To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for the appointment of chiropractors in the Veterans Health Administration of the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes.

June 10, 2003

Mr. MORAN of Kansas (for himself, Mr. SMITH of New Jersey, Mr. EVANS, Mr. FILNER, and Mr. GUTIERREZ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs

To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for the appointment of chiropractors in the Veterans Health Administration of the Department of Veterans Affairs, 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 `Department of Veterans Affairs Chiropractic Employment Act'.

SEC. 2. APPOINTMENT OF CHIROPRACTORS IN THE VETERANS HEALTH ADMINISTRATION.

(a) APPOINTMENTS- Section 7401 of title 38, United States Code, is amended--

(1) by inserting `and chiropractic care' in the matter preceding paragraph (1) after `medical care'; and

(2) by inserting `chiropractors' in paragraph (1) after `podiatrists'.

(b) QUALIFICATIONS OF APPOINTEES- Section 7402(b) of such title is amended--

(1) by redesignating paragraph (10) as paragraph (11); and

(2) by inserting after paragraph (9) the following new paragraph (10):

`(10) CHIROPRACTOR- To be eligible to be appointed to a chiropractor position, a person must--

`(A) hold the degree of doctor of chiropractic, or its equivalent, from a college of chiropractic approved by the Secretary; and

`(B) be licensed to practice chiropractic in a State.'.

(c) PERIOD OF APPOINTMENTS AND PROMOTIONS- Section 7403(a)(2) of such title is amended by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:

`(H) Chiropractors.'.

(d) GRADES AND PAY SCALES- Section 7404(b)(1) of such title is amended by striking the third center heading in the table and inserting the following:

`CLINICAL PODIATRIST, CHIROPRACTOR, AND OPTOMETRIST SCHEDULE'.

(e) TEMPORARY AND PART-TIME APPOINTMENTS- Section 7405(a) of such title is amended--

(1) by adding at the end of paragraph (1) the following new subparagraph:

`(E) Chiropractors.'; and

(2) by adding at the end of paragraph (2) the following new subparagraph:

`(D) Chiropractors.'.

(f) RESIDENCIES AND INTERNSHIPS- Section 7406(c) of such title is amended--

(1) in paragraph (1)--

(A) by inserting `and chiropractic' after `medical' the first place it appears; and

(B) by inserting `or chiropractic' after `medical' the second place it appears;

(2) in paragraph (2), by inserting `or chiropractic' after `medical' in the matter preceding subparagraph (A) and in subparagraph (B);

(3) in paragraph (3), by inserting `or chiropractic' after `medical' in subparagraph (A); and

(4) in paragraph (4), by inserting `or chiropractic' after `medical' in subparagraph (C).

(g) MALPRACTICE AND NEGLIGENCE PROTECTION- Section 7316(a) of such title is amended--

(1) by inserting `or chiropractic' after `medical' in paragraphs (1) and (2); and

(2) by inserting `chiropractor,' after `podiatrist,' in paragraph (2).

(h) TREATMENT AS SCARCE MEDICAL SPECIALISTS FOR CONTRACTING PURPOSES- Section 7409(a) of such title is amended by inserting `chiropractors,' in the second sentence after `optometrists,'.

(i) REIMBURSEMENT OF CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION EXPENSES- Section 7411 of such title is amended by striking `or dentist' and inserting `, dentist, or chiropractic'.

(j) COLLECTIVE BARGAINING EXEMPTION- Section 7421(b) of such title is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph:

`(8) Chiropractors.'.

(k) EFFECTIVE DATE- The amendments made by this section shall take effect at the end of the 180-day period beginning on the date of the enactment of this Act.

END