[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 36 (Tuesday, February 24, 1998)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Pages 9085-9086]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing 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