SECTION 1. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE-DEPARTMENT OF
VETERANS AFFAIRS JOINT EXECUTIVE COM-
MITTEE.
(a) ESTABLISHMENT
OF JOINT COMMITTEE.—(1)
Chapter 3 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by
adding at the end the following new section:
‘‘§ 320. Department of Veterans Affairs-Department of
Defense Joint Executive Committee
‘‘(a) JOINT EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE.—(1) There is
established an interagency committee to be known as the
Department of Veterans Affairs-Department of Defense
Joint Executive Committee (hereinafter in this section re-
ferred to as the ‘Committee’).
‘‘(2) The Committee is composed of—
‘‘(A) the Deputy Secretary of Veterans Affairs
and such other officers and employees of the Depart-
ment of Veterans Affairs as the Secretary of Vet-
erans Affairs may designate; and
‘‘(B) the Under Secretary of Defense for Per-
sonnel and Readiness and such other officers and
employees of the Department of Defense as the Sec-
retary of Defense may designate.
‘‘(b) ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS.—(1) The Deputy
Secretary of Veterans Affairs and the Under Secretary of
Defense shall determine the size and structure of the Com-
mittee, as well as the administrative and procedural guide-
lines for the operation of the Committee.
‘‘(2) The two Departments shall supply appropriate
staff and resources to provide administrative support and
services. Support for such purposes shall be provided at
a level sufficient for the efficient operation of the Com-
mittee, including a subordinate Health Executive Com-
mittee, a subordinate Benefits Executive Committee, and
such other committees or working groups as considered
necessary by the Deputy Secretary and Under Secretary.
‘‘(c) RECOMMENDATIONS.—(1) The Committee shall
recommend to the Secretaries strategic direction for the
joint coordination and sharing efforts between and within
the two Departments under section 8111 of this title and
shall oversee implementation of those efforts.
‘‘(2) The Committee shall submit to the two Secre-
taries and to Congress an annual report containing such
recommendations as the Committee considers appropriate.
‘‘(d) FUNCTIONS.—In order to enable the Committee
to make recommendations in its annual report under sub-
section (c)(2), the Committee shall do the following:
‘‘(1) Review existing policies, procedures, and
practices relating to the coordination and sharing of
resources between the two Departments.
‘‘(2) Identify changes in policies, procedures,
and practices that, in the judgment of the Com-
mittee, would promote mutually beneficial coordina-
tion, use, or exchange of use of services and re-
sources of the two Departments, with the goal of im-
proving the quality, efficiency and effectiveness of
the delivery of benefits and services to veterans,
service members, military retirees and their families
through an enhanced Department of Veterans Af-
fairs and Department of Defense partnership.
‘‘(3) Identify and assess further opportunities
for the coordination and collaboration between the
Departments that, in the judgment of the Com-
mittee, would not adversely affect the range of serv-
ices, the quality of care, or the established priorities
for benefits provided by either Department.
‘‘(4) Review the plans of both Departments for
the acquisition of additional resources, especially
new facilities and major equipment and technology,
in order to assess the potential effect of such plans
on further opportunities for the coordination and
sharing of resources.
‘‘(5) Review the implementation of activities de-
signed to promote the coordination and sharing of
resources between the Departments.’’.
(2) The table of sections at the beginning of such
chapter is amended by adding at the end the following
new item:
‘‘320. Department of Veterans Affairs-Department of Defense Joint Executive
Committee.’’.
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.—(1) Subsection (c)
of section 8111 of such title is repealed.
(2) Such section is further amended—
(A) in subsection (b)(2), by striking ‘‘subsection
(c)’’ and inserting ‘‘section 320 of this title’’;
(B) in subsection (d)(1), by striking ‘‘Com-
mittee established in subsection (c)’’ and inserting
‘‘Department of Veterans Affairs-Department of De-
fense Joint Executive Committee’’;
(C) in subsection (e)(1), by striking ‘‘Com-
mittee under subsection (c)(2)’’ and inserting ‘‘De-
partment of Veterans Affairs-Department of Defense
Joint Executive Committee with respect to health
care resources’’; and
(D) in subsection (f)(2), by striking subpara-
graphs (B) and (C) and inserting the following:
‘‘(B) The assessment of further opportunities
identified by the Department of Veterans Affairs-
Department of Defense Joint Executive Committee
under subsection (d)(3) of section 320 of this title
for the sharing of health-care resources between the
two Departments.
‘‘(C) Any recommendation made by that com-
mittee under subsection (c)(2) of that section during
that fiscal year.’’.
(c) TECHNICAL AMENDMENTS.—Subsection (f) of
such section is further amended by inserting ‘‘(Public Law
107–314)’’ in paragraphs (3), (4)(A), (4)(B), and (5)
after ‘‘for Fiscal Year 2003’’.
(d) EFFECTIVE DATE.—(1) If this Act is enacted be-
fore October 1, 2003—
(A) section 320 of title 38, United States Code,
as added by subsection (a), shall take effect on Octo-
ber 1, 2003; and
(B) the amendments made by subsections (b)
and (c) shall take effect on October 1, 2003, imme-
diately after the amendment made by section
721(a)(1) of the Bob Stump National Defense Au-
thorization Act for Fiscal Year 2003 (Public Law
107–314; 116 2589).
(2) If this Act is enacted on or after October 1, 2003,
the amendments made by this section shall take effect on
the date of the enactment of this Act.
Passed the House of Representatives May 21, 2003.
Attest:
Clerk.