[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 85 (Wednesday, June 11, 2003)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1208-E1209]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS CHIROPRACTIC EMPLOYMENT ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. JERRY MORAN

                               of kansas

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, June 10, 2003

  Mr. MORAN of Kansas. Mr. Speaker, today I am introducing the 
Department of Veterans Affairs Chiropractic Employment Act. I do so to 
prompt the Department of Veterans Affairs to make chiropractic care 
available to America's veterans.
  Currently, thousands of veterans enrolled in the VA health care 
system could benefit from chiropractic care. Millions of Americans use 
the services of chiropractors. However, veterans who are enrolled in 
VA's health care system are unable to receive this specialty care. 
Numerous studies have shown that chiropractic is an effective therapy, 
and can be an effective approach to low back pain, spasm, and other 
maladies of the spinal region, including health problems caused by the 
aging process and physical exertion. This bill would grant specific 
employment authority in VA for chiropractors as clinicians under Title 
38 of the United States Code.
  Signed into law in 1999, section 303 of Public Law 106-117, the 
Veterans Millennium Health Care and Benefits Act, required the VA Under 
Secretary for Health to establish a defined policy regarding the role 
of chiropractic care for veterans enrolled in the Veterans Health 
Administration. Issued almost a year later, VHA Directive 2000-014, 
established what the Department deemed a policy on chiropractic care. 
However, the Committee on Veterans' Affairs found that declaration to 
be woefully inadequate and less than a policy. It was a way for VA to 
further delay the advent of VA chiropractic services for veterans. As a 
result, Congress enacted section 204 of the Department of Veterans 
Affairs Health Care Programs Act of 2001 (Public Law 107-135). This 
statute required the Secretary of VA to create a program to provide 
chiropractic care and services for veterans who are enrolled in VA's 
health care system, and specified that each of VA's 21 Veterans 
Integrated Service Networks put at least one chiropractic care program 
in place. This law also required the establishment of a Chiropractic 
Advisory Committee within the Department, and charged the Committee to 
provide assistance to the Secretary in the development and 
implementation of the chiropractic health program the law authorized, 
including recommendations on scope of practice, qualifications, 
privileging and credentialing matters, among other factors that might 
influence the employment of chiropractors and the deployment of the new 
program nationwide.
  While some progress has been made by the advisory committee on 
chiropractic care, the Department is now contending that formal 
organizational, qualification, and classification studies are needed 
due to VA's lack of a specified employment authority in Title 38 of the 
United States Code for chiropractors. Other unnamed technical and 
professional fields are already specifically authorized. Such an 
undertaking by VA may require extensive usage of resources and much 
time investment on the part of the Central Office, advisory committee, 
Office of Personnel Management staffs, as well as outside consultants. 
A number of Members of the House Veterans' Affairs Committee believe we 
can remedy this situation with the bill I am introducing today, to 
speed VA's decision-making on establishing chiropractic clinical care 
positions within the staff of the Department.
  Mr. Speaker, I am pleased today to introduce this legislation that 
would address the authority for VA to appoint chiropractors in the 
Veterans Health Administration of the Department so that those veterans 
who are in need of chiropractic care may indeed and at last receive it 
in VA facilities. This bill will allow a fair compensation schedule 
with other comparable

[[Page E1209]]

categorical providers already authorized in Title 38. Furthermore, this 
bill will permit the Secretary to appoint chiropractors on a full-time 
basis. Currently, chiropractors are only available to veterans on a fee 
or contract basis, thereby causing VA additional administrative 
expenses and inconveniencing the veterans who need this care. With this 
bill chiropractors may also be appointed to intern or residency 
positions, or on a part time or intermittent basis, as dictated by 
need. My bill will afford to chiropractors practicing in VA facilities 
the same privileges and responsibilities of other VA caregivers.
  I urge my colleagues to support this important legislation. My bill 
will provide an additional, needed specialty care program for our 
nation's veterans, who are most deserving of this benefit.

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