"(3) The Director shall investigate allegations of research impropriety and misconduct in medical research projects of the Depart ment. "(4) The Director shall submit to the Under Secretary for Reports. Health, the Secretary, and the Committees on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and House of Representatives a report on any suspected lapse, from whatever cause or causes, in protecting safety of human subjects and others, including employees, in medical research programs of the Department. "(5) The Director shall carry out such other duties as the Under Secretary for Health may require. "(e) SOURCE OF FUNDS.-Amounts for the activities of the Office, including its regional offices, shall be derived from amounts appropriated for the Veterans Health Administration for Medical Care. "(f) ANNUAL REPORT.-Not later than March 15 each year, Deadline. the Director shall submit to the Committees on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and House of Representatives a report on the activities of the Office during the preceding calendar year. Each such report shall include, with respect to that year, the following: "(1) A summary of reviews of individual medical research programs of the Department completed by the Office. "(2) Directives and other communications issued by the Office to field activities of the Department. "(3) Results of any investigations undertaken by the Office during the reporting period consonant with the purposes of this section. "(4) Other information that would be of interest to those committees in oversight of the Department medical research program. "(g) MEDICAL RESEARCH.-For purposes of this section, the term 'medical research' means medical research described in section 7303(a)(2) of this title.". (2) The table of sections at the beginning of such chapter is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 7306 the following new item: "7307. Office of Research Oversight.". (b) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.-Section 7303 is amended by striking subsection (e). SEC. 402. ENHANCEMENT OF AUTHORITIES RELATING TO NONPROFIT (a) COVERAGE OF PERSONNEL UNDER TORT CLAIMS LAWS.(1) Subchapter IV of chapter 73 is amended by inserting after section 7364 the following new section: "§ 7364A. Coverage of employees under certain Federal tort claims laws "(a) An employee of a corporation established under this subchapter who is described by subsection (b) shall be considered an employee of the Government, or a medical care employee of the Veterans Health Administration, for purposes of the following provisions of law: "(1) Section 1346(b) of title 28. “(2) Chapter 171 of title 28. "(3) Section 7316 of this title. "(b) An employee described in this subsection is an employee who Applicability. 38 USC 8121 note. "(1) has an appointment with the Department, whether with or without compensation; "(2) is directly or indirectly involved or engaged in research or education and training that is approved in accordance with procedures established by the Under Secretary for Health for research or education and training; and "(3) performs such duties under the supervision of Department personnel.". (2) The table of sections at the beginning of such chapter is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 7364 the following new item: "7364A. Coverage of employees under certain Federal tort claims laws.". (b) CLARIFICATION OF EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR'S ETHICS CERTIFICATION DUTIES.-Section 7366(c) is amended (1) by inserting "(1)" after "(c)"; (2) by striking "any year-" and all that follows through "shall be subject" and inserting “any year shall be subject"; (3) by striking “functions; and" and inserting "functions."; and (4) by striking paragraph (2) and inserting the following: "(2) Each corporation established under this subchapter shall each year submit to the Secretary a statement signed by the executive director of the corporation verifying that each director and employee has certified awareness of the laws and regulations referred to in paragraph (1) and of the consequences of violations of those laws and regulations in the same manner as Federal employees are required to so certify.". (c) FIVE-YEAR EXTENSION OF AUTHORITY TO ESTABLISH RESEARCH CORPORATIONS.-Section 7368 is amended by striking "December 31, 2003" and inserting "December 31, 2008". SEC. 403. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE PARTICIPATION IN REVOLVING (a) ENHANCEMENT OF DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE PARTICIPATION. Section 8121 is amended (1) by redesignating subsections (b) and (c) as subsections (d) and (e), respectively; (2) by designating the last sentence of subsection (a) as subsection (c); and (3) by inserting after paragraph (3) of subsection (a) the following new subsection (b): "(b) The Secretary may authorize the Secretary of Defense to make purchases through the fund in the same manner as activities of the Department. When services, equipment, or supplies are furnished to the Secretary of Defense through the fund, the reimbursement required by paragraph (2) of subsection (a) shall be made from appropriations made to the Department of Defense, and when services or supplies are to be furnished to the Department of Defense, the fund may be credited, as provided in paragraph (3) of subsection (a), with advances from appropriations available to the Department of Defense.". (b) EFFECTIVE DATE.-The amendments made by subsection (a) shall apply only with respect to funds appropriated for a fiscal year after fiscal year 2003. SEC. 404. FIVE-YEAR EXTENSION OF HOUSING ASSISTANCE FOR HOMELESS VETERANS. Section 2041(c) is amended by striking "December 31, 2003" and inserting "December 31, 2008". SEC. 405. REPORT DATE CHANGES. (a) SENIOR MANAGERS' QUARTERLY REPORT.-Section 516(e)(1)(A) is amended by striking "30 days" and inserting “45 days". (b) ANNUAL REPORT ON ASSISTANCE TO HOMELESS VETERANS.— Section 2065(a) is amended by striking "April 15 of each year" and inserting "June 15 of each year". (c) ANNUAL REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON CARE OF SEVERELY CHRONICALLY MENTALLY ILL VETERANS.-Section 7321(d)(2) is amended by striking "February 1, 1998, and February 1 of each of the six following years" and inserting "June 1 of each year through 2008". (d) ANNUAL REPORT ON SHARING OF HEALTH CARE RESOURCES.-Section 8153(g) is amended— (1) by striking "not more than 60 days after the end of each fiscal year" and inserting "not later than February 1 of each year"; and (2) by inserting "during the preceding fiscal year" after "under this section". (e) ANNUAL REPORT OF SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON PTSD.-Section 110(e)(2) of the Veterans' Health Care Act of 1984 (38 U.S.C. 1712A note) is amended by striking "February 1 of each of the three following years" and inserting "May 1 of each year through 2008" Approved December 6, 2003. LEGISLATIVE HISTORY-S. 1156: SENATE REPORTS: No. 108-193 (Comm. on Veterans' Affairs). Nov. 19, considered and passed Senate. Dec. 6, 2003 [S. 1768] National Flood Program 42 USC 4001 42 USC 4016 note. Public Law 108-171 108th Congress An Act To extend the national flood insurance program. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the "National Flood Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2004". SEC. 2. EXTENSION OF PROGRAM. (a) EXTENSION.-The National Flood Insurance Act of 1968 is amended as follows: (1) AUTHORITY FOR CONTRACTS.-In section 1319 (42 U.S.C. 4026), by striking "December 31, 2003" and inserting "March 31, 2004". (2) BORROWING AUTHORITY.-In the first sentence of section 1309(a) (42 U.S.C. 4016(a)), by striking "December 31, 2003" and inserting "the date specified in section 1319". (3) EMERGENCY IMPLEMENTATION.-In section 1336(a) (42 U.S.C. 4056(a)), by striking "December 31, 2003" and inserting "on the date specified in section 1319". (4) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS FOR STUDIES.-In section 1376(c) (42 U.S.C. 4127(c)), by striking "December 31, 2003" and inserting "the date specified in section 1319". (b) EFFECTIVE DATE.-The amendments made by this section shall be considered to have taken effect on December 31, 2003. Approved December 6, 2003. LEGISLATIVE HISTORY-S. 1768: Oct. 27, considered and passed Senate. Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge Expansion Act.............. 1372 Blue Ridge National Heritage Area 1274 Burmese Freedom and Democracy Act of 2003........... 864 C Human Services, and Education, and Related Departments of Veterans Affairs Captive Wildlife Safety Act.................. 2871 District of Columbia Carter G. Woodson Home National Historic Site Act.......... Check Clearing for the 21st Clean Diamond Trade Act............ 86 49 .... 298 474 Appropriations Act, 2003................ 107 1177 631 665 1386 Land Exchange Act of 2003......... 1271 Appropriations Act, 2003.............. 1036 Appropriations Act for Defense Appropriations for Disaster NOTE: Part 1 contains pages 3–1048; Part 2 contains pages 1049-2064; Part 3 contains pages 2065–3123. Each part contains entire Popular Name and Subject Indexes. 885 |