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(B) by striking ‘‘services—’’ in the matter
preceding subparagraph (A) and inserting
‘‘services, the following:’’; and
(C) by striking subparagraph (A) and in-
serting the following:
‘‘(A) Surgical services.
‘‘(B) Dental services and appliances as de-
scribed 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:
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‘‘(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 service-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 con-
sultation, professional counseling, training, and mental
health services 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 sec-
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tion 1710(a) of this title, the Secretary may, in the discre-
tion of the Secretary, provide to individuals described in
subsection (c) such consultation, professional counseling,
training, and mental health services as are necessary in
connection with that treatment if—
‘‘(1) those services were initiated during the
veteran’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
AUTHOR-
IZED.—Services provided under subsections (a) and (b)
may include, under the terms and conditions set forth in
section 111 of this title, travel and incidental expenses of
individuals described in subsection (c) in the case of—
‘‘(1) a veteran who is receiving care for a serv-
ice-connected disability; and
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‘‘(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
Secretary may provide bereavement counseling to that in-
dividual in the case of a death—
‘‘(1) that was unexpected; or
‘‘(2) that occurred while the veteran was par-
ticipating in a hospice program (or a similar pro-
gram) 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
purposes 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 assist an individual with the emotional and psycho-
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logical stress accompanying the death of another indi-
vidual.
‘‘§ 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 in-
serted 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 strik-
ing ‘‘1713’’ and inserting ‘‘1781’’.
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(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
(A) in paragraph (2), by striking ‘‘section
1701(6)(B)’’ and inserting ‘‘sections 1782 and
1783’’.
(4) Section 1729(f) is amended by striking
‘‘section 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
following new paragraph (7):
‘‘(7) Section 1784 of this title.’’.
(6) Section 8111(g) is amended—
(A) in paragraph (4), by inserting ‘‘serv-
ices 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’’.
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(7) Section 8111A(a)(2) is amended by insert-
ing ‘‘, and the term ‘medical services’ includes serv-
ices under sections 1782 and 1783 of this title’’ be-
fore 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:
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‘‘§ 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 ‘‘Sep-
tember 30, 2007’’.
(b) MEDICAL
CARE
COST
RECOVERY.—Section
1729(a)(2)(E) of such title is amended by striking ‘‘Octo-
ber 1, 2002’’ and inserting ‘‘October 1, 2007’’.
SEC. 107. PERSONAL EMERGENCY RESPONSE SYSTEM FOR
VETERANS WITH SERVICE-CONNECTED DIS-
ABILITIES.
(a) EVALUATION
AND STUDY.—The Secretary of
Veterans Affairs shall carry out an evaluation and study
of the feasibility and desirability of providing a personal
emergency response system to veterans who have service-
connected disabilities. The evaluation and study shall be
commenced not later than 60 days after the date of the
enactment of this Act.
(b) REPORT.—Not later than 180 days after the date
of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit
to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and
House of Representatives a report on the evaluation and
study under subsection (a). The Secretary shall include
in the report the Secretary’s findings resulting from the
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evaluation and study and the Secretary’s conclusion as to
whether the Department of Veterans Affairs should pro-
vide a personal emergency response system to veterans
with service-connected disabilities.
(c) AUTHORITY TO PROVIDE SYSTEM.—If the Sec-
retary concludes in the report under subsection (b) that
a personal emergency response system should be provided
by the Department of Veterans Affairs to veterans with
service-connected disabilities—
(1) the Secretary may provide such a system,
without charge, to any veteran with a service-con-
nected disability who is enrolled under section 1705
of title 38, United States Code, and who submits an
application for such a system under subsection (d);
and
(2) the Secretary may contract with one or
more vendors to furnish such a system.
(d) APPLICATION.—A personal emergency response
system may be provided to a veteran under subsection
(c)(1) only upon the submission by the veteran of an appli-
cation for the system. Any such application shall be in
such form and manner as the Secretary may require.
(e) DEFINITION.—For purposes of this section, the
term ‘‘personal emergency response system’’ means a
device—
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(1) that can be activated by an individual who
is experiencing a medical emergency to notify appro-
priate emergency medical personnel that the indi-
vidual is experiencing a medical emergency; and
(2) that provides the individual’s location
through a Global Positioning System indicator.
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):
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‘‘(7) A Director of Chiropractic Service, who
shall be a qualified doctor of chiropractic and who
shall be responsible to the Secretary for the oper-
ation of the Chiropractic Service.’’.
SEC. 202. AVAILABILITY OF CHIROPRACTIC CARE TO VET-
ERANS.
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary of Veterans
Affairs shall establish a program to provide chiropractic
care to veterans through all Department of Veterans Af-
fairs medical 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 Af-
fairs medical centers by the end of fiscal year 2006.
(c) INITIAL PARTICIPATING MEDICAL CENTERS.—
The initial 30 medical centers at which the program is
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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 select 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 serv-
ices 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
provide training and materials relating to chiropractic
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services to members of Department health care providers
assigned to primary care teams for the purposes of famil-
iarizing those providers with the benefits of appropriate
use of chiropractic services.
(b) FUTURE PROGRAM SITES.—During the period
covered by section 202(b), the Secretary shall provide ma-
terials relating to chiropractic services to medical centers
and other health care facilities of the Department not yet
participating 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
program under this title.
(b) MEMBERS.—In appointing the members of the
advisory committee, the Secretary shall include on the ad-
visory committee—
(1) members of the chiropractic profession;
(2) persons who are experts in human resources
appointments in the Federal service;
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(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 advi-
sory committee in establishing the chiropractic
health program.
(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 ap-
propriate 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 Com-
mittees on Veterans Affairs of the Senate and House of
Representatives a report on the implementation of this
title.
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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’’
(hereinafter in this title referred to as the ‘‘Commission’’).
(b) COMPOSITION.—(1) The Commission shall be
composed 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 profes-
sional associations of nurses of the Department or
similar organizations affiliated with the Depart-
ment’s health care practitioners.
(C) Two shall be representatives of trade asso-
ciations representing the nursing profession.
(D) Two shall be nurses from nursing schools
affiliated with the Department of Veterans Affairs.
(E) One shall be a representative of veterans.
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(3) The Nurse Executive of the Department of Vet-
erans Affairs shall be an ex officio member of the Commis-
sion.
(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.—Mem-
bers shall be appointed for the life of the Commission. Any
vacancy in the Commission shall be filled in the same man-
ner 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 Commission 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
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enhance the recruitment and retention of nurses in the
Department.
SEC. 303. REPORTS.
(a) COMMISSION REPORT.—The Commission shall,
not later than two years after the date of its first meeting,
submit to Congress and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs
a report on the Commission’s findings and conclusions.
(b) SECRETARY OF VETERANS AFFAIRS REPORT.—
Not later than 60 after the date of the Commission’s re-
port 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 rec-
ommendations of the Commission and the Sec-
retary’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
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that the Commission considers necessary to enable the
Commission 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
Commission.
(b) TRAVEL EXPENSES.—The members of the Com-
mission shall be allowed travel expenses, including per
diem in lieu of subsistence, at rates authorized for employ-
ees 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 Commission.
(c) STAFF.—(1) The Secretary may, without regard
to the provisions of title 5, United States Code, governing
appointments in the competitive service, appoint a staff
director and such additional personnel as may be nec-
essary to enable the Commission to perform its duties.
(2) The Secretary may fix the pay of the staff direc-
tor and other personnel appointed under paragraph (1)
without regard to the provisions of chapter 51 and sub-
chapter 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
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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
request of the Secretary, the head of any Federal depart-
ment or agency may detail, on a nonreimbursable basis,
any personnel of that department or agency to the Com-
mission 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).
Passed the House of Representatives October 23,
2001.
Attest:
JEFF TRANDAHL,
Clerk.