PUBLIC LAW 105-368—NOV. 11, 1998
112 STAT. 3361
"(C) The Under Secretary shall develop the job performance
standards under subparagraph (A) in consultation with the Advisory
Committee on Prosthetics and Special Disabilities Programs and
the Committee on Care of Severely Chronically Mentally 111 Veterans..
(b) DEADLINE FOR PRESCRmiNG STANDARDS.— The standards 38 USC i706
of job performance required by paragraph (3) of section 1706(b) ^°^-
of title 38, United States Code, as added by subsection (a), shall
be prescribed not later than Janusiry 1, 1999.
SEC. 904. AUTHORITY TO USE FOR OPERATING EXPENSES OF DEPART-
MENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS MEDICAL FACILITIES
AMOUNTS AVAILABLE BY REASON OF THE LIMITATION
ON PENSION FOR VETERANS RECEIVING NURSING HOME
CARE.
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 5503(a)(1)(B) is amended by striking
"Effective through September 30, 1997, any' in the second: sentence
and inserting "^y.
(b) EFFECTIVE DATE.— The amendment made by subsection (a) 38 USC 5503
shall take effect as of October 1, 1997.
note.
SEC. 905. REPORT ON NURSE LOCALITY PAY.
Deadlines.
^8 ITSf" 74*51
(a) REPORT REQUIRED.—(1) Not later than February 1, 1999, note.
the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit to the Committees
on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and the House of Representatives
a report assessing the system of locality-based pay for nurses established under the Department of Veterans Affairs Nurse Pay Act
of 1990 (Public Law 101-366) and now set forth in section 7451
of title 38, United States Code.
(2) The Secretary shall submit with the report under paragraph
(1) a copy of the report on the locaUty pay system prepared by
the contractor pursuant to a contract with Systems Flow, Inc.,
that was entered into on May 22, 1998.
(b) MATTERS TO BE iNCLUDED.The report of the Secretary
under subsection (a)(1) shall include the following:
(1) An assessment of the effects of the locality-based pay
system, including information, shown by facility and grade
level, regarding the frequency and percentage increases, if any,
in the rate of basic pay under that system of nurses employed
in the Veterans Health Administration.
(2) An assessment of the manner in which that system
is being applied.
(3) Plans and recommendations of the Secretary for
administrative and legislative improvements or revisions to
the locality pay system.
(4) An explanation of the reasons for any decision not
to adopt any recommendation in the report referred to in subsection (a)(2).
(c) UPDATED REPORT.— Not later than February 1, 2000, the
Secretary shall submit to the Committees on Veterans' Affairs
of the Senate and House of Representatives a report updating
the report submitted under subsection (a)(1).
SEC. 906. ANNUAL REPORT ON PROGRAM AND EXPENDITURES OF
DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS FOR DOMESTIC
RESPONSE TO WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION.
(a) IN GENERAL. —Subchapter II of chapter 5 is amended by
adding at the end the following new section:
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