[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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