,,ii  #aagth ,,congress  #b;d ,session  
,s4 #chbj  ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of     
,,the ,,united ,,states  ,march #aj     
7legislative day1 ,march #g71 #bjbb,mr4 
,blumenthal 7for himself and ,ms4       
,hirono7 introduced the following bill2 
which was read twice and referred to the
 ,committee on ,veterans' ,affairs  ,a  
,,bill  ,to amend title #ch1 ,united    
,states ,code1 to increase the rate of  
pay for certain nurses and other medical
 positions of the ,department of        
,veterans ,affairs1 and for other       
purposes4  #a4 ,short title ,this ,act  
may be cited as the ,department of      
,veterans ,affairs ,nurse and ,physician
 ,assistant ,retention ,and ,income     
,security ,enhancement ,act or the ,,va 
,nurse and ,physician ,assistant ,,raise
 ,act4  #b4 ,pay for nurses and certain 
other medical positions of the          
,department of ,veterans ,affairs       
,section #gdea of title #ch1 ,united    
,states ,code1 is amended-- 7#a7 in     
subsection 7a77#b77;,c71 by striking and

 physician assistant and inserting      
physician assistant1 and podiatrist2 and
  7#b7 in subsection 7c71 by striking   
paragraph 7#b7 and inserting the        
following3  7#b7 ,the maximum rate of   
basic pay for any grade for a covered   
position may not exceed-- 7,a7 in the   
case of an advanced practice nurse1 the 
maximum rate of basic pay established   
for positions in level ,i of the        
,executive ,schedule under section #ecab
 of title #e2  7,b7 in the case of a    
physician assistant1 the maximum rate of
 basic pay established for positions in 
level ,i of the ,executive ,schedule    
under section #ecab of title #e2  7,c7  
in the case of a registered nurse1 the  
maximum rate of basic pay established   
for positions in level ,,ii of the      
,executive ,schedule under section #ecac
 of title #e2 and  7,d7 in the case of  
any other covered position1 the maximum 
rate of basic pay established for       
positions in level ,,iv of the          
,executive ,schedule under section #ecae

 of title #e4  4