HR 3956 RFS 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘VA Health Center 
Management Stability and Improvement Act’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds the following: 
(1) According to data from the Department of 
Veterans Affairs, several medical centers of the De-
partment are managed by acting or temporary direc-
tors. 
(2) Some of these medical centers have not 
been managed by a permanent director for a long 
period. 
(3) Pursuant to section 317.903 of title 5, Code 
of Federal Regulations, a member of the senior exec-
utive service who is detailed to a temporary position 
in a department or agency of the Federal Govern-
ment may not serve in that position for periods 
longer than 120-day increments, and no member of 
the senior executive service may be detailed to an 
unclassified position for a period longer than 240 
days. 
(4) The inability of the Department of Veterans 
Affairs to recruit qualified, permanent candidates as 
directors of medical centers, combined with the poli-
cies described in paragraph (3), leads to frequent 
turnover of directors at the medical centers which 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
02:41 May 25, 2016
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3956.RFS
H3956
emcdonald on DSK9F6TC42PROD with BILLS
HR 3956 RFS 
impedes the ability of system management to engage 
in long-term planning and other functions necessary 
to improve service delivery to veterans. 
(5) The Secretary of Veterans Affairs should 
develop a comprehensive plan to recruit permanent 
directors at each medical center that lacks a perma-
nent director. 
SEC. 3. PLAN TO HIRE DIRECTORS OF MEDICAL CENTERS 
OF DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS. 
(a) PLAN.—Not later than 120 days after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans 
Affairs shall develop and implement a plan to hire highly 
qualified directors for each medical center of the Depart-
ment of Veterans Affairs that lacks a permanent director 
as of the date of the plan. The Secretary shall prioritize 
the hiring of such directors for the medical centers that 
have not had a permanent director for the longest periods. 
(b) MATTERS INCLUDED.—The plan developed under 
subsection (a) shall include the following: 
(1) A deadline to hire the directors of the med-
ical centers of the Department as described in such 
subsection. 
(2) Identification of the possible impediments to 
such hiring. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
02:41 May 25, 2016
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3956.RFS
H3956
emcdonald on DSK9F6TC42PROD with BILLS
HR 3956 RFS 
(3) Identification of opportunities to promote 
and train candidates from within the Department to 
senior executive positions in the Department, includ-
ing as directors of medical centers. 
(c) SUBMISSION.—Not later than 120 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall sub-
mit to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the House 
of Representatives and the Senate the plan developed 
under subsection (a). 
(d) SEMIANNUAL REPORTS.—Not later than 180 
days after the date of the enactment of this Act, and each 
180-day period thereafter until January 1, 2018, the Sec-
retary shall submit to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs 
of the House of Representatives and the Senate a list of 
each medical center of the Department that lacks a per-
manent director as of the date of the report. 
SEC. 4. COMPLIANCE WITH SCHEDULING REQUIREMENTS. 
(a) ANNUAL CERTIFICATION.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Veterans 
Affairs shall ensure that the director of each medical 
facility of the Department of Veterans Affairs annu-
ally certifies to the Secretary that the medical facil-
ity is in full compliance with all provisions of law 
and regulations relating to scheduling appointments 
for veterans to receive hospital care and medical 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
02:41 May 25, 2016
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3956.RFS
H3956
emcdonald on DSK9F6TC42PROD with BILLS
HR 3956 RFS 
services, including pursuant to Veterans Health Ad-
ministration Directive 2010–027, or any successor 
directive. 
(2) PROHIBITION ON WAIVER.—The Secretary 
may not waive any provision of the laws or regula-
tions described in paragraph (1) for a medical facil-
ity of the Department if such provision otherwise ap-
plies to the medical facility. 
(b) EXPLANATION OF NONCOMPLIANCE.—If a direc-
tor of a medical facility of the Department does not make 
a certification under subsection (a)(1) for any year, the 
director shall submit to the Secretary a report con-
taining— 
(1) an explanation of why the director is unable 
to make such certification; and 
(2) a description of the actions the director is 
taking to ensure full compliance with the laws and 
regulations described in such subsection. 
(c) PROHIBITION
ON BONUSES BASED
ON NON-
COMPLIANCE.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—If a director of a medical fa-
cility of the Department does not make a certifi-
cation under subsection (a)(1) for any year, each 
covered official described in paragraph (2) may not 
receive an award or bonus under chapter 45 or 53 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
02:41 May 25, 2016
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00005
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3956.RFS
H3956
emcdonald on DSK9F6TC42PROD with BILLS
HR 3956 RFS 
of title 5, United States Code, or any other award 
or bonus authorized under such title or title 38, 
United States Code, during the year following the 
year in which the certification was not made. 
(2) COVERED OFFICIAL.—A covered official de-
scribed in this paragraph is each official who serves 
in the following positions at a medical facility of the 
Department during a year, or portion thereof, for 
which the director does not make a certification 
under subsection (a)(1): 
(A) The director. 
(B) The chief of staff. 
(C) The associate director. 
(D) The associate director for patient care. 
(E) The deputy chief of staff. 
(d) ANNUAL REPORT.—The Secretary shall annually 
submit to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the 
House of Representative and the Senate a report con-
taining, with respect to the year covered by the report— 
(1) a list of each medical facility of the Depart-
ment for which a certification was made under sub-
section (a)(1); and 
(2) a list of each medical facility of the Depart-
ment for which such a certification was not made, 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
02:41 May 25, 2016
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00006
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3956.RFS
H3956
emcdonald on DSK9F6TC42PROD with BILLS
HR 3956 RFS 
including a copy of each report submitted to the 
Secretary under subsection (b). 
SEC. 5. UNIFORM APPLICATION OF DIRECTIVES AND POLI-
CIES OF DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AF-
FAIRS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
shall ensure that the directives and policies of the Depart-
ment of Veterans Affairs apply to each office or facility 
of the Department in a uniform manner. 
(b) NOTIFICATION.—If the Secretary does not uni-
formly apply the directives and policies of the Department 
pursuant to subsection (a), including by waiving such a 
directive or policy with respect to an office, facility, or ele-
ment of the Department, the Secretary shall notify the 
Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Rep-
resentative and the Senate of such nonuniform applica-
tion, including an explanation for the nonuniform applica-
tion. 
Passed the House of Representatives May 23, 2016. 
Attest: 
KAREN L. HAAS, 
Clerk. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
02:41 May 25, 2016
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00007
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3956.RFS
H3956
emcdonald on DSK9F6TC42PROD with BILLS