I
105TH CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H. R. 4464
To establish the Medicare Eligible Military Retiree Health Care Consensus
Task Force.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
AUGUST 6, 1998
Mrs. EMERSON (for herself, Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania, Mr. ROMERO-
BARCELO´, Mr. MICA, Mr. SCARBOROUGH, Mr. ENGLISH of Pennsylvania,
Mr. WATTS of Oklahoma, Mr. FROST, Mr. ENSIGN, Mr. BARR of Geor-
gia, Mr. BENTSEN, Mr. CHRISTENSEN, Mr. HEFLEY, Mr. KENNEDY of
Rhode Island, Mr. CUNNINGHAM, Mr. RYUN, Mr. UNDERWOOD, Mr.
WOLF, Ms. WOOLSEY, Mr. PORTMAN, Mr. BALDACCI, Mr. BERRY, Mr.
BOSWELL, Mr. CLEMENT, Mr. CONDIT, Ms. DANNER, Mr. DAVIS of Illi-
nois, Mr. DEFAZIO, Mr. DOYLE, Mr. GOODE, Mr. GUTKNECHT, Mr.
JOHN, Mr. KLINK, Mrs. MCCARTHY of New York, Mr. MARKEY, Mrs.
NORTHUP, Mr. PASCRELL, Ms. PELOSI, Mr. RAHALL, Mr. ROGAN, Mr.
SERRANO, Mr. SISISKY, Mr. SKAGGS, Mr. SKELTON, Mr. TAYLOR of Mis-
sissippi, Mr. TIERNEY, Mr. WAMP, Mr. MCINTYRE, Mr. CHAMBLISS, Mr.
LAHOOD, and Mr. THUNE) introduced the following bill; which was re-
ferred to the Committee on National Security, and in addition to the
Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, for a period to be subsequently deter-
mined 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 Medicare Eligible Military Retiree Health
Care Consensus Task Force.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Military Retiree Health
Care Task Force Act of 1998’’.
SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT.
There is established a task force to be known as the
‘‘Medicare Eligible Military Retiree Health Care Consen-
sus Task Force’’ (in this Act referred to as the ‘‘Task
Force’’).
SEC. 3. DUTIES OF TASK FORCE.
(a) STUDY.—It shall be the duty of the Task Force
to conduct a comprehensive legal and factual study of the
following matters:
(1) Promises, commitments, or representations
made to members of the Uniformed Services by De-
partment of Defense personnel with respect to
health care coverage of such members and their fam-
ilies after separation from the Uniformed Services.
(2) Sharing agreements and contracts between
the Department of Defense and the Department of
Veterans Affairs regarding health care coverage for
military retirees and their dependents.
(3) Proposals to provide for a full continuum of
health care coverage for medicare eligible military
retirees and their dependents, including any such
proposal developed by the Department of Defense.
(b) REPORT.—Not later than one year after the Task
Force first meets, the Task Force shall submit a report
to Congress which shall contain a detailed statement of
findings and conclusions of the Task Force with respect
to the studies conducted under subsection (a), together
with its recommendations for such legislative and adminis-
trative actions as it considers appropriate.
SEC. 4. MEMBERSHIP.
(a) NUMBER AND APPOINTMENT.—The Task Force
shall be composed of 12 members appointed as follows:
(1) The Speaker of the House of Representa-
tives and the minority leader of the House of Rep-
resentatives shall jointly appoint nine members from
among qualified individuals as follows:
(A) Two members shall be representatives
of veterans service organizations.
(B) Three members shall be representa-
tives of military associations with retired en-
listed members.
(C) One member shall be a representative
of a retired officers association.
(D) Three members shall be health care
professionals.
(2) The Secretary of Defense shall appoint one
member from among officers or employees of the
Department of Defense.
(3) The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall ap-
point one member from among officers or employees
of the Department of Veterans Affairs.
(4) The Secretary of Health and Human Serv-
ices shall appoint one member from among officers
or employees of the Department of Health and
Human Services.
(5) Not more than 6 members appointed under
this subsection may be of the same political party.
(b) DEADLINE FOR APPOINTMENT.—Members of the
Task Force shall be appointed by not later than 90 days
after the date of the enactment of this Act.
(c) TERMS OF APPOINTMENT.—The term of any ap-
pointment under subsection (a) to the Task Force shall
be for the life of the Task Force.
(d) VACANCIES.—Any member appointed to fill a va-
cancy occurring before the expiration of the term for which
the member’s predecessor was appointed shall be ap-
pointed only for the remainder of that term. A vacancy
in the Task Force shall be filled in the manner in which
the original appointment was made.
any of the personnel of that department or agency to the
Task Force to assist it in carrying out its duties under
this Act.
SEC. 6. POWERS OF TASK FORCE.
(a) HEARINGS
AND SESSIONS.—The Task Force
may, for the purpose of carrying out this Act, hold hear-
ings, sit and act at times and places, take testimony, and
receive evidence as the Task Force considers appropriate.
(b) POWERS OF MEMBERS AND AGENTS.—Any mem-
ber or agent of the Task Force may, if authorized by the
Task Force, take any action which the Task Force is au-
thorized to take by this section.
(c) OBTAINING OFFICIAL DATA.—The Task Force
may secure directly from any department or agency of the
United States information necessary to enable it to carry
out this Act. Upon request of the Chairperson of the Task
Force, the head of that department or agency shall furnish
that information to the Task Force.
(d) MAILS.—The Task Force may use the United
States mails in the same manner and under the same con-
ditions as other departments and agencies of the United
States.
(e) ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT SERVICES.—Upon
the request of the Task Force, the Administrator of Gen-
eral Services shall provide to the Task Force, on a reim-
bursable basis, the administrative support services nec-
essary for the Task Force to carry out its responsibilities
under this Act.
(f) CONTRACT AUTHORITY.—The Task Force 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. 7. TERMINATION.
The Task Force shall terminate 90 days after submit-
ting the report under section 3(b).
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