[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 37, Number 22 (Monday, June 4, 2001)]
[Pages 819-820]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Executive Order 13214--President's Task Force To Improve Health Care 
Delivery for Our Nation's Veterans

May 28, 2001

    By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and 
the laws of the United States of America, including the Federal Advisory 
Committee Act, as amended (5 U.S.C. App.), and in order to provide 
prompt and efficient access to consistently high quality health care for 
veterans who have served the Nation, it is hereby ordered as follows:
    Section 1. Establishment. There is established the President's Task 
Force to Improve Health Care Delivery for Our Nation's Veterans (Task 
Force).
    Sec. 2. Membership. The Task Force shall be comprised of 15 members 
appointed by the President. Two of the 15 members shall serve as co-
chairs of the Task Force. The Task Force membership shall include health 
care experts, officials familiar with Department of Veterans Affairs and 
Department of Defense health care systems, and representatives from 
veteran and military service organizations.

[[Page 820]]

    Sec. 3. Mission. The mission of the Task Force shall be to:
(a)          identify ways to improve benefits and services for 
            Department of Veterans Affairs beneficiaries and Department 
            of Defense military retirees who are also eligible for 
            benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs through 
            better coordination of the activities of the two 
            departments;
(b)          review barriers and challenges that impede Department of 
            Veterans Affairs and Department of Defense coordination, 
            including budgeting processes, timely billing, cost 
            accounting, information technology, and reimbursement. 
            Identify opportunities to improve such business practices to 
            ensure high quality and cost effective health care; and
(c)          identify opportunities for improved resource utilization 
            through partnership between the Department of Veterans 
            Affairs and the Department of Defense to maximize the use of 
            resources and infrastructure, including: buildings, 
            information technology and data sharing systems, procurement 
            of supplies, equipment and services, and delivery of care.
    Sec. 4. Administration.
(a)          The Department of Veterans Affairs shall, to the extent 
            permitted by law, provide administrative support and funding 
            for the Task Force.
(b)          Members of the Task Force shall serve without any 
            compensation for their work on the Task Force. Members 
            appointed from among private citizens of the United States, 
            however, while engaged in the work of the Task Force, may be 
            allowed travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of 
            subsistence, as authorized by law for persons serving 
            intermittently in Government service (5 U.S.C. 5701-5707), 
            to the extent funds are available.
(c)          The co-chairs of the Task Force shall appoint an Executive 
            Director to coordinate administration of the Task Force. To 
            the extent permitted by law, office space, analytical 
            support, and additional staff support for the Commission 
            shall be provided by executive branch departments and 
            agencies as directed by the President.
(d)          The heads of the executive branch departments and agencies 
            shall, to the extent permitted by law, provide the Task 
            Force with information as requested by the co-chairs.
(e)          At the call of the co-chairs, the Task Force shall meet as 
            necessary to accomplish its mission.
(f)          The functions of the President under the Federal Advisory 
            Committee Act, as amended, except for those in section 6 of 
            that Act, that are applicable to the Task Force, shall be 
            performed by the Department of Veterans Affairs, in 
            accordance with the guidelines that have been issued by the 
            Administrator of General Services.
    Sec. 5. Reports. The Task Force shall report its findings and 
recommendations to the President, through the Secretary of Veterans 
Affairs and Secretary of Defense. The Task Force shall issue an interim 
report in 9 months from the date of the first meeting of the Task Force. 
The Task Force shall issue a final report prior to the end of the second 
year of operation.
    Sec. 6. Termination. The Task Force shall terminate 30 days after 
submitting its final report, but no later than 2 years from the date of 
this order.
                                                George W. Bush
 The White House,
 May 28, 2001.

 [Filed with the Office of the Federal Register, 8:45 a.m., May 30, 
2001]

Note: This Executive order was published in the Federal Register on May 
31.