Opinion ID: 559551
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Title 38 and the Department of Medicine and Surgery

Text: 10 The Department of Medicine and Surgery (DM & S) was created in 1946 to provide a complete medical and hospital service ... for the medical care and treatment of veterans. Veterans' Administration--Department of Medicine and Surgery, Pub.L. No. 293, Sec. 1 (1946) (codified at 38 U.S.C. Sec. 4101(a)). The Department, now the Veterans Health Services and Research Administration, operates the largest single medical care delivery system in the United States. See H.R.Rep. No. 96-958, 96th Cong. 2d Sess. 2 (1980). When the DM & S was first created, there was no union activity on the part of any federal employees, who were hired, fired, and promoted under the civil service system established by Title 5. See generally 5 U.S.C. Secs. 3301, 3361, 4304, 5101, 6101. Concerned that the VA had been unable to attract qualified medical professionals under the civil service system's regulations and rates of pay, Congress enacted provisions specifically relating to the hiring, promotion, pay, hours and conditions of employment, retirement, and discipline of health care professionals employed by the DM & S. Pub.L. No. 293, Secs. 2-15; S.Rep. No. 858 (1945), reprinted in 1945 U.S.Code Cong. & Admin.News 956, 957-59. See 38 U.S.C. Secs. 4105-4110. The nurses represented by petitioner are among the health care professionals covered by Title 38 provisions. See id. 11 From the time of enactment in 1946, section 4108(a) of the DM & S statute had provided that 12 Notwithstanding any law, Executive order, or regulation, the Administrator [now the Secretary of Veterans Affairs] shall prescribe by regulation the hours and conditions of employment and leaves of absence of doctors, dentists, and nurses. 13 Pub.L. No. 293, Sec. 7(b) (1946), reprinted in 1945 U.S.Code Cong. & Admin.News 652, 654. 2 14