(a) Short title.—This Act may be cited as the “VA Choice and Quality Employment Act of 2017”.

(b) Table of contents.—The table of contents for this Act is as follows:

Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.

(a) In general.—There is authorized to be appropriated, and is appropriated, to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, out of any funds in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, $2,100,000,000 to be deposited in the Veterans Choice Fund under section 802 of the Veterans Access, Choice, and Accountability Act of 2014 (Public Law 113–146; 38 U.S.C. 1701 note).

(b) Availability.—The amount appropriated under subsection (a) shall remain available until expended.

Section 7412(a) of title 38, United States Code, is amended—

(1) by striking “the five occupations” and inserting “at a minimum, the five clinical occupations and the five nonclinical occupations”; and

(2) by striking “throughout the Department” and inserting “with respect to each medical center of the Department,”.

(a) Fellowship program.—Chapter 7 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new subchapter:

(b) Deadline for implementation.—Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall implement the Executive Management Fellowship Program required under section 741 of title 38, United States Code, as added by subsection (a).

(c) Clerical amendment.—The table of sections at the beginning of chapter 7 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new items:

(a) In general.—Subchapter I of chapter 7 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new section:

(b) Clerical amendment.—The table of sections at the beginning of chapter 7 of such title is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 723 the following new item:

“725. Annual performance plan for political appointees.”.

(a) In general.—Notwithstanding sections 3309 through 3318 of title 5, United States Code, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs may noncompetitively appoint a qualified former career or career conditional employee to any position within the competitive service at the Department of Veterans Affairs that is one grade or equivalent higher than the grade or equivalent of the position at the Department most recently occupied by the employee.

(b) Limitation.—The Secretary may not appoint a qualified former employee to a position that is more than one grade (or equivalent) higher than the position at the Department most recently occupied by the employee.

(c) Definition of qualified former employee.—For purposes of this section, the term “qualified former employee” means any individual who—

(1) formerly occupied any career or career conditional position at the Department of Veterans Affairs within 2 years before applying for reemployment at the Department;

(2) voluntarily left such position, or was subject to a reduction in force, and had a satisfactory performance record while occupying such position; and

(3) since leaving such position has maintained licensing requirements, related to the position, if any, and gained skill, knowledge, or other factors related to the position.

Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall establish a promotional track system for employees of the Department of Veterans Affairs that the Secretary determines are technical experts pursuant to regulations prescribed by the Secretary for purposes of carrying out this section. Such system shall—

(1) provide any such employee the opportunity to advance within the Department without being required to transition to a management position; and

(2) for purposes of achieving career advancement—

(A) provide for the establishment of new positions within the Department; and

(B) notwithstanding any other provision of law, provide for increases in pay for any such employee.

(a) In general.—The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall prescribe regulations to allow for excepted service appointments of students and recent graduates leading to conversion to career or career conditional employment of a student or recent graduate of a qualifying educational institution, as defined by the Department.

(b) Applicability.—The conversion authority described in subsection (a) shall be applicable to individuals in good standing who—

(1) are employed in a qualifying internship or fellowship program at the Department;

(2) are employed in the Department in a volunteer capacity and performing substantive duties comparable to those of individuals in internship or fellowship programs and meet the required number of hours for conversion;

(3) are employed in the Department under a contract or agreement with an external nonprofit organization and performing substantive duties comparable to those of individuals in internship or fellowship programs;

(4) have received educational assistance under chapter 33 of title 38, United States Code; or

(5) graduated from a qualifying educational institution, as defined by the Department, and have not reached 30 years of age.

(c) Uniformity.—For the purposes of paragraphs (2) and (3) of subsection (b), hours of work performed by an individual employed shall be considered equal to those performed by an individual employed in a qualifying internship or fellowship program by the Department.

The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall establish a program to encourage an individual who serves in the Armed Forces with a military occupational specialty relating to the provision of health care to seek employment with the Veterans Health Administration when the individual has been discharged or released from service in the Armed Forces or is contemplating separating from such service.

(a) Establishment.—The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall establish a single database that lists—

(1) each vacant position in the Department of Veterans Affairs that the Secretary determines is critical to the mission of the Department, difficult to fill, or both; and

(2) each vacant position in the Department of Veterans Affairs for a mental health professional.

(b) Qualified applicant.—If the Secretary determines that an applicant for a vacant position listed in the database established under subsection (a) is qualified for such position but does not select the applicant for such position, the Secretary, at the election of the applicant, may consider the applicant for other similar vacant positions listed in the database for which the applicant is qualified.

(c) Prolonged vacancies.—If the Secretary does not fill a vacant position listed in the database established under subsection (a) after a period determined appropriate by the Secretary, the Secretary—

(1) may ensure that applicants described in subsection (b) are considered for such position; and

(2) may use the database established under subsection (a) to assist in filling such position.

(d) Report.—Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report on the use and efficacy of the database established under subsection (a).

(a) In general.—The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall provide to human resources professionals of the Veterans Health Administration training on how to best recruit and retain employees of the Veterans Health Administration, including with respect to any recruitment and retention matters that are unique to the Veterans Health Administration pursuant to chapter 74 of title 38, United States Code, or other provisions of law.

(b) Virtual training.—Training provided under this section shall be provided virtually.

(c) Amount of training.—The Secretary shall ensure that each human resources professional of the Veterans Health Administration receives the training described in subsection (a)—

(1) as soon as practicable after being hired by the Secretary as a human resources professional; and

(2) annually thereafter.

(d) Certification.—The Secretary shall require that each human resources professional of the Veterans Health Administration, upon the completion of the training described in subsection (a), certifies that the professional received the training and understands the information provided by the training.

(e) Annual report.—Not less frequently than annually, 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 the training described in subsection (a), including the cost of providing such training and the number of human resources professionals who received such training during the year covered by the report.

(a) Plan.—Not later than 120 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall develop and implement a plan to hire highly qualified directors for each medical center of the Department of Veterans Affairs that lacks a permanent director as of the date of the plan.

(b) Priority.—The Secretary shall prioritize under the plan developed under subsection (a) the hiring of directors for medical centers that have not had a permanent director for the longest periods.

(c) Matters included.—The plan developed under subsection (a) shall include the following:

(1) A deadline to hire directors of medical centers of the Department as described in such subsection.

(2) Identification of the possible impediments to such hiring.

(3) Identification of opportunities to promote and train candidates from within the Department to senior executive positions in the Department, including as directors of medical centers.

(d) Submittal of plan.—Not later than 120 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives the plan developed under subsection (a).

(e) Semiannual reports.—Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, and not later than 180 days 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 containing a list of each medical center of the Department that lacks a permanent director as of the date of the report.

(a) Exit surveys required.—

(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall develop and carry out a standardized exit survey to be voluntarily completed by career and noncareer employees and executives of the Department of Veterans Affairs who voluntarily separate from the Department.

(2) CONSULTATION.—Such exit survey shall be developed in consultation with an appropriate non-Department entity with experience developing such surveys.

(b) Survey content.—The survey shall include, at a minimum, the following:

(1) Reasons for leaving the Department.

(2) Efforts made by the supervisor of the employee to retain the individual.

(3) The extent of job satisfaction and engagement during the employment.

(4) The intent of employee to either remain employed within the Federal Government or to leave employment with the Federal Government.

(5) Such other matters as the Secretary determines appropriate.

(c) Anonymity of survey content.—The Secretary shall ensure that data collected under subsection (a)—

(1) is anonymized, including through the use of a location that allows for privacy;

(2) is not directly visible by another employee; and

(3) does not require the departing employee to input any personally identifiable data.

(d) Sharing of survey data.—The Secretary shall ensure that the results of the survey required by subsection (a) are—

(1) aggregated at the Veterans Integrated Service Network level; and

(2) shared on an annual basis with directors and managers of facilities of the Department and the Veterans Integrated Service Networks.

(e) Annual report.—

(1) IN GENERAL.—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 containing the aggregate results of the exit survey under subsection (a) covering the year prior to the report.

(2) CONTENTS.—Each report submitted under paragraph (1) shall include, for the period covered by the report, the following:

(A) An analysis of the most common reasons employees choose to leave the Department.

(B) The steps the Secretary is taking to improve retention, particularly for mission-critical occupations.

(C) The demographic characteristics of employees choosing to leave the Department.

(D) Any legislative barriers to improving employee retention.

(E) The total number of employees who voluntarily separated from the Department and the number and percentage of whom took the exit survey under subsection (a).

Section 7451(a)(2) of title 38, United States Code, is amended—

(1) by redesignating subparagraph (B) as subparagraph (C);

(2) by inserting after subparagraph (A) the following new subparagraph (B):

“(B) Physician assistant.”; and

(3) in subparagraph (C), as redesignated by paragraph (1), by striking “and registered nurse” and inserting “registered nurse, and physician assistant”.

Section 3304(a)(3)(B) of title 5, United States Code, is amended by inserting “(or, with respect to the Department of Veterans Affairs, that there exists a severe shortage of highly qualified candidates)” after “severe shortage of candidates”.

(a) Assessment.—

(1) IN GENERAL.—The Comptroller General of the United States shall assess the extent to which key succession planning policies and guidance at the Department of Veterans Affairs, including the Veterans Health Administration, the Veterans Benefits Administration, and the National Cemetery Administration, are consistent with leading practices for succession and workforce planning identified by Comptroller General.

(2) ADDITIONAL MATTERS.—In carrying out the assessment required by paragraph (1), the Comptroller General may assess such other matters as the Comptroller General considers appropriate.

(b) Report.—Not later than two years after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General 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 the assessment carried out under subsection (a).

(c) Sense of Congress on study on compliance with policies and guidance.—It is the sense of Congress that—

(1) the Comptroller General should conduct a study to examine the extent to which a sampling of installations of the Department of Veterans Affairs are complying with policies and guidance of the Department, as well as applicable leading practices; and

(2) the scope and timeframe of a study conducted as described in paragraph (1) may be dependent upon the findings of the Comptroller General with respect to the assessment carried out under subsection (a).

The Secretary of Veterans Affairs may carry out the following major medical facility leases at the locations specified and in an amount for each lease not to exceed the amount specified for such location (not including any estimated cancellation costs):

(1) For a replacement outpatient clinic, Ann Arbor, Michigan, an amount not to exceed $4,247,000.

(2) For a new outpatient mental health clinic, Birmingham, Alabama, an amount not to exceed $6,649,000.

(3) For new research space, Boston, Massachusetts, an amount not to exceed $6,224,000.

(4) For a replacement research space, Charleston, South Carolina, an amount not to exceed $7,274,000.

(5) For a replacement outpatient clinic, Corpus Christi, Texas, an amount not to exceed $6,556,000.

(6) For a replacement outpatient clinic, Daytona Beach, Florida, an amount not to exceed $12,198,000.

(7) For a replacement Chief Business Office Purchased Care office space, Denver, Colorado, an amount not to exceed $14,784,000.

(8) For a replacement outpatient clinic, Fredericksburg, Virginia, an amount not to exceed $45,015,000.

(9) For a new outpatient clinic, Gainesville, Florida, an amount not to exceed $7,891,000.

(10) For an outpatient mental health clinic, Gainesville, Florida, an amount not to exceed $4,320,000.

(11) For a replacement outpatient clinic, Hampton Roads, Virginia, an amount not to exceed $18,141,000.

(12) For a replacement outpatient clinic, Indianapolis, Indiana, an amount not to exceed $7,876,000.

(13) For a replacement outpatient clinic, Jacksonville, Florida, an amount not to exceed $18,623,000.

(14) For a replacement outpatient clinic, Missoula, Montana, an amount not to exceed $6,942,000.

(15) For a replacement outpatient mental health clinic, Northern Colorado, Colorado, an amount not to exceed $8,904,000.

(16) For a replacement outpatient clinic, Ocala, Florida, an amount not to exceed $5,026,000.

(17) For a new outpatient clinic, Oxnard, California, an amount not to exceed $5,274,000.

(18) For a new outpatient clinic, Pike County, Georgia, an amount not to exceed $5,565,000.

(19) For a new outpatient clinic, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, an amount not to exceed $6,247,000.

(20) For a replacement outpatient clinic, Portland, Maine, an amount not to exceed $6,808,000.

(21) For a replacement outpatient clinic, Raleigh, North Carolina, an amount not to exceed $21,870,000.

(22) For a replacement outpatient clinic, phase II, Rochester, New York, an amount not to exceed $3,645,000.

(23) For a replacement research space, San Diego, California, an amount not to exceed $4,852,000.

(24) For a new outpatient clinic, Santa Rosa, California, an amount not to exceed $6,922,000.

(25) For a replacement mental health clinic, Tampa, Florida, an amount not to exceed $13,387,000.

(26) For a replacement outpatient clinic, Lakeland, Tampa, Florida, an amount not to exceed $10,760,000.

(27) For a replacement outpatient clinic, Terre Haute, Indiana, an amount not to exceed $4,102,000.

(28) For a replacement outpatient clinic, Rapid City, South Dakota, an amount not to exceed $4,532,000.

There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs for fiscal year 2018 or the year in which funds are appropriated for the Medical Facilities account $274,634,000 for the major medical facility leases authorized in section 301.

Section 5503(d)(7) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by striking “September 30, 2024” and inserting “September 30, 2027”.

Section 3729(b)(2) of title 38, United States Code, is amended—

(1) in subparagraph (A)—

(A) in clause (iii), by striking “September 30, 2024” and inserting “September 30, 2027”; and

(B) in clause (iv), by striking “September 30, 2024” and inserting “September 30, 2027”;

(2) in subparagraph (B)—

(A) in clause (i), by striking “September 30, 2024” and inserting “September 30, 2027”; and

(B) in clause (ii), by striking “September 30, 2024” and inserting “September 30, 2027”;

(3) in subparagraph (C)—

(A) in clause (i), by striking “September 30, 2024” and inserting “September 30, 2027”; and

(B) in clause (ii), by striking “September 30, 2024” and inserting “September 30, 2027”; and

(4) in subparagraph (D)—

(A) in clause (i), by striking “September 30, 2024” and inserting “September 30, 2027”; and

(B) in clause (ii), by striking “September 30, 2024” and inserting “September 30, 2027”.

Section 5317(g) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by striking “September 30, 2024” and inserting “September 30, 2027”.