IB 

Union Calendar No. 59

108TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 1911

[Report No. 108–115, Part I] 

To amend title 38, United States Code, to enhance cooperation and the 

sharing of resources between the Department of Veterans Affairs and 

the Department of Defense. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MAY 1, 2003

Mr. BOOZMAN (for himself, Mr. SMITH of New Jersey, Mr. EVANS, Mr. SIMMONS, Mr. MILLER of Florida, and Mr. RODRIGUEZ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, 

and in addition to the Committee on Armed Services, for a period to be 

subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration 

of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 

MAY 19, 2003

Additional sponsor: Mr. ACEVEDO-VILA ́

MAY 19, 2003

Reported from the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 

MAY 19, 2003

Referral to the Committee on Armed Services extended for a period ending 

not later than May 19, 2003

MAY 19, 2003

Committee on Armed Services discharged; committed to the Committee of the 

Whole House on the State of the Union and ordered to be printed 
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A BILL

To amend title 38, United States Code, to enhance cooperation and the sharing of resources between the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Defense.

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

3 SECTION 1. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE-DEPARTMENT OF 

4 VETERANS AFFAIRS JOINT EXECUTIVE COM5 MITTEE. 

6 (a) ESTABLISHMENT OF JOINT COMMITTEE.—(1) 

7 Chapter 3 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by 

8 adding at the end the following new section:

9 ‘‘§ 320. Department of Veterans Affairs-Department of 

10 Defense Joint Executive Committee 

11 ‘‘(a) JOINT EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE.—(1) There is 

12 established an interagency committee to be known as the 

13 Department of Veterans Affairs-Department of Defense 

14 Joint Executive Committee (hereinafter in this section re15 ferred to as the ‘Committee’). 

16 ‘‘(2) The Committee is composed of—

17 ‘‘(A) the Deputy Secretary of Veterans Affairs 

18 and such other officers and employees of the Depart19 ment of Veterans Affairs as the Secretary of Vet20 erans Affairs may designate; and 
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1 ‘‘(B) the Under Secretary of Defense for Per2 sonnel and Readiness and such other officers and 

3 employees of the Department of Defense as the Sec4 retary of Defense may designate. 

5 ‘‘(b) ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS.—(1) The Deputy 

6 Secretary of Veterans Affairs and the Under Secretary of 

7 Defense shall determine the size and structure of the Com8 mittee, as well as the administrative and procedural guide9 lines for the operation of the Committee. 

10 ‘‘(2) The two Departments shall supply appropriate 

11 staff and resources to provide administrative support and 

12 services. Support for such purposes shall be provided at 

13 a level sufficient for the efficient operation of the Com14 mittee, including a subordinate Health Executive Com15 mittee, a subordinate Benefits Executive Committee, and 

16 such other committees or working groups as considered 

17 necessary by the Deputy Secretary and Under Secretary. 

18 ‘‘(c) RECOMMENDATIONS.—(1) The Committee shall 

19 recommend to the Secretaries strategic direction for the 

20 joint coordination and sharing efforts between and within 

21 the two Departments under section 8111 of this title and 

22 shall oversee implementation of those efforts. 

23 ‘‘(2) The Committee shall submit to the two Secre24 taries and to Congress an annual report containing such 

25 recommendations as the Committee considers appropriate. 
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1 ‘‘(d) FUNCTIONS.—In order to enable the Committee 

2 to make recommendations in its annual report under sub3 section (c)(2), the Committee shall do the following: 

4 ‘‘(1) Review existing policies, procedures, and 

5 practices relating to the coordination and sharing of 

6 resources between the two Departments. 

7 ‘‘(2) Identify changes in policies, procedures, 

8 and practices that, in the judgment of the Com9 mittee, would promote mutually beneficial coordina10 tion, use, or exchange of use of services and re11 sources of the two Departments, with the goal of im12 proving the quality, efficiency and effectiveness of 

13 the delivery of benefits and services to veterans, 

14 service members, military retirees and their families 

15 through an enhanced Department of Veterans Af16 fairs and Department of Defense partnership. 

17 ‘‘(3) Identify and assess further opportunities 

18 for the coordination and collaboration between the 

19 Departments that, in the judgment of the Com20 mittee, would not adversely affect the range of serv21 ices, the quality of care, or the established priorities 

22 for benefits provided by either Department. 

23 ‘‘(4) Review the plans of both Departments for 

24 the acquisition of additional resources, especially 

25 new facilities and major equipment and technology, 
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1 in order to assess the potential effect of such plans 

2 on further opportunities for the coordination and 

3 sharing of resources. 

4 ‘‘(5) Review the implementation of activities de5 signed to promote the coordination and sharing of 

6 resources between the Departments.’’.

7 (2) The table of sections at the beginning of such 

8 chapter is amended by adding at the end the following 

9 new item:

‘‘320. Department of Veterans Affairs-Department of Defense Joint Executive 

Committee.’’.

10 (b) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.—(1) Subsection (c) 

11 of section 8111 of such title is repealed. 

12 (2) Such section is further amended—

13 (A) in subsection (b)(2), by striking ‘‘subsection 

14 (c)’’ and inserting ‘‘section 320 of this title’’; 

15 (B) in subsection (d)(1), by striking ‘‘Com16 mittee established in subsection (c)’’ and inserting 

17 ‘‘Department of Veterans Affairs-Department of De18 fense Joint Executive Committee’’; 

19 (C) in subsection (e)(1), by striking ‘‘Com20 mittee under subsection (c)(2)’’ and inserting ‘‘De21 partment of Veterans Affairs-Department of Defense 

22 Joint Executive Committee with respect to health 

23 care resources’’; and 
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1 (D) in subsection (f)(2), by striking subpara2 graphs (B) and (C) and inserting the following: 

3 ‘‘(B) The assessment of further opportunities 

4 identified by the Department of Veterans Affairs5 Department of Defense Joint Executive Committee 

6 under subsection (d)(3) of section 320 of this title 

7 for the sharing of health-care resources between the 

8 two Departments. 

9 ‘‘(C) Any recommendation made by that com10 mittee under subsection (c)(2) of that section during 

11 that fiscal year.’’. 

12 (c) TECHNICAL AMENDMENTS.—Subsection (f) of 

13 such section is further amended by inserting ‘‘(Public Law 

14 107–314)’’ in paragraphs (3), (4)(A), (4)(B), and (5) 

15 after ‘‘for Fiscal Year 2003’’.

16 (d) EFFECTIVE DATE.—(1) If this Act is enacted be17 fore October 1, 2003—

18 (A) section 320 of title 38, United States Code, 

19 as added by subsection (a), shall take effect on Octo20 ber 1, 2003; and 

21 (B) the amendments made by subsections (b) 

22 and (c) shall take effect on October 1, 2003, imme23 diately after the amendment made by section 

24 721(a)(1) of the Bob Stump National Defense Au-
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1 thorization Act for Fiscal Year 2003 (Public Law 

2 107–314; 116 2589). 

3 (2) If this Act is enacted on or after October 1, 2003, 

4 the amendments made by this section shall take effect on 

5 the date of the enactment of this Act. 
Union Calendar No. 59

108TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 1911

[Report No. 108–115, Part I] 

A BILL

To amend title 38, United States Code, to enhance 

cooperation and the sharing of resources between the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Defense. 

MAY 19, 2003

Reported from the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 

MAY 19, 2003

Referral to the Committee on Armed Services extended 

for a period ending not later than May 19, 2003

MAY 19, 2003

Committee on Armed Services discharged; committed to 

the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union and ordered to be printed