RANCH HAND STUDY.

SEC. 1205. RANCH HAND STUDY. (a) Advisory Committee Personnel and Support.—(1) After February 28, 1989, not less than one-third of the total number of members of the Ranch Hand Advisory Committee shall be individuals selected by the Secretary of Health and Human Services from among scientists who are recommended by veterans’ organizations for membership on the committee and are determined by the Secretary to be qualified for service on the committee. (2) A scientist shall be considered to be qualified for service on the Ranch Hand Advisory Committee if (A) the scientist has earned a doctor of medicine degree or a doctorate or other advanced degree from an institution of higher education in a field relevant to the responsibilities of the Advisory Committee and has written one or more articles relevant to those responsibilities which have appeared in scientific publications following a peer-review process, or (B) the scientist has qualifications equivalent to those set forth in clause (A). (b) Chairman.—After February 28, 1989, the Chairman of the Ranch Hand Advisory Committee may be an officer or employee of the Federal Government (other than by reason of service as a member of the Advisory Committee) only if the Secretary of Health and Human Services determines, after affirmatively seeking to recruit a chairman who is not an officer or employee of the Federal Government, that there is no individual qualified and available to serve as Chairman who is not an officer or employee of the Federal Reports. Government. The Secretary shall report any such determination to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and the House of Representatives. (c) Schedule of Reports.—(1) Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs and the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives a schedule of reports to be prepared by the Secretary of the Air Force or the Secretary of Defense on the progress and findings of the Ranch Hand Study. (2) Each report referred to in paragraph (1) shall include the following: 102 STAT. 4127 (A) A discussion of the progress made in the Ranch Hand Study during the period covered by the report. (B) A summary of the scientific activities conducted during that period and the findings resulting from those activities, to be prepared by the scientists conducting those activities. (3) Such a report need not contain (A) a discussion of progress discussed in any other report prepared by the Department of Defense (under this section or otherwise) regarding the Ranch Hand Study, or (B) a scientific summary included in any other such report, unless modification of such discussion or summary is appropriate for completeness, accuracy, and currency. (4) The Secretary of Defense shall submit to the committees referred to in paragraph (1) a copy of each report referred to that paragraph. (d) Definitions.—For purposes of this section: (1) The term “Ranch Hand Advisory Committee” means the committee known as the “Advisory Committee on Special Studies Relating to the Possible Long-term Health Effects of Phenoxy Herbicides and Contaminants” established by the Secretary of Defense to monitor the conduct of the Ranch Hand Study. (2) The term “Ranch Hand Study” means the special study conducted by the Secretary of the Air Force relating to the possible long-term health effects of phenoxy herbicides and contaminants on Air Force personnel who participated in Operation Ranch Hand in the Republic of Vietnam during the Vietnam era.