7 USC 3151a - Veterinary medicine loan repayment

U.S Code last checked for updates: May 01, 2024

§ 3151a.

Veterinary medicine loan repayment

(a)

Program

(1)

Service in shortage situations

(2)

Service to Federal Government in emergency situations

(A)

In general

(B)

Requirements

Agreements entered into under this paragraph shall include the following:

(i)

A veterinarian shall not be required to serve more than 60 working days per year of the agreement.

(ii)

A veterinarian who provides service pursuant to the agreement shall receive a salary commensurate with the duties and shall be reimbursed for travel and per diem expenses as appropriate for the duration of the service.

(b)

Determination of veterinarian shortage situations

In determining “veterinarian shortage situations”, the Secretary may consider—

(1)

geographical areas that the Secretary determines have a shortage of veterinarians; and

(2)

areas of veterinary practice that the Secretary determines have a shortage of veterinarians, such as food animal medicine, public health, epidemiology, and food safety.

(c)

Administration

(1)

Authority

(2)

Breach remedies

(A)

In general

(B)

Amounts recovered

(3)

Waiver

(4)

Amount

The Secretary shall develop regulations to determine the amount of loan repayment for a year of service by a veterinarian. In making the determination, the Secretary shall consider the extent to which such determination—

(A)

affects the ability of the Secretary to maximize the number of agreements that can be provided under the Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment Program from the amounts appropriated for such agreements; and

(B)

provides an incentive to serve in veterinary service shortage areas with the greatest need.

(5)

Qualifying educational loans

Loan repayments provided under this section may consist of payments on behalf of participating individuals of the principal and interest on government and commercial loans received by the individual for attendance of the individual at an accredited college of veterinary medicine resulting in a degree of Doctor of Veterinary Medicine or the equivalent, which loans were made for—

(A)

tuition expenses;

(B)

all other reasonable educational expenses, including fees, books, and laboratory expenses, incurred by the individual; or

(C)

reasonable living expenses as determined by the Secretary.

(6)

Repayment schedule

(7)

Tax liability

(8)

Priority

(d)

Use of funds

(e)

Regulations

(f)

Authorization of appropriations

(Pub. L. 95–113, title XIV, § 1415A, as added Pub. L. 108–161, § 2, Dec. 6, 2003, 117 Stat. 2014; amended Pub. L. 110–234, title VII, § 7105(a), May 22, 2008, 122 Stat. 1216; Pub. L. 110–246, § 4(a), title VII, § 7105(a), June 18, 2008, 122 Stat. 1664, 1977.)

cite as: 7 USC 3151a