118 STAT. 472 PUBLIC LAW 108–201—FEB. 24, 2004 ‘‘(B) achieved a cumulative grade point average of 3.5 or higher on a 4.0 scale in graduate coursework in the field of study required for the position. ‘‘(c) In making any selections under this section, preference eligibles who meet the criteria for distinguished scholar appoint ments shall be considered ahead of nonpreference eligibles. ‘‘(d) An appointment made under this authority shall be a career conditional appointment in the competitive civil service. ‘‘§ 9811. Travel and transportation expenses of certain new appointees ‘‘(a) In this section, the term ‘new appointee’ means— ‘‘(1) a person newly appointed or reinstated to Federal service to the Administration to— ‘‘(A) a career or career conditional appointment or an excepted service appointment to a continuing position; ‘‘(B) a term appointment; ‘‘(C) an excepted service appointment that provides for noncompetitive conversion to a career or career condi tional appointment; ‘‘(D) a career or limited term Senior Executive Service appointment; ‘‘(E) an appointment made under section 203(c)(2)(A) of the National Aeronautics and Space Act of 1958 (42 U.S.C. 2473(c)(2)(A)); ‘‘(F) an appointment to a position established under section 3104; or ‘‘(G) an appointment to a position established under section 5108; or ‘‘(2) a student trainee who, upon completion of academic work, is converted to an appointment in the Administration that is identified in paragraph (1) in accordance with an appro priate authority. ‘‘(b) The Administrator may pay the travel, transportation, and relocation expenses of a new appointee to the same extent, in the same manner, and subject to the same conditions as the payment of such expenses under sections 5724, 5724a, 5724b, and 5724c to an employee transferred in the interests of the United States Government. ‘‘§ 9812. Annual leave enhancements ‘‘(a) In this section— ‘‘(1) the term ‘newly appointed employee’ means an indi vidual who is first appointed— ‘‘(A) as an employee of the Federal Government; or ‘‘(B) as an employee of the Federal Government fol lowing a break in service of at least 90 days after that individual’s last period of Federal employment, other than— ‘‘(i) employment under the Student Educational Employment Program administered by the Office of Personnel Management; ‘‘(ii) employment as a law clerk trainee; ‘‘(iii) employment under a short term temporary appointing authority while a student during periods of vacation from the educational institution at which the student is enrolled;
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