Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 116 Part 3.djvu/438

 116 STAT. 2030 PUBLIC LAW 107-287—NOV. 7, 2002 (3) by inserting between paragraph (1) and paragraph (3), as designated by paragraph (2) of this subsection, the following new paragraph: "(2)(A) During and immediately following a disaster or emergency referred to in subparagraph (B), the Secretary may furnish hospital care and medical services to members of the Armed Forces on active duty responding to or involved in that disaster or emergency. "(B) A disaster or emergency referred to in this subparagraph is any disaster or emergency as follows: "(i) A major disaster or emergency declared by the President under the Robert B. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5121 et seq.). "(ii) A disaster or emergency in which the National Disaster Medical System established pursuant to section 2811(b) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 300hh-ll(b)) is activated by the Secretary of Health and Human Services under paragraph (3)(A) of that section or as otherwise authorized by law.". SEC. 5. INCREASE IN NUMBER OF ASSISTANT SECRETARIES OF VET- ERANS AFFAIRS. (a) INCREASE. —Subsection (a) of section 308 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by striking "six" in the first sentence and inserting "seven". (b) FUNCTIONS.—Subsection (b) of such section is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph: "(11) Operations, preparedness, security, and law enforcement functions.". (c) NUMBER OF DEPUTY ASSISTANT SECRETARIES.—Subsection (d)(1) of such section is amended by striking "18" and inserting "19". (d) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.— Section 5315 of title 5, United States Code, is amended by striking "(6)" after "Assistant Secretaries, Department of Veterans Affairs" and inserting "(7)". SEC. 6. CODIFICATION OF DUTIES OF SECRETARY OF VETERANS AFFAIRS RELATING TO EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS. (a) IN GENERAL.—(1) Subchapter I of chapter 81 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new section: "§ 8117. Emergency preparedness "(a) READINESS OF DEPARTMENT MEDICAL CENTERS.— (1) The Secretary shall take appropriate actions to provide for the readiness of Department medical centers to protect the patients and staff of such centers from chemical or biological attack or otherwise to respond to such an attack so as to enable such centers to fulfill their obligations as part of the Federal response to public health emergencies. "(2) Actions under paragraph (1) shall include— "(A) the provision of decontamination equipment and personal protection equipment at Department medical centers; and "(B) the provision of training in the use of such equipment to staff of such centers. "(b) SECURITY AT DEPARTMENT MEDICAL AND RESEARCH FACILI- TIES.— (1) The Secretary shall take appropriate actions to provide

�