[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 894 Reported in Senate (RS)]
<DOC>
Calendar No. 85
117th CONGRESS
1st Session
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.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
March 23, 2021
Mr. Braun (for himself and Ms. Hassan) introduced the following bill;
which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs
June 24, 2021
Reported by Mr. Tester, with an amendment
[Omit the part struck through and insert the part printed in italic]
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
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.
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''.
<DELETED>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.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (a) Identification.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs, in
consultation with the Secretary of Defense, shall identify members of
the Armed Forces in a health care occupation during the separation of
such members from the Armed Forces.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (b) Referral of Interested Individuals.--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (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 of
the member.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (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.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (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.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (d) Reports.--Not later than each of one year and two
years after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of
Veterans Affairs, in consultation with the Secretary of Defense, shall
submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a report on the
efficacy of the identification and referral of separating members of
the Armed Forces under this section.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (e) Definitions.--In this section:</DELETED>
<DELETED> (1) Appropriate committees of congress.--The term
``appropriate committees of Congress'' means--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (A) the Committee on Armed Services and
the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate;
and</DELETED>
<DELETED> (B) the Committee on Armed Services and
the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the House of
Representatives.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (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.</DELETED>
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.''.
Calendar No. 85
117th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 894
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
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.
_______________________________________________________________________
June 24, 2021
Reported with an amendment