<enum>I</enum><header>Training, recruitment, and retention of health care employees</header><section id="ide3b8da481e7049e097873042afcd0967"><enum>101.</enum><header>Payment of licensure exam costs for recipients of scholarships from Department of Veterans Affairs</header><subsection id="idfc3d707c03c04fc0b0f0d4a0750a8766"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In general</header><text>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.</text></subsection><subsection id="idAE8CDE9241AD4B568DB68B9064EC17A3"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Licensing examinations and certifications</header><text>Subsection (a) shall apply to the payment of costs for—</text><paragraph id="id02CDEC501FFC4B00BFEFEC222B0735F5"><enum>(1)</enum><text>the United States Medical Licensing Examination Step 1, Step 2, and Step 3;</text></paragraph><paragraph id="idD8DAAEE5681F43BA9A86E2463BB8DE38"><enum>(2)</enum><text>the National Council Licensure Exam;</text></paragraph><paragraph id="id6708a571c375409cb4e15c86d2c2c845"><enum>(3)</enum><text>the National Board Dental Examination;</text></paragraph><paragraph id="idEE933EBA10DE47A2AFF4AA8B0E715591"><enum>(4)</enum><text>the National Board Dental Hygiene Examination;</text></paragraph><paragraph id="idCEDA7A8A47BF4755ABEA9F2C6D96F59C"><enum>(5)</enum><text>the Dental Licensure Objective Structured Clinical Examination and Integrated National Board Dental Examination; </text></paragraph><paragraph id="id6EA930C63694499BB4E6040E69047237"><enum>(6)</enum><text>the National Licensing Exams for Registered Nurses, Nurse Practitioners, and Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists;</text></paragraph><paragraph id="idd20756facbb145fe937ce9b1d387d099"><enum>(7)</enum><text>the American Podiatric Medical Licensing Exam;</text></paragraph><paragraph id="id35226beeb7e44db7bd2427ae08ca6ac5"><enum>(8)</enum><text>the National Board of Examiners in Optometry Exam;</text></paragraph><paragraph id="id65de6e08e3f54f58a49973ea59263045"><enum>(9)</enum><text>the Physician Assistant National Certification Exam;</text></paragraph><paragraph id="id134ad3a10f4d4c37ac4558d8f418e0f7"><enum>(10)</enum><text>the Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology;</text></paragraph><paragraph id="idaabd94611ccc4a9e9d08c9bcc18d6790"><enum>(11)</enum><text>the Academy for Certification of Vision Rehabilitation and Education Professionals certification examinations; </text></paragraph><paragraph id="id623e740d838442d79cbef12703d05a28"><enum>(12)</enum><text>the Association of Social Workers Boards Exam; and</text></paragraph><paragraph id="idECFB788F75F146CBB9F9FD3F90743B91"><enum>(13)</enum><text>such other licensing examinations and certifications as the Secretary considers appropriate.</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="id79799d986fba4880bb085d044ef450c7"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Report to Congress</header><text>Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, and not less frequently than 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 of this section that includes the following data for each State and territory of the United States for the one-year period preceding the date of the report:</text><paragraph id="id8183d6420cdb4b56ba263f6a8a421ca4"><enum>(1)</enum><text>Utilization by the Secretary of the requirement under subsection (a) broken down by position and career type.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="id6c3e89549f1440aabdfd3313ca93f6da"><enum>(2)</enum><text>Number of times each examination or certification described in subsection (b) was paid for by the Department and total funds expended by the Department for each such examination or certification. </text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="idbbd95116f09e4154a59d0a6ed0df668a"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Covered health professional scholarship defined</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">In this section, the term <term>covered health professional scholarship</term> means—</text><paragraph id="idE2E08E171B5A4D3F946B4C8CBDA96920"><enum>(1)</enum><text>the Department of Veterans Affairs Health Professional Scholarship Program under subchapter II of <external-xref legal-doc="usc-chapter" parsable-cite="usc-chapter/38/76">chapter 76</external-xref> of title 38, United States Code; </text></paragraph><paragraph id="id48E0CFA207D1449CB57A93C9D0B65139"><enum>(2)</enum><text>the Department of Veterans Affairs Employee Incentive Scholarship Program under subchapter VI of such chapter, including—</text><subparagraph id="id1641649F4C684EC8914F8F622628ED05"><enum>(A)</enum><text>the National Nursing Education Initiative; and</text></subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" id="id8A6BCA4E14744AF982D92BB11FBBCAC4"><enum>(B)</enum><text>the VA National Education for Employees Program;</text></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="idcb2814235bf743efa7f57132c0bcee4e"><enum>(3)</enum><text>the Department of Veterans Affairs Readjustment Counseling Service Scholarship Program under subchapter IX of such chapter;</text></paragraph><paragraph commented="no" id="idA6E38CD34069426CA28D4E3E119C811C"><enum>(4)</enum><text>the Visual Impairment and Orientation and Mobility Professionals Scholarship Program under chapter 75 of such title;</text></paragraph><paragraph id="idFDDCDC49ED724F93A88C88051C9249E1"><enum>(5)</enum><text>the Veterans Healing Veterans Medical Access and Scholarship Program under section 304 of the VA MISSION Act of 2018 (<external-xref legal-doc="public-law" parsable-cite="pl/115/182">Public Law 115–182</external-xref>; <external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/38/7601">38 U.S.C. 7601</external-xref> note);</text></paragraph><paragraph id="idce91aa7926e949778ddd2bf1d26c6b30"><enum>(6)</enum><text>the Physician Assistant Education and Training Pilot Program for Former Members of The Armed Forces under section 246 of division J of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2018 (<external-xref legal-doc="public-law" parsable-cite="pl/115/141">Public Law 115–141</external-xref>; <external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/38/7601">38 U.S.C. 7601</external-xref> note); and</text></paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id672C6B7A372D441498F9903C9FA88E6F"><enum>(7)</enum><text>such other programs as the Secretary considers appropriate.</text></paragraph></subsection></section><section id="id507439a4ed9e4ec7851524d0506f0233"><enum>102.</enum><header>Improvement of workforce training and team models to meet the needs of older veterans</header><subsection id="id2ed2265bec3e478daffaea5e604762b1"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Rural geriatrics team training</header><text>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.</text></subsection><subsection id="ide7c708abb41c477990ed7553ae3042d8"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Training on caring for veterans with memory loss</header><paragraph id="idE392A20E50A4497FA438E1FEB95F514A"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In general</header><text>The Secretary shall provide continuing professional education for clinical staff of the Department who provide care for veterans with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. </text></paragraph><paragraph id="id2085518fea334eb499b578d679663f74"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Implementation</header><text>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.</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="idea35a39c59484b78aba34225b0eff6fc"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Expansion of Geriatric Patient Aligned Care Team model and Geriatric and Palliative Specialty Services</header><paragraph id="id7d4523bc0a374ffb8e2c6493403e3368"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In general</header><text>The Secretary shall expand the Geriatrics Patient Aligned Care Team model and the geriatric and palliative specialty services of the Department of Veterans Affairs— </text><subparagraph id="id06653811E30841249CD19EC2767579E7"><enum>(A)</enum><text>to every medical center of the Department;</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="id9C2880042CAD4986A8B1AC2DB4EE8DED"><enum>(B)</enum><text>to any community-based outpatient clinic at which such expansion is determined by the Secretary to be feasible and needed; and</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="ide4ccb7a4b1f045d69daba2a0bf4ef49f"><enum>(C)</enum><text>to provide access to all veterans that need those services, including through implementing Geriatric and Palliative Specialty Consultative Clinical Resource Hubs to meet the needs of the aging veteran population. </text></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="id9777dedbe3584653b03991c76006dd3c"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Waiver of expansion to medical centers</header><text>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 or to provide geriatric and palliative specialty services, as the case may be.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="id546f4ce7af8848cba140107bcfc729ac"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Study</header><text>The Secretary shall conduct a study on the variations in the structure and model consistency of the Geriatrics Patient Aligned Care Team model and delivery and utilization of geriatric and palliative care throughout the Department and how those variations impact quality of care and patient outcomes. </text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="id8024476524fc42c2a4b0a93dedfea0ec"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Report to Congress</header><paragraph id="id48F1EB9F6E4845BAB1B5345848C79D71"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In general</header><text>Not later than two years 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.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="id8BE55FF6E044456C9A573C626ED4DF7A"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Inclusion of information on waivers</header><text>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 (c)(2) and the reason for the waiver.</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="idEA81A18418AA4BDD9EAAE408D89163F9"><enum>(e)</enum><header>Definitions</header><text>In this section, the terms <term>rural</term> and <term>highly rural</term> have the meanings given those terms under the Rural-Urban Commuting Areas (RUCA) coding system of the Department of Agriculture. </text></subsection></section><section id="id2a4415d61e684381b6fc85e4ceb75750"><enum>103.</enum><header>Study on improving recruitment and retention at community living centers of Department of Veterans Affairs</header><subsection id="id1bedbbe1c7da49c48bf0f85bcfa36dd1"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In general</header><text>Not later than two years 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.</text></subsection><subsection id="id91948b756e744912a3f0c2dfd91c5375"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Report to Congress</header><text>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—</text><paragraph id="id0EEBA9B1D6CA4845A3CA1FFA4D1563D5"><enum>(1)</enum><text>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</text></paragraph><paragraph id="id759ACF256DD24B53943D94CD5C0C8B85"><enum>(2)</enum><text>including recommendations for such administrative action as the Secretary considers appropriate.</text></paragraph></subsection></section><section id="id0b927affff504ede940ef654e6ee0218"><enum>104.</enum><header>Limitation on detail of directors of medical centers of Department of Veterans Affairs to different positions</header><subsection id="id27A9B9DFD3394FB58D4BC27E21C331F2"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Notification</header><paragraph id="id4A8D8FCE7A8244AF909B1CA01A795D47"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Not later than 90 days after detailing 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 detail.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="id259ee7348cb34d18b1e6b47f48f78e8c"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Matters To be included</header><text>The notification required by paragraph (1) shall include, with respect to a director of a medical center who is detailed to a different position within the Department, the following information:</text><subparagraph id="id062393EB6289491F85A2B1ED8DB4CB87"><enum>(A)</enum><text>The location at which the director is detailed.</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="id4A6E562CCAC34975B3D6275620E2F4F3"><enum>(B)</enum><text>The position title of the detail.</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="idbf65a38ec73947e1909a6ceff76db066"><enum>(C)</enum><text>The estimated time the director is expected to be absent from their duties at the medical center. </text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="id7618C24EBC5A45EC83645635B11DFA6C"><enum>(D)</enum><text>Such other information as the Secretary may determine appropriate. </text></subparagraph></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="id9476daeaf9194d3dbe261ba5b48d29b2"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Appointment of acting director</header><text>Not later than 120 days after detailing a director of a medical center of the Department to a different position within the Department, the Secretary shall appoint an individual as acting director of such medical center with all of the authority and responsibilities of the detailed director. </text></subsection><subsection id="id6be305affc0b478a82ca4bbc28e0eea3"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Update on detail</header><text>Not later than 120 days after detailing a director of a medical center of the Department to a different position within the Department, and not less frequently than every 30 days thereafter while the detail is in effect or while the director position at the medical center is vacant, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives an update regarding the status of the detail.</text></subsection><subsection id="idbbded2acdaac4ad2ab08c178926249b3"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Return to position or reassignment</header><paragraph id="id694E8D8370A0435FA2F8908074383CC6"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In general</header><text>Except as provided in paragraph (2), not later than 180 days after detailing a director of a medical center of the Department to a different position within the Department, for a reason other than an ongoing investigation or administrative action with respect to the director, the Secretary shall—</text><subparagraph id="idb99b7b01fe2f4e1ebab600151e39871a"><enum>(A)</enum><text>return the individual to the position as director of the medical center; or</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="idbc0575fa986b4e338ed0dd3faf11680c"><enum>(B)</enum><text>reassign the individual from the position as director of the medical center and begin the process of hiring a new director for such position. </text></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="id9d7ec4866232457ebed8f1a427ac5e00"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Waiver</header><subparagraph id="idFFB93512A33B4F0ABBA8B70E210F28EC"><enum>(A)</enum><header>In general</header><text>The Secretary may waive the requirement under paragraph (1) with respect to an individual for successive 90-day increments for a total period of not more than 540 days from the original date the individual was detailed away from their position as director of a medical center.</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="idA7344B5AE54F4B238126B55AA00A3875"><enum>(B)</enum><header>Notification</header><text>Not later than 30 days after exercising a waiver under subparagraph (A), the Secretary shall notify Congress of the waiver and provide to Congress information as to why the waiver is necessary. </text></subparagraph></paragraph></subsection></section>

115 S10 IS: VA Clinician Appreciation, Recruitment, Education, Expansion, and Retention Support (CAREERS) Act of 2023 U.S. Senate 2023-01-23 text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.

Short title; table of contents

(a)

Short title

This Act may be cited as the

VA Clinician Appreciation, Recruitment, Education, Expansion, and Retention Support (CAREERS) Act of 2023

.(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. Payment of licensure exam costs for recipients of scholarships from Department of Veterans Affairs.

Sec. 102. Improvement of workforce training and team models to meet the needs of older veterans.

Sec. 103. Study on improving recruitment and retention at community living centers of Department of Veterans Affairs.

Sec. 104. Limitation on detail 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. Modification of pay limitation for physicians, podiatrists, optometrists, and dentists of Department of Veterans Affairs.

Sec. 202. Increased pay cap for directors of medical centers and Veterans Integrated Service Networks of Department of Veterans Affairs.

Sec. 203. Waiver of pay limitation for employees of the Veterans Health Administration performing mission critical work.

Sec. 204. Increase of maximum amount of incentive pay for Department pharmacist executives.

Sec. 205. 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. Waiver of certain licensure requirements.

Subtitle C—Other personnel matters

Sec. 221. Role of optometrists in Department of Veterans Affairs.

Sec. 222. Expansion of annual leave options for employees of Department of Veterans Affairs during public health emergency.

Sec. 223. Expansion of reimbursement of continuing professional education expenses.

Sec. 224. Inclusion of police officers of Department of Veterans Affairs as law enforcement officers.

Sec. 225. Department of Veterans Affairs personnel transparency.

Sec. 226. Comptroller General report assessing human resources modernization within Veterans Health Administration.

<enum>I</enum><header>Training, recruitment, and retention of health care employees</header><section id="ide3b8da481e7049e097873042afcd0967"><enum>101.</enum><header>Payment of licensure exam costs for recipients of scholarships from Department of Veterans Affairs</header><subsection id="idfc3d707c03c04fc0b0f0d4a0750a8766"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In general</header><text>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.</text></subsection><subsection id="idAE8CDE9241AD4B568DB68B9064EC17A3"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Licensing examinations and certifications</header><text>Subsection (a) shall apply to the payment of costs for—</text><paragraph id="id02CDEC501FFC4B00BFEFEC222B0735F5"><enum>(1)</enum><text>the United States Medical Licensing Examination Step 1, Step 2, and Step 3;</text></paragraph><paragraph id="idD8DAAEE5681F43BA9A86E2463BB8DE38"><enum>(2)</enum><text>the National Council Licensure Exam;</text></paragraph><paragraph id="id6708a571c375409cb4e15c86d2c2c845"><enum>(3)</enum><text>the National Board Dental Examination;</text></paragraph><paragraph id="idEE933EBA10DE47A2AFF4AA8B0E715591"><enum>(4)</enum><text>the National Board Dental Hygiene Examination;</text></paragraph><paragraph id="idCEDA7A8A47BF4755ABEA9F2C6D96F59C"><enum>(5)</enum><text>the Dental Licensure Objective Structured Clinical Examination and Integrated National Board Dental Examination; </text></paragraph><paragraph id="id6EA930C63694499BB4E6040E69047237"><enum>(6)</enum><text>the National Licensing Exams for Registered Nurses, Nurse Practitioners, and Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists;</text></paragraph><paragraph id="idd20756facbb145fe937ce9b1d387d099"><enum>(7)</enum><text>the American Podiatric Medical Licensing Exam;</text></paragraph><paragraph id="id35226beeb7e44db7bd2427ae08ca6ac5"><enum>(8)</enum><text>the National Board of Examiners in Optometry Exam;</text></paragraph><paragraph id="id65de6e08e3f54f58a49973ea59263045"><enum>(9)</enum><text>the Physician Assistant National Certification Exam;</text></paragraph><paragraph id="id134ad3a10f4d4c37ac4558d8f418e0f7"><enum>(10)</enum><text>the Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology;</text></paragraph><paragraph id="idaabd94611ccc4a9e9d08c9bcc18d6790"><enum>(11)</enum><text>the Academy for Certification of Vision Rehabilitation and Education Professionals certification examinations; </text></paragraph><paragraph id="id623e740d838442d79cbef12703d05a28"><enum>(12)</enum><text>the Association of Social Workers Boards Exam; and</text></paragraph><paragraph id="idECFB788F75F146CBB9F9FD3F90743B91"><enum>(13)</enum><text>such other licensing examinations and certifications as the Secretary considers appropriate.</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="id79799d986fba4880bb085d044ef450c7"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Report to Congress</header><text>Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, and not less frequently than 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 of this section that includes the following data for each State and territory of the United States for the one-year period preceding the date of the report:</text><paragraph id="id8183d6420cdb4b56ba263f6a8a421ca4"><enum>(1)</enum><text>Utilization by the Secretary of the requirement under subsection (a) broken down by position and career type.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="id6c3e89549f1440aabdfd3313ca93f6da"><enum>(2)</enum><text>Number of times each examination or certification described in subsection (b) was paid for by the Department and total funds expended by the Department for each such examination or certification. </text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="idbbd95116f09e4154a59d0a6ed0df668a"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Covered health professional scholarship defined</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">In this section, the term <term>covered health professional scholarship</term> means—</text><paragraph id="idE2E08E171B5A4D3F946B4C8CBDA96920"><enum>(1)</enum><text>the Department of Veterans Affairs Health Professional Scholarship Program under subchapter II of <external-xref legal-doc="usc-chapter" parsable-cite="usc-chapter/38/76">chapter 76</external-xref> of title 38, United States Code; </text></paragraph><paragraph id="id48E0CFA207D1449CB57A93C9D0B65139"><enum>(2)</enum><text>the Department of Veterans Affairs Employee Incentive Scholarship Program under subchapter VI of such chapter, including—</text><subparagraph id="id1641649F4C684EC8914F8F622628ED05"><enum>(A)</enum><text>the National Nursing Education Initiative; and</text></subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" id="id8A6BCA4E14744AF982D92BB11FBBCAC4"><enum>(B)</enum><text>the VA National Education for Employees Program;</text></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="idcb2814235bf743efa7f57132c0bcee4e"><enum>(3)</enum><text>the Department of Veterans Affairs Readjustment Counseling Service Scholarship Program under subchapter IX of such chapter;</text></paragraph><paragraph commented="no" id="idA6E38CD34069426CA28D4E3E119C811C"><enum>(4)</enum><text>the Visual Impairment and Orientation and Mobility Professionals Scholarship Program under chapter 75 of such title;</text></paragraph><paragraph id="idFDDCDC49ED724F93A88C88051C9249E1"><enum>(5)</enum><text>the Veterans Healing Veterans Medical Access and Scholarship Program under section 304 of the VA MISSION Act of 2018 (<external-xref legal-doc="public-law" parsable-cite="pl/115/182">Public Law 115–182</external-xref>; <external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/38/7601">38 U.S.C. 7601</external-xref> note);</text></paragraph><paragraph id="idce91aa7926e949778ddd2bf1d26c6b30"><enum>(6)</enum><text>the Physician Assistant Education and Training Pilot Program for Former Members of The Armed Forces under section 246 of division J of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2018 (<external-xref legal-doc="public-law" parsable-cite="pl/115/141">Public Law 115–141</external-xref>; <external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/38/7601">38 U.S.C. 7601</external-xref> note); and</text></paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id672C6B7A372D441498F9903C9FA88E6F"><enum>(7)</enum><text>such other programs as the Secretary considers appropriate.</text></paragraph></subsection></section><section id="id507439a4ed9e4ec7851524d0506f0233"><enum>102.</enum><header>Improvement of workforce training and team models to meet the needs of older veterans</header><subsection id="id2ed2265bec3e478daffaea5e604762b1"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Rural geriatrics team training</header><text>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.</text></subsection><subsection id="ide7c708abb41c477990ed7553ae3042d8"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Training on caring for veterans with memory loss</header><paragraph id="idE392A20E50A4497FA438E1FEB95F514A"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In general</header><text>The Secretary shall provide continuing professional education for clinical staff of the Department who provide care for veterans with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. </text></paragraph><paragraph id="id2085518fea334eb499b578d679663f74"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Implementation</header><text>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.</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="idea35a39c59484b78aba34225b0eff6fc"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Expansion of Geriatric Patient Aligned Care Team model and Geriatric and Palliative Specialty Services</header><paragraph id="id7d4523bc0a374ffb8e2c6493403e3368"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In general</header><text>The Secretary shall expand the Geriatrics Patient Aligned Care Team model and the geriatric and palliative specialty services of the Department of Veterans Affairs— </text><subparagraph id="id06653811E30841249CD19EC2767579E7"><enum>(A)</enum><text>to every medical center of the Department;</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="id9C2880042CAD4986A8B1AC2DB4EE8DED"><enum>(B)</enum><text>to any community-based outpatient clinic at which such expansion is determined by the Secretary to be feasible and needed; and</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="ide4ccb7a4b1f045d69daba2a0bf4ef49f"><enum>(C)</enum><text>to provide access to all veterans that need those services, including through implementing Geriatric and Palliative Specialty Consultative Clinical Resource Hubs to meet the needs of the aging veteran population. </text></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="id9777dedbe3584653b03991c76006dd3c"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Waiver of expansion to medical centers</header><text>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 or to provide geriatric and palliative specialty services, as the case may be.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="id546f4ce7af8848cba140107bcfc729ac"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Study</header><text>The Secretary shall conduct a study on the variations in the structure and model consistency of the Geriatrics Patient Aligned Care Team model and delivery and utilization of geriatric and palliative care throughout the Department and how those variations impact quality of care and patient outcomes. </text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="id8024476524fc42c2a4b0a93dedfea0ec"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Report to Congress</header><paragraph id="id48F1EB9F6E4845BAB1B5345848C79D71"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In general</header><text>Not later than two years 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.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="id8BE55FF6E044456C9A573C626ED4DF7A"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Inclusion of information on waivers</header><text>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 (c)(2) and the reason for the waiver.</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="idEA81A18418AA4BDD9EAAE408D89163F9"><enum>(e)</enum><header>Definitions</header><text>In this section, the terms <term>rural</term> and <term>highly rural</term> have the meanings given those terms under the Rural-Urban Commuting Areas (RUCA) coding system of the Department of Agriculture. </text></subsection></section><section id="id2a4415d61e684381b6fc85e4ceb75750"><enum>103.</enum><header>Study on improving recruitment and retention at community living centers of Department of Veterans Affairs</header><subsection id="id1bedbbe1c7da49c48bf0f85bcfa36dd1"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In general</header><text>Not later than two years 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.</text></subsection><subsection id="id91948b756e744912a3f0c2dfd91c5375"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Report to Congress</header><text>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—</text><paragraph id="id0EEBA9B1D6CA4845A3CA1FFA4D1563D5"><enum>(1)</enum><text>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</text></paragraph><paragraph id="id759ACF256DD24B53943D94CD5C0C8B85"><enum>(2)</enum><text>including recommendations for such administrative action as the Secretary considers appropriate.</text></paragraph></subsection></section><section id="id0b927affff504ede940ef654e6ee0218"><enum>104.</enum><header>Limitation on detail of directors of medical centers of Department of Veterans Affairs to different positions</header><subsection id="id27A9B9DFD3394FB58D4BC27E21C331F2"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Notification</header><paragraph id="id4A8D8FCE7A8244AF909B1CA01A795D47"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Not later than 90 days after detailing 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 detail.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="id259ee7348cb34d18b1e6b47f48f78e8c"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Matters To be included</header><text>The notification required by paragraph (1) shall include, with respect to a director of a medical center who is detailed to a different position within the Department, the following information:</text><subparagraph id="id062393EB6289491F85A2B1ED8DB4CB87"><enum>(A)</enum><text>The location at which the director is detailed.</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="id4A6E562CCAC34975B3D6275620E2F4F3"><enum>(B)</enum><text>The position title of the detail.</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="idbf65a38ec73947e1909a6ceff76db066"><enum>(C)</enum><text>The estimated time the director is expected to be absent from their duties at the medical center. </text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="id7618C24EBC5A45EC83645635B11DFA6C"><enum>(D)</enum><text>Such other information as the Secretary may determine appropriate. </text></subparagraph></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="id9476daeaf9194d3dbe261ba5b48d29b2"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Appointment of acting director</header><text>Not later than 120 days after detailing a director of a medical center of the Department to a different position within the Department, the Secretary shall appoint an individual as acting director of such medical center with all of the authority and responsibilities of the detailed director. </text></subsection><subsection id="id6be305affc0b478a82ca4bbc28e0eea3"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Update on detail</header><text>Not later than 120 days after detailing a director of a medical center of the Department to a different position within the Department, and not less frequently than every 30 days thereafter while the detail is in effect or while the director position at the medical center is vacant, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives an update regarding the status of the detail.</text></subsection><subsection id="idbbded2acdaac4ad2ab08c178926249b3"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Return to position or reassignment</header><paragraph id="id694E8D8370A0435FA2F8908074383CC6"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In general</header><text>Except as provided in paragraph (2), not later than 180 days after detailing a director of a medical center of the Department to a different position within the Department, for a reason other than an ongoing investigation or administrative action with respect to the director, the Secretary shall—</text><subparagraph id="idb99b7b01fe2f4e1ebab600151e39871a"><enum>(A)</enum><text>return the individual to the position as director of the medical center; or</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="idbc0575fa986b4e338ed0dd3faf11680c"><enum>(B)</enum><text>reassign the individual from the position as director of the medical center and begin the process of hiring a new director for such position. </text></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="id9d7ec4866232457ebed8f1a427ac5e00"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Waiver</header><subparagraph id="idFFB93512A33B4F0ABBA8B70E210F28EC"><enum>(A)</enum><header>In general</header><text>The Secretary may waive the requirement under paragraph (1) with respect to an individual for successive 90-day increments for a total period of not more than 540 days from the original date the individual was detailed away from their position as director of a medical center.</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="idA7344B5AE54F4B238126B55AA00A3875"><enum>(B)</enum><header>Notification</header><text>Not later than 30 days after exercising a waiver under subparagraph (A), the Secretary shall notify Congress of the waiver and provide to Congress information as to why the waiver is necessary. </text></subparagraph></paragraph></subsection></section><enum>II</enum><header>Accountability, oversight, and personnel matters</header><subtitle id="idFE99B91DD66A4B669E37B18F1DBE5D1B" style="OLC"><enum>A</enum><header>Matters relating to pay</header><section id="id697e665f9f1b4f9080e04b4f43ec6fbc"><enum>201.</enum><header>Modification of pay limitation for physicians, podiatrists, optometrists, and dentists of Department of Veterans Affairs</header><subsection id="ida498f277af6f475894eec743d94c87ef"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Market pay</header><paragraph id="id2411DEDC72474FD7B2793C5861C56A87"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In general</header><text>Section 7431 of title 38, United States Code, is amended—</text><subparagraph id="ide644e845f2754da1bf98b284c04b4744"><enum>(A)</enum><text>by striking subsections (a), (b), and (d);</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="id11816F4987624A0D93067E50CA3A8726"><enum>(B)</enum><text>by redesignating subsections (c), (e), (f), (g), and (h) as subsections (a), (b), (c), (d), and (e), respectively;</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="id0ba918c154404352b2a01107f479fd18"><enum>(C)</enum><text>by inserting <quote>optometrists,</quote> after <quote>podiatrists,</quote> each place it appears;</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="idd7098911330946a58532881abf18c52f"><enum>(D)</enum><text>by inserting <quote>optometrist</quote> after <quote>podiatrist,</quote> each place it appears;</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="idAB6F5AABB6C64FE3B8B08C18EA3E1DAC"><enum>(E)</enum><text>in subsection (a), as redesignated by subparagraph (B), in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking <quote>One element of pay for physicians, podiatrists, and dentists shall be base pay. Base pay shall meet the following requirements:</quote> and inserting <quote>Pay of physicians, podiatrists, optometrists, and dentists in the Veterans Health Administration shall consist of base pay, which shall meet the following requirements:</quote>;</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="idcf8d8cb1cc8a47f6aca05ef3d6d4c1e7"><enum>(F)</enum><text>in subsection (b), as so redesignated—</text><clause id="id31e685b85b834ce1939c44e5869b9ffc"><enum>(i)</enum><text>in the subsection heading, by striking <quote><header-in-text style="USC" level="subsection">total</header-in-text></quote> and inserting <quote><header-in-text style="USC" level="subsection">market</header-in-text></quote>;</text></clause><clause id="id0A42408AC8434B3A96FC16BE911120EE"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>in paragraph (1)(A)—</text><subclause id="idF36C45AD59C44ED0874B39A3430665AB"><enum>(I)</enum><text>by striking <quote>annual</quote> each place it appears and inserting <quote>market</quote>; and</text></subclause><subclause id="idD6ED15D009884E96B5A66925E1404FCA"><enum>(II)</enum><text>by inserting <quote>, optometrists,</quote> after <quote>podiatrists</quote>;</text></subclause></clause><clause id="id3e6c521d67684aa28aa44e13a09e6729"><enum>(iii)</enum><text>by striking paragraphs (2) and (3);</text></clause><clause id="idaaf31ede247644409880762017ce7f55"><enum>(iv)</enum><text>by redesignating paragraph (4) as paragraph (2);</text></clause><clause id="ide7bff6fda7b348b1bc9999fb14ef2868"><enum>(v)</enum><text>in paragraph (2), as redesignated by clause (iv), by striking <quote>Except as provided in sections 7404A(c) and 7410(a)(2) of this title, in no case may the total amount of compensation</quote> and inserting <quote>The total amount of market pay under subsection (a)</quote>; </text></clause><clause id="idE050DA94BEF845AF840461FC868D535C" commented="no"><enum>(vi)</enum><text>by inserting <quote>may not</quote> before <quote>exceed</quote>; and</text></clause><clause id="id5a30e2a2d0f8417c92ab033a99bdfc2c"><enum>(vii)</enum><text>by adding at the end the following new paragraphs:</text><quoted-block style="OLC" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id400F1D4684EC4D5986E63BAB8C81DD56"><paragraph id="id07a62e9e20c0458aaeb3f0d9c3930adf" indent="up1"><enum>(3)</enum><text>Notwithstanding any compensation or pay limitations under this title or title 5, the Secretary may authorize the Under Secretary for Health to pay physicians, podiatrists, and dentists—</text><subparagraph id="id2642cc31023f4f4283206974a2ed262a"><enum>(A)</enum><text>awards authorized under this title;</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="id0e95ef191da047368e2e323cd55f58bb"><enum>(B)</enum><text>advance payments, recruitment or relocation bonuses, and retention allowances authorized under section 7410(a) of this title or as otherwise provided by law;</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="ida27ec46894e14147a637d444fadb9f2d"><enum>(C)</enum><text>incentives or bonuses under section 706 of this title or as otherwise provided by law; and</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="id24a8b31bd42d4f498c55bf1e2e666a4a"><enum>(D)</enum><text>earnings from fee-basis appointments under section 7405(a)(2) of this title.</text></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="id5ad89bf5151e44d391699082a5e493db" indent="up1"><enum>(4)</enum><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="yes-display-inline" id="idE7B2042BC79749FFB3DD5E8450C93CA2"><enum>(A)</enum><text>The Secretary may waive any pay limitation described in this section (to include tier limitations) if the Secretary determines it is necessary for the recruitment or retention of critical health care personnel, as determined by the Secretary.</text></subparagraph><subparagraph indent="up1" id="idB1A6B56E3C27476FB1517B803748A67B"><enum>(B)</enum><text>The Secretary may prescribe requirements, limitations, and other considerations for waivers under subparagraph (A).</text></subparagraph></paragraph><after-quoted-block>;</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></clause></subparagraph><subparagraph id="id1bb321f1a4744490ae49ad65f3912686"><enum>(G)</enum><text>in subsection (c), as so redesignated, by striking <quote>subsections (b) and (c) of</quote>;</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="id70c352170cb64efc9f5b2cf16074daa0"><enum>(H)</enum><text>in subsection (d), as so redesignated—</text><clause id="idb0f39707cb9946dab391385ce8f1b206"><enum>(i)</enum><text>in paragraph (1), by striking <quote>subsection (c)</quote> and inserting <quote>subsection (a)</quote>; and</text></clause><clause id="id6b108254afd7471d95ff0971bfbee1f8"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>by adding at the end the following new paragraph:</text><quoted-block style="OLC" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id4ec9fdf5062043b280f2603ca11d71e7"><paragraph id="idc18b9058ba9b4815989533ef948e886f" indent="up1"><enum>(3)</enum><text>An individual receiving market pay under subsection (a) may not receive a non-foreign cost of living allowance under section 5941 of title 5.</text></paragraph><after-quoted-block>; and</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></clause></subparagraph><subparagraph id="id3ca4ad87558842609820884467262797"><enum>(I)</enum><text>in subsection (e), as so redesignated, by striking <quote>subsection (c), (d), or (e) except for the responsibilities of the Secretary under subsection (e)(1)</quote> and inserting <quote>subsections (a) or (b) except for the responsibilities of the Secretary under subsection (b)(1)</quote>.</text></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="id030B36D4C6F94F5D88DB7942F4FD3FA1"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Conforming amendments</header><subparagraph id="id8fe6a91a4b07406f9552b1cd5bc2b639"><enum>(A)</enum><header>Incentives for recruitment</header><text>Section 706(d)(6) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by striking <quote>total amount of compensation under section 7431(e)(4)</quote> and inserting <quote>total amount of market pay under section 7431</quote>.</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="id5759c08e79d5442081ae60fa2b78b1a0"><enum>(B)</enum><header>Awards</header><text>Section 7404A(c) of such title is amended by striking <quote>the limitation under section 7431(e)(4)</quote> and inserting <quote>a limitation under section 7431</quote>.</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="ida1b6b17af8ac411da9158763edf9fb45" commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline"><enum>(C)</enum><header>Additional pay authorities</header><text>Section 7410(a)(2) of such title is amended by striking <quote>the limitation under section 7431(e)(4)</quote> and inserting <quote>a limitation under section 7431</quote>. </text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="id5003c57aae934a34b2099b7faa0df61c"><enum>(D)</enum><header>Pay of Under Secretary for Health</header><text>Section 7432(b)(1) of such title is amended—</text><clause id="idE504266F486F4FD9BDDFF560D227EA6B"><enum>(i)</enum><text>by inserting <quote>, podiatrist, optometrist,</quote> after <quote>physician</quote>; and</text></clause><clause id="idE00E6C730BB84363A0B4912C92FDF531"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>by striking <quote>7431(c)</quote> and inserting <quote>7431</quote>.</text></clause></subparagraph><subparagraph id="id4fc25d500f57467da1c667826251d094" commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline"><enum>(E)</enum><header>Administrative matters</header><text>Section 7433 of such title is amended by inserting <quote>optometrists,</quote> after <quote>physicians,</quote> each place it appears.</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="ida2c101171ada446db3f44969ca8dcb8e"><enum>(F)</enum><header>Competitive pay</header><text>Section 7451(a)(2)(C) of such title is amended by inserting <quote>optometrist,</quote> after <quote>physician,</quote>. </text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="idb9876f1661aa4ec7a7b59d14dfd04e10"><enum>(G)</enum><header>Compensation and professional standards for certain medical officers</header><text>Section 27(b) of the Central Intelligence Agency Act of 1949 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/50/3528">50 U.S.C. 3528(b)</external-xref>) is amended by striking <quote>section 7431(e)(1)(C)</quote> and inserting <quote>section 7431(b)(1)(C)</quote>. </text></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="id32D0D8717E264C5D83725CD8CB873ACF"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Clerical amendments</header><subparagraph id="id0390279D71194F37B2C73A97CBC9D920"><enum>(A)</enum><header>Section heading</header><clause id="id552A5DD620594051BEE7B9B2201974BC"><enum>(i)</enum><header>In general</header><text>The heading for section 7431 of title 38, United States Code is amended to read as follows:</text><quoted-block style="USC" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="idF435D79886854E789C05C2660D7A7D43"><section id="id794C5E95FEBD4CB5A309529B2A2A849E"><enum>7431.</enum><header>Market pay</header></section><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></clause><clause id="id0775E775582B49DBB75F794CB1FC3244"><enum>(ii)</enum><header>Table of sections</header><text>The table of sections at the beginning of subchapter III of <external-xref legal-doc="usc-chapter" parsable-cite="usc-chapter/38/74">chapter 74</external-xref> of title 38, United States Code, is amended by striking the item relating to section 7431 and inserting the following new item:</text><quoted-block style="USC" id="id4691a751-1e10-4337-8c0b-de747679a4ca"><toc><toc-entry level="section" idref="id794C5E95FEBD4CB5A309529B2A2A849E">7431. Market pay.</toc-entry></toc><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></clause></subparagraph><subparagraph id="id4EB6BF9AE9814D399ACD39A42BDC8CF8" commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline"><enum>(B)</enum><header>Subchapter heading</header><clause commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id1B74FFFEA2F941FCB05773467A747A5E"><enum>(i)</enum><header>In general</header><text>The heading for subchapter III of chapter 74 of such title is amended to read as follows:</text><quoted-block style="USC" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="idAE4BAC6F0647408E876A6DE93F4BAFEA"><subchapter id="id243E4FBD958549BBA00246D5F2D3E584" style="OLC"><enum>III</enum><header>Pay for physicians and other health-care personnel</header></subchapter><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></clause><clause id="idC248DAB26F6C46C6B36EFACE164F1A57"><enum>(ii)</enum><header>Table of sections</header><text>The table of sections at the beginning of chapter 74 of such title is amended by striking the item relating to subchapter III and inserting the following new item:</text><quoted-block style="USC" id="idb86fa569-797f-4872-a81c-4c5cbcdfb501"><toc><toc-entry level="subchapter" idref="id243E4FBD958549BBA00246D5F2D3E584">SUBCHAPTER III—Pay for physicians and other health-care personnel</toc-entry></toc><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></clause></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="idf1d79b3e3ce247418a3df279ab316279"><enum>(4)</enum><header>Application</header><subparagraph id="idA3F066FADFDD497FA762FCC879160189"><enum>(A)</enum><header>In general</header><text>The amendments made by this subsection shall apply to any pay period of the Department of Veterans Affairs beginning on or after the date that is 30 days after the date of the enactment of this Act.</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="id92512D2A36D84CA690A58BDC71D263C7"><enum>(B)</enum><header>Performance pay for year of enactment</header><text>The Secretary of Veterans Affairs may pay performance pay under section 7431(d) of title 38, United States Code, as in effect on the day before the date of the enactment of this Act, for the calendar year in which this Act is enacted.</text></subparagraph></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="id879ff73c348d41f98dd20eb4b8fb9295"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Modification and clarification of pay grade for optometrists</header><text>Section 7404 of such title is amended—</text><paragraph id="idb6eeec2ce4074568a41becfad88102da"><enum>(1)</enum><text>in subsection (a)(2)(A), by striking <quote>podiatrists, and dentists</quote> and inserting <quote>podiatrists, optometrists, and dentists</quote>; and</text></paragraph><paragraph id="idc633101ce43b43a08a6ad4e3fcd67bc7"><enum>(2)</enum><text>in the list in subsection (b)—</text><subparagraph id="idBE54BBA2D5E3458E846062976BE8095C"><enum>(A)</enum><text>by striking <quote>PODIATRIST (DPM), AND DENTIST</quote> and inserting <quote>PODIATRIST (DPM), OPTOMETRIST (OD), AND DENTIST</quote>; and</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="id4c906b958b384656900c55be45b0bd8f" commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline"><enum>(B)</enum><text>by striking <quote>CLINICAL CHIROPRACTOR AND OPTOMETRIST SCHEDULE,</quote> and inserting <quote>CLINICAL CHIROPRACTOR SCHEDULE</quote>. </text></subparagraph></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="ida9003377f4394ea1b83e25c16c4efa02" commented="no"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Retroactive authority for compensation</header><paragraph commented="no" id="id8D346D26A3AA440495998AA8465ACFA8"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In general</header><text>The Secretary of Veterans Affairs is retroactively authorized to pay to a covered employee the amount of compensation that was authorized to be paid to the employee during the period specified in paragraph (2) but was deferred and paid to the employee in the calendar year following the calendar year in which it was authorized to be paid because it exceeded $400,000 in a calendar year. </text></paragraph><paragraph commented="no" id="id7C8D2B246D8446769698E84C62F4E040"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Period specified</header><text>The period specified in this paragraph is the period beginning on January 8, 2006, and ending on December 31, 2017.</text></paragraph><paragraph commented="no" id="idEDB87FDE1F614DCD9D5A1F4033A4C362"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Additional period</header><text>Compensation authorized under this subsection shall not be included in the calculation of any aggregate limit on compensation for a covered employee for the year in which it is paid.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="id7a6cbeafb1b3455a93095c7fa20df3d9" commented="no"><enum>(4)</enum><header>Charging of compensation</header><text>Compensation authorized under this subsection shall be charged to the appropriate medical care appropriation account of the Department of Veterans Affairs for the fiscal year in which the work was performed except as follows:</text><subparagraph id="id2b0a4fe007194e619a4e55427a834522" commented="no"><enum>(A)</enum><text>In the case of an account that has closed pursuant to section 1552 of title 31, United States Code, the compensation shall be charged to a current appropriation account in accordance with section 1553 of such title.</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="id55f847a0f8214ae4a93737207757bca3" commented="no"><enum>(B)</enum><text>In the case of an expired account that has not closed, if charging the compensation to the expired account would cause such account to have a negative unliquidated or unexpended balance, the compensation may be charged to a current appropriation account available for the same purpose.</text></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph commented="no" id="idE5A8671CFC894465931765B558F186B7"><enum>(5)</enum><header>Definitions</header><text>In this subsection:</text><subparagraph commented="no" id="id763E49B8CC074DB3B84ECEDB22BC2506"><enum>(A)</enum><header>Compensation</header><text>The term <term>compensation</term> means any pay, including salary, awards, and incentives.</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="id7A9E19B60942479CA4F8894C8E78DFD7" commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline"><enum>(B)</enum><header>Covered employee</header><text>The term <term>covered employee</term> means a physician, podiatrist, optometrist, or dentist subject to market pay under section 7431 of title 38, United States Code, as amended by subsection (a).</text></subparagraph></paragraph></subsection></section><section id="id9D777700266F47EBBACBBDCD0421955D"><enum>202.</enum><header>Increased pay cap for directors of medical centers and Veterans Integrated Service Networks of Department of Veterans Affairs</header><subsection id="id32FB0B7F683E485FBEE92F5E050D481B"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Increased pay cap</header><paragraph id="id63F65E24D30043DA975EE64A6C6CAF58"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Subchapter I of <external-xref legal-doc="usc-chapter" parsable-cite="usc-chapter/38/74">chapter 74</external-xref> of title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new section:</text><quoted-block style="USC" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id5FBF232B1B8F45578869A08AAF338E34"><section id="ideb142be3a227488a90ae6cf4a346f51a"><enum>7414.</enum><header>Pay for directors of medical centers and directors of Veterans Integrated Service Networks</header><subsection id="idB83AFE8B5CB34BA085CFF76EFD3ACC26"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In general</header><text>To reflect the recruitment and retention needs of the Department for the assignment of a particular director in a medical center or Veterans Integrated Service Network of the Department, the Secretary shall prescribe a system of pay for individuals appointed under section 7401(4) of this title.</text></subsection><subsection id="id7C9193717F854EEA80A6BCA2083215CB"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Market pay</header><paragraph id="id9A0BF8E0D70640298CFEAD5FCE92EF60"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In general</header><text>The annual amount of the market rate of pay of an individual appointed under section 7401(4) of this title—</text><subparagraph id="id58918BF0BB554D71B8C8FE8D7D9D1DC7"><enum>(A)</enum><text>shall be determined by the Secretary on a case-by-case basis; and</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="idae0e6d1daf994f61800ea5afa86d658f"><enum>(B)</enum><text>shall take into account—</text><clause id="id0e8698a057aa4ebd83f89c53cfc34304"><enum>(i)</enum><text>the level of experience of the individual in managing facilities or programs of the Department or other similar agencies or companies, whether governmental or nongovernmental;</text></clause><clause id="ide2cd0ab6a4be44caa545582a6b2a5b78"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>the complexity of the assignment of the individual, whether assigned or to be assigned;</text></clause><clause id="id3a41a4623d284ec3a98cdeab1909e379"><enum>(iii)</enum><text>the labor market for individuals in similar positions, which may cover any geographic area the Secretary considers appropriate;</text></clause><clause id="id4b7ccf7e8dc94fc893a031e2dfc1f97f"><enum>(iv)</enum><text>the experience of the individual in performing the assignment of the individual, whether assigned or to be assigned; and</text></clause><clause id="id4189d40fc4e84aff83c1b6ccd17f2954"><enum>(v)</enum><text>such other considerations as the Secretary considers appropriate. </text></clause></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="idece054f05e214aed877d3d420e979d7a"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Evaluation and adjustment</header><subparagraph id="id3451DA28469D4CB7AD0E8CF0A467BEE2"><enum>(A)</enum><header>In general</header><text>The market rate of pay provided under this subsection shall be evaluated by the Secretary not less frequently than once every two years.</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="idFA9DE19194E44D60B9A43A5C848AC492"><enum>(B)</enum><header>Adjustment</header><text>The market rate of pay of an individual may be adjusted as the result of an evaluation under subparagraph (A).</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="id1C5684B137F74B36A10080D878178E6F"><enum>(C)</enum><header>Notice of results</header><text>An individual whose market rate of pay is evaluated under subparagraph (A) shall receive written notice of the results of such evaluation.</text></subparagraph></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="ide53242171bb44b36bf9f6e06c131b56c"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Requirements and limitations on total pay</header><paragraph id="id6B68085EEDB643F29111BAD7D3CDD210"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Minimum and maximum amounts</header><subparagraph id="idAC19EDE8C5ED40B1A293CAD0C6FF0F37"><enum>(A)</enum><header>In general</header><text>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).</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="iddec63609349d47628ff59971b4380787"><enum>(B)</enum><header>Publication and effective date of amounts</header><text>Amounts prescribed under subparagraph (A) shall be published in the Federal Register and shall take effect not earlier than 60 days after the date of publication.</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="idd5d232da100145b4a382470432d8af43"><enum>(C)</enum><header>Maximum</header><clause id="idDCF466C4CA164E95894F8A3B273CF47F"><enum>(i)</enum><header>In general</header><text>Except as provided in clause (ii), 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.</text></clause><clause id="idB713F3313A874D20A6F3FC7BDD980694"><enum>(ii)</enum><header>Waiver</header><text>The Secretary may waive the limitation under clause (i) (to include tier limitations) if the Secretary determines it is necessary for the recruitment or retention of critical health care personnel, as determined by the Secretary.</text></clause></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="id17eab1892bd44183814e923503d35275"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Limitation on reduction</header><text>No adjustment of the market rate of pay under subsection (b)(2)(B) may result in a reduction of the amount of the market rate of pay of an individual while in the same position or assignment at the same location.</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="id8a4cb69fd47b45518b17c79b41b4ad9b"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Treatment of pay</header><paragraph id="id581DCC6EB23C46D2B1237F28A9C8052F"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In general</header><text>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.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="id67A550BA411642569029570B9DC1AC33"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Cost-of-living allowance</header><text>An individual receiving pay under subsection (b) may not receive a cost-of-living allowance under section 5941 of title 5.</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="id851FE95057F342B689851931B8422A47"><enum>(e)</enum><header>Annual report</header><text>Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of the <short-title>VA Clinician Appreciation, Recruitment, Education, Expansion, and Retention Support (CAREERS) Act of 2023</short-title>, 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. </text></subsection></section><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></paragraph><paragraph id="idF290454ADF8C451F9ECA7BF0618EF099"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Clerical amendment</header><text>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:</text><quoted-block style="USC" id="id8a309799-c451-4558-ba2d-f5ed376746c3"><toc><toc-entry level="section" idref="ideb142be3a227488a90ae6cf4a346f51a">7414. Pay for directors of medical centers and directors of Veterans Integrated Service Networks.</toc-entry></toc><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="id627E7B84BA54416E82D8B0BAFEE5AC29"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Conforming amendments</header><text>Section 7404(a)(1) of title 38, United States Code, is amended—</text><paragraph id="idF5BC982E150B4479B30E46BF53D2FF61"><enum>(1)</enum><text>in subparagraph (A)—</text><subparagraph id="idDE27A5799226455FB08EF315AFFFBE1D"><enum>(A)</enum><text>by striking <quote>(A) The annual</quote> and inserting <quote>The annual</quote>; and</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="idF0B3ADB14C414F63B114F32C236A9D2B"><enum>(B)</enum><text>by striking <quote>and 7401(4)</quote>; and</text></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="idE4C643E7721F4894AA65C568F5CA6507" commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline"><enum>(2)</enum><text>by striking subparagraph (B).</text></paragraph></subsection></section><section id="idCC0CA0B20D134FA4B09B4F06C161F414" commented="no"><enum>203.</enum><header>Waiver of pay limitation for employees of the Veterans Health Administration performing mission critical work</header><subsection commented="no" id="id7BE13CB8EB054E5AA4B60115DDD16E53"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Subchapter I of <external-xref legal-doc="usc-chapter" parsable-cite="usc-chapter/38/74">chapter 74</external-xref> of title 38, United States Code, as amended by section 202(a)(1), is further amended by adding at the end the following new section:</text><quoted-block style="USC" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id8F6AA7A90A6A452483E3EFBB50F633B4"><section id="id536AF657CFEE4CFD92F87D2FDB09609F" commented="no"><enum>7415.</enum><header>Waiver of pay limitation for employees performing mission critical work</header><subsection id="id203358B287FD4C5797E24E44070641C8" commented="no"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In general</header><text>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.</text></subsection><subsection id="id10CB014F8A6C48C8931EDC8391718DC5" commented="no"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Authority</header><text>The Secretary shall prescribe regulations for the administration of this section.</text></subsection><subsection id="id391989A758874313B411F2898F33920B" commented="no"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Employee of the Veterans Health Administration defined</header><text>In this section, the term ‘<term>employee of the Veterans Health Administration</term> includes any employee of the Veterans Health Administration, regardless of the authority under which the employee was hired.</text></subsection></section><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></subsection><subsection id="idABDE9C1B71D749E4A4792AB825B48380"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Clerical amendment</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The table of sections at the beginning of such subchapter, as amended by section 202(a)(2), is further amended by inserting after the item relating to section 7414 the following new item:</text><quoted-block style="USC" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id9225E621451240D2BEB32461DF531AE1"><toc regeneration="no-regeneration"><toc-entry level="section">7415. Waiver of pay limitation for employees performing mission critical work.</toc-entry></toc><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></subsection></section><section id="id75A875D207FB44CCAB884E2343E12725" commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline"><enum>204.</enum><header>Increase of maximum amount of incentive pay for Department pharmacist executives</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Section 7410(b)(1) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by striking <quote>$40,000</quote> and inserting <quote>$100,000</quote>.</text></section><section id="idCF691697E0264038865DDB8C611C4612"><enum>205.</enum><header>Modification of special pay authority for nurse executives</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Section 7452(g) of title 38, United States Code, is amended—</text><paragraph id="id500b908b93b94536bb4a78e51f3f6007"><enum>(1)</enum><text>in paragraph (1), by striking <quote>Department nurse executives, the Secretary may, in accordance with</quote> and all that follows through the period at the end and inserting <quote>nurse executives for the Veterans Health Administration, the Under Secretary for Health may pay special pay to personnel of the Veterans Health Administration who are nurse executives.</quote>; and</text></paragraph><paragraph id="idF254A7C5034B41D2854AD0FAC67DF5E1"><enum>(2)</enum><text>by adding at the end the following new paragraph:</text><quoted-block style="OLC" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id68AF522C2F37464C8F80B9BFF1C08EDE"><paragraph id="idB11A9D722BC14375A5ACF0683D0E314C" indent="up1"><enum>(5)</enum><text>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).</text></paragraph><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></paragraph></section></subtitle><subtitle id="idC92C6B32AE334C52A4D796BA30B30B10" style="OLC"><enum>B</enum><header>Improvement of recruitment and hiring</header><section id="id566de0fcf6a54f6b9ce8725a350dc893"><enum>211.</enum><header>Oversight of direct hire authority and hiring flexibility of Department of Veterans Affairs</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Not later than three 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— </text><paragraph id="id2CB5BEB1EC404AF0992CE49A1C789759"><enum>(1)</enum><text>the use of direct hire authority by the Department; </text></paragraph><paragraph id="id951544FF95314F2D960FBBE36CB5B798"><enum>(2)</enum><text>the contributions made by the use of such authority to filling vacancies within the Department; and </text></paragraph><paragraph id="idE83C9972C9264EFF81048AFBE5041824"><enum>(3)</enum><text>any vulnerabilities or inconsistencies with respect to the use of such authority.</text></paragraph></section><section id="id73143c8b2db24dc79f7f61e0eaf7a1be"><enum>212.</enum><header>Waiver of certain licensure requirements</header><subsection id="id569df4417bd64f36b7d4b8009efe7286"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Psychologists</header><text>Paragraph (8)(C) of section 7402(b) of title 38, United States Code, is amended—</text><paragraph id="id3a43823819074cf1a5cbf11107673e1e"><enum>(1)</enum><text>by striking <quote>individual psychologist for a period</quote> and inserting </text><quoted-block style="OLC" display-inline="yes-display-inline" id="id3c0ca80bc66d43af915b461f646a3916"><text>individual psychologist—</text><clause id="id822c9c7a56154eb7a8daa5c6911027a8" indent="up1"><enum>(i)</enum><text>for a period</text></clause><after-quoted-block>;</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></paragraph><paragraph id="ide2876a21c27a4ccf9f71daa914b77ebf"><enum>(2)</enum><text>by striking the period at the end and inserting <quote>; or</quote>; and</text></paragraph><paragraph id="id94f4c4850ecf4cb49cc99794f5b9db21"><enum>(3)</enum><text>by adding at the end the following new clause:</text><quoted-block style="OLC" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id0de6c6efdd8b4a6d9117e1398976f527"><clause id="idc955e68f25be424e9034f4febe8537ed" indent="up1"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>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.</text></clause><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="id70c9537e8c5347169364509ad18ad0fb"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Licensed professional mental health counselor</header><text>Paragraph (11)(B) of such section is amended by striking the period at the end and inserting <quote>, except that the Secretary may waive the requirement of licensure or certification for an individual professional mental health counselor for a reasonable period of time recommended by the Under Secretary for Health.</quote>.</text></subsection></section></subtitle><subtitle id="id012D00879A7943B19B1FD12A547AFAEC" style="OLC"><enum>C</enum><header>Other personnel matters</header><section id="id8182e0b61d3542bfa8d226c80037441e"><enum>221.</enum><header>Role of optometrists in Department of Veterans Affairs</header><subsection id="idBDBC03A181224BA8914B5FA6D0F93EF2"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Inclusion as physician</header><paragraph id="id6BDD9F2CD5694533A44A6C2623EC09EF"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In general</header><text>Section 7413 of title 38, United States Code, is amended—</text><subparagraph id="id5F33ABFD7D144636A432EB8842FB8334"><enum>(A)</enum><text>in the section heading, by inserting <quote><header-in-text style="USC" level="section">and optometrists</header-in-text></quote> after <quote><header-in-text style="USC" level="section">podiatrists</header-in-text></quote>;</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="id011F8B405A8A48019DD903446250BE3E"><enum>(B)</enum><text>in subsection (a)—</text><clause id="idD229B7E31B3147AABD4CA69C504819A3"><enum>(i)</enum><text>by striking <quote>a doctor of podiatric medicine who is appointed as a podiatrist under section 7401(1) of this title</quote> and inserting <quote>a covered individual</quote>; and</text></clause><clause id="idF51DCDDD3819434A95B9A348B08D0648"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>by striking <quote>such section</quote> and inserting <quote>section 7401(1) of this title</quote>; and</text></clause></subparagraph><subparagraph id="id735262C877DC47F0AB124AB855EFF8A4"><enum>(C)</enum><text>by adding at the end the following new subsection:</text><quoted-block style="OLC" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id4A3B5208EAD24726B8838B277EC8EC28"><subsection id="id551D13B36D58463BB6625BD1A1C214ED"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Covered individual defined</header><text>In this section, the term <term>covered individual</term> means any of the following:</text><paragraph id="idE93F7082D42B4E189F34254249E1BDD8"><enum>(1)</enum><text>A doctor of podiatric medicine who is appointed as a podiatrist under section 7401(1) of this title.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="id97ABC701C63040D2888E9D23B75681FE"><enum>(2)</enum><text>A doctor of optometry who is appointed as an optometrist under section 7401(1) of this title.</text></paragraph></subsection><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="id0edb4ae8422541d78c46f1ed9267a1fd"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Clerical amendment</header><text>The table of sections at the beginning of subchapter I of chapter 74 of such title is amended by striking the item relating to section 7413 and inserting the following new item</text><quoted-block style="USC" id="iddbc326f3-d909-41ae-81a1-b61c5ba78009"><toc><toc-entry level="section">7413. Treatment of podiatrists and optometrists; clinical oversight standards.</toc-entry></toc><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="ida2e478891c314c22b535648da7fd2894"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Clarification of role</header><text>Section 7306 of such title is amended—</text><paragraph id="id577f4de71bda41d387e65c08b6a1f78d"><enum>(1)</enum><text>in subsection (a)—</text><subparagraph id="idc747d296ab79499f8bde7b9af62855a0"><enum>(A)</enum><text>in paragraph (6), by striking <quote>, a Director of Dietetic Service, and a Director of Optometric Service</quote> and inserting <quote>and a Director of Dietetic Service</quote>;</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="id6b0f7db9da3b4e1fb0ac20f14917e56c"><enum>(B)</enum><text>by redesignating paragraph (12) as paragraph (13); and</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="id18c8291bafeb422ba55965fdb63ffc61"><enum>(C)</enum><text>by inserting after paragraph (11) the following new paragraph (12):</text><quoted-block style="OLC" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id14c1df34120b4590864e92af15ee2a20"><paragraph id="idf4e557caf93e4a74b1c74225f52e4bbe"><enum>(12)</enum><text>An Executive Director of Optometric Service, who shall be a qualified doctor of optometry and who shall be responsible to the Under Secretary for Health for the operation of the Optometric Service.</text></paragraph><after-quoted-block>;</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="idb8d6be282e114092b5b0127fb275af2e"><enum>(2)</enum><text>in subsection (b)(1), by inserting <quote>optometry,</quote> after <quote>podiatric medicine,</quote>; and</text></paragraph><paragraph id="id7404b23c69464fc78d5478bcd361e317"><enum>(3)</enum><text>in subsection (c), by striking <quote>and (10)</quote> and inserting <quote>(10), and (12)</quote>.</text></paragraph></subsection></section><section id="id534B935570734412B79FE7BC82BBC002"><enum>222.</enum><header>Expansion of annual leave options for employees of Department of Veterans Affairs during public health emergency</header><subsection id="id843f5392bd3040ab801bd8e82bb062cb"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Account for consolidation of certain annual leave</header><paragraph id="id39F24350356043F9BF85886A3ED6EC82"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In general</header><text>Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall consolidate into one restored annual leave account all annual leave restored pursuant to section 6304(d)(1)(B) of title 5, United States Code, during calendar years 2020, 2021, and 2022 for covered employees who are employed by the Department of Veterans Affairs on the date of the enactment of this Act.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="id575B9C46A817461B87761C059870D393"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Additional calendar years</header><text>The Secretary may consolidate into the annual leave account described in paragraph (1) annual leave restored pursuant to section 6304(d)(1)(B) of such title during calendar years not described in such paragraph with the approval of the Director of the Office of Personnel Management.</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="id67A6ADF23AEF4524BC070D212540F1ED"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Leave expiration</header><text>Annual leave consolidated into the annual leave account described in subsection (a)(1) shall be used before the later of—</text><paragraph id="idCFD8F3EFCF2240C086E2A5440C399E36"><enum>(1)</enum><text>January 9, 2027; and</text></paragraph><paragraph id="idE3122F5205F545308DB6F158D97497CF"><enum>(2)</enum><text>the applicable deadline pursuant to section 630.309 of title 5, Code of Federal Regulations, or successor regulation.</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="id1B22D16ED04A44C98FDF0391BACA7013"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Program of lump sum payments</header><paragraph id="idDFEB383417064A91A6DF600334CC7043"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In general</header><text>Subject to the availability of appropriations, the Secretary may establish a program under which, during the period beginning on the date of the enactment of this Act and ending on January 9, 2027, a covered employee with annual leave described in subsection (a)(1) may elect to receive a single lump sum payment lin lieu of using such leave.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="id62CE7BB5C1054491A439E57CA6CF7A28"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Treatment of lump sum payments</header><text>A lump sum payment under a program established under paragraph (1) shall be treated as separate and apart from any lump sum payment of annual leave the covered employee may otherwise be entitled to upon separation from employment with the Department.</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="id07a3f30a4e5647de9299b567cc68100c"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Covered employee defined</header><text>In this section, the term <term>covered employee</term> means an employee of the Department of Veterans Affairs who—</text><paragraph id="idb972d72925fe4a52bc7b8a3d90c9812e"><enum>(1)</enum><text>was appointed under chapter 73 or 74 of title 38, United States Code, notwithstanding section 7421(a) of such title, section 7425(b) of such title, or any other provision of such chapter that impacts leave for such an employee;</text></paragraph><paragraph id="id6444166305944e4caa4636863a993d77"><enum>(2)</enum><text>was appointed under chapter 78 of such title; or</text></paragraph><paragraph id="iddcdf19c971934c47919f69c04a4e923d" commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline"><enum>(3)</enum><text>occupied any position under the jurisdiction of the Secretary of Veterans Affairs that is subject to the leave provisions of <external-xref legal-doc="usc-chapter" parsable-cite="usc-chapter/5/63">chapter 63</external-xref> of title 5, United States Code. </text></paragraph></subsection></section><section id="id738524419E124B3B93626A42BED8898E"><enum>223.</enum><header>Expansion of reimbursement of continuing professional education expenses</header><subsection id="idBA0ECC12D2AB40B194DD486E78C13191"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Section 7411 of title 38, United States Code, is amended to read as follows:</text><quoted-block style="USC" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id97A9061DA16342A593BA42A665F28389"><section id="id787F18EC7BA940E3A4AE38F3CD12B035"><enum>7411.</enum><header>Reimbursement of continuing professional education expenses</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">The Secretary shall reimburse certain full-time health care professionals of the Department for expenses incurred for continuing professional education in amounts as follows:</text><paragraph id="id6839c32f6bd3498aab8db7d3cd74c58b"><enum>(1)</enum><text>With respect to any physician, dentist, podiatrist, chiropractor, optometrist, registered nurse, or physician assistant appointed under section 7401(1) of this title, not more than $1,000 per year for each such individual.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="idec0f630324ff46078fbc641675fd817c"><enum>(2)</enum><text>With respect to any licensed practical or vocational nurse, medical technologist, pharmacist, pharmacy technician, psychologist, diagnostic radiologic technologist, or social worker appointed under section 7401(3) of this title, not more than $1,000 per year for each such individual.</text></paragraph></section><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></subsection><subsection id="id1C858F17466F4E36A3E8D663ACF87B0B"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Clerical amendment</header><text>The table of sections at the beginning of subchapter I of <external-xref legal-doc="usc-chapter" parsable-cite="usc-chapter/38/74">chapter 74</external-xref> of title 38, United States Code, is amended by striking the item relating to section 7411 and inserting the following new item:</text><quoted-block style="USC" id="id3ed15619-ebf4-4037-8bd9-14720ebe3b7c"><toc><toc-entry level="section" idref="id787F18EC7BA940E3A4AE38F3CD12B035">7411. Reimbursement of continuing professional education expenses.</toc-entry></toc><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></subsection></section><section id="idD155003A5A4D46569888F9950DE67F93"><enum>224.</enum><header>Inclusion of police officers of Department of Veterans Affairs as law enforcement officers</header><subsection id="idE5007BD817A0436A8932816E61099DAB"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Definitions</header><text>In this section—</text><paragraph id="id009FA2D9BF6A447F8971DB4095EA2DFE"><enum>(1)</enum><text>the term <term>Director</term> means the Director of the Office of Personnel Management;</text></paragraph><paragraph id="id00D2E56611C245B18F4D810078E077D5"><enum>(2)</enum><text>the term <term>Fund</term> means the Civil Service Retirement and Disability Fund;</text></paragraph><paragraph id="id8142DA06FF354A1DA737C7619781B318"><enum>(3)</enum><text>the term <term>incumbent</term> means an individual who—</text><subparagraph id="idA7E9907D36A74D78954710D1852280BF"><enum>(A)</enum><text>was appointed as a law enforcement officer before the date of enactment of this Act; and</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="id96BC8AD5A33B464788D15A571FCEE0A1"><enum>(B)</enum><text>is serving as a law enforcement officer on the date of enactment of this Act;</text></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="idA21CCE17EA384D948EB48F915DEFF925"><enum>(4)</enum><text>the term <term>law enforcement officer</term> means an individual who satisfies the requirements of section 8331(20) or 8401(17) of title 5, United States Code, by virtue of the amendments made by this section;</text></paragraph><paragraph id="id5522C92D9F9345ACB2B1315E140E7A5E"><enum>(5)</enum><text>the term <term>prior service</term> means, with respect to an incumbent who makes an election under subsection (c)(2), service performed by the incumbent before the date on which appropriate retirement deductions begin to be made under the election; and</text></paragraph><paragraph id="idD2A5D9369C1140E180C0AEE1E8B96858"><enum>(6)</enum><text>the term <term>service</term> means service performed by an individual as a law enforcement officer.</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="id6D9D0A274E71472ABCC63F35FBDF4A65"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Civil Service Retirement System</header><paragraph id="id7935C698877A4B6980ABDC213AEFACD5"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In general</header><text>Title 5, United States Code, is amended—</text><subparagraph id="id3ACDBC653B854A6BB6F8937BEF81CFE8"><enum>(A)</enum><text>in section 8331(20), in the matter preceding subparagraph (A)—</text><clause id="idCDEF333C19F04C4FA4C9F54B29637F93"><enum>(i)</enum><text>by inserting <quote>(or who is described in section 8401(17)(E))</quote> after <quote>criminal laws of the United States</quote>; and</text></clause><clause id="idD10AEA69E8C1497B98BD3025D6DEA833"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>by inserting <quote>(or who is so described)</quote> after <quote>engaged in this activity</quote>; and</text></clause></subparagraph><subparagraph id="idEC28503DAD1A412A8FFDC9A43A023674"><enum>(B)</enum><text>in section 8401(17)—</text><clause id="id006BB928062B44818B2B6D20CB77AC80"><enum>(i)</enum><text>in subparagraph (C)— </text><subclause id="id0A8917042F444EBD82EEA7195A93E15B"><enum>(I)</enum><text>by striking <quote>subparagraph (A) and (B)</quote> and inserting <quote>subparagraph (A), (B), or (E)</quote>; and</text></subclause><subclause id="idACE62BDBFC52478FB60C135722995348"><enum>(II)</enum><text>by striking <quote>and</quote> at the end;</text></subclause></clause><clause id="id7C594EC540E449FFA21FAAD867D6046B"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>in the flush text following subparagraph (D)(iii), by adding <quote>and</quote> after the semicolon at the end; and</text></clause><clause id="id8B3A5BE503DA4869A87B0231AEF76950"><enum>(iii)</enum><text>by adding at the end the following:</text><quoted-block style="OLC" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="idBFE30FB4815549D68A4808AE8AA02F47"><subparagraph id="idCB1B3FC129E74E85B81F61891D564D75"><enum>(E)</enum><text>an employee of the Department of Veterans Affairs who is a Department police officer under section 902 of title 38, as determined by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs;</text></subparagraph><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></clause></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="idE23E293711254CED90AC5D31538A6AD8"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Application</header><text>The amendments made by this subsection shall apply to any—</text><subparagraph id="id696E8B06A7B148C2BD42C41621A889FC"><enum>(A)</enum><text>individual who is appointed as a law enforcement officer—</text><clause id="idA4DD54A818A64247B8F6F2D597E7A41A"><enum>(i)</enum><text>as defined in section 8331(20) or 8401(17) of title 5, United States Code, as amended by this subsection; and</text></clause><clause id="id9093E36C0D664792AC53B9DC55C4C237"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>on or after the date of enactment of this Act; and</text></clause></subparagraph><subparagraph id="idC708A161CE294BF5AAE78A86A924A68B"><enum>(B)</enum><text>incumbent, consistent with the requirements of this section.</text></subparagraph></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="id6EAA755E56BD465DB61F5C3BB06F1103"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Treatment of service performed by incumbents</header><paragraph id="id6E6BC559A4F541F0ADF37A0DD6D5B583"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Service on or after date of enactment</header><text>Service performed by an incumbent on or after the date of enactment of this Act shall be treated as service performed as a law enforcement officer.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="idEEC29343AB994669B2420C021A9199C9"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Service before date of enactment</header><text>Service performed by an incumbent before the date of enactment of this Act shall, for purposes of subchapter III of chapter 83 and <external-xref legal-doc="usc-chapter" parsable-cite="usc-chapter/5/84">chapter 84</external-xref> of title 5, United States Code, be treated as service performed as a law enforcement officer only if the incumbent submits a written election to the Director by the earlier of—</text><subparagraph id="id689A562489304067BAE51F43B22CD4F9"><enum>(A)</enum><text>the date that is 5 years after the date of enactment of this Act; or</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="id27B759625DD44DE7AFD2C64938E83403"><enum>(B)</enum><text>the day before the date on which the incumbent separates from the service.</text></subparagraph></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="id3C7C7005F0164733A2C441737BB0BDAF"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Individual contributions for prior service</header><paragraph id="idBDC7AAF7BEC446D3B4BDE9C0EFF705AD"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In general</header><text>An incumbent who makes an election under subsection (c)(2) may, with respect to prior service performed by the incumbent, pay a deposit into the Fund equal to the sum of—</text><subparagraph id="id1C168C84FD9841F4BF9CF3389A8561DD"><enum>(A)</enum><text>the difference between—</text><clause id="id3AFD4E8A7E9542C8BD5925ACA96659F9"><enum>(i)</enum><text>the amount that would have been deducted during the period of prior service under section 8334 or 8422 of title 5, United States Code, from the pay of the incumbent if the amendments made by this section had been in effect during the prior service; and</text></clause><clause id="id5C4E7CB60BFD4F68812FBB43768FEEC9"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>the amount that was deducted during the period of prior service under section 8334 or 8422 of title 5, United States Code; and</text></clause></subparagraph><subparagraph id="idCCA15578645342F48012BBC0736C8977"><enum>(B)</enum><text>interest on the amount described in subparagraph (A)(i), as computed under—</text><clause id="idC45B90281D8B48A5B67CD71A65BE031B"><enum>(i)</enum><text>paragraphs (2) and (3) of section 8334(e) of title 5, United States Code; and</text></clause><clause id="id604DDAACD64047D49F9C7E044D7794D3"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>regulations promulgated by the Director.</text></clause></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="id7B53FFD843544D358E8270D9AFFFB525"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Effect of not contributing</header><text>If an incumbent does not pay the full amount of the deposit described in paragraph (1)— </text><subparagraph id="id41F1EC48D2724789B0B80C54301B26A3"><enum>(A)</enum><text>all prior service of the incumbent shall remain fully creditable as a law enforcement officer; and</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="idA4D4BF1F58E64026AF5F433091100EB7"><enum>(B)</enum><text>the resulting annuity shall be reduced—</text><clause id="id3BA5F4FA9D2C472FB5385D3DB4271F65"><enum>(i)</enum><text>in a manner similar to that described in section 8334(d)(2) of title 5, United States Code; and</text></clause><clause id="id7F3807FF9DA547EE877B6EB9DBC80E66"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>to the extent necessary to make up the amount unpaid.</text></clause></subparagraph></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="id8D84C78295C948CE8CCB460EAA5E8698"><enum>(e)</enum><header>Government contributions for prior service</header><paragraph id="id10747982D4454B3E9EE0AABF50C10667"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In general</header><text>If an incumbent makes an election under subsection (c)(2), an agency that employed the incumbent during any prior service of the incumbent shall remit to the Director, for deposit in the Fund, an amount equal to the sum of—</text><subparagraph id="idDC5D54D0E34A45A3A766015049ED45FB"><enum>(A)</enum><text>the difference between—</text><clause id="id89F69DA296BA48F282670AA54EA2F881"><enum>(i)</enum><text>the total amount of Government contributions that would have been paid under section 8334 or 8423 of title 5, United States Code, if the amendments made by this section had been in effect during the prior service; and</text></clause><clause id="idA76DD50B4EBC4FC98A2DEEB937E39AF2"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>the total amount of Government contributions paid under section 8334 or 8423 of title 5, United States Code; and</text></clause></subparagraph><subparagraph id="id6F4F6B8A07A84E559A0B1545A72ACECD"><enum>(B)</enum><text>interest on the amount described in subparagraph (A)(i), as computed in accordance with—</text><clause id="idC7936FB9616644E580678D5C9623651A"><enum>(i)</enum><text>paragraphs (2) and (3) of section 8334(e) of title 5, United States Code; and</text></clause><clause id="id69BE05C1243149279F7169E402E04DC2"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>regulations promulgated by the Director.</text></clause></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="id42F2224E67144296864BF8F69B7E1699"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Contributions to be made ratably</header><text>Government contributions under this subsection on behalf of an incumbent shall be made by the agency ratably (not less frequently than annually) over the 10-year period beginning on the date described in subsection (a)(5).</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="idAB55D9DD7DC2474A8D83C01E8018F028"><enum>(f)</enum><header>Exemption from mandatory separation</header><text>Notwithstanding sections 8335(b) and 8425(b) of title 5, United States Code, a law enforcement officer shall not be subject to mandatory separation during the 3-year period beginning on the date of enactment of this Act.</text></subsection><subsection id="idFE7B32BE470547D195570B5B73B13CAC"><enum>(g)</enum><header>Regulations</header><text>The Director shall prescribe regulations to carry out this section, and the amendments made by this section, including regulations for the application of this section (and those amendments) in the case of any individual entitled to a survivor annuity (based on the service of an incumbent who dies before making an election under subsection (c)(2)), to the extent that any rights that would have been available to the decedent if still living.</text></subsection><subsection id="id75897A65A28E45338DFB2F56A006F3C5" commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline"><enum>(h)</enum><header>Rule of construction</header><text>Nothing in this section, or an amendment made by this section, shall be considered to apply in the case of a reemployed annuitant. </text></subsection></section><section id="id89c50ce3cd3f4d4eabe13ce827a267d5"><enum>225.</enum><header>Department of Veterans Affairs personnel transparency</header><subsection commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id9757fb08a9a8495bae4b8e32cba94046"><enum>(a)</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">In general</header><text>Section 505 of the John S. McCain III, Daniel K. Akaka, and Samuel R. Johnson VA Maintaining Internal Systems and Strengthening Integrated Outside Networks Act of 2018 (<external-xref legal-doc="public-law" parsable-cite="pl/115/182">Public Law 115–182</external-xref>; <external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/38/301">38 U.S.C. 301</external-xref> note) is amended—</text><paragraph id="ide35f4aac326f4ffb9b61ca9f794bec17"><enum>(1)</enum><text>in subsection (a)—</text><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id526a4164e88f4a0d8c9d139fda19d9af"><enum>(A)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">in paragraph (1)—</text><clause id="id4ebfcc0fb5904d8fa50df3192045a9ab"><enum>(i)</enum><text>in the matter before subparagraph (A), by striking <quote>information,</quote> and all that follows through <quote>facility:</quote> and inserting <quote>information:</quote>;</text></clause><clause id="idee6398772a7d4c27a27fd160e96aa88f"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>in subparagraph (B)—</text><subclause commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id89bb6fd4fec7425db3df4efd821ba899"><enum>(I)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">by inserting <quote>(i)</quote> before <quote>The number</quote>; and</text></subclause><subclause commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="idd83b0dee0ca64821873f3441dfecd29b"><enum>(II)</enum><text>by adding at the end the following new clause:</text><quoted-block style="OLC" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id0B65BF74C2424C1394037D22F7AEC090"><clause commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="idb10b8ed726ca440b95198e6d915fca3c" indent="up1"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>Information made available under this subparagraph shall be updated not less frequently than once each quarter to account for delays in data processing and shall reflect the most recently available data.</text></clause><after-quoted-block>;</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></subclause></clause><clause id="id9eadfda8d03944008aab80bd78378e20"><enum>(iii)</enum><text>in subparagraph (C), by striking <quote>vacancies, by occupation.</quote> and inserting <quote>positions currently undergoing a recruitment action, disaggregated by occupation and by stage of recruitment, including pre-posting, posting processing stage, recruitment stage, onboarding stage, and waiting to start stage, or successor stages if modified.</quote>; and</text></clause><clause id="id5ad1007f266e43339ae4e02826a44595"><enum>(iv)</enum><text>by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:</text><quoted-block style="OLC" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id8166A0657BB14B51B6201952BC1D02EA"><subparagraph id="id620AABE1024A4968B0EC82407E42153B"><enum>(F)</enum><text>The number of positions vacated that the Secretary as decided not to backfill, disaggregated by occupation.</text></subparagraph><after-quoted-block>;</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></clause></subparagraph><subparagraph id="id682fef20bdce4aeebe77171846d0c499" commented="no"><enum>(B)</enum><text>by redesignating paragraph (5) as paragraph (6);</text></subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id734de5a782d549cb8aa20eb6dbf10de9"><enum>(C)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">by inserting after paragraph (4) the following new paragraph (5):</text><quoted-block style="OLC" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id4310aef6df4b40fdb55802a5cbcf29d3"><paragraph id="id12e3590db97049b4ac2cffb548f3cd57"><enum>(5)</enum><header>Display of information</header><text>The display of information made publicly available on an Internet website of the Department pursuant to paragraph (1), subject to subparagraph (D) of such paragraph, shall be disaggregated—</text><subparagraph id="id8d0f3a2312da4aefabf438e4d8a284ba"><enum>(A)</enum><text>by departmental component;</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="id17dec0b0692c470998834e81162ab99b"><enum>(B)</enum><text>in the case of information relating to Veterans Health Administration positions, by medical facility; and</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="id67decb743ebe44868c7532f2abd2f233"><enum>(C)</enum><text>in the case of information relating to Veterans Benefits Administration positions, by regional office.</text></subparagraph></paragraph><after-quoted-block>; and</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></subparagraph><subparagraph id="idee18d7c3b0f84a2594c153c4e144efda"><enum>(D)</enum><text>in paragraph (6), as redesignated by subparagraph (B), by striking <quote>shall</quote> and all that follows and inserting “shall—</text><quoted-block style="OLC" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id2C5A710D9C6D43109E9BE97E5EEDB08C"><subparagraph id="idb735ad2d37674a0da1da7e67ee62d3df"><enum>(A)</enum><text>review the administration of the website required under paragraph (1);</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="id7b052dfb277b41a3abd41c32c63ce579"><enum>(B)</enum><text>develop recommendations relating to the improvement of such administration; and</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="id09e4566088904c0290167a968e724b4b"><enum>(C)</enum><text>submit to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives a report containing—</text><clause id="id12e725ffb7a148f881968f2a1453c6f0"><enum>(i)</enum><text>the findings of the Inspector General with respect to the most recent review conducted under subparagraph (A); and</text></clause><clause id="id11a99c373d444d2cb4e641a1e16ff392"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>the recommendations most recently developed under subparagraph (B).</text></clause></subparagraph><after-quoted-block>; and</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="id52f90da6050a434289cb3fe5661f21c3"><enum>(2)</enum><text>by amending subsection (b) to read as follows:</text><quoted-block style="OLC" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="idFF8650FBAD8740368E33F876CF07759D"><subsection commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id579e5e162074479b93962ac22283f351"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Annual report</header><text>Each year, the Secretary shall submit to Congress an annual report that includes the following:</text><paragraph id="idf1d9005d21ec4b21a1d82163b7eff234"><enum>(1)</enum><text>A description of the steps the Department is taking to achieve full staffing capacity.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="id108bca82a505452bac0c89d654a64857"><enum>(2)</enum><text>A description of the actions the Department is taking to improve the onboard timeline for facilities of the Department, including—</text><subparagraph id="id059E4567710144658D6BFA6DD1D4E194"><enum>(A)</enum><text>in the case of facilities of the Veterans Health Administration, for facilities for which the duration of the onboarding process exceeds the metrics laid out in the Time to Hire Model of the Veterans Health Administration, or successor model; and</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="idc70232772da14e08b28afd5bf887f442"><enum>(B)</enum><text>in the case of Veterans Benefits Administration, for regional offices that exceed the time-to-hire target of the Office of Personnel Management.</text></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="id95afddbbd82745a8a7861934ae9747f7"><enum>(3)</enum><text>The amount of additional funds necessary to enable the Department to reach full staffing capacity.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="id54092c98c3c84e889eac47b74e457895"><enum>(4)</enum><text>Such recommendations for legislative or administrative action as the Secretary may have in order to achieve full staffing capacity at the Department.</text></paragraph></subsection><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="id71af9441faf14e6bb46350a6c6353d6c"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Effective date</header><text>The amendments made by subsection (a) shall take effect on the date of the enactment of this Act and shall apply with respect to the first update under section 505(a)(3) of such Act beginning after the date of the enactment of this Act and each update thereafter. </text></subsection></section><section id="id02294d42b6c44338a496416db79c6593"><enum>226.</enum><header>Comptroller General report assessing human resources modernization within Veterans Health Administration</header><subsection id="id675741458e664704977eda4e683ba2cd"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In general</header><text>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 <quote>Administration</quote>).</text></subsection><subsection id="id21270e9e4be54de991dc502c9209eca0"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Elements</header><text>The report required by subsection (a) shall include an assessment of the following:</text><paragraph id="id0452c54fc4ad4dc6bf7669014eb2dfca"><enum>(1)</enum><text>The Human Resources Modernization Program of the Administration, including an assessment of the activities carried out under the Program, the results of those activities, and how the Administration measures the performance of those activities.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="idfe892cad843c4463ae2deab317af5527"><enum>(2)</enum><text>The human resources information technology systems of the Administration, including the performance, accuracy, efficiency, and user-ability of those systems for human resources professionals, managers with hiring authority, and other employees of the Administration who use those systems.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="idf760945bfdd542cba75f150b24558c6b"><enum>(3)</enum><text>Metrics and timelines used to report hiring and vacancy data within the Administration, including recruitment and retention data.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="id93c55f35cd454cc7b6f26835a247bb2f"><enum>(4)</enum><text>Trends in hiring, recruitment, retention, and vacancies among employees of the Administration.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="ideb98afd5ffbf4f3d83411c93d868a581"><enum>(5)</enum><text>The use by the Administration of authorities and waivers for hiring flexibility, including an assessment of the standardization of use of such authorities and waivers within each Veterans Integrated Service Network.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="idb5aca2ece69242f58d4e4d7fa47069ca" commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline"><enum>(6)</enum><text>Training, development, and workload of human resources professionals of the Administration.</text></paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id3711A1C8F7A14DB1B637DA6ACBE9A8BE"><enum>(7)</enum><text>Such other matters as the Comptroller General considers relevant.</text></paragraph></subsection></section></subtitle>