42 U.S.C. § 1862n–5: Board meetings; audits…

Summary

Require the Board and every committee, subcommittee, task force, or any group made up of Board members that reports to the Board to follow section 552b of title 5 for their meetings. That rule applies to full Board meetings when enough members are present and to meetings of any subdivision when enough members of that subdivision are present. The Foundation’s Inspector General must review whether the Board is following that rule as needed based on a risk check done every three years. Any review will look at what was planned and what happened in closed meetings to decide if the closures followed section 552b. The Office of the National Science Board must keep the General Counsel’s certificate, the presiding officer’s statement, and a transcript or recording of any closed meeting for at least 3 years. The Director must allow part-time students to be eligible for scholarships under the Computer Science, Engineering, and Mathematics Scholarship program.

Title 42, §1862n–5

The Public Health and Welfare, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Board meetings (b) , (c) Omitted

(1)Omitted

(2)Open meetings

To ensure transparency of the Board’s entire decision-making process, including deliberations on Board business occurring within its various subdivisions, the Board and all of its committees, subcommittees, and task forces (and any other entity consisting of members of the Board and reporting to the Board) shall be subject to section 552b of title 5. The preceding requirement will apply to meetings of the full Board, whenever a quorum is present; and to meetings of its subdivisions, whenever a quorum of the subdivision is present.

(3)Compliance review

The Inspector General of the Foundation shall conduct a review of the compliance by the Board with the requirements described in paragraph (2) as necessary based on a triennial risk assessment. Any review deemed necessary shall examine the proposed and actual content of closed meetings and determine whether the closure of the meetings was consistent with section 552b of title 5.

(4)Materials relating to closed portions of meeting

To facilitate the risk assessment required under paragraph (3) of this subsection, and any subsequent review conducted by the Inspector General, the Office of the National Science Board shall maintain the General Counsel’s certificate, the presiding officer’s statement, and a transcript or recording of any closed meeting, for at least 3 years after such meeting.

(d)Scholarship eligibility

The Director shall not exclude part-time students from eligibility for scholarships under the Computer Science, Engineering, and Mathematics Scholarship program.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Codification Section is comprised of section 15 of Pub. L. 107–368. Subsecs. (a)(1) and (c) of section 15 of Pub. L. 107–368 amended section 1863 of this title, and subsec. (b) of section 15 of Pub. L. 107–368 amended section 1873 of this title. Section was enacted as part of the National Science Foundation Authorization Act of 2002, and not as part of the National Science Foundation Act of 1950 which comprises this chapter.

Amendments

2022—Subsec. (a)(3). Pub. L. 117–167, § 10399E(1), amended par. (3) generally. Prior to amendment, text read as follows: “The Inspector General of the Foundation shall conduct an audit every three years of the compliance by the Board with the requirements described in paragraph (2). The audit shall examine the proposed and actual content of closed meetings and determine whether the closure of the meetings was consistent with section 552b of title 5.” Subsec. (a)(4), (5). Pub. L. 117–167, § 10399E(2), added par. (4) and struck out former pars. (4) and (5) which related to transmission of audit report every three years by the Inspector General and maintenance of materials relating to closed portions of meeting, respectively. 2011—Subsec. (a)(2). Pub. L. 111–358 substituted “To ensure transparency of the Board’s entire decision-making process, including deliberations on Board business occurring within its various subdivisions, the Board” for “The Board” and inserted at end “The preceding requirement will apply to meetings of the full Board, whenever a quorum is present; and to meetings of its subdivisions, whenever a quorum of the subdivision is present.” 2007—Subsec. (a)(3). Pub. L. 110–69, § 7015(a)(1), substituted “an audit every three years” for “an annual audit”. Subsec. (a)(4). Pub. L. 110–69, § 7015(a)(2), substituted “every third year” for “each year”. Subsec. (a)(5). Pub. L. 110–69, § 7015(a)(3), added par. (5).

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Change of Name

Committee on Science of House of Representatives changed to Committee on Science and Technology of House of Representatives by House Resolution No. 6, One Hundred Tenth Congress, Jan. 5, 2007. Committee on Science and Technology of House of Representatives changed to Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of House of Representatives by House Resolution No. 5, One Hundred Twelfth Congress, Jan. 5, 2011. Definitions For definitions of terms used in this section, see section 4 of Pub. L. 107–368, set out as a note under section 1862n of this title.

§1862n–5 Board Meetings; Audits; Reports; Scholarship Eligibility