S. 3374Senate118th Congress (2023-2025)In Committee

REWARD Experience Act of 2023

Introduced November 30, 2023

AI-Generated Summary

Updated January 20, 2026 at 1:17 PM UTC

The REWARD Experience Act lets hiring managers at Department of Defense medical treatment facilities ignore the usual General Schedule work‑experience requirements when hiring nurses or practical nurses. It applies to applicants who have served as a DoD nurse for at least one year and have earned a bachelor’s or graduate degree from an accredited nursing program. The waiver helps speed up hiring of experienced nursing staff at military health facilities.

Key Provisions

  • Hiring managers may waive any GS work‑experience qualification for nursing or practical nurse applicants who are current or former DoD nurses with at least one year of service and who have obtained a bachelor’s or graduate degree from an accredited nursing program.
  • When a waiver is used, the hiring manager must submit a certification to the Office of Personnel Management confirming the applicant meets all other GS qualification standards for the position.

Legislative Activity

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1 earlier action
SenateIntro Referral Latest Action

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.

November 30, 2023

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SenateIntro Referral

Introduced in Senate

November 30, 2023

SenateIntro Referral

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.

November 30, 2023

Bill Text

Latest available legislative text

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Introduced in SenateIssued November 30, 2023

II

118th CONGRESS

1st Session

S. 3374

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

November 30, 2023

Mrs. Murray (for herself and Mr. Budd) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs

A BILL

To waive General Schedule qualification standards related to work experience for nurses at military medical treatment facilities, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the REWARD Experience Act of 2023.

2.

Waiver with respect to experienced nurses at military medical treatment facilities

(a)

In general

The hiring manager of a military medical treatment facility or other health care facility of the Department of Defense may waive any General Schedule qualification standard related to work experience established by the Director of the Office of Personnel Management in the case of any applicant for a nursing or practical nurse position in a medical treatment facility or other health care facility the Department of Defense who—

(1)(A)

is a nurse or practical nurse in the Department of Defense; or

(B)

was a nurse or practical nurse in the Department of Defense for at least 1 year; and

(2)

after commencing work as a nurse or practical nurse in the Department of Defense, obtained a Bachelor's degree or graduate degree from an accredited professional nursing educational program.

(b)

Certification

If, in the case of any applicant described in subsection (a), a hiring manager waives a qualification standard in accordance with such subsection, such hiring manager shall submit to the Director of the Office of Personnel Management a certification that such applicant meets all remaining General Schedule qualification standards established by the Director of the Office of Personnel Management for the applicable position.