Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 112 Part 3.djvu/249

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PUBLIC LAW 105-261—OCT. 17, 1998 112 STAT. 2079 (B) review the existing methods for contracting for and distributing medical supplies and services. (2) The committee shall submit a report on the results of Reports, the examination to the appropriate committees of Congress. (g) STANDARDIZATION OF PHYSICAL EXAMINATIONS FOR DISABIL- Reports. ITY. —The Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall jointly submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a report on the status of the efforts of the Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs to standardize physical examinations administered by the two departments for the purpose of determining or rating disabilities. (h) APPROPRIATE COMMITTEES OF CONGRESS DEFINED. — For the purposes of this section, the appropriate committees of Congress are as follows: (1) The Committee on Armed Services and the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate. (2) The Committee on National Security and the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the House of Representatives. (i) DEADLINES FOR SUBMISSION OF REPORTS.—(1) The report required by subsection (c)(3) shall be submitted not later than January 1, 2000. (2) The report required by subsection (d)(2) shall be submitted not later than March 1, 1999. (3) The semiannual report required by subsection (e)(2) shall be submitted not later than March 1 and September 1 of each year. (4) The report on the examination required under subsection (f) shall be submitted not later than 60 days after the completion of the examination. (5) The report required by subsection (g) shall be submitted not later than March 1, 1999. SEC. 746. REPORT ON RESEARCH AND SURVEILLANCE ACTIVITIES REGARDING LYME DISEASE AND OTHER TICK-BORNE DISEASES. Not later than April 1, 1999, the Secretary of Defense shall Deadline, submit to the Committee on National Security of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Armed Services of the Senate a report on the current and recommended levels of research and surveillance activities regarding Lyme disease and other tickborne diseases among members of the Armed Forces. The report shall include the following: (1) An analysis of the current and projected threat to the operational readiness of the Armed Forces posed by Lyme disease and other tick-borne diseases in the United States and in overseas locations at which members of the Armed Forces might be deployed. (2) A review of the current research efforts being implemented to prevent the contraction of Ljmie disease and other tick-borne diseases by members of the Armed Forces, and to enhance the early identification of such diseases once they have been contracted. (3) An assessment of the adequacy of existing and projected funding levels for research and surveillance activities relating to Lyme disease and other tick-borne diseases among members of the Armed Forces.