To amend title 10, United States Code, to authorize the Secretary of Defense to appoint officers of the Armed Forces as directors of medical centers of the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes.

I 116TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION H. R. 4314 To amend title 10, United States Code, to authorize the Secretary of Defense to appoint officers of the Armed Forces as directors of medical centers of the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES SEPTEMBER 12, 2019 Mr. HIGGINS of Louisiana (for himself and Mr. MAST) introduced the fol- lowing bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on Armed Services, 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 con- cerned A BILL To amend title 10, United States Code, to authorize the Secretary of Defense to appoint officers of the Armed Forces as directors of medical centers of the Department of Veterans Affairs, 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 VerDate Sep 11 2014 20:13 Sep 16, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H4314.IH H4314 khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with BILLS 2 •HR 4314 IH SECTION 1. REORGANIZATION OF DEPARTMENT OF VET- 1 ERANS AFFAIRS MEDICAL CENTER DIREC- 2 TORS. 3 (a) REORGANIZATION.—Chapter 55 of title 10, 4 United States Code, is amended by inserting after section 5 1104 the following new section: 6 ‘‘§ 1104a. Appointment of directors of medical centers 7 of the Department of Veterans Affairs 8 ‘‘(a) APPOINTMENT BY SECRETARY OF DEFENSE.— 9 The Secretary of Defense shall appoint the director of 10 each medical center of the Department of Veterans Af- 11 fairs. 12 ‘‘(b) QUALIFICATIONS.—The Secretary of Defense, in 13 consultation with the Secretaries of the military depart- 14 ments, shall establish the common qualifications and core 15 competencies required for an officer of the armed forces 16 to serve as a director under this section. 17 ‘‘(c) FUNCTIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES.—Each di- 18 rector under this section shall have the functions and re- 19 sponsibilities of a director of a medical center of the De- 20 partment of Veterans Affairs under title 38, and any other 21 functions or responsibilities as the Secretary of Defense 22 may assign. 23 ‘‘(d) TRAINING OF OFFICERS.—The Secretary of De- 24 fense shall provide training to officers of the armed forces 25 to serve as directors under this section through the joint 26 VerDate Sep 11 2014 20:13 Sep 16, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H4314.IH H4314 khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with BILLS 3 •HR 4314 IH medical executive skills development program established 1 under Department of Defense Instruction 6000.15 (or any 2 successor instruction).’’. 3 (b) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.— 4 (1) TITLE 38.—Title 38, United States Code, is 5 amended— 6 (A) in section 7401(4), by striking ‘‘Direc- 7 tors of medical centers and directors’’ and in- 8 serting ‘‘Directors’’; and 9 (B) in section 7402(b), by striking ‘‘Cen- 10 ter,’’ in the heading of paragraph (4). 11 (2) VA CHOICE AND QUALITY EMPLOYMENT 12 ACT OF 2017.—Section 210 of the VA Choice and 13 Quality Employment Act of 2017 (Public Law 115– 14 46; 131 Stat. 965; 38 U.S.C. 7401 note) is repealed. 15 (c) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections 16 at the beginning of chapter 55 of title 10, United States 17 Code, is amended by inserting after the item relating to 18 section 1104 the following new item: 19 ‘‘1104a. Appointment of directors of medical centers of the Department of Vet- erans Affairs.’’. (d) EFFECTIVE DATE.—This Act and the amend- 20 ments made by this Act shall apply with respect to a direc- 21 tor of a medical center of the Department of Veterans Af- 22 VerDate Sep 11 2014 20:13 Sep 16, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H4314.IH H4314 khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with BILLS 4 •HR 4314 IH fairs appointed on or after the date of the enactment of 1 this Act. 2 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 20:13 Sep 16, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\H4314.IH H4314 khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with BILLS