H.R. 1951: VA Medical Workforce Enhancement Act of 2003

108th Congress · introduced 2003-05-05 · Armed Forces and National Security · Latest: See Public Law 108-170.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2003-05-05 · official record
Who proposed it: Rep. Lynch, Stephen F. [D-MA-9] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: See Public Law 108-170. (final step reached)
If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

VA Medical Workforce Enhancement Act of 2003

Plain summary

VA Medical Workforce Enhancement Act of 2003 - States that: (1) current collective bargaining requirements within the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) shall not preclude the Secretary of Veterans Affairs and any labor organization representing VHA employees from entering into a collective bargaining agreement with respect to the numbers, types, and grades of employees, the number of patients assigned to physicians, physicians assistants, or nurses, and employee-to-patient ratios within any VHA medical facility, clinic, or organizational subdivision; and (2) nothing shall limit the right or ability of any labor organization representing such employees from engaging in collective bargaining with respect to VHA promotion processes. Provides that when a VHA registered nurse has accomplished the performance elements of promotion to the next higher grade, the lack of a specific type of educational degree shall not be an impediment to such promotion. Authorizes additional pay for Saturday VHA nursing duty. Directs the Secretary to carry out a program to develop nurse preceptors to act as mentors to newly hired registered nurses at Department of Veterans Affairs health care facilities.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

VA Medical Workforce Enhancement Act of 2003

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)

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The strongest published arguments

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Lynch, Stephen F. [D-MA-9] · 23 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Adam Smith (D-WA), Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. (D-GA), Betty McCollum (D-MN), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD)

Sponsor's campaign money: Rep. Lynch, Stephen F. [D-MA-9] reported raising $1.1 million (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-108hr1951.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/108/hr>

Record fed-us-cong108-hr1951 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong108 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong108