SEC. 6. DUTIES OF HEALTH PANEL.
(a) STUDY.—The Health Panel shall conduct a com-
prehensive study of health care services available under
the Department of Veterans Affairs.
(b) MATTERS STUDIED.—The matters studied by the
Health Panel shall include—
(1) previous and current legislative proposals to
improve delivery of health care to veterans, including
H.R. 1767 of the 104th Congress, H.R. 3117 of the
104th Congress, H.R. 3119 of the 104th Congress,
and the G.I. Bill of Health (H.R. 3950 of the 104th
Congress);
(2) alternative means for delivery of health care
to veterans (such as managed care); and
(3) eligibility reform.
(c) DEMONSTRATION PROJECT BILL.—
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Not later than June 1,
1997, the Health Panel shall submit a legislative
proposal in the form of a draft bill (hereinafter in
this Act referred to as a ‘‘demonstration project
bill’’) to the Congress.
(2) CONTENT OF BILL.—
(A) AUTHORITY OF SECRETARY.—A dem-
onstration project bill shall authorize the Sec-
retary of Veterans’ Affairs to implement tem-
porary demonstration projects to improve health
care services under the Department of Veter-
ans’ Affairs.
(B) IMPLEMENTATION AT MEDICAL CEN-
TERS; TERMINATION.—A demonstration project
bill shall provide that the temporary demonstra-
tion projects be implemented at no fewer than
20 and no greater than 40 Department of Vet-
erans’ Affairs medical centers specified in the
demonstration project bill and that such
projects terminate not later than April 1, 1999.
(C) SELECTION OF CENTERS.—In selecting
the centers to be specified in the demonstration
project bill, the chairman of the Health Panel
in consultation with the Secretary of Veterans’
Affairs shall assure a diversity of centers ac-
cording to geographic areas, demographic char-
acteristics of, and specialized medical services
provided by individual centers.
(d) EVALUATION
OF
PROJECTS; AUDIT.—The
Health Panel shall monitor and evaluate the temporary
demonstration projects, and the chairman of the Commis-
sion shall arrange for audits of such projects.
(e) REPORTS.—(1) Not later than October 1, 1998,
the Health Panel and the chairman of the Commission
shall submit a report to Congress which shall contain a
detailed statement of findings and conclusions of the
Health Panel and such chairman with respect to the tem-
porary demonstration projects together with recommenda-
tions for such legislation and administrative actions as the
Health Panel and such chairman consider appropriate.
(2) The chairman of the Health Panel shall submit
to the chairman of the Commission a weekly report setting
forth the activities of the Health Panel for the preceding
week.
SEC. 7. EXPEDITED CONGRESSIONAL PROCEDURE.
(a) PROCEDURE IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTA-
TIVES.—
(1) INTRODUCTION.—The provisions of this
subsection shall only apply to a demonstration
project bill that is introduced by the majority leader
of the House of Representatives for himself and the
minority leader of the House of Representatives, or
by Members designated jointly by the majority lead-
er and the minority leader of the House of Rep-
resentatives, not later than the close of the 15th day
after the date on which such bill is submitted to the
House of Representatives under section 6(c).
(2) COMMITTEE CONSIDERATION.—If a commit-
tee to which a demonstration project bill has been
referred has not reported such bill at the close of the
10th day after the date of the bill’s introduction,
such committee shall be automatically discharged
from further consideration of the bill, and the bill
shall be placed on the appropriate calendar.
(3) COMPUTATION OF DAYS.—For purposes of
this subsection, in computing the number of days,
there shall be excluded any day on which the House
of Representatives is not in session.
(b) PROCEDURE IN THE SENATE.—
(c) RULES OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
AND SENATE.—This section is enacted by the Congress—
(1) as an exercise of the rulemaking power of
the House of Representatives and the Senate, re-
spectively, and as such it shall be considered as part
of the rules of each House, respectively, or of that
House to which it specifically applies, and such rules
shall supersede other rules only to the extent that
they are inconsistent therewith; and
(2) with full recognition of the constitutional
right of either House to change the rules (so far as
relating to such House) at any time, in the same
manner and to the same extent as in the case of any
other rule of that House.
SEC. 8. POWERS.
(a) HEARINGS.—Each panel may hold such hearings,
sit and act at such times and places, take such testimony,
and receive such evidence as the such panel considers ad-
visable to carry out the purposes of this Act.
(b) INFORMATION FROM FEDERAL AGENCIES.—The
chairman of the Commission may secure directly from the
Department of Veterans Affairs, Department of Defense,
and any other department or agency of the Federal Gov-
ernment such information as the chairman of the Commis-
sion considers necessary to carry out the duties under this
Act. Upon request of the chairman of the Commission, the
head of such department or agency shall furnish such in-
formation expeditiously to the Commission.
(c) CONTRACT AUTHORITY.—The Commission may
contract with and compensate government and private
agencies or persons for supplies or services, without regard
to section 3709 of the Revised Statutes (41 U.S.C. 5).
SEC. 9. MISCELLANEOUS ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS.
(a) POSTAL SERVICES.—The Commission may use
the United States mails in the same manner and under
the same conditions as other departments and agencies of
the Federal Government.
(b) GIFTS.—The Commission may accept, use, and
dispose of gifts or donations of services or property.
(c) MISCELLANEOUS ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT.—
The Secretary of Veterans Affairs and the Secretary of
Defense shall, upon the request of the chairman of the
Commission, furnish the Commission or a panel, on a re-
imbursable basis, such administrative and support services
as the Commission may require.
SEC. 10. COMMISSION PERSONNEL MATTERS.
(a) COMPENSATION OF MEMBERS.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in para-
graph (2), each member of the Commission shall be
compensated at a rate equal to the daily equivalent
of the annual rate of basic pay prescribed for level
IV of the Executive Schedule under section 5315 of
title 5, United States Code, for each day (including
travel time) during which such member is engaged
in performing the duties of the Commission.
(2) PROHIBITION OF COMPENSATION OF FED-
ERAL
EMPLOYEES.—Members of the Commission
who are full-time officers or employees of the United
States or Members of Congress may not receive ad-
ditional pay, allowances, or benefits by reason of
their service on the Commission.
(b) TRAVEL.—Members and personnel of the Com-
mission may travel on military aircraft, military vehicles,
or other military conveyances when travel is necessary in
(d) DETAIL OF GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES.—Upon
request of the chairman of the Commission, the head of
any department or agency of the Federal Government may
detail, on a nonreimbursable basis, any personnel of the
department or agency to the Commission to assist the
Commission and each panel in carrying out the duties
under this Act.
(e) PROCUREMENT OF TEMPORARY AND INTERMIT-
TENT SERVICES.—The chairman of the Commission may
procure temporary and intermittent services under section
3109(b) of title 5, United States Code, at rates for individ-
uals which do not exceed the daily equivalent of the annual
rate of basic pay prescribed for level IV of the Executive
Schedule under section 5316 of such title.
SEC. 11. FUNDING.
Of the amounts appropriated for the Department of
Veterans’ Affairs for fiscal year 1997 or subsequent fiscal
years, the Secretary of Veterans’ Affairs shall make avail-
able to the Commission such amounts as may be necessary
for the Commission to carry out its duties under this Act.
SEC. 12. TERMINATIONS.
(a) OPPORTUNITIES
PANEL.—The Opportunities
Panel shall terminate 30 days after the date on which the
panel submits its report under section 5(d)(2).
(b) HEALTH PANEL.—The Health Panel shall termi-
nate 30 days after the date of the termination of the tem-
porary demonstration projects under section 6(c).
(c) COMMISSION.—The Commission shall terminate
30 days after the later of the date of termination of the
Opportunities Panel or of the date of termination of the
Health Panel.
SEC. 13. DEFINITIONS.
As used in this Act:
(1) The term ‘‘veteran’’ has the meaning given
such term in section 101(2) of title 38, United
States Code.
(2) The term ‘‘veterans transition and assist-
ance program’’ means any program of the Federal
Government the purpose of which is—
(A) to assist, by rehabilitation or other
means, members of the Armed Forces in read-
justing or otherwise making the transition to ci-
vilian life upon their separation from service in
the Armed Forces; or
(B) to assist veterans in civilian life.
(3) The term ‘‘veterans service organization’’
means any organization covered by section 5902(a)
of title 38, United States Code.
Æ