This bill generally aligns the position of podiatrists with that of physicians for pay and grade purposes within the Veterans Health Administration (VHA). Additionally, the bill replaces the Director of Podiatric Service position with a Podiatric Medical Director to be responsible for the operation of the podiatric service at the VHA. Such director must be a qualified doctor of podiatric medicine.
[117th Congress Public Law 96]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]



[[Page 136 STAT. 34]]

Public Law 117-96
117th Congress

                                 An Act


 
To amend title 38, United States Code, to clarify the role of doctors of 
podiatric medicine in the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other 
            purposes. <<NOTE: Mar. 14, 2022 -  [H.R. 2545]>> 

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. ROLE OF DOCTORS OF PODIATRIC MEDICINE IN DEPARTMENT OF 
                              VETERANS AFFAIRS.

    (a) Clarification of Role.--Section 7306 of title 38, United States 
Code, is amended--
            (1) in subsection (a)--
                    (A) in paragraph (6), by striking ``a Director of 
                Podiatric Service,'';
                    (B) by redesignating paragraph (10) as paragraph 
                (11); and
                    (C) by inserting after paragraph (9) the following 
                new paragraph:
            ``(10) A Podiatric Medical Director, who shall be a 
        qualified doctor of podiatric medicine and who shall be 
        responsible to the Under Secretary for Health for the operation 
        of the Podiatric Service.'';
            (2) in subsection (b)(1), by inserting ``podiatric 
        medicine,'' after ``doctors of medicine,''; and
            (3) in subsection (c), by striking ``and (8)'' and inserting 
        ``(8), and (10)''.

    (b) Clarification of Pay Grade.--Section 7404 of title 38, United 
States Code, is amended--
            (1) in subsection (a)(2), by inserting ``, podiatrists,'' 
        after ``physicians''; and

[[Page 136 STAT. 35]]

            (2) in subsection (b), in the first heading of the list 
        following the colon, by striking ``PODIATRIST'' and inserting 
        ``PODIATRIST (DPM)''.

    Approved March 14, 2022.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY--H.R. 2545:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

CONGRESSIONAL RECORD:
                                                        Vol. 167 (2021):
                                    June 15, considered and passed 
                                        House.
                                                        Vol. 168 (2022):
                                    Mar. 7, considered and passed 
                                        Senate.

                                  <all>
To amend title 38, United States Code, to clarify the role of doctors of podiatric medicine in the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes.
To amend title 38, United States Code, to clarify the role of doctors of podiatric medicine in the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes.
Official Titles - House of Representatives
Official Title as Introduced
To amend title 38, United States Code, to clarify the role of doctors of podiatric medicine in the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes.
Rep. Wenstrup, Brad R.