,i  #aafth ,,congress  #ast ,session    
,h4 ,r4 #dcad  ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of  
,,representatives  ,september #ab1      
#bjai,mr4 ,higgins of ,louisiana 7for   
himself and ,mr4 ,mast7 introduced the  
following bill2 which was referred to   
the ,committee on ,veterans' ,affairs1  
and in addition to the ,committee on    
,armed ,services1 for a period to be    
subsequently determined by the ,speaker1
 in each case for consideration of such 
provisions as fall within the           
jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
,a ,,bill  ,to amend title #aj1 ,united 
,states ,code1 to authorize the         
,secretary of ,defense to appoint       
officers of the ,armed ,forces as       
directors of medical centers of the     
,department of ,veterans ,affairs1 and  
for other purposes4  #a4 ,reorganization
 of ,department of ,veterans ,affairs   
medical center directors  7a7           
,reorganization ,chapter #ee of title   
#aj1 ,united ,states ,code1 is amended  
by inserting after section #aajd the    

following new section3  #aajd;a4        
,appointment of directors of medical    
centers of the ,department of ,veterans 
,affairs  7a7 ,appointment by ,secretary
 of ,defense ,the ,secretary of ,defense
 shall appoint the director of each     
medical center of the ,department of    
,veterans ,affairs4  7b7 ,qualifications
 ,the ,secretary of ,defense1 in        
consultation with the ,secretaries of   
the military departments1 shall         
establish the common qualifications and 
core competencies required for an       
officer of the armed forces to serve as 
a director under this section4  7c7     
,functions and responsibilities ,each   
director under this section shall have  
the functions and responsibilities of a 
director of a medical center of the     
,department of ,veterans ,affairs under 
title #ch1 and any other functions or   
responsibilities as the ,secretary of   
,defense may assign4  7d7 ,training of  
officers ,the ,secretary of ,defense    
shall provide training to officers of   

the armed forces to serve as directors  
under this section through the joint    
medical executive skills development    
program established under ,department of
 ,defense ,instruction #fjjj4ae 7or any 
successor instruction74  4  7b7         
,conforming amendments  7#a7 ,title #ch 
,title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 is   
amended-- 7,a7 in section #gdja7d71 by  
striking ,directors of medical centers  
and directors and inserting ,directors2 
and  7,b7 in section #gdjb7;b71 by      
striking ,center1 in the heading of     
paragraph 7#d74  7#b7 ,,va ,choice and  
,quality ,employment ,act of #bjag      
,section #baj of the ,,va ,choice and   
,quality ,employment ,act of #bjag      
7,public ,law #aae-df2 #aca ,stat4 #ife2
 #ch ,u4,s4,c4 #gdja note7 is repealed4 
7c7 ,clerical amendment ,the table of   
sections at the beginning of chapter #ee
 of title #aj1 ,united ,states ,code1 is
 amended by inserting after the item    
relating to section #aajd the following 
new item3  #aajd;a4 ,appointment of     

directors of medical centers of the     
,department of ,veterans ,affairs4  4   
7d7 ,effective date ,this ,act and the  
amendments made by this ,act shall apply
 with respect to a director of a medical
 center of the ,department of ,veterans 
,affairs appointed on or after the date 
of the enactment of this ,act4