I 
114TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 5057 
To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for a continuing education 
requirement for employees of the Department of Veterans Affairs author-
ized to prescribe medication. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
APRIL 26, 2016 
Mr. KEATING (for himself and Mr. ROTHFUS) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 
A BILL 
To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for a 
continuing education requirement for employees of the 
Department of Veterans Affairs authorized to prescribe 
medication. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Safe Prescribing for 
Veterans Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. CONTINUING EDUCATION REQUIREMENT FOR EM-
PLOYEES OF DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AF-
FAIRS AUTHORIZED TO PRESCRIBE MEDICA-
TION. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Subchapter I of chapter 74 of title 
38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end 
the following new section: 
‘‘§ 7413. Continuing education requirement for em-
ployees authorized to prescribe medica-
tion 
‘‘(a) REQUIREMENT.—(1) Except as provided in 
paragraph (2), the Secretary shall require each covered 
employee of the Department to complete not less than one 
accredited course of continuing education on pain manage-
ment once every two years. Such course shall include in-
formation on safe prescribing practices and disposal of 
controlled substances, principles of pain management, 
identification of potential substance use disorders and ad-
diction treatment. 
‘‘(2) Paragraph (1) shall not apply to a covered em-
ployee if the covered employee is licensed or certified by 
a State licensure or specialty board that requires the com-
pletion of continuing education relative to pain manage-
ment or substance use disorder management. 
‘‘(b) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
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‘‘(1) The term ‘covered employee’ means any 
employee of the Department authorized to prescribe 
any controlled substance, including an employee 
hired under section 7405 of this title. 
‘‘(2) The term ‘controlled substance’ has the 
meaning given such term in section 102 of the Con-
trolled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. 802). 
‘‘(c) APPLICABILITY.—The requirement under sub-
section (a) shall apply with respect to a covered employee 
for any 24-month period during which the covered em-
ployee is employed by the Department for at least 180 
days.’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections 
at the beginning of such chapter is amended by adding 
at the end of the items relating to subchapter I of such 
chapter the following new item: 
‘‘7413. Continuing education requirement for employees authorized to prescribe 
medication.’’. 
(c) APPLICABILITY.—Section 7413 of title 38, United 
States Code, as added by subsection (a) shall apply with 
respect to a 12-month period that begins on or after the 
date of the enactment of this Act. 
Æ 
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