OPM has allowed all agencies to use the direct hire authority for veterinarian medical officer positions at the GS-701-11/15 grade levels nationwide. The authority, which shortcuts many normal competitive hiring procedures, is available on government-wide basis when OPM determines that there is a severe shortage of candidates and takes into account factors such as the overall labor market for such positions and agencies’ inability to sufficiently recruit even when using various types of incentives. Meanwhile, the Senate federal workforce subcommittee has held a hearing examining the impact that the difficulty in hiring veterinarians is having on food safety and public health.