To amend title 38, United States Code, to increase the number of health care professionals employed by the Department of Veterans Affairs by improving the Department of Veterans Affairs Education Debt Reduction Program.

Bill: 115-hr-3557
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Walden, Greg [R-OR-2]
Introduced: 2017-07-28
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Department of Veterans Affairs

Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management

Health personnel

Higher education

Medical education

Student aid and college costs

Tax administration and collection, taxpayers

Veterans' medical care
Latest action: action_date: 2017-07-28
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

Summaries:
action_date: 2017-07-28
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p>This bill makes a Veterans Health Administration employee who provides patient care services in a position for which recruitment or retention of qualified personnel is difficult eligible for undergraduate and graduate education loan reduction under the Education Debt Reduction Program. (Currently, such loan reduction is available only for a course or training leading to a degree that qualifies the individual for a patient care services position.) </p> <p>The bill increases the five-year amount of education debt reduction payments made to or for a program participant from $120,000 to $240,000, of which not more than $60,000 (currently, $24,000) may be made in each year.</p> <p>The VA shall select program locations pursuant to a process that is similar to the process used to determine public health professional shortage areas. </p> <p>For purposes of providing tax liability reimbursements resulting from payments on behalf of an individual, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA): (1) shall, in addition to such payments, make payments in an amount equal to 39% of the total amount of loan repayments made for the taxable year; and (2) may make such additional payments as the VA determines appropriate.</p>

tv_txt: I 115th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 3557 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES July 28, 2017 Mr. Walden (for himself, Mr. DeFazio , and Mr. Newhouse ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs A BILL To amend title 38, United States Code, to increase the number of health care professionals employed by the Department of Veterans Affairs by improving the Department of Veterans Affairs Education Debt Reduction Program.

1. Improvement of Department of Veterans Affairs Education Debt Reduction Program (a) Additional loans covered Section 7682(a)(2) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by striking a course of education or training which led to a degree that qualified the individual for the position referred to in paragraph (1) and inserting the undergraduate or graduate education of the individual (or both) . (b) Increase of amount of assistance Subsection (d) of section 7683 of such title is amended— (1) in paragraph (1)— (A) by striking $120,000 and inserting $240,000 ; and (B) by striking $24,000 and inserting $60,000 ; and (2) in paragraph (2)(B), by adding at the end the following new sentence: The Secretary shall select the locations covered by the preceding sentence pursuant to a process established by the Secretary that is similar to the process used to determine health professional shortage areas under section 332 of the Public Health Service Act ( 42 U.S.C. 254e ). . (c) Addressing tax liability Such section is further amended by adding at the end the following new subsection: (e) Tax liability For the purpose of providing reimbursements for tax liability resulting from payments under this subchapter on behalf of an individual, the Secretary— (1) shall, in addition to such payments, make payments to the individual in an amount equal to 39 percent of the total amount of loan repayments made for the taxable year involved; and (2) may make such additional payments as the Secretary determines to be appropriate with respect to such purpose. . (d) Applicability The amendments made by this Act shall apply with respect to individuals who first participate in the Department of Veterans Affairs Education Debt Reduction Program under subchapter VII of chapter 76 of title 38, United States Code, beginning on or after the date of the enactment of this Act.