I

104TH CONGRESS

2D SESSION H. R. 4060

To establish the Commission on the Future for America’s Veterans.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

SEPTEMBER 11, 1996

Mr. SOLOMON (for himself, Mr. STUMP, Mr. WATTS of Oklahoma, and Mr.

LONGLEY) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, and in addition to the Committees on Rules,

and National Security, 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

A BILL

To establish the Commission on the Future for America’s

Veterans.

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

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Commission on the

5 Future for America’s Veterans Act’’.

6 SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF COMMISSION.

7 (a) IN GENERAL.—There is established a commission

8 to be known as the Commission on the Future for Ameri-
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1 ca’s Veterans (hereinafter in this Act referred to as the

2 ‘‘Commission’’).

3 (b) ESTABLISHMENT OF PANELS.—There are estab4 lished within the Commission two panels as follows:

5 (1) The Panel on Veterans’ Employment Op6 portunities (hereinafter in this Act referred to as the

7 ‘‘Opportunities Panel’’).

8 (2) The Panel on Veterans’ Health Benefits

9 (hereinafter in this Act referred to as the ‘‘Health

10 Panel’’).

11 SEC. 3. MEMBERSHIP.

12 (a) NUMBER AND APPOINTMENT.—The Commission

13 shall be composed initially of 25 members. Upon termi14 nation of the Opportunities Panel, the Commission shall

15 be composed of 13 members, of whom one is the chairman

16 of the Commission and 12 are the members of the Health

17 Panel. The initial composition of the Commission is as fol18 lows:

19 (1) Three members shall be appointed by the

20 Speaker of the House of Representatives and the

21 majority leader of the Senate, jointly, in consultation

22 with the chairman of the Committee on Veterans’

23 Affairs of the Senate and the chairman of the Com24 mittee on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Rep25 resentatives.
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1 (2) Six members shall be appointed as follows:

2 (A) One member shall be the Under Sec3 retary for Benefits, Veterans Benefits Adminis4 tration, Department of Veterans Affairs, or his

5 designee.

6 (B) One member shall be the Assistant

7 Secretary of Defense for Force Management

8 Personnel, Department of Defense, or his des9 ignee.

10 (C) One member shall be the Assistant

11 Secretary for Veterans Employment and Train12 ing, Department of Labor, or his designee.

13 (D) One member shall be the Under Sec14 retary for Health, Department of Veterans Af15 fairs, or his designee.

16 (E) One member shall be the Assistant

17 Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs, De18 partment of Defense, or his designee.

19 (F) One member shall be the Assistant

20 Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, Depart21 ment of Health and Human Services, or his

22 designee.

23 (3)(A) 16 members shall be appointed as fol24 lows:
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1 (i) Six members, of whom one shall be a

2 representative of a veterans service organiza3 tion, shall be appointed by the chairman of the

4 Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate,

5 in consultation with the ranking member of

6 that committee.

7 (ii) Six members, of whom one shall be a

8 representative of a veterans service organiza9 tion, shall be appointed by the chairman of the

10 Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of

11 Representatives, in consultation with the rank12 ing member of that committee.

13 (iii) Two members shall be appointed by

14 the chairman of the Committee on Armed Serv15 ices of the Senate, in consultation with the

16 ranking member of that committee.

17 (iv) Two members shall be appointed by

18 the chairman of the Committee on National Se19 curity of the House of Representatives, in con20 sultation with the ranking member of that com21 mittee.

22 (B) The appointments of such members under

23 this paragraph shall be made from among individ24 uals who are not full-time officers or employees of

25 the United States and who have appropriate and di-
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1 verse experience, expertise, and historical perspec2 tives on veterans, military, organizational, and man3 agement matters. To the maximum extent prac4 ticable, such individuals shall be veterans.

5 (C) The appointments of such members shall,

6 to the maximum extent practicable, be made after

7 consultation with representatives of veterans service

8 organizations.

9 (D)(i) Each appointing authority under this

10 paragraph shall designate one half of the members

11 such authority appoints to serve on the Opportuni12 ties Panel and the other half of the members such

13 authority appoints to serve on the Health Panel.

14 (ii) In the case of the representatives of a veter15 ans service organization described in clauses (i) and

16 (ii) of paragraph (A), the appointing authorities

17 under such clauses shall designate such representa18 tives to serve on the Opportunities Panel.

19 (b) DESIGNATION OF THE CHAIRMAN AND VICE

20 CHAIRMEN.—The Speaker of the House of Representa21 tives and the majority leader of the Senate, jointly, in con22 sultation with the chairman of the Committee on Veter23 ans’ Affairs of the Senate and the chairman of the Com24 mittee on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representa-
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1 tives shall, from the members appointed in subsection

2 (a)(1), designate—

3 (1) one as chairman of the Commission;

4 (2) one as vice chairman of the Commission to

5 serve as chairman of the Opportunities Panel; and

6 (3) one as vice chairman of the Commission to

7 serve as chairman of the Health Panel.

8 (c) OPPORTUNITIES PANEL.—The Opportunities

9 Panel shall be composed of 13 members of the Commission

10 as follows:

11 (1) The chairman of the Commission.

12 (2) The vice chairman of the Commission des13 ignated as the chairman of the Opportunities Panel.

14 (3) The members of the Commission appointed

15 in subparagraphs (A), (B), and (C) of subsection

16 (a)(2).

17 (4) The members appointed in subsection (a)(3)

18 designated to serve on the Opportunities Panel.

19 (d) HEALTH PANEL.—The Health Panel shall be

20 composed of 13 members of the Commission as follows:

21 (1) The chairman of the Commission.

22 (2) The vice chairman of the Commission des23 ignated as the chairman of the Health Panel.
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1 (3) The members of the Commission appointed

2 in subparagraphs (D), (E), and (F) of subsection

3 (a)(2).

4 (4) The members appointed in subsection (a)(3)

5 designated to serve on the Health Panel.

6 (e) TIME OF APPOINTMENT.—The members of the

7 Commission shall be appointed not later than December

8 1, 1996.

9 (f) PERIOD OF APPOINTMENT; VACANCIES.—

10 (1) CHAIRMAN.—The chairman of the Commis11 sion shall be appointed for the life of the Commis12 sion.

13 (2) OPPORTUNITIES PANEL.—Except as pro14 vided in paragraph (1), a member of the Commis15 sion who serves on the Opportunities Panel shall be

16 appointed for the life of the Opportunities Panel.

17 (3) HEALTH PANEL.—Except as provided in

18 paragraph (1), a member of the Commission who

19 serves on the Health Panel shall be appointed for

20 the life of the Health Panel.

21 (4) VACANCIES.—Any vacancy in the Commis22 sion shall not affect its powers and shall be filled in

23 the same manner as the original appointment.

24 (g) INITIAL MEETING.—Not later than 30 days after

25 the date on which all members of the Commission have
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1 been appointed, the Commission shall hold its first meet2 ing.

3 (h) QUORUM.—

4 (1) COMMISSION.—A majority of the members

5 of the Commission shall constitute a quorum, but a

6 lesser number may hold hearings.

7 (2) PANELS.—A majority of the members of a

8 panel shall constitute a quorum, but a lesser number

9 may hold hearings.

10 (i) MEETINGS.—

11 (1) COMMISSION.—The Commission shall meet

12 at the call of the chairman of the Commission.

13 (2) PANELS.—A panel shall meet at the call of

14 the chairman of such panel.

15 (j) MAJORITY VOTE.—

16 (1) COMMISSION.—The Commission shall make

17 no recommendation unless approved by the affirma18 tive vote of a majority of the members of the Com19 mission.

20 (2) PANELS.—(A) Except as provided in sub21 paragraph (B), a panel shall make no recommenda22 tion, report, or legislative proposal unless approved

23 by the affirmative vote of a majority of the members

24 of the Panel.
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1 (B) In the case of a report described in section

2 5(d)(3) or section 6(e)(2), no vote shall be required

3 to submit such report.

4 (k) AUTHORITY OF INDIVIDUALS TO ACT FOR COM5 MISSION.—Any member or agent of the Commission may,

6 if authorized by the Commission, take any action which

7 the Commission is authorized to take under this Act.

8 SEC. 4. DUTIES OF THE CHAIRMAN OF THE COMMISSION.

9 The chairman of the Commission shall oversee the

10 progress of each panel, review weekly progress reports

11 from each panel, and allocate the Commission’s resources

12 to enable each panel to carry out its duties.

13 SEC. 5. DUTIES OF OPPORTUNITIES PANEL.

14 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Opportunities Panel shall—

15 (1) review the efficacy and appropriateness of

16 veterans transition and assistance programs in pro17 viding assistance to members of the Armed Forces

18 in making the transition and adjustment to civilian

19 life upon their separation from the Armed Forces

20 and in providing assistance to veterans in adjusting

21 to civilian life;

22 (2) evaluate proposals for improving such pro23 grams, including proposals to consolidate, stream24 line, and enhance the provision of such assistance
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1 and proposals for alternative means of providing

2 such assistance; and

3 (3) make recommendations to Congress regard4 ing means of ensuring the continuing utility of such

5 programs and assistance and of otherwise improving

6 such programs and the provision of such assistance.

7 (b) REVIEW OF PROGRAMS TO ASSIST MEMBERS OF

8 THE ARMED FORCES AT SEPARATION.—(1) While carry9 ing out the general duties specified in subsection (a), the

10 members of the Opportunities Panel appointed under

11 clauses (iii) and (iv) of section 3(a)(3)(A) shall review pri12 marily the programs intended to assist members of the

13 Armed Forces at the time of their separation from service

14 in the Armed Forces, including programs designed to as15 sist families of such members in preparing for the transi16 tion of such members from military life to civilian life and

17 to facilitate that transition.

18 (2) In carrying out the review, such members of the

19 Opportunities Panel shall determine the following:

20 (A) The adequacy of the programs referred to

21 in paragraph (1) for their purposes.

22 (B) The adequacy of the support of the Armed

23 Forces for such programs.

24 (C) The effect, if any, of the existence of such

25 programs on military readiness.
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1 (D) The extent to which such programs provide

2 members of the Armed Forces with job-search skills.

3 (E) The extent to which such programs prepare

4 such members for employment in the private sector

5 and in the public sector.

6 (F) The effectiveness of such programs in as7 sisting such members in finding employment in the

8 public sector upon their separation from service.

9 (G) The ways in which such programs could be

10 improved in order to assist such members in secur11 ing meaningful employment in the private sector

12 upon their separation from service.

13 (c) REVIEW OF PROGRAMS TO ASSIST VETERANS.—

14 (1) While carrying out the general duties specified in sub15 section (a), the members of the Opportunities Panel ap16 pointed under clauses (i) and (ii) of section 3(a)(3)(A)

17 shall review primarily the adequacy of programs intended

18 to assist veterans (including disabled veterans, homeless

19 veterans, and economically disadvantaged veterans) in ad20 justing to civilian life, including the programs referred to

21 in paragraph (2).

22 (2) The programs referred to in paragraph (1) are

23 the following:

24 (A) Educational assistance programs.
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1 (B) Job counseling, job training, and job place2 ment services programs.

3 (C) Rehabilitation and training programs.

4 (D) Housing loan programs.

5 (E) Small business loan and small business as6 sistance programs.

7 (F) Employment and employment training pro8 grams for employment in the public sector and the

9 private sector, including employer training programs

10 and union apprenticeship programs.

11 (G) Federal Government personnel policies (in12 cluding veterans’ preference policies) and the en13 forcement of such policies.

14 (H) Programs that prepare the families of

15 members of the Armed Forces for their transition

16 from military life to civilian life and facilitate that

17 transition.

18 (d) REPORTS.—(1) Not later than 90 days after the

19 date on which all members of the Opportunities Panel

20 have been appointed, the Opportunities Panel shall submit

21 to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs and Armed Serv22 ices of the Senate and the Committees on Veterans’ Af23 fairs and National Security of the House of Representa24 tives a report setting forth a plan for the work of the Op25 portunities Panel. The Opportunities Panel shall develop
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1 the plan in consultation with the Secretary of Defense, the

2 Secretary of Veterans Affairs, and the heads of other ap3 propriate departments and agencies of the Federal Gov4 ernment.

5 (2)(A) Not later than one year after the date of the

6 first meeting of the Opportunities Panel, the Opportuni7 ties Panel shall submit to the committees referred to in

8 paragraph (1), and to the Secretary of Defense, the Sec9 retary of Veterans Affairs, the Secretary of Labor, and

10 the Secretary of Education, a report setting forth the ac11 tivities, findings, and recommendations of the Opportuni12 ties Panel, including any recommendations for legislative

13 action and administrative action as the Opportunities

14 Panel considers appropriate.

15 (B) Not later than 90 days after receiving the report

16 referred to in subparagraph (A), the Secretary of Defense

17 and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall jointly trans18 mit the report to Congress, together with the Secretaries’

19 comments on the report.

20 (3) The chairman of the Opportunities Panel shall

21 submit to the chairman of the Commission a weekly report

22 setting forth the activities of the Opportunities Panel for

23 the preceding week.
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1 SEC. 6. DUTIES OF HEALTH PANEL.

2 (a) STUDY.—The Health Panel shall conduct a com3 prehensive study of health care services available under

4 the Department of Veterans Affairs.

5 (b) MATTERS STUDIED.—The matters studied by the

6 Health Panel shall include—

7 (1) previous and current legislative proposals to

8 improve delivery of health care to veterans, including

9 H.R. 1767 of the 104th Congress, H.R. 3117 of the

10 104th Congress, H.R. 3119 of the 104th Congress,

11 and the G.I. Bill of Health (H.R. 3950 of the 104th

12 Congress);

13 (2) alternative means for delivery of health care

14 to veterans (such as managed care); and

15 (3) eligibility reform.

16 (c) DEMONSTRATION PROJECT BILL.—

17 (1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than June 1,

18 1997, the Health Panel shall submit a legislative

19 proposal in the form of a draft bill (hereinafter in

20 this Act referred to as a ‘‘demonstration project

21 bill’’) to the Congress.

22 (2) CONTENT OF BILL.—

23 (A) AUTHORITY OF SECRETARY.—A dem24 onstration project bill shall authorize the Sec25 retary of Veterans’ Affairs to implement tem26 porary demonstration projects to improve health
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1 care services under the Department of Veter2 ans’ Affairs.

3 (B) IMPLEMENTATION AT MEDICAL CEN4 TERS; TERMINATION.—A demonstration project

5 bill shall provide that the temporary demonstra6 tion projects be implemented at no fewer than

7 20 and no greater than 40 Department of Vet8 erans’ Affairs medical centers specified in the

9 demonstration project bill and that such

10 projects terminate not later than April 1, 1999.

11 (C) SELECTION OF CENTERS.—In selecting

12 the centers to be specified in the demonstration

13 project bill, the chairman of the Health Panel

14 in consultation with the Secretary of Veterans’

15 Affairs shall assure a diversity of centers ac16 cording to geographic areas, demographic char17 acteristics of, and specialized medical services

18 provided by individual centers.

19 (d) EVALUATION OF PROJECTS; AUDIT.—The

20 Health Panel shall monitor and evaluate the temporary

21 demonstration projects, and the chairman of the Commis22 sion shall arrange for audits of such projects.

23 (e) REPORTS.—(1) Not later than October 1, 1998,

24 the Health Panel and the chairman of the Commission

25 shall submit a report to Congress which shall contain a
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1 detailed statement of findings and conclusions of the

2 Health Panel and such chairman with respect to the tem3 porary demonstration projects together with recommenda4 tions for such legislation and administrative actions as the

5 Health Panel and such chairman consider appropriate.

6 (2) The chairman of the Health Panel shall submit

7 to the chairman of the Commission a weekly report setting

8 forth the activities of the Health Panel for the preceding

9 week.

10 SEC. 7. EXPEDITED CONGRESSIONAL PROCEDURE.

11 (a) PROCEDURE IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTA12 TIVES.—

13 (1) INTRODUCTION.—The provisions of this

14 subsection shall only apply to a demonstration

15 project bill that is introduced by the majority leader

16 of the House of Representatives for himself and the

17 minority leader of the House of Representatives, or

18 by Members designated jointly by the majority lead19 er and the minority leader of the House of Rep20 resentatives, not later than the close of the 15th day

21 after the date on which such bill is submitted to the

22 House of Representatives under section 6(c).

23 (2) COMMITTEE CONSIDERATION.—If a commit24 tee to which a demonstration project bill has been

25 referred has not reported such bill at the close of the
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1 10th day after the date of the bill’s introduction,

2 such committee shall be automatically discharged

3 from further consideration of the bill, and the bill

4 shall be placed on the appropriate calendar.

5 (3) COMPUTATION OF DAYS.—For purposes of

6 this subsection, in computing the number of days,

7 there shall be excluded any day on which the House

8 of Representatives is not in session.

9 (b) PROCEDURE IN THE SENATE.—

10 (c) RULES OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

11 AND SENATE.—This section is enacted by the Congress—

12 (1) as an exercise of the rulemaking power of

13 the House of Representatives and the Senate, re14 spectively, and as such it shall be considered as part

15 of the rules of each House, respectively, or of that

16 House to which it specifically applies, and such rules

17 shall supersede other rules only to the extent that

18 they are inconsistent therewith; and

19 (2) with full recognition of the constitutional

20 right of either House to change the rules (so far as

21 relating to such House) at any time, in the same

22 manner and to the same extent as in the case of any

23 other rule of that House.
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1 SEC. 8. POWERS.

2 (a) HEARINGS.—Each panel may hold such hearings,

3 sit and act at such times and places, take such testimony,

4 and receive such evidence as the such panel considers ad5 visable to carry out the purposes of this Act.

6 (b) INFORMATION FROM FEDERAL AGENCIES.—The

7 chairman of the Commission may secure directly from the

8 Department of Veterans Affairs, Department of Defense,

9 and any other department or agency of the Federal Gov10 ernment such information as the chairman of the Commis11 sion considers necessary to carry out the duties under this

12 Act. Upon request of the chairman of the Commission, the

13 head of such department or agency shall furnish such in14 formation expeditiously to the Commission.

15 (c) CONTRACT AUTHORITY.—The Commission may

16 contract with and compensate government and private

17 agencies or persons for supplies or services, without regard

18 to section 3709 of the Revised Statutes (41 U.S.C. 5).

19 SEC. 9. MISCELLANEOUS ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS.

20 (a) POSTAL SERVICES.—The Commission may use

21 the United States mails in the same manner and under

22 the same conditions as other departments and agencies of

23 the Federal Government.

24 (b) GIFTS.—The Commission may accept, use, and

25 dispose of gifts or donations of services or property.
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1 (c) MISCELLANEOUS ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT.—

2 The Secretary of Veterans Affairs and the Secretary of

3 Defense shall, upon the request of the chairman of the

4 Commission, furnish the Commission or a panel, on a re5 imbursable basis, such administrative and support services

6 as the Commission may require.

7 SEC. 10. COMMISSION PERSONNEL MATTERS.

8 (a) COMPENSATION OF MEMBERS.—

9 (1) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in para10 graph (2), each member of the Commission shall be

11 compensated at a rate equal to the daily equivalent

12 of the annual rate of basic pay prescribed for level

13 IV of the Executive Schedule under section 5315 of

14 title 5, United States Code, for each day (including

15 travel time) during which such member is engaged

16 in performing the duties of the Commission.

17 (2) PROHIBITION OF COMPENSATION OF FED18 ERAL EMPLOYEES.—Members of the Commission

19 who are full-time officers or employees of the United

20 States or Members of Congress may not receive ad21 ditional pay, allowances, or benefits by reason of

22 their service on the Commission.

23 (b) TRAVEL.—Members and personnel of the Com24 mission may travel on military aircraft, military vehicles,

25 or other military conveyances when travel is necessary in
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1 the performance of a duty of the Commission except when

2 the cost of commercial transportation is less expensive.

3 (c) STAFF.—

4 (1) APPOINTMENT.—The chairman of the Com5 mission, with respect to the Commission, the chair6 man of the Opportunities Panel with respect to such

7 panel, and the chairman of the Health Panel, with

8 respect to such panel, respectively may appoint,

9 without regard to civil service laws and regulations,

10 an executive director and such additional personnel

11 as may be necessary to enable the Commission and

12 each panel to perform the duties under this Act.

13 Each executive director shall be a veteran, and in

14 appointing additional personnel the chairmen shall

15 give preference to veterans.

16 (2) COMPENSATION.—The chairman of the

17 Commission may fix the compensation of the execu18 tive directors and other personnel without regard to

19 the provisions of chapter 51 and subchapter III of

20 chapter 53 of title 5, United States Code, relating

21 to classification of positions and General Schedule

22 pay rates, except that the rate of pay for the execu23 tive director and other personnel may not exceed the

24 rate payable for level V of the Executive Schedule

25 under section 5316 of such title.
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1 (d) DETAIL OF GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES.—Upon

2 request of the chairman of the Commission, the head of

3 any department or agency of the Federal Government may

4 detail, on a nonreimbursable basis, any personnel of the

5 department or agency to the Commission to assist the

6 Commission and each panel in carrying out the duties

7 under this Act.

8 (e) PROCUREMENT OF TEMPORARY AND INTERMIT9 TENT SERVICES.—The chairman of the Commission may

10 procure temporary and intermittent services under section

11 3109(b) of title 5, United States Code, at rates for individ12 uals which do not exceed the daily equivalent of the annual

13 rate of basic pay prescribed for level IV of the Executive

14 Schedule under section 5316 of such title.

15 SEC. 11. FUNDING.

16 Of the amounts appropriated for the Department of

17 Veterans’ Affairs for fiscal year 1997 or subsequent fiscal

18 years, the Secretary of Veterans’ Affairs shall make avail19 able to the Commission such amounts as may be necessary

20 for the Commission to carry out its duties under this Act.

21 SEC. 12. TERMINATIONS.

22 (a) OPPORTUNITIES PANEL.—The Opportunities

23 Panel shall terminate 30 days after the date on which the

24 panel submits its report under section 5(d)(2).
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1 (b) HEALTH PANEL.—The Health Panel shall termi2 nate 30 days after the date of the termination of the tem3 porary demonstration projects under section 6(c).

4 (c) COMMISSION.—The Commission shall terminate

5 30 days after the later of the date of termination of the

6 Opportunities Panel or of the date of termination of the

7 Health Panel.

8 SEC. 13. DEFINITIONS.

9 As used in this Act:

10 (1) The term ‘‘veteran’’ has the meaning given

11 such term in section 101(2) of title 38, United

12 States Code.

13 (2) The term ‘‘veterans transition and assist14 ance program’’ means any program of the Federal

15 Government the purpose of which is—

16 (A) to assist, by rehabilitation or other

17 means, members of the Armed Forces in read18 justing or otherwise making the transition to ci19 vilian life upon their separation from service in

20 the Armed Forces; or

21 (B) to assist veterans in civilian life.

22 (3) The term ‘‘veterans service organization’’

23 means any organization covered by section 5902(a)

24 of title 38, United States Code.

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