[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 120 (Thursday, July 13, 2023)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2722-S2723]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 615. Mr. WARNER submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by 
him to the bill S. 2226, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 
2024 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 C of title VII, add the following:

     SEC. 727. STUDY ON FEASIBILITY AND ADVISABILITY OF LOAN 
                   FORGIVENESS PROGRAM FOR BEHAVIORAL HEALTH 
                   CLINICIANS OF DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE.

       (a) In General.--The Secretary of Defense shall conduct a 
     study on the feasibility and

[[Page S2723]]

     advisability of conducting a loan forgiveness program for 
     behavioral health clinicians of the Department of Defense as 
     outlined in recommendation 6.3 of the final report issued by 
     the Suicide Prevention and Response Independent Review 
     Committee.
       (b) Elements.--In conducting the study required under 
     subsection (a), the Secretary shall include an assessment 
     of--
       (1) the potential need or demand for a loan forgiveness 
     program for behavioral health clinicians of the Department;
       (2) the costs associated with such a program, including 
     actual loan forgiveness amounts per recipient;
       (3) other programs that could serve as a model for such a 
     program; and
       (4) how the Secretary could best leverage such a program to 
     maximize benefit to the Department.
       (c) Report.--Not later than 90 days after the date of the 
     enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to Congress 
     a report on the study conducted under subsection (a).
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