,i  #aae? ,,congress  #a/ ,session  ,h4 
,r4 #aghc  ,,9 ,,! ,,h\se ,,(           
,,repres5tatives  ,m>* #bi1 #bjag,mr4   
,graves ( ,miss\ri 7= himself1 ,ms4     
,s*ak[sky1 & ,ms4 ,roybal-,all>d7       
introduc$ ! foll[+ bill2 :i* 0 ref]r$ to
 ! ,committee on ,vet]ans' ,affairs1 & 9
 addition to ! ,committee on ,arm$      
,s]vices1 = a p]iod to be subsequ5tly   
det]m9$ by ! ,speak]1 9 ea* case =      
consid]ation ( su* provisions z fall )9 
! jurisdiction ( ! committee conc]n$  ,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 ! ,improv+ ,vet]ans ,access  
to ,quality ,c>e ,act ( #bjag4  #b4     
,expansion ( availability ( pro/hetic & 
or?otic c>e = vet]ans  7a7 ,e/abli%m5t  
or expansion ( advanc$ degree programs  
,to exp& availability ( c>e ,! ,secret>y
 ( ,vet]ans ,affairs %all "w )          
in/itutions ( high] education to develop
 p>tn]%ips = ! e/abli%m5t or expansion (

 programs ( advanc$ degrees 9 pro/hetics
 & or?otics 9 ord] to improve & enhance 
! availability ( high quality pro/hetic 
& or?otic c>e = vet]ans4  7b7 ,report   
7#a7 ,9 g5]al ,n lat] ?an "o ye> aft] ! 
effective date specifi$ 9 subsection    
7d71 ! ,secret>y %all submit to !       
,committee on ,vet]ans' ,affairs ( !    
,s5ate & ! ,committee on ,vet]ans'      
,affairs ( ! ,h\se ( ,repres5tatives a  
report sett+ =? a plan = c>ry+ out      
subsection 7a74  7#b7 ,developm5t ( plan
 ,! ,secret>y %all develop ! plan       
requir$ "u p>agraph 7#a7 9 consultation 
) vet]ans s]vice organizations1         
in/itutions ( high] education ) accr$it$
 degree programs 9 pro/hetics &         
or?otics1 & repres5tatives ( !          
pro/hetics & or?otics field4  7c7 ,fund+
  7#a7 ,au?orization ( appropriations   
,!re is au?oriz$ to be appropriat$ =    
fiscal ye> #bjag = ! ,dep>tm5t (        
,vet]ans ,affairs1 #e1jjj1jjj to c>ry   
out ?is section4  7#b7 ,availability ,! 
am\nt au?oriz$ to be appropriat$ by     

p>agraph 7#a7 %all rema9 available =    
exp5diture until ,septemb] #cj1 #bjbj4  
7d7 ,effective date ,?is section %all   
take effect on ! date t is "o ye> aft] !
 date ( ! enactm5t ( ?is ,act4  #c4     
,provision ( full practice au?ority =   
advanc$ practice regi/]$ nurses1        
physician assi/ants1 & o!r heal? c>e    
pr(essionals ( ! dep>tm5t ( vet]ans     
affairs  7a7 ,full practice au?ority ,! 
,secret>y ( ,vet]ans ,affairs %all      
provide full practice au?ority to       
advanc$ practice regi/]$ nurses1        
physician assi/ants1 & su* o!r lic5s$   
heal? c>e pr(essionals ( ! ,dep>tm5t (  
,vet]ans ,affairs z is consi/5t ) !     
education1 tra9+1 & c]tification ( su*  
heal? c>e pr(essionals4  7b7            
,inapplicability ( ,/ate limitations    
,full practice au?ority %all be provid$ 
by ! ,secret>y "u subsection 7a7 to     
heal? c>e pr(essionals describ$ 9 t     
subsection )\t reg>d to any limitation t
 w\ld o!rwise be impos$ on ! heal? c>e  
practice ( su* pr(essionals by a lic5s+ 

or cr$5tial+ body ( a ,/ate or o!rwise  
"u ,/ate law4  7c7 ,def9itions ,9 ?is   
section3 7#a7 ,! t]m advanc$ practice   
regi/]$ nurse has ! mean+ giv5 t t]m 9  
section #eeji7;e77#a7 ( ,public ,law    
#aaa-adh 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #acieww note74  
7#b7 ,! t]m full practice au?ority      
means-- 7,a7 ) respect to an advanc$    
practice regi/]$ nurse1 ! full scope (  
practice = ! area ( nurs+ practic$ by ! 
advanc$ practice regi/]$ nurse z det]m9$
 by ! national pr(essional association  
or organization1 a successor association
 or organization1 or any o!r appropriate
 entity z det]m9$ by ! ,secret>y = su*  
area ( nurs+2  7,b7 ) respect to a      
physician assi/ant1 ! full scope (      
practice = ! area ( m$ic9e practic$ by !
 physician assi/ant z det]m9$ by !      
national pr(essional association or     
organization1 a successor association or
 organization1 or any o!r appropriate   
entity z det]m9$ by ! ,secret>y = su*   
area ( m$ic9e2 &  7,c7 ) respect to any 
o!r lic5s$ heal? c>e pr(essional n      

specifi$ 9 subp>agraph 7,a7 or 7,b71 !  
full scope ( practice = ! area ( m$ic9e 
practic$ by ! lic5s$ heal? c>e          
pr(essional z det]m9$ by ! national     
pr(essional association or organization1
 a successor association or             
organization1 or any o!r appropriate    
entity z det]m9$ by ! ,secret>y = su*   
area ( m$ic9e4  7#c7 ,! t]m physician   
assi/ant has ! mean+ giv5 t t]m 9       
section #ahfa7;aa77#e77;,a7 ( ! ,social 
,security ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4           
#aciex7aa77#e77;,a774  #d4 ,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  7e7    
,effective date ,?is section %all take  
effect on ! date t is "o ye> aft] ! date
 ( ! enactm5t ( ?is ,act4