§242q–1 Membership

Summary

Creates a Task Force made up of top health officials, two members of the House, two Senators, and three public members. The federal members include leaders such as the Assistant Secretary for Health, the Surgeon General, the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, the Director of the National Institute on Aging and other NIH directors the Secretary chooses, and heads of agencies like the Administration on Aging, FDA, VA health, SAMHSA, CMS, Social Security, and AHRQ. The two Representatives are picked by the Speaker in consultation with the Minority Leader, and the two Senators by the Majority Leader in consultation with the Minority Leader, with no more than one from the same party in each body. The Secretary appoints three public members: one from a nonprofit for older Americans, one from a private voluntary health group focused on older adults, and one from a nonprofit that studies older Americans’ health and independence. The Secretary must name the Chair by choosing either the Assistant Secretary for Health or the Director of the National Institute on Aging. A majority of members is needed for a quorum, though fewer can hold hearings. The Task Force must meet when the Chair calls it, and at least twice a year. Members who are not full-time federal employees may be paid for Task Force work at a rate the Secretary sets, not higher than the GS‑18 rate under section 5332 of title 5, and may receive travel pay and per diem as allowed under section 5703 of title 5.