Special Oversight Board for Department of Defense Investigations of Gulf War Chemical and Biological Incidents

[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 36 (Tuesday, February 24, 1998)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Pages 9085-9086]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-4816]




                        Presidential Documents 



Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 36 / Tuesday, February 24, 1998 / 
Presidential Documents

___________________________________________________________________

Title 3--
The President

[[Page 9085]]

                Executive Order 13075 of February 19, 1998

                
Special Oversight Board for Department of Defense 
                Investigations of Gulf War Chemical and Biological 
                Incidents

                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.), it is hereby ordered as 
                follows:

                Section 1. Establishment. (a) There is hereby 
                established the Special Oversight Board for Department 
                of Defense Investigations of Gulf War Chemical and 
                Biological Incidents (``Special Oversight Board''). The 
                Special Oversight Board shall be composed of not more 
                than seven members appointed by the President. The 
                members of the Special Oversight Board shall have 
                expertise relevant to the functions of the Special 
                Oversight Board and shall not be full-time officials or 
                employees of the executive branch of the Federal 
                Government.

                    (b) The President shall designate a Chairperson and 
                a Vice Chairperson from among the members of the 
                Special Oversight Board.

                Sec. 2. Functions. (a) The Special Oversight Board 
                shall report to the President through the Secretary of 
                Defense.

                    (b) The Special Oversight Board shall provide 
                advice and recommendations based on its review of 
                Department of Defense investigations into possible 
                detections of, and exposures to, chemical or biological 
                weapons agents and environmental and other factors that 
                may have contributed to Gulf War illnesses.
                    (c) It shall not be a function of the Special 
                Oversight Board to conduct scientific research.
                     (d) It shall not be a function of the Special 
                Oversight Board to provide advice or recommendations on 
                any legal liability of the Federal Government for any 
                claims or potential claims against the Federal 
                Government.
                    (e) The Special Oversight Board shall submit an 
                interim report within 9 months of its first meeting and 
                a final report within 18 months of its first meeting, 
                unless otherwise directed by the President.

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

                    (b) Special Oversight Board 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). The administrative staff for the 
                Special Oversight Board shall be compensated in 
                accordance with Federal law.
                    (c) To the extent permitted by law, and subject to 
                the availability of appropriations, the Department of 
                Defense shall provide the Special Oversight Board 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, as amended, that are applicable to the Special 
                Oversight Board, 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.

[[Page 9086]]

                    (b) The Special Oversight Board 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, and shall not be construed, 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,

                     February 19, 1998.

[FR Doc. 98-4816
Filed 2-23-98; 8:45 am]
Billing code 3195-01-P