Title: To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to prescribe the technical qualifications for licensed hearing aid specialists of the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes.
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security

Summary:
This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to prescribe specified technical qualifications necessary for appointment as a licensed hearing aid specialist in the Veterans Health Administration. Under the bill, at least one licensed hearing aid specialist must be appointed at each VA medical center.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6612 Introduced in House (IH)]

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116th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 6612

To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to prescribe the technical 
 qualifications for licensed hearing aid specialists of the Department 
              of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             April 23, 2020

 Mr. Takano (for himself and Mr. David P. Roe of Tennessee) introduced 
 the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans' 
                                Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to prescribe the technical 
 qualifications for licensed hearing aid specialists of the Department 
              of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. PRESCRIPTION OF TECHNICAL QUALIFICATIONS FOR LICENSED 
              HEARING AID SPECIALISTS AND REQUIREMENT FOR APPOINTMENT 
              OF SUCH SPECIALISTS.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall 
prescribe the technical qualifications required under section 
7402(a)(14) of title 38, United States Code, to be appointed as a 
licensed hearing aid specialist under section 7401(3) of such title.
    (b) Elements for Qualifications.--In prescribing the qualifications 
for licensed hearing aid specialists under subsection (a), the 
Secretary shall ensure such qualifications are consistent with the 
following:
            (1) Standards of registered apprenticeship programs for the 
        occupation of hearing aid specialists approved by the 
        Department of Labor in accordance with the Act of August 16, 
        1937 (commonly known as the ``National Apprenticeship Act'') 
        (50 Stat. 664, chapter 663; 29 U.S.C. 50 et seq.).
            (2) Standards for licensure of hearing aid specialists that 
        are required by a majority of States.
            (3) Competency in completing core tasks for the occupation 
        of hearing aid specialist as determined by the Occupational 
        Information Network Database (commonly known as ``O*NET'').
    (c) Appointment.--Not later than September 30, 2022, the Secretary 
shall appoint not fewer than one licensed hearing aid specialist at 
each medical center of the Department.
    (d) Report.--Not later than September 30, 2022, and annually 
thereafter, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Veterans' 
Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the 
House of Representatives a report--
            (1) assessing the progress of the Secretary in appointing 
        licensed hearing aid specialists under subsection (c);
            (2) assessing potential conflicts or obstacles that prevent 
        the appointment of licensed hearing aid specialists;
            (3) assessing the factors that led to such conflicts or 
        obstacles; and
            (4) indicating the medical centers of the Department with 
        vacancies for licensed hearing aid specialists.
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