[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 198 (Monday, November 15, 2021)]
[House]
[Pages H6252-H6253]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
HIRE VETERAN HEALTH HEROES ACT OF 2021
Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (S. 894) to identify and refer members of the Armed Forces with a
health care occupation who are separating from the Armed Forces for
potential employment with the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for
other purposes.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
S. 894
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Hire Veteran Health Heroes
Act of 2021''.
SEC. 2. IDENTIFICATION AND REFERRAL OF MEMBERS OF THE ARMED
FORCES WITH A HEALTH CARE OCCUPATION FOR
POTENTIAL EMPLOYMENT WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF
VETERANS AFFAIRS DURING SEPARATION FROM THE
ARMED FORCES.
Section 207 of the VA Choice and Quality Employment Act of
2017 (Public Law 115-46; 38 U.S.C. 7401 note) is amended to
read as follows:
``SEC. 207. IDENTIFICATION AND REFERRAL OF MEMBERS OF THE
ARMED FORCES WITH A HEALTH CARE OCCUPATION FOR
POTENTIAL EMPLOYMENT WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF
VETERANS AFFAIRS DURING SEPARATION FROM THE
ARMED FORCES.
``(a) In General.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs, in
consultation with the Secretary of Defense, shall establish a
program to identify and refer members of the Armed Forces
with a health care occupation for employment with the
Department of Veterans Affairs during the separation of such
members from the Armed Forces.
``(b) Referral of Interested Individuals.--
``(1) In general.--If a member of the Armed Forces
identified under subsection (a) expresses an interest in
working in a health care occupation within the Department of
Veterans Affairs, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall
refer the member to a recruiter of the Department for
consideration of open positions in the specialty and
geography of interest to the member.
``(2) Timing.--Any referral of a member of the Armed Forces
conducted under paragraph (1) shall be made not earlier than
one year before the separation of the member from the Armed
Forces.
``(c) Rule of Construction.--Any identification of a member
of the Armed Forces under subsection (a) or referral of such
member under subsection (b) shall not be construed as a
guarantee of employment of such member with the Department of
Veterans Affairs.
``(d) Reports.--Not later than each of one year and two
years after the date of the enactment of the Hire Veteran
Health Heroes Act of 2021, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs
shall submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a
report on the program established under subsection (a).
``(e) Definitions.--In this section:
``(1) Appropriate committees of congress.--The term
`appropriate committees of Congress' means--
``(A) the Committee on Armed Services and the Committee on
Veterans' Affairs of the Senate; and
``(B) the Committee on Armed Services and the Committee on
Veterans' Affairs of the House of Representatives.
``(2) Health care occupation.--The term `health care
occupation' means an occupation for which an individual may
be appointed for employment with the Department of Veterans
Affairs under section 7401 of title 38, United States
Code.''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
California (Mr. Takano) and the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Bost) each
will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California.
General Leave
Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may
have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and
include extraneous material on S. 894.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from California?
There was no objection.
Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of Senator Braun and Senator
Hassan's S. 894, the Hire Veteran Health Heroes Act.
We all know that there are many ways for our military personnel to
continue to serve after they separate from Active Duty. This bill
provides a potential pathway for those servicemembers in healthcare
occupations to move into careers with VA.
It couldn't come at a better time because we know VA has significant
hiring needs to ensure it can continue providing high-quality, timely
care to our veterans.
S. 894 directs VA to consult with the Department of Defense and
establish a program for identifying separating servicemembers who are
interested in healthcare positions at VA. VA would then refer
interested servicemembers to VA recruiters for consideration of open
positions in the specialty and geographic locations veterans prefer.
I see this as a win-win situation for veterans and for VA, and
exactly the kind of ideal employment warm handoff we all talk about.
Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to support S. 894, and I
reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of S. 894, the Hire Veteran
Health Heroes Act of 2021. This bill was introduced by Senator Mike
Braun of Indiana. The gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Latta) introduced the
House companion bill. I thank them both for their efforts on this
excellent piece of legislation.
The Hire Veteran Health Heroes Act would help accomplish three
important goals:
The first is supporting servicemembers as they transition out of the
military.
The second is helping veterans find meaningful work in their civilian
lives.
The third is ensuring that VA medical facilities are well staffed to
provide timely, high-quality care to veterans.
This bill would require VA to work with DOD to identify separating
servicemembers with backgrounds in healthcare, and it would require VA
to refer those servicemembers who are interested in working in the VA
[[Page H6253]]
healthcare system to recruiters for possible placement in VA medical
facilities with open positions.
Mr. Speaker, I am glad to support this bill today. I hope all of my
colleagues will do the same on both sides of the aisle.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers. I am prepared to
close, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I did have a speaker here that was en route,
but I will close.
Mr. Speaker, I appreciate this bill. I appreciate the people who
worked on this bill, and I encourage all of my colleagues to support
it.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I ask all of my colleagues to join me in
passing this important piece of legislation, S. 894, and I yield back
the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from California (Mr. Takano) that the House suspend the rules
and pass the bill, S. 894.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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