,i #aaeth ,,congress #ast ,session ,h4 ,r4 #cged ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,september #ac1 #bjag,mrs4 ,hartzler introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,veterans' ,affairs ,a ,,bill ,to amend title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 to improve the recruitment1 hiring1 and retention of health professionals by the ,veterans ,health ,administration1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,,vha ,r,ecruitment1 ,h,iring1 and ,r,etention ,act of #bjag or ,,vha ,,rehire ,act of #bjag4 #b4 ,enhancing the recruiting1 hiring1 and retention of health professionals by the ,,vha 7a7 ,establishing the ,department of ,veterans ,affairs ,student ,loan ,repayment ,program 7#a7 ,in general ,chapter #gf of title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 is amended by inserting after subchapter ,,vii the following new subchapter3 ,,viii ,student ,loan ,repayment ,program #gfia4 ,establishment ,as part of the ,educational ,assistance ,program1 the ,secretary may carry out a student loan repayment program under section #ecgi of title #e4 ,the program shall be known as the ,department of ,veterans ,affairs ,student ,loan ,repayment ,program 7in this chapter referred to as the ,student ,loan ,repayment ,program74 #gfib4 ,purpose ,the purpose of the ,student ,loan ,repayment ,program is to assist1 through the establishment of an incentive program for certain individuals employed in the ,veterans ,health ,administration1 in meeting the staffing needs of the ,veterans ,health ,administration for health professional occupations for which recruitment or retention of qualified personnel is difficult4 #gfic4 ,eligibility ,individuals eligible for the ,student ,loan ,repayment ,program shall include any health professional hired under section #gdja of this title who is in an occupation described in section #gfib of this title4 #gfid4 ,term of obligated service ,in addition to any requirements under section #ecgi7;c7 of title #e1 a participant in the ,student ,loan ,repayment ,program must agree1 in writing and before the ,secretary may make any payment to or for the participant1 to serve as a full-time employee of the ,veterans ,health ,administration for one calendar year for every #aj1jjj in such benefits that the employee receives1 but in no case for less than three calendar years4 #gfie4 ,relationship to ,educational ,assistance ,program ,assistance under the ,student ,loan ,repayment ,program may be in addition to other assistance available to individuals under the ,educational ,assistance ,program4 4 7#b7 ,conforming and technical amendments 7,a7 ,conforming amendments 7i7 ,section #gfja7;a7 of title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 is amended-- 7,i7 in paragraph 7#d7 by striking and2 7,,ii7 in paragraph 7#e7 by striking the period and inserting 2 and2 and 7,,iii7 by adding at the end the following new paragraph3 7#f7 the student loan repayment program provided for in subchapter ,,viii of this chapter4 4 7ii7 ,section #gfjc7;a77#a7 of title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 is amended by striking or ,,vi and inserting ,,vi1 or ,,viii4 7iii7 ,section #gfjd of title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 is amended by striking or ,,vi each place it appears and inserting ,,vi1 or ,,viii4 7,b7 ,table of sections ,the table of sections at the beginning of chapter #gf of such title is amended by inserting after the items relating to subchapter ,,vii the following3 ,subchapter ,,viii--,student ,loan ,repayment ,program ,sec4 #gfia4 ,establishment4 #gfib4 ,purpose4 #gfic4 ,eligibility4 #gfid4 ,term of obligated service4 #gfie4 ,relationship to ,educational ,assistance ,program4 4 7b7 ,periods of obligated service for certain employees of the ,veterans ,health ,administration 7#a7 ,employees of the ,veterans ,health ,administration who participate in certain educational assistance programs 7,a7 ,employee ,incentive ,scholarship ,program ,section #gfgb7;e77#a77;,b7 of title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 is amended by striking for not less than #c years and inserting in no case for less than the longer of three calendar years or one calendar year for every #aj1jjj in such benefits that the employee receives under this subchapter4 7,b7 ,education ,debt ,reduction ,program ,section #gfhc of title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 is amended by adding at the end the following new subsections3 7e7 ,agreement ,before the ,secretary may make any education debt reduction payment to or for a participant in the ,education ,debt ,reduction ,program1 the participant must agree in writing to serve as a full-time employee of the ,veterans ,health ,administration for a period of obligated service1 but in no case for less than three calendar years4 7f7 ,penalty ,a participant in the ,education ,debt ,reduction ,program who does not complete a period of obligated service under subsection 7f7 shall owe the ,federal ,government a penalty calculated using the formula in section #gfge7;c7 of this title4 4 7#b7 ,employees of the ,veterans ,health ,administration who receive certain bonuses or allowances ,section #gdaj of title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 is amended-- 7,a7 in subsection 7a71 by striking ,the and inserting ,subject to subsection 7c71 the2 and 7,b7 by adding at the end the following new subsection3 7c7 ,period of obligated service 7#a7 ,before the ,secretary may pay any bonus or allowance under this section to an employee1 the employee must agree in writing to serve as a full-time employee of the ,veterans ,health ,administration for a period of obligated service determined under paragraph 7#b71 but in no case for less than two calendar years4 7#b7 ,a period of obligated service determined under this paragraph shall equal one calendar year for every #aj percent of the base pay of the employee 7or a proportionate ratio thereof7 that the bonus or allowance equals4 7#c7 7,a7 ,an employee who does not complete a period of obligated service under this subsection shall owe the ,federal ,government an amount determined in accordance with the following formula3 ,a#b;,b7,t7,s,t774 7,b7 ,in such formula3 7i7 ,a is the amount the employee owes the ,federal ,government4 7ii7 ,b is the sum of all bonuses or allowances paid to the employee under this section4 7iii7 ,t is the number of months in the period of obligated service of the employee4 7iv7 ,s is the number of whole months of such period of obligated service served by the employee4 4 7c7 ,hiring timelines 7#a7 #ge days to hire ,the ,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs shall offer employment to a qualified applicant for a vacant position in the ,veterans ,health ,administration in a health professional occupation no later than #ge days after the last day the ,secretary accepts applications for such position4 7#b7 ,early application ,the ,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs shall accept an application for a vacant position in the ,veterans ,health ,administration in a health professional occupation from an applicant who1 at the time of application1 has not yet completed the education or training that qualifies an individual for such position if the applicant expects to complete such education or training no later than #ge days after the last day the ,secretary accepts applications for such position4 7#c7 ,flexibility for ,,vha facility directors ,the ,secretary shall ensure that the director of each facility of the ,veterans ,health ,administration has the maximum discretion possible in meeting staffing needs for health professional occupations in each such facility for which recruitment or retention of qualified personnel is difficult4