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.
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 them in lieu of
subsistence, as authorized by law for persons serving intermittently
in Government service (5 U.S.C. 5701-707), 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.
/s/George W. Bush
THE WHITE HOUSE,
May 28, 2001.