§4806 — Title 15 Commerce and Trade | U.S. Code

Summary

The Council may hold hearings, gather testimony and evidence, and put witnesses under oath to do its work. It can get information straight from federal agencies when needed, but not classified national defense or foreign policy secrets. The Council must keep agency information private unless the agency is allowed by law to share it. Within 120 days after the first members are named, the Council must send a report to the President and Congress saying what it plans to do and how it will work with other trade and competitiveness groups. The Council can accept gifts, use the mail like other federal agencies, and ask the General Services Administration for paid administrative help. The Council may set up short-term subcouncils made of business, labor, government, and other important people, and each subcouncil must include a federal representative. Subcouncils study specific competitiveness problems and give recommendations to help industries adjust, modernize, seize identified opportunities, compete in identified markets, or solve policy problems that affect more than one industry. Their talks are protected from antitrust rules and are exempt from chapter 10 of title 5, except a federal representative must attend meetings. A subcouncil ends 30 days after it issues its recommendations unless the Council asks it to stay. Two parts (e) and (f) of section 1009 of title 5 do not apply to the Council.

Title 15, §4806

Commerce and Trade — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)The Council may, for the purpose of carrying out the provisions of this chapter, hold such hearings, sit and act at such times and places, take such testimony, and receive such evidence, as the Council considers appropriate. The Council may administer oaths or affirmations to witnesses appearing before the Council.

(b)(1)(A)Except as provided in subparagraph (B), the Council may secure directly from any Federal agency information necessary to enable the Council to carry out the provisions of this chapter. Upon request of the chairman of the Council, the head of such agency shall promptly furnish such information to the Council.

(B)Subparagraph (A) does not apply to matters that are specifically authorized under criteria established by an Executive order to be kept secret in the interest of national defense or foreign policy and are in fact properly classified pursuant to such Executive order.

(2)In any case in which the Council receives any information from a Federal agency, the Council shall not disclose such information to the public unless such agency is authorized to disclose such information pursuant to Federal law.

(c)No later than 120 days after the initial members are appointed to the Council, the Council shall submit a report to the President, the Senate Governmental Affairs Committee, and the appropriate committees of the House of Representatives and of the Senate, that proposes the type and scope of activities the Council shall undertake, including the extent to which the Council will coordinate activities with other advisory committees relating to trade and competitiveness in order to maximize the effectiveness of the Council.

(d)The Council may accept, use, and dispose of gifts or donations of services or property.

(e)The Council may use the United States mails in the same manner and under the same conditions as other Federal agencies.

(f)The Administrator of General Services shall provide to the Council, on a reimbursable basis, such administrative and support services as the Council may request.

(g)(1)The Council may establish, for such period of time as the Council determines appropriate, subcouncils of public and private leaders to analyze specific competitive issues.

(2)Any such subcouncil shall include representatives of business, labor, government, and other individuals or representatives of groups whose participation is considered by the Council to be important to developing a full understanding of the subject with which the subcouncil is concerned.

(3)Any such subcouncil shall include a representative of the Federal Government.

(4)Any such subcouncil shall assess the actual or potential competitiveness problems facing the industry or the specific policy issues with which the subcouncil is concerned and shall formulate specific recommendations for responses by business, government, and labor—

(A)to encourage adjustment and modernization of the industry involved;

(B)to monitor and facilitate industry responsiveness to opportunities identified under section 4807(b)(1)(B) of this title;

(C)to encourage the ability of the industry involved to compete in markets identified under section 4807(b)(1)(C) of this title; or

(D)to alleviate the problems in a specific policy area facing more than one industry.

(5)Any discussion held by any subcouncil shall not be considered to violate any Federal or State antitrust law.

(6)Any discussion held by any subcouncil shall not be subject to the provisions of chapter 10 of title 5, except that a Federal representative shall attend all subcouncil meetings.

(7)Any subcouncil shall terminate 30 days after making recommendations, unless the Council specifically requests that the subcouncil continue in operation.

(h)The provisions of subsections (e) and (f) of section 1009 of title 5 shall not apply to the Council.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2022—Subsec. (g)(6). Pub. L. 117–286, § 4(a)(74)(A), substituted “chapter 10 of title 5,” for “the Federal Advisory Committee Act,”. Subsec. (h). Pub. L. 117–286, § 4(a)(74)(B), substituted “chapter 10 of title 5” for “Advisory Committee Act” in heading and “subsections (e) and (f) of section 1009 of title 5” for “subsections (e) and (f) of section 10, of the Federal Advisory Committee Act” in text. 1990—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 101–382 redesignated subsec. (d) as (c), and substituted “120” for “60”. Subsecs. (d) to (i). Pub. L. 101–382, § 133(c)(1), redesignated subsecs. (e) to (i) as (d) to (h), respectively. Former subsec. (d) redesignated (c).

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Change of Name

Committee on Governmental Affairs of Senate changed to Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of Senate, effective Jan. 4, 2005, by Senate Resolution No. 445, One Hundred Eighth Congress, Oct. 9, 2004.

§4806 Powers of Council