#aaeth ,,congress  #ast ,session  ,h4   
,r4 #cbfb  ,,an ,,act  ,to require the  
,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs to     
carry out a pilot program to provide    
educational assistance to certain former
 members of the ,armed ,forces for      
education and training as physician     
assistants of the ,department of        
,veterans ,affairs1 and for other       
purposes4  #a4 ,short title ,this ,act  
may be cited as the ,grow ,our ,own     
,directive3 ,physician ,assistant       
,employment and ,education ,act of      
#bjag4  #b4 ,pilot program to provide   
educational assistance to physician     
assistants to be employed at the        
,department of ,veterans ,affairs  7a7  
,pilot program  7#a7 ,in general ,the   
,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs shall  
carry out a pilot program to be known as
 the ,grow ,our ,own ,directive or      
,g4,o4,o4,d4 pilot program 7in this     
section referred to as the pilot        
program7 to provide educational         
assistance to certain former members of 

the ,armed ,forces for education and    
training as physician assistants of the 
,department of ,veterans ,affairs4  7#b7
 ,information on pilot program ,the     
,secretary shall provide information on 
the pilot program to eligible           
individuals under subsection 7b71       
including information on application    
requirements and a list of entities with
 which the ,secretary has partnered     
under subsection 7g74  7b7 ,eligible    
individuals ,an individual is eligible  
to participate in the pilot program if  
the individual--  7#a7 has medical or   
military health experience gained while 
serving as a member of the ,armed       
,forces2  7#b7 has received a           
certificate1 associate degree1          
baccalaureate degree1 master's degree1  
or postbaccalaureate training in a      
science relating to health care2  7#c7  
is not eligible to participate in       
educational assistance under chapter    
#cj1 #ca1 #cb1 #cc1 #cd1 or #ce of title
 #ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 or chapter 

#afjf or #afjg of title #aj1 ,united    
,states ,code2  7#d7 has participated in
 the delivery of health care services or
 related medical services1 including    
participation in military training      
relating to the identification1         
evaluation1 treatment1 and prevention of
 diseases and disorders2 and  7#e7 does 
not have a degree of doctor of medicine1
 doctor of osteopathy1 or doctor of     
dentistry4  7c7 ,duration ,the pilot    
program shall be carried out during the 
#e-year period beginning on the date    
that is #ahj days after the date of the 
enactment of this ,act4  7d7 ,selection 
7#a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary shall  
select not less than #bej eligible      
individuals under subsection 7b7 to     
participate in the pilot program4  7#b7 
,priority for selection ,in selecting   
individuals to participate in the pilot 
program under paragraph 7#a71 the       
,secretary shall give priority to the   
following individuals3  7,a7            
,individuals who participated in the    

,intermediate ,care ,technician ,pilot  
,program of the ,department that was    
carried out by the ,secretary between   
,january #bjaa and ,february #bjae4     
7,b7 ,individuals who agree to be       
employed as a physician assistant for   
the ,veterans ,health ,administration at
 a medical facility of the ,department  
located in a community that--  7i7 is   
designated as a medically underserved   
population under section                
#ccj7;b77#c77;,a7 of the ,public ,health
 ,service ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4           
#bed;b7b77#c77;,a772 and  7ii7 is in a  
,state with a per capita population of  
veterans of more than #i percent        
according to the ,national ,center for  
,veterans ,analysis and ,statistics and 
the ,united ,states ,census ,bureau4    
7e7 ,educational assistance  7#a7 ,in   
general ,in carrying out the pilot      
program1 the ,secretary shall provide   
educational assistance to individuals   
participating in the pilot program1     
including through the use of            

scholarships1 to cover the costs to such
 individuals of obtaining a master's    
degree in physician assistant studies or
 a similar master's degree4  7#b7 ,use  
of existing programs ,in providing      
educational assistance under paragraph  
7#a71 the ,secretary shall use the      
,department of ,veterans ,affairs       
,health ,professionals ,educational     
,assistance ,program under chapter #gf  
of title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 and
 such other educational assistance      
programs of the ,department as the      
,secretary considers appropriate4  7#c7 
,use of scholarships ,the ,secretary    
shall provide not less than #ce         
scholarships under the pilot program to 
individuals participating in the pilot  
program during each year in which the   
pilot program is carried out4  7f7      
,period of obligated service  7#a7 ,in  
general ,the ,secretary shall enter into
 an agreement with each individual      
participating in the pilot program in   
which such individual agrees to be      

employed as a physician assistant for   
the ,veterans ,health ,administration   
for a period of obligated service       
specified in paragraph 7#b74  7#b7      
,period specified ,with respect to each 
individual participating in the pilot   
program1 the period of obligated service
 specified in this paragraph for the    
individual is-- 7,a7 if the individual  
is participating in the pilot program   
through a program described in          
subsection 7e77#b7 that specifies a     
period of obligated service1 the period 
specified with respect to such program2 
or  7,b7 if the individual is           
participating in the pilot program other
 than through a program described in    
such subsection1 or if such program does
 not specify a period of obligated      
service1 a period of three years or such
 other period as the ,secretary         
considers appropriate for purposes of   
the pilot program4  7g7 ,breach  7#a7   
,liability ,except as provided in       
paragraph 7#b71 an individual who       

participates in the pilot program and   
fails to satisfy the period of obligated
 service under subsection 7f7 shall be  
liable to the ,united ,states1 in lieu  
of such obligated service1 for the      
amount that has been paid or is payable 
to or on behalf of the individual under 
the pilot program1 reduced by the       
proportion that the number of days      
served for completion of the period of  
obligated service bears to the total    
number of days in the period of         
obligated service of such individual4   
7#b7 ,exception ,if an individual is    
participating in the pilot program      
through a program described in          
subsection 7e77#b7 that specifies a     
period of obligated service1 the        
liability of the individual for failing 
to satisfy the period of obligated      
service under subsection 7f7 shall be   
determined as specified with respect to 
such program4  7h7 ,mentors ,the        
,secretary shall ensure that a physician
 assistant mentor or mentors are        

available for individuals participating 
in the pilot program at each facility of
 the ,veterans ,health ,administration  
at which a participant in the pilot     
program is employed4  7i7 ,partnerships 
,in carrying out the pilot program1 the 
,secretary shall seek to partner with   
the following3 7#a7 ,not less than #ae  
institutions of higher education that-- 
7,a7 offer a master's degree program in 
physician assistant studies or a similar
 area of study that is accredited by the
 ,accreditation ,review ,commission on  
,education for the ,physician           
,assistant2 and  7,b7 agree--  7i7 to   
guarantee seats in such master's degree 
program for individuals participating in
 the pilot program who meet the entrance
 requirements for such master's degree  
program2 and  7ii7 to provide           
individuals participating in the pilot  
program with information on admissions  
criteria and the admissions process4    
7#b7 ,other institutions of higher      
education that offer programs in        

physician assistant studies or other    
similar areas of studies that are       
accredited by the ,accreditation ,review
 ,commission on ,education for the      
,physician ,assistant4  7#c7 ,the       
,transition ,assistance ,program of the 
,department of ,defense4  7#d7 ,the     
,veterans' ,employment and ,training    
,service of the ,department of ,labor4  
7#e7 ,programs carried out under chapter
 #da of title #ch1 ,united ,states      
,code1 for the purpose of marketing and 
advertising the pilot program to        
veterans and members of the ,armed      
,forces who may be interested in the    
pilot program4  7j7 ,administration of  
pilot program ,for purposes of carrying 
out the pilot program1 the ,secretary   
shall appoint or select within the      
,office of ,physician ,assistant        
,services of the ,veterans ,health      
,administration the following3 7#a7 ,a  
,deputy ,director for ,education and    
,career ,development of ,physician      
,assistants who--  7,a7 is a physician  

assistant1 a veteran1 and employed by   
the ,department as of the date of the   
enactment of this ,act2  7,b7 is        
responsible for--  7i7 overseeing the   
pilot program2  7ii7 recruiting         
candidates to participate in the pilot  
program2  7iii7 coordinating with       
individuals participating in the pilot  
program and assisting those individuals 
in applying and being admitted to a     
master's degree program under the pilot 
program2 and  7iv7 providing information
 to eligible individuals under          
subsection 7b7 with respect to the pilot
 program2 and  7,c7 may be employed in  
the field at a medical center of the    
,department4  7#b7 ,a ,deputy ,director 
of ,recruitment and ,retention who--    
7,a7 is a physician assistant1 a        
veteran1 and employed by the ,department
 as of the date of the enactment of this
 ,act2  7,b7 is responsible for--  7i7  
identifying and coordinating the needs  
of the pilot program and assist the     
,secretary in providing mentors under   

subsection 7h7 to participants in the   
pilot program2 and  7ii7 coordinating   
the staff of facilities of the ,veterans
 ,health ,administration with respect to
 identifying employment positions and   
mentors under subsection 7h7 for        
participants in the pilot program2 and  
7,c7 may be employed in the field at a  
medical center of the ,department4  7#c7
 ,a recruiter who--  7,a7 reports       
directly to the ,deputy ,director of    
,recruitment and ,retention2 and  7,b7  
works with the ,workforce ,management   
and ,consulting ,office and the         
,healthcare ,talent ,management ,office 
of the ,veterans ,health ,administration
 to develop and implement national      
recruiting strategic plans for the      
recruitment and retention of physician  
assistants within the ,department4  7#d7
 ,an administrative assistant1          
compensated at a rate not less than     
level ,,gs-#f of the ,general ,schedule1
 or equivalent1 who assists with        
administrative duties relating to the   

pilot program in the ,office of         
,physician ,assistant ,services and such
 other duties as determined by the      
,secretary to ensure that the ,office   
runs effectively and efficiently4  7k7  
,report  7#a7 ,in general ,not later    
than #a year after the date of the      
enactment of this ,act1 the ,secretary  
of ,veterans ,affairs1 in collaboration 
with the ,secretary of ,labor1 the      
,secretary of ,defense1 and the         
,secretary of ,health and ,human        
,services1 shall submit to ,congress a  
report on the pilot program4  7#b7      
,elements ,the report required by       
paragraph 7#a7 shall include the        
following3 7,a7 ,the extent to which the
 pilot program is effective in improving
 the ability of eligible individuals    
under subsection 7b7 to become physician
 assistants2  7,b7 ,an examination of   
whether the pilot program is achieving  
the goals of-- 7i7 enabling individuals 
to build on medical skills gained as    
members of the ,armed ,forces by        

entering into the physician assistant   
workforce of the ,department2 and  7ii7 
helping to meet the shortage of         
physician assistants employed by the    
,department4  7,c7 ,an identification of
 such modifications to the pilot program
 as the ,secretary of ,veterans         
,affairs1 the ,secretary of ,labor1 the 
,secretary of ,defense1 and the         
,secretary of ,health and ,human        
,services consider necessary to meet the
 goals described in subparagraph 7,b74  
7,d7 ,an assessment of whether the pilot
 program could serve as a model for     
other programs of the ,department to    
assist individuals in obtaining         
certification and employment in other   
health care fields4  7l7 ,source of     
amounts ,not less than #h1jjj1jjj of the
 amount necessary to carry out the pilot
 program shall be derived from amounts  
appropriated to the ,department of      
,veterans ,affairs before the date of   
the enactment of this ,act4  #c4        
,establishment of standards for the     

,department of ,veterans ,affairs for   
using educational assistance programs to
 educate and hire physician assistants  
7a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary of      
,veterans ,affairs shall establish      
standards described in subsection 7b7 to
 improve the use by the ,department of  
,veterans ,affairs of the ,department of
 ,veterans ,affairs ,health             
,professionals ,educational ,assistance 
,program under chapter #gf of title #ch1
 ,united ,states ,code1 and other       
educational assistance programs of the  
,department1 including the pilot program
 under section #b1 to educate and hire  
physician assistants of the ,department4
  7b7 ,standards ,the standards         
described in this subsection are the    
following3  7#a7 ,holding directors of  
medical centers of the ,department      
accountable for failure to use the      
educational assistance programs         
described in subsection 7a7 and other   
incentives-- 7,a7 to advance employees  
of the ,department in their education as

 physician assistants2 and  7,b7 to     
improve recruitment and retention of    
physician assistants4  7#b7 ,ensuring   
that the ,department of ,veterans       
,affairs ,education ,debt ,reduction    
,program under subchapter ,,vii of      
chapter #gf of such title is available  
for participants in the pilot program   
under section #b to fill vacant         
physician assistant positions at the    
,department1 including by--  7,a7       
including in all vacancy announcements  
for physician assistant positions the   
availability of the ,education ,debt    
,reduction ,program2 and  7,b7 informing
 applicants to physician assistant      
positions of their eligibility for the  
,education ,debt ,reduction ,program4   
7#c7 ,monitoring compliance with the    
application process for educational     
assistance programs described in        
subsection 7a7 to ensure that such      
programs are being fully utilized to    
carry out this section4  7#d7 ,creating 
programs1 including through the use of  

the ,department of ,veterans ,affairs   
,employee ,incentive ,scholarship       
,program under subchapter ,,vi of       
chapter #gf of such title1 to encourage 
employees of the ,department to apply to
 accredited physician assistant         
programs4  7c7 ,regulations ,the        
,secretary shall prescribe such         
regulations as the ,secretary considers 
appropriate to carry out this section4  
#d4 ,extension of requirement for       
collection of fees for housing loans    
guaranteed by secretary of ,veterans    
,affairs ,section #cgbi7;b77#b7 of title
 #ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 is         
amended--  7#a7 in subparagraph 7,a7--  
7,a7 in clause 7iii71 by striking       
,september #cj1 #bjbd and inserting     
,december #ca1 #bjbd2 and  7,b7 in      
clause 7iv71 by striking ,september #cj1
 #bjbd and inserting ,december #ca1     
#bjbd2  7#b7 in subparagraph 7,b7--     
7,a7 in clause 7i71 by striking         
,september #cj1 #bjbd and inserting     
,december #ca1 #bjbd2 and  7,b7 in      

clause 7ii71 by striking ,september #cj1
 #bjbd and inserting ,december #ca1     
#bjbd2  7#c7 in subparagraph 7,c7-- 7,a7
 in clause 7i71 by striking ,september  
#cj1 #bjbd and inserting ,december #ca1 
#bjbd2 and  7,b7 in clause 7ii71 by     
striking ,september #cj1 #bjbd and      
inserting ,december #ca1 #bjbd2 and     
7#d7 in subparagraph 7,d7--  7,a7 in    
clause 7i71 by striking ,september #cj1 
#bjbd and inserting ,december #ca1      
#bjbd2 and  7,b7 in clause 7ii71 by     
striking ,september #cj1 #bjbd and      
inserting ,december #ca1 #bjbd4  ,passed
 the ,house of ,representatives ,july   
#bh1 #bjag4;,clerk4