Veterans Serving Veterans Act of 2018

Bill: 115-hr-5938
Sponsor: full_name: Resident Commissioner González-Colón, Jenniffer [R-PR-At Large]
Introduced: 2018-05-23
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Employee hiring

Employment and training programs

Government information and archives

Health facilities and institutions

Health personnel

Military personnel and dependents

Personnel records

Veterans' education, employment, rehabilitation
Latest action: action_date: 2018-07-25
text: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

Summaries:
action_date: 2018-05-23
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p><b>Veterans Serving Veterans Act of 2018</b></p> <p>This bill amends the VA Choice and Quality Employment Act to name the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) recruiting database the Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs Recruitment Database and require that it includes for each vacant position:</p> <ul> <li>the military occupational specialty or skill corresponding to the VA position, and </li> <li>each qualified U.S. Armed Forces active-duty member who may be recruited to fill the position.</li> </ul> <p>The database shall include the following for each qualified member of the Armed Forces: name, contact information, expected discharge date, and military occupational specialty. An individual may elect in writing to not be included in the database.</p> <p>The VA shall implement direct hiring and appointment procedures for vacant database positions and may authorize relocation bonuses. </p> <p>The VA shall train and certify veterans who served as basic health care technicians in the Armed Forces to work as VA intermediate care technicians.</p>

action_date: 2018-07-24
action_desc: Passed House amended
text: <p><b>Veterans Serving Veterans Act of 2018</b></p> <p>This bill amends the VA Choice and Quality Employment Act to name the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) recruiting database the Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs Recruitment Database and require that it includes for each vacant position:</p> <ul> <li>the military occupational specialty or skill corresponding to the VA position, and </li> <li>each qualified U.S. Armed Forces active-duty member (who elects to be listed in the database) who may be recruited to fill the position.</li> </ul> <p>The database shall include the following for each qualified member of the Armed Forces: name, contact information, expected discharge date, and military occupational specialty. </p> <p>The VA shall implement direct hiring and appointment procedures for vacant database positions and may authorize relocation bonuses. </p> <p>The VA shall train and certify veterans who served as basic health care technicians in the Armed Forces to work as VA intermediate care technicians.</p>

tv_txt: I 115th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 5938 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES May 23, 2018 Miss González-Colón of Puerto Rico introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs A BILL To amend the VA Choice and Quality Employment Act to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish a vacancy and recruitment database to facilitate the recruitment of certain members of the Armed Forces to satisfy the occupational needs of the Department of Veterans Affairs, to establish and implement a training and certification program for intermediate care technicians in that Department, and for other purposes.

1. Short Title This Act may be cited as the Veterans Serving Veterans Act of 2018 . 2. Recruitment Database (a) Establishment Section 208 of the VA Choice and Quality Employment Act ( Public Law 115–46 ; 38 U.S.C. 701 note) is amended as follows: (1) In subsection (a)— (A) in the matter proceeding paragraph (1), by striking a single database and inserting and maintain a single searchable database, to be known as the Department of Defense and Veterans Affairs Recruitment Database ; (B) in paragraph (1), by striking ; and and inserting a semicolon; (C) in paragraph (2), by striking the period at the end and inserting ; and ; and (D) by adding after paragraph (2) the following new paragraph: (3) with respect to each vacant position under paragraph (1) and paragraph (2), the following information: (A) The military occupational specialty or skill that corresponds to the position, as determined by the Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary of Defense. (B) Each qualified member of the Armed Forces who may be recruited to fill the position before such qualified member of the Armed Forces has been discharged and released from active duty. . (2) By redesignating subsections (b), (c), and (d) as subsections (g), (h), and (i), respectively. (3) By inserting after subsection (a) the following new subsections: (b) Additional information Subject to subsection (c), the database established under subsection (a) shall include, with respect to each qualified member of the Armed Forces, the following information: (1) The name and contact information of the qualified member of the Armed Forces. (2) The date on which the qualified member of the Armed Forces is expected to be discharged and released from active duty. (3) Each military occupational specialty currently or previously assigned to the qualified member of the Armed Forces. (c) Election not To be listed A qualified member of the Armed Forces may elect in writing not to be listed in the database. (d) Availability Information in the database shall be available to offices, officials, and employees of the Department to the extent the Secretary determines appropriate. (e) Expedited Hiring Procedures The Secretary shall implement direct hiring and appointment procedures for vacant positions listed in the database established under subsection (a) for qualified members of the Armed Forces who apply for such positions. (f) Relocation bonus The Secretary may authorize a relocation bonus, in an amount determined appropriate by the Secretary and subject to the same limitations as in the case of the authority provided under section 5753 of title 5, to any qualified member of the Armed Forces who has accepted a position listed in the database established under subsection (a). . (4) In subsection (h)(1), as redesignated in paragraph (2), by striking subsection (b) and inserting subsection (g) . (5) In subsection (i), as redesignated in paragraph (2), by striking of this Act and inserting of the Veterans Serving Veterans Act of 2018, and annually thereafter . (6) By adding after subsection (i), as redesignated in paragraph (2), the following new subsection: (j) Qualified member of the Armed Forces Defined In this section, the term qualified member of the Armed Forces means a member of the Armed Forces— (1) described in section 1142(a) of title 10; and (2) who has been determined by the Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary of Defense, to have a military occupational speciality that corresponds to a vacant position described in subsection (a). . (b) Deadline The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall establish the database under section 208 of the VA Choice and Quality Employment Act ( Public Law 115–46 ; 38 U.S.C. 701 note), as amended by this section, not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act. 3. Intermediate Care Technician Training Program (a) Establishment The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall implement a program to train and certify covered veterans to work as intermediate care technicians in the Department of Veterans Affairs. (b) Locations (1) Establishment The Secretary shall establish centers at medical facilities of the Department selected by the Secretary for the purposes of carrying out the program under subsection (a). (2) Selection of medical facilities In selecting a medical facility of the Department under this subsection to serve as a center, the Secretary shall consider— (A) the experience and success of the facility in training intermediate care technicians; and (B) the availability of resources of the facility to train intermediate care technicians. (c) Covered veteran defined In this section, the term covered veteran means a veteran who the Secretary determines served as a basic health care technician while serving in the Armed Forces. 4. No authorization of appropriations No additional funds are authorized to be appropriated to carry out section 208 of the VA Choice and Quality Employment Act ( Public Law 115–46 ; 38 U.S.C. 701 note), as amended by section 2 of this Act, or to carry out section 3 of this Act. Such sections shall be carried out using amounts otherwise authorized to be appropriated for such purpose.

tv_txt: IIB 115th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 5938 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES July 25, 2018 Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs AN ACT To amend the VA Choice and Quality Employment Act to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish a vacancy and recruitment database to facilitate the recruitment of certain members of the Armed Forces to satisfy the occupational needs of the Department of Veterans Affairs, to establish and implement a training and certification program for intermediate care technicians in that Department, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Veterans Serving Veterans Act of 2018 . 2. Recruitment database (a) Establishment Section 208 of the VA Choice and Quality Employment Act ( Public Law 115–46 ; 38 U.S.C. 701 note) is amended as follows: (1) In subsection (a)— (A) in the matter proceeding paragraph (1), by striking a single database and inserting and maintain a single searchable database (to be known as the Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs Recruitment Database ) ; (B) in paragraph (1), by striking ; and and inserting a semicolon; (C) in paragraph (2), by striking the period at the end and inserting ; and ; and (D) by adding after paragraph (2) the following new paragraph: (3) with respect to each vacant position under paragraphs (1) and (2)— (A) the military occupational specialty or skill that corresponds to the position, as determined by the Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary of Defense; and (B) each qualified member of the Armed Forces who may be recruited to fill the position before such qualified member of the Armed Forces has been discharged and released from active duty. . (2) By redesignating subsections (b), (c), and (d) as subsections (f), (g), and (h), respectively. (3) By inserting after subsection (a) the following new subsections: (b) Additional information Subject to subsection (c), the database established under subsection (a) shall include, with respect to each qualified member of the Armed Forces, the following information: (1) The name and contact information of the qualified member of the Armed Forces. (2) The date on which the qualified member of the Armed Forces is expected to be discharged and released from active duty. (3) Each military occupational specialty currently or previously assigned to the qualified member of the Armed Forces. (c) Availability Information in the database shall be available to offices, officials, and employees of the Department of Veterans Affairs to the extent the Secretary of Veterans Affairs determines appropriate. (d) Expedited hiring procedures The Secretary shall hire qualified members of the Armed Forces who apply for vacant positions listed in the database established under subsection (a) without regard to the provisions of subchapter I of chapter 33 of title 5, United States Code. (e) Relocation bonus The Secretary may authorize a relocation bonus, in an amount determined appropriate by the Secretary and subject to the same limitations as in the case of the authority provided under section 5753 of title 5, to any qualified member of the Armed Forces who has accepted a position listed in the database established under subsection (a). . (4) In subsection (g)(1), as redesignated in paragraph (2), by striking subsection (b) and inserting subsection (g) . (5) In subsection (h), as redesignated in paragraph (2), by striking of this Act and inserting of the Veterans Serving Veterans Act of 2018, and annually thereafter . (6) By adding after subsection (h), as redesignated in paragraph (2), the following new subsection: (i) Qualified member of the Armed Forces Defined In this section, the term qualified member of the Armed Forces means a member of the Armed Forces— (1) described in section 1142(a) of title 10; (2) who elects to be listed in the database established under subsection (a); and (3) who has been determined by the Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary of Defense, to have a military occupational speciality that corresponds to a vacant position described in subsection (a). . (b) Implementation plan Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives and the Senate a plan to implement, including a timeline, section 208 of the VA Choice and Quality Employment Act ( Public Law 115–46 ; 38 U.S.C. 701 note), as amended by this section. 3. Intermediate Care Technician Training Program (a) Establishment The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall implement a program to train and certify covered veterans to work as intermediate care technicians in the Department of Veterans Affairs. (b) Locations (1) Establishment The Secretary shall establish centers at medical facilities of the Department selected by the Secretary for the purposes of carrying out the program under subsection (a). (2) Selection of medical facilities In selecting a medical facility of the Department under this subsection to serve as a center, the Secretary shall consider— (A) the experience and success of the facility in training intermediate care technicians; and (B) the availability of resources of the facility to train intermediate care technicians. (c) Covered veteran defined In this section, the term covered veteran means a veteran whom the Secretary determines served as a basic health care technician while serving in the Armed Forces. 4. No authorization of appropriations No additional funds are authorized to be appropriated to carry out section 208 of the VA Choice and Quality Employment Act ( Public Law 115–46 ; 38 U.S.C. 701 note), as amended by section 2 of this Act, or to carry out section 3 of this Act. Such sections shall be carried out using amounts otherwise authorized to be appropriated for such purpose. 5. No additional funds authorized No additional funds are authorized to be appropriated to carry out the requirements of this Act and the amendments made by this Act. Such requirements shall be carried out using amounts otherwise authorized to be appropriated.

Passed the House of Representatives July 24, 2018. Karen L. Haas, Clerk

tv_txt: I 115th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 5938 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AN ACT To amend the VA Choice and Quality Employment Act to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish a vacancy and recruitment database to facilitate the recruitment of certain members of the Armed Forces to satisfy the occupational needs of the Department of Veterans Affairs, to establish and implement a training and certification program for intermediate care technicians in that Department, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Veterans Serving Veterans Act of 2018 . 2. Recruitment database (a) Establishment Section 208 of the VA Choice and Quality Employment Act ( Public Law 115–46 ; 38 U.S.C. 701 note) is amended as follows: (1) In subsection (a)— (A) in the matter proceeding paragraph (1), by striking a single database and inserting and maintain a single searchable database (to be known as the Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs Recruitment Database ) ; (B) in paragraph (1), by striking ; and and inserting a semicolon; (C) in paragraph (2), by striking the period at the end and inserting ; and ; and (D) by adding after paragraph (2) the following new paragraph: (3) with respect to each vacant position under paragraphs (1) and (2)— (A) the military occupational specialty or skill that corresponds to the position, as determined by the Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary of Defense; and (B) each qualified member of the Armed Forces who may be recruited to fill the position before such qualified member of the Armed Forces has been discharged and released from active duty. . (2) By redesignating subsections (b), (c), and (d) as subsections (f), (g), and (h), respectively. (3) By inserting after subsection (a) the following new subsections: (b) Additional information Subject to subsection (c), the database established under subsection (a) shall include, with respect to each qualified member of the Armed Forces, the following information: (1) The name and contact information of the qualified member of the Armed Forces. (2) The date on which the qualified member of the Armed Forces is expected to be discharged and released from active duty. (3) Each military occupational specialty currently or previously assigned to the qualified member of the Armed Forces. (c) Availability Information in the database shall be available to offices, officials, and employees of the Department of Veterans Affairs to the extent the Secretary of Veterans Affairs determines appropriate. (d) Expedited hiring procedures The Secretary shall hire qualified members of the Armed Forces who apply for vacant positions listed in the database established under subsection (a) without regard to the provisions of subchapter I of chapter 33 of title 5, United States Code. (e) Relocation bonus The Secretary may authorize a relocation bonus, in an amount determined appropriate by the Secretary and subject to the same limitations as in the case of the authority provided under section 5753 of title 5, to any qualified member of the Armed Forces who has accepted a position listed in the database established under subsection (a). . (4) In subsection (g)(1), as redesignated in paragraph (2), by striking subsection (b) and inserting subsection (g) . (5) In subsection (h), as redesignated in paragraph (2), by striking of this Act and inserting of the Veterans Serving Veterans Act of 2018, and annually thereafter . (6) By adding after subsection (h), as redesignated in paragraph (2), the following new subsection: (i) Qualified member of the Armed Forces Defined In this section, the term qualified member of the Armed Forces means a member of the Armed Forces— (1) described in section 1142(a) of title 10; (2) who elects to be listed in the database established under subsection (a); and (3) who has been determined by the Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary of Defense, to have a military occupational speciality that corresponds to a vacant position described in subsection (a). . (b) Implementation plan Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives and the Senate a plan to implement, including a timeline, section 208 of the VA Choice and Quality Employment Act ( Public Law 115–46 ; 38 U.S.C. 701 note), as amended by this section. 3. Intermediate Care Technician Training Program (a) Establishment The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall implement a program to train and certify covered veterans to work as intermediate care technicians in the Department of Veterans Affairs. (b) Locations (1) Establishment The Secretary shall establish centers at medical facilities of the Department selected by the Secretary for the purposes of carrying out the program under subsection (a). (2) Selection of medical facilities In selecting a medical facility of the Department under this subsection to serve as a center, the Secretary shall consider— (A) the experience and success of the facility in training intermediate care technicians; and (B) the availability of resources of the facility to train intermediate care technicians. (c) Covered veteran defined In this section, the term covered veteran means a veteran whom the Secretary determines served as a basic health care technician while serving in the Armed Forces. 4. No authorization of appropriations No additional funds are authorized to be appropriated to carry out section 208 of the VA Choice and Quality Employment Act ( Public Law 115–46 ; 38 U.S.C. 701 note), as amended by section 2 of this Act, or to carry out section 3 of this Act. Such sections shall be carried out using amounts otherwise authorized to be appropriated for such purpose. 5. No additional funds authorized No additional funds are authorized to be appropriated to carry out the requirements of this Act and the amendments made by this Act. Such requirements shall be carried out using amounts otherwise authorized to be appropriated.

Passed the House of Representatives July 24, 2018. Karen L. Haas, Clerk.

tv_txt: IB Union Calendar No. 674 115th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 5938 [Report No. 115–871] IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES May 23, 2018 Miss González-Colón of Puerto Rico introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs July 24, 2018 Additional sponsor: Mr. Coffman July 24, 2018 Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on May 23, 2018 A BILL To amend the VA Choice and Quality Employment Act to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish a vacancy and recruitment database to facilitate the recruitment of certain members of the Armed Forces to satisfy the occupational needs of the Department of Veterans Affairs, to establish and implement a training and certification program for intermediate care technicians in that Department, and for other purposes.

1. Short Title This Act may be cited as the Veterans Serving Veterans Act of 2018 . 2. Recruitment Database (a) Establishment Section 208 of the VA Choice and Quality Employment Act of 2017 ( Public Law 115–46 ; 38 U.S.C. 701 note) is amended as follows: (1) In subsection (a)— (A) in the matter proceeding paragraph (1), by striking a single database and inserting and maintain a single searchable database (to be known as the Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs Recruitment Database ) ; (B) in paragraph (1), by striking ; and and inserting a semicolon; (C) in paragraph (2), by striking the period at the end and inserting ; and ; and (D) by adding after paragraph (2) the following new paragraph: (3) with respect to each vacant position under paragraphs (1) and (2)— (A) the military occupational specialty or skill that corresponds to the position, as determined by the Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary of Defense; and (B) each qualified member of the Armed Forces who may be recruited to fill the position before such qualified member of the Armed Forces has been discharged and released from active duty. . (2) By redesignating subsections (b), (c), and (d) as subsections (f), (g), and (h), respectively. (3) By inserting after subsection (a) the following new subsections: (b) Additional information Subject to subsection (c), the database established under subsection (a) shall include, with respect to each qualified member of the Armed Forces, the following information: (1) The name and contact information of the qualified member of the Armed Forces. (2) The date on which the qualified member of the Armed Forces is expected to be discharged and released from active duty. (3) Each military occupational specialty currently or previously assigned to the qualified member of the Armed Forces. (c) Availability Information in the database shall be available to offices, officials, and employees of the Department of Veterans Affairs to the extent the Secretary of Veterans Affairs determines appropriate. (d) Expedited hiring procedures The Secretary shall hire qualified members of the Armed Forces who apply for vacant positions listed in the database established under subsection (a) without regard to the provisions of subchapter I of chapter 33 of title 5, United States Code. (e) Relocation bonus The Secretary may authorize a relocation bonus, in an amount determined appropriate by the Secretary and subject to the same limitations as in the case of the authority provided under section 5753 of title 5, to any qualified member of the Armed Forces who has accepted a position listed in the database established under subsection (a). . (4) In subsection (g)(1), as redesignated in paragraph (2), by striking subsection (b) and inserting subsection (g) . (5) In subsection (h), as redesignated in paragraph (2), by striking of this Act and inserting of the Veterans Serving Veterans Act of 2018, and annually thereafter . (6) By adding after subsection (h), as redesignated in paragraph (2), the following new subsection: (i) Qualified member of the Armed Forces Defined In this section, the term qualified member of the Armed Forces means a member of the Armed Forces— (1) described in section 1142(a) of title 10; (2) who elects to be listed in the database established under subsection (a); and (3) who has been determined by the Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary of Defense, to have a military occupational speciality that corresponds to a vacant position described in subsection (a). . (b) Implementation plan Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives and the Senate a plan to implement, including a timeline, section 208 of the VA Choice and Quality Employment Act of 2017 ( Public Law 115–46 ; 38 U.S.C. 701 note), as amended by this section. 3. Intermediate Care Technician Training Program (a) Establishment The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall implement a program to train and certify covered veterans to work as intermediate care technicians in the Department of Veterans Affairs. (b) Locations (1) Establishment The Secretary shall establish centers at medical facilities of the Department selected by the Secretary for the purposes of carrying out the program under subsection (a). (2) Selection of medical facilities In selecting a medical facility of the Department under this subsection to serve as a center, the Secretary shall consider— (A) the experience and success of the facility in training intermediate care technicians; and (B) the availability of resources of the facility to train intermediate care technicians. (c) Covered veteran defined In this section, the term covered veteran means a veteran whom the Secretary determines served as a basic health care technician while serving in the Armed Forces. 4. No authorization of appropriations No additional funds are authorized to be appropriated to carry out section 208 of the VA Choice and Quality Employment Act of 2017 ( Public Law 115–46 ; 38 U.S.C. 701 note), as amended by section 2 of this Act, or to carry out section 3 of this Act. Such sections shall be carried out using amounts otherwise authorized to be appropriated for such purpose.

July 24, 2018 Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed