I

103D CONGRESS

1ST SESSION H. R. 119

To require the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of Health and Human

Services, and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to submit to the Congress

a joint report addressing the question of United States Government

responsibility for providing benefits and services to disabled individuals

who served with certain voluntary organizations that provided significant

assistance to the Armed Forces of the United States stationed in the

Republic of Vietnam during the Vietnam era.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

JANUARY 5, 1993

Mrs. COLLINS of Illinois introduced the following bill; which was referred to

the Committee on Armed Services

A BILL

To require the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of Health

and Human Services, and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to submit to the Congress a joint report addressing

the question of United States Government responsibility

for providing benefits and services to disabled individuals

who served with certain voluntary organizations that provided significant assistance to the Armed Forces of the

United States stationed in the Republic of Vietnam during the Vietnam era.

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
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1 SECTION 1. REPORT REGARDING THE PROVISION OF BENE2 FITS AND SERVICES TO DISABLED OVERSEAS

3 VOLUNTEER SUPPORT PERSONNEL FOR THE

4 ARMED FORCES DURING THE VIETNAM ERA.

5 (a) PURPOSE.—The purpose of this Act is to provide

6 a basis for the executive branch and the Congress to evalu7 ate the question of United States Government responsibil8 ity for providing overseas volunteer support personnel with

9 Federal and other benefits and services (including health

10 care and monetary compensation) in connection with dis11 abilities which may be related to their experiences during

12 their service in the Republic of Vietnam in support of the

13 activities of the Armed Forces of the United States during

14 the Vietnam era.

15 (b) REPORT.—(1) In order to carry out such purpose,

16 the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of Health and

17 Human Services, and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs

18 shall jointly prepare a report on the question described

19 in subsection (a). The report shall include a description

20 of the benefits and services that should be provided to

21 such overseas volunteer support personnel, various alter22 native approaches to providing such benefits and services

23 (together with comments on the appropriateness and the

24 advantages and disadvantages of each alternative ap25 proach), and any recommendations by such officials for

26 legislative and administrative action to establish a pro-
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1 gram for providing such benefits and services to such over2 seas volunteer support personnel.

3 (2) The report required by this subsection shall be

4 submitted to the President and the Congress not later

5 than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act.

6 (c) DEFINITIONS.—For the purpose of this Act:

7 (1) The term ‘‘overseas volunteer support per8 sonnel’’ means individuals who, for a period of at

9 least 30 days during the Vietnam era, served in the

10 Republic of Vietnam as employees of, or volunteer

11 workers with, a voluntary organization determined

12 by the Secretary of Defense to be an organization

13 that provided significant assistance to the Armed

14 Forces of the United States in the Republic of Viet15 nam during the Vietnam era. Such term does not in16 clude members of the Armed Forces.

17 (2) The term ‘‘Armed Forces’’ has the meaning

18 given such term in section 101(10) of title 38, Unit19 ed States Code.

20 (3) The term ‘‘Vietnam era’’ has the meaning

21 given such term in section 101(29) of such title.

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