a stipend in the amount of $5,000 for 

14 each academic year of pursuit of such course of education 

15 after entry into an agreement under paragraph (2). 

16 ‘‘(c) PARTICIPATION IN FEHBP OF PHYSICIANS

17 WHO SERVE PART-TIME IN HARD-TO-FILL POSITIONS.— 

18 (1) In order to recruit and retain physicians in the Admin19 istration in hard-to-fill positions (as designated by the Sec20 retary for purposes of this subsection), an individual not 

21 otherwise eligible for health insurance under chapter 89 

22 of title 5 who agrees to serve as a physician in an Adminis23 tration facility in such a position for not less than five 

24 days per month (of which two days must occur in each 

25 14-day period) shall be eligible for enrollment in the health 


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1 benefit plans under chapter 89 of title 5 on a self only 

2 or self and family basis (as applicable). 

3 ‘‘(2) The Secretary shall administer this subsection 

4 in consultation with the Director of the Office of Per5 sonnel Management. 

6 ‘‘(d) ADDITIONAL PROGRAMS.—It is the sense of 

7 Congress that the Secretary should undertake active and 

8 on-going efforts to establish additional incentive programs 

9 to encourage individuals to serve in the position of physi10 cian in the Administration, or otherwise practice in the 

11 Administration, in hard-to-fill positions, including, in par12 ticular, incentive programs to encourage more experienced 

13 physicians to serve or practice in such positions. 

14 ‘‘(e) CONSTRUCTION.—The incentives required under 

15 this section are in addition to any other special pays or 

16 benefits to which the individuals covered by this section 

17 are eligible or entitled under law.’’. 

18 (2) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sec19 tions at the beginning of chapter 74 of such title is 

20 amended by inserting after the item relating to sec21 tion 731 the following new item: 

‘‘7431A. Physicians: additional incentives for service in hard-to-fill positions.’’. 

22 (b) AFFILIATION OF DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS

23 AFFAIRS MEDICAL FACILITIES WITH MEDICAL

24 SCHOOLS.—The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall, to the 

25 extent practicable, require each medical facility of the DeVerDate Nov 24 2008 03:37 Jan 16, 2009 Jkt 079200 PO 00000 Frm 00020 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S246.IS S246

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1 partment of Veterans Affairs to seek to establish an affili2 ation with a medical school within reasonable proximity 

3 of such medical facility. 

4 SEC. 5. REPORTS TO CONGRESS. 

5 (a) REPORT.—Not later than December 15, 2009, 

6 and each year thereafter through 2012, the Secretary of 

7 Veterans Affairs shall submit to the congressional vet8 erans affairs committees a report on the implementation 

9 of this Act and the amendments made by this Act during 

10 the preceding fiscal year. Each report shall include, for 

11 the fiscal year covered by such report, the following: 

12 (1) A comprehensive description of the imple13 mentation of this Act and the amendments made by 

14 this Act. 

15 (2) Such recommendations as the Secretary 

16 considers appropriate for legislative or administra17 tive action to improve the authorities and require18 ments in this Act and the amendments made by this 

19 Act or to otherwise improve the quality of health 

20 care and the quality of the physicians in the Vet21 erans Health Administration. 

22 (b) CONGRESSIONAL VETERANS AFFAIRS COMMIT23 TEES DEFINED.—In this section, the term ‘‘congressional 

24 veterans affairs committees’’ means— 


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1 (1) the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs and 

2 Appropriations of the Senate; and 

3 (2) the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs and 

4 Appropriations of the House of Representatives. 

Æ 


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