42 U.S.C. § 1962b–4: Administrative provisions

Summary

River basin commissions can do things they need to do their work. They can hold hearings, collect evidence, publish reports, get and set up office space, use the U.S. mail, hire staff and consultants (paying up to the daily equivalent of grade GS–18), hire firms on contract, borrow workers from states or federal agencies, make retirement or benefit arrangements with participating governments other than the United States or the District of Columbia, buy and run passenger vehicles, pay necessary expenses, and use other powers needed to do their jobs. The commission chair, or a member the chair names, may swear people in when a majority agrees testimony should be under oath. Records must be open for public inspection during normal office hours as allowed by law. Federal agencies must give information and can temporarily detail staff to a commission on a reimbursable basis without loss of pay, seniority, or other status. The chair, with the vice chair’s agreement, must appoint staff and is responsible for supervising employees, assigning work, and spending the commission’s funds according to its policies and schedule.

Title 42, §1962b–4

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

(a)Hearings, proceedings, evidence, reports; office space; use of mails; personnel, consultants, and professional service contracts; personnel from other agencies; retirement and employee benefit system for personnel without coverage; motor vehicles; necessary expenses; other powers

For the purpose of carrying out the provisions of this subchapter, each river basin commission may—

(1)hold such hearings, sit and act at such times and places, take such testimony, receive such evidence, and print or otherwise reproduce and distribute so much of its proceedings and reports thereon as it may deem advisable;

(2)acquire, furnish, and equip such office space as is necessary;

(3)use the United States mails in the same manner and upon the same conditions as departments and agencies of the United States;

(4)employ and compensate such personnel as it deems advisable, including consultants, at rates not in excess of the daily equivalent of the rate prescribed for grade GS–18 under section 5332 of title 5, and retain and compensate such professional or technical service firms as it deems advisable on a contract basis;

(5)arrange for the services of personnel from any State or the United States, or any subdivision or agency thereof, or any intergovernmental agency;

(6)make arrangements, including contracts, with any participating government, except the United States or the District of Columbia, for inclusion in a suitable retirement and employee benefit system of such of its personnel as may not be eligible for or continuing in another governmental retirement or employee benefit system, or otherwise provide for such coverage of its personnel;

(7)purchase, hire, operate, and maintain passenger motor vehicles; and

(8)incur such necessary expenses and exercise such other powers as are consistent with and reasonably required to perform its functions under this chapter.

(b)Oaths

The chairman of a river basin commission, or any member of such commission designated by the chairman thereof for the purpose, is authorized to administer oaths when it is determined by a majority of the commission that testimony shall be taken or evidence received under oath.

(c)Records; public inspection

To the extent permitted by law, all appropriate records and papers of each river basin commission shall be made available for public inspection during ordinary office hours.

(d)Information and personnel from other Federal agencies

Upon request of the chairman of any river basin commission, or any member or employee of such commission designated by the chairman thereof for the purpose, the head of any Federal department or agency is authorized (1) to furnish to such commission such information as may be necessary for carrying out its functions and as may be available to or procurable by such department or agency, and (2) to detail to temporary duty with such commission on a reimbursable basis such personnel within his administrative jurisdiction as it may need or believe to be useful for carrying out its functions, each such detail to be without loss of seniority, pay, or other employee status.

(e)Responsibility for personnel and funds

The chairman of each river basin commission shall, with the concurrence of the vice chairman, appoint the personnel employed by such commission, and the chairman shall, in accordance with the general policies of such commission with respect to the work to be accomplished by it and the timing thereof, be responsible for (1) the supervision of personnel employed by such commission, (2) the assignment of duties and responsibilities among such personnel, and (3) the use and expenditure of funds available to such commission.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

1975—Subsec. (a)(4). Pub. L. 94–112 substituted “not in excess of the daily equivalent of the rate prescribed for grade GS–18 under section 5332 of title 5” for “not to exceed $100 per diem”.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

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.

§1962b–4 Administrative Provisions