IB
Union Calendar No. 146
107TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 2792
[Report No. 107–242]
To amend title 38, United States Code, to authorize the Secretary of Veterans
Affairs to make service dogs available to disabled veterans and to make
various other improvements in health care benefits provided by the De-
partment of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
AUGUST 2, 2001
Mr. MORAN of Kansas (for himself, Mr. SMITH of New Jersey, and Mr. SIM-
MONS) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee
on Veterans’ Affairs
OCTOBER 16, 2001
Additional sponsors: Mr. BASS, Mr. FILNER, Mr. BILIRAKIS, Mr. SIMPSON,
Mr. MCKEON, Ms. CARSON of Indiana, Mr. UDALL of New Mexico, Mr.
PICKERING, Mr. SHOWS, and Mr. THUNE
OCTOBER 16, 2001
Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole
House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed
[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic]
[For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on August 2, 2001]
A BILL
To amend title 38, United States Code, to authorize the
Secretary of Veterans Affairs to make service dogs avail-
able to disabled veterans and to make various other
improvements in health care benefits provided by the
Department of Veterans 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 ‘‘Dis-
abled Veterans Service Dog and Health Care Improvement
Act of 2001’’.
(b) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—The table of contents of this
Act is as follows:
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
TITLE I—VETERANS HEALTH CARE IMPROVEMENT
Sec. 101. Authorization for Secretary of Veterans Affairs to provide service dogs
for disabled veterans.
Sec. 102. Maintenance of capacity for specialized treatment and rehabilitative
needs of disabled veterans.
Sec. 103. Threshold for veterans health care eligibility means test to reflect local-
ity cost-of-living variations.
Sec. 104. Assessment and report on special telephone services for veterans.
Sec. 105. Recodification of bereavement counseling authority and certain other
health-related authorities.
Sec. 106. Extension of expiring collections authorities.
TITLE II—CHIROPRACTIC SERVICES PROGRAM
Sec. 201. Chiropractic Service established in the Veterans Health Administration.
Sec. 202. Availability of chiropractic care to veterans.
Sec. 203. Chiropractic providers.
Sec. 204. Scope of services; enrollment.
Sec. 205. Training and information.
Sec. 206. Advisory committee.
Sec. 207. Implementation report.
TITLE III—NATIONAL COMMISSION ON VA NURSING
Sec. 301. Establishment of Commission.
Sec. 302. Duties of Commission.
Sec. 303. Reports.
Sec. 304. Powers.
Sec. 305. Personnel matters.
Sec. 306. Termination of the Commission.
TITLE I—VETERANS HEALTH
CARE IMPROVEMENT
SEC. 101. AUTHORIZATION FOR SECRETARY OF VETERANS
AFFAIRS TO PROVIDE SERVICE DOGS FOR
DISABLED VETERANS.
(a) AUTHORITY.—Section 1714 of title 38, United
States Code, is amended—
(1) in subsection (b)—
(A) by striking ‘‘seeing-eye or’’ the first
place it appears;
(B) by striking ‘‘who are entitled to dis-
ability compensation’’ and inserting ‘‘who are
enrolled under section 1705 of this title’’;
(C) by striking ‘‘, and may pay’’ and all
that follows through ‘‘such seeing-eye or guide
dogs’’; and
(D) by striking ‘‘handicap’’ and inserting
‘‘disability’’; and
(2) by adding at the end the following new sub-
sections:
‘‘(c) The Secretary may, in accordance with the pri-
ority specified in section 1705 of this title, provide—
‘‘(1) service dogs trained for the aid of the hear-
ing impaired to veterans who are hearing impaired
and are enrolled under section 1705 of this title; and
‘‘(2) service dogs trained for the aid of persons
with spinal cord injury or dysfunction or other
chronic impairment that substantially limits mobility
to veterans with such injury, dysfunction, or impair-
ment who are enrolled under section 1705 of this title.
‘‘(d) In the case of a veteran provided a dog under
subsection (b) or (c), the Secretary may pay travel and inci-
dental expenses for that veteran under the terms and condi-
tions set forth in section 111 of this title to and from the
veteran’s home for expenses incurred in becoming adjusted
to the dog.’’.
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENTS.—
(1) The heading for such section is amended to
read as follows:
‘‘§ 1714. Fitting and training in use of prosthetic ap-
pliances; guide dogs; service dogs’’.
(2) The item relating to such section in the table
of sections at the beginning of chapter 17 of such title
is amended to read as follows:
‘‘1714. Fitting and training in use of prosthetic appliances; guide dogs; service
dogs.’’.
SEC. 102. MAINTENANCE OF CAPACITY FOR SPECIALIZED
TREATMENT AND REHABILITATIVE NEEDS OF
DISABLED VETERANS.
(a) MAINTENANCE OF CAPACITY ON A SERVICE-NET-
WORK BASIS.—Section 1706(b) of title 38, United States
Code, is amended—
(1) in paragraph (1)—
(A) in the first sentence, by inserting ‘‘(and
each geographic service area of the Veterans
Health Administration)’’ after ‘‘ensure that the
Department’’; and
(B) in clause (B), by inserting ‘‘(and each
geographic service area of the Veterans Health
Administration)’’ after ‘‘overall capacity of the
Department’’; and
(2) by redesignating paragraphs (2) and (3) as
paragraphs (4) and (5), respectively;
(3) by inserting after paragraph (1) the fol-
lowing new paragraphs (2) and (3):
‘‘(2) For purposes of paragraph (1), the capacity of
the Department (and each geographic service area of the
Veterans Health Administration) to provide for the special-
ized treatment and rehabilitative needs of disabled veterans
(including veterans with spinal cord dysfunction, trau-
matic brain injury, blindness, prosthetics and sensory aids,
and mental illness) within distinct programs or facilities
shall be measured for seriously mentally ill veterans as fol-
lows (with all such data to be provided by geographic serv-
ice area and totaled nationally):
‘‘(A) For mental health intensive community-
based care, the number of discrete intensive care
teams constituted to provide such intensive services to
seriously mentally ill veterans and the number of vet-
erans provided such care.
‘‘(B) For opioid substitution programs and for
traumatic brain injury, the number of patients treat-
ed annually and the amounts expended.
‘‘(C) For dual-diagnosis patients, the number
treated annually and the amounts expended.
‘‘(D) For substance abuse programs—
‘‘(i) the number of substance-use disorder
beds (whether hospital, nursing home, or other
designated beds) employed and the average bed
occupancy of such beds;
‘‘(ii) the percentage of unique patients ad-
mitted directly to substance abuse outpatient
care during the fiscal year who had two or more
additional visits to specialized substance abuse
outpatient care within 30 days of their first
visit, with a comparison from 1996 until the
date of the report;
‘‘(iii) the percentage of unique inpatients
with substance abuse diagnoses treated during
the fiscal year who had one or more specialized
substance abuse clinic visits within three days of
their index discharge, with a comparison from
1996 until the date of the report; and
‘‘(iv) the percentage of unique outpatients
seen in a facility or service network during the
fiscal year who had one or more specialized sub-
stance abuse clinic visits, with a comparison
from 1996 until the date of the report.
‘‘(E) For mental health programs, the number
and type of staff that are available at each facility
to provide specialized mental health treatment, in-
cluding satellite clinics, outpatient programs, and
community-based outpatient clinics, with a trend line
comparison from 1996 to the date of the report.
‘‘(F) The number of such clinics providing men-
tal health care, the number and type of mental health
staff at each such clinic, and the type of mental
health programs at each such clinic.
‘‘(3) For purposes of paragraph (1), the capacity of
the Department (and each geographic service area of the
Veterans Health Administration) to provide for the special-
ized treatment and rehabilitative needs of disabled veterans
within distinct programs or facilities shall be measured for
veterans with spinal cord dysfunction, traumatic brain in-
jury, blindness, or prosthetics and sensory aids as follows
(with all such data to be provided by geographic service
area and totaled nationally):
‘‘(A) For spinal cord injury/dysfunction special-
ized centers and for blind rehabilitation specialized
centers, the number of staffed beds and the number of
full-time equivalent employees assigned to provide
care at such centers.
‘‘(B) For prosthetics and sensory aids, the an-
nual amount expended.’’.
(b) EXTENSION OF ANNUAL REPORT REQUIREMENT.—
Paragraph (3) of such section, as so redesignated, is
amended—
(1) by striking ‘‘April 1, 1999, April 1, 2000,
and April 1, 2001’’ and inserting ‘‘April 1 of each
year through 2004’’; and
(2) by adding at the end the following new sen-
tence: ‘‘The accuracy of each such report shall be cer-
tified by, or otherwise commented upon by, the In-
spector General of the Department.’’.
SEC. 103. THRESHOLD FOR VETERANS HEALTH CARE ELIGI-
BILITY MEANS TEST TO REFLECT LOCALITY
COST-OF-LIVING VARIATIONS.
(a) REVISED THRESHOLD.—Subsection (b) of section
1722 of title 38, United States Code, is amended to read
as follows:
‘‘(b)(1) For purposes of subsection (a)(3), the income
threshold applicable to a veteran is the amount determined
under paragraph (2).
‘‘(2) The amount determined under this paragraph for
a veteran is the greater of the following:
‘‘(A) For any calendar year after 2000—
‘‘(i) in the case of a veteran with no de-
pendents, $23,688, as adjusted under subsection
(c); or
‘‘(ii) in the case of a veteran with one or
more dependents, $28,429, as so adjusted, plus
$1,586, as so adjusted, for each dependent in ex-
cess of one.
‘‘(B) The amount in effect under the HUD Low
Income Index that is applicable in the area in which
the veteran resides.
‘‘(3) For purposes of paragraph (2)(B), the term ‘HUD
Low Income Index’ means the family income ceiling
amounts determined by the Secretary of Housing and
Urban Development under section 3(b)(2) of the United
States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437a(b)(2)) for
purposes of the determination of ‘low-income families’
under that section.’’.
(c) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—(1) Subsection (a)(3)
of such section is amended by striking ‘‘amount set forth
in’’ and inserting ‘‘income threshold determined under’’.
(2) Subsection (c) of such section is amended by strik-
ing ‘‘subsection (b)’’ and inserting ‘‘subsection (b)(2)(A)’’.
(d) LIMITATION
ON RESOURCE REALLOCATIONS.—
Within the amount appropriated to the Department of Vet-
erans Affairs for medical care for each of fiscal years 2002
through 2006. The amount that would otherwise be allocated
by the Secretary to any geographic service region of the Vet-
erans Health Administration in accordance with the estab-
lished resource allocation procedures of the Department
may not be increased or decreased by more than 5 percent
by reason of the implementation of this section.
(e) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by this
section shall take effect on April 1, 2002.
SEC. 104. ASSESSMENT AND REPORT ON SPECIAL TELE-
PHONE SERVICES FOR VETERANS.
(a) ASSESSMENT OF CURRENT SERVICES.—The Sec-
retary of Veterans Affairs shall carry out an assessment of
all special telephone services for veterans (such as helplines
and hotlines) provided by the Department of Veterans Af-
fairs. The assessment shall include the geographical cov-
erage, availability, utilization, effectiveness, management,
coordination, staffing, and cost of those services. As part
of such assessment, the Secretary shall conduct a survey of
veterans to measure their satisfaction with current special
telephone services and the demand for additional services.
(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 assessment carried out under sub-
section (a). The Secretary shall include in the report rec-
ommendations regarding any needed improvement to such
services and recommendations regarding contracting for the
performance of such services.
SEC. 
105. 
RECODIFICATION 
OF 
BEREAVEMENT 
COUN-
SELING AUTHORITY AND CERTAIN OTHER
HEALTH-RELATED AUTHORITIES.
(a) STATUTORY REORGANIZATION.—Subchapter I of
chapter 17 of title 38, United States Code, is amended—
(1) in section 1701(6)—
(A) by striking subparagraph (B) and the
sentence following that subparagraph;
(B) by striking ‘‘services—’’ in the matter
preceding subparagraph (A) and inserting ‘‘serv-
ices, the following:’’; and
(C) by striking subparagraph (A) and in-
serting the following:
‘‘(A) Surgical services.
‘‘(B) Dental services and appliances as described
in sections 1710 and 1712 of this title.
‘‘(C) Optometric and podiatric services.
‘‘(D) Preventive health services.
‘‘(E) In the case of a person otherwise receiving
care or services under this chapter—
‘‘(i) wheelchairs, artificial limbs, trusses,
and similar appliances;
‘‘(ii) special clothing made necessary by the
wearing of prosthetic appliances; and
‘‘(iii) such other supplies or services as the
Secretary determines to be reasonable and nec-
essary.
‘‘(F) Travel and incidental expenses pursuant to
section 111 of this title.’’; and
(2) in section 1707—
(A) by inserting ‘‘(a)’’ at the beginning of
the text of the section; and
(B) by adding at the end the following:
‘‘(b) The Secretary may furnish sensori-neural aids
only in accordance with guidelines prescribed by the Sec-
retary.’’.
(b) CONSOLIDATION
OF PROVISIONS RELATING
TO
PERSONS OTHER THAN VETERANS.—Such chapter is fur-
ther amended by adding at the end the following new sub-
chapter:
‘‘SUBCHAPTER VIII—HEALTH CARE OF PERSONS
OTHER THAN VETERANS
‘‘§ 1782. Counseling, training, and mental health serv-
ices for immediate family members
‘‘(a) COUNSELING FOR FAMILY MEMBERS OF VET-
ERANS RECEIVING SERVICE-CONNECTED TREATMENT.—In
the case of a veteran who is receiving treatment for a serv-
ice-connected disability pursuant to paragraph (1) or (2)
of section 1710(a) of this title, the Secretary shall provide
to individuals described in subsection (c) such consultation,
professional counseling, training, and mental health serv-
ices as are necessary in connection with that treatment.
‘‘(b) COUNSELING FOR FAMILY MEMBERS OF VET-
ERANS
RECEIVING
NON-SERVICE-CONNECTED
TREAT-
MENT.—In the case of a veteran who is eligible to receive
treatment for a non-service-connected disability under the
conditions described in paragraph (1), (2), or (3) of section
1710(a) of this title, the Secretary may, in the discretion
of the Secretary, provide to individuals described in sub-
section (c) such consultation, professional counseling, train-
ing, and mental health services as are necessary in connec-
tion with that treatment if—
‘‘(1) those services were initiated during the vet-
eran’s hospitalization; and
‘‘(2) the continued provision of those services on
an outpatient basis is essential to permit the dis-
charge of the veteran from the hospital.
‘‘(c) ELIGIBLE INDIVIDUALS.—Individuals who may
be provided services under this subsection are—
‘‘(1) the members of the immediate family or the
legal guardian of a veteran; or
‘‘(2) the individual in whose household such vet-
eran certifies an intention to live.
‘‘(d) TRAVEL AND TRANSPORTATION AUTHORIZED.—
Services provided under subsections (a) and (b) may in-
clude, under the terms and conditions set forth in section
111 of this title, travel and incidental expenses of individ-
uals described in subsection (c) in the case of—
‘‘(1) a veteran who is receiving care for a serv-
ice-connected disability; and
‘‘(2) a dependent or survivor receiving care
under the last sentence of section 1783(b) of this title.
‘‘§ 1783. Bereavement counseling
‘‘(a) DEATHS OF VETERANS.—In the case of an indi-
vidual who was a recipient of services under section 1782
of this title at the time of the death of the veteran, the Sec-
retary may provide bereavement counseling to that indi-
vidual in the case of a death—
‘‘(1) that was unexpected; or
‘‘(2) that occurred while the veteran was partici-
pating in a hospice program (or a similar program)
conducted by the Secretary.
‘‘(b) DEATHS IN ACTIVE SERVICE.—The Secretary
may provide bereavement counseling to an individual who
is a member of the immediate family of a member of the
Armed Forces who dies in the active military, naval, or
air service in the line of duty and under circumstances not
due to the person’s own misconduct.
‘‘(c) BEREAVEMENT COUNSELING DEFINED.—For pur-
poses of this section, the term ‘bereavement counseling’
means such counseling services, for a limited period, as the
Secretary determines to be reasonable and necessary to as-
sist an individual with the emotional and psychological
stress accompanying the death of another individual.
‘‘§ 1784. Humanitarian care
‘‘The Secretary may furnish hospital care or medical
services as a humanitarian service in emergency cases, but
the Secretary shall charge for such care and services at rates
prescribed by the Secretary.’’.
(c) TRANSFER
OF
CHAMPVA SECTION.—Section
1713 of such title is—
(1) transferred to subchapter VIII of chapter 17
of such title, as added by subsection (b), and inserted
after the subchapter heading;
(2) redesignated as section 1781; and
(3) amended by adding at the end of subsection
(b) the following new sentence: ‘‘A dependent or sur-
vivor receiving care under the preceding sentence shall
be eligible for the same medical services as a veteran,
including services under sections 1782 and 1783 of
this title.’’.
(d) REPEAL
OF RECODIFIED AUTHORITY.—Section
1711 of such title is amended by striking subsection (b).
(e) CROSS REFERENCE AMENDMENTS.—Such title is
further amended as follows:
(1) Section 103(d)(5)(B) is amended by striking
‘‘1713’’ and inserting ‘‘1781’’.
(2) Sections 1701(5) is amended by striking
‘‘1713(b)’’ in subparagraphs (B) and (C)(i) and in-
serting ‘‘1781(b)’’.
(3) Section 1712A(b) is amended—
(A) in the last sentence of paragraph (1), by
striking ‘‘section 1711(b)’’ and inserting ‘‘section
1784’’; and
(B) in paragraph (2), by striking ‘‘section
1701(6)(B)’’ and inserting ‘‘sections 1782 and
1783’’.
(4) Section 1729(f) is amended by striking ‘‘sec-
tion 1711(b)’’ and inserting ‘‘section 1784’’.
(5) Section 1729A(b) is amended—
(A) by redesignating paragraph (7) as
paragraph (8); and
(B) by inserting after paragraph (6) the fol-
lowing new paragraph (7):
‘‘(7) Section 1784 of this title.’’.
(6) Section 8111(g) is amended—
(A) in paragraph (4), by inserting ‘‘services
under sections 1782 and 1783 of this title’’ after
‘‘of this title,’’; and
(B) in paragraph (5), by striking ‘‘section
1711(b) or 1713’’ and inserting ‘‘section 1782,
1783, or 1784’’.
(7) Section 8111A(a)(2) is amended by inserting
‘‘, and the term ‘medical services’ includes services
under sections 1782 and 1783 of this title’’ before the
period at the end.
(8) Section 8152(1) is amended by inserting
‘‘services under sections 1782 and 1783 of this title,’’
after ‘‘of this title),’’.
(9) Sections 8502(b), 8520(a), and 8521 are
amended by striking ‘‘the last sentence of section
1713(b)’’ and inserting ‘‘the penultimate sentence of
section 1781(b)’’.
(f) CLERICAL AMENDMENTS.—
(1) The table of sections at the beginning of such
chapter is amended—
(A) by striking the item relating to section
1707 and inserting the following:
‘‘1707. Limitations.’’;
(B) by striking the item relating to section
1713; and
(C) by adding at the end the following:
‘‘SUBCHAPTER VIII—HEALTH CARE OF PERSONS OTHER THAN VETERANS
‘‘1781. Medical care for survivors and dependents of certain veterans.
‘‘1782. Counseling, training, and mental health services for immediate family
members.
‘‘1783. Bereavement counseling.
‘‘1784. Humanitarian care.’’.
(2) The heading for section 1707 is amended to
read as follows:
‘‘§ 1707. Limitations’’.
SEC. 106. EXTENSION OF EXPIRING COLLECTIONS AU-
THORITIES.
(a) 
HEALTH
CARE
COPAYMENTS.—Section
1710(f)(2)(B) of title 38, United States Code, is amended
by striking ‘‘September 30, 2002’’ and inserting ‘‘September
30, 2007’’.
(b) 
MEDICAL
CARE
COST
RECOVERY.—Section
1729(a)(2)(E) of such title is amended by striking ‘‘October
1, 2002’’ and inserting ‘‘October 1, 2007’’.
TITLE II—CHIROPRACTIC
SERVICES
SEC. 201. CHIROPRACTIC SERVICE ESTABLISHED IN THE
VETERANS HEALTH ADMINISTRATION.
(a) NEW SERVICE IN VETERANS HEALTH ADMINIS-
TRATION.—Section 7305 of title 38, United States Code, is
amended—
(1) by redesignating paragraph (7) as para-
graph (8); and
(2) by inserting after paragraph (6) the fol-
lowing new paragraph (7):
‘‘(7) A Chiropractic Service.’’.
(b) DIRECTOR.—Section 7306(a) of such title—
(1) by redesignating paragraphs (7) through (10)
as paragraphs (8) through (11), respectively; and
(2) by inserting after paragraph (6) the fol-
lowing new paragraph (7):
‘‘(7) A Director of Chiropractic Service, who
shall be a qualified doctor of chiropractic and who
shall be responsible to the Secretary for the operation
of the Chiropractic Service.’’.
SEC. 202. AVAILABILITY OF CHIROPRACTIC CARE TO VET-
ERANS.
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary of Veterans Af-
fairs shall establish a program to provide chiropractic care
to veterans through all Department of Veterans Affairs med-
ical centers.
(b) IMPLEMENTATION.—The program under this sec-
tion shall be implemented at Department of Veterans Af-
fairs medical centers as follows:
(1) At not less than 30 medical centers by the
end of fiscal year 2002.
(2) At not less than 60 medical centers by the
end of fiscal year 2003,
(3) At not less than 90 medical centers by the
end of fiscal year 2004.
(4) At not less than 120 medical centers by the
end of fiscal year 2005.
(5) At all of the Department of Veterans Affairs
medical centers by the end of fiscal year 2006.
(c) INITIAL PARTICIPATING MEDICAL CENTERS.—The
initial 30 medical centers at which the program is to be
carried out shall be designated by the Secretary not later
than 60 days after the date of the enactment of this Act.
In designating those medical centers, the Secretary shall se-
lect medical centers to reflect geographic diversity, facilities
of various size and capabilities, and the range of services
in the Department health care system.
SEC. 203. CHIROPRACTIC PROVIDERS.
The program under section 202 shall be carried out
through personal service contracts and with appointments
of licensed chiropractors for delivery of chiropractic services
at Department of Veterans Affairs medical centers.
SEC. 204. SCOPE OF SERVICES; ENROLLMENT.
(a) SCOPE OF SERVICES.—The chiropractic services
provided under section 202 shall include, at a minimum,
care for neuro-musculoskeletal conditions.
(b) ENROLLMENT.—A veteran enrolled under section
1705 of title 38, United States Code, may, as part of such
enrollment, choose a chiropractor as the veteran’s primary
care provider. A veteran with a primary care provider other
than a chiropractor may be referred to chiropractic services
for neuro-musculoskeletal conditions by a medical provider.
SEC. 205. TRAINING AND INFORMATION.
(a) PRIMARY CARE TEAMS.—The Secretary shall pro-
vide training and materials relating to chiropractic services
to members of Department health care providers assigned
to primary care teams for the purposes of familiarizing
those providers with the benefits of appropriate use of chiro-
practic services.
(b) FUTURE PROGRAM SITES.—During the period cov-
ered by section 202(b), the Secretary shall provide materials
relating to chiropractic services to medical centers and other
health care facilities of the Department not yet partici-
pating in the program in order to ensure that health care
providers at those facilities are aware of chiropractic care
as a future referral source.
(c) APPROVAL OF MATERIALS.—The Secretary may
approve materials to be furnished under subsections (a) and
(b) only after consulting with, and receiving the views of,
the advisory committee established under section 206.
SEC. 206. ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary shall establish
an advisory committee to review implementation of the pro-
gram under this title.
(b) MEMBERS.—In appointing the members of the ad-
visory committee, the Secretary shall include on the advi-
sory committee—
(1) members of the chiropractic profession;
(2) persons who are experts in human resources
appointments in the Federal service;
(3) persons with expertise in academic matters;
(4) persons with knowledge of credentialing and
the granting of professional privileging to health care
practitioners; and
(5) other persons as determined necessary by the
Secretary and the functional needs of the advisory
committee in establishing the chiropractic health pro-
gram.
(c) FUNCTIONS.—The advisory committee shall pro-
vide advice to the Secretary on—
(1) the granting of professional privileges for
chiropractors at Department medical centers;
(2) the scope of practice of chiropractors at De-
partment medical centers;
(3) training materials; and
(4) such other matters as are determined appro-
priate by the Secretary.
SEC. 207. IMPLEMENTATION REPORT.
Not later than 18 months after the date of the enact-
ment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the Commit-
tees on Veterans Affairs of the Senate and House of Rep-
resentatives a report on the implementation of this title.
TITLE III—NATIONAL
COMMISSION ON VA NURSING
SEC. 301. ESTABLISHMENT OF COMMISSION.
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is hereby established in
the Department of Veterans Affairs a commission to be
known as the ‘‘National Commission on VA Nursing’’ (here-
inafter in this title referred to as the ‘‘Commission’’).
(b) COMPOSITION.—(1) The Commission shall be com-
posed of 12 members.
(2) Eleven members shall be appointed by the Sec-
retary of Veterans Affairs, as follows:
(A) Three shall be recognized representatives of
employees, including nurses, of the Department of
Veterans Affairs.
(B) Three shall be representatives of professional
associations of nurses of the Department or similar
organizations affiliated with the Department’s health
care practitioners.
(C) Two shall be representatives of trade associa-
tions representing the nursing profession.
(D) Two shall be nurses from nursing schools af-
filiated with the Department of Veterans Affairs.
(E) One shall be a representative of veterans.
(3) The Nurse Executive of the Department of Veterans
Affairs shall be an ex officio member of the Commission.
(d) CHAIRMAN
OF COMMISSION.—The Secretary of
Veterans Affairs shall designate one of the members of the
Commission to serve as chairman of the Commission.
(e) PERIOD OF APPOINTMENT; VACANCIES.—Members
shall be appointed for the life of the Commission. Any va-
cancy in the Commission shall be filled in the same manner
as the original appointment.
(f) INITIAL ORGANIZATION REQUIREMENTS.—All ap-
pointments to the Commission shall be made not later than
60 days after the date of the enactment of this Act. The
Commission shall convene its first meeting not later than
60 days after the date as of which all members of the Com-
mission have been appointed.
SEC. 302. DUTIES OF COMMISSION.
(a) ASSESSMENT.—The Commission shall—
(1) consider legislative and organizational policy
changes to enhance the recruitment and retention of
nurses by the Department of Veterans Affairs; and
(2) assess the future of the nursing profession
within the Department.
(b) RECOMMENDATION.—The Commission shall rec-
ommend legislative and organizational policy changes to
enhance the recruitment and retention of nurses in the De-
partment.
SEC. 303. REPORTS.
(a) COMMISSION REPORT.—The Commission shall, not
later than two years after the date of its first meeting, sub-
mit to Congress and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs a re-
port on the Commission’s findings and conclusions.
(b) SECRETARY OF VETERANS AFFAIRS REPORT.—Not
later than 60 days after the date of the Commission’s report
under subsection (a), the Secretary shall submit to Congress
a report—
(1) providing the Secretary’s views on the Com-
mission’s findings and conclusions; and
(2) explaining what actions, if any, the Sec-
retary intends to take to implement the recommenda-
tions of the Commission and the Secretary’s reasons
for doing so.
SEC. 304. POWERS.
(a) HEARINGS.—The Commission or, at its direction,
any panel or member of the Commission, may, for the pur-
pose of carrying out the provisions of this title, hold hear-
ings and take testimony to the extent that the Commission
or any member considers advisable.
(b) INFORMATION.—The Commission may secure di-
rectly from any Federal department or agency information
that the Commission considers necessary to enable the Com-
mission to carry out its responsibilities under this title.
SEC. 305. PERSONNEL MATTERS.
(a) PAY OF MEMBERS.—Members of the Commission
shall serve without pay by reason of their work on the Com-
mission.
(b) TRAVEL EXPENSES.—The members of the Commis-
sion shall be allowed travel expenses, including per diem
in lieu of subsistence, at rates authorized for employees of
agencies under subchapter I of chapter 57 of title 5, United
States Code, while away from their homes or regular places
of business in the performance of services for the Commis-
sion.
(c) STAFF.—(1) The Secretary may, without regard to
the provisions of title 5, United States Code, governing ap-
pointments in the competitive service, appoint a staff direc-
tor and such additional personnel as may be necessary to
enable the Commission to perform its duties.
(2) The Secretary may fix the pay of the staff director
and other personnel appointed under paragraph (1) with-
out regard to the provisions of chapter 51 and subchapter
III of chapter 53 of title 5, United States Code, relating
to classification of positions and General Schedule pay
rates, except that the rate of pay fixed under this paragraph
for the staff director may not exceed the rate payable for
level V of the Executive Schedule under section 5316 of such
title and the rate of pay for other personnel may not exceed
the maximum rate payable for grade GS–15 of the General
Schedule.
(d) DETAIL OF GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES.—Upon re-
quest of the Secretary, the head of any Federal department
or agency may detail, on a nonreimbursable basis, any per-
sonnel of that department or agency to the Commission to
assist it in carrying out its duties.
SEC. 306. TERMINATION OF THE COMMISSION.
The Commission shall terminate 90 days after the date
of the submission of its report under section 303(a).
Union Calendar No. 146
107TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 2792
[Report No. 107–242]
A BILL
To amend title 38, United States Code, to author-
ize the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to make
service dogs available to disabled veterans and to
make various other improvements in health care
benefits provided by the Department of Veterans
Affairs, and for other purposes.
OCTOBER 16, 2001
Reported with an amendment, committed to the Com-
mittee of the Whole House on the State of the Union,
and ordered to be printed