I 
108TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1718
To amend title 38, United States Code, to repeal the four-year terms specified 
by law for certain officials of the Department of Veterans Affairs, and 
for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
APRIL 10, 2003
Mr. SMITH of New Jersey introduced the following bill; which was referred 
to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 
A BILL 
To amend title 38, United States Code, to repeal the four-
year terms specified by law for certain officials of 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. REPEAL OF FIXED TERMS OF OFFICE FOR CER-
TAIN OFFICIALS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF 
VETERANS AFFAIRS. 
(a) UNDER
SECRETARY
FOR
HEALTH.—Section 
305(c) of title 38, United States Code, is amended to read 
as follows:
‘‘(c) Whenever the President removes the Under Sec-
retary for Health, the President shall communicate the 
reasons for the removal to Congress.’’. 
(b) UNDER SECRETARY
FOR BENEFITS.—Section 
306(c) of such title is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘(c) Whenever the President removes the Under Sec-
retary for Benefits, the President shall communicate the 
reasons for the removal to Congress.’’. 
(c) POSITIONS IN THE OFFICE OF THE UNDER SEC-
RETARY
FOR HEALTH.—(1) Subsection (d) of section 
7306 of such title is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘(d) Whenever the Secretary removes a person ap-
pointed under this section, the Secretary shall commu-
nicate the reasons for the removal to the Committees on 
Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and House of Representa-
tives.’’. 
(2) Subsection (e)(1) of such section is amended by 
striking ‘‘Service,’’ in the first sentence and all that fol-
lows through the second sentence and inserting ‘‘Service.’’. 
(d) APPLICABILITY.—(1) The amendment made by 
subsection (a) does not apply with respect to the term of 
office of the individual who on the date of the enactment 
of this Act is serving in the position of Under Secretary 
for Health of the Department of Veterans Affairs.
(2) The amendment made by subsection (b) does not 
apply with respect to the term of office of the individual 
who on the date of the enactment of this Act is serving 
in the position of Under Secretary for Benefits of the De-
partment of Veterans Affairs. 
(3) The amendments made by subsection (c) are ap-
plicable with respect to the period of appointment of any 
individual who on the day before the date of the enactment 
of this Act is serving in a position covered by subsection 
(d) or (e) of section 7306 of title 38, United States Code. 
SEC. 2. APPOINTMENT OF DIRECTORS OF PRINCIPAL GEO-
GRAPHIC SERVICE AREAS. 
(a) SECRETARY AUTHORITY.—Chapter 3 of title 38, 
United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the 
following new section:
‘‘§ 320. Directors of principal geographic service 
areas 
‘‘(a) The directors of the principal geographic service 
areas of the Department shall be appointed by the Sec-
retary, and are subject to removal by the Secretary, with-
out regard to any of the provisions of title 5 specified in 
section 7425(a) of this title. 
‘‘(b) Whenever the Secretary removes an employee 
from a position as director of one of the principal geo-
graphic service area of the Department, the Secretary
shall communicate the reasons for the removal to the 
Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and House 
of Representatives. 
‘‘(c) Whenever the Secretary removes an employee 
from a position as director of one of the principal geo-
graphic service area of the Department for any reason 
other than cause and the employee, in order to accept the 
appointment to that position, had—
‘‘(1) relinquished an appointment under section 
7401(1) of this title, that employee shall be entitled 
to reassignment under that section; or 
‘‘(2) relinquished a permanent appointment 
under title 5, that employee shall be entitled to reas-
signment under that title.’’.
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections 
at the beginning of such chapter is amended by adding 
at the end the following new item:
‘‘320. Directors of principal geographic service areas.’’.
Æ