H.R. 2846: To amend title II of the Public Health Service Act to include as an additional right or privilege of commissioned officers of the Public Health Service (and their beneficiaries) certain leave provided under title 10, United States Code to commissioned officers of the Army (or their beneficiaries).

This bill proposes to make changes to the rights and privileges of commissioned officers of the Public Health Service (PHS) regarding leave provisions. Specifically, it seeks to amend the Public Health Service Act to ensure that certain leave provisions, similar to those available to commissioned officers of the Army, are also available to PHS officers and their beneficiaries. Here are the main points of the bill:

1. Application of Leave Provisions

The bill aims to extend specific leave provisions under Chapter 40 of Title 10 of the United States Code to members of the Public Health Service. This means that PHS officers will have access to leave in a manner similar to Army commissioned officers, recognizing their service and needs for leave.

2. Repeal of Existing Regulations

In conjunction with the new provisions, the bill proposes to repeal Section 219 of the Public Health Service Act, which currently governs leave for PHS officers. This repeal will streamline the leave process by replacing older regulations with the new ones that align more closely with those applicable to the Army.

3. Impact on Benefits

The main intention of this amendment is to improve the benefits of PHS officers, particularly in terms of their eligibility for leave, thus promoting equal treatment among military services. This could potentially enhance the recruitment and retention of PHS officers by providing them with leave conditions that are more favorable.

4. Beneficiaries Included

The bill also extends these leave benefits not only to PHS officers but also to their beneficiaries, ensuring support for families and dependents of service members.

5. Legislative Process

The bill was introduced by Ms. Houlahan and Mr. Bacon in the House of Representatives and is currently under consideration by the Committee on Energy and Commerce.

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