I 
117TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 7508 
To authorize the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out a program 
for the recruitment, retention, and training of providers of specialty 
care for women veterans, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
APRIL 14, 2022 
Mr. CRIST introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee 
on Veterans’ Affairs 
A BILL 
To authorize the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out 
a program for the recruitment, retention, and training 
of providers of specialty care for women veterans, 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. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Improving Specialty 
Care for Women Veterans Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. AUTHORITY FOR DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AF-
FAIRS PROGRAM ON RECRUITMENT, RETEN-
TION, AND TRAINING OF SPECIALTY CARE 
PROVIDERS FOR WOMEN VETERANS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
may carry out a program, including a pilot program, for 
the recruitment, retention, and training of providers of 
specialty care for former members of the Armed Forces 
who are women. 
(b) PARTICIPANTS.—Participation in a program 
under subsection (a) shall be available to the following: 
(1) Individuals serving in a medical internship 
or residency program. 
(2) Nurses and physicians who are covered pro-
viders. 
(c) SPECIALTY CARE AREAS; INCENTIVES FOR RE-
CRUITMENT.—In carrying out a program under subsection 
(a), the Secretary may— 
(1) target for recruitment individuals with ex-
pertise in such specialty care areas as the Secretary 
may determine appropriate for purposes of the pro-
gram; and 
(2) offer to individuals targeted for recruitment 
under the program such incentives as the Secretary 
determines appropriate to facilitate the recruitment 
and retention of such individuals, including mone-
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tary incentives and incentives relating to the reduc-
tion of education debt under the Education Debt Re-
duction program authorized under section 7681 of 
title 38, United States Code. 
(d) TRAINING AND SUPPORT FOR PROVIDERS.— 
(1) TRAINING AND SUPPORT.—In carrying out 
a program under subsection (a), the Secretary shall 
furnish to each individual recruited under the pro-
gram such training and support as the Secretary de-
termines necessary with respect to the unique needs 
of women veterans, including with respect to mental 
and behavioral health conditions relating to the serv-
ice of women veterans in the Armed Forces. 
(2) CONTRACTS WITH NON-DEPARTMENT ENTI-
TIES.—The Secretary may only enter into a contract 
with a non-Department entity for such entity to pro-
vide training or support under paragraph (1) if, not 
later than 30 days after the date on which the Sec-
retary enters into the contract, the Secretary sub-
mits to the Committees on Veterans Affairs of the 
House of Representatives and the Senate a notifica-
tion regarding the contract. 
(e) 
RELATIONSHIP
TO
APPOINTMENT
SCHED-
ULING.—The Secretary shall— 
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(1) make available to veterans enrolled in the 
patient enrollment system of the Department under 
section 1705 of title 38, United States Code, infor-
mation indicating whether a covered provider has 
participated in a program under subsection (a); and 
(2) take such steps as may be necessary to im-
prove the timeliness of appointments scheduled by 
such veterans with covered providers who have so 
participated, including by waiving requirements of 
the Department relating to wait times for such ap-
pointments. 
(f) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) The term ‘‘covered provider’’ means a 
health care provider— 
(A) who is an employee of the Department 
of Veterans Affairs; or 
(B) who provides medical care or services 
to veterans under the Veterans Community 
Care program. 
(2) The term ‘‘Veterans Community Care pro-
gram’’ means the program of the Department of 
Veterans Affairs under section 1703 of title 38, 
United States Code. 
Æ 
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