[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 117 (Thursday, June 25, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Page S3484]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 2021. Mr. SULLIVAN (for himself and Mr. Jones) submitted an 
amendment intended to be proposed by him to the bill S. 4049, to 
authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2021 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 F of title X, add the following:

     SEC. ___. EVALUATION AND REPORT ON ESTABLISHMENT OF A 
                   HEALTHCARE READY RESERVE FORCE.

       (a) Evaluation Required.--Not later than December 31, 2021, 
     the Secretary of Defense shall conduct an evaluation of 
     options for establishing a healthcare ready reserve force, in 
     times of war and during public health and other national 
     emergencies, in order--
       (1) to enhance and facilitate the medical capabilities of 
     the Armed Forces, including training for such capabilities;
       (2) to provide for a surge in medical capabilities for the 
     Armed Forces;
       (3) to act as a reserve force of medical expertise for the 
     Nation during public health or other national emergencies;
       (4) to provide a training platform on medical and health 
     care skills and capabilities if called upon by the Secretary; 
     and
       (5) to provide a strategic reserve of health care knowledge 
     and skills for the Armed Forces or the Nation.
       (b) Elements.--The evaluation conducted under subsection 
     (a) shall include an assessment of the following:
       (1) The capabilities and deficiencies in military and 
     civilian personnel with needed medical expertise, and the 
     quantity of personnel with such expertise, in the Department 
     of Defense.
       (2) The potential for a uniformed, civilian, or mixed 
     healthcare ready reserve force to remedy shortfalls in 
     expertise and capacity in the Department and for the Nation.
       (3) The ability of the Department to attract personnel with 
     the desired expertise to a uniformed or civilian healthcare 
     ready reserve force.
       (4) The number of personnel, the level of funding, and the 
     composition of a healthcare ready reserve force that would be 
     required for purposes described in subsection (a).
       (5) Proposed means to facilitate the rapid training of 
     health care professionals in a healthcare ready reserve force 
     through the Medical and Education Training Campus (METC) of 
     the Defense Health Agency, including through one or both of 
     the following:
       (A) The Medical and Education Training Campus Bridge 
     Partners program.
       (B) Partnerships with other accredited institutions of 
     higher education.
       (6) A rapid mobilization training plan for a healthcare 
     ready reserve force, including--
       (A) a specialized curriculum for each medical specialty to 
     be maintained within such force, including initial training 
     elements and future currency requirements;
       (B) an identification of the pool of instructors to provide 
     training for members of such force; and
       (C) a description of the in-person and online educational 
     requirements to be satisfied by members of such force, and a 
     strategy to maximize the use of online training in connection 
     with such requirements.
       (7) Alternative models for establishing a healthcare ready 
     reserve force, including the following:
       (A) A nontraditional uniformed military reserve component, 
     with respect to drilling and other requirements such as 
     grooming and physical fitness.
       (B) One or more nontraditional civilian healthcare ready 
     reserves.
       (C) Partnership with the Ready Reserve Corps of the United 
     States Public Health Service.
       (8) The impact of a uniformed military healthcare ready 
     reserve on regular and existing reserve forces, including 
     with respect to the following:
       (A) Recruitment.
       (B) Promotion.
       (C) Retention.
       (9) The impact of a civilian healthcare ready reserve on 
     regular and existing reserve forces, and on healthcare 
     delivery in the private sector.
       (10) Areas of potential collaboration with similar entities 
     within the Federal Government.
       (11) The authorities, manpower authorizations, and 
     resources the Secretary of Defense considers necessary for 
     the establishment and maintenance of a healthcare ready 
     reserve force.
       (12) Any other matters the Secretary considers appropriate.
       (c) Report.--Not later than 180 days after the enactment of 
     this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the Committees on 
     Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives 
     a report on the evaluation conducted under subsection (a).
                                 ______