Department of Veterans Affairs Emergency Preparedness Act of 2002
Public Law 107-287 · H.R. 3253 · 107th Congress · began in the House
Signed by George W. Bush (R) on Nov 7, 2002 · Armed Forces and National Security
Sponsor: Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ-4)
Cosponsors (14): Rep. Lane Evans, Rep. Michael Bilirakis,
Passage votes
- HouseUnanimous consent
- SenateUnanimous consent
Data notes
The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.
Summary
The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.
Department of Veterans Affairs Emergency Preparedness Act of 2002 - (Sec. 2) Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish four medical emergency preparedness centers within Department of Veterans Affairs medical centers to: (1) research and develop methods of detection, diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of injuries, diseases, and illnesses arising from the use of chemical, biological, radiological, or incendiary or other explosive weapons or devices posing threats to the public health and safety; (2) provide education, training, and advice to health-care professionals; and (3) provide laboratory, epidemiological, medical, and other appropriate assistance to Federal, State, and local health care agencies and personnel involved in or responding to a disaster or emergency.
Sets forth criteria for selecting center sites, including the development of arrangements for education and training with qualifying medical or public health schools, epidemiological graduate programs, and allied health personnel and students as well as the ability to attract the appropriate scientists. Requires the dissemination of information produced from such research to U.S. health-care providers. Directs the Under Secretary for Health to allocate to such centers additional funds otherwise appropriated for veterans' medical care and research.
Authorizes appropriations for FY 2003 through 2007.
Directs the Under Secretary to establish a peer review panel to assess the scientific and clinical merit of center designation proposals.
(Sec. 3) Directs the Secretary to develop and disseminate a series of model education and training programs on the medical responses to the consequences of terrorist activities. Requires such programs to be modeled after programs established at the F. Edward Hebert School of Medicine of the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences. Requires such programs to provide training for health care professionals in the recognition of chemical, biological, radiological, incendiary, or other explosive agents, the identification of symptoms of exposure to such agents, emergency and follow-up treatment for exposure, potential long-term health consequences, and protection against contamination, injury, or other hazards while providing care. Requires that different programs be designed for health-care professionals in Department medical centers.
(Sec. 4) Authorizes the Secretary to furnish hospital care and medical services to: (1) individuals responding to, involved in, or otherwise affected by a disaster or medical emergency; (2) veterans without regard to their enrollment in the Department's annual patient enrollment system; and (3) active-duty military personnel responding to or involved in the disaster or emergency. Requires the Secretary, within 60 days of providing any such care or services, to report to the congressional veterans' committees on allocated facilities and personnel.
(Sec. 5) Establishes within the Department the position of Assistant Secretary with responsibility for operations, preparedness, security, and law enforcement functions.
(Sec. 6) Codifies under Federal law certain provisions of the Public Health Security and Bioterrorism Preparedness and Response Act of 2002 enumerating duties of the Secretary relating to emergency preparedness within the Department.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
Veterans' Affairs Committee · House · markup by, referred to, reported bySubcommittee: Health Subcommittee
Data notes
A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.
Timeline
From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 26 actions.
- Nov 7, 2002Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 107-287.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Oct 29, 2002PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
- Oct 16, 2002Resolving differencesResolving differences · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · On motion that the House agree to the Senate amendment to the House amendment to the Senate amendments Agreed to without objection.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Mr. Armey asked unanimous consent that the House agree to the Senate amendment to the House amendment to the Senate amendments.
- Oct 15, 2002Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate concurred in House amendment with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.
- Sep 17, 2002FloorFloor · House agreed to Senate amendments with amendment pursuant to H. Res. 526.
- Aug 2, 2002CommitteeCommittee · Discharged from Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee
- Aug 1, 2002FloorFloor · Passed Senate with an amendment and an amendment to the Title by Unanimous Consent.
- FloorFloor · Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent.
- May 21, 2002CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee
- May 20, 2002FloorFloor · The title of the measure was amended. Agreed to without objection.
- FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- FloorFloor · On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.
- FloorFloor · ORDER OF PROCEDURE - Mr. Smith (NJ) asked unanimous consent that the order for the Yeas and Nays on the question of adoption of the motion to suspend the rules and pass H.R. 3253, as amended, be vacated to the end that the Chair put the question de novo. Agreed to without object…
- FloorFloor · At the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 8, rule XX, the Chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed.
- FloorFloor · Mr. Smith (NJ) moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
- May 16, 2002CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Veterans' Affairs Committee
- May 9, 2002CommitteeCommittee · Markup by House Veterans' Affairs Committee
- May 1, 2002CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Health Subcommittee of the House Veterans' Affairs Committee
- CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Health Subcommittee of the House Veterans' Affairs Committee
- Apr 10, 2002CommitteeCommittee · Hearings by Health Subcommittee of the House Veterans' Affairs Committee
- Mar 22, 2002CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Health Subcommittee of the House Veterans' Affairs Committee
- Nov 8, 2001CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Veterans' Affairs Committee
- IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the House
Data notes
Shows the introduction, each committee and subcommittee step the source dates (referral, hearings, markup, report, discharge), and the floor, conference, presidential and became-law steps. Calendar placements, messages between the chambers, amendments and committee report numbers are not shown for laws before the 108th Congress. Two entries the source lists twice are shown once.
Official record
The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.