cies of the Committees on Appropriations of the 
House of Representatives and the Senate. 
(2) The term ‘‘entity’’ means a for-profit cor-
poration, partnership, or single proprietorship, non- 
profit organization, or university organized and hav-
ing principal operations in the United States. 
(3) The terms ‘‘extramural budget’’, ‘‘re-
search’’, and ‘‘research and development’’ have the 
meaning given those terms in subsection (e) of sec-
tion 9 of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 638). 
(4) The term ‘‘nontraditional contractor’’ 
means an entity that is not currently performing 
and has never performed any contract or sub-
contract for any department or agency of the Fed-
eral Government. 
(5) The term ‘‘senior procurement executive’’ 
means the official of the Department of Veterans Af-
fairs designated under section 1702(c) of title 41, 
United States Code. 
SEC. 6. AUTHORIZING A CAREER DEVELOPMENT AWARD 
GRANT PROGRAM FOR MEDICAL RESEARCH 
AT R3 RESEARCH INSTITUTIONS. 
(a) GRANTS AUTHORIZED.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The CRDO may establish a 
grant program— 
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(A) to fund research related to health care 
furnished by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs; 
(B) that is a CDA–1 level award of the ca-
reer development program of the Department of 
Veterans Affairs; and 
(C) modelled on the Historically Black Col-
leges and Universities Research Scientist Train-
ing Program of the Department. 
(2) ELIGIBLE
RECIPIENTS.—The CRDO may 
award a grant under this section— 
(A) to an individual— 
(i) employed by an R3 research insti-
tution; and 
(ii) whom the CRDO determines is in 
the early stage of a career as a scientist; 
and 
(B) based on a peer review process. 
(3) USE OF FUNDS.—A grantee under this sec-
tion may use the grant amount to conduct research 
related to health care furnished by the Secretary of 
Veterans Affairs. 
(4) MEETINGS.—As a condition of a grant 
under this section, a grantee shall periodically meet 
with researchers and administrators at a medical 
center of the Department of Veterans Affairs, lo-
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cated near the R3 research institution that employs 
such grantee, to discuss research described in para-
graph (1). 
(b) REGULATIONS.—If the CRDO establishes a grant 
program under this section, the CRDO shall prescribe reg-
ulations regarding— 
(1) the evaluation of applications for grants 
under the program; and 
(2) administration of the program. 
(c) CRDO DEFINED.—The term ‘‘CRDO’’ means the 
Chief Research and Development Officer of the Office of 
Research and Development of the Department of Veterans 
Affairs. 
SEC. 7. COMPTROLLER GENERAL STUDY ON DEDICATED 
RESEARCH TIME FOR CERTAIN PERSONNEL 
OF THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AF-
FAIRS. 
(a) STUDY.—The Comptroller General of the United 
States shall conduct a study on the amount of time dedi-
cated for research for clinician-scientists appointed by the 
Secretary of Veterans Affairs. 
(b) ELEMENTS.—The study under subsection (a) 
shall include the following: 
(1) A review of the policies and practices of the 
Department of Veterans Affairs regarding the time 
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dedicated for research for the personnel specified in 
subsection (a). 
(2) An assessment of the effect of such policies 
and practices on the following: 
(A) The recruitment and retention efforts 
of the Department. 
(B) The productivity of the personnel spec-
ified in subsection (a) with respect to research. 
(C) The efficient use of resources available 
for research on issues relating to veterans’ 
health. 
SEC. 8. CLERICAL AMENDMENT. 
Section 704 of the Commander John Scott Hannon 
Veterans Mental Health Care Improvement Act of 2019 
(Public Law 116–171 (38 U.S.C. 7303 note)) is amended 
as follows: 
(1) In the section heading, by striking ‘‘RE-
SEARCH’’ and inserting ‘‘CLINICAL’’. 
(2) In subsection (a)— 
(A) by striking ‘‘research’’ and inserting 
‘‘clinical’’; and 
(B) by striking ‘‘accredited’’. 
(3) In subsection (b)— 
(A) in paragraph (1)— 
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(i) by striking ‘‘identify accredited’’ 
and inserting ‘‘designate’’; and 
(ii) by striking ‘‘research’’ and insert-
ing ‘‘trials’’; and 
(B) in paragraph (2), by striking ‘‘its ac-
creditation’’ and inserting ‘‘such designation’’. 
(4) In subsection (c)— 
(A) in paragraph (1)— 
(i) by inserting ‘‘commercial’’ before 
‘‘institutional’’; 
(ii) by inserting ‘‘and central Federal 
agency institutional review boards’’ before 
‘‘used by the Department’’; and 
(iii) by striking ‘‘, including central 
institutional review boards and commercial 
institutional review boards’’ and inserting 
‘‘in clinical investigations (as that term is 
defined in section 50.3 of title 21, Code of 
Federal Regulations, or successor regula-
tion)’’; and 
(B) in paragraph (2)— 
(i) in subparagraph (A), by striking 
‘‘an’’ and inserting ‘‘such’’; 
(ii) in subparagraph (B)— 
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(I) by inserting ‘‘commercial or 
central Federal agency’’ before ‘‘insti-
tutional review board’’; 
(II) by striking ‘‘or institutional 
review boards’’ and inserting ‘‘or 
boards’’; and 
(iii) in subparagraph (C) by inserting 
‘‘(as determined by the Secretary)’’ after 
‘‘submission’’. 
Æ 
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