SERVE Act

I 117TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION H. R. 2587 To improve the ability of veterans with medical training to assist the United States in response to national emergencies, and for other purposes. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES APRIL 15, 2021 Mr. LAMB (for himself and Miss GONZA´LEZ-COLO´N) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs A BILL To improve the ability of veterans with medical training to assist the United States in response to national emer- gencies, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- 1 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 3 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Supporting Education 4 Recognition for Veterans during Emergencies Act’’ or the 5 ‘‘SERVE Act’’. 6 VerDate Sep 11 2014 03:13 Jun 03, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H2587.IH H2587 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 2 •HR 2587 IH SEC. 2. UPDATE OF WEB PORTAL TO IDENTIFY VETERANS 1 WHO HAD MEDICAL OCCUPATIONS AS MEM- 2 BERS OF THE ARMED FORCES. 3 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall update exist- 4 ing web portals of the Department to allow the identifica- 5 tion of veterans who had a medical occupation as a mem- 6 ber of the Armed Forces. 7 (b) INFORMATION IN PORTAL.— 8 (1) IN GENERAL.—An update to a portal under 9 subsection (a) shall allow a veteran to elect to pro- 10 vide the following information: 11 (A) Contact information for the veteran. 12 (B) A history of the medical experience 13 and trained competencies of the veteran. 14 (2) INCLUSIONS IN HISTORY.—To the extent 15 practicable, histories provided under paragraph 16 (1)(B) shall include individual critical task lists spe- 17 cific to military occupational specialties that align 18 with existing standard occupational codes main- 19 tained by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. 20 SEC. 3. PROGRAM ON PROVISION TO STATES OF INFORMA- 21 TION ON VETERANS WITH MEDICAL SKILLS 22 OBTAINED DURING SERVICE IN THE ARMED 23 FORCES. 24 For purposes of facilitating civilian medical creden- 25 tialing and hiring opportunities for veterans seeking to re- 26 VerDate Sep 11 2014 03:13 Jun 03, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H2587.IH H2587 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 3 •HR 2587 IH spond to a national emergency, including a public health 1 emergency declared by the Secretary of Health and 2 Human Services under section 319 of the Public Health 3 Service Act (42 U.S.C. 247d), the Secretary, in coordina- 4 tion with the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of 5 Labor, shall establish a program to share information 6 specified in section 3(b) with the following: 7 (1) State departments of veterans affairs. 8 (2) Veterans service organizations. 9 (3) State credentialing bodies. 10 (4) State homes. 11 (5) Other stakeholders involved in State-level 12 credentialing, as determined appropriate by the Sec- 13 retary. 14 SEC. 4. PROGRAM ON TRAINING OF INTERMEDIATE CARE 15 TECHNICIANS OF DEPARTMENT OF VET- 16 ERANS AFFAIRS. 17 (a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary shall imple- 18 ment a program to train and certify covered veterans to 19 work as intermediate care technicians of the Department. 20 (b) LOCATIONS.—The Secretary may place an inter- 21 mediate care technician trained and certified under the 22 program under subsection (a) at any medical center of the 23 Department, giving priority to a location with a significant 24 staffing shortage. 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 03:13 Jun 03, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H2587.IH H2587 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 4 •HR 2587 IH (c) INCLUSION OF INFORMATION IN TRANSITION AS- 1 SISTANCE PROGRAM.—As part of the Transition Assist- 2 ance Program under sections 1142 and 1144 of title 10, 3 United States Code, the Secretary shall prepare a commu- 4 nications campaign to convey opportunities for training, 5 certification, and employment under the program under 6 subsection (a) to appropriate members of the Armed 7 Forces separating from active duty. 8 (d) REPORT ON EXPANSION OF PROGRAM.—Not 9 later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of 10 this Act, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report 11 on whether the program under this section could be rep- 12 licated for other medical positions within the Department. 13 (e) COVERED VETERAN DEFINED.—In this section, 14 the term ‘‘covered veteran’’ means a veteran whom the 15 Secretary determines served as a basic health care techni- 16 cian while serving in the Armed Forces. 17 SEC. 5. NOTIFICATION OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR VETERANS. 18 The Secretary shall notify veterans service organiza- 19 tions and, in coordination with the Secretary of Defense, 20 members of the reserve components of the Armed Forces 21 of opportunities for veterans under this Act. 22 SEC. 6. DEFINITIONS. 23 In this Act: 24 VerDate Sep 11 2014 03:13 Jun 03, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H2587.IH H2587 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 5 •HR 2587 IH (1) DEPARTMENT; SECRETARY; VETERAN.—The 1 terms ‘‘Department’’, ‘‘Secretary’’, ‘‘State home’’, 2 and ‘‘veteran’’ have the meanings given those terms 3 in section 101 of title 38, United States Code. 4 (2) VETERANS SERVICE ORGANIZATION.—The 5 term ‘‘veterans service organization’’ means an orga- 6 nization that provides services to veterans, including 7 organizations recognized by the Secretary of Vet- 8 erans Affairs under section 5902 of title 38, United 9 States Code. 10 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 03:13 Jun 03, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\H2587.IH H2587 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS