Defense and national security

Executive Order 13075: Special Oversight Board for Department of Defense Investigations of Gulf War Chemical and Biological Incidents

President: Bill Clinton

Created an independent advisory board to review Defense Department investigations of possible Gulf War chemical and biological exposures.

Status: Revoked — by EO 13225 in 2001.

Is Executive Order 13075 still in effect? No. EO 13225 revoked it in 2001.

What does Executive Order 13075 do?

EO 13075 appointed a board of up to seven outside members to assess Defense Department investigations into possible Gulf War chemical and biological exposures and related illness factors. The board was to advise the President through the Defense Secretary, issue interim and final reports, and then end. It could not conduct scientific research or decide legal liability. A final report was issued in December 2000; EO 13225 revoked this board’s order in September 2001.

Administration position: The board’s review role did not establish a medical cause for every Gulf War illness or resolve individual benefits claims.
SignedFebruary 19, 1998
Board remitReview Defense investigations
Final reportDecember 20, 2000

Before and after

Before the order

Defense investigated possible Gulf War exposures under its existing authority.

After the order

A temporary outside board reviewed those investigations and reported through the Defense Secretary.

EO 13225 later revoked the board’s founding order.

Who had to do what

Agency / officeActionTiming / position
PresidentAppoint up to seven non-employee board membersAfter signing
BoardReview investigations and advise the PresidentInterim and final reports
DefenseSupply information, staff and permitted fundingDuring board work

What happened next

EO 13075 established the board.

The board issued its final report, as recorded in VA’s later chronology.

EO 13225 revoked EO 13075.