123STA T . 22 86PUBLIC LA W 111 – 8 4—O CT. 28 , 2 0 0 9(3)byad d ing a t t he end the fol lo w ing new su bse c tion
- ‘
‘(b) MENTALH EALT HPROF E S S I ONALS .—O fthenu m be r of p er - sons designated as members of the program at any time , 3 0 0 may be members of the program described in section 21 21(a)(1)( B ) of this title. ’ ’. SEC.52 5. D E PARTM E N T OF DEFENSE U NDER G RADUATE NURSE TRA I NING PROGRAM. (a) R E V ISION OF CU RRENT SC HOOL OF N URSIN GA UTHORI Z A- TIONS.— (1) RE P EAL OF ESTA B LISH M ENT W ITHIN UNIFORME D SERVICES UNIVERSIT Y OF THE HEALTH SCIENCES.—Section 211 7 of title 10, U nited States Code, is repealed. (2) E STABLISHMENT AS DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE SCHOOL.— Chapter 10 8 of such title is amended by adding at the end the following new section: ‘ ‘ §2169.Scho o l o fNursing:e s tab lish m ent ‘‘(a) ESTABLISHMENT AUTHORIZED.— T he Secretary of D efense may establish a School of Nursing. ‘‘(b) DEGREE G RANTING AUTHORITY.—The School of Nursing may include a program that awards a bachelor of science in nursing. ‘‘(c) PHASED DEVELOPMENT.—The Secretary of Defense may de v elop the School of Nursing in phases as determined appropriate by the Secretary.’’. (3) CLERICAL AMENDMENTS.— (A) CHAPTER 104 .—The table of sections at the begin- ning of chapter 10 4 of such title is amended by stri k ing the item relating to section 2117. (B) CHAPTER 10 8 .—The table of sections at the begin- ning of chapter 108 of such title is amended by adding at the end the following new item: ‘ ‘ 2169.Scho o l o fNursing:e s tab lish m ent. ’ ’. (b) AUTHORITY TO ESTABLISH UNDERGRADUATE NURSE TRAINING PROGRAM.— (1) I N GENERAL.—Chapter 101 of title 10, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new section: ‘‘§ 2 0 16. U n d ergraduate nurse training p rogram: establish - ment through agreement w ith academic institution ‘‘(a) ESTABLISHMENT AUTHORIZED.—(1) To increase the number of nurses in the armed forces, the Secretary of Defense may enter into an agreement with one or more academic institutions to estab- lish and operate an undergraduate program (in this section referred to as a ‘undergraduate nurse training program’) under which partici- pants will earn a nursing degree and serve as a member of the armed forces. ‘‘(2) The Secretary of Defense may authori z e the participation of members of the other uniformed services in the undergraduate nurse training program if the Secretary of Defense and the Sec- retary of Health and Human Services j ointly determine the partici- pation of such members in the program will facilitate an increase in the number of nurses in the other uniformed services. ‘‘(b) GRADUATION RATES.—An undergraduate nurse training program shall have the capacity to graduate 2 5 students with
