,,ii  #aad? ,,congress  #a/ ,session    
,s4 #big  ,,9 ,,! ,,s5ate ,,( ,,!       
,,unit$ ,,/ates  ,janu>y #bh1 #bjae ,mr4
 ,kirk 7= himself1 ,mr4 ,man*91 & ,mr4  
,udall7 introduc$ ! foll[+ bill2 :i* 0  
read twice & ref]r$ to ! ,committee on  
,vet]ans' ,affairs  ,a ,,bill  ,to      
revive & exp& ! ,int]m$iate ,c>e        
,te*nician ,pilot ,program ( ! ,dep>tm5t
 ( ,vet]ans ,affairs1 & = o!r purposes4 
#a4 ,%ort title  ,?is ,act may be cit$ z
 ! ,frontl9es to ,lifel9es ,act ( #bjae4
  #b4 ,revival & expansion ( ,int]m$iate
 ,c>e ,te*nician ,pilot ,program (      
,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs  7a7      
,revival ,! ,secret>y ( ,vet]ans        
,affairs %all revive ! ,int]m$iate ,c>e 
,te*nician ,pilot ,program ( ! ,dep>tm5t
 ( ,vet]ans ,affairs t 0 c>ri$ out by ! 
,secret>y betwe5 ,janu>y #bjac &        
,febru>y #bjad4  7b7 ,te*nicians  7#a7  
,9 g5]al ,! ,secret>y %all exp& ! pilot 
program "u subsection 7a7 to include n  
less ?an #bej int]m$iate c>e te*nicians 
:o are p>ticipat+ 9 ! pilot program4    

7#b7 ,facilities  7,a7 ,9 g5]al ,any    
int]m$iate c>e te*nician hir$ pursuant  
to p>agraph 7#a7 may be assign$ to a    
m$ical facility ( ! ,dep>tm5t z det]m9$ 
by ! ,secret>y = purposes ( ?is section4
  7,b7 ,priority ,9 assign+ int]m$iate  
c>e te*nicians "u subp>agraph 7,a71 !   
,secret>y %all give priority to         
facilities at :i* vet]ans h ! longe/    
wait times = appo9tm5ts = ! receipt (   
hospital c>e or m$ical s]vices f !      
,dep>tm5t1 z det]m9$ by ! ,secret>y =   
purposes ( ?is section4  7c7 ,t]m9ation 
,! ,secret>y %all c>ry out ! pilot      
program "u subsection 7a7 dur+ !        
?ree-ye> p]iod beg9n+ on ! date ( !     
enactm5t ( ?is ,act4  7d7 ,hospital c>e 
& m$ical s]vices def9$ ,9 ?is section1 !
 t]ms hospital c>e & m$ical s]vices h ! 
mean+s giv5 su* t]ms 9 section #agja (  
title #ch1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code4  #c4    
,transf] ( heal? c>e provid] cr$5tial+  
data f ,secret>y ( ,def5se to ,secret>y 
( ,vet]ans ,affairs  7a7 ,9 g5]al ,9 a  
case 9 :i* ! ,secret>y ( ,vet]ans       

,affairs hires a cov]$ heal? c>e        
provid]1 ! ,secret>y ( ,def5se %all1    
aft] receiv+ a reque/ f ! ,secret>y (   
,vet]ans ,affairs = ! cr$5tial+ data ( !
 ,secret>y ( ,def5se relat+ to su* heal?
 c>e provid]1 transf] to ! ,secret>y (  
,vet]ans ,affairs su* cr$5tial+ data4   
7b7 ,cov]$ heal? c>e provid]s ,=        
purposes ( ?is section1 a cov]$ provid] 
is a heal? c>e provid] :o-- 7#a7 is or 0
 employ$ by ! ,secret>y ( ,def5se2  7#b7
 provides or provid$ heal? c>e relat$   
s]vices z "p ( su* employm5t2 &  7#c7 0 
cr$5tial$ by ! ,secret>y ( ,def5se4  7c7
 ,policies & regulations ,! ,secret>y ( 
,vet]ans ,affairs & ! ,secret>y (       
,def5se %all e/abli% su* policies &     
promulgate su* regulations z may be     
necess>y to c>ry out ?is section4  7d7  
,cr$5tial+ def9$ ,9 ?is section1 ! t]m  
cr$5tial+ means ! sy/ematic process (   
scre5+ & evaluat+ qualifications & o!r  
cr$5tials1 includ+ lic5sure1 requir$    
education1 relevant tra9+ & exp]i5ce1 & 
curr5t compet5ce & heal? /atus4  #d4    

,indep5d5t practice ( c]ta9 advanc$     
practice regi/]$ nurses ( ,dep>tm5t (   
,vet]ans ,affairs  7a7 ,9 g5]al ,not)/&+
 any provision ( law ( a ,/ate1 !       
,secret>y ( ,vet]ans ,affairs may       
au?orize a cov]$ nurse to practice      
indep5d5tly1 )\t sup]vision or direction
 ( o!rs1 "u a set ( privileges approv$  
by ! ,secret>y1 reg>dless ( ! ,/ate 9   
:i* ! cov]$ nurse is employ$ by !       
,secret>y4  7b7 ,cov]$ nurses ,=        
purposes ( ?is section1 a cov]$ nurse is
 an advanc$ practice regi/]$ nurse :o is
 employ$ by ! ,secret>y ( ,vet]ans      
,affairs 9 any ( ! foll[+               
specializations3 7#a7 ,nurse ,midwife4  
7#b7 ,cl9ical ,nurse ,speciali/1 )      
respect to ! provision ( m5tal heal?    
c>e4  7#c7 ,nurse ,practition]4