,,ii  #aai? ,,congress  #a/ ,session    
,s4 #dbc  ,,9 ,,! ,,s5ate ,,( ,,!       
,,unit$ ,,/ates  ,febru>y #e1 #bjbe,mr4 
,sullivan 7= himself1 ,mr4 ,m>%all1 ,mr4
 ,budd1 ,mr4 ,wick]1 ,mrs4 ,blackburn1  
,mr4 ,scott ( ,florida1 ,mr4 ,da9es1    
,mr4 ,grassley1 ,mr4 ,ricketts1 ,mr4    
,tub]ville1 ,ms4 ,murk[ski1 ,mr4        
,tillis1 & ,ms4 ,ern/7 introduc$ !      
foll[+ bill2 :i* 0 read twice & ref]r$  
to ! ,committee on ,vet]ans' ,affairs   
,a ,,bill  ,to protect regul> ord] =    
budget+ = ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans        
,affairs1 & = o!r purposes4  #a4 ,%ort  
title ,?is ,act may be cit$ z !         
,protect+ ,regul> ,ord] = ,vet]ans ,act 
( #bjbe or ! ,,pro ,vet]ans ,act (      
#bjbe4  #b4 ,protect+ regul> ord] =     
vet]ans  7a7 ,qu>t]ly brief+s on        
,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs budget>y  
%ortfalls  7#a7 ,qu>t]ly brief+s  7,a7  
,qu>t]ly brief+s requir$ ,dur+ ! fir/   
qu>t] beg9n+ aft] ! date ( ! enactm5t ( 
?is ,act & 9 ea* qu>t] !reaft] until !  
date t is ?ree ye>s aft] ! date ( !     

enactm5t ( ?is ,act1 ! ,secret>y (      
,vet]ans ,affairs %all provide to !     
appropriate committees ( ,congress a    
qu>t]ly brief+1 9 p]son1 on ! budget ( !
 ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs & any    
%ortfall ! ,dep>tm5t may be exp]i5c+4   
7,b7 ,plans ,9 any case 9 :i* !         
,secret>y in=ms ,congress dur+ a brief+ 
"u p>agraph 7#a7 t ! ,dep>tm5t is       
exp]i5c+ a %ortfall1 ! ,secret>y %all1  
dur+ su* brief+1 pres5t ! plans ( !     
,secret>y to address or mitigate !      
%ortfall4  7#b7 ,def9itions ,9 ?is      
subsection3 7,a7 ,appropriate committees
 ( ,congress ,! t]m appropriate         
committees ( ,congress means-- 7i7 !    
,committee on ,vet]ans' ,affairs & !    
,committee on ,appropriations ( !       
,s5ate2 &  7ii7 ! ,committee on         
,vet]ans' ,affairs & ! ,committee on    
,appropriations ( ! ,h\se (             
,repres5tatives4  7,b7 ,%ortfall ,! t]m 
%ortfall1 ) respect to a fiscal ye>1    
means t ! am\nt ( appropriations requir$
 by ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs =   

su* fiscal ye> to meet all ( ! /atutory 
obligations ( ! ,dep>tm5t dur+ t fiscal 
ye> exce$s ! am\nt ( appropriations     
reque/$ = ! ,dep>tm5t = t fiscal ye> 9 !
 budget ( ! ,presid5t submitt$ pursuant 
to section #aaje7;a7 ( title #ca1 ,unit$
 ,/ates ,code1 = t fiscal ye>4  7b7     
,limitations on provision ( inc5tives = 
critical skills to ,s5ior ,executive    
,s]vice employees ( ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans
 ,affairs ,section #gjf7;d7 ( title #ch1
 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code1 is am5d$ by add+  
at ! end ! foll[+3  7#g7 7,a7 ,subject  
to subp>agraph 7,b77ii71 a critical     
skill inc5tive may n be provid$ "u      
p>agraph 7#a7 to an employee ( !        
,dep>tm5t employ$ 9 a ,s5ior ,executive 
,s]vice position1 or a position 9 ano!r 
comp>able sy/em = s5ior-level ,gov]nm5t 
employees1 z def9$ by ! ,secret>y1 ^:   
position is at ! ,c5tral ,(fice ( !     
,dep>tm5t1 includ+ ! ,vet]ans ,heal?    
,adm9i/ration1 ! ,vet]ans ,b5efits      
,adm9i/ration1 & ! ,national ,cemet]y   
,adm9i/ration1 reg>dless ( ! actual     

location :]e ! employee p]=ms !         
functions ( ! position4  7,b7 7i7 ,a    
critical skill inc5tive provid$ "u      
p>agraph 7#a7 to an employee ( !        
,dep>tm5t employ$ 9 a ,s5ior ,executive 
,s]vice position1 or a position 9 ano!r 
comp>able sy/em = s5ior-level ,gov]nm5t 
employees1 z def9$ by ! ,secret>y1 n    
describ$ 9 subp>agraph 7,a7 ( ?is       
p>agraph may only be provid$-- 7,i7 on  
an individual basis & may n be provid$  
to a gr\p ( su* employees2 &  7,,ii7 ^u 
approval ( ! foll[+ (fic]s or ^? s]v+ 9 
an act+ capacity3 7aa7 ,! ,"u ,secret>y 
= ,b5efits1 ! ,"u ,secret>y = ,heal?1 or
 ! ,"u ,secret>y = ,memorial ,affairs4  
7bb7 ,! ,assi/ant ,secret>y = ,human    
,res\rces & ,adm9i/ration4  7cc7 ,!     
,director ( ! ,(fice ( ,managem5t or !  
,*ief ,f9ancial ,(fic]4  7dd7 ,!        
,assi/ant ,secret>y = ,acc\ntability &  
,:i/lebl[] ,protection4  7ee7 ,! ,g5]al 
,c\nsel4  7ff7 ,su* o!r (fic]s z !      
,secret>y det]m9es appropriate4  7ii7 ,9
 ! case ( an employee ( ! ,dep>tm5t     

employ$ 9 a ,s5ior ,executive ,s]vice   
position1 or a position 9 ano!r         
comp>able sy/em = s5ior-level ,gov]nm5t 
employees1 z def9$ by ! ,secret>y1 ^:   
position is prim>ily at ! ,c5tral ,(fice
 ( ! ,dep>tm5t1 b :o p]=ms "s portion ( 
! employee's job function at o!r        
facilities ( ! ,dep>tm5t1 z def9$ by !  
,secret>y1 n at ,c5tral ,(fice-- 7,i7 ! 
employee %all n be consid]$ describ$ 9  
subp>agraph 7,a7 ) respect to ! portion 
( ! employee's job function t is bas$   
out ( non-,c5tral ,(fice facilities ( ! 
,dep>tm5t2 &  7,,ii7 any critical skill 
inc5tive provid$ "u p>agraph 7#a7 to !  
employee = ! portion ( ! employee's job 
function t is bas$ out ( facilities ( ! 
,dep>tm5t o!r ?an ! ,c5tral ,(fice %all 
be proportionate to ! "t sp5t at ^?     
,dep>tm5t facilities4  7,c7 7i7 ,n lat] 
?an "o ye> aft] ! date ( ! enactm5t ( ! 
,protect+ ,regul> ,ord] = ,vet]ans ,act 
( #bjbe1 & n less frequ5tly ?an once ea*
 ye> !reaft]1 ! ,secret>y %all submit to
 ! ,committee on ,vet]ans' ,affairs ( ! 

,s5ate & ! ,committee on ,vet]ans'      
,affairs ( ! ,h\se ( ,repres5tatives an 
annual report on ! employees ( !        
,dep>tm5t employ$ 9 a ,s5ior ,executive 
,s]vice position1 or a position 9 ano!r 
comp>able sy/em = s5ior-level ,gov]nm5t 
employees1 z def9$ by ! ,secret>y1 :o 7 
provid$ a critical skill inc5tive "u    
p>agraph 7#a74  7ii7 ,reports submitt$  
pursuant to clause 7i7 may be submitt$  
by incorporat+ _! cont5ts into o!r      
congressionally m&at$ reports to !      
committees describ$ 9 su* clause4  7,d7 
,9 ?is p>agraph1 ! t]m ,s5ior ,executive
 ,s]vice position has ! mean+ giv5 su*  
t]m 9 section #cacb7;a7 ( title #e4  4