§2803 National Geospatial Advisory Committee

Summary

The Secretary of the Interior must set up the National Geospatial Advisory Committee inside the Department of the Interior to give advice to the Chairperson of the Committee. The group can have up to 30 members, and at least one must come from the National Geospatial‑Intelligence Agency. Members are picked by the Chairperson of the Committee to give a balanced mix of viewpoints and geographic areas. They come from many parts of the geospatial community, like state, local, regional, and tribal governments, private companies, industries that use geospatial data, professional and scholarly groups, nonprofits, universities, licensed data professionals, and the Federal Government. The Committee’s Chair is chosen by the Chairperson of the Committee. Members serve three‑year terms with about one‑third ending each year. Vacancies are filled the same way as the original appointment. Except for the NGA member, people may not serve more than two back‑to‑back terms and must wait two years after those terms before being reappointed. Members must not take part in specific Department of the Interior matters where they have a direct financial interest. People who served right before October 5, 2018 may finish their current terms and that prior service counts toward term limits. The Committee can form subcommittees for research and reports, and those subgroups must be led by the Committee Chair and a designated federal officer. The Chair calls meetings; the Committee must meet at least once a year and no more than four times a year. A majority makes a quorum, though fewer people can still hold meetings or hearings. The Committee must give advice on managing federal and national geospatial programs, on building the National Spatial Data Infrastructure, and on carrying out this law; it also reviews geospatial policy and makes sure non‑Federal views are heard. Meetings are open to the public. With the Committee Chair’s approval, the Advisory Committee can get needed information from covered agencies and must note if an agency fails to provide it. Members who are not federal employees are unpaid, but travel expenses are covered at standard federal rates; federal employees serve without extra pay but may be detailed to help. The Federal Advisory Committee Act applies except for one listed paragraph, and the Committee ends 10 years after October 5, 2018 unless the Secretary renews it in 10‑year increments before it would end.