In this task, you are given text for US Congressional and California state bills, your task is to generate a summary for this bill.

[Q]: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``National Park Centennial Act of 
2004''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSE.

    (a) Findings.--Congress finds:
            (1) The National Park Service was established to conserve 
        the national parks, their scenery, natural and historic 
        objects, and wildlife for the enjoyment, in such manner and by 
        such means as will leave them unimpaired for the enjoyment of 
        future generations.
            (2) The central purpose of the establishment of our 
        national parks is being challenged by chronic funding 
        shortfalls, which have created annual shortfalls in operational 
        funding that exceed $600,000,000, and have amassed a 
        maintenance backlog estimated by the General Accounting Office 
        at between $4,080,000,000 and $6,800,000,000.
            (3) Without providing the Park Service the resources 
        necessary to operate and maintain our national parks, future 
        generations will receive diminished visitor services, will 
        experience a continually weakening system that is less and less 
        able to fulfill its mission, and will inherit a national park 
        system than has been left to them in worse condition that it 
        was left to their ancestors.
            (4) The annual appropriations process has proved incapable 
        of fully addressing the debilitating funding shortfalls of the 
        national parks, making it necessary to supplement what the 
        appropriations process is able to accomplish.
            (5) It is necessary to ensure that fiscal resources devoted 
        to the national parks are spent wisely and effectively, making 
        strong congressional oversight over annual appropriations 
        extremely important.
            (6) Congress can enhance the resources available for 
        national park operations and ensure adequate oversight over 
        Park Service spending by removing from the appropriations 
        process a series of funding responsibilities that are outside 
        the core operating budgets for the national parks.
    (b) Purpose.--The purpose of this Act is to eliminate the annual 
operating deficit and the maintenance backlog in the national parks by 
the centennial anniversary of the National Park System by enabling 
Congress to focus on overseeing and fully funding the core operations 
of the national parks in the annual appropriations process.

                        TITLE I--CENTENNIAL FUND

SEC. 101. CENTENNIAL FUND FOR PRESERVING AMERICA'S NATIONAL PARKS.

    (a) Establishment.--There is established in the Treasury of the 
United States a fund which shall be known as the ``National Park 
Centennial Fund'', hereinafter in this Act referred to as the 
``Centennial Fund''. In each fiscal year beginning in fiscal year 2005, 
the Secretary of the Treasury shall deposit in the Centennial Fund 
amounts set forth in subsection (b) sufficient to fund the programs 
identified in titles II, III, and IV.
    (b) Appropriations.--There are hereby appropriated to the 
Centennial Fund in each fiscal year, the following amounts:
            (1) Amounts equivalent to the amounts designated in the 
        fiscal year concerned under section 6097 of the Internal 
        Revenue Code of 1986.
            (2) Any additional amounts necessary to make the total 
        amounts deposited to the Centennial Fund each fiscal year equal 
        to the total amount listed in section 103.

SEC. 102. DESIGNATION OF OVERPAYMENTS AND CONTRIBUTIONS FOR THE BENEFIT 
              OF UNITS OF THE NATIONAL PARK SYSTEM.

    (a) In General.--Subchapter A of chapter 61 of the Internal Revenue 
Code of 1986 is amended by adding at the end the following new part:

   ``PART IX--DESIGNATION OF OVERPAYMENTS AND CONTRIBUTIONS FOR THE 
              BENEFIT OF UNITS OF THE NATIONAL PARK SYSTEM

``Sec. 6097. Designation.

``SEC. 6097. DESIGNATION.

    ``(a) In General.--In the case of an individual, with respect to 
each taxpayer's return for the taxable year of the tax imposed by 
chapter 1, such taxpayer may designate that--
            ``(1) a specified portion (but not less than $1) of any 
        overpayment of tax for such taxable year, and
            ``(2) any cash contribution which the taxpayer includes 
        with such return, shall be used for the benefit of units of the 
        National Park System.
    ``(b) Manner and Time of Designation.--A designation under 
subsection (a) may be made with respect to any taxable year only at the 
time of filing the return of the tax imposed by chapter 1 for such 
taxable year. Such designation shall be made in such manner as the 
Secretary prescribes by regulations except that such designation shall 
be made either on the first page of the return or on the page bearing 
the taxpayer's signature.
    ``(c) Overpayments Treated as Refunded.--For purposes of this 
title, any portion of any overpayment of tax designated under 
subsection (a) shall be treated as being refunded to the taxpayer as of 
the last date prescribed for filing the return of tax imposed by 
chapter 1 (determined without regard to extensions) or, if later, the 
date the return is filed.''.
    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of parts for subchapter A of 
chapter 61 of such Code is amended by adding at the end thereof the 
following new item:

   ``Part IX. Designation of overpayments and contributions for the 
            benefit of units of the National Park System''.

    (c) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall 
apply to taxable years beginning after December 31, 2004.

SEC. 103. PROGRAM ALLOCATION.

    The following amounts shall be deposited in the Centennial Fund 
from amounts designated under section 102 (and from the General Fund of 
the Treasury to the extent the amounts so designated are less than the 
total amounts specified in this section for the fiscal year concerned). 
Such amounts shall, without further appropriation, be available to the 
Secretary of the Interior until expended:
            (1) Fiscal year 2005: $100,000,000.
            (2) Fiscal year 2006: $125,000,000.
            (3) Fiscal year 2007: $150,000,000.
            (4) Fiscal year 2008: $175,000,000.
            (5) Such sums as may be necessary through fiscal year 2016.

SEC. 104. DISTRIBUTION OF FUND.

    There are hereby created within the Centennial Fund 3 accounts, 
designated for the following purposes:
            (1) National Park Backlog Elimination Fund (60 percent).
            (2) Natural Resource Challenge Fund (20 percent).
            (3) Cultural Resource Challenge Fund (20 percent).

SEC. 105. PATRIOTS FOR PARKS PROMOTION.

    There are hereby authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of 
the Interior such sums as necessary for a public awareness campaign 
about the existence of the National Park Centennial Fund created in 
section 101 and the ability of taxpayers to contribute to it through 
the tax checkoff created in section 6097 of the Internal Revenue Code 
of 1986.

      TITLE II--ELIMINATING THE NATIONAL PARK MAINTENANCE BACKLOG

SEC. 201. BACKLOG ELIMINATION.

    (a) In General.--Sixty percent of the funds deposited into the 
Centennial Fund shall be used to eliminate the backlog of unmet needs 
in the National Parks, as identified in the Facility Condition Index 
(hereinafter in this Act referred to as the ``FCI'') of the National 
Park Service.
    (b) Priorities.--(1) The Secretary of the Interior shall prepare, 
as part of the annual budget proposal, a priority list for projects to 
be funded under this section. Moneys shall be made available from the 
fund, without further appropriation, effective October 15 of each 
calendar year, for the projects identified on the priority list, unless 
prior to such date, legislation is enacted establishing a different 
priority list.
    (2) In preparing the list of projects to be funded under this 
section, the Secretary of the Interior shall give priority to projects 
that--
            (A) are identified in the park unit's general management 
        plan;
            (B) are listed in the FCI;
            (C) are identified by the Secretary of the Interior as 
        necessary to prevent immediate damage to the park unit's 
        natural, cultural, or historic resources, with priority given 
        to projects with the most significant benefit to conservation 
        of resources or visitor education; and
            (D) are identified as necessary to promote public health 
        and safety.
    (c) Overhead.--National Parks undertaking projects under this 
section may allocate up to 8 percent of the funds for such projects for 
oversight of such projects and other associated overhead 
responsibilities.

                 TITLE III--PROTECTING NATURAL WONDERS

SEC. 301. NATURAL RESOURCE CHALLENGE.

    (a) Natural Resource Protection.--Twenty percent of the funds 
deposited into the Centennial Fund shall be used to protect natural 
resources within the parks.
    (b) Project Description.--The Secretary of the Interior shall 
prepare, as part of the annual budget proposal, a description of 
projects to be funded under this section. Moneys shall be made 
available from the Centennial Fund, without further appropriation, 
effective October 15 of each calendar year for activities that include 
each of the following:
            (1) Natural resource inventories.
            (2) Monitoring efforts including air and water quality 
        monitoring.
            (3) Protection of native and endangered species and their 
        habitats.
            (4) Control of nonnative species.
            (5) Resource planning.
            (6) Increase collaboration with scientists.
            (7) Authorized environmental restoration projects.
            (8) Use of parks for learning.
            (9) Establishment of partnerships with nonpark entities for 
        the purpose of leveraging Federal funds allocated to natural 
        resource protection.

                TITLE IV--PROTECTING NATIONAL TREASURES

SEC. 401. CULTURAL RESOURCE CHALLENGE.

    (a) Cultural Resources.--Twenty percent of the funds deposited into 
the Centennial Fund shall be used to protect cultural resources within 
the national parks.
    (b) Project Description.--The Secretary of the Interior shall 
prepare, as part of the annual budget proposal, a description of 
projects to be funded under this section. Moneys shall be made 
available from the fund, without further appropriation, effective 
October 15 of each calendar year for activities that include each of 
the following:
            (1) Cultural or historic resources not listed on the FCI.
            (2) Documenting and preserving archaeological sites.
            (3) Preserving collections and archives.
            (4) Ethnographic activities.
            (5) Evaluating and protecting cultural landscapes.
            (6) Establishment of partnerships with non-park entities 
        for the purpose of leveraging Federal funds allocated to 
        cultural resource protection.

                TITLE V--MEETING ANNUAL OPERATING NEEDS

SEC. 501. PROGRESS ON ANNUAL APPROPRIATIONS.

    (a) GAO Report.--The General Accounting Office annually shall 
submit to the Committee on Appropriations, Committee on Government 
Reform, and Committee on Resources of the United States House of 
Representatives and to the Committee on Appropriations, Committee on 
Government Affairs, and Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of 
the United States Senate a report that describes each of the following:
            (1) The progress of Congress in eliminating the annual 
        operating fund deficit in the National Park System, defined as 
        in excess of $600,000,000 based on a fiscal year 2002 estimate 
        of then-complete national park business plans, and projection 
        of when such deficit will be eliminated, based on funding 
        levels and trends.
            (2) A comparison of business plan estimates of national 
        park needs versus actual funds appropriated to such parks.
            (3) Any differences in the Park Service's business plan 
        methodology for the estimate in paragraph (2) of this 
        subsection compared to that used in fiscal year 2003.
            (4) Management improvement measures undertaken by 
        individual park units and by the National Park Service as a 
        whole, including actual realized savings and actual impact on 
        visitor services and resource protection.
            (5) Adjustments in, and the total number of, full-time 
        equivalent and actual positions dedicated to resource 
        protection, visitor services, interpretation, and other 
        employment categories.
            (6) Any adjustments made in service to the public, 
        including but not limited to adjustments to visitor center 
        hours and the number or quality of ranger-led tours.
            (7) Any changes in the Park Service's level of effort due 
        to partnership or other leveraged activities.
            (8) Any new requirements and assessments placed on the 
        parks for unbudgeted expenses, including, but not limited to, 
        homeland security, natural disasters, and employee cost-of-
        living adjustments.
            (9) An assessment of the accuracy and completeness of the 
        Facility Condition Index described in Title I of this Act, 
        including adjustments made to such Index on an annual basis.
    (b) Business Plan Implementation Pilot (Demonstration) Program.--In 
consultation with the Director of the National Park Service, at least 
60 percent of the amounts provided under Titles II, III, and IV shall 
be distributed to national parks that have completed comprehensive 
business plans under the Business Plan Initiative of the National Park 
Service.
    (c) Education and the National Parks.--The Secretary of Education 
is hereby authorized to provide grants to elementary and secondary 
schools to enter into cooperative agreements with the National Park 
Service for the purpose of distance learning and onsite education 
programs for the following purposes:
            (1) Connecting students to the history of our Nation 
        through the national parks.
            (2) Using the parks to facilitate scientific instruction.
    (d) Intent of Congress to Supplement Annual Appropriations for 
National Park Service.--Amounts made available by this Act are intended 
by the Congress to supplement, and not detract from, annual 
appropriations for the National Park Service.
[A]: National Park Centennial Act of 2004 - Establishes the National Park Centennial Fund (Fund) in the Treasury.

Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow individual taxpayers to designate overpayments and contributions for the benefit of the National Park System. Allocates such amounts to the Fund (along with necessary amounts from the General Fund to the extent that such amounts are inadequate in any fiscal year) for expenditure by the Secretary of the Interior.

Creates within the Fund the National Park Backlog Elimination Fund, the Natural Resource Challenge Fund, and the Cultural Resource Challenge Fund.

Authorizes appropriations for a public awareness campaign about the Fund and the ability of taxpayers to make tax-related contributions.

Requires a specified percentage of Fund deposits to be used: (1) for the elimination of the backlog of unmet needs in the national parks as identified in the Facility Condition Index of the National Park Service (NPS); (2) to protect natural resources within the parks; and (3) to protect cultural resources within the parks. Requires a majority of such percentages to be distributed to those national parks that have completed comprehensive business plans under the Business Plan Initiative of the NPS.

Directs the Government Accountability Office annually to submit a report on the National Park System to specified congressional committees.

Authorizes the Secretary of Education to provide grants to elementary and secondary schools for cooperative agreements with the NPS providing distance learning and onsite education programs.


[Q]: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Promoting Closed-Loop Pumped Storage 
Hydropower Act''.

SEC. 2. CLOSED-LOOP PUMPED STORAGE PROJECTS.

    Part I of the Federal Power Act (16 U.S.C. 792 et seq.) is amended 
by adding at the end the following:

``SEC. 34. CLOSED-LOOP PUMPED STORAGE PROJECTS.

    ``(a) Expedited Licensing Process for Closed-Loop Pumped Storage 
Projects.--
            ``(1) In general.--As provided in this section, the 
        Commission may issue and amend licenses and preliminary 
        permits, as appropriate, for closed-loop pumped storage 
        projects.
            ``(2) Rule.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
        enactment of this section, the Commission shall issue a rule 
        establishing an expedited process for issuing and amending 
        licenses and preliminary permits for closed-loop pumped storage 
        projects under this section.
            ``(3) Interagency task force.--In establishing the 
        expedited process under this section, the Commission shall 
        convene an interagency task force, with appropriate Federal and 
        State agencies and Indian tribes represented, to coordinate the 
        regulatory processes associated with the authorizations 
        required to construct and operate closed-loop pumped storage 
        projects.
            ``(4) Length of process.--The Commission shall ensure that 
        the expedited process under this section will result in final 
        decision on an application for a license by not later than 2 
        years after receipt of a completed application for such 
        license.
    ``(b) Dam Safety.--Before issuing any license for a closed-loop 
pumped storage project, the Commission shall assess the safety of 
existing dams and other structures related to the project (including 
possible consequences associated with failure of such structures).
    ``(c) Exemptions From Other Requirements.--
            ``(1) In general.--In issuing or amending a license or 
        preliminary permit pursuant to the expedited process 
        established under this section, the Commission may grant an 
        exemption from any other requirement of this part with respect 
        to any part of the closed-loop pumped storage project (not 
        including any dam or other impoundment).
            ``(2) Consultation.--In granting an exemption under 
        paragraph (1), the Commission shall consult with the United 
        States Fish and Wildlife Service and the State agency 
        exercising administration over the fish and wildlife resources 
        of the State in which the closed-loop pumped storage project is 
        or will be located, in the manner provided by the Fish and 
        Wildlife Coordination Act (16 U.S.C. 661 et seq.).
            ``(3) Terms and conditions.--In granting an exemption under 
        paragraph (1), the Commission shall include in any such 
        exemption--
                    ``(A) such terms and conditions as the Fish and 
                Wildlife Service, National Marine Fisheries Service, 
                and the State agency described in paragraph (2) each 
                determine are appropriate to prevent loss of, or damage 
                to, fish and wildlife resources and to otherwise carry 
                out the purposes of the Fish and Wildlife Coordination 
                Act; and
                    ``(B) such terms and conditions as the Commission 
                deems appropriate to ensure that such closed-loop 
                pumped storage project continues to comply with the 
                provisions of this section and terms and conditions 
                included in any such exemption.
            ``(4) Fees.--The Commission, in addition to the 
        requirements of section 10(e), shall establish fees which shall 
        be paid by an applicant for a license for a closed-loop pumped 
        storage project that is required to meet terms and conditions 
        set by fish and wildlife agencies under paragraph (3). Such 
        fees shall be adequate to reimburse the fish and wildlife 
        agencies referred to in paragraph (3) for any reasonable costs 
        incurred in connection with any studies or other reviews 
        carried out by such agencies for purposes of compliance with 
        this section. The fees shall, subject to annual appropriations 
        Acts, be transferred to such agencies by the Commission for use 
        solely for purposes of carrying out such studies and shall 
        remain available until expended.
    ``(d) Transfers.--Notwithstanding section 5, and regardless of 
whether the holder of a preliminary permit for a closed-loop pumped 
storage project claimed municipal preference under section 7(a) when 
obtaining the permit, the Commission may, to facilitate development of 
a closed-loop pumped storage project--
            ``(1) add entities as joint permittees following issuance 
        of a preliminary permit; and
            ``(2) transfer a license in part to one or more 
        nonmunicipal entities as co-licensees with a municipality, if 
        the municipality retains majority ownership of the project for 
        which the license was issued.
    ``(e) Interagency Communications.--Interagency cooperation in the 
preparation of environmental documents under the National Environmental 
Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) with respect to an 
application for a license for a closed-loop pumped storage project 
submitted pursuant to this section, and interagency communications 
relating to licensing process coordination pursuant to this section, 
shall not--
            ``(1) be considered to be ex parte communications under 
        Commission rules; or
            ``(2) preclude an agency from participating in a licensing 
        proceeding under this part.
    ``(f) Developing Abandoned Mines for Pumped Storage.--
            ``(1) Workshop.--Not later than 6 months after the date of 
        enactment of this section, the Commission shall hold a workshop 
        to explore potential opportunities for development of closed-
        loop pumped storage projects at abandoned mine sites.
            ``(2) Guidance.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
        enactment of this section, the Commission shall issue guidance 
        to assist applicants for licenses or preliminary permits for 
        closed-loop pumped storage projects at abandoned mine sites.
    ``(g) Qualifying Criteria for Closed-Loop Pumped Storage 
Projects.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Commission shall establish criteria 
        that a pumped storage project shall meet in order to qualify as 
        a closed-loop pumped storage project eligible for the expedited 
        process established under this section.
            ``(2) Inclusions.--In establishing the criteria under 
        paragraph (1), the Commission shall include criteria requiring 
        that the pumped storage project--
                    ``(A) cause little to no change to existing surface 
                and groundwater flows and uses; and
                    ``(B) is unlikely to adversely affect species 
                listed as a threatened species or endangered species 
                under the Endangered Species Act of 1973.''.

SEC. 3. OBLIGATION FOR PAYMENT OF ANNUAL CHARGES.

    Section 10(e) of the Federal Power Act (16 U.S.C. 803(e)) is 
amended by adding at the end the following:
    ``(5) Any obligation of a licensee for payment of annual charges 
under this subsection shall commence when the construction of the 
applicable facility commences.''.

            Passed the House of Representatives December 12, 2017.

            Attest:

                                                 KAREN L. HAAS,

                                                                 Clerk.
[A]: Promoting Closed-Loop Pumped Storage Hydropower Act (Sec.2)This bill amends the Federal Power Act to authorize the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to establish an expedited licensing process for issuing and amending licenses and preliminary permits for closed-loop pumped storage projects (in which the upper and lower reservoirs do not impound or directly withdraw water from navigable waters, or that are not continuously connected to a naturally flowing water feature). In establishing the expedited process, FERC shall convene an interagency task force with appropriate federal and state agencies and Indian tribes to coordinate the regulatory process associated with the authorizations required to construct and operate closed-loop pumped storage projects. FERC must assess the safety of existing dams and other structures related to the project before issuing any license for a closed-loop storage project. FERC must hold a workshop to explore potential opportunities for development of storage projects at abandoned mine sites. FERC must also establish criteria that a project shall meet to qualify as a closed-loop pumped storage under this bill, including requiring that the project cause little to no change to existing surface and groundwater flows and uses and that the project is unlikely to adversely affect species listed as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act of 1973. (Sec.3)Licensees are not required to pay an annual charge for administrative expenses until construction commences.


[Q]: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Disabled Veterans Employment 
Protection Act''.

SEC. 2. RIGHTS OF PERSONS WHO RECEIVE TREATMENT FOR ILLNESSES, 
              INJURIES, AND DISABILITIES INCURRED IN OR AGGRAVATED BY 
              SERVICE IN THE UNIFORMED SERVICES.

    (a) Rights of Persons Who Receive Treatment.--
            (1) In general.--Subchapter II of chapter 43 of title 38, 
        United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the 
        following new section:
``Sec. 4320. Rights of persons absent from employment for treatment of 
              service-connected disabilities
    ``(a) Retention.--Subject to subsection (e), a person who is absent 
from a position of employment by reason of the receipt of medical 
treatment for a service-connected disability is entitled to be retained 
by the person's employer.
    ``(b) Seniority.--A person who is absent from employment by reason 
of the receipt of medical treatment for a service-connected disability 
and who is entitled to be retained by the person's employer under 
subsection (a) is entitled to the seniority and other rights and 
benefits determined by seniority that the person had on the date of the 
commencement of such treatment plus the additional seniority and rights 
and benefits that such person would have attained if the person had 
remained continuously employed.
    ``(c) Benefits.--(1) A person who is absent from a position of 
employment by reason of the receipt of medical treatment for a service-
connected disability and who is entitled to be retained by the person's 
employer under subsection (a) shall be--
            ``(A) deemed to be on furlough or leave of absence while 
        receiving such treatment; and
            ``(B) entitled to such other rights and benefits not 
        determined by seniority as are generally provided by the 
        employer of the person to employees having similar seniority, 
        status, and pay who are on furlough or leave of absence under a 
        contract, agreement, policy, practice, or plan in effect at the 
        commencement of such service or established while such person 
        is so absent.
    ``(2)(A) Subject to subparagraph (C), a person described in 
subparagraph (B) is not entitled to rights and benefits under paragraph 
(1)(B).
    ``(B) A person described in this subparagraph is a person who--
            ``(i) is absent from a position of employment by reason of 
        the receipt of medical treatment for a service-connected 
        disability; and
            ``(ii) knowingly provides written notice of intent not to 
        return to a position of employment after receiving such 
        treatment.
    ``(C) For the purposes of this paragraph, the employer shall have 
the burden of proving that a person knowingly provided clear written 
notice of intent not to return to a position of employment after being 
absent from employment by reason of the receipt of medical treatment 
and, in doing so, was aware of the specific rights and benefits to be 
lost under subparagraph (A).
    ``(3) A person deemed to be on furlough or leave of absence under 
this subsection while receiving medical treatment for a service-
connected disability shall not be entitled under this subsection to any 
benefits to which the person would not otherwise be entitled if the 
person had remained continuously employed.
    ``(4) Such person may be required to pay the employee cost, if any, 
of any funded benefit continued pursuant to paragraph (1) to the extent 
other employees on furlough or leave of absence are so required.
    ``(5) The entitlement of a person to coverage under a health plan 
is provided for under section 4317 of this title.
    ``(d) Leave.--Any person who is absent from a position of 
employment with an employer by reason of the receipt of medical 
treatment for a service-connected disability shall be permitted, upon 
request of that person, to use during the period during which the 
person is so absent, any vacation, annual, medical, or similar leave 
with pay accrued by the person before the commencement of such period. 
No employer may require any such person to use vacation, annual, 
family, medical, or similar leave during such period.
    ``(e) Exceptions.--(1) An employer is not required to comply with 
the requirements of this section if--
            ``(A) the employer's circumstances have so changed as to 
        make such compliance impossible or unreasonable;
            ``(B) such compliance would impose an undue hardship on the 
        employer; or
            ``(C) the employment from which the person is absent by 
        reason of the receipt of medical treatment is for a brief, 
        nonrecurrent period and there is no reasonable expectation that 
        such employment will continue indefinitely or for a significant 
        period.
    ``(2) In any proceeding involving an issue of whether (A) any 
compliance referred to in paragraph (1) is impossible or unreasonable 
because of a change in an employer's circumstances, (B) such compliance 
would impose an undue hardship on the employer, or (C) the employment 
referred to in paragraph (1)(C) is for a brief, nonrecurrent period and 
there is no reasonable expectation that such employment will continue 
indefinitely or for a significant period, the employer shall have the 
burden of proving the impossibility or unreasonableness, undue 
hardship, or the brief or nonrecurrent nature of the employment without 
a reasonable expectation of continuing indefinitely or for a 
significant period.
    ``(f) Limitation.--This section shall apply with respect to any 
absence from a position of employment with an employer by reason of the 
receipt of medical treatment for a service-connected disability as long 
as the aggregate period of such absence or absences is not more than 12 
workweeks during any 12-month period.''.
            (2) Clerical amendment.--The table of sections at the 
        beginning of such chapter is amended by inserting after the 
        item relating to section 4319 the following new item:

``4320. Rights of persons absent from employment for treatment of 
                            service-connected disabilities.''.
    (b) Health Plan.--Section 4317 of title 38, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:
    ``(c) This section shall apply with respect to a person who is 
absent from a position of employment by reason of the receipt of 
medical treatment for a service-connected disability (other than a 
person described in section 4320(c)(2)(B) of this title) on the same 
basis as a person who is absent from a position of employment by reason 
of service in the uniformed services. In the case of a person who is 
absent from a position of employment by reason of the receipt of 
medical treatment for a service-connected disability (other than a 
person described in section 4320(c)(2)(B) of this title), the period 
during which the person is so absent shall be treated as a period of 
service in the uniformed services for purposes of this section.''.
    (c) Prohibition of Discrimination and Acts of Reprisal.--Section 
4311 of title 38, United States Code, is amended--
            (1) in subsection (a)--
                    (A) by inserting after ``uniformed service'' the 
                following: ``, or who has an illness, injury, or 
                disability determined by the Secretary of Veterans 
                Affairs to have been incurred in or aggravated by such 
                service,''; and
                    (B) by striking ``or obligation'' and inserting 
                ``obligation, or receipt of treatment for that illness, 
                injury, or disability''; and
            (2) in subsection (c)--
                    (A) by striking ``or obligation for service'' the 
                first time it appears and inserting ``obligation for 
                service, or receipt of treatment for an illness, 
                injury, or disability determined by the Secretary of 
                Veterans Affairs to have been incurred in or aggravated 
                by service''; and
                    (B) by striking ``or obligation for service'' the 
                second time it appears and inserting ``obligation for 
                service, or receipt of treatment''.
    (d) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall 
apply with respect to medical treatment received on or after the date 
that is 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act.
[A]:
Disabled Veterans Employment Protection Act - Entitles a person who is absent from employment by reason of the receipt of medical treatment for a service-connected disability (absent employee) to: (1) be retained by the person's employer; (2) the seniority and other rights and benefits determined by seniority that the person had on the commencement of such treatment plus the additional seniority and rights and benefits that the person would have attained if the person had remained continuously employed; and (3) be considered on furlough or leave of absence during such treatment and therefore entitled to other rights and benefits not determined by seniority as are other persons of similar seniority, status, and pay who are on furlough or leave of absence. Terminates such entitlement when a person knowingly provides written notice of the intent not to return to such position following treatment.

Allows the absent employee to use any vacation, annual, medical, or similar leave with pay accrued before the commencement of the treatment.

Provides that an employer shall not be required to comply with the requirements of this Act if: (1) the employer's circumstances have so changed as to make such compliance impossible or unreasonable; (2) such compliance would pose an undue hardship on the employer; or (3) the employment in question is for a brief, nonrecurring period without a reasonable expectation of continuing indefinitely or for a significant period. Limits the application of this Act to periods of absence of not more than 12 workweeks during any 12-month period.

Applies health insurance continuation requirements to absences from employment described in this Act.

Prohibits any employer discrimination or acts of reprisal against an absent employee.