VA Workforce Improvement, Support, and Expansion (WISE) Act of 2022

Bill: 117-s-4156
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Tester, Jon [D-MT]
Introduced: 2022-05-05
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Aging

Allied health services

Community life and organization

Congressional oversight

Dental care

Department of Veterans Affairs

Education programs funding

Emergency medical services and trauma care

Employee hiring

Employee leave

Employee performance

Federal officials

Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management

Government information and archives

Government studies and investigations

Health care coverage and access

Health care quality

Health facilities and institutions

Health personnel

Health programs administration and funding

Higher education

Home and outpatient care

Infectious and parasitic diseases

Law enforcement officers

Licensing and registrations

Medical education

Mental health

Military medicine

Military personnel and dependents

National Guard and reserves

Neurological disorders

Nursing

Performance measurement

Personnel records

Public contracts and procurement

Rural conditions and development

State and local government operations

Student aid and college costs

Temporary and part-time employment

Veterans' education, employment, rehabilitation

Veterans' medical care

Veterans' organizations and recognition

Wages and earnings
Latest action: action_date: 2022-05-05
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

Summaries:
action_date: 2022-05-05
action_desc: Introduced in Senate
text: <p><b>VA Workforce Improvement, Support, and Expansion (WISE) Act of 2022</b></p> <p>This bill modifies various policies and procedures of the Department of Veterans Affairs that are related to (1) the training, recruitment, and retention of VA employees, including in the Veterans Health Administration; (2) personnel matters, such as those related to pay and bonuses; and (3) VA assistance with national emergencies.</p>

tv_txt: II 117th CONGRESS 2d Session S. 4156 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES May 5, 2022 Mr. Tester (for himself and Mr. Boozman ) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs A BILL To improve the workforce of the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes.

1. Short title; table of contents (a) Short title This Act may be cited as the VA Workforce Improvement, Support, and Expansion (WISE) Act of 2022 . (b) Table of contents The table of contents for this Act is as follows: Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents. TITLE I—Training, recruitment, and retention of health care employees Sec. 101. National rural recruitment and hiring plan for Veterans Health Administration. Sec. 102. Rural health quality and access fellowship program for Department of Veterans Affairs. Sec. 103. Authority to buy out service contracts for health care professionals in exchange for employment at rural or highly rural facilities of Department of Veterans Affairs. Sec. 104. Payment of licensure exam costs for recipients of scholarships from Department of Veterans Affairs. Sec. 105. Improvement of workforce training and team models to meet the needs of older veterans. Sec. 106. Qualifications for human resources positions within the Department of Veterans Affairs and plan to recruit and retain human resources employees. Sec. 107. Study on improving recruitment and retention at community living centers of Department of Veterans Affairs. Sec. 108. Limitation on transfer of directors of medical centers of Department of Veterans Affairs to different positions. TITLE II—Accountability, oversight, and personnel matters Subtitle A—Matters relating to pay Sec. 201. Increased pay cap for directors of medical centers and Veterans Integrated Service Networks of Department of Veterans Affairs. Sec. 202. Waiver of pay limitation for employees of the Veterans Health Administration performing mission critical work. Sec. 203. Elimination of performance pay elements for physicians, podiatrists, and dentists and elimination of total compensation cap. Sec. 204. Increase of maximum amount of incentive pay for Department pharmacist executives. Sec. 205. Elimination of pay cap for certain employees of Veterans Health Administration. Sec. 206. Modification of special pay authority for nurse executives. Subtitle B—Improvement of recruitment and hiring Sec. 211. Oversight of direct hire authority and hiring flexibility of Department of Veterans Affairs. Sec. 212. Expansion of emergency hiring authorities for Department of Veterans Affairs. Sec. 213. Waiver of certain licensure requirements. Sec. 214. Expansion of opportunities for housekeeping aides. Subtitle C—Other personnel matters Sec. 221. Expansion of annual leave options for employees of Department of Veterans Affairs during public health emergency. Sec. 222. Expansion of reimbursement of continuing professional education fees. Sec. 223. Inclusion of police officers of Department of Veterans Affairs as law enforcement officers. Sec. 224. Department of Veterans Affairs personnel transparency. Sec. 225. Comptroller General report assessing human resources modernization within Veterans Health Administration. TITLE III—Assistance with National emergencies Sec. 301. Update of web portal to identify veterans who had medical occupations as members of the Armed Forces. Sec. 302. Program on provision to States of information on veterans with medical skills obtained during service in the Armed Forces. Sec. 303. Program on training of intermediate care technicians of Department of Veterans Affairs. Sec. 304. Notification of opportunities for veterans. I Training, recruitment, and retention of health care employees 101. National rural recruitment and hiring plan for Veterans Health Administration (a) In general Not later than 18 months after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, in collaboration with the directors of each community-based outpatient clinic and medical center of the Department of Veterans Affairs, shall develop and implement a national rural recruitment and hiring plan for the Veterans Health Administration to— (1) recruit health care professionals for rural and highly rural community-based outpatient clinics and rural and highly rural medical centers of the Department; (2) determine which such clinics or centers have a staffing shortage of health care professionals; (3) develop best practices and techniques for recruiting health care professionals for such clinics and centers; (4) not less frequently than annually, provide virtually based, on-demand training to human resources professionals of the Veterans Health Administration on the best practices and techniques developed under paragraph (3); and (5) provide recruitment resources, such as pamphlets and marketing material to— (A) Veterans Integrated Service Networks of the Department; (B) rural and highly rural community-based outpatient clinics of the Department; and (C) rural and highly rural medical centers of the Department. (b) Annual report Not later than 18 months after the date of the enactment of this Act, 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 that includes— (1) the plan developed and implemented under subsection (a); and (2) an assessment of the outcomes related to recruitment and retention of employees of the Veterans Health Administration at rural and highly rural facilities of the Department. (c) Definitions In this section, the terms rural and highly rural have the meanings given those terms under the rural-urban commuting areas coding system of the Department of Agriculture. 102. Rural health quality and access fellowship program for Department of Veterans Affairs (a) In general Section 7302 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection: (f) (1) In carrying out this section, the Secretary shall establish a fellowship program, to be known as the Rural Health Quality and Access Fellowship program, to provide fellowships to health care professionals at the post-graduate level who serve on a short-term basis as post-graduate health professions trainees at a rural or highly rural community-based outpatient clinic or rural or highly rural medical center of the Department. (2) Not less frequently than annually, 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 on the program under paragraph (1). (3) In this subsection: (A) The term health care professional means an individual who qualifies as an appointee under section 7402 of this title. (B) The terms rural and highly rural have the meanings given those terms under the rural-urban commuting areas coding system of the Department of Agriculture. . (b) Initial report The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit the initial report required under section 7302(f)(2) of title 38, United States Code, as added by subsection (a), not later than 18 months after the date of the enactment of this Act. 103. Authority to buy out service contracts for health care professionals in exchange for employment at rural or highly rural facilities of Department of Veterans Affairs (a) In general For any covered health care professional to whom the Secretary of Veterans Affairs has offered employment with the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Secretary may buy out the non-Department service contract of such individual in exchange for such individual agreeing to be employed at a rural or highly rural facility of the Department for a period of obligated service specified in subsection (c). (b) Payment of amounts Payment of any amounts for a buy out of a service contract for a covered health care professional under subsection (a) shall be made directly to the individual or entity with respect to which the covered health care professional has a service obligation under such contract. (c) Obligated service In exchange for a contract buy out under subsection (a), a covered health care professional shall agree to be employed for not less than four years at a rural or highly rural facility of the Department. (d) Liability (1) In general Except as provided in paragraph (2), if a covered health care professional fails for any reason to complete the period of obligated service of the individual under subsection (c), the United States shall be entitled to recover from the individual an amount equal to— (A) the total amount paid under subsection (a) to buy out the non-Department service contract of the individual; multiplied by (B) a fraction— (i) the numerator of which is— (I) the total number of months in the period of obligated service of the individual; minus (II) the number of months served by the individual; and (ii) the denominator of which is the total number of months in the period of obligated service of the individual. (2) Exception Liability shall not arise under paragraph (1) in the case of an individual covered by that paragraph if the individual does not obtain, or fails to maintain, employment as an employee of the Department due to staffing changes approved by the Under Secretary for Health. (e) Not a taxable benefit A contract buy out for a covered health care professional under subsection (a) shall not be considered a taxable benefit or event for the covered health care professional. (f) Annual report Not later than 18 months after the date of the enactment of this Act, and not less frequently than annually thereafter, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives a report on the use by the Secretary of the authority under this section. (g) Definitions In this section: (1) Covered health care professional The term covered health care professional means a health care professional offered employment with the Veterans Health Administration under— (A) section 7401 of title 38, United States Code; or (B) title 5, United States Code. (2) Rural; highly rural The terms rural and highly rural have the meanings given those terms under the rural-urban commuting areas coding system of the Department of Agriculture. 104. Payment of licensure exam costs for recipients of scholarships from Department of Veterans Affairs (a) In general The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall pay the costs of any licensing examinations and certifications required by the Secretary for any current recipient of a covered health professional scholarship from the Department of Veterans Affairs. (b) Licensing examinations and certifications Subsection (a) shall apply to the payment of costs for— (1) the United States Medical Licensing Examination Step 1, Step 2, and Step 3; (2) the National Council Licensure Exam; (3) the National Board Dental Examination; (4) the National Board Dental Hygiene Examination; (5) the Dental Licensure Objective Structured Clinical Examination and Integrated National Board Dental Examination; (6) the National Licensing Exams for Nurse Practitioner and Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist; and (7) such other licensing examinations and certifications as the Secretary considers appropriate. (c) Covered health professional scholarship defined In this section, the term covered health professional scholarship means— (1) the Department of Veterans Affairs Health Professional Scholarship Program under subchapter II of chapter 76 of title 38, United States Code; (2) the Department of Veterans Affairs Employee Incentive Scholarship Program under subchapter VI of such chapter, including— (A) the National Nursing Education Initiative; and (B) the VA National Education for Employees Program; (3) the Visual Impairment and Orientation and Mobility Professionals Scholarship Program under chapter 75 of such title; (4) the Veterans Healing Veterans Medical Access and Scholarship Program under section 304 of the VA MISSION Act of 2018 ( Public Law 115–182 ; 38 U.S.C. 7601 note); and (5) such other programs as the Secretary considers appropriate. 105. Improvement of workforce training and team models to meet the needs of older veterans (a) Rural geriatrics team training The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall expand the Rural Interdisciplinary Team Training program of the Department of Veterans Affairs to not fewer than one rural site in each Veterans Integrated Service Network of the Department and ensure access at such sites to learning opportunities through the Geriatric Scholars Program of the Department. (b) Expansion of fellowship in advanced geriatrics The Secretary shall expand the Fellowship in Advanced Geriatrics program of the Department to ensure that a fellowship position is required to be provided under such program in each Geriatric Research, Education, and Clinical Center of the Department. (c) Training on caring for veterans with memory loss (1) In general The Secretary shall provide continuing professional education for primary care providers, community living center staff, geriatrics and extended care staff, home health workers, and social workers of the Department on caring for veterans with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. (2) Implementation The Secretary shall implement the continuing professional education required under paragraph (1) in consultation with the Office of Rural Health of the Department of Veterans Affairs established under section 7308 of title 38, United States Code, in order to ensure equitable access to learning opportunities for employees of the Department in rural and highly rural areas. (d) Expansion of Geriatric Patient Aligned Care Team model (1) In general The Secretary shall expand the Geriatrics Patient Aligned Care Team model of the Department of Veterans Affairs— (A) to every medical center of the Department; and (B) to any community-based outpatient clinic at which such expansion is determined by the Secretary to be feasible and needed. (2) Waiver of expansion to medical centers The Secretary may waive the application of the requirements under paragraph (1)(A) with respect to a medical center if the Secretary determines that the medical center does not have the capacity or need to implement a Geriatrics Patient Aligned Care Team model. (3) Study The Secretary shall conduct a study on the variations in the structure and model consistency of the Geriatrics Patient Aligned Care Team model throughout the Department and how those variations impact quality of care and patient outcomes. (e) Report to Congress (1) In general Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, and not less frequently than annually thereafter for the following five years, 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 on the implementation of this section. (2) Inclusion of information on waivers The Secretary shall include in the report required by paragraph (1) an identification of any medical center of the Department in receipt of a waiver under subsection (d)(2) and the reason for the waiver. (f) Definitions In this section, the terms rural and highly rural have the meanings given those terms under the rural-urban commuting areas coding system of the Department of Agriculture. 106. Qualifications for human resources positions within the Department of Veterans Affairs and plan to recruit and retain human resources employees (a) Establishment of qualifications Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall— (1) establish qualifications for each human resources position within the Department of Veterans Affairs in coordination with the Office of Personnel Management; (2) establish standardized performance metrics for each such position; and (3) submit to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives a report containing the qualifications and standardized performance metrics established under paragraphs (1) and (2). (b) Improvement of human resources actions Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall establish or enhance systems of the Department to monitor the hiring and other human resources actions that occur at the local, regional, and national levels of the Department to improve the performance of those actions. (c) Report Not later than one year after the establishment of the qualifications and performance metrics under subsection (a), the Comptroller General of the United States shall submit to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives a report containing— (1) a description of the implementation of such qualifications and performance metrics; (2) an assessment of the quality of such qualifications and performance metrics; (3) an assessment of performance and outcomes based on such metrics; and (4) such other matters as the Comptroller General considers. (d) Plan To recruit and retain human resources employees Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives a plan for the recruitment and retention of human resources employees within the Department of Veterans Affairs. 107. Study on improving recruitment and retention at community living centers of Department of Veterans Affairs (a) In general Not later than 18 months after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall complete a study on barriers to hiring and retaining staff at community living centers of the Department of Veterans Affairs and best practices for improving recruitment and retention of such staff, with an emphasis on nursing staff. (b) Report to Congress Not later than 180 days after completion of the study under subsection (a), 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) summarizing key findings with respect to barriers to hiring and retaining staff at community living centers of the Department and best practices for improving recruitment and retention of such staff, including any barriers or best practices specific to rural areas; and (2) including recommendations for such administrative action as the Secretary considers appropriate. 108. Limitation on transfer of directors of medical centers of Department of Veterans Affairs to different positions (a) Notification Not later than 90 days after transferring a director of a medical center of the Department of Veterans Affairs to a different position within the Department, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall notify the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives of such transfer. (b) Return to position or removal Not later than 180 days after transferring a director of a medical center of the Department of Veterans Affairs to a different position within the Department, the Secretary shall— (1) return the individual to the position as director of the medical center; or (2) remove the individual from the position as director of the medical center and begin the process of hiring a new director for such position. II Accountability, oversight, and personnel matters A Matters relating to pay 201. Increased pay cap for directors of medical centers and Veterans Integrated Service Networks of Department of Veterans Affairs (a) Increased pay cap (1) In general Subchapter III of chapter 74 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new section: 7434. Pay for directors of medical centers and directors of Veterans Integrated Service Networks (a) Performance management The Secretary shall prescribe a performance management and awards system for employees appointed under section 7401(4) of this title that ensures performance ratings and awards meaningfully differentiate extraordinary from satisfactory contributions and substantively reflect organizational achievements over which the employee has responsibility and control. (b) Market rate of pay (1) The annual amount of the market rate of pay for an employee appointed under section 7401(4) of this title— (A) shall be determined by the Secretary on a case-by-case basis; and (B) shall take into account— (i) the level of experience of the employee in managing facilities or programs of the Department or other similar agencies or companies, whether governmental or nongovernmental; (ii) the complexity of the assignment of the employee, whether assigned or to be assigned; (iii) the labor market for individuals in similar positions, which may cover any geographic area the Secretary considers appropriate; (iv) the experience of the employee in performing the assignment of the employee, whether assigned or to be assigned; and (v) such other considerations as the Secretary considers appropriate. (2) Market rate of pay provided under this subsection shall reflect the recruitment and retention needs of the Department for the assignment of a particular director in a facility or network of the Department. (3) (A) The market rate of pay provided under this subsection shall be evaluated by the Secretary not less frequently than once every two years. (B) The market rate of pay of an employee may be adjusted as the result of an evaluation under subparagraph (A). (C) An employee whose market rate of pay is evaluated under subparagraph (A) shall receive written notice of the results of such evaluation. (c) Requirements and limitations on total pay (1) Not less frequently than once every two years, the Secretary shall prescribe for applicability throughout the Department the minimum and maximum amounts for a market rate of pay that may be paid under subsection (b). (2) Amounts prescribed under paragraph (1) shall be published in the Federal Register and shall take effect not earlier than 60 days after the date of publication. (3) In no case may the total market rate of pay provided under subsection (b) exceed the amount of annual compensation (excluding expenses) specified in section 102 of title 3. (4) No adjustment of the market rate of pay under subsection (b)(3)(B) may result in a reduction of the amount of the market rate of pay of a director while in the same position or assignment at the same location. (d) Treatment of pay (1) Pay under subsection (b) shall be considered pay for all purposes, including retirement benefits under chapters 83 and 84 of title 5 and other benefits. (2) An individual receiving pay under subsection (b) may not receive a cost-of-living allowance under section 5941 of title 5. (e) Annual report Not later than one year after the date of the VA Workforce Improvement, Support, and Expansion (WISE) Act of 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 on the implementation by the Secretary of the requirements under this section. . (2) Clerical amendment The table of sections at the beginning of such subchapter is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 7433 the following new item: 7434. Pay for directors of medical centers and directors of Veterans Integrated Service Networks. . (b) Conforming amendments Section 7404(a)(1) of title 38, United States Code, is amended— (1) in subparagraph (A)— (A) by striking (A) The annual and inserting The annual ; and (B) by striking and 7401(4) ; and (2) by striking subparagraph (B). 202. Waiver of pay limitation for employees of the Veterans Health Administration performing mission critical work (a) In general Subchapter I of chapter 74 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new section: 7414. Waiver of pay limitation for employees performing mission critical work (a) In general Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Secretary may waive any limitation on pay for an employee of the Veterans Health Administration who is performing mission critical work. (b) Authority The Secretary shall prescribe regulations for the administration of this section. (c) Employee of the Veterans Health Administration defined In this section, the term ‘ employee of the Veterans Health Administration includes any employee of the Veterans Health Administration, regardless of the authority under which the employee was hired. . (b) Clerical amendment The table of sections at the beginning of such subchapter is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 7413 the following new item: 7414. Waiver of pay limitation for employees performing mission critical work. . 203. Elimination of performance pay elements for physicians, podiatrists, and dentists and elimination of total compensation cap Section 7431 of title 38, United States Code, is amended— (1) by striking subsection (a)(1); (2) by striking subsection (d); (3) by redesignating subsections (e) through (h) as subsections (d) through (g), respectively; (4) in subsection (d), as redesignated by paragraph (3), by striking paragraph (4); and (5) in subsection (g), as redesignated by paragraph (3), by striking responsibility of the Secretary under subsection (c), (d), or (e) except for the responsibilities of the Secretary under subsection (e)(1) and inserting responsibility of the Secretary under subsection (c) or (d) except for the responsibilities of the Secretary under subsection (d)(1) . 204. Increase of maximum amount of incentive pay for Department pharmacist executives Section 7410(b)(1) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by striking $40,000 and inserting $75,000 . 205. Elimination of pay cap for certain employees of Veterans Health Administration Section 7455(c) of title 38, United States Code, is amended— (1) in paragraph (1), by striking (1) Subject to paragraph (2), the amount and inserting The amount ; and (2) by striking paragraph (2). 206. Modification of special pay authority for nurse executives Section 7452(g) of title 38, United States Code, is amended— (1) in paragraph (1), in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by inserting authorize the Under Secretary for Health to before pay special pay ; and (2) by adding at the end the following new paragraph: (5) The Under Secretary for Health shall define through regulations which positions of the Veterans Health Administration qualify as nurse executives for purposes of special pay under paragraph (1). . B Improvement of recruitment and hiring 211. Oversight of direct hire authority and hiring flexibility of Department of Veterans Affairs Not later than two years after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Inspector General of the Department of Veterans Affairs shall conduct a study and publish a report on— (1) the use of direct hire authority by the Department; (2) the contributions made by the use of such authority to filling vacancies within the Department; and (3) any vulnerabilities or inconsistencies with respect to the use of such authority. 212. Expansion of emergency hiring authorities for Department of Veterans Affairs Section 7405 of title 38, United States Code, is amended— (1) in subsection (c)— (A) in paragraph (2), in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by striking A temporary and inserting Except as provided in paragraph (5), a temporary ; and (B) by adding at the end the following new paragraph: (5) During a public health emergency, national emergency, domestic emergency, or other emergency as determined by the Secretary, appointments under paragraph (2) may be extended by the Secretary for additional one-year periods. ; and (2) by adding at the end the following: (h) (1) If the Secretary declares an emergency or crisis of veteran care or other operational impediment that the Secretary determines will cause significant disruption to veteran care or the Secretary identifies a significant need to employ personnel on a temporary basis in response to a national emergency declared under any provision of law, the Secretary may employ personnel under subsection (a)(1) to support the emergency, crisis, or impediment. (2) The Secretary shall submit to Congress in writing any declaration or identification made by the Secretary under paragraph (1), which shall include an identification of the approximate end date of the emergency, crisis, or impediment. (3) The authority to employ personnel under this subsection shall continue throughout the period covered by the declaration concerned. (4) Personnel in positions of a confidential or policy-determining character are excluded from employment under this subsection. . 213. Waiver of certain licensure requirements (a) Psychologists Paragraph (8)(C) of section 7402(b) of title 38, United States Code, is amended— (1) by striking individual psychologist for a period and inserting “individual psychologist— (i) for a period ; (2) by striking the period at the end and inserting ; or ; and (3) by adding at the end the following new clause: (ii) for a reasonable period recommended by the Under Secretary for Health, not to exceed four years, during a public health emergency declared by the President, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, or such other authority as specified by the Secretary. . (b) Licensed professional mental health counselor Paragraph (11)(B) of such section is amended by striking the period at the end and inserting “, except that the Secretary may waive the requirement of licensure or certification for an individual professional mental health counselor to permit a reasonable period of time for the counselor to be licensed or certified, as the case may be, on the condition that the counselor— (i) provide patient care only under the direct supervision of a licensed mental health provider; and (ii) work toward such licensure or certification, as the case may be. . 214. Expansion of opportunities for housekeeping aides Section 3310 of title 5, United States Code, is amended by inserting (other than for positions of housekeeping aides in the Department of Veterans Affairs) after competitive service . C Other personnel matters 221. Expansion of annual leave options for employees of Department of Veterans Affairs during public health emergency (a) In general Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall waive all annual leave ceilings for employees of the Department of Veterans Affairs during the period beginning on January 1, 2022, and ending on December 31, 2026, allowing all unused, accrued annual leave to be carried over from any year in the period to any subsequent year in the period. (b) Leave in excess of ceiling At the end of December 31, 2026, all unused, accrued annual leave in excess of the ceiling pursuant to subsection (a) shall be forfeited. 222. Expansion of reimbursement of continuing professional education fees Section 7411 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by striking physician or dentist and inserting physician, board-certified dentist, advanced practice registered nurse, or physician assistant . 223. Inclusion of police officers of Department of Veterans Affairs as law enforcement officers Title 5, United States Code, is amended— (1) in section 8331(20), by inserting and an employee of the Department of Veterans Affairs who is a Department police officer under section 902 of title 38 after supervisory or administrative position ; and (2) in section 8401(17)— (A) in subparagraph (C), by striking and at the end; (B) in the flush text following subparagraph (D)(iii), by adding and at the end; and (C) by adding at the end the following: (E) an employee of the Department of Veterans Affairs who is a Department police officer under section 902 of title 38; . 224. Department of Veterans Affairs personnel transparency (a) Publication of staffing and vacancies (1) Website required Subject to paragraph (2) and not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall make publicly available on an internet website of the Department of Veterans Affairs the following information: (A) The number of personnel encumbering positions. (B) The number of accessions and separation actions processed during the quarter preceding the date of the publication of the information. (C) The number of vacancies, by occupation. (D) The number of vacancies removed. (E) The percentage of new hires for the Department who were hired within the time-to-hire target of the Office of Personnel Management, disaggregated by internal hires and external hires. (2) Exceptions The Secretary may withhold from publication under paragraph (1) information relating to law enforcement, information security, or such positions in the Department that the Secretary determines to be sensitive. (3) Update of information The Secretary shall update the information on the website required under paragraph (1) on a quarterly basis. (4) Treatment of contractor positions Any Department position that is filled with a contractor may not be treated as a Department position for purposes of the information required to be published under paragraph (1). (5) Inspector General review On a semiannual basis, the Inspector General of the Department shall review the administration of the website required by paragraph (1) and make recommendations relating to the improvement of such administration. (b) Report to Congress (1) In general Each year, the Secretary shall submit to Congress an annual report on the actions the Department is taking to achieve full staffing capacity. (2) Contents Each report submitted under paragraph (1) shall include the following: (A) An estimate of the amount of additional funds necessary to enable the Department to reach full staffing capacity. (B) Such recommendations for legislative or administrative action as the Secretary may have to achieve full staffing capacity at the Department. 225. Comptroller General report assessing human resources modernization within Veterans Health Administration (a) In general Not later than 18 months after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States shall submit to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives a report on human resources modernization conducted by the Veterans Health Administration (in this section referred to as the Administration ). (b) Elements The report required by subsection (a) shall include an assessment of the following: (1) The Human Resources Modernization Program (referred to in this subsection as the Program ) of the Administration, including an assessment of the activities carried out under the Program and the results of those activities. (2) The performance, accuracy, efficiency, and transparency of the human resources information technology systems of the Administration for human resources professionals, managers with hiring authority, and other employees of the Administration using those systems to recruit and retain the workforce of the Administration. (3) Metrics used to report hiring and vacancy data within the Administration, including recruitment, hiring, and retention data for mission critical occupations. (4) Trends in the hiring and vacancies among employees of the Administration with mission critical occupations, as determined by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, during the five-year period preceding the date of the enactment of this Act. (5) The use by the Administration of hiring flexibilities, including direct hire authority, and waivers during the five-year period preceding the date of the enactment of this Act, including— (A) an assessment of the standardization of use of such authorities and waivers within Veterans Integrated Service Networks of the Department of Veterans Affairs; and (B) the number and employee category of employees of the Administration hired under each such authority or waiver. (6) Training and development of human resources professionals of the Administration, including— (A) feedback from managers with hiring authority; and (B) feedback on such training from individuals receiving the training and individuals providing the training. (7) Such other matters as the Comptroller General considers relevant. III Assistance with National emergencies 301. Update of web portal to identify veterans who had medical occupations as members of the Armed Forces (a) In general The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall update existing web portals of the Department of Veterans Affairs to allow the identification of veterans who had a medical occupation as a member of the Armed Forces. (b) Information in portal (1) In general An update to a portal under subsection (a) shall allow a veteran to elect to provide the following information: (A) Contact information for the veteran. (B) A history of the medical experience and trained competencies of the veteran. (2) Inclusions in history To the extent practicable, histories provided under paragraph (1)(B) shall include individual critical task lists specific to military occupational specialties that align with existing standard occupational codes maintained by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. 302. Program on provision to States of information on veterans with medical skills obtained during service in the Armed Forces (a) In general For purposes of facilitating civilian medical credentialing and hiring opportunities for veterans seeking to respond to a national emergency, including a public health emergency declared by the Secretary of Health and Human Services under section 319 of the Public Health Service Act ( 42 U.S.C. 247d ), the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, in coordination with the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Labor, shall establish a program to share information specified in section 301(b)(1) with the following: (1) State departments of veterans affairs. (2) State credentialing bodies. (3) State homes. (4) Other stakeholders involved in State-level credentialing, as determined appropriate by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs. (b) State home defined In this section, the term State home has the meaning given that term in section 101(19) of title 38, United States Code. 303. Program on training of intermediate care technicians of Department of Veterans Affairs (a) Establishment The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall implement a program to train covered veterans to work as intermediate care technicians of the Department of Veterans Affairs. (b) Locations The Secretary may place an intermediate care technician trained under the program under subsection (a) at any medical center of the Department, giving priority to a location with a significant staffing shortage. (c) Inclusion of information in transition assistance program As part of the Transition Assistance Program under sections 1142 and 1144 of title 10, United States Code, the Secretary shall prepare a communications campaign to convey opportunities for training, certification, and employment under the program under subsection (a) to appropriate members of the Armed Forces separating from active duty. (d) Report on expansion of program Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, 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 on whether the program under this section could be replicated for other medical positions within the Department. (e) Covered veteran defined In this section, the term covered veteran means a veteran whom the Secretary determines served or is serving as an allied health professional (such as a combat medic, medical technician, corpsman, or basic health care technician) while serving in the Armed Forces. 304. Notification of opportunities for veterans (a) In general The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall notify veterans service organizations, such other stakeholders as the Secretary considers appropriate, and, in coordination with the Secretary of Defense, members of the reserve components of the Armed Forces of opportunities for veterans under this title. (b) Veterans service organization defined In this section, the term veterans service organization means any organization recognized by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs for the representation of veterans under section 5902 of title 38, United States Code.