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H.R. 919 111th Congress House

Veterans' Medical Personnel Recruitment and Retention Act of 2009

Official title: To amend title 38, United States Code, to enhance the capacity of the Department of Veterans Affairs to recruit and retain nurses and other critical health-care professionals, and for other purposes.

Introduced: February 26, 2010 See on congress.gov
Armed Forces and National Security Congressional oversightDepartment of Veterans AffairsEducation of the disadvantagedGovernment employee pay, benefits, personnel management
More subjectsShow fewer subjects
Health personnelHigher educationLabor standardsMedical educationMedical researchNursingStudent aid and college costsTemporary and part-time employmentVeterans' medical careWages and earnings
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This bill died when the 111th Congress ended
It never became law before the 111th Congress (2009–2010) adjourned, and bills don't carry over to the next Congress. It would have to be reintroduced. You can still save it for reference, but it won't receive updates.
 Everywhere this bill has been 3 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Feb 13, 2009
Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
Feb 9, 2009
Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
Feb 9, 2009
Introduced in House
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 Latest action February 13, 2009

Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Veterans' Medical Personnel Recruitment and Retention Act of 2009 - Authorizes the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to appoint personnel for health care positions within the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) not specifically listed as authorized categories for appointment, as long as the Secretary provides prior notification to the congressional veterans' committees and the Office of Management and Budget. Requires newly-appointed nurses to serve a probationary period. Authorizes the Secretary to: (1) appoint nurse assistants; and (2) waive required pay offsets for federal annuitants reemployed in VA health care positions. Sets the minimum rate of basic pay for appointees to certain positions in the Office of the Under Secretary for Health at the lowest rate of basic pay for a Senior Executive Service position. Allows for the payment of: (1) comparability pay of up to $100,000 annually for Office positions which are not physicians or dentists; and (2) special incentive pay of up to $40,000 annually to a VHA pharmacist executive.

Removes or waives certain pay restrictions for: (1) physicians or dentists occupying administrative or executive leadership positions; (2) nurses; and (3) certified registered nurse anesthetists. Revises locality pay scale computations.

Increases from $25,000 to $100,000 the special pay for nurse executives. Makes part-time nurses eligible for additional nurse pay.

Provides limitations on overtime duty, weekend duty, and alternative work schedules for nurses, with exceptions for emergency situations.

Reinstates the VA's health professionals educational assistance scholarship program, and increases maximum assistance amounts. Authorizes the Secretary to provide an educational loan repayment program for clinical researchers from disadvantaged backgrounds.

 Related & companion bills 1
 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 2
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APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 919: Veterans' Medical Personnel Recruitment and Retention Act of 2009. 111th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/111-HR-919/
MLA
"H.R. 919: Veterans' Medical Personnel Recruitment and Retention Act of 2009." 111th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/111-HR-919/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 919, 111th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/111-HR-919/.
Markdown link
[H.R. 919: Veterans' Medical Personnel Recruitment and Retention Act of 2009](https://openamerica.io/bill/111-HR-919/)
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