§191 Homeland Security Science and Technology Advisory Committee

Summary

Creates a Homeland Security Science and Technology Advisory Committee inside the Department of Homeland Security to give advice to the Under Secretary for Science and Technology and point out research areas important to national security. The committee must have 20 members picked by the Under Secretary. The group must include emergency first-responders or their organization representatives and citizen group representatives, including people from economically disadvantaged communities. Members must be well-known experts in areas like emergency response, research, engineering, product development, business, or management consulting; chosen for strong records of service; not be federal employees; and together must reflect the range of work the Under Secretary supports. The Under Secretary may ask the National Research Council to pick members only if that selection shows the same mix. Members usually serve 3-year terms. The first members are split into three classes: six serve 1 year, seven serve 2 years, and seven serve 3 years. If someone fills a vacancy they finish the old term. After two full back-to-back terms, a person cannot be reappointed for 1 year. The committee must meet at least every three months, or when the Chair or one-third of members ask in writing, and members should get notice, when possible, at least 15 days before a meeting. A quorum is a majority of members who do not have a conflict on the issue. The committee must make rules about conflicts of interest. It must send an annual report to the Under Secretary for transmittal to Congress by January 31 each year and may send extra reports as needed. Section 1013 of title 5 does not apply to the committee. The committee ends on December 31, 2008.