II
Calendar No. 420
103D CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H. R. 4013
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
MAY 2, 1994
Received
MAY 3 (legislative day, MAY 2), 1994
Read twice and ordered placed on the calendar
AN ACT
To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide the Sec-
retary of Veterans Affairs with necessary flexibility in
staffing the Veterans Health Administration.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. FINDINGS.
The Congress makes the following findings:
(1) Under proposals for national health care re-
form, the Department of Veterans Affairs would be
required to establish an enrollment system for veter-
ans and to provide health care on a competitive basis
with other, private health care providers.
(2) In order to be able to implement changes
contemplated by proposals for national health care
reform, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs must have
flexibility to restructure and reform the Veterans
Health Administration as necessary without exter-
nally imposed constraints on full-time equivalent em-
ployee (FTEE) positions levels.
(3) The Office of Management and Budget, as
part of an announced plan to require a reduction
over five years of 252,000 FTEE positions in the
executive branch, proposes to require reductions of
FTEE positions totaling 25,493 in personnel of the
Veterans Health Administration, a reduction in per-
sonnel which would severely impede the ability of the
Department of Veterans Affairs to implement na-
tional health care reform and to meet the respon-
sibilities of the Department under existing law.
SEC. 2. EMPLOYMENT LEVEL IN VETERANS HEALTH AD-
MINISTRATION.
(a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 7 of title 38, United
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the follow-
ing new section:
‘‘§ 713. Full-time equivalent employees: limitation on
reduction
‘‘(a) During the five-year period beginning on Octo-
ber 1, 1994, no reduction may be made in the number
of full-time equivalent employees in the Veterans Health
Administration other than as specifically required by a law
directing reductions in personnel or positions of the Veter-
ans Health Administration or by the availability of funds.
During that period, the personnel of the Veterans Health
Administration shall be managed on the basis of the needs
of eligible veterans and the availability of funds.
‘‘(b) During the period specified in subsection (a), no
law imposing a restriction on hiring by executive agencies
for the purpose of achieving workforce reductions shall
apply to the Veterans Health Administration.
‘‘(c) No law may be construed as suspending or modi-
fying this section unless such law specifically refers to or
amends this section.’’.
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections
at the beginning of such chapter is amended by adding
at the end the following new item:
‘‘713. Full-time equivalent employees: limitation on reduction.’’.
SEC. 3. REPORT ON STREAMLINING.
Not later than January 15, 1995, the Secretary of
Veterans Affairs shall submit to the Committees on Veter-
ans’ Affairs of the Senate and House of Representatives
a report on streamlining activities in the Veterans Health
Administration. The report shall include a description
of—
(1) opportunities to improve the efficiency and
effectiveness of delivery of health care services in the
Veterans Health Administration through consolida-
tion, reorganization, or other means;
(2) plans and actions taken to realize such effi-
ciencies; and
(3) impediments to implementing particular
plans.
Passed the House of Representatives April 28, 1994.
Attest:
DONNALD K. ANDERSEN,
Clerk.