§5003 United States Commissioners

Summary

The President appoints up to three United States Commissioners to represent the country on the Commission. Each serves for up to 4 years and can be reappointed or removed at any time. They are not treated as federal employees while doing this work, except they are covered for injury pay and legal claims under chapter 81 of title 5 and chapter 171 of title 28. One Commissioner must be a U.S. government official, one must live in Alaska, and one must live in Washington. The Alaska and Washington appointees must know about anadromous fish and related North Pacific species. The Secretary, after talking with the Secretary of Commerce, may name alternate Commissioners. Alternates can use all the same powers when a regular Commissioner is absent. The U.S. team, working with the Advisory Panel, must pick and recommend research priorities and oversee U.S. research on those species. Commissioners and alternates get no pay, but the Secretary may pay their travel costs under the Federal Travel Regulations and sections 5701, 5702, 5704–5708, and 5731 of title 5. The Secretary of Commerce may repay the Secretary for those travel expenses.