[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 115 (Thursday, July 11, 2024)]
[Senate]
[Page S4924]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 2578. Mr. CASSIDY (for himself and Mr. Cotton) submitted an 
amendment intended to be proposed by him to the bill S. 4638, to 
authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2025 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. EXPANSION OF RECOGNITION BY THE DEFENSE HEALTH 
                   AGENCY OF CERTIFYING BODIES FOR PHYSICIANS.

       (a) Expansion.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
     the enactment of this Act, the Director of the Defense Health 
     Agency shall revise the policy of the Defense Health Agency 
     regarding credentialing and privileging under the military 
     health system to expand the recognition of certifying bodies 
     for physicians under such policy to a wide range of 
     additional board certifications in medical specialties and 
     subspecialties.
       (b) Recognition of Certain Certifying Bodies.--The policy 
     required to be revised under subsection (a) shall include 
     recognition of the following certifying bodies:
       (1) The member boards of the American Board of Medical 
     Specialties.
       (2) The Bureau of Osteopathic Specialists of the American 
     Osteopathic Association.
       (3) The American Board of Foot and Ankle Surgery.
       (4) The American Board of Podiatric Medicine.
       (5) The American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery.
       (c) Standards for Recognition of Other Certifying Bodies.--
     To be recognized under subsection (a), a certifying body for 
     a specialty or subspecialty shall--
       (1) be an organization described in section 501(c) of the 
     Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and exempt from taxation under 
     section 501(a) of that Code;
       (2) maintain a process to define, periodically review, 
     enforce, and update specific standards regarding knowledge 
     and skills of the specialty or subspecialty;
       (3) administer a psychometrically valid assessment to 
     determine whether a physician meets standards for initial 
     certification, recertification, or continuing certification;
       (4) establish and enforce a code of professional conduct; 
     and
       (5) require that, in order to be considered a board 
     certified specialty physician, a physician must satisfy--
       (A) the certifying body's applicable requirements for 
     initial certification; and
       (B) any applicable recertification or continuing 
     certification requirements of the certifying body that 
     granted the initial certification.
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