Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 97.djvu/1038

 97 STAT. 1006 PUBLIC LAW 98-160—NOV. 21, 1983 Cabinet member, designation. 38 USC 210 note. ments and agencies, and among Federal departments and agen- cies only the Department of Defense employs more personnel; (9) the Administrator of Veterans* Affairs is the principal executive branch official responsible for the administration of the benefits, services, and programs of the Veterans' Adminis- tration and for seeking the coordination of veterans' programs administered by other Federal departments and agencies; (10) there is a need for greater coordination between the Veterans' Administration and other Federal entities adminis- tering veterans programs and between the Veterans' Adminis- tration and other Federal entities providing similar benefits to individuals on a basis other than their status as veterans; (11) by virtue of the Administrator of Veterans' Affairs not being included in the President's Cabinet, the Administrator generally is not included in Cabinet meetings and deliberations and generally does not have the ready access to the President and senior advisers on the President's staff that Cabinet mem- bers have; and (12) as a consequence. Presidential decisions affecting vet- erans and the Veterans' Administration are made from time to time without an understanding of their full impact on veterans and on the Veterans' Administration's performance of its statu- tory missions. SENSE OF THE CONGRESS SEC. 502. In view of the findings in section 501, it is the sense of the Congress that the Administrator of Veterans' Affairs should be designated by the President as a member of, and a full participant in all activities of, the Cabinet and as the President's principal adviser on all matters relating to veterans and their dependents. TITLE VI—RADIATION EXPOSURE STUDY AND GUIDE Contracts or agreements. 38 USC 219 note. Submittal to congressional committees. RADIATION EXPOSURE STUDY AND GUIDE SEC. 601. (a)(l)(A) Subject to subparagraphs (B) and (C), the Admin- istrator of Veterans' Affairs, through contracts or agreements with private or public agencies or persons and in consultation with the Director of the Office of Technology Assessment, shall provide for the conduct of epidemiological study of the long-term adverse health effects of exposure to ionizing radiation from the detonation of nuclear devices in connection with the test of such devices or in connection with the American occupation of Hiroshima and Naga- saki, Japan, during the period beginning on September 11, 1945, and ending on July 1, 1946, in persons who, while serving in the Armed Forces of the United States, were exposed to such radiation. Such study shall include, but not necessarily be limited to, a study of identifiable prevalent illnesses, including malignancies, in the per- sons exposed. (B) If the Administrator, in consultation with the Director of the Office of Technology Assessment, determines that it is not feasible to conduct scientifically valid study of any or all of the matters required under subparagraph (A) to be studied— (i) the Administrator shall promptly submit to the appropri- ate committees of the Congress notice of that determination and the reasons therefor; and

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