[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 48 (Tuesday, March 20, 2018)]
[Senate]
[Page S1848]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]





   ENSURING THAT THE REQUIREMENTS THAT NEW FEDERAL EMPLOYEES WHO ARE 
  VETERANS WITH SERVICE-CONNECTED DISABILITIES ARE PROVIDED LEAVE FOR 
PURPOSES OF UNDERGOING MEDICAL TREATMENT FOR SUCH DISABILITIES APPLY TO 
        CERTAIN EMPLOYEES OF THE VETERANS HEALTH ADMINISTRATION

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the 
Committee on Veterans' Affairs be discharged from further consideration 
of S. 899 and the Senate proceed to its immediate consideration.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The clerk will report the bill by title.
  The bill clerk read as follows:

       A bill (S. 899) to amend title 38, United States Code, to 
     ensure that the requirements that new Federal employees who 
     are veterans with service-connected disabilities are provided 
     leave for purposes of undergoing medical treatment for such 
     disabilities apply to certain employees of the Veterans 
     Health Administration, and for other purposes.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the bill.
  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the bill 
be considered read a third time and passed and the motion to reconsider 
be considered made and laid upon the table.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The bill (S. 899) was ordered to be engrossed for a third reading, 
was read the third time, and passed, as follows:

                                 S. 899

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

     SECTION 1. APPLICATION OF FEDERAL LEAVE POLICY FOR DISABLED 
                   VETERANS TO EMPLOYEES OF VETERANS HEALTH 
                   ADMINISTRATION AND RESTATEMENT OF EXISTING 
                   LEAVE TRANSFER PROGRAM.

       (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: leave

       ``(a) Leave Transfer Program.--(1) The Secretary shall 
     establish a leave transfer program for the benefit of health-
     care professionals in positions listed in section 7401(1) of 
     this title. The Secretary may also establish a leave bank 
     program for the benefit of such health-care professionals.
       ``(2) To the maximum extent feasible--
       ``(A) the leave transfer program shall provide the same or 
     similar requirements and conditions as are provided for the 
     program established by the Director of the Office of 
     Personnel Management under subchapter III of chapter 63 of 
     title 5; and
       ``(B) any leave bank program established pursuant to 
     paragraph (1) shall be consistent with the requirements and 
     conditions provided for agency leave bank programs in 
     subchapter IV of such chapter.
       ``(3) Participation by a health-care professional in the 
     leave transfer program established pursuant to paragraph (1), 
     and in any leave bank program established pursuant to such 
     paragraph, shall be voluntary. The Secretary may not require 
     any health-care professional to participate in such a 
     program.
       ``(4)(A) The Secretary and the Director of the Office of 
     Personnel Management may enter into an agreement that permits 
     health-care professionals referred to in paragraph (1) to 
     participate in the leave transfer program established by the 
     Director of the Office of Personnel Management under 
     subchapter III of chapter 63 of title 5 or in any leave bank 
     program established for other employees of the Department 
     pursuant to subchapter IV of chapter 63 of title 5, or both.
       ``(B) Participation of such health-care professionals in a 
     leave transfer program or a leave bank program pursuant to an 
     agreement entered into under subparagraph (A) shall be 
     subject to such requirements and conditions as may be 
     prescribed in such agreement.
       ``(5) The Secretary is not required to establish a leave 
     transfer program for any personnel permitted to participate 
     in a leave transfer program pursuant to an agreement referred 
     to in paragraph (4).
       ``(b) Application of Federal Leave Policy for Disabled 
     Veterans.--Section 6329 of title 5 shall apply to all health-
     care professionals in positions listed in section 7401(1) of 
     this title.''.
       (b) Repeal of Transferred Authority.--Section 7423 of such 
     title is amended--
       (1) by striking subsection (e); and
       (2) by redesignating subsection (f) as subsection (e).
       (c) 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: leave.''.

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