S.Amdt. 3036

SA 3036. Ms. BLUNT ROCHESTER submitted an amendment intended to be
proposed by her to the bill H.R. 3944, making appropriations for
military construction, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and related
agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2026, and for other
purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

At the appropriate place in title II of division A, insert
the following:
Sec. ___.  Not later than 180 days after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs
shall submit to the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate
and the Committee on Appropriations of the House of
Representatives a report that--
(1) assesses the scope and impact of staffing shortages at
community-based outpatient clinics of the Department of
Veterans Affairs throughout the United States, disaggregated
by Veterans Integrated Service Network, geographic region,
and clinic type;
(2) identifies the key barriers to recruitment and
retention of clinical and non-clinical personnel at such
clinics;
(3) evaluates the effectiveness of existing incentive
programs (such as hiring bonuses, student loan repayment,
housing stipends, and telework flexibility) used to staff
such clinics;
(4) provides recommendations for new or expanded
authorities or funding tools needed to ensure such clinics
are adequately staffed and accessible to veterans; and
(5) assesses future workforce needs for planned or proposed
micro-hospitals of the Department, including the expected
staffing model for the forthcoming facility in Sussex County,
Delaware, and outlines steps the Secretary should take now to
ensure timely recruitment and retention of qualified
personnel at such sites.
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