Title: To amend title 10, United States Code, to authorize the Secretary of Defense to appoint officers of the Armed Forces as directors of medical centers of the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes.
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security

Summary:
This bill authorizes the Department of Defense to appoint directors for Department of Veterans Affairs medical centers.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4314 Introduced in House (IH)]

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116th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 4314

 To amend title 10, United States Code, to authorize the Secretary of 
Defense to appoint officers of the Armed Forces as directors of medical 
 centers of the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           September 12, 2019

  Mr. Higgins of Louisiana (for himself and Mr. Mast) introduced the 
   following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans' 
  Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on Armed Services, for a 
 period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for 
consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the 
                          committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To amend title 10, United States Code, to authorize the Secretary of 
Defense to appoint officers of the Armed Forces as directors of medical 
 centers 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. REORGANIZATION OF DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS MEDICAL 
              CENTER DIRECTORS.

    (a) Reorganization.--Chapter 55 of title 10, United States Code, is 
amended by inserting after section 1104 the following new section:
``Sec. 1104a. Appointment of directors of medical centers of the 
              Department of Veterans Affairs
    ``(a) Appointment by Secretary of Defense.--The Secretary of 
Defense shall appoint the director of each medical center of the 
Department of Veterans Affairs.
    ``(b) Qualifications.--The Secretary of Defense, in consultation 
with the Secretaries of the military departments, shall establish the 
common qualifications and core competencies required for an officer of 
the armed forces to serve as a director under this section.
    ``(c) Functions and Responsibilities.--Each director under this 
section shall have the functions and responsibilities of a director of 
a medical center of the Department of Veterans Affairs under title 38, 
and any other functions or responsibilities as the Secretary of Defense 
may assign.
    ``(d) Training of Officers.--The Secretary of Defense shall provide 
training to officers of the armed forces to serve as directors under 
this section through the joint medical executive skills development 
program established under Department of Defense Instruction 6000.15 (or 
any successor instruction).''.
    (b) Conforming Amendments.--
            (1) Title 38.--Title 38, United States Code, is amended--
                    (A) in section 7401(4), by striking ``Directors of 
                medical centers and directors'' and inserting 
                ``Directors''; and
                    (B) in section 7402(b), by striking ``Center,'' in 
                the heading of paragraph (4).
            (2) VA choice and quality employment act of 2017.--Section 
        210 of the VA Choice and Quality Employment Act of 2017 (Public 
        Law 115-46; 131 Stat. 965; 38 U.S.C. 7401 note) is repealed.
    (c) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections at the beginning of 
chapter 55 of title 10, United States Code, is amended by inserting 
after the item relating to section 1104 the following new item:

``1104a. Appointment of directors of medical centers of the Department 
                            of Veterans Affairs.''.
    (d) Effective Date.--This Act and the amendments made by this Act 
shall apply with respect to a director of a medical center of the 
Department of Veterans Affairs appointed on or after the date of the 
enactment of this Act.
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