PAYMENT OF CLAIMS BY MEMBERS FOR LOSS OF PERSONAL PROPERTY DUE TO FLOODING IN RED RIVER BASIN.

SEC. 1013. PAYMENT OF CLAIMS BY MEMBERS FOR LOSS OF PERSONAL PROPERTY DUE TO FLOODING IN RED RIVER BASIN. (a) Payment Authorized.—Notwithstanding section 3721(e) of title 31, United States Code, the Secretary of a military department may pay the claim of a member of the Armed Forces who resided (or whose dependents resided) in the vicinity of Grand Forks Air Force Base, North Dakota, during April and May 1997 for loss and damage to personal property incurred by the member as a direct result of the flooding in the Red River Basin during such months. (b) Report on Department Policy.—The Secretary of Defense shall submit to Congress a report describing the Department of Defense policy regarding the payment of a claim by a member of the Armed Forces who is not assigned to quarters of the United States for losses and damage to personal property of the member incurred at the member’s residence as a result of a natural disaster. The report shall include a description of the number of such claims 111 STAT. 1875received over the past 10 years, the number of claims paid, and the number of claims rejected. If the Secretary determines the Department of Defense should modify its policy in order to accept additional claims by members who are not assigned to quarters of the United States for losses and damage to personal property, the Secretary shall also include in the report any legislative changes that the Secretary considers necessary to enable the Secretary to implement the policy change.