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 Af-
fairs 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 pro-
vided significant assistance to the Armed Forces of the
United States stationed in the Republic of Vietnam dur-
ing the Vietnam era.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. REPORT REGARDING THE PROVISION OF BENE-
FITS AND SERVICES TO DISABLED OVERSEAS
VOLUNTEER SUPPORT PERSONNEL FOR THE
ARMED FORCES DURING THE VIETNAM ERA.
(a) PURPOSE.—The purpose of this Act is to provide
a basis for the executive branch and the Congress to evalu-
ate the question of United States Government responsibil-
ity for providing overseas volunteer support personnel with
Federal and other benefits and services (including health
care and monetary compensation) in connection with dis-
abilities which may be related to their experiences during
their service in the Republic of Vietnam in support of the
activities of the Armed Forces of the United States during
the Vietnam era.
(b) REPORT.—(1) In order to carry out such purpose,
the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of Health and
Human Services, and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs
shall jointly prepare a report on the question described
in subsection (a). The report shall include a description
of the benefits and services that should be provided to
such overseas volunteer support personnel, various alter-
native approaches to providing such benefits and services
(together with comments on the appropriateness and the
advantages and disadvantages of each alternative ap-
proach), and any recommendations by such officials for
legislative and administrative action to establish a pro-
gram for providing such benefits and services to such over-
seas volunteer support personnel.
(2) The report required by this subsection shall be
submitted to the President and the Congress not later
than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act.
(c) DEFINITIONS.—For the purpose of this Act:
(1) The term ‘‘overseas volunteer support per-
sonnel’’ means individuals who, for a period of at
least 30 days during the Vietnam era, served in the
Republic of Vietnam as employees of, or volunteer
workers with, a voluntary organization determined
by the Secretary of Defense to be an organization
that provided significant assistance to the Armed
Forces of the United States in the Republic of Viet-
nam during the Vietnam era. Such term does not in-
clude members of the Armed Forces.
(2) The term ‘‘Armed Forces’’ has the meaning
given such term in section 101(10) of title 38, Unit-
ed States Code.
(3) The term ‘‘Vietnam era’’ has the meaning
given such term in section 101(29) of such title.
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