I 
115TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 3158 
To amend title 38, United States Code, to improve the authorities of the 
Secretary of Veterans Affairs to hire, recruit, and train employees of 
the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JUNE 29, 2017 
Mr. TAKANO introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Veterans’ Affairs, and in addition to the Committees on Over-
sight and Government Reform, and Energy and Commerce, for a period 
to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consider-
ation of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee 
concerned 
A BILL 
To amend title 38, United States Code, to improve the 
authorities of the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to hire, 
recruit, and train employees of the Department of Vet-
erans Affairs, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
(a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the 
‘‘Better Workforce for Veterans Act of 2017’’. 
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(b) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—The table of contents for 
this Act is as follows: 
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents. 
TITLE I—RECRUITMENT AND HIRING MATTERS 
Sec. 101. Improved authorities for hiring of students and recent graduates by 
Department of Veterans Affairs. 
Sec. 102. Expansion of direct-hiring authority for Department of Veterans Af-
fairs in case of shortage of highly qualified candidates. 
Sec. 103. Authority for Secretary of Veterans Affairs on hiring of former Fed-
eral employees for high-demand positions. 
Sec. 104. Use by Department of Veterans Affairs of re´sume´-based application 
method for hiring of senior executives. 
Sec. 105. Requirement for establishment of Department of Veterans Affairs re-
cruiting database. 
Sec. 106. Requirement that Secretary of Veterans Affairs collect information on 
hiring effectiveness. 
Sec. 107. Requirement that Secretary of Veterans Affairs carry out standard-
ized exit surveys. 
Sec. 108. Service requirements for hiring preference. 
Sec. 109. Exception on limitation on awards and bonuses for recruitment, relo-
cation, and retention. 
Sec. 110. Report on workforce vacancies within the Veterans Health Adminis-
tration. 
TITLE II—ACCOUNTABILITY, OVERSIGHT, TRANSPARENCY, AND 
PERSONNEL MATTERS 
Sec. 201. Accountability in reductions in force by Department of Veterans Af-
fairs. 
Sec. 202. Authority for Department of Veterans Affairs public-private talent 
exchange. 
Sec. 203. Treatment of Medical Center Directors and Directors of Veterans In-
tegrated Service Networks. 
Sec. 204. Pay for Medical Center Directors and Directors of Veterans Inte-
grated Service Networks. 
Sec. 205. Requirement for establishment of human resources academy in Vet-
erans Health Administration. 
Sec. 206. Inclusion of mental health professionals in education and training 
program for health personnel of the Department of Veterans 
Affairs. 
Sec. 207. Assignment to Department of Veterans Affairs of commissioned offi-
cers of the Regular Corps of the Public Health Service. 
Sec. 208. Holding Department of Veterans Affairs leaders accountable for ad-
dressing systemic human capital challenges at the Veterans 
Health Administration. 
Sec. 209. Report on effects of hiring freeze ordered by the President on Janu-
ary 23, 2017. 
Sec. 210. Report on plan of the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out a 
reduction in force at the Department of Veterans Affairs 
through attrition. 
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Sec. 211. Transparency regarding staffing levels of nurses employed by the De-
partment of Veterans Affairs and report on pay for such 
nurses. 
Sec. 212. Employment of police officers and firefighters by Department of Vet-
erans Affairs. 
Sec. 213. Study on communications within the management of the Veterans 
Health Administration. 
TITLE I—RECRUITMENT AND 
HIRING MATTERS 
SEC. 101. IMPROVED AUTHORITIES FOR HIRING OF STU-
DENTS AND RECENT GRADUATES BY DE-
PARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS. 
(a) DIRECT HIRING INTO COMPETITIVE SERVICE.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Subchapter I of chapter 7 of 
title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding 
at the end the following new section: 
‘‘§ 718. Student and recent graduate direct hiring 
into competitive service 
‘‘(a) HIRING AUTHORITY.—Without regard to sec-
tions 3309 through 3318, 3327, and 3330 of title 5, the 
Secretary may recruit and appoint qualified recent grad-
uates and current post-secondary students to competitive 
service positions within the Department. 
‘‘(b) LIMITATION
ON APPOINTMENTS.—Subject to 
subsection (c)(2), the total number of employees appointed 
by the Secretary under subsection (a) during a fiscal year 
may not exceed the number equal to 15 percent of the 
number of hires made into professional and administrative 
occupations of the Department at the GS–11 level and 
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below (or equivalent) under competitive examining proce-
dures during the previous fiscal year. 
‘‘(c) REGULATIONS.—(1) The Secretary shall admin-
ister this section in accordance with regulations prescribed 
by the Secretary for purposes of this section. 
‘‘(2) The regulations may establish a lower limit on 
the number of individuals appointable under subsection 
(a) during a fiscal year than is otherwise provided for 
under subsection (b), based on such factors as the Sec-
retary considers appropriate. 
‘‘(3) To the extent practical, as determined by the 
Secretary, the Secretary shall publicly advertise positions 
available under this section. In carrying out the preceding 
sentence, the Secretary shall— 
‘‘(A) take into account merit system principles, 
mission requirements, costs, and organizational ben-
efits of any advertising of positions; and 
‘‘(B) advertise such positions in the manner the 
Secretary determines is most likely to provide di-
verse and qualified candidates and ensure potential 
applicants have appropriate information relevant to 
the positions available. 
‘‘(d) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
‘‘(1) The term ‘current post-secondary student’ 
means a person who— 
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‘‘(A) is currently enrolled in, and in good 
academic standing at, a full-time program at an 
institution of higher education; 
‘‘(B) is making satisfactory progress to-
ward receipt of a baccalaureate or graduate de-
gree; and 
‘‘(C) has completed at least one year of the 
program. 
‘‘(2) The term ‘institution of higher education’ 
has the meaning given the term in section 101 of the 
Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001). 
‘‘(3) The term ‘recent graduate’, with respect to 
appointment of a person under this section, means 
a person who was awarded a degree by an institu-
tion of higher education not more than two years be-
fore the date of the appointment of such person, ex-
cept that in the case of a person who has completed 
a period of obligated service in a uniformed service 
of more than four years, such term means a person 
who was awarded a degree by an institution of high-
er education not more than four years before the 
date of the appointment of such person.’’. 
(2) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sec-
tions at the beginning of chapter 7 of such title is 
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amended by inserting after the item relating to sec-
tion 711 the following new item: 
‘‘718. Student and recent graduate direct hiring into competitive service.’’. 
(b) HIRING INTO EXCEPTED SERVICE.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Subchapter I of chapter 7 of 
title 38, United States Code, as amended by sub-
section (a), is further amended by adding at the end 
the following new section: 
‘‘§ 719. Student and recent graduate hiring into ex-
cepted service 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall prescribe 
regulations to allow for excepted service appointments of 
students and recent graduates leading to conversion to ca-
reer or career conditional employment of a student or re-
cent graduate of a qualifying educational institution, as 
defined by the Secretary. 
‘‘(b) APPLICABILITY.—The conversion authority de-
scribed in subsection (a) shall be applicable to individuals 
in good standing who— 
‘‘(1) are employed in a qualifying internship or 
fellowship program at the Department of Veterans 
Affairs; 
‘‘(2) are employed in the Department in a vol-
unteer capacity and performing substantive duties 
comparable to those of individuals in internship or 
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fellowship programs and meet the required number 
of hours for conversion; or 
‘‘(3) are employed in the Department under a 
contract or agreement with an external nonprofit or-
ganization and performing substantive duties com-
parable to those of individuals in internship or fel-
lowship programs. 
‘‘(c) UNIFORMITY.—For the purposes of paragraphs 
(2) and (3) of subsection (b), hours of work performed 
by an individual employed shall be considered equal to 
those performed by an individual employed in a qualifying 
internship or fellowship program by the Department.’’. 
(2) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sec-
tions at the beginning of chapter 7 of such title, as 
amended by subsection (a), is further amended by 
inserting after the item relating to section 718 the 
following new item: 
‘‘719. Student and recent graduate hiring into excepted service.’’. 
SEC. 102. EXPANSION OF DIRECT-HIRING AUTHORITY FOR 
DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS IN 
CASE OF SHORTAGE OF HIGHLY QUALIFIED 
CANDIDATES. 
Section 3304(a)(3)(B) of title 5, United States Code, 
is amended by inserting ‘‘(or, with respect to the Depart-
ment of Veterans Affairs, that there exists a severe short-
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age of highly qualified candidates)’’ after ‘‘severe shortage 
of candidates’’. 
SEC. 103. AUTHORITY FOR SECRETARY OF VETERANS AF-
FAIRS ON HIRING OF FORMER FEDERAL EM-
PLOYEES FOR HIGH-DEMAND POSITIONS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Subchapter I of chapter 7 of title 
38, United States Code, is amended by inserting after sec-
tion 711 the following new section: 
‘‘§ 712. Hiring authority for former Federal employ-
ees for high-demand positions 
‘‘(a) AUTHORITY.—(1) The Secretary may appoint a 
former Federal employee to a high-demand position within 
the Department (as determined by the Secretary) for 
which the former Federal employee is highly qualified 
without regard to the provisions of chapter 33 of title 5 
governing appointments in the competitive service. 
‘‘(2) The Secretary may appoint a former Federal 
employee under paragraph (1) to a position at a higher 
grade or with more promotion potential than the position 
previously held by the former Federal employee without 
regard to section 335.103(c)(1)(vi) of title 5, Code of Fed-
eral Regulations (relating to requirements for competitive 
procedures), or any successor thereto. 
‘‘(b) DEFINITION.—In this section, the term ‘former 
Federal employee’ means an individual who— 
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‘‘(1) before the date on which the individual is 
appointed to a position under subsection (a)(1), per-
formed service as an employee, as defined in section 
2105 of title 5, under a career or career-conditional 
appointment; and 
‘‘(2) on the date on which the individual applies 
for the position to which the individual is appointed 
under subsection (a)(1), is not performing service as 
an employee.’’. 
(b) AUDIT.—Not later than 18 months after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the Inspector General of the 
Department of Veterans Affairs shall conduct an audit of, 
and submit to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the 
Senate and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the 
House of Representatives a report on the use by the Sec-
retary of Veterans Affairs of the authority under section 
712 of such title, as added by subsection (a). 
(c) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections 
at the beginning of chapter 7 of such title is amended by 
inserting after the item relating to section 711 the fol-
lowing new item: 
‘‘712. Hiring authority for former Federal employees for high-demand posi-
tions.’’. 
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SEC. 104. USE BY DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS OF 
RE´ SUME´ -BASED APPLICATION METHOD FOR 
HIRING OF SENIOR EXECUTIVES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Subchapter I of chapter 7 of title 
38, United States Code, as amended by section 101, is 
further amended by adding at the end the following new 
section: 
‘‘§ 720. Senior executive hiring 
‘‘(a) RE´SUME´-BASED APPLICATION METHOD.—(1) 
The Secretary shall develop and implement a re´sume´- 
based application method for applications for appointment 
to a position as a senior executive in the Department. 
‘‘(2) The re´sume´-based application method developed 
under subsection (a)— 
‘‘(A) to the extent practicable, shall be com-
parable to the re´sume´-based application method for 
the Senior Executive Service developed by the Office 
of Personnel Management pursuant to Executive 
Order 13714 (80 Fed. Reg. 79225 (December 15, 
2015)); and 
‘‘(B) shall be used by the Department for initial 
applications for a position as a senior executive to 
the extent such use will be more efficient and effec-
tive and less burdensome for all participants. 
‘‘(b) CERTIFICATION OF EXECUTIVE AND MANAGE-
RIAL
QUALIFICATIONS.—Notwithstanding 
section 
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317.502 of title 5, Code of Federal Regulations (relating 
to certification by a Qualifications Review Board of the 
Office of Personnel Management), or any successor there-
to, the Secretary may make an initial career appointment 
of an individual to a position as a senior executive if a 
review board convened by the Department certifies the ex-
ecutive and managerial qualifications of the individual. 
‘‘(c) POSITION AS A SENIOR EXECUTIVE DEFINED.— 
In this section, the term ‘position as a senior executive’ 
means— 
‘‘(1) a position as a career appointee in a Sen-
ior Executive position (as such terms are defined in 
section 3132 of title 5); 
‘‘(2) an administrative or executive position to 
which an individual is appointed under section 
7306(a) or section 7401(1) of this title; or 
‘‘(3) another senior-level position that is classi-
fied above level 15 of the General Schedule.’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections 
at the beginning of chapter 7 of such title, as amended 
by section 101, is further amended by inserting after the 
item relating to section 719 the following new item: 
‘‘720. Senior executive hiring.’’. 
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SEC. 105. REQUIREMENT FOR ESTABLISHMENT OF DEPART-
MENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS RECRUITING 
DATABASE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Subchapter I of chapter 7 of title 
38, United States Code, as amended by section 104 is fur-
ther amended by adding at the end the following new sec-
tion: 
‘‘§ 721. Recruitment database 
‘‘(a) ESTABLISHMENT REQUIRED.—The Secretary 
shall establish and periodically review a single database 
that lists each vacant position in the Department of Vet-
erans Affairs that the Secretary determines is critical to 
the mission of the Department, difficult to fill, or both. 
‘‘(b) QUALIFIED APPLICANT.—If the Secretary deter-
mines that an applicant for a vacant position listed in the 
database established under subsection (a) is qualified for 
such position but does not select the applicant for such 
position, the Secretary, at the election of the applicant, 
shall consider the applicant for other similar vacant posi-
tions listed in the database for which the applicant is 
qualified. 
‘‘(c) PROLONGED VACANCIES.—If the Secretary does 
not fill a vacant position listed in the database established 
under subsection (a) after a period determined appro-
priate by the Secretary, the Secretary— 
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‘‘(1) shall ensure that applicants described in 
subsection (b) are considered for such position; and 
‘‘(2) shall use the database established under 
subsection (a) to assist in filling such position.’’. 
(b) REPORT.—Not later than one year after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit 
to Congress a report on the use and efficacy of the data-
base established under section 723(a) of title 38, United 
States Code, as added by subsection (a). 
(c) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections 
at the beginning of chapter 7 of such title, as amended 
by section 104, is further amended by inserting after the 
item relating to section 720 the following new item: 
‘‘721. Recruitment database.’’. 
SEC. 106. REQUIREMENT THAT SECRETARY OF VETERANS 
AFFAIRS COLLECT INFORMATION ON HIRING 
EFFECTIVENESS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Subchapter I of chapter 7 of title 
38, United States Code, as amended by section 105, is 
further amended by adding at the end the following new 
sections: 
‘‘§ 722. Information on hiring effectiveness 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall measure and 
collect information on indicators of hiring effectiveness as 
follows: 
‘‘(1) With respect to recruiting and hiring— 
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‘‘(A) the ability to reach and recruit well- 
qualified talent from diverse talent pools, in-
cluding sources of candidates for mission-crit-
ical occupations; 
‘‘(B) the use and impact of special hiring 
authorities and flexibilities to recruit most 
qualified applicants, including the use of stu-
dent internships as a talent pool for permanent 
hires; 
‘‘(C) the use and impact of special hiring 
authorities and flexibilities to recruit diverse 
candidates, including veteran, minority and dis-
abled candidates; 
‘‘(D) the use and impact of special hiring 
authorities and flexibilities to recruit candidates 
for mission-critical occupations and occupations 
with shortages; 
‘‘(E) the age, educational level, and source 
of applicants; 
‘‘(F) the length of time between the date 
on which a position is first identified as vacant 
and the date on which a first offer of employ-
ment for the position is made; 
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‘‘(G) whether the Secretary considers a va-
cant position critical, a staffing shortage, or dif-
ficult to fill; 
‘‘(H) the length of time between the date 
on which a first offer of employment for a posi-
tion is made and the date on which a new hire 
starts in that position and the number of offers 
of employment made for the position before the 
position is filled; 
‘‘(I) the number of internal and external 
applicants for positions; 
‘‘(J) the ways in which vacant positions 
are advertised; and 
‘‘(K) the number of offers accepted com-
pared to the number of offers made for perma-
nent positions. 
‘‘(2) With respect to the hiring authority— 
‘‘(A) the satisfaction of the hiring author-
ity with— 
‘‘(i) the quality of new hires; 
‘‘(ii) the match between the skills of 
newly hired individuals and the needs of 
the Department; 
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‘‘(iii) the hiring process and hiring 
outcomes after the first year of the em-
ployment of a new hire; and 
‘‘(iv) the length of time that elapses 
to fill a position and for a new hire to 
begin working in a new position; and 
‘‘(B) mission-critical deficiencies filled by 
new hires and the connection between mission- 
critical deficiencies and annual agency perform-
ance. 
‘‘(3) Satisfaction of employees with authority to 
hire and new employees throughout the Department 
with human resources offices of the Department, 
which shall be obtained by asking their views of the 
information and support they received from their 
human resources offices. 
‘‘(4) Satisfaction of employment applicants who 
were interviewed with the hiring process, including 
with respect to the clarity of job announcement, rea-
sons for withdrawal of applications, user-friendliness 
of the application process, communication regarding 
status of application, and timeliness of hiring deci-
sion. 
‘‘(5) With respect to a newly hired employee— 
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‘‘(A) the satisfaction of the employee with 
the hiring process as described in paragraph 
(4); 
‘‘(B) the satisfaction with the process of 
joining and becoming oriented with the Depart-
ment, including with respect to the timeliness of 
such process after the hiring decision, the ori-
entation process, and being provided with time-
ly and useful new employee information and as-
sistance after the hire is made but before the 
new hire starts in that position and after the 
new hire has begun; 
‘‘(C) attrition and reasons for leaving; 
‘‘(D) investment in training and develop-
ment for the employee during the first year of 
employment; and 
‘‘(E) significant barriers to the effective re-
cruitment, selection, joining and becoming ori-
ented with the Department, and retention of 
employees. 
‘‘(b) DISAGGREGATION
OF DATA.—To the extent 
practicable and in a manner which protects personally 
identifiable information of applicants and employees, the 
Secretary shall— 
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‘‘(1) collect and report data collected under 
subsection (a) disaggregated by facility and Veterans 
Integrated Service Network; and 
‘‘(2) ensure that data collected under subsection 
(a) is collected from human resources offices 
throughout the Department. 
‘‘(c) ANNUAL REPORTS.—(1) Not less frequently 
than once each year, the Secretary shall submit to the 
Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and the 
Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Rep-
resentatives a report of the information collected under 
subsection (a). 
‘‘(2) Not less frequently than once each year, the Sec-
retary shall make publicly available the information col-
lected under subsection (a) in a consistent and machine- 
readable format to allow for a comparison of hiring effec-
tiveness and experience by Veterans Integrated Service 
Network or comparable public or private sector organiza-
tion.’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections 
at the beginning of chapter 7 of such title, as amended 
by section 105, is further amended by inserting after the 
item relating to section 721 the following new item: 
‘‘722. Information on hiring effectiveness.’’. 
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SEC. 107. REQUIREMENT THAT SECRETARY OF VETERANS 
AFFAIRS CARRY OUT STANDARDIZED EXIT 
SURVEYS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Subchapter I of chapter 7 of title 
38, United States Code, as amended by section 106, is 
further amended by adding at the end the following new 
sections: 
‘‘§ 723. Exit surveys 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—(1) The Secretary shall develop 
and carry out a standardized exit survey to be voluntarily 
completed by career and noncareer employees and execu-
tives of the Department who voluntarily separate from the 
Department. 
‘‘(2) The exit survey required by paragraph (1) shall 
be developed in consultation with an appropriate non-De-
partment entity with experience developing such surveys. 
‘‘(b) SURVEY CONTENT.—The survey required by 
subsection (a)(1) shall include, at a minimum— 
‘‘(1) reasons for leaving the Department; 
‘‘(2) efforts made by the supervisor of the em-
ployee to retain the individual; 
‘‘(3) the extent of job satisfaction and engage-
ment during the employment; 
‘‘(4) the intent of employee to either remain 
employed within the Federal Government or to leave 
employment with the Federal Government; and 
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‘‘(5) such other matters as the Secretary deter-
mines appropriate. 
‘‘(c) ANONYMITY OF SURVEY CONTENT.—The Sec-
retary shall ensure that, to the extent possible, data col-
lected under subsection (a) is anonymized and personally 
identifiable information is removed. 
‘‘(d) SHARING OF SURVEY DATA.—The Secretary 
shall ensure that the results of the survey required by sub-
section (a) are shared on an annual basis with directors 
and managers of facilities of the Department and the Vet-
erans Integrated Service Networks. 
‘‘(e) ANNUAL REPORT.—(1) Not later than one year 
after the date of the enactment of the Better Workforce 
for Veterans Act of 2017 and not less frequently than once 
each year thereafter, the Secretary shall submit to the 
Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and the 
Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Rep-
resentatives a report containing the aggregate results of 
the exit survey under subsection (a) covering the year 
prior to the report. 
‘‘(2) Each report submitted under paragraph (1) 
shall include, for the period covered by the report— 
‘‘(A) an analysis of the most common reasons 
employees choose to leave the Department; 
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‘‘(B) steps the Secretary is taking to improve 
retention, particularly for mission-critical occupa-
tions; 
‘‘(C) the demographic characteristics of employ-
ees choosing to leave the Department; 
‘‘(D) any legislative barriers to improving em-
ployee retention; and 
‘‘(E) the number of employees who took the exit 
survey under subsection (a).’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections 
at the beginning of chapter 7 of such title, as amended 
by section 106, is further amended by inserting after the 
item relating to section 722 the following new item: 
‘‘723. Exit surveys.’’. 
SEC. 108. SERVICE REQUIREMENTS FOR HIRING PREF-
ERENCE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 2108(1) of title 5, United 
States Code, is amended by striking ‘‘for a period of more 
than 180 consecutive days’’ each place it appears and in-
serting ‘‘for a total of more than 180 days’’. 
(b) APPLICABILITY.—The amendment made by sub-
section (a) shall apply to any certificate of eligibles fur-
nished to a nominating or appointing authority under sec-
tion 3317 of title 5, United States Code, after the date 
of enactment of this Act. 
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SEC. 109. EXCEPTION ON LIMITATION ON AWARDS AND BO-
NUSES 
FOR 
RECRUITMENT, 
RELOCATION, 
AND RETENTION. 
Section 705(a) of the Veterans Access, Choice, and 
Accountability Act of 2014 (Public Law 113–146; 38 
U.S.C. 703 note) is amended, in the matter preceding 
paragraph (1), by inserting ‘‘other than recruitment, relo-
cation, or retention incentives,’’ after ‘‘title 38, United 
States Code,’’. 
SEC. 110. REPORT ON WORKFORCE VACANCIES WITHIN 
THE VETERANS HEALTH ADMINISTRATION. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 120 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Vet-
erans Affairs shall submit to the Committee on Veterans’ 
Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Veterans’ Af-
fairs of the House of Representatives a report on vacancies 
within the Veterans Health Administration. 
(b) ELEMENTS.—The report required by subsection 
(a) shall include the following: 
(1) With respect to vacancies of personnel ap-
pointed under section 7401 of title 38, United States 
Code— 
(A) the total number of such vacancies; 
(B) 
the 
number 
of 
such 
vacancies 
disaggregated by occupation, State, Veterans 
Integrated Service Network, medical facility, 
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and the central office of the Department of Vet-
erans Affairs; and 
(C) a description of the plans of the Sec-
retary to fill such vacancies, including a 
timeline for filling such vacancies, and an as-
sessment of whether the Secretary requires ad-
ditional hiring authorities to expedite the hiring 
process. 
(2) With respect to vacancies of human re-
source specialists of the Veterans Health Adminis-
tration— 
(A) the total number of such vacancies; 
(B) 
the 
number 
of 
such 
vacancies 
disaggregated by State and medical facility; and 
(C) a description of the plans of the Sec-
retary to fill such vacancies, including a 
timeline for filling such vacancies, and an as-
sessment of whether the Secretary requires ad-
ditional hiring authorities to expedite the hiring 
process. 
(3) A description of any impediments to filling 
the vacancies described in paragraphs (1) and (2) 
and any actions the Secretary intends to take to ad-
dress such impediments. 
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(4) An update on the implementation by the 
Secretary of— 
(A) the Veterans Health Administration 
Workforce and Succession Strategic Plan for 
2016; 
(B) the recommendation by the Office of 
the Inspector General of the Department that 
the Under Secretary for Health develop staffing 
models for critical need occupations of the Vet-
erans Health Administration, as determined by 
the Secretary; and 
(C) the recommendation by the Office of 
the Inspector General that the Under Secretary 
for Health establish milestones and timetables 
for further development, piloting, and imple-
mentation of staffing models for critical need 
occupations of the Veterans Health Administra-
tion, as determined by the Secretary. 
TITLE 
II—ACCOUNTABILITY, 
OVERSIGHT, TRANSPARENCY, 
AND PERSONNEL MATTERS 
SEC. 201. ACCOUNTABILITY IN REDUCTIONS IN FORCE BY 
DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Subchapter I of chapter 7 of title 
38, United States Code, as amended by section 107, is 
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further amended by adding at the end the following new 
section: 
‘‘§ 724. Reduction in force based on performance 
‘‘Notwithstanding section 3502 of title 5, for any re-
duction in force by the Department, competing employees 
shall be released with due effect given to the following, 
in the following order of priority: 
‘‘(1) Tenure of employment. 
‘‘(2) Military preference, subject to section 
3501(a)(3) of title 5. 
‘‘(3) Efficiency or performance ratings. 
‘‘(4) Length of service.’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections 
at the beginning of chapter 7 of such title, as amended 
by section 107, is further amended by inserting after the 
item relating to section 723 the following new item: 
‘‘724. Reduction in force based on performance.’’. 
SEC. 202. AUTHORITY FOR DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AF-
FAIRS PUBLIC-PRIVATE TALENT EXCHANGE. 
(a) AUTHORITY.—Subchapter I of chapter 7 of title 
38, United States Code, as amended by section 201, is 
further amended by adding at the end the following new 
section: 
‘‘§ 725. Public-private talent exchange 
‘‘(a) ASSIGNMENT AUTHORITY.—Under regulations 
prescribed by the Secretary, the Secretary may, with the 
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agreement of a private-sector organization and the consent 
of an employee of the Department and an employee of the 
private-sector organization, arrange for the temporary as-
signment under this section of— 
‘‘(1) the employee of the Department to such 
private-sector organization to occupy the position 
previously held by the employee of such private-sec-
tor organization; and 
‘‘(2) the employee of such private-sector organi-
zation whose position is being temporarily occupied 
by the employee of the Department under paragraph 
(1) to temporarily occupy the position at the Depart-
ment of the employee of the Department who is 
being temporarily assigned under paragraph (1). 
‘‘(b) AGREEMENTS.—(1) The Secretary shall provide 
for a written agreement among the Department, the pri-
vate-sector organization, and the employees concerned re-
garding the terms and conditions of the employees’ assign-
ment under this section. The agreement— 
‘‘(A) shall require that the employee of the De-
partment, upon completion of the assignment, will 
serve in the Department; 
‘‘(B) shall provide that if the employee of the 
Department or of the private-sector organization (as 
the case may be) fails to carry out the agreement, 
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such employee shall be liable to the United States 
for payment of all expenses of the assignment, un-
less that failure was for good and sufficient reason, 
as determined by the Secretary; and 
‘‘(C) shall contain language ensuring that such 
employee of the Department does not improperly use 
pre-decisional or draft deliberative information that 
such employee may be privy to or aware of related 
to Department programing, budgeting, resourcing, 
acquisition, or procurement for the benefit or advan-
tage of the private-sector organization. 
‘‘(2) An amount for which an employee is liable under 
paragraph (1) shall be treated as a debt due the United 
States. 
‘‘(3) The Secretary may waive, in whole or in part, 
collection of a debt described in paragraph (2) based on 
a determination that the collection would be against equity 
and good conscience and not in the best interests of the 
United States, after taking into account any indication of 
fraud, misrepresentation, fault, or lack of good faith on 
the part of the employee. 
‘‘(c) TERMINATION.—An assignment under this sec-
tion may, at any time and for any reason, be terminated 
by the Department or the private-sector organization con-
cerned. 
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‘‘(d) DURATION.—(1) An assignment under this sec-
tion shall be for a period of not less than three months 
and not more than two years, renewable up to a total of 
four years. No employee of the Department may be as-
signed under this section for more than a total of four 
years inclusive of all such assignments. 
‘‘(2) An assignment under this section may be for a 
period in excess of two years, but not more than four 
years, if the Secretary determines that such assignment 
is necessary to meet critical mission or program require-
ments. 
‘‘(e) STATUS OF FEDERAL EMPLOYEES ASSIGNED TO 
PRIVATE-SECTOR ORGANIZATIONS.—(1) An employee of 
the Department who is assigned to a private-sector organi-
zation under this section shall be considered, during the 
period of assignment, to be on detail to a regular work 
assignment in the Department for all purposes. The writ-
ten agreement established under subsection (b)(1) shall 
address the specific terms and conditions related to the 
employee’s continued status as a Federal employee. 
‘‘(2) In establishing a temporary assignment of an 
employee of the Department to a private-sector organiza-
tion, the Secretary shall— 
‘‘(A) ensure that the normal duties and func-
tions of such employee can be reasonably performed 
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by other employees of the Department without the 
transfer or reassignment of other personnel of the 
Department; 
‘‘(B) ensure that the normal duties and func-
tions of such employees are not, as a result of and 
during the course of such temporary assignment, 
performed or augmented by a contractor; and 
‘‘(C) certify that the temporary assignment of 
such employee shall not have an adverse or negative 
impact on the provision of benefits or services to vet-
erans. 
‘‘(f) TERMS AND CONDITIONS FOR PRIVATE-SECTOR 
EMPLOYEES.—An employee of a private-sector organiza-
tion who is assigned to the Department under this sec-
tion— 
‘‘(1) shall continue to receive pay and benefits 
from the private-sector organization from which such 
employee is assigned and shall not receive pay or 
benefits from the Department, except as provided in 
paragraph (2); 
‘‘(2) is deemed to be an employee of the De-
partment for the purposes of— 
‘‘(A) chapters 73 and 81 of title 5; 
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‘‘(B) sections 201, 203, 205, 207, 208, 
209, 603, 606, 607, 643, 654, 1905, and 1913 
of title 18; 
‘‘(C) sections 1343, 1344, and 1349(b) of 
title 31; 
‘‘(D) the Federal Tort Claims Act and any 
other Federal tort liability statute; 
‘‘(E) the Ethics in Government Act of 
1978; and 
‘‘(F) chapter 21 of title 41; 
‘‘(3) shall not have access to any trade secrets 
or to any other nonpublic information which is of 
commercial value to the private-sector organization 
from which such employee is assigned; 
‘‘(4) may perform work that is considered in-
herently governmental in nature only when requested 
in writing by the Secretary; and 
‘‘(5) may not be used to circumvent any limita-
tion or restriction on the size of the Department’s 
workforce. 
‘‘(g) PROHIBITION AGAINST CHARGING CERTAIN 
COSTS TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.—A private-sec-
tor organization may not charge the Department or any 
other agency of the Federal Government, as direct or indi-
rect costs under a Federal contract, the costs of pay or 
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benefits paid by the organization to an employee assigned 
to the Department under this section for the period of the 
assignment. 
‘‘(h) CONSIDERATIONS.—In carrying out this section, 
the Secretary— 
‘‘(1) shall ensure that, of the assignments made 
under this section each year, at least 20 percent are 
from small business concerns (as defined by section 
3703(e)(2)(A) of title 5); 
‘‘(2) shall take into consideration the question 
of how assignments under this section might best be 
used to help meet the needs of the Department with 
respect to the training of employees; and 
‘‘(3) shall take into consideration, where appli-
cable, areas of particular private sector expertise, 
such 
as 
information 
technology, 
cybersecurity, 
human resources, health care management, con-
tracting, acquisition, and finance.’’. 
(b) TABLE OF SECTIONS AMENDMENT.—The table of 
sections at the beginning of such chapter, as amended by 
section 201, is further amended by inserting after the item 
relating to section 724 the following new item: 
‘‘725. Public-private talent exchange.’’. 
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SEC. 203. TREATMENT OF MEDICAL CENTER DIRECTORS 
AND DIRECTORS OF VETERANS INTEGRATED 
SERVICE NETWORKS. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT OF VISN DIRECTORS IN OF-
FICE OF UNDER SECRETARY FOR HEALTH.—Subsection 
(a)(4) of section 7306 of title 38, United States Code, is 
amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘Such Medical Directors’’ and 
inserting ‘‘Such Medical Center Directors and Direc-
tors of Veterans Integrated Service Networks’’; and 
(2) by striking ‘‘, who shall be either a qualified 
doctor of medicine or a qualified doctor of dental 
surgery or dental medicine’’. 
(b) QUALIFICATIONS.—Such section is amended by 
adding at the end the following new subsection: 
‘‘(g) Notwithstanding any provision of law that re-
quires the Office of Personnel Management to determine 
qualifications or certify a candidate for appointment under 
this section, Medical Center Directors and Directors of 
Veterans Integrated Service Networks may be appointed 
under subsection (a)(4) in accordance with qualifications 
established by the Secretary for purposes of this section.’’. 
(c) ABILITY TO TRANSFER.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Subject to such regulations 
as the Director of the Office of Personnel Manage-
ment may prescribe, the Secretary of Veterans Af-
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fairs and the Director shall enter into an agreement 
that permits employees appointed under section 
7306(a)(4) of title 38, United States Code, as 
amended by subsection (a), to transfer to Senior Ex-
ecutive Service positions in other Federal agencies 
and to be deemed career appointees who are not 
subject to competition or certification by a qualifica-
tions review board under section 3393 of title 5, 
United States Code. 
(2) DEFINITIONS.—In this subsection, the 
terms ‘‘Senior Executive Service position’’ and ‘‘ca-
reer appointee’’ have the meanings given those terms 
in section 3132(a) of title 5, United States Code. 
SEC. 204. PAY FOR MEDICAL CENTER DIRECTORS AND DI-
RECTORS OF VETERANS INTEGRATED SERV-
ICE NETWORKS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 74 of title 38, United 
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing new subchapter: 
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‘‘Subchapter VII—Pay for Medical Center Di-
rectors and Directors of Veterans Inte-
grated Service Networks 
‘‘§ 7481. Pay for Medical Center Directors and Direc-
tors of Veterans Integrated Service Net-
works 
‘‘(a) ELEMENTS OF PAY.—Pay for a Medical Center 
Director or Director of a Veterans Integrated Service Net-
work appointed under section 7306(a)(4) of this title (in 
this section referred to as a ‘Director’) shall consist of 
basic pay set forth under section 7404(a) of this title and 
market pay determined under subsection (b). 
‘‘(b) MARKET PAY.—(1) Each Director is eligible for 
market pay determined under this subsection. 
‘‘(2) The amount of market pay payable to a Director 
under this section shall be determined by the Secretary 
on a case-by-case basis and shall consist of pay intended 
to reflect needs of the Department with respect to the re-
cruitment and retention (as determined by the Secretary) 
of such Director. 
‘‘(3) In determining the amount of market pay pay-
able to a Director under this section, the Secretary shall— 
‘‘(A) consult not fewer than two national sur-
veys on pay for hospital directors, medical facility di-
rectors, or other similar positions, whether prepared 
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by private, public, or quasi-public entities, to make 
a general assessment of the range of potential pay 
for the Director; and 
‘‘(B) take into account— 
‘‘(i) the experience of the Director in man-
aging facilities or program offices of the De-
partment, including the complexity of such fa-
cilities or offices; 
‘‘(ii) the complexity of the facility or facili-
ties to be managed by the Director; 
‘‘(iii) the labor market, in such geographic 
area as the Secretary considers relevant, for 
hospital directors, medical facility directors, and 
other similar positions; 
‘‘(iv) the experience of the Director in 
managing medical facilities for other Federal 
agencies, private entities, or nonprofit entities; 
and 
‘‘(v) such other considerations as the Sec-
retary considers appropriate. 
‘‘(4)(A) The Secretary shall evaluate the amount of 
market pay payable to a Director under this section not 
less frequently than once every two years and may adjust 
the market pay payable to such Director as a result of 
such evaluation. 
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‘‘(B) A Director whose market pay is evaluated under 
subparagraph (A) shall receive written notice of the re-
sults of such evaluation. 
‘‘(c) REQUIREMENTS AND LIMITATIONS ON TOTAL 
PAY.—(1) Not less frequently than once every two years, 
the Secretary shall set forth a departmentwide minimum 
and maximum amount for total annual pay under sub-
section (a) that may be paid to a Director and shall pub-
lish each such amount in the Federal Register. 
‘‘(2) The minimum and maximum amounts set forth 
under paragraph (1) shall take effect not earlier than the 
date that is 60 days after the publication of such amounts 
under such paragraph. 
‘‘(3) The sum of the basic pay set forth under section 
7404(a) of this title and market pay determined under 
subsection (b) for a Director for a calendar year— 
‘‘(A) may not be less than the most recent min-
imum amount set forth under paragraph (1) before 
the beginning of such calendar year; and 
‘‘(B) may not be more than the most recent 
maximum amount set forth under such paragraph 
before the beginning of such calendar year. 
‘‘(4) The total amount of compensation paid to a Di-
rector under this title in any calendar year may not exceed 
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the amount of annual compensation (excluding expenses) 
of the President under section 102 of title 3. 
‘‘(5) The Secretary may not delegate to an officer or 
employee of the Department the requirement of the Sec-
retary to set forth a departmentwide minimum and max-
imum amount under paragraph (1). 
‘‘(d) TREATMENT OF PAY.—Pay under this section 
shall be considered pay for all purposes, including retire-
ment benefits under chapters 83 and 84 of title 5 and 
other benefits. 
‘‘(e) ANCILLARY EFFECTS OF DECREASES IN PAY.— 
(1) A decrease in pay of a Director resulting from an ad-
justment in the amount of market pay of the Director 
under subsection (b) shall not be treated as an adverse 
action. 
‘‘(2) A decrease in the amount of pay of a Director 
resulting from an involuntary reassignment in connection 
with a disciplinary action taken against the Director is not 
subject to appeal or judicial review. 
‘‘(f) OPM REVIEW AND REPORTS.—(1) The Director 
of the Office of Personnel Management shall undertake 
periodic reviews of the determinations pursuant to sub-
section (b) of amounts of market pay payable pursuant 
to this section. 
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‘‘(2)(A) The Director shall certify to the Committees 
on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and the House of Rep-
resentatives each year whether or not the amounts of mar-
ket pay determined pursuant to subsection (b) for the pre-
ceding year were determined in accordance with the re-
quirements of that subsection. 
‘‘(B) If the Director determines pursuant to para-
graph (1) that one or more amounts of market pay deter-
mined for a year were not determined in accordance with 
the requirements of subsection (b), the Director shall sub-
mit to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate 
and the House of Representatives a report on such deter-
mination of the Director as soon as practicable after such 
determination.’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections 
at the beginning of chapter 74 of such title is amended 
by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘SUBCHAPTER VII. PAY FOR MEDICAL CENTER DIRECTORS AND DIRECTORS OF 
VETERANS INTEGRATED SERVICE NETWORKS 
‘‘7481. Pay for Medical Center Directors and Directors of Veterans Integrated 
Service Networks.’’. 
(c) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by 
this section shall take effect on the date that is one year 
after the date of the enactment of this Act. 
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SEC. 205. REQUIREMENT FOR ESTABLISHMENT OF HUMAN 
RESOURCES ACADEMY IN VETERANS HEALTH 
ADMINISTRATION. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Subchapter I of chapter 74 of title 
38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end 
the following new section: 
‘‘§ 7413. Human resources academy 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—(1) The Secretary shall provide 
to human resources professionals of the Veterans Health 
Administration training on how to best recruit and retain 
employees of the Veterans Health Administration, includ-
ing with respect to any recruitment and retention matters 
that are unique to the Veterans Health Administration 
pursuant to this chapter or other provisions of law. 
‘‘(2) The Secretary shall provide such training in a 
manner that the Secretary determines appropriate in light 
of budget, travel, and other constraints. 
‘‘(b) AMOUNT OF TRAINING.—The Secretary shall 
ensure that each human resources professional of the Vet-
erans Health Administration receives the training de-
scribed in subsection (a)— 
‘‘(1) as soon as practicable after being hired by 
the Secretary as a human resource professional; and 
‘‘(2) annually thereafter. 
‘‘(c) CERTIFICATION.—The Secretary shall ensure 
that, upon the completion by a human resources profes-
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sional of the training described in subsection (a), the di-
rector of a Department medical center, the director of a 
Veterans Integrated Service Network, or a senior officer 
at the central office of the Veterans Health Administration 
certifies whether the human resources professional re-
ceived the training and understands the information pro-
vided by the training. 
‘‘(d) ANNUAL REPORT.—Not less frequently than 
once each year, the Secretary shall submit to the Com-
mittee on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and the Com-
mittee on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representa-
tives a report on the training described in subsection (a), 
including the cost of providing such training and the num-
ber of human resources professionals who received such 
training during the year covered by the report.’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections 
at the beginning of chapter 74 of such title is amended 
by inserting after the item relating to section 7412 the 
following new item: 
‘‘7413. Human resources academy.’’. 
SEC. 206. INCLUSION OF MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS 
IN EDUCATION AND TRAINING PROGRAM FOR 
HEALTH PERSONNEL OF THE DEPARTMENT 
OF VETERANS AFFAIRS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—In carrying out the education and 
training program required under section 7302(a)(1) of 
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title 38, United States Code, the Secretary of Veterans 
Affairs shall include education and training of marriage 
and family therapists and licensed professional mental 
health counselors. 
(b) PARITY
IN LICENSING
AND CREDENTIALING 
STANDARDS.—In carrying out the education and training 
program described in subsection (a), the Secretary shall, 
to the degree practicable, ensure that the licensing and 
credentialing standards of therapists and counselors de-
scribed in subsection (a) for eligibility to participate in the 
program are the same as the licensing and credentialing 
standards for eligibility of other participants in the pro-
gram. 
(c) APPORTIONMENT OF FUNDING.—The Secretary 
shall apportion funding for the education and training 
program described in subsection (a) equally among the 
professions included in the program. 
SEC. 207. ASSIGNMENT TO DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AF-
FAIRS OF COMMISSIONED OFFICERS OF THE 
REGULAR CORPS OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH 
SERVICE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Vet-
erans Affairs and the Surgeon General shall enter into a 
memorandum of understanding for the assignment of not 
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fewer than 500 commissioned officers of the Regular 
Corps of the Public Health Service to the Department of 
Veterans Affairs. Such assignments shall be made in the 
same manner in which assignments are made to other de-
partments and agencies in the Federal Government. 
(b) REIMBURSEMENT.—The Secretary shall reim-
burse the Surgeon General for such expenses as the Sur-
geon General may incur in assigning commissioned offi-
cers pursuant to a memorandum of understanding entered 
into under subsection (a). 
(c) REPORT.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Not later than one year 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Sec-
retary and the Surgeon General shall each submit to 
the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate 
and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the 
House of Representatives a report on the memo-
randum of understanding entered into under sub-
section (a) and the commissioned officers assigned 
pursuant to such memorandum of understanding. 
(2) CONTENTS.—The report required by para-
graph (1) shall include the following: 
(A) The numbers, grades, and specialties 
of commissioned officers assigned pursuant to 
the memorandum of understanding. 
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(B) A description of any problems encoun-
tered in such assignment. 
SEC. 208. HOLDING DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS 
LEADERS ACCOUNTABLE FOR ADDRESSING 
SYSTEMIC HUMAN CAPITAL CHALLENGES AT 
THE VETERANS HEALTH ADMINISTRATION. 
(a) COMPREHENSIVE
COMPETENCY
ASSESSMENT 
TOOL.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Not later than one year 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Sec-
retary of Veterans Affairs, acting through the Under 
Secretary for Health, shall develop a comprehensive 
competency assessment tool for human resources 
employees of the Veterans Health Administration 
that can be used to assess the knowledge of such 
employees on matters relating to how section 
7401(1) employees are treated differently than other 
employees of the Department of Veterans Affairs 
under titles 5 and 38, United States Code. 
(2) CERTIFICATION RELATING TO USE OF COM-
PREHENSIVE
COMPETENCY
ASSESSMENT
TOOL.— 
Not later than two years after the date of the enact-
ment of this Act, and not less frequently than once 
every two years thereafter, the Secretary shall sub-
mit to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the 
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Senate and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of 
the House of Representatives a certification as to— 
(A) whether an assessment of all human 
resources employees of the Veterans Health Ad-
ministration has been conducted through the 
use of the comprehensive competency assess-
ment tool developed under paragraph (1); and 
(B) whether such employees use the results 
of such assessment to identify and address com-
petency gaps within human resources offices of 
the Veterans Health Administration. 
(b) EVALUATION OF TRAINING STRATEGIES.—Not 
later than 18 months after the date of the enactment of 
this Act, the Under Secretary for Health shall evaluate 
the extent to which training strategies of the Under Sec-
retary are effective at improving the skills and com-
petencies of human resources employees of the Veterans 
Health Administration. 
(c) ESTABLISHMENT AND CLARIFICATION OF LINES 
OF AUTHORITY WITHIN VETERANS HEALTH ADMINIS-
TRATION.— 
(1) LINES OF AUTHORITY FOR ASSISTANT DEP-
UTY UNDER SECRETARY FOR HEALTH FOR WORK-
FORCE SERVICES.—Not later than one year after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary, act-
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ing through the Under Secretary for Health, shall 
establish clear lines of authority that provide the As-
sistant Deputy Under Secretary for Health for 
Workforce Services the ability— 
(A) to oversee and hold the heads of the 
human resources offices of medical centers of 
the Department of Veterans Affairs account-
able— 
(i) for implementing initiatives to im-
prove human resource processes within 
such offices; and 
(ii) for ensuring that employees of 
such offices undertake an assessment using 
the comprehensive competency assessment 
tool developed under subsection (a); and 
(B) to monitor and report on the results of 
initiatives described in subparagraph (A)(i). 
(2) CLARIFICATION OF LINES OF AUTHORITY 
RELATING TO OVERSIGHT OF VISNS AND MEDICAL 
CENTERS.—Not later than one year after the date of 
the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall clarify 
the lines of authority and processes for the Under 
Secretary for Health and the Assistant Secretary for 
Human Resources and Administration with respect 
to overseeing and holding the heads of the Veterans 
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Integrated Service Networks and the heads of the 
medical facilities of the Veterans Health Administra-
tion accountable for the consistent application of 
Federal classification policies. 
(d) OVERSIGHT OF CORRECTIVE ACTIONS AT HUMAN 
RESOURCES OFFICES OF MEDICAL CENTERS.—The Sec-
retary shall ensure that the Under Secretary for Health 
and the Assistant Secretary for Human Resources and 
Administration are responsible for monitoring the status 
of corrective actions taken at human resources offices of 
medical centers of the Department and ensuring that such 
actions are implemented. 
(e) EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE RATINGS.—The Sec-
retary shall ensure that meaningful distinctions are made 
in performance ratings of employees of the Veterans 
Health Administration by— 
(1) developing and implementing standardized, 
comprehensive performance management training 
for supervisors of section 7401(1) employees and su-
pervisors of other employees of the Administration; 
(2) ensuring that the training developed and 
implemented under paragraph (1) is based on best 
practices; 
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(3) ensuring procedures are in place to support 
effective performance conversations between super-
visors and employees; 
(4) reviewing and revising performance manage-
ment policies for section 7401(1) employees and 
other employees of the Administration in a manner 
consistent with best practices in the private sector; 
and 
(5) developing and implementing a process to 
standardize performance plan elements, standards, 
and metrics for common positions across the Admin-
istration. 
(f) PLAN FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF INFORMATION 
TECHNOLOGY SYSTEM TO SUPPORT EMPLOYEE PER-
FORMANCE MANAGEMENT PROCESSES.—Not later than 
one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the 
Secretary, acting through the Under Secretary for Health 
and the Assistant Secretary for Human Resources and 
Administration, shall develop a plan to implement a mod-
ern information technology system to support employee 
performance management processes. Such plan shall in-
clude an indication of how and when the Secretary will 
implement the plan. 
(g) ENGAGEMENT
OF EMPLOYEES
OF VETERANS 
HEALTH ADMINISTRATION.— 
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(1) IN
GENERAL.—Not later than one year 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Sec-
retary, acting through the Under Secretary for 
Health, shall establish clear lines of authority and 
accountability for developing, implementing, and 
monitoring strategies for improving employee en-
gagement across the Veterans Health Administra-
tion. 
(2) REPORT.—Not later than one year after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary, act-
ing through the Under Secretary for Health, shall 
submit to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the 
Senate and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of 
the House of Representatives a report on whether 
the Veterans Health Administration should establish 
an employee engagement office at the headquarters 
level with appropriate oversight of employee engage-
ment initiatives of the Veterans Integrated Service 
Network and medical centers of the Department. 
(h) COMPTROLLER
GENERAL
OF
THE
UNITED 
STATES EXAMINATION
OF HUMAN RESOURCE FUNC-
TIONS.— 
(1) EXAMINATION.—Not later than one year 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the 
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grade for each position as a police officer or firefighter 
in the Department of Veterans Affairs are in accordance 
with the standards for the classification of such positions 
prepared by the Office of Personnel Management under 
section 5105 of title 5, United States Code. 
(b) STAFFING MODEL.—The Secretary shall develop 
a staffing model for positions of police officers and fire-
fighters in the Department. 
(c) AUDIT OF RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION EF-
FORTS.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—The Inspector General of 
the Department of Veterans Affairs shall conduct an 
audit of the efforts of the Department to recruit and 
retain police officers and firefighters. 
(2) REPORT.—Not later than one year after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Inspector 
General shall submit to the Secretary of Veterans 
Affairs, the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the 
Senate, and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of 
the House of Representatives a report on the audit 
conducted under paragraph (1). 
(d) REPORT ON RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION OF 
POLICE OFFICERS.—Not later than one year after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Vet-
erans Affairs shall submit to the Committee on Veterans’ 
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