SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Veterans’ Health Care 
Integrity Act of 2017’’. 
SEC. 2. COMPLIANCE OF MEDICAL FACILITIES WITH RE-
QUIREMENTS RELATING TO SCHEDULING OF 
APPOINTMENTS FOR HOSPITAL CARE AND 
MEDICAL SERVICES. 
(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— 
(A) the medical facility is in full compli-
ance with all regulations and other provisions of 
law relating to scheduling appointments for vet-
erans to receive hospital care or medical serv-
ices, including Veterans Health Administration 
Directive 1230 or any successor directive; and 
(B) any official data on wait times for ap-
pointments to receive hospital care or medical 
services submitted by the director to the Sec-
retary during the year preceding the submittal 
of the certification is true and accurate to the 
best of the director’s knowledge. 
(2) PROHIBITION ON WAIVER.—The Secretary 
may not waive any regulation or other provision of 
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law described in paragraph (1) for a medical facility 
of the Department if such regulation or other provi-
sion of law otherwise applies 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 regulations 
and other provisions of law described in such sub-
section. 
(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, no cov-
ered official described in paragraph (2) may receive 
an award or bonus under chapter 45 or 53 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. 
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(2) COVERED
OFFICIAL
DESCRIBED.—A cov-
ered official described in this paragraph is each offi-
cial who serves in the following positions at a med-
ical facility of the Department during a year, or por-
tion 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.—Not less frequently than an-
nually, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on 
Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Vet-
erans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives a report 
containing, with respect to the year covered by the re-
port— 
(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, 
including a copy of each report submitted to the 
Secretary under subsection (b). 
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SEC. 3. UNIFORM APPLICATION OF DIRECTIVES AND POLI-
CIES OF DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AF-
FAIRS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
shall apply the directives and policies of the Department 
of Veterans Affairs to each office or facility of the Depart-
ment 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 
Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and the 
Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Rep-
resentatives of such nonuniform application, including an 
explanation for the nonuniform application. 
SEC. 4. REQUIREMENT FOR APPOINTMENT AND CONFIRMA-
TION OF CERTAIN OFFICIALS OF DEPART-
MENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS. 
(a) PRINCIPAL DEPUTY UNDER SECRETARY
FOR 
HEALTH.—Subsection (c) of section 7306 of title 38, 
United States Code, is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘(c)(1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), appoint-
ments under subsection (a) shall be made by the Sec-
retary. 
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‘‘(2) Appointments under subsection (a)(1) shall be 
made by the President, by and with the advice and consent 
of the Senate. 
‘‘(3) In the case of appointments under paragraphs 
(1), (2), (3), (4), and (8) of subsection (a), such appoint-
ments shall be made upon the recommendation of the 
Under Secretary for Health.’’. 
(b) OTHER
DEPUTY
UNDER
SECRETARY
POSI-
TIONS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding any other 
provision of law, the Deputy Under Secretary for 
Health for Operations and Management of the De-
partment of Veterans Affairs, the Deputy Under 
Secretary for Health for Policy and Services of the 
Department, the Principal Deputy Under Secretary 
for Benefits of the Department, the Deputy Under 
Secretary for Disability Assistance of the Depart-
ment, and the Deputy Under Secretary for Field 
Operations of the Department shall be appointed by 
the President, by and with the advice and consent 
of the Senate. 
(2) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in this 
subsection shall be construed to authorize the estab-
lishment of any new position within the Department 
of Veterans Affairs. 
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(c) APPLICATION.—Subsection (b) and the amend-
ment made by subsection (a) shall apply to appointments 
made on and after the date of the enactment of this Act. 
Æ 
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