[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 104 (Wednesday, May 31, 1995)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Pages 28507-28508]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-13484]




[[Page 28505]]

_______________________________________________________________________

Part IX





The President





_______________________________________________________________________



Executive Order 12961--Presidential Advisory Committee on Gulf War 
Veterans' Illnesses
 
 
                         Presidential Documents 
 
 

  Federal Register / Vol. 60, No. 104 / Wednesday, May 31, 1995 / 
Presidential Documents  

 ____________________________________________________________________

 Title 3--
 The President  
[[Page 28507]] 
                Executive Order 12961 of May 26, 1995

                
Presidential Advisory Committee on Gulf War 
                Veterans'
                Illnesses

                By the authority vested in me as President by the 
                Constitution and the laws of the United States of 
                America, it is hereby ordered as follows:

                Section 1. Establishment. (a) There is hereby 
                established the Presidential Advisory Committee on Gulf 
                War Veterans' Illnesses (the ``Committee''). The 
                Committee shall be composed of not more than 12 members 
                to be appointed by the President. The members of the 
                Committee shall have expertise relevant to the 
                functions of the Committee and shall not be full-time 
                officials or employees of the executive branch of the 
                Federal Government. The Committee shall be subject to 
                the Federal Advisory Committee Act, as amended, 5 
                U.S.C. App. 2.

                    (b) The President shall designate a Chairperson 
                from among the members of the Committee.

                Sec. 2. Functions. (a) The Committee shall report to 
                the President through the Secretary of Defense, the 
                Secretary of Veterans Affairs, and the Secretary of 
                Health and Human Services.

                    (b) The Committee shall provide advice and 
                recommendations based on its review of the following 
                matters:
                    (1) Research: epidemiological, clinical, and other 
                research concerning Gulf War veterans' illnesses.
                    (2) Coordinating Efforts: the activities of the 
                Persian Gulf Veterans Coordinating Board, including the 
                Research Coordinating Council, the Clinical Working 
                Group, and the Disability and Compensation Working 
                Group.
                    (3) Medical Treatment: medical examinations and 
                treatment in connection with Gulf War veterans' 
                illnesses, including the Comprehensive Clinical 
                Evaluation Program and the Persian Gulf Registry 
                Medical Examination Program.
                    (4) Outreach: government-sponsored outreach efforts 
                such as hotlines and newsletters related to Gulf War 
                veterans' illnesses.
                    (5) External Reviews: the steps taken to implement 
                recommendations in external reviews by the Institute of 
                Medicine's Committee to Review the Health Consequences 
                of Service During the Persian Gulf War, the Defense 
                Science Board Task Force on Persian Gulf War Health 
                Effects, the National Institutes of Health Technology 
                Assessment Workshop on the Persian Gulf Experience and 
                Health, the Persian Gulf Expert Scientific Committee, 
                and other bodies.
                    (6) Risk Factors: the possible risks associated 
                with service in the Persian Gulf Conflict in general 
                and, specifically, with prophylactic drugs and 
                vaccines, infectious diseases, environmental chemicals, 
                radiation and toxic substances, smoke from oil well 
                fires, depleted uranium, physical and psychological 
                stress, and other factors applicable to the Persian 
                Gulf Conflict.
                    (7) Chemical and Biological Weapons: information 
                related to reports of the possible detection of 
                chemical or biological weapons during the Persian Gulf 
                Conflict.
                    (c) It shall not be a function of the Committee to 
                conduct scientific research. The Committee shall review 
                information and provide advice and 
                [[Page 28508]] recommendations on the activities 
                undertaken related to the matters described in (b) 
                above.
                    (d) It shall not be a function of the Committee to 
                provide advice or recommendations on any legal 
                liability of the Federal Government for any claims or 
                potential claims against the Federal Government.
                    (e) As used herein, ``Gulf War Veterans' 
                Illnesses'' means the symptoms and illnesses reported 
                by United States uniformed services personnel who 
                served in the Persian Gulf Conflict.
                    (f) The Committee shall submit an interim report 
                within 6 months of the first meeting of the Committee 
                and a final report by December 31, 1996, unless 
                otherwise provided by the President.

                Sec. 3. Administration. (a) The heads of executive 
                departments and agencies shall, to the extent permitted 
                by law, provide the Committee with such information as 
                it may require for purposes of carrying out its 
                functions.

                    (b) Members of the Committee shall be compensated 
                in accordance with Federal law. Committee members may 
                be allowed travel expenses, including per diem in lieu 
                of subsistence, to the extent permitted by law for 
                persons serving intermittently in the Government 
                service (5 U.S.C. 5701-5707).
                    (c) To the extent permitted by law, and subject to 
                the availability of appropriations, the Department of 
                Defense shall provide the Committee with such funds as 
                may be necessary for the performance of its functions.

                Sec. 4. General Provisions. (a) Notwithstanding the 
                provisions of any other Executive order, the functions 
                of the President under the Federal Advisory Committee 
                Act that are applicable to the Committee, except that 
                of reporting annually to the Congress, shall be 
                performed by the Secretary of Defense, in accordance 
                with the guidelines and procedures established by the 
                Administrator of General Services.

                    (b) The Committee shall terminate 30 days after 
                submitting its final report.
                    (c) This order is intended only to improve the 
                internal management of the executive branch and it is 
                not intended to create any right, benefit or trust 
                responsibility, substantive or procedural, enforceable 
                at law or equity by a party against the United States, 
                its agencies, its officers, or any person.

                    (Presidential Sig.)

                THE WHITE HOUSE,

                    May 26, 1995.

[FR Doc. 95-13484
Filed 5-30-95; 10:36 am]
Billing code 3195-01-P