#aagth ,,congress  #b;d ,session  ,h4   
,r4 #egba  ,,an ,,act  ,to amend title  
#ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 to improve  
research conducted within the           
,department of ,veterans ,affairs1 and  
for other purposes4  #a4 ,short title   
,this ,act may be cited as the ,,va     
,infrastructure ,powers ,exceptional    
,research ,act of #bjba or the ,,viper  
,act of #bjba4  #b4 ,inapplicability of 
,paperwork ,reduction ,act  7a7 ,in     
general ,chapter #a of title #ch1       
,united ,states ,code1 is amended by    
adding at the end the following new     
section3  #abj4 ,inapplicability of     
,paperwork ,reduction ,act ,subchapter  
,i of chapter #ce of title #dd1 ,united 
,states ,code 7commonly known as the    
,paperwork ,reduction ,act7 shall not   
apply to research activities of the     
,department1 including activities under 
subchapter ,v of chapter #gc4  4  7b7   
,clerical amendment ,the table of       
sections at the beginning of such       
chapter is amended by adding at the end 

the following new item3  #abj4          
,inapplicability of ,paperwork          
,reduction ,act4  4  #c4 ,research and  
,development  7a7 ,office of ,research  
and ,development ,chapter #gc of title  
#ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 is amended  
by adding at the end the following new  
subchapter3  ,v ,research and           
,development  #gcha4 ,office of         
,research and ,development  7a7 ,office 
of ,research and ,development ,there is 
in the ,veterans ,health ,administration
 an ,office of ,research and            
,development 7in this section referred  
to as the ,office74  7b7 ,purposes ,the 
function of the ,office is to serve     
veterans through a full spectrum of     
research 7including pre-clinical1       
clinical1 and health systems science71  
technology transfer1 and application4   
7c7 ,chief ,research and ,development   
,officer ,the head of the ,office is the
 ,chief ,research and ,development      
,officer4  7d7 ,organization and        
personnel ,the ,office shall be         

organized in such manner1 and its       
personnel shall perform such duties and 
have such titles1 as the ,secretary may 
prescribe4  #gchb4 ,research personnel  
7a7 ,waiver of ,intergovernmental       
,personnel ,act ,mobility ,program      
limits ,the ,secretary may waive the    
limit on the period and number of       
assignments required under section      
#ccgb7;a7 of title #e with respect to an
 individual who performs research for   
the ,department under the mobility      
program under subchapter ,,vi of chapter
 #cc of such title 7commonly referred to
 as the ,intergovernmental ,personnel   
,act ,mobility ,program74  7b7 ,outside 
earned income for research for the      
,department  7#a7 ,compensation from a  
nonprofit corporation established under 
subchapter ,,iv of this chapter1 or a   
university affiliated with the          
,department1 may be paid1 without regard
 to section #bji of title #ah1 to an    
employee described in paragraph 7#b71   
for research conducted pursuant to      

section #gcjc of this title if-- 7,a7   
the research has been approved in       
accordance with procedures prescribed by
 the ,under ,secretary for ,health2     
7,b7 the employee conducts research     
under the supervision of personnel of   
the ,department2 and  7,c7 the          
,secretary agreed to the terms of such  
compensation in writing4  7#b7 ,an      
employee described in this subsection is
 an employee who has an appointment     
within the ,department1 whether with or 
without compensation1 and without regard
 to the source of such compensation4  4 
7b7 ,clerical amendment ,the table of   
sections at the beginning of such       
chapter is amended by adding at the end 
the following3  ,subchapter             
,v--,research and ,development #gcha4   
,office of ,research and ,development4  
#gchb4 ,research personnel4  4  #d4     
,expansion of hiring authorities for    
certain classes of research occupations 
,section #gdja7c7 of title #ch1 ,united 
,states ,code1 is amended by inserting  

statisticians1 economists1              
informaticists1 data scientists1 and    
after blind rehabilitation outpatient   
specialists14  ,passed the ,house of    
,representatives ,november #ag1         
#bjbb4;,clerk4