Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 112 Part 5.djvu/603

 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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