§191 Homeland Security Science and Technology Advisory Committee

Summary

Creates a Homeland Security Science and Technology Advisory Committee inside the Department of Homeland Security. The Committee must give advice to the Under Secretary for Science and Technology and recommend research areas important to the Nation’s security. It must have 20 members chosen by the Under Secretary. The members must include emergency first-responders or their group representatives and representatives of citizen groups, including economically disadvantaged communities. Members must be well-known experts in fields like emergency response, research, engineering, product development, business, and management consulting. They must be picked for their records of service, not be federal employees, and together must represent the range of work the Under Secretary supports. The Under Secretary may use the National Research Council to pick members only if that panel matches the required representation. Members normally serve 3-year terms. The first group is split into classes of 6 (1 year), 7 (2 years), and 7 (3 years). Vacancies are filled for the remainder of the term. After two full consecutive terms, a person cannot be reappointed for 1 year. The Committee must meet at least quarterly, at the Chair’s call or when one-third request it in writing, with notice usually at least 15 days. A majority of members who have no conflict of interest is a quorum. The Committee must set rules about conflicts. It must send an annual report to the Under Secretary for Congress by January 31 each year and may send extra reports. Section 1013 of title 5 does not apply. The Committee ends on December 31, 2008.