§1423d Commission Appointments; Compensation, Travel Expenses, and Claims

Summary

The President picks two U.S. commissioners for the U.S.-Russia Polar Bear Commission after getting recommendations from the Secretary, the Secretary of State, and the Alaska Nanuuq Commission. One commissioner must be a federal government official. The other must represent Alaska Native people for whom polar bears are central to their culture. Both must know about polar bears. Each serves an initial 4-year term, can be reappointed, serves at the President’s pleasure, and any vacancy is filled for the rest of the term the same way. The Secretary, with the Secretary of State and the Alaska Nanuuq Commission, names alternate commissioners who can act and attend meetings when a commissioner is absent and who can be reappointed by the President. Commissioners do the work described in article 8 of the Agreement. They are not paid a salary but can get travel expenses and per diem at the same rates federal employees get under title 5, chapter 57, subchapter I while traveling for duties. For claims under title 28 (claims against the United States and tort claims), the U.S. section is treated as a federal agency.