[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 134 Introduced in House (IH)]







111th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 134

To amend the Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program 
  Act of 2000 to extend and increase the authority for the ombudsman 
 under the Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            January 6, 2009

 Mr. Gallegly introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
    Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on 
Education and Labor, 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 amend the Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program 
  Act of 2000 to extend and increase the authority for the ombudsman 
 under the Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``EEOICPA Ombudsman Extension and 
Enhancement Act of 2009''.

SEC. 2. INCREASED AUTHORITY FOR OMBUDSMAN UNDER ENERGY EMPLOYEES 
              OCCUPATIONAL ILLNESS COMPENSATION PROGRAM.

    Section 3686 of the Energy Employees Occupational Illness 
Compensation Program Act of 2000 (42 U.S.C. 7385s-15) is amended--
            (1) by amending subsection (c) to read as follows:
    ``(c) Duties.--The duties of the Office shall be as follows:
            ``(1) To assist individuals in making claims under this 
        title.
            ``(2) To provide information on the benefits available 
        under this title and on the requirements and procedures 
        applicable to the provision of such benefits.
            ``(3) To act as an advocate under this title in appropriate 
        instances, as determined by the Ombudsman.
            ``(4) To make recommendations to the Secretary regarding 
        the location of centers (to be known as `resource centers') for 
        the acceptance and development of claims for benefits under 
        this title.
            ``(5) To carry out such other duties as the Secretary shall 
        specify.'';
            (2) in subsection (e)(2), by adding at the end the 
        following new subparagraph:
                    ``(C) Proposed changes in the administrative 
                practices of the Department of Labor to mitigate 
                difficulties identified under subparagraph (B) and 
                potential legislative changes which may be appropriate 
                to mitigate such difficulties.''; and
            (3) by striking subsection (g) (establishing a sunset date) 
        and inserting the following:
    ``(g) Contract Authority.--The Ombudsman shall have authority to 
hire or contract for any supplies or services including the services of 
individuals with expertise in relevant disciplines, including health 
physics, medicine, industrial hygiene, and toxicology, as the Ombudsman 
may from time to time consider appropriate.''.
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