1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Strengthening Veterans Health Care Act of 2017 . 2. Sense of Congress It is the sense of Congress that— (1) the Veterans Access, Choice, and Accountability Act of 2014 ( Public Law 113–146 ) established the Veterans Choice Program under section 101 of such Act ( Public Law 113–146 ; 38 U.S.C. 1701 note) as a temporary program to address a wait time backlog for the receipt of health care from the Department of Veterans Affairs and a shortage of health care professionals at medical facilities of the Department; (2) as of the date of the enactment of this Act, there are approximately 45,000 vacancies at the Veterans Health Administration; and (3) of those vacancies, approximately 36,000 are vacancies for positions relating to front line care for veterans. 3. Appropriation of amounts for health care from Department of Veterans Affairs (a) In general There is authorized to be appropriated, and is appropriated, to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, out of any funds in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, $5,000,000,000 to carry out subsection (c). (b) Availability of amounts The amount appropriated under subsection (a) shall be available for obligation or expenditure without fiscal year limitation. (c) Use of amounts The amount appropriated under subsection (a) shall be used by the Secretary as follows: (1) To increase the access of veterans to care as follows: (A) To hire primary care and specialty care physicians for employment in the Department of Veterans Affairs. (B) To hire other medical staff, including the following: (i) Physicians. (ii) Nurses. (iii) Social workers. (iv) Mental health professionals. (v) Dental professionals. (vi) Other health care professionals as the Secretary considers appropriate. (C) To carry out the following: (i) Section 7412 of title 38, United States Code. (ii) Section 7302(e) of such title. (iii) Section 301(b)(2) of the Veterans Access, Choice, and Accountability Act of 2014 ( Public Law 113–146