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Title 2, The CongressRelease 119-110

§476 Technology Assessment Advisory Council

Title 2 › CHAPTER 15 — OFFICE OF TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT › § 476

Last updated Sep 23, 2026|Official source

Summary

Creates a Technology Assessment Advisory Council made up of 12 people: ten public members picked by the Board who are experts in science, engineering, social science, or technology management; the Comptroller General; and the Director of the Congressional Research Service. When the Board asks, the Council must review and advise on the Office’s activities or new projects, review the results of any assessments the Office produces, and do other related tasks the Board gives it. The Council elects a Chair and a Vice Chair by majority vote from the ten public members. Public members serve four-year terms, fill any vacancy only for the rest of that term, may be appointed no more than twice, and have staggered terms set by the Board. The Comptroller General and the CRS Director get no pay for Council service but may be paid travel and other necessary expenses under federal travel rules. The public members receive daily pay up to the daily equivalent of the highest General Schedule rate (5 U.S.C. 5332(a)) when working for the Council and are reimbursed for travel and other necessary expenses.

Full Legal Text

Title 2, §476

The Congress, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Establishment; composition
The Office shall establish a Technology Assessment Advisory Council (hereinafter referred to as the “Council”). The Council shall be composed of the following twelve members:
(1)ten members from the public, to be appointed by the Board, who shall be persons eminent in one or more fields of the physical, biological, or social sciences or engineering or experienced in the administration of technological activities, or who may be judged qualified on the basis of contributions made to educational or public activities;
(2)the Comptroller General; and
(3)the Director of the Congressional Research Service of the Library of Congress.
(b)Duties
The Council, upon request by the Board, shall—
(1)review and make recommendations to the Board on activities undertaken by the Office or on the initiation thereof in accordance with section 472(d) of this title;
(2)review and make recommendations to the Board on the findings of any assessment made by or for the Office; and
(3)undertake such additional related tasks as the Board may direct.
(c)Chairman and Vice Chairman; election by Council from members appointed from public; terms and conditions of service
The Council by majority vote, shall elect from its members appointed under subsection (a)(1) of this section a Chairman and a Vice Chairman, who shall serve for such time and under such conditions as the Council may prescribe. In the absence of the Chairman, or in the event of his incapacity, the Vice Chairman shall act as Chairman.
(d)Terms of office of members appointed from public; reappointment
The term of office of each member of the Council appointed under subsection (a)(1) shall be four years except that any such member appointed to fill a vacancy occurring prior to the expiration of the term for which his predecessor was appointed shall be appointed for the remainder of such term. No person shall be appointed a member of the Council under subsection (a)(1) more than twice. Terms of the members appointed under subsection (a)(1) shall be staggered so as to establish a rotating membership according to such method as the Board may devise.
(e)Payment to Comptroller General and Director of Congressional Research Service of travel and other necessary expenses; payment to members appointed from public of compensation and reimbursement for travel, subsistence, and other necessary expenses
(1)The members of the Council other than those appointed under subsection (a)(1) shall receive no pay for their services as members of the Council, but shall be allowed necessary travel expenses (or, in the alternative, mileage for use of privately owned vehicles and payments when traveling on official business at not to exceed the payment prescribed in regulations implementing section 5702 and in 5704 of title 5), and other necessary expenses incurred by them in the performance of duties vested in the Council, without regard to the provisions of subchapter 1 of chapter 57 and section 5731 of title 5, and regulations promulgated thereunder.
(2)The members of the Council appointed under subsection (a)(1) shall receive compensation for each day engaged in the actual performance of duties vested in the Council at rates of pay not in excess of the daily equivalent of the highest rate of basic pay set forth in the General Schedule of section 5332(a) of title 5, and in addition shall be reimbursed for travel, subsistence, and other necessary expenses in the manner provided for other members of the Council under paragraph (1) of this subsection.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

1986—Subsec. (e)(1). Pub. L. 99–234 substituted “payments when traveling on official business at not to exceed the payment prescribed in

Regulations

implementing section 5702 and in” for “a per diem in lieu of subsistence at not to exceed the rate prescribed in section 5702 and”.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

of 1986 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 99–234 effective on

Effective Date

of

Regulations

to be promulgated not later than 150 days after Jan. 2, 1986, or 180 days after Jan. 2, 1986, whichever occurs first, see section 301(a) of Pub. L. 99–234, set out as a note under section 5701 of Title 5, Government Organization and Employees. Termination of Advisory CouncilsAdvisory councils in existence on Jan. 5, 1973, to terminate not later than the expiration of the 2-year period following Jan. 5, 1973, unless, in the case of a council established by the President or an officer of the Federal Government, such council is renewed by appropriate action prior to the expiration of such 2-year period, or in the case of a council established by the Congress, its duration is otherwise provided by law. See section 1001(2) and 1013 of Title 5, Government Organization and Employees. References in Other Laws to GS–16, 17, or 18 Pay RatesReferences in laws to the rates of pay for GS–16, 17, or 18, or to maximum rates of pay under the General Schedule, to be considered references to rates payable under specified sections of Title 5, Government Organization and Employees, see section 529 [title I, § 101(c)(1)] of Pub. L. 101–509, set out in a note under section 5376 of Title 5.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

2 U.S.C. § 476

Title 2, The Congress

Last Updated

Sep 23, 2026

Release point: 119-110