I 
118TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 9870 
To improve the provision of benefits and services to members of the Ready 
Reserve Corps of the Public Health Service, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
SEPTEMBER 27, 2024 
Mr. LANDSMAN (for himself and Ms. BLUNT ROCHESTER) introduced the fol-
lowing bill; which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services, and 
in addition to the Committees on Oversight and Accountability, Veterans’ 
Affairs, and Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently de-
termined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions 
as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To improve the provision of benefits and services to members 
of the Ready Reserve Corps of the Public Health Service, 
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 ‘‘Parity for Public 
Health Service Ready Reserve Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE READY RESERVE CORPS 
(PHS RRC). 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—Section 10141 of title 10, 
United States Code, is amended— 
(1) in subsection (a), by striking ‘‘in each 
armed force’’ and inserting ‘‘in each uniformed serv-
ice’’; and 
(2) in subsection (c), striking ‘‘the same for all 
armed forces’’ and inserting ‘‘the same for all re-
serve components of the uniformed services’’. 
(b) ORGANIZATION AND UNIT STRUCTURE.—Section 
10143(b) of title 10, United States Code, is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (1)— 
(A) by inserting ‘‘and the Public Health 
Service Ready Reserve Corps’’ after ‘‘other than 
the Coast Guard’’; and 
(B) by striking ‘‘war plans; and’’ and in-
serting ‘‘war plans;’’; 
(2) in paragraph (2), by striking the period at 
the end and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 
(3) by adding at the end the following new 
paragraph: 
‘‘(3) in the case of the Public Health Service 
Ready Reserve Corps, by the Secretary of Health 
and Human Services upon the recommendation of 
the Assistant Secretary for Health.’’. 
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(c) PLACEMENT
IN
READY
RESERVES.—Section 
10145(a) of title 10, United States Code, is amended by 
striking ‘‘Ready Reserve of his armed force for his pre-
scribed term of service, unless he is transferred’’ and in-
serting ‘‘Ready Reserve of the reserve component of the 
member’s uniformed service for his or her prescribed term 
of service, unless such member is transferred’’. 
(d) STANDBY RESERVES.— 
(1) TRANSFERS TO.—Section 10146 of title 10, 
United States Code, is amended— 
(A) in subsection (a), by inserting ‘‘and 
the Secretary of Health and Human Services 
with respect to Public Health Service Ready 
Reserve Corps’’ after ‘‘operating as a service in 
the Navy’’; and 
(B) in subsection (b), by inserting ‘‘or the 
Secretary of Health and Human Services, as 
the case may be,’’ after ‘‘prescribed by the Sec-
retary concerned’’. 
(2) TRANSFERS FROM.—Section 10150 of title 
10, United States Code, is amended by inserting 
‘‘and the Secretary of Health and Human Services 
with respect to Public Health Service Ready Reserve 
Corps’’ after ‘‘operating as a service in the Navy’’. 
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(II) in subparagraph (B), by in-
serting ‘‘or’’ after the semicolon at the 
end; and 
(III) by inserting after subpara-
graph (B) the following: 
‘‘(C) in the case of a member of the Ready Re-
serve Corps of the Public Health Service, performs 
services as a result of a deployment to respond to an 
urgent or emergency public health need, as defined 
in section 203A(a) of the Public Health Service Act 
(42 U.S.C. 204a(a));’’; and 
(C) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(e)(1) Subject to paragraph (2) of this subsection, 
an employee as defined by section 2105 of this title or 
an individual employed by the Government of the District 
of Columbia is entitled to leave without loss in pay, time, 
or performance or efficiency rating for active duty or inac-
tive-duty training (as defined in section 101 of title 37) 
as a member of the Ready Reserve Corps of the Public 
Health Service. Leave under this subsection accrues for 
an employee or individual at the rate of 15 days per fiscal 
year and, to the extent that it is not used in a fiscal year, 
accumulates for use in the succeeding fiscal year until it 
totals 15 days at the beginning of a fiscal year. 
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‘‘(2) In the case of an employee or individual em-
ployed on a part-time career employment basis (as defined 
in section 3401(2) of this title), the rate at which leave 
accrues under this subsection shall be a percentage of the 
rate prescribed under paragraph (1) which is determined 
by dividing 40 into the number of hours in the regularly 
scheduled workweek of that employee or individual during 
that fiscal year. 
‘‘(3) The minimum charge for leave under this sub-
section is one hour, and additional charges are in multiples 
thereof.’’. 
(2) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—The table of 
sections for chapter 63 of title 5, United States 
Code, is amended by striking the item relating to 
section 6323 and inserting the following: 
‘‘6323. Uniformed services leave.’’. 
SEC. 4. CLARIFICATION OF ENTITLEMENT TO POST-9/11 
EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE FOR SERVICE ON 
ACTIVE DUTY IN THE UNIFORMED SERVICES. 
(a) CLARIFICATION.—Section 3301(1) of title 38, 
United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the 
following new subparagraphs: 
‘‘(D) In the case of members of the regular 
components of the Commissioned Corps of the 
Public Health Service, the meaning given such 
term in section 101(21)(B). 
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‘‘(E) In the case of members of the reserve 
component of the Commissioned Corps of the 
Public Health Service, service on active duty 
under a call or order to active duty under sub-
paragraph (B), (C), or (D) of section 203(c)(2) 
of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 
204(c)(2)) or section 216 of such Act (42 
U.S.C. 217).’’. 
(b) ADDITIONAL CLARIFICATION.—Section 3311 of 
such title is amended— 
(1) in the section heading by striking ‘‘in the 
Armed Forces’’ and inserting ‘‘in the uni-
formed services’’; 
(2) in subsection (b), in paragraphs (1) through 
(11), by striking ‘‘Armed Forces’’ each place it ap-
pears and inserting ‘‘uniformed services’’; 
(3) in subsection (c), by striking ‘‘Armed 
Forces’’ each place it appears and inserting ‘‘uni-
formed services’’; 
(4) in subsection (d)(3)(A), by striking ‘‘Armed 
Forces’’ and inserting ‘‘uniformed services’’; and 
(5) in subsection (f)(4)(B)(ii), by striking 
‘‘Armed Forces’’ and inserting ‘‘uniformed services’’. 
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(c) APPLICABILITY.—The amendments made by sub-
sections (a) and (b) shall apply with respect to service oc-
curring on or after March 27, 2020. 
(d) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections 
at the beginning of chapter 33 of such title is amended 
by striking the item relating to section 3311 and inserting 
the following new item: 
‘‘3311. Educational assistance for service in the uniformed services commencing 
on or after September 11, 2001: entitlement.’’. 
(e) TECHNICAL CORRECTION.—Section 101 of such 
title is amended, in paragraphs (21) through (23), by 
striking ‘‘Reserve Corps of the Public Health Service’’ 
each place it appears and inserting ‘‘Ready Reserve Corps 
of the Public Health Service’’. 
SEC. 5. EXTENSION OF CERTAIN EDUCATIONAL BENEFITS 
TO MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH SERV-
ICE READY RESERVE CORPS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 16131 of title 10, United 
States Code, is amended— 
(1) in subsection (a)— 
(A) by striking ‘‘each military department’’ 
and inserting ‘‘the reserve component of that 
Secretary’s uniformed service’’; 
(B) by striking ‘‘and’’ after ‘‘Secretary of 
Defense,’’; 
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(C) by inserting ‘‘, and the Secretary of 
Health and Human Services with respect to the 
Public Health Service Ready Reserve Corps,’’ 
after ‘‘Navy’’; and 
(D) by striking ‘‘of the armed forces under 
the jurisdiction of the Secretary concerned’’ and 
inserting ‘‘of the uniformed services under the 
jurisdiction of such Secretary’’; 
(2) in subsection (b)(1), by inserting ‘‘or the 
Secretary of Health and Human Services, as the 
case may be’’ after ‘‘Secretary concerned’’; 
(3) in subsection (c)(3)(B)(i), by inserting ‘‘or 
section 203 of the Public Health Service Act (42 
U.S.C. 204(a)(4))’’ after ‘‘of this title’’; 
(4) in subsection (g)(2)(A), by inserting ‘‘or the 
Secretary of Health and Human Services, as the 
case may be’’ after ‘‘Secretary concerned’’; and 
(5) in subsection (i)— 
(A) by inserting ‘‘or the Secretary of 
Health and Human Services, as the case may 
be,’’ after ‘‘Secretary of Defense’’ each place it 
appears; and 
(B) by inserting ‘‘or the Secretary of 
Health and Human Services, as the case may 
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be,’’ after ‘‘Secretary concerned’’ each place it 
appears. 
(b) ELIGIBILITY.—Section 16132(c) of title 10, 
United States Code, is amended by inserting ‘‘or the Sec-
retary of Health and Human Services, as the case may 
be,’’ after ‘‘Secretary of Defense’’. 
(c) AUTHORITY TO TRANSFER UNUSED EDUCATION 
BENEFITS
TO FAMILY MEMBERS.—Section 16132a of 
title 10, United States Code, is amended— 
(1) in subsection (a), by inserting ‘‘or the Sec-
retary of Health and Human Services, as the case 
may be,’’ after ‘‘Secretary concerned’’; 
(2) in subsection (b)(1), by striking ‘‘member of 
the armed forces’’ and inserting ‘‘member of the re-
serve component of such member’s uniformed serv-
ice’’; 
(3) in subsection (d), by inserting ‘‘and the Sec-
retary of Health and Human Services’’ after ‘‘Sec-
retary of Defense’’; 
(4) in subsection (f)(2), by inserting ‘‘or the 
Secretary of Health and Human Services, as the 
case may be,’’ after ‘‘Secretary concerned’’; 
(5) in subsection (g), by striking ‘‘armed 
forces’’ and inserting ‘‘uniformed services’’ both 
places it appears; 
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(2) by inserting ‘‘or the Secretary of Health 
and Human Services, as the case may be,’’ after 
‘‘Secretary concerned’’. 
(f) APPLICABILITY.—The amendments made by sub-
sections (a) through (e) shall apply with respect to service 
occurring on or after March 27, 2020. 
SEC. 6. ADDITIONAL RIGHTS AND PRIVILEGES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 221(a) of the Public 
Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 213a(a)) is amended by 
adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(22) Chapter 40, Leave, except that section 
701(b) shall be applied and administered by sub-
stituting ‘120 days’ leave’ for ‘60 days’ leave’. 
‘‘(23) Section 982, Members: service on State 
and local juries. 
‘‘(24) Section 1145, Health benefits. 
‘‘(25) Section 1076a, TRICARE dental pro-
gram. 
‘‘(26) Section 1076d, TRICARE program: 
TRICARE Reserve Select coverage for members of 
the Selected Reserve. 
‘‘(27) Section 1076e, TRICARE program: 
TRICARE Retired Reserve coverage for certain 
members of the Retired Reserve who are qualified 
for a non-regular retirement but are not yet age 60. 
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‘‘(28) Section 1057, Use of armed forces insig-
nia on State license plates. 
‘‘(29) Section 1094, Licensure requirement for 
health-care professionals. 
‘‘(30) Section 987, Terms of consumer credit 
extended to members and dependents: limitations. 
‘‘(31) Section 1074, Medical and dental care for 
members and certain former members. 
‘‘(32) Section 1074a, Medical and dental care: 
members on duty other than active duty for a period 
of more than 30 days.’’. 
(b) REPEAL.—Section 219 of the Public Health Serv-
ice Act (42 U.S.C. 210–1) is repealed. 
SEC. 7. EXPANSION OF RESERVE FORCES POLICY BOARD 
TO INCLUDE REPRESENTATION OF PUBLIC 
HEALTH SERVICE. 
Section 10301(c) of title 10, United States Code, is 
amended— 
(1) in the matter before paragraph (1), by 
striking ‘‘20 members’’ and inserting ‘‘21 mem-
bers’’; and 
(2) by adding at the end the following new 
paragraph: 
‘‘(9) One active or retired officer of the Ready 
Reserve Corps of the Public Health Service Commis-
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sioned Corps or one civilian, appointed by the Sec-
retary of Health and Human Services.’’. 
SEC. 8. FUNDING OF READY RESERVE CORPS. 
Section 203(d) of the Public Health Service Act (42 
U.S.C. 204(d)) is amended by striking ‘‘$12,500,000 for 
each of fiscal years 2010 through 2014’’ and inserting 
‘‘$13,600,000 for each of fiscal years 2024 and 2025’’. 
Æ 
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