EXTENSION AND EXPANSION OF MEDICAL OFFICER RETENTION BONUS PROGRAM

SEC. 703. EXTENSION AND EXPANSION OF MEDICAL OFFICER RETENTION BONUS PROGRAM (a) Bonus Authorized.—Subsection (a) of section 612 of the National Defense Authorization Act, Fiscal Year 1989 (102 Stat. 1979; 37 U.S.C. 302 note), is amended by striking out “September 30, 1989” in paragraph (1) and inserting in lieu thereof “September 30, 1990”. (b) Limitation on Amount of Incentive Special Pay.—Subsection (a) of such section is further amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph: “(3) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the amount of incentive special pay under section 302(b) of title 37, United States Code, paid to a medical officer who executes an agreement under paragraph (1) may not exceed $16,000 during each year covered by the agreement.”. (c) Covered Officers.—Subsection (b) of such section is amended— (1) in paragraph (3), by striking out “; and” and inserting in lieu thereof “or has completed any active-duty service commitment incurred for medical education and training;”; and (2) by striking out paragraph (4) and inserting in lieu thereof the following: (4) has completed initial residency training (or will complete such training before October 1, 1991); and (5) is not pursuing a medical residency or fellowship subsequent to completing initial residency training.”. 103 STAT. 1470 (d) Report.— (1) Subsection (g) of such section is amended to read as follows: “(g) Report.— (1) Not later than March 1, 1990, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and House of Representatives a report evaluating— “(A) the effectiveness of the Armed Forces in retaining medical officers by providing a retention bonus under this section to medical officers who make a multi-year active-duty service commitment; and “(B) the effectiveness and practicability of such alternative multi-year options as the Secretary considers appropriate to encourage medical officers to make active-duty service commitments of longer length. (2) The options evaluated by the Secretary under paragraph (1)(B) shall include— “(A) a proposal to increase the payment of additional special pay under subsection (a)(4) of section 302 of title 37, United States Code, by $2,000 for a two-year active-duty service commitment, $4,000 for a three-year active-duty service commitment, and $8,000 for a four-year active-duty service commitment; and “(B) a proposal to increase the amount of incentive special pay provided under subsection (b) of such section to medical officers who make a multi-year active-duty service commitment by a certain percentage based on the length of the active-duty service commitment. “(3) The Secretary shall include for each option evaluated under paragraph (1) an assessment of the cost of such option if implemented and methods to fund such option within the amounts provided for special pay under section 302 of title 37, United States Code.”. (2) Such section is further amended by striking out subsection (i). (e) Transition for Certain Officers Excluded During Fiscal Year 1989.—(1) In the case of an agreement that was executed by a medical officer under section 612 of the National Defense Authorization Act, Fiscal Year 1989 (102 Stat 1979; 37 U.S.C. 302 note), before October 1, 1989, but that was not accepted by the Secretary concerned solely because of the limitation contained in subsection (h) of such section, the Secretary concerned may accept such agreement during the 90-day period beginning on the date of the enactment of this Act notwithstanding such limitation. (2) An agreement accepted under this subsection may be deemed by the Secretary concerned to have been accepted on the date on which the officer executed the agreement during fiscal year 1989. (f) Coverage of Period of Lapsed Authority.—In the case of a medical officer described in paragraph (2) who executes an agreement under section 612 of the National Defense Authorization Act, Fiscal Year 1989 (102 Stat. 1979; 37 U.S.C. 302 note), during the 90-day period beginning on the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary concerned may deem such agreement to have been executed and accepted for purposes of such section on the first date on which the officer would have qualified for such agreement had the authority referred to in such paragraph not lapsed. (2) A medical officer referred to in paragraph (1) is an officer who, during the period beginning on October 1, 1989, and ending on the date of the enactment of this Act, would have qualified for an agreement under such section but for the fact that the authority for the payment of bonuses provided by such section had lapsed. 103 STAT. 1471 (g) Secretary Concerned Defined.—For purposes of subsections (e) and (0, the term “Secretary concerned” has the meaning given that term by section 101(5) of title 37, United States Code.