Health Professionals Scholarship Program Improvement Act of 2025
Floor Speech
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Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3767) to amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for a time frame for the employment in the Department of Veterans Affairs of participants in the Health Professionals Scholarship Program, and for other purposes, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows: H.R. 3767
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Health Professionals Scholarship Program Improvement Act of 2025'' or the ``HPSP Improvement Act of 2025''. SEC. 2. TIME FRAME FOR EMPLOYMENT OF PARTICIPANTS IN DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS HEALTH PROFESSIONALS SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM.
(a) In General.--Section 7616 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:
``(d)(1) The Secretary shall ensure that a participant in the Scholarship Program receives a contract for employment in the full-time clinical practice of such participant's profession at a Department facility with the highest need, as determined by the Secretary, by not later than 90 days after the later of the following dates:
``(A) The date on which the participant completes the course in the Scholarship Program.
``(B) The date on which participant obtains all required licensure, certification, or credentialing necessary to practice independently in their field.
``(2) A contract referred to in paragraph (1) shall include a competitive salary and benefits package consistent with the employment standards of the Department.''.
(b) Report.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, and every 180 days thereafter until the termination date specified in paragraph (2), the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit to the Committees on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and House of Representatives a report on the implementation of subsection (d) of section 7616 of title 38, United States Code, as added by subsection (a).
(2) Termination date.--The termination date specified in this paragraph is September 30, 2027. SEC. 3. PROHIBITION ON SMOKING IN FACILITIES OF THE VETERANS HEALTH ADMINISTRATION.
(a) Prohibition.--Section 1715 of title 38, United States Code, is amended to read as follows: ``Sec. 1715. Prohibition on smoking in facilities of the
Veterans Health Administration
``(a) Prohibition.--No person (including any veteran, patient, resident, employee of the Department, contractor, or visitor) may smoke on the premises of any facility of the Veterans Health Administration.
``(b) Definitions.--In this section:
``(1) The term `smoke' includes--
``(A) the use of cigarettes, cigars, pipes, and any other combustion or heating of tobacco; and
``(B) the use of any electronic nicotine delivery system, including electronic or e-cigarettes, vape pens, and e- cigars.
``(2) The term `facility of the Veterans Health Administration' means any land or building (including any medical center, nursing home, domiciliary facility, outpatient clinic, or center that provides readjustment counseling) that is--
``(A) under the jurisdiction of the Department of Veterans Affairs;
``(B) under the control of the Veterans Health Administration; and
``(C) not under the control of the General Services Administration.''.
(b) Conforming Amendments.--
(1) Table of sections.--The table of sections at the beginning of chapter 17 of such title is amended by striking the item relating to section 1715 and inserting the following: ``1715. Prohibition on smoking in facilities of the Veterans Health Administration.''.
(2) Conforming repeal.--
(A) In general.--Section 526 of the Veterans Health Care Act of 1992 (Public Law 102-585; 38 U.S.C. 1715 note) is repealed.
(B) Clerical amendment.--The table of contents of such Act is amended by striking the item relating to such section.
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Mr. BOST. 3767, as amended.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 3767, as amended, offered by my friend and colleague, Representative Hamadeh.
This bill would hold the VA to a deadline to hire participants in the Health Professionals Scholarship Program.
The scholarship was created to address chronic workforce shortages. Critical healthcare jobs, like nurses, physician assistants, and mental health providers, continue to be short-staffed and need good people in these roles.
Right now, VA pays for scholarship enrollees' education in return for several years of service to the VA.
Unfortunately, there have been cases where VA can take months before offering them a position. Sometimes, people in the program are forced to break the agreement because of bureaucracy delays at the VA. They seek work elsewhere just to make ends meet.
Representative Hamadeh's bill would ensure that VA is properly staffed by making VA fulfill its end of the bargain.
This bill also includes language from Representative Neal Dunn's bill, which would prohibit smoking on VHA campuses.
Since the nineties, VA has issued policies to provide safer smoking environments. Then, in March 2019, VA issued its most recent policy for a smoke-free VHA. This bill would align law with the current VA practice.
Patients and VA employees have a right to be protected from the harmful medical effects of secondhand smoke. This bill would do just that. Many private-sector healthcare systems already have smoke-free policies.
This bill, as amended, would take important steps to improve VA healthcare.
Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to support H.R.
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Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I encourage all Members to support this legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.
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