Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 111 Part 2.djvu/744

 Ill STAT. 1824 PUBLIC LAW 105-85—NOV. 18, 1997 (5) The availability of quality, lifetime health care is a critical recruiting incentive for the Armed Forces. (6) Quality health care is a critical aspect of the quality of life of the men and women serving in the Armed Forces, (b) SENSE OF CONGRESS.— It is the sense of Congress that— (1) the United States has incurred a moral obligation to provide health care to members and former members of the Armed Forces who are entitled to retired or retainer pay (or its equivalent); (2) it is, therefore, necessary to provide quality, affordable health care to such retirees; and (3) Congress and the President should take steps to address the problems associated with the availability of health care for such retirees within two years after the date of the enactment of this Act. Subtitle F—Persian Gulf Illness 10 USC 1074 SEC. 761. DEFINITIONS. For purposes of this subtitle: (1) The term "Gulf War illness" means any one of the complex of illnesses and symptoms that might have been contracted by members of the Armed Forces as a result of service in the Southwest Asia theater of operations during the Persian GulfWar. (2) The term "Persian Gulf War" has the meaning given that term in section 101 of title 38, United States Code. (3) The term "Persian Gulf veteran" means an individual who served on active duty in the Armed Forces in the Southwest Asia theater of operations during the Persian GulfWar. (4) The term "contingency operation" has the meaning given that term in section 101(a) of title 10, United States Code, and includes a humanitarian operation, peacekeeping operation, or similar operation. 10 USC 1074 SEC. 762. PLAN FOR HEALTH CARE SERVICES FOR PERSIAN GULF note. VETERANS. (a) PLAN REQUIRED.— The Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, acting jointly, shall prepare a plan to provide appropriate health care to Persiein Gulf veterans (and dependents eligible by law) who suffer from a Gulf War illness. (b) CONTENTS OF PLAN, — In preparing the plan, the Secretaries shall— (1) use the presumptions of service connection and illness specified in paragraphs (1) and (2) of section 721(d) of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1995 (Public Law 103-337; 10 U.S.C. 1074 note) to determine the Persian Gulf veterans (and dependents eligible by law) who should be covered by the plan; (2) consider the need and methods available to provide health care services to Persian Gulf veterans who are no longer on active duty in the Armed Forces, such as Persian Gulf veterans who are members of the reserve components and Persian Gulf veterans who have been separated from the Armed Forces; and

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