VA Health Center Management Stability and Improvement Act

I 116TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION H. R. 1360 To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to develop and implement a plan to hire directors of the medical centers of the Department of Veterans Affairs. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES FEBRUARY 26, 2019 Mr. BOST (for himself, Mr. COSTA, Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois, Mr. SWALWELL of California, Mr. BERGMAN, Mrs. DINGELL, Mrs. HARTZLER, Mr. O’HALLERAN, Mr. SUOZZI, Ms. GABBARD, Miss GONZA´LEZ-COLO´N of Puerto Rico, Mr. RYAN, Mr. LOWENTHAL, Mr. EVANS, Mr. WELCH, Ms. SEWELL of Alabama, Mr. MCEACHIN, and Mr. KILDEE) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com- mittee on Veterans’ Affairs A BILL To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to develop and implement a plan to hire directors of the medical centers of the Department of Veterans Affairs. 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 ‘‘VA Health Center 4 Management Stability and Improvement Act’’. 5 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 6 Congress finds the following: 7 VerDate Sep 11 2014 21:36 Mar 05, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1360.IH H1360 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS 2 •HR 1360 IH (1) According to data from the Department of 1 Veterans Affairs, several medical centers of the De- 2 partment are managed by acting or temporary direc- 3 tors. 4 (2) Some of these medical centers have not 5 been managed by a permanent director for a long 6 period. 7 (3) Pursuant to section 317.903 of title 5, Code 8 of Federal Regulations, a member of the senior exec- 9 utive service who is detailed to a temporary position 10 in a department or agency of the Federal Govern- 11 ment may not serve in that position for periods 12 longer than 120-day increments, and no member of 13 the senior executive service may be detailed to an 14 unclassified position for a period longer than 240 15 days. 16 (4) The inability of the Department of Veterans 17 Affairs to recruit qualified, permanent candidates as 18 directors of medical centers, combined with the poli- 19 cies described in paragraph (3), leads to frequent 20 turnover of directors at the medical centers which 21 impedes the ability of system management to engage 22 in long-term planning and other functions necessary 23 to improve service delivery to veterans. 24 VerDate Sep 11 2014 21:36 Mar 05, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1360.IH H1360 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS 3 •HR 1360 IH (5) The Secretary of Veterans Affairs should 1 develop a comprehensive plan to recruit permanent 2 directors at each medical center that lacks a perma- 3 nent director. 4 SEC. 3. PLAN TO HIRE DIRECTORS OF MEDICAL CENTERS 5 OF DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS. 6 (a) PLAN.—Not later than 120 days after the date 7 of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans 8 Affairs shall develop and implement a plan to hire highly 9 qualified directors for each medical center of the Depart- 10 ment of Veterans Affairs that lacks a permanent director 11 as of the date of the plan. The Secretary shall prioritize 12 the hiring of such directors for the medical centers that 13 have not had a permanent director for the longest periods. 14 (b) MATTERS INCLUDED.—The plan developed under 15 subsection (a) shall include the following: 16 (1) A deadline to hire the directors of the med- 17 ical centers of the Department as described in such 18 subsection. 19 (2) Identification of the possible impediments to 20 such hiring. 21 (3) Identification of opportunities to promote 22 and train candidates from within the Department to 23 senior executive positions in the Department, includ- 24 ing as directors of medical centers. 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 21:36 Mar 05, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1360.IH H1360 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS 4 •HR 1360 IH (c) SUBMISSION.—Not later than 120 days after the 1 date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall sub- 2 mit to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the House 3 of Representatives and the Senate the plan developed 4 under subsection (a). 5 (d) SEMIANNUAL REPORTS.—Not later than 180 6 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, and each 7 180-day period thereafter until January 1, 2021, the Sec- 8 retary shall submit to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs 9 of the House of Representatives and the Senate a list of 10 each medical center of the Department that lacks a per- 11 manent director as of the date of the report. 12 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 21:36 Mar 05, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\H1360.IH H1360 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS