S.Amdt. 2021

SA 2021. Mr. SULLIVAN (for himself and Mr. Jones) submitted an
amendment intended to be proposed by him to the bill S. 4049, to
authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2021 for military activities
of the Department of Defense, for military construction, and for
defense activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe military
personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for other purposes; which
was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

At the end of subtitle F of title X, add the following:

SEC. ___. EVALUATION AND REPORT ON ESTABLISHMENT OF A
HEALTHCARE READY RESERVE FORCE.

(a) Evaluation Required.--Not later than December 31, 2021,
the Secretary of Defense shall conduct an evaluation of
options for establishing a healthcare ready reserve force, in
times of war and during public health and other national
emergencies, in order--
(1) to enhance and facilitate the medical capabilities of
the Armed Forces, including training for such capabilities;
(2) to provide for a surge in medical capabilities for the
Armed Forces;
(3) to act as a reserve force of medical expertise for the
Nation during public health or other national emergencies;
(4) to provide a training platform on medical and health
care skills and capabilities if called upon by the Secretary;
and
(5) to provide a strategic reserve of health care knowledge
and skills for the Armed Forces or the Nation.
(b) Elements.--The evaluation conducted under subsection
(a) shall include an assessment of the following:
(1) The capabilities and deficiencies in military and
civilian personnel with needed medical expertise, and the
quantity of personnel with such expertise, in the Department
of Defense.
(2) The potential for a uniformed, civilian, or mixed
healthcare ready reserve force to remedy shortfalls in
expertise and capacity in the Department and for the Nation.
(3) The ability of the Department to attract personnel with
the desired expertise to a uniformed or civilian healthcare
ready reserve force.
(4) The number of personnel, the level of funding, and the
composition of a healthcare ready reserve force that would be
required for purposes described in subsection (a).
(5) Proposed means to facilitate the rapid training of
health care professionals in a healthcare ready reserve force
through the Medical and Education Training Campus (METC) of
the Defense Health Agency, including through one or both of
the following:
(A) The Medical and Education Training Campus Bridge
Partners program.
(B) Partnerships with other accredited institutions of
higher education.
(6) A rapid mobilization training plan for a healthcare
ready reserve force, including--
(A) a specialized curriculum for each medical specialty to
be maintained within such force, including initial training
elements and future currency requirements;
(B) an identification of the pool of instructors to provide
training for members of such force; and
(C) a description of the in-person and online educational
requirements to be satisfied by members of such force, and a
strategy to maximize the use of online training in connection
with such requirements.
(7) Alternative models for establishing a healthcare ready
reserve force, including the following:
(A) A nontraditional uniformed military reserve component,
with respect to drilling and other requirements such as
grooming and physical fitness.
(B) One or more nontraditional civilian healthcare ready
reserves.
(C) Partnership with the Ready Reserve Corps of the United
States Public Health Service.
(8) The impact of a uniformed military healthcare ready
reserve on regular and existing reserve forces, including
with respect to the following:
(A) Recruitment.
(B) Promotion.
(C) Retention.
(9) The impact of a civilian healthcare ready reserve on
regular and existing reserve forces, and on healthcare
delivery in the private sector.
(10) Areas of potential collaboration with similar entities
within the Federal Government.
(11) The authorities, manpower authorizations, and
resources the Secretary of Defense considers necessary for
the establishment and maintenance of a healthcare ready
reserve force.
(12) Any other matters the Secretary considers appropriate.
(c) Report.--Not later than 180 days after the enactment of
this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the Committees on
Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives
a report on the evaluation conducted under subsection (a).
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