February 24, 1998

EXECUTIVE ORDER

Message Creation Date was at 24-FEB-1998 15:45:00
      
THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary
_______________________________________________________________

For Immediate Release      February 24, 1998


EXECUTIVE ORDER

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SPECIAL OVERSIGHT BOARD FOR DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
INVESTIGATIONS OF GULF WAR CHEMICAL AND BIOLOGICAL INCIDENTS


 By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of 
the United States of America, including the Federal Advisory Committee Act, as 
amended (5 U.S.C. App.), it is hereby ordered as follows:

 Section 1.  Establishment.  (a) There is hereby established the Special 
Oversight Board for Department of Defense Investigations of Gulf War Chemical 
and Biological Incidents ("Special Oversight Board").  The Special Oversight 
Board shall be composed of not more than seven members appointed by the 
President.  The members of the Special Oversight Board shall have expertise 
relevant to the functions of the Special Oversight Board and shall not be 
full-time officials or employees of the executive branch of the Federal 
Government.  

 (b) The President shall designate a Chairperson and a Vice Chairperson from 
among the members of the Special Oversight Board.

 Sec. 2.   Functions.  (a) The Special Oversight Board shall report to the 
President through the Secretary of Defense.

 (b) The Special Oversight Board shall provide advice and recommendations based 
on its review of Department of Defense investigations into possible detections 
of, and exposures to, chemical or biological weapons agents and environmental 
and other factors that may have contributed to Gulf War illnesses.

 (c) It shall not be a function of the Special Oversight Board to conduct 
scientific research.

   (d) It shall not be a function of the Special Oversight Board to provide 
advice or recommendations on any legal liability of the Federal Government for 
any claims or potential claims against the Federal Government.

 (e) The Special Oversight Board shall submit an interim report within 9 months 
of its first meeting and a final report within 18 months of its first meeting, 
unless otherwise directed by the President.

 Sec. 3.  Administration.  (a) The heads of executive departments and agencies 
shall, to the extent permitted by law, provide the Special Oversight Board with 
such information as it may require for purposes of carrying out its functions.

 (b) Special Oversight Board members may be allowed travel expenses, including 
per diem in lieu of subsistence, to the extent permitted by law for persons 
serving intermittently in the Government service (5 U.S.C. 5701-5707).  The 
administrative staff for the Special Oversight Board shall be compensated in 
accordance with Federal law.

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 (c) To the extent permitted by law, and subject to the availability of 
appropriations, the Department of Defense shall provide the Special Oversight 
Board with such funds as may be necessary for the performance of its functions.

 Sec. 4.  General Provisions.  (a) Notwithstanding the provisions of any other 
Executive order, the functions of the President under the Federal Advisory 
Committee Act, as amended,  that are applicable to the Special Oversight Board, 
except that of reporting annually to the Congress, shall be performed by the 
Secretary of Defense, in accordance with the guidelines and procedures 
established by the Administrator of General Services.

 (b) The Special Oversight Board shall terminate 30 days after submitting its 
final report.

 (c) This order is intended only to improve the internal management of the 
executive branch and it is not intended, and shall not be construed, to create 
any right, benefit, or trust responsibility, substantive or procedural, 
enforceable at law or equity by a party against the United States, its 
agencies, its officers, or any person.


       WILLIAM J. CLINTON