[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 47 (Tuesday, April 26, 1994)]
[House]
[Page H]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: April 26, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
            VETERANS HEALTH PROGRAMS IMPROVEMENT ACT OF 1994

  Mr. MONTGOMERY. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 4013) to amend title 38, United States Code, to provide the 
Secretary of Veterans Affairs with necessary flexibility in staffing 
the Veterans Health Administration, to authorize the Secretary to 
establish pilot programs for health care delivery, and for other 
purposes, as amended.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                               H.R. 4013

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. FINDINGS.

       The Congress makes the following findings:
       (1) Under proposals for national health care reform, the 
     Department of Veterans Affairs would be required to establish 
     an enrollment system for veterans and to provide health care 
     on a competitive basis with other, private health care 
     providers.
       (2) In order to be able to implement changes contemplated 
     by proposals for national health care reform, the Secretary 
     of Veterans Affairs must have flexibility to restructure and 
     reform the Veterans Health Administration as necessary 
     without externally imposed constraints on full-time 
     equivalent employee (FTEE) positions levels.
       (3) The Office of Management and Budget, as part of an 
     announced plan to require a reduction over five years of 
     252,000 FTEE positions in the executive branch, proposes to 
     require reductions of FTEE positions totaling 25,493 in 
     personnel of the Veterans Health Administration, a reduction 
     in personnel which would severely impede the ability of the 
     Department of Veterans Affairs to implement national health 
     care reform and to meet the responsibilities of the 
     Department under existing law.

     SEC. 2. EMPLOYMENT LEVEL IN VETERANS HEALTH ADMINISTRATION.

       (a) In General.--Chapter 7 of title 38, United States Code, 
     is amended by adding at the end the following new section:

     ``Sec. 713. Full-time equivalent employees: limitation on 
       reduction

       ``(a) During the five-year period beginning on October 1, 
     1994, no reduction may be made in the number of full-time 
     equivalent employees in the Veterans Health Administration 
     other than as specifically required by a law directing 
     reductions in personnel or positions of the Veterans Health 
     Administration or by the availability of funds. During that 
     period, the personnel of the Veterans Health Administration 
     shall be managed on the basis of the needs of eligible 
     veterans and the availability of funds.
       ``(b) During the period specified in subsection (a), no law 
     imposing a restriction on hiring by executive agencies for 
     the purpose of achieving workforce reductions shall apply to 
     the Veterans Health Administration.
       ``(c) No law may be construed as suspending or modifying 
     this section unless such law specifically refers to or amends 
     this section.''.
       (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections at the 
     beginning of such chapter is amended by adding at the end the 
     following new item:

``713. Full-time equivalent employees: limitation on reduction.''.

     SEC. 3. REPORT ON STREAMLINING.

       Not later than January 15, 1995, the Secretary of Veterans 
     Affairs shall submit to the Committees on Veterans' Affairs 
     of the Senate and House of Representatives a report on 
     streamlining activities in the Veterans Health 
     Administration. The report shall include a description of--
       (1) opportunities to improve the efficiency and 
     effectiveness of delivery of health care services in the 
     Veterans Health Administration through consolidation, 
     reorganization, or other means;
       (2) plans and actions taken to realize such efficiencies; 
     and
       (3) impediments to implementing particular plans.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Mississippi [Mr. Montgomery] will be recognized for 20 minutes, and the 
gentleman from Alabama [Mr. Everett] will be recognized for 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Mississippi [Mr. Montgomery].

                          ____________________