[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 10381 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
118th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 10381
To amend title 38, United States Code, to authorize a joint scholarship
program under which the Secretary of Veterans Affairs pays for medical
education of an officer of the commissioned corps of the Public Health
Service at the Uniformed Services University in return for a period of
obligated service by such officer at a medical facility of the
Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
December 12, 2024
Mr. Takano (for himself and Mr. Dunn of Florida) introduced the
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans'
Affairs, and in addition to the Committees on Armed Services, and
Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the
Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall
within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend title 38, United States Code, to authorize a joint scholarship
program under which the Secretary of Veterans Affairs pays for medical
education of an officer of the commissioned corps of the Public Health
Service at the Uniformed Services University in return for a period of
obligated service by such officer at a medical facility of 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 ``Supporting Medical Students and VA
Workforce Act''.
SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS-PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE JOINT
SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM.
(a) In General.--Chapter 76 of title 38, United States Code, is
amended by inserting, after subchapter V, the following new subchapter:
``SUBCHAPTER V-A--VETERANS AFFAIRS-PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE JOINT
SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM
``SEC. 7661. AUTHORITY.
``As part of the Educational Assistance Program, the Secretary of
Veterans Affairs may, in partnership with the Secretary of Health and
Human Services and the Secretary of Defense, carry out a scholarship
program, to be known as the Department of Veterans Affairs-Public
Health Service Joint Scholarship Program (hereafter in this subchapter,
`the program') under which a PHS officer shall--
``(1) attend the F. Edward Hebert School of Medicine of USU
at the expense of the Department of Veterans Affairs; and
``(2) after graduating and completing an initial residency,
serve, full-time, at a medical facility of the Department of
Veterans Affairs to fulfill a period of obligated service.
``SEC. 7662. INTERAGENCY AGREEMENT.
``(a) In General.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs, the Secretary
of Health and Human Services, and the Secretary of Defense may enter
into, and maintain, an interagency agreement to carry out the program.
``(b) Terms.--Such an agreement shall, in accordance with this
subchapter govern aspects of the program, including the following:
``(1) The eligibility of a PHS officer to receive a
scholarship under the program.
``(2) The number of PHS officers who may receive a
scholarship each year.
``(3) The authority of the Secretary of Health and Human
Services to deploy a PHS officer who receives a scholarship
under the program before such PHS officer completes the term of
obligated service under this subchapter.
``(c) Limitation.--Nothing in such agreement may transfer from the
Secretary of Defense to the Secretary or the Secretary of Health and
Human Services any authority to determine who may attend USU.
``SEC. 7663. COSTS.
``(a) Estimates.--Before the beginning of each academic year--
``(1) the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall
provide the Secretary of Veterans Affairs with an estimate of
the costs that the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall be
obliged to reimburse the Secretary of Health and Human Services
under subsection (b) for the next fiscal year; and
``(2) the Secretary of Defense shall provide the Secretary
of Veterans Affairs with an estimate of the costs that the
Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall be obligated to reimburse
the Secretary of Defense under subsection (b) for the next
fiscal year.
``(b) Payment; Reconciliation.--(1) Each fiscal year, the Secretary
of Veterans Affairs shall pay the Secretary of Health and Human
Services the amount under subsection (a)(1).
``(2) Each fiscal year, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall pay
the Secretary of Defense the amount under subsection (a)(2).
``(3) If a payment made under this subsection does not equal the
actual relevant costs for the fiscal year, the Secretary concerned
shall refund the excess amount paid, or supplement the shortfall, as
applicable.
``SEC. 7664. OBLIGATED SERVICE.
``(a) Detail.--(1) Pursuant to section 214 of the Public Health
Service Act (42 U.S.C. 215), the Secretary of Health and Human Services
shall detail a PHS officer who receives a scholarship under the program
to the Department of Veterans Affairs.
``(2) The length of such detail shall be sufficient for the officer
to complete--
``(A) attendance at USU described in section 7661 of this
title;
``(B) an initial residency; and
``(C) a period of obligated service, not to exceed ten
years, in a medical facility of the Department of Veterans
Affairs.
``(b) Written Agreement.--A PHS officer, the Secretary of Veterans
Affairs, and the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall enter
into a written agreement specifying the terms of such detail and the
length period of obligated service of such PHS officer.
``(c) Failure To Complete Period of Obligated Service.--(1) A PHS
officer who receives a scholarship under the program and fails to
complete the period of obligated service shall reimburse the Secretary
of Veterans Affairs an amount equal to--
``(A) twice the total amount of the tuition and expenses
paid by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to the Secretary of
Defense arising the attendance of such PHS officer at USU; and
``(B) twice the salary, allowances, and benefits paid by
the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to the Secretary of Health
and Human Services arising from the detail under subsection
(a).
``(2) The Secretary of Veterans Affairs may waive reimbursement
under paragraph (1) if the Secretary determines that such reimbursement
would be inequitable or would not be in the public interest.
``SEC. 7665. DEFINITIONS.
``In this subchapter:
``(1) The term `PHS officer' means an officer of the
commissioned corps of the Public Health Service.
``(2) The term `USU' means the Uniformed Services
University of the Health Sciences.''.
(b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections at the beginning of
such chapter is amended by inserting, after the item relating for
section 7655, the following:
``subchapter v-a-veterans affairs-public health service joint
scholarship program
``Sec. 7661. Establishment
``Sec. 7662. Interagency agreement
``Sec. 7663. Costs
``Sec. 7664. Obligated service
``Sec. 7665. Definitions''.
<all>