,i  #aae? ,,congress  #a/ ,session  ,h4 
,r4 #cged  ,,9 ,,! ,,h\se ,,(           
,,repres5tatives  ,septemb] #ac1        
#bjag,mrs4 ,h>tzl] introduc$ ! foll[+   
bill2 :i* 0 ref]r$ to ! ,committee on   
,vet]ans' ,affairs  ,a ,,bill  ,to am5d 
title #ch1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code1 to      
improve ! recruitm5t1 hir+1 & ret5tion (
 heal? pr(essionals by ! ,vet]ans ,heal?
 ,adm9i/ration1 & = o!r purposes4  #a4  
,%ort title ,?is ,act may be cit$ z !   
,,vha ,r,ecruitment1 ,h,iring1 &        
,r,etention ,act ( #bjag or ,,vha       
,,rehire ,act ( #bjag4  #b4 ,enhanc+ !  
recruit+1 hir+1 & ret5tion ( heal?      
pr(essionals by ! ,,vha  7a7 ,e/abli%+ !
 ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs ,/ud5t   
,loan ,repaym5t ,program  7#a7 ,9 g5]al 
,*apt] #gf ( title #ch1 ,unit$ ,/ates   
,code1 is am5d$ by ins]t+ aft] sub*apt] 
,,vii ! foll[+ new sub*apt]3  ,,viii    
,/ud5t ,loan ,repaym5t ,program  #gfia4 
,e/abli%m5t ,z "p ( ! ,educational      
,assi/ance ,program1 ! ,secret>y may    
c>ry out a /ud5t loan repaym5t program  

"u section #ecgi ( title #e4 ,! program 
%all be kn[n z ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans   
,affairs ,/ud5t ,loan ,repaym5t ,program
 79 ?is *apt] ref]r$ to z ! ,/ud5t ,loan
 ,repaym5t ,program74  #gfib4 ,purpose  
,! purpose ( ! ,/ud5t ,loan ,repaym5t   
,program is to assi/1 ?r\gh ! e/abli%m5t
 ( an inc5tive program = c]ta9          
individuals employ$ 9 ! ,vet]ans ,heal? 
,adm9i/ration1 9 meet+ ! /aff+ ne$s ( ! 
,vet]ans ,heal? ,adm9i/ration = heal?   
pr(essional occupations = :i* recruitm5t
 or ret5tion ( qualifi$ p]sonnel is     
difficult4  #gfic4 ,eligibility         
,individuals eligible = ! ,/ud5t ,loan  
,repaym5t ,program %all include any     
heal? pr(essional hir$ "u section #gdja 
( ?is title :o is 9 an occupation       
describ$ 9 section #gfib ( ?is title4   
#gfid4 ,t]m ( obligat$ s]vice ,9        
addition to any requirem5ts "u section  
#ecgi7;c7 ( title #e1 a p>ticipant 9 !  
,/ud5t ,loan ,repaym5t ,program mu/     
agree1 9 writ+ & be=e ! ,secret>y may   
make any paym5t to or = ! p>ticipant1 to

 s]ve z a full-"t employee ( ! ,vet]ans 
,heal? ,adm9i/ration = "o cal5d> ye> = e
 #aj1jjj 9 su* b5efits t ! employee     
receives1 b 9 no case = less ?an ?ree   
cal5d> ye>s4  #gfie4 ,relation%ip to    
,educational ,assi/ance ,program        
,assi/ance "u ! ,/ud5t ,loan ,repaym5t  
,program may be 9 addition to o!r       
assi/ance available to individuals "u ! 
,educational ,assi/ance ,program4  4    
7#b7 ,con=m+ & te*nical am5dm5ts  7,a7  
,con=m+ am5dm5ts  7i7 ,section #gfja7;a7
 ( title #ch1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code1 is   
am5d$-- 7,i7 9 p>agraph 7#d7 by /rik+ &2
  7,,ii7 9 p>agraph 7#e7 by /rik+ !     
p]iod & ins]t+ 2 &2 &  7,,iii7 by add+  
at ! end ! foll[+ new p>agraph3  7#f7 ! 
/ud5t loan repaym5t program provid$ = 9 
sub*apt] ,,viii ( ?is *apt]4  4  7ii7   
,section #gfjc7;a77#a7 ( title #ch1     
,unit$ ,/ates ,code1 is am5d$ by /rik+  
or ,,vi & ins]t+ ,,vi1 or ,,viii4  7iii7
 ,section #gfjd ( title #ch1 ,unit$     
,/ates ,code1 is am5d$ by /rik+ or ,,vi 
ea* place x appe>s & ins]t+ ,,vi1 or    

,,viii4  7,b7 ,table ( sections ,! table
 ( sections at ! beg9n+ ( *apt] #gf (   
su* title is am5d$ by ins]t+ aft] !     
items relat+ to sub*apt] ,,vii ! foll[+3
  ,sub*apt] ,,viii--,/ud5t ,loan        
,repaym5t ,program ,sec4 #gfia4         
,e/abli%m5t4 #gfib4 ,purpose4 #gfic4    
,eligibility4 #gfid4 ,t]m ( obligat$    
s]vice4 #gfie4 ,relation%ip to          
,educational ,assi/ance ,program4  4    
7b7 ,p]iods ( obligat$ s]vice = c]ta9   
employees ( ! ,vet]ans ,heal?           
,adm9i/ration  7#a7 ,employees ( !      
,vet]ans ,heal? ,adm9i/ration :o        
p>ticipate 9 c]ta9 educational assi/ance
 programs  7,a7 ,employee ,inc5tive     
,s*ol>%ip ,program ,section             
#gfgb7;e77#a77;,b7 ( title #ch1 ,unit$  
,/ates ,code1 is am5d$ by /rik+ = n less
 ?an #c ye>s & ins]t+ 9 no case = less  
?an ! long] ( ?ree cal5d> ye>s or "o    
cal5d> ye> = e #aj1jjj 9 su* b5efits t !
 employee receives "u ?is sub*apt]4     
7,b7 ,education ,debt ,r$uction ,program
 ,section #gfhc ( title #ch1 ,unit$     

,/ates ,code1 is am5d$ by add+ at ! end 
! foll[+ new subsections3  7e7 ,agreem5t
 ,be=e ! ,secret>y may make any         
education debt r$uction paym5t to or = a
 p>ticipant 9 ! ,education ,debt        
,r$uction ,program1 ! p>ticipant mu/    
agree 9 writ+ to s]ve z a full-"t       
employee ( ! ,vet]ans ,heal?            
,adm9i/ration = a p]iod ( obligat$      
s]vice1 b 9 no case = less ?an ?ree     
cal5d> ye>s4  7f7 ,p5alty ,a p>ticipant 
9 ! ,education ,debt ,r$uction ,program 
:o does n complete a p]iod ( obligat$   
s]vice "u subsection 7f7 %all owe !     
,f$]al ,gov]nm5t a p5alty calculat$ us+ 
! =mula 9 section #gfge7;c7 ( ?is title4
  4  7#b7 ,employees ( ! ,vet]ans ,heal?
 ,adm9i/ration :o receive c]ta9 bonuses 
or all[ances ,section #gdaj ( title #ch1
 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code1 is am5d$-- 7,a7 9 
subsection 7a71 by /rik+ ,! & ins]t+    
,subject to subsection 7c71 !2 &  7,b7  
by add+ at ! end ! foll[+ new           
subsection3  7c7 ,p]iod ( obligat$      
s]vice  7#a7 ,be=e ! ,secret>y may pay  

any bonus or all[ance "u ?is section to 
an employee1 ! employee mu/ agree 9     
writ+ to s]ve z a full-"t employee ( !  
,vet]ans ,heal? ,adm9i/ration = a p]iod 
( obligat$ s]vice det]m9$ "u p>agraph   
7#b71 b 9 no case = less ?an two cal5d> 
ye>s4  7#b7 ,a p]iod ( obligat$ s]vice  
det]m9$ "u ?is p>agraph %all equal "o   
cal5d> ye> = e #aj p]c5t ( ! base pay ( 
! employee 7or a proportionate ratio    
!re(7 t ! bonus or all[ance equals4     
7#c7  7,a7 ,an employee :o does n       
complete a p]iod ( obligat$ s]vice "u   
?is subsection %all owe ! ,f$]al        
,gov]nm5t an am\nt det]m9$ 9 accordance 
) ! foll[+ =mula3 ,a#b;,b7,t7,s,t774    
7,b7 ,9 su* =mula3 7i7 ,a is ! am\nt !  
employee owes ! ,f$]al ,gov]nm5t4  7ii7 
,b is ! sum ( all bonuses or all[ances  
paid to ! employee "u ?is section4      
7iii7 ,t is ! numb] ( mon?s 9 ! p]iod ( 
obligat$ s]vice ( ! employee4  7iv7 ,s  
is ! numb] ( :ole mon?s ( su* p]iod (   
obligat$ s]vice s]v$ by ! employee4  4  
7c7 ,hir+ timel9es  7#a7 #ge days to    

hire ,! ,secret>y ( ,vet]ans ,affairs   
%all (f] employm5t to a qualifi$        
applicant = a vacant position 9 !       
,vet]ans ,heal? ,adm9i/ration 9 a heal? 
pr(essional occupation no lat] ?an #ge  
days aft] ! la/ day ! ,secret>y accepts 
applications = su* position4  7#b7 ,e>ly
 application ,! ,secret>y ( ,vet]ans    
,affairs %all accept an application = a 
vacant position 9 ! ,vet]ans ,heal?     
,adm9i/ration 9 a heal? pr(essional     
occupation f an applicant :o1 at ! "t ( 
application1 has n yet complet$ !       
education or tra9+ t qualifies an       
individual = su* position if ! applicant
 expects to complete su* education or   
tra9+ no lat] ?an #ge days aft] ! la/   
day ! ,secret>y accepts applications =  
su* position4  7#c7 ,flexibility = ,,vha
 facility directors ,! ,secret>y %all   
ensure t ! director ( ea* facility ( !  
,vet]ans ,heal? ,adm9i/ration has !     
maximum discretion possible 9 meet+     
/aff+ ne$s = heal? pr(essional          
occupations 9 ea* su* facility = :i*    

recruitm5t or ret5tion ( qualifi$       
p]sonnel is difficult4