S.Amdt. 2444

SA 2444. Mr. RUBIO (for himself and Ms. Sinema) submitted an
amendment intended to be proposed by him to the bill S. 4638, to
authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2025 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 appropriate place in title X, insert the following:

SEC. ___. ENSURING ONLY LICENSED HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS
PERFORM MEDICAL DISABILITY EXAMINATIONS UNDER
CERTAIN DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS PILOT
PROGRAM.

(a) Prohibition on Use of Certain Health Care
Professionals.--Section 504(c)(1) of the Veterans' Benefits
Improvements Act of 1996 (Public Law 104-275; 38 U.S.C. 5101
note) is amended by inserting ``only'' before ``a health care
professional''.
(b) Remedies.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall take
such actions as the Secretary considers appropriate to ensure
compliance with section 504(c) of the Veterans' Benefits
Improvements Act of 1996 (Public Law 104-275; 38 U.S.C. 5101
note), as amended by subsection (a).
(c) Annual Report.--Not later than one year after the date
of the enactment of this Act and not less frequently than
once each year thereafter, the Secretary shall submit to the
Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and the
Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the House of
Representatives a report on--
(1) the conduct of the pilot program established under
section 504 of the Veterans' Benefits Improvements Act of
1996 (Public Law 104-275; 38 U.S.C. 5101 note); and
(2) the actions of the Secretary under subsection (b).
(d) Technical Corrections.--Section 504 of the Veterans'
Benefits Improvements Act of 1996 (Public Law 104-275; 38
U.S.C. 5101 note) is amended, in the section heading, by
striking ``physicians'' and inserting ``health care
professionals''.
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