CODIFICATION AND EXTENSION OF SPECIAL PAY FOR CRITICALLY SHORT WARTIME HEALTH SPECIALISTS IN THE SELECTED RESERVES.

SEC. 614. CODIFICATION AND EXTENSION OF SPECIAL PAY FOR CRITICALLY SHORT WARTIME HEALTH SPECIALISTS IN THE SELECTED RESERVES. (a) Special Pay Authorized.— (1) Chapter 5 of title 37, United States Code, is amended by inserting after section 302f the following new section: §“302g. Special pay: Selected Reserve health care professionals in critically short wartime specialties.”. “(a) Special Pay Authorized.— An officer of a reserve component of the armed forces described in subsection (b) who executes a written agreement under which the officer agrees to serve in the Selected Reserve of an armed force for a period of not less than one year nor more than three years, beginning on the date the officer accepts the award of special pay under this section, may be paid special pay at an annual rate not to exceed $10,000. “(b) Eligible Officers.— An officer referred to in subsection (a) is an officer in a health care profession who is qualified in a specialty designated by regulations as a critically short wartime specialty. “(c) Time for Payment.— Special pay under this section shall be paid annually at the beginning of each twelve-month period for which the officer has agreed to serve. 110 STAT. 361 “(d) Refund Requirement.— An officer who voluntarily terminates service in the Selected Reserve of an armed force before the end of the period for which a payment was made to such officer under this section shall refund to the United States the full amount of the payment made for the period on which the payment was based. “(e) Inapplicability of Discharge in Bankruptcy.— A discharge in bankruptcy under title 11 that is entered less than five years after the termination of an agreement under this section does not discharge the person receiving special pay under the agreement from the debt arising under the agreement. “(f) Termination of Agreement Authority.— No agreement under this section may be entered into after September 30, 1997.” (2) The table of sections at the beginning of such chapter is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 302f the following new item: “302g. Special pay: Selected Reserve health care professionals in critically short wartime specialties.”. (b) Conforming Amendment.— Section 303a of title 37, United States Code, is amended by striking out “302, 302a, 302b, 302c, 302d, 302e,” each place it appears and inserting in lieu thereof “302 through 302g,”. (c) Conforming Repeal.— (1) Section 613 of the National Defense Authorization Act, Fiscal Year 1989 (Public Law 100–456; 37 U.S.C. 302 note) is repealed. (2) The provisions of section 613 of the National Defense Authorization Act, Fiscal Year 1989, as in effect on the day before the date of the enactment of this Act, shall continue to apply to agreements entered into under such section before such date.