REQUIREMENT FOR MINIMUM NUMBER OF FULL TIME EQUIVALENT POSITIONS.

SEC. 1102. REQUIREMENT FOR MINIMUM NUMBER OF FULL TIME EQUIVALENT POSITIONS. (a) In General.—Chapter 7 is amended by adding at the end the following new section: “§ 712. Full-time equivalent positions: limitation on reduction “(a) ginningon the date of the enactment of this section and ending on September 30, 1999, may not (except as provided in subsection (c)) be less than 224,377. “(b) In determining the number of full-time equivalent positions in the Department of Veterans Affairs during a fiscal year for purposes of ensuring under section 5(b) of the Federal Workforce Restructuring Act of 1994 (Public Law 103–226; 108 Stat. 115; 5 U.S.C. 3101 note) that the total number of full-time equivalent positions in all agencies of the Federal Government during a fiscal year covered by that section does not exceed the limit prescribed for that fiscal year under that section, the total number of full-108 STAT. 4681time equivalent positions in the Department of Veterans Affairs during that fiscal year shall be the number equal to— “(1) the number of such positions in the Department during that fiscal year, reduced by “(2) the sum of— “(A) the number of such positions in the Department during that fiscal year that are filled by employees whose salaries and benefits are paid primarily from funds other than appropriated funds; and “(B) the number of such positions held during that fiscal year by persons involved in medical care cost recovery activities under section 1729 of this title. “(c) The Secretary shall not be required to make a reduction in the number of full-time equivalent positions in the Department unless such reduction— “(1) is necessary due to a reduction in funds available to the Department; or “(2) is required under a law that is enacted after the date of the enactment of this section and that refers specifically to this section. “(d) The Secretary shall submit to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and House of Representatives an annual report, through the year 2000, on the number and type of full-time equivalent positions in the Department that are reduced under this section. The report shall include a justification for the reductions and shall be submitted with the materials provided in support of the budget for the Department contained in the Presidents budget submitted to Congress for a fiscal year pursuant to section 1105 of title 31.”. (b) Clerical Amendment.—The table of sections at the beginning of such chapter is amended by adding at the end the following new item: “712. Full-time equivalent positions: limitation on reduction.”.