
From the U.S. Code Online via GPO Access
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[Laws in effect as of January 23, 2000]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
  January 23, 2000 and December 4, 2001]
[CITE: 38USC7315]

 
                      TITLE 38--VETERANS' BENEFITS
 
              PART V--BOARDS, ADMINISTRATIONS, AND SERVICES
 
 CHAPTER 73--VETERANS HEALTH ADMINISTRATION--ORGANIZATION AND FUNCTIONS
 
           SUBCHAPTER II--GENERAL AUTHORITY AND ADMINISTRATION
 
Sec. 7315. Geriatrics and Gerontology Advisory Committee

    (a) The Secretary shall establish in the Administration a Geriatrics 
and Gerontology Advisory Committee (hereinafter in this section referred 
to as the ``Committee''). The membership of the Committee shall be 
appointed by the Secretary, upon the recommendation of the Under 
Secretary for Health, and shall include individuals who are not 
employees of the Federal Government and who have demonstrated interest 
and expertise in research, education, and clinical activities related to 
aging and at least one representative of a national veterans service 
organization. The Secretary, upon the recommendation of the Under 
Secretary for Health, shall invite representatives of other appropriate 
departments and agencies of the United States to participate in the 
activities of the Committee and shall provide the Committee with such 
staff and other support as may be necessary for the Committee to carry 
out effectively its functions under this section.
    (b) The Committee shall--
        (1) advise the Under Secretary for Health on all matters 
    pertaining to geriatrics and gerontology;
        (2) assess, through an evaluation process (including a site 
    visit conducted not later than three years after the date of the 
    establishment of each new center and not later than two years after 
    the date of the last evaluation of those centers in operation on 
    August 26, 1980), the ability of each center established under 
    section 7314 of this title to achieve its established purposes and 
    the purposes of title III of the Veterans' Administration Health-
    Care Amendments of 1980 (Public Law 96-330; 94 Stat. 1048);
        (3) assess the capability of the Department to provide high 
    quality geriatric services, extended services, and other health-care 
    services to eligible older veterans, taking into consideration the 
    likely demand for such services from such veterans;
        (4) assess the current and projected needs of eligible older 
    veterans for geriatric services, extended-care services, and other 
    health-care services from the Department and its activities and 
    plans designed to meet such needs; and
        (5) perform such additional functions as the Secretary or Under 
    Secretary for Health may direct.

    (c)(1) The Committee shall submit to the Secretary, through the 
Under Secretary for Health, such reports as the Committee considers 
appropriate with respect to its findings and conclusions under 
subsection (b). Such reports shall include the following:
        (A) Descriptions of the operations of the centers of geriatric 
    research, education, and clinical activities established pursuant to 
    section 7314 of this title.
        (B) Assessments of the quality of the operations of such 
    centers.
        (C) An assessment of the extent to which the Department, through 
    the operation of such centers and other health-care facilities and 
    programs, is meeting the needs of eligible older veterans for 
    geriatric services, extended-care services, and other health-care 
    services.
        (D) Assessments of and recommendations for correcting any 
    deficiencies in the operations of such centers.
        (E) Recommendations for such other geriatric services, extended-
    care services, and other health-care services as may be needed to 
    meet the needs of older veterans.

    (2) Whenever the Committee submits a report to the Secretary under 
paragraph (1), the Committee shall at the same time transmit a copy of 
the report in the same form to the appropriate committees of Congress. 
Not later than 90 days after receipt of a report under that paragraph, 
the Secretary shall submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a 
report containing any comments and recommendations of the Secretary with 
respect to the report of the Committee.

(Added Pub. L. 102-40, title IV, Sec. 401(a)(3), May 7, 1991, 105 Stat. 
217; amended Pub. L. 102-83, Sec. 4(a)(3), (4), Aug. 6, 1991, 105 Stat. 
404; Pub. L. 102-405, title I, Sec. 102, title III, Sec. 302(c)(1), Oct. 
9, 1992, 106 Stat. 1973, 1984; Pub. L. 103-446, title XII, 
Secs. 1201(i)(9), 1202(b)(2), Nov. 2, 1994, 108 Stat. 4688, 4689.)

                       References in Text

    The Veterans' Administration Health-Care Amendments of 1980, 
referred to in subsec. (b)(2), is Pub. L. 96-330, Aug. 26, 1980, 94 
Stat. 1030. Title III of the Act amended former sections 4101 and 4103 
of this title and enacted provisions set out as notes under former 
section 4101 of this title. For the purposes of title III, see section 
301 of Pub. L. 96-330, set out as a note under section 7314 of this 
title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short 
Title of 1980 Amendment note set out under section 101 of this title and 
Tables.


                               Amendments

    1994--Subsec. (b)(2). Pub. L. 103-446, Sec. 1201(i)(9), which 
directed substitution of ``Veterans' Administration'' for 
``Department'', could not be executed because ``Department'' did not 
appear subsequent to execution of amendment by Pub. L. 103-446, 
Sec. 1202(b)(2). See below.
    Pub. L. 103-446, Sec. 1202(b)(2), amended Pub. L. 102-83, 
Sec. 4(a)(3), (4), to make it inapplicable to this section. See 1991 
Amendment note below.
    1992--Subsecs. (a), (b)(1), (5), (c)(1). Pub. L. 102-405, 
Sec. 302(c)(1), substituted ``Under Secretary for Health'' for ``Chief 
Medical Director'' wherever appearing.
    Subsec. (c)(2). Pub. L. 102-405, Sec. 102, amended par. (2) 
generally. Prior to amendment, par. (2) read as follows: ``Not later 
than 90 days after receipt of a report submitted under paragraph (1), 
the Secretary shall transmit the report, together with the Secretary's 
comments and recommendations thereon, to the appropriate committees of 
the Congress.''
    1991--Subsec. (b)(2). Pub. L. 102-83, Sec. 4(a)(3), (4), which 
directed substitution of ``Department'' for ``Veterans' 
Administration'', was amended by Pub. L. 103-446, Sec. 1202(b)(2), to 
make it inapplicable to this section.


                    Effective Date of 1994 Amendment

    Section 1202(b) of Pub. L. 103-446 provided that the amendment made 
by that section is effective Aug. 6, 1991, and as if included in the 
enactment of Pub. L. 102-83.


                   Termination of Advisory Committees

    Advisory committees established after Jan. 5, 1973, to terminate not 
later than the expiration of the 2-year period beginning on the date of 
their establishment, unless, in the case of a committee established by 
the President or an officer of the Federal Government, such committee is 
renewed by appropriate action prior to the expiration of such 2-year 
period, or in the case of a committee established by the Congress, its 
duration is otherwise provided for by law. See section 14 of Pub. L. 92-
463, Oct. 6, 1972, 86 Stat. 776, set out in the Appendix to Title 5, 
Government Organization and Employees.
