[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 108 (Thursday, August 1, 2002)]
[Senate]
[Pages S8025-S8026]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS RESEARCH, 
          EDUCATION, AND BIO-TERRORISM PREVENTION ACT OF 2002

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Veterans 
Affairs Committee be discharged from further consideration of H.R. 3253 
and

[[Page S8026]]

the Senate proceed to its immediate consideration.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the bill by title.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       A bill (H.R. 3253) to amend title 38, United States Code, 
     to provide for the establishment within the Department of 
     Veterans Affairs of improved emergency medical preparedness, 
     research, and education programs to combat terrorism, and for 
     other purposes.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the bill.
  Mr. ROCKEFELLER. Mr. President, as Chairman of the Committee on 
Veterans Affairs, I urge the Senate to pass this legislation that would 
help VA--and our entire Nation--prepare for the potential medical 
consequences of another terrorist attack.
  As Congress seeks ways to avert the threats posed by biological, 
chemical, radiological, and other potential terrorist weapons, we must 
make certain that we use our existing national resources as efficiently 
as possible. I thank Ranking Member Specter and his staff for their 
efforts in helping to ensure that VA--the Nation's largest integrated 
healthcare system--is prepared for the role that it can and must play 
during emergencies.
  The pending measure is an omnibus bill that would improve VA's 
ability to fulfill its responsibilities to veterans, its staff, and 
communities during disasters, and would also address VA nonprofit 
research corporation activities.
  ``The Department of Veterans Affairs Emergency Preparedness Act,'' as 
reported, which I will refer to as the ``Committee bill,'' acknowledges 
VA's role in offering health care and support to individuals affected 
by disasters, and would give VA staff the tools that they need to 
continue serving veterans during emergencies.
  The committee bill would establish four medical emergency 
preparedness research centers within the Department of Veterans Affairs 
health care system. VA researchers possess expertise in the long-term 
health consequences of biological, chemical, and radiological 
exposures, and sustain an unparalleled clinical management research 
program. The centers authorized by this legislation would make the most 
of these resources to learn how best to manage--or prevent--the mass 
casualties that might arise from the use of terrorist weapons.
  The committee bill also includes provisions requested by the 
Administration that would create an office, directed by an Assistant 
Secretary, to coordinate preparedness strategies within VA and with 
other Federal, State, and local agencies. I strongly believe that this 
new office represents an essential step in helping VA improve emergency 
preparedness while maintaining its primary mission of caring for the 
Nation's veterans.
  Another emergency preparedness provision within the committee bill 
would create no new responsibilities or missions for VA, but would 
authorize VA's enormous contribution to public safety and emergency 
preparedness. In 1982, Congress charged VA to care for active duty 
military casualties during a conflict or disaster. Since then, VA has 
taken a much larger share of the Federal responsibility for public 
health during emergencies, supporting mass care as part of the Federal 
Response Plan for disasters and serving as a cornerstone of the 
National Disaster Medical System.
  VA has responded to every major domestic disaster of the last two 
decades with personnel, supplies and medications, facilities, and--when 
necessary--direct patient care for overwhelmed communities. VA health 
care providers who care for disaster victims serve not only as part of 
the Federal response to emergencies, but as part of the communities in 
which they live. The committee bill would acknowledge VA's emergency 
response missions by authorizing VA to provide medical treatment for 
individuals affected by or responding to disasters.
  The committee bill also makes changes in law affecting VA's nonprofit 
research corporations. The first allows employees of nonprofit VA 
research and education corporations assigned to approved VA research, 
education, or training projects to be considered VA employees for 
purposes of the Federal Tort Claims Act. The other provision clarifies 
that VA Medical Centers may enter into contracts or other forms of 
agreements with nonprofit research corporations to provide services to 
facilitate VA-approved research and education projects. These changes 
would further VA's research and education missions.
  In conclusion, I urge my colleagues to support these research and 
emergency preparedness enhancements for VA. This bipartisan commitment 
to our Nation's veterans and VA represents a small investment with 
potentially enormous rewards.
  I ask unanimous consent that a summary of the bill be printed in the 
Record.
  There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in 
the Record, as follows:

   Sumamry of S. 2132: The Department of Veterans Affairs Emergency 
                        Preparedness Act of 2002


     Medical Emergency Preparedness Centers in the Veterans Health 
                             Administration

       Authorizes VA to establish four centers for medical 
     emergency preparedness within existing VA medical centers.
       Directs centers to carry out research on the medical 
     management of injuries or illnesses arising from the use of 
     chemical, biological, radiological, or incendiary or other 
     explosive weapons or devices in coordination with national 
     strategies for homeland security.
       Allows centers to provide medical consequence management 
     education and training to VA health care professionals, and 
     to non-VA providers at the Secretary's discretion.
       Authorizes VA to provide laboratory, epidemiological, 
     medical, or other assistance to Federal, State, and local 
     health care entities by request during a national emergency.


              Reorganization of VA Preparedness Functions

       Increases the number of authorized assistant secretaries 
     from six to seven, and adds ``operations, preparedness, 
     security, and law enforcement'' to their authorized 
     functions.
       Increases the number of authorized deputy assistant 
     secretaries from 18 to 20.


        Authorizing VA to Provide Medical care During Disasters

       Authorizes VA to furnish medical care to individuals--
     regardless of enrollment status--affected by a major disaster 
     or presidentially declared emergency, or following activation 
     of the National Disaster Medical System.
       Allows VA to provide care to individuals affected by 
     disasters before any other group except service-connected 
     veterans and active-duty military casualties, and would allow 
     VA to be reimbursed for care provided to employees of other 
     Federal agencies.


              VA Nonprofit Research Corporation Activities

       Authorizes VA to contract with VA nonprofit research 
     corporations in order to conduct VA-approved research, 
     training, or education.
       Allows employees of nonprofit VA research and education 
     corporations assigned to approved VA research, education, or 
     training projects to be considered VA employees for purposes 
     of Federal Tort Claims Act.
       Removes the sunset date of December 31, 2003, currently 
     established in 38 USCS Sec. 7638, for authority to establish 
     nonprofit VA research and education corporations.
  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I understand Senator Rockefeller has a 
substitute amendment at the desk which is the text of S. 2132 and has 
been reported by the Veterans Subcommittee. I ask unanimous consent 
that the substitute amendment be agreed to, the bill, as amended, be 
read three times, passed, the motion to reconsider be laid on the 
table; that the title amendment be agreed to; and that any statements 
relating thereto be printed in the Record, with no intervening action 
or debate.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The amendment (No. 4469) was agreed to.
  (The text of the amendment is printed in today's Record under ``Text 
of Amendments.'')
  The bill (H.R. 3253), as amended, was read the third time and passed.
  (The bill will be printed in a future edition of the Record.)
  The title amendment (No. 4470) was agreed to, as follows:

       ``A Bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to enhance 
     the emergency preparedness of the Department of Veterans 
     Affairs, and for other purposes.''.

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