Congressional Record: June 26, 2002 (Senate)
Page S6057-S6089

 
   NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2003--Continued

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                           Amendment No. 4099

  Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, on behalf of Senators Bill Nelson, McCain, 
Cleland, Roberts, and Daschle, I offer an amendment which would provide 
for the disclosure to the Department of Veterans Affairs of information 
on the shipboard hazard and defense project of the Navy.
  I ask that the clerk report the amendment.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the amendment.
  The assistant legislative clerk read as follows:

       The Senator from Michigan [Mr. Levin], for Mr. Nelson of 
     Florida, for himself, Mr. McCain, Mr. Cleland, Mr. Roberts, 
     and Mr. Daschle, proposes an amendment numbered 4099.

  The amendment is as follows:

 (Purpose: To provide for the disclosure to the Department of Veterans 
 Affairs of information on the Shipboard Hazard and Defense project of 
                               the Navy)

       At the end of subtitle E of title X, add the following:

     SEC. 1065. DISCLOSURE OF INFORMATION ON SHIPBOARD HAZARD AND 
                   DEFENSE PROJECT TO DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS 
                   AFFAIRS.

       (a) Plan for Disclosure of Information.--Not later than 90 
     days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the 
     Secretary of Defense shall submit to Congress and the 
     Secretary of Veterans Affairs a comprehensive plan for the 
     review, declassification, and submittal to the Department of 
     Veterans Affairs of all medical records and information of 
     the Department of Defense on the Shipboard Hazard and Defense 
     (SHAD) project of the Navy that are relevant to the provision 
     of benefits by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to members 
     of the Armed Forces who participated in that project.
       (b) Plan Requirements.--(1) The records and information 
     covered by the plan under subsection (a) shall be the records 
     and information necessary to permit the identification of 
     members of the Armed Forces who were or may have been exposed 
     to chemical or biological agents as a result of the Shipboard 
     Hazard and Defense project.
       (2) The plan shall provide for completion of all activities 
     contemplated by the plan not later than one year after the 
     date of the enactment of this Act.
       (c) Reports on Implementation.--(1) Not later than 90 days 
     after the date of the enactment of this Act, and every 90 
     days thereafter until completion of all activities 
     contemplated by the plan under subsection (a), the Secretary 
     of Defense shall submit to Congress and the Secretary of 
     Veterans Affairs a report on progress in the implementation 
     of the plan during the 90-day period ending on the date of 
     such report.
       (2) Each report under paragraph (1) shall include, for the 
     period covered by such report--
       (A) the number of records reviewed;
       (B) each test, if any, under the Shipboard Hazard and 
     Defense project identified during such review;
       (C) for each test so identified--
       (i) the test name;
       (ii) the test objective;
       (iii) the chemical or biological agent or agents involved; 
     and
       (iv) the number of members of the Armed Forces, and 
     civilian personnel, potentially affected by such test; and
       (D) the extent of submittal of records and information to 
     the Secretary of Veterans Affairs under this section.

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there further debate? Without objection, 
the amendment is agreed to.
  The amendment (No. 4099) was agreed to.
  Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, I move to reconsider the vote.
  Mr. ALLARD. I move to lay that motion on the table.
  The motion to lay on the table was agreed to.

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