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.
(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
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
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
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:
Clerk.