S. 2134: Grow Our Own Directive: Physician Assistant Employment and Education Act of 2015

114th Congress · introduced 2015-10-05 · Armed Forces and National Security · Latest: Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Hearings held. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 114-252.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2015-10-05 · official record
Who proposed it: Sen. Tester, Jon [D-MT] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Hearings held. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 114-252. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
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

Grow Our Own Directive: Physician Assistant Employment and Education Act of 2015

Plain summary

Grow Our Own Directive: Physician Assistant Employment and Education Act of 2015 This bill directs the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to carry out the Grow Our Own Directive or G.O.O.D. pilot program to provide educational assistance to certain former members of the Armed Forces for education and training as VA physician assistants. An individual is eligible to participate in the program if the individual: has medical or military health experience gained while serving in the Armed Forces; has received a certificate, associate degree, baccalaureate degree, master's degree, or postbaccalaureate training in a science relating to health care; has participated in the delivery of health care services or related medical services; and does not have a degree of doctor of medicine, doctor of osteopathy, or doctor of dentistry. The VA shall: provide educational assistance to program participants for the costs of obtaining a master's degree in physician assistant studies or a similar master's degree, ensure that mentors are available for program participants at each VA facility at which a participant is employed, and seek to partner with specified government programs and with appropriate educational institutions that offer degrees in physician assistant studies. The VA shall: establish specified standards to improve the education and and hiring of VA physician assistants, and implement a national plan for the retention and recruitment of VA physician assistants that includes the adoption of competitive pay standards. VA physician assistant pay grades are established.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate), 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

Grow Our Own Directive: Physician Assistant Employment and Education Act of 2015

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)

AI explanation – may be wrong, check the official text

No AI explanation yet. It takes up to a minute to write and is then saved for everyone.

Limited to a few requests an hour per person.

The strongest published arguments

Arguments for (supporters)

Needs sources: no published arguments on this side yet. We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.

Arguments against (opponents)

Needs sources: no published arguments on this side yet. We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.

Alternatives

Needs sources: no published alternatives yet (for example a different bill, a law instead of an amendment, or keeping current law). We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.

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

Officials and money

Sponsor: Sen. Tester, Jon [D-MT] · 3 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Jerry Moran (R-KS), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI)

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.

Words on this page, explained (2)

Appropriation: Money a legislature sets aside by law for a specific purpose. Government agencies may spend public money only as it has been appropriated.
Bill: A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-114s2134.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/114/s>

Record fed-us-cong114-s2134 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong114 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong114