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given that term in section 201(c) of the Dignified 
Burial and Other Veterans’ Benefits Improvement Act 
of 2012 (Public Law 112–260; 38 U.S.C. 527 note). 
‘‘(c) COORDINATION WITH OFFICE
OF PERSONNEL 
MANAGEMENT.—In implementing this section, the Sec-
retary shall coordinate with the Director of the Office of 
Personnel Management. 
‘‘(d) REPORTS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—For each quarter that the 
Secretary waives a limitation under this section, the 
Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Veterans’ 
Affairs of the Senate, the Committee on Veterans’ Af-
fairs of the House of Representatives, and the Office 
of Personnel Management a report on the waiver or 
waivers. 
‘‘(2) CONTENTS.—Each report submitted under 
paragraph (1) with respect to a waiver or waivers 
shall include the following: 
‘‘(A) Where the waiver or waivers were 
used, including in which component of the De-
partment and, as the case may be, which medical 
center of the Department. 
‘‘(B) For how many employees the waiver 
or waivers were used, disaggregated by compo-
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nent of the Department and, if applicable, med-
ical center of the Department. 
‘‘(C) The average amount by which each 
payment exceeded the pay limitation that was 
waived, disaggregated by component of the De-
partment and, if applicable, medical center of 
the Department. 
‘‘(e) EMPLOYEE DEFINED.—In this section, the term 
‘employee’ means any employee regardless of the authority 
under which the employee was hired. 
‘‘(f) TERMINATION.—This section shall terminate on 
September 30, 2027.’’. 
SEC. 908. ELIMINATION OF LIMITATION ON AWARDS AND 
BONUS FOR EMPLOYEES OF DEPARTMENT OF 
VETERANS AFFAIRS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 705(a) of the Veterans Ac-
cess, Choice, and Accountability Act of 2014 (Public Law 
113–146; 38 U.S.C. 703 note) is amended by striking para-
graph (3). 
(b) APPLICABILITY.—Subsection (a) shall take effect on 
the date of the enactment of this Act and apply as if such 
subsection had been enacted on September 30, 2021.
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SEC. 909. ADDITIONAL AUTHORITY OF THE SECRETARY OF 
VETERANS AFFAIRS RELATING TO RECRUIT-
MENT AND RETENTION OF PERSONNEL. 
Subchapter I of chapter 7 is amended by inserting 
after section 705 the following new section: 
‘‘§ 706. Additional authority relating to recruitment 
and retention of personnel 
‘‘(a) RECRUITMENT AND RELOCATION BONUSES.—The 
Secretary may pay a recruitment or relocation bonus under 
section 5753(e) of title 5 without regard to any require-
ments for certification or approval under that section. 
‘‘(b) RETENTION BONUSES.—(1) The Secretary may 
pay a retention bonus under section 5754(f) of title 5 with-
out regard to any requirement for certification or approval 
under that subsection. 
‘‘(2) The Secretary may pay a retention bonus as spec-
ified in subsection (e)(2) of section 5754 of title 5 and may 
pay the bonus as a single lump-sum payment at the begin-
ning of the full period of service required by an agreement 
under subsection (d) of such section. 
‘‘(c) MERIT AWARDS.—The Secretary may grant a 
cash award under section 4502(b) of title 5 without regard 
to any requirement for certification or approval under that 
section. 
‘‘(d) INCENTIVES FOR CRITICAL SKILLS.—(1) Subject 
to the provisions of this paragraph, the Secretary may pro-
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vide a critical skill incentive to an employee in a case in 
which the Secretary determines— 
‘‘(A) the employee possesses a high-demand skill 
or skill that is at a shortage; 
‘‘(B) such skill is directly related to the duties 
and responsibilities of the employee’s position; and 
‘‘(C) employment of an individual with such 
skill in such position serves a critical mission-related 
need of the Department. 
‘‘(2) An incentive provided to an employee under 
paragraph (1) may not to exceed 25 percent of the basic 
pay of the employee. 
‘‘(3) Provision of an incentive under paragraph (1) 
shall be contingent on the employee entering into a written 
agreement to complete a period of employment with the De-
partment. 
‘‘(4) An incentive provided under paragraph (1) shall 
not be considered basic pay for any purpose. 
‘‘(5) The Secretary may prescribe conditions, includ-
ing with respect to eligibility, and limitations on provision 
of incentive under paragraph (1). 
‘‘(6) Incentive provided under paragraph (1) shall not 
be included in the calculation of total amount of compensa-
tion under section 7431(e)(4) of this title.
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‘‘(e) STUDENT LOAN REPAYMENTS.—(1) Subject to the 
provisions of this subsection, the Secretary may repay a 
student loan pursuant to section 5379(b) of title 5. 
‘‘(2) Paragraph (2) of such section shall not apply to 
payment under this subsection. 
‘‘(3) Payment under this subsection shall be made sub-
ject to such terms, limitations, or conditions as may be mu-
tually agreed to by the Secretary and the employee con-
cerned, except that the amount paid by the Secretary under 
this subsection may not exceed— 
‘‘(A) $40,000 for any employee in any calendar 
year; or 
‘‘(B) a total of $100,000 in the case of any em-
ployee. 
‘‘(f) EXPEDITED HIRING AUTHORITY FOR COLLEGE 
GRADUATES; COMPETITIVE SERVICE.—(1) Subject to para-
graph (2) of this subsection, the Secretary may expedite hir-
ing for college graduates under section 3115 of title 5 with-
out regard to subsection (e) of such section or any regula-
tions prescribed by the Office of Personnel Management for 
administration of such subsection. 
‘‘(2) The number of employees the Secretary may ap-
point under section 3115 of title 5 may not exceed the num-
ber equal to 25 percent of individuals that the Secretary 
appointed during the previous fiscal year to a position in
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the competitive service classified in a professional or ad-
ministrative occupational category, at the GS–11 level, or 
an equivalent level, or below, under a competitive exam-
ining procedure. 
‘‘(g) EXPEDITED HIRING AUTHORITY FOR POST-SEC-
ONDARY STUDENTS; COMPETITIVE SERVICE.—(1) Subject 
to paragraph (2) of this subsection, the Secretary may expe-
dite hiring of post-secondary students under section 3116 
of title 5, without regard to subsection (d) of such section 
or any regulations prescribed by the Office of Personnel 
Management for administration of such subsection. 
‘‘(2) The number of employees the Secretary may ap-
point under section 3116 of title 5 may not exceed the num-
ber equal to 25 percent of the number of students that the 
Secretary appointed during the previous fiscal year to a 
position at the GS–11 level, or an equivalent level, or below. 
‘‘(h) PAY AUTHORITY FOR CRITICAL POSITIONS.—(1) 
Subject to the provisions of this subsection, the Secretary 
may authorize the fixing of the rate of pay for a critical 
position in the Department consistent with the authorities 
and requirements of section 5377 of title 5 that apply to 
the Office of Personnel Management. 
‘‘(2) The Secretary may fix the rate of pay for a crit-
ical position under this subsection in excess of the limita-
tion set forth by section 5377(d)(2) of such title.
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‘‘(3) Basic pay may not be fixed under this subsection 
at a rate greater than the rate payable for the Vice Presi-
dent of the United States established under section 104 of 
title 3, except upon written approval of the President. 
‘‘(4) Notwithstanding section 5377(f) of title 5, the Sec-
retary may authorize the exercise of authority under this 
subsection with respect to up to 200 positions at any time. 
‘‘(i) RATES OF SPECIAL PAY.—(1) The Secretary may 
establish a rate for special pay under section 5305(a)(1) 
of title 5. 
‘‘(2) In applying such section to the Secretary’s au-
thority under paragraph (1)— 
‘‘(A) ‘50 percent’ shall be substituted for ‘30 per-
cent’; and 
‘‘(B) ‘level II of the Executive Schedule’ shall be 
substituted for ‘level IV of the Executive Schedule’. 
‘‘(j) WAIVER OF LIMITATIONS ON CERTAIN PAYMENTS 
UNDER PAY COMPARABILITY SYSTEM.—The Secretary may 
waive the limitation in section 5307 of title 5 for an em-
ployee or a payment.
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‘‘(k) TERMINATION.—The authorities under this sec-
tion shall terminate on September 30, 2027.’’. 
Attest: 
Secretary.