[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 89 (Tuesday, June 7, 2016)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3549-S3550]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SA 4456. Mr. MERKLEY submitted an amendment intended to be proposed
by him to the bill S. 2943, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year
2017 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military
construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy,
to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for
other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:
At the end of subtitle I of title X, add the following:
SEC. 1097. PROGRAM TO INCREASE EFFICIENCY IN THE RECRUITMENT
AND HIRING BY THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS
AFFAIRS OF HEALTH CARE WORKERS UNDERGOING
SEPARATION FROM THE ARMED FORCES.
(a) Program.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall, in
coordination with the Secretary of Defense, carry out a
program to recruit individuals who are undergoing separation
from the Armed Forces and who served in a health care
capacity while serving as a member of the Armed Forces. The
program shall be known as the ``Docs-to-Doctors Program''.
(b) Sharing of Information.--
(1) Submittal of list.--For purposes of carrying out the
program, not less frequently than once per year (or a shorter
period that the Secretary of Veterans Affairs and the
Secretary of Defense may jointly specify), the Secretary of
Defense shall submit to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs a
list of members of the Armed Forces, including the reserve
components, who--
(A) served in a health care capacity while serving as a
member of the Armed Forces;
(B) are undergoing or have undergone separation from the
Armed Forces during the period covered by the list; and
(C) will be discharged from the Armed Forces under
honorable conditions, as determined by the Secretary of
Defense, or have been discharged from the Armed Forces under
honorable conditions during the period covered by the list.
(2) Use of occupational codes.--Each list submitted under
paragraph (1) shall include members of the Armed Forces who
were assigned a Military Occupational Specialty code, an Air
Force Specialty Code, or a United States Navy rating
indicative of service in a health care capacity.
(3) Information included.--Each list submitted under
paragraph (1) shall include the following information, to the
extent such information is available to the Secretary of
Defense, with respect to each member of the Armed Forces
included in such list:
(A) Contact information.
(B) Rank upon separation from the Armed Forces.
(C) A description of health care experience while serving
as a member of the Armed Forces and other relevant health
care experience, including any relevant credential, such as a
certificate, certification, or license, including the name of
the institution or organization that issued the credential.
(4) Consultation with secretary of homeland security.--In
submitting each list under paragraph (1), the Secretary of
Defense shall consult with the Secretary of Homeland Security
with respect to matters concerning the Coast Guard when it is
not operating as a service in the Navy.
(c) Resolution of Barriers to Employment.--
(1) In general.--In carrying out the program, the Secretary
of Veterans Affairs shall, in coordination with the Secretary
of Defense, work to resolve any barriers relating to
credentialing or to specific hiring rules, procedures, and
processes of the Department of Veterans Affairs that may
delay or prevent the hiring of individuals who are undergoing
separation from the Armed Forces and who served in a health
care capacity while serving as a member of the Armed Forces,
including by reconciling different credentialing processes
and standards between the Department of Veterans Affairs and
the Department of Defense.
(2) Report.--If the Secretary of Veterans Affairs
determines that a barrier described in paragraph (1) cannot
be resolved under such paragraph, the Secretary shall, not
later than 90 days after the discovery of the barrier, submit
to Congress a report that includes such recommendations for
legislative and administrative action as the Secretary
considers appropriate to resolve the barrier, including any
barrier imposed by a State.
(d) Treatment of Applications for Employment.--An
application for employment in the Department of Veterans
Affairs in a health care capacity received by the Secretary
of Veterans Affairs from a member or former member of the
Armed Forces who is on a list submitted to the Secretary
under subsection (b) shall not be considered an application
from outside the work force of the Department for purposes of
section 3330 of title 5, United States Code, and section
335.105 of title 5, Code of Federal Regulations (as in effect
on the date of the enactment of this Act), if the application
is received not later than one year after the separation of
the member or former member from the Armed Forces.
SEC. 1097A. UNIFORM CREDENTIALING STANDARDS FOR CERTAIN
HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF
VETERANS AFFAIRS.
(a) In General.--Subchapter II of chapter 74 of title 38,
United States Code, is amended by inserting after section
7423 the following new section:
``Sec. 7423A. Personnel administration: uniform credentialing
process
``(a) Uniform Process.--The Secretary shall implement a
uniform credentialing process for employees of the Veterans
Health Administration for each position specified in section
7421(b) of this title.
``(b) Recognition Throughout Administration.--If an
employee of the Administration in a position specified in
section 7421(b) of this title is credentialed under this
section for purposes of practicing in a location within the
Administration, such credential shall be deemed to be
sufficient for the employee to practice in any location
within the Administration.
``(c) Renewal.--(1) Except as provided in paragraph (2),
the Secretary may provide for the renewal of credentials
under this section
[[Page S3550]]
pursuant to such regulations as the Secretary may prescribe
for such purpose.
``(2) Renewal of credentials under this section may not be
required solely because an employee moves from one facility
of the Department to another.''.
(b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections at the
beginning of chapter 74 of such title is amended by inserting
after the item relating to section 7423 the following new
item:
``7423A. Personnel administration: uniform credentialing process.''.
(c) Effective Date.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs
shall implement the uniform credentialing process required
under section 7423A of such title, as added by subsection
(a), not later than one year after the date of the enactment
of this Act.
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