Hire Veteran Health Heroes Act of 2020

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 7441 Introduced in House (IH)]

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116th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 7441

  To expedite hiring by the Department of Veterans Affairs of medical 
 department personnel separating from the Armed Forces, and for other 
                               purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              July 1, 2020

    Mrs. Brooks of Indiana (for herself and Miss Rice of New York) 
 introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on 
Veterans' Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on Armed Services, 
for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case 
for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of 
                        the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To expedite hiring by the Department of Veterans Affairs of medical 
 department personnel separating from the Armed Forces, and for other 
                               purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Hire Veteran Health Heroes Act of 
2020''.

SEC. 2. EXPEDITED HIRING BY DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS OF MEDICAL 
              DEPARTMENT PERSONNEL SEPARATING FROM THE ARMED FORCES.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs, in consultation 
with the Secretary of Defense, shall conduct recruitment for covered 
medical personnel positions from among medical department personnel of 
the Department of Defense who hold medical military occupational 
specialties and are separating from the Armed Forces.
    (b) Transition Assistance Program.--Recruitment shall be conducted 
under subsection (a) for separating members of the Armed Forces as part 
of the Transition Assistance Program conducted for such members.
    (c) Elements of Recruitment.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary of Defense, in collaboration 
        with the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, shall schedule regular 
        briefing times for all medical department personnel of the 
        Department of Defense who are separating from the Armed Forces 
        to be briefed by a supervisor or technician from a human 
        resources office of the Veterans Health Administration on--
                    (A) employment opportunities with the Department of 
                Veterans Affairs throughout the United States;
                    (B) options for careers with the Department in a 
                covered medical personnel position; and
                    (C) the expedited recruitment and hiring process 
                under this section.
            (2) One-on-one appointments.--The supervisor or technician 
        conducting the briefing under paragraph (1) shall--
                    (A) schedule a one-on-one appointment for each 
                separating medical department personnel member who 
                wishes to meet to review covered medical personnel 
                positions that are available; and
                    (B) accept applications for such positions.
    (d) Hiring.--
            (1) Tentative offer.--
                    (A) In general.--The supervisor or technician 
                conducting the briefing under subsection (c)(1) and 
                accepting applications under subsection (c)(2)(B) may 
                tentatively offer applicants for covered medical 
                personnel positions who agree to accept the position 
                and meet a preliminary qualification review established 
                by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs such a position at 
                a medical facility of the Department of Veterans 
                Affairs.
                    (B) Timing.--A tentative offer under subparagraph 
                (A) to a member of the Armed Forces participating in 
                the recruitment and hiring process under this section 
                may be made during the period beginning on the date 
                that is 90 days before the separation of the member 
                from the Armed Forces and ending on the date that is 90 
                days after such separation.
            (2) Final offer.--After conducting the tentative offer 
        process for an individual under paragraph (1), the supervisor 
        or technician shall transmit information on and credentials for 
        the individual to the medical facility at which the individual 
        would be hired for final verification and interviews to 
        complete the hiring process and possibly present a final offer.
            (3) Conduct of hiring process.--Notwithstanding any other 
        provision of law, the Secretary may hire individuals under this 
        section through direct, non-competitive, and other hiring 
        processes as the Secretary considers appropriate to carry out 
        this section.
    (e) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Covered medical personnel position.--The term ``covered 
        medical personnel position'' means a medical personnel position 
        at all grades within the Department of Veterans Affairs 
        employed under--
                    (A) the General Schedule under subchapter III of 
                chapter 53 of title 5, United States Code;
                    (B) the prevailing rate system under subchapter IV 
                of such chapter;
                    (C) section 7425 of title 38, United States Code; 
                or
                    (D) a hybrid authority.
            (2) Transition assistance program.--The term ``Transition 
        Assistance Program'' means the Transition Assistance Program 
        under sections 1142 and 1144 of title 10, United States Code.
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