(c) The Administrator shall make available to the public and on a regular basis provide to the appropriate committees of the Congress copies of all completed evaluative research studies and summaries of evaluations of program impact and effectiveness carried out, and tabulations and analyses of all data collected, under this section.

(Added P.L. 93-508, § 213.)

§ 220. Coordination and promotion of other programs affecting veterans and their dependents

(a) The Administrator shall seek to achieve the maximum feasible effectiveness, coordination, and interrelationship of services among all programs and activities affecting veterans and their dependents carried out by and under all other departments, agencies, and instrumentalities of the executive branch and shall seek to achieve the maximum feasible coordination of such programs with programs carried out under this title, and shall actively promote the effective implementation, enforcement, and application of all provisions of law and regulations providing for special consideration, emphasis, or preference for veterans.

(Added P.L. 93-508, § 213; amended P.L. 96-466, § 701(a); P.L. 98528, § 106(a).)

(b) The Administrator shall seek to achieve the effective coordination of the provision, under laws administered by the Veterans' Administration, of benefits and services (and information about such benefits and services) with appropriate programs (and information about such programs) conducted by State and local governmental agencies and by private entities at the State and local level. In carrying out this subsection, the Administrator shall place special emphasis on veterans who are sixty-five years of age or older. (Added P.L. 98-528, § 106(a).)

§ 221. Advisory Committee on Former Prisoners of War

(a)(1) The Administrator shall establish an advisory committee to be known as the Advisory Committee on Former Prisoners of War (hereinafter in this section referred to as the "Committee”).

(2) The members of the Committee shall be appointed by the Administrator from the general public and shall include

(A) appropriate representatives of veterans who are former prisoners of war;

(B) individuals who are recognized authorities in fields pertinent to disabilities prevalent among former prisoners of war, including authorities in epidemiology, mental health, nutrition, geriatrics, and internal medicine; and

(C) appropriate representatives of disabled veterans.

The Committee shall also include, as ex officio members, the Chief Medical Director and the Chief Benefits Director, or their desig

nees.

(3) The Administrator shall determine the number, terms of service, and pay and allowances of members of the Committee appoint

ed by the Administrator, except that the term of service of any such member may not exceed three years.

(Added P.L. 97-37, § 2(a).)

(b) The Administrator shall, on a regular basis, consult with and seek the advice of the Committee with respect to the administration of benefits under this title for veterans who are former prisoners of war and the needs of such veterans with respect to compensation, health care, and rehabilitation.

(Added P.L. 97-37, § 2(a).)

(c) Not later than July 1, 1983, and not later than July 1 of each second year thereafter, the Committee shall submit to the Administrator a report on the programs and activities of the Veterans' Administration that pertain to veterans who are former prisoners of war. The Committee shall include in each such report an assessment of the needs of such veterans with respect to compensation, health care, and rehabilitation, a review of the programs and activities of the Veterans' Administration designed to meet such needs, and such recommendations (including recommendations for administrative and legislative action) as the Committee considers to be appropriate. The Administrator shall immediately submit such report to the Congress with any comments concerning the report that the Administrator considers appropriate. The Committee may also submit to the Administrator such other reports and recommendations as the Committee considers appropriate. The Administrator shall submit with each annual report submitted to the Congress pursuant to section 214 of this title a summary of all reports and recommendations of the Committee submitted to the Administrator since the previous annual report of the Administrator submitted to the Congress pursuant to such section.

(Added P.L. 97-37, § 2(a).)

§ 222. Advisory Committee on Women Veterans

(a) The Administrator shall establish an advisory committee to be known as the Advisory Committee on Women Veterans (hereinafter in this section referred to as "the Committee").

(Added P.L. 98-160, § 301(a).)

(b)(1)(A) The Committee shall consist of members appointed by the Administrator from the general public, including

(i) representatives of women veterans;

(ii) individuals who are recognized authorities in fields pertinent to the needs of women veterans, including the gender-specific health-care needs of women; and

(iii) representatives of both female and male veterans with service-connected disabilities, including at least one female veteran with a service-connected disability and at least one male veteran with a service-connected disability.

(B) The Committee shall include, as ex officio members

(i) the Secretary of Labor (or a representative of the Secretary of Labor designated by the Secretary after consultation with the Assistant Assistant Secretary of Labor for Veterans' Employment);

(ii) the Secretary of Defense (or a representative of the Secretary of Defense designated by the Secretary after consultation with the Defense Advisory Committee on Women in the Services); and

(iii) the Chief Medical Director and Chief Benefits Director, or their designees.

(C) The Administrator may invite representatives of other departments and agencies of the United States to participate in the meetings and other activities of the Committee.

(2) The Administrator shall determine the number, terms of service, and pay and allowances of members of the Committee appointed by the Administrator, except that a term of service of any such member may not exceed 3 years. The Administrator may reappoint any such member for additional terms of service.

(c) The Administrator shall, on a regular basis, consult with and seek the advice of the Committee with respect to

(1) the administration of benefits by the Veterans' Administration for women veterans;

(2) reports and studies pertaining to women veterans; and (3) the needs of women veterans with respect to compensation, health care, rehabilitation, outreach, and other benefits and programs administered by the Veterans' Administration. (d)(1) Not later than July 1, 1984, and not later than July 1 of each second year thereafter, the Committee shall submit to the Administrator a report on the programs and activities of the Veterans' Administration that pertain to women veterans. Each such report shall contain (A) an assessment of the needs of such veterans with respect to compensation, health care, rehabilitation, outreach, and other benefits and programs administered by the Veterans' Administration, (B) a review of the programs and activities of the Veterans' Administration designed to meet such needs, and (C) such recommendations (including recommendations for administrative and legislative action) as the Committee considers appropriate. Within 60 days after receiving each such report, the Administrator shall submit to the Congress a copy of the report, together with any comments concerning the report that the Administrator considers appropriate.

(2) The Committee may submit to the Administrator such other reports and recommendations as the Committee considers appropriate.

(3) The Administrator shall submit with each annual report submitted to the Congress pursuant to section 214 of this title a summary of all reports and recommendations of the Committee submitted to the Administrator since the previous annual report of the Administrator submitted pursuant to such section.

(Added P.L. 98-160, § 301(a).)

SUBCHAPTER III-VETERANS' ADMINISTRATION REGIONAL OFFICES; EMPLOYEES

§ 230. Central and regional offices

(a) The Central Office of the Veterans' Administration shall be in the District of Columbia. The Administrator may establish such re

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gional offices and such other field offices within the United States, its Territories, Commonwealths, and possessions, as the Administrator deems necessary.

(Amended P.L. 99-576, § 701(13).)

(b) The Administrator may exercise authority under this section in territory of the Republic of the Philippines until September 30, 1988.

(Amended P.L. 86-103; P.L. 91-338; P.L. 93-82, § 401; P.L. 95-520, § 2; P.L. 96-385, § 501; P.L. 97-295, § 4(6); P.L. 99-166, § 402.)

§ 231. Placement of employees in military installations

The Administrator may place officers and employees of the Veterans' Administration in such Army, Navy, and Air Force installations as may be deemed advisable for the purpose of adjudicating disability claims of, and giving aid and advice to, members of the Armed Forces who are about to be discharged or released from active military, naval, or air service.

[§ 232. Repealed P.L. 91-24, § 2(p).]

§ 233. Employees apparel; school transportation; recreational equipment; visual exhibits; personal property; emergency transportation of employees

(a) The Administrator, subject to such limitations as the Administrator may prescribe, may

(1) furnish and launder such wearing apparel as may be prescribed for employees in the performance of their official duties;

(2) transport children of Veterans' Administration employees located at isolated stations to and from school in available Government-owned automotive equipment;

(3) provide recreational facilities, supplies, and equipment for the use of patients in hospitals, and employees in isolated installations;

(4) provide for the preparation, shipment, installation, and display of exhibits, photographic displays, moving pictures and other visual educational information and descriptive material; and

(5) reimburse employees for the cost of repairing or replacing their personal property damaged or destroyed by patients or domiciliary members while such employees are engaged in the performance of their official duties.

For the purposes of paragraph (4) of this subsection, the Administrator may purchase or rent equipment.

(Amended P.L. 87-574, § 1; P.L. 99-576, §§ 701(14), 702(2).)

(b) The Administrator, upon determining that an emergency situation exists and that such action is necessary for the effective conduct of the affairs of the Veterans' Administration, may utilize Government-owned, or leased, vehicles to transport employees to and from their place of employment and the nearest adequate public transportation, or, if such public transportation is either unavailable or not feasible to use, to and from their place of employ

ment and their home. The Administrator shall establish reasonable rates to cover the cost of the service rendered, and all proceeds collected therefrom shall be applied to the applicable appropriation. (Added P.L. 89-785, § 303(a); amended P.L. 99-576, § 701(14).)

§ 234. Telephone service for medical officers and facility directors The Administrator may pay for official telephone service and rental in the field whenever incurred in case of official telephones for nonmedical directors of centers, hospitals, independent clinics, domiciliaries, and medical officers of the Veterans' Administration where such telephones are installed in private residences or private apartments or quarters, when authorized under regulations established by the Administrator.

(Amended P.L. 93-82, § 402(a), (c).)

§ 235. Benefits to employees at overseas offices who are United States citizens

(a) The Administrator may, under such rules and regulations as may be prescribed by the President or the President's designee, provide to personnel of the Veterans' Administration who are United States citizens and are assigned by the Administrator to the Veterans' Administration offices in the Republic of the Philippines allowances and benefits similar to those provided by the following provisions of law:

(1) Section 905 of the Foreign Service Act of 1980 (relating to allowances to provide for the proper representation of the United States).

(2) Sections 901(1), (2), (3), (4), (7), (8), (9), (11), and (12) of the Foreign Service Act of 1980 (relating to travel expenses).

(3) Section 901(13) of the Foreign Service Act of 1980 (relating to transportation of automobiles).

(4) Section 903 of the Foreign Service Act of 1980 (relating to the return of personnel to the United States on leave of absence).

(5) Section 904(d) of the Foreign Service Act of 1980 (relating to payments by the United States of expenses for treating illness or injury of officers or employees and dependents requiring hospitalization).

(6) Section 5724a(a)(3) of title 5 (relating to subsistence expenses for 30 days in connection with the return to the United States of the employee and such employee's immediate family).

(7) Section 5724a(a)(4) of title 5 (relating to the sale and purchase of the residence or settlement of an unexpired lease of the employee when transferred from one station to another station and both stations are in the United States, its territories or possessions, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico).

(Amended P.L. 99-576, §§ 701(15), 702(3).)

(b) The authority in subsection (a) of this section supplements, but is not in lieu of, other allowances and benefits for overseas employees of the Veterans' Administration provided by title 5 and the Foreign Service Act of 1980 (22 U.S.C. 3901 et seq.)