§1505. Membership

(a) Appointment; terms of office; Chairman; vacancies

The Commission shall be composed of the Librarian of Congress, the Director of the Institute of Museum and Library Services (who shall serve as an ex officio, nonvoting member), and fourteen members appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. Five members of the Commission shall be professional librarians or information specialists, and the remainder shall be persons having special competence in or knowledge of the needs of our society for library and information services, at least one of whom shall be knowledgeable with respect to the technological aspects of library and information services and sciences, and at least one other of whom shall be knowledgeable with respect to the library and information service and science needs of the elderly and at least one other of whom shall be knowledgeable with respect to the library and information service and science needs of the elderly.¹ One of the appointive members of the Commission shall be designated by the President as Chairman of the Commission. A majority of members of the Commission shall constitute a quorum for conduct of business at official meetings of the Commission. The terms of office of the appointive members of the Commission shall be five years, except that (1) the term of office of any member of the Commission shall continue until the earlier of (A) the date on which the member's successor has been appointed by the President; or (B) July 19 of the year succeeding the year in which the member's appointed term of office shall expire, and (2) a member appointed to fill a vacancy occurring prior to the expiration of the term for which his predecessor was appointed shall be appointed only for the remainder of such term.

(b) Compensation; travel expenses

Members of the Commission who are not in the regular full-time employ of the United States shall, while attending meetings or conferences of the Commission or otherwise engaged in the business of the Commission, be entitled to receive compensation at a rate fixed by the Chairman, but not exceeding the daily equivalent of the maximum rate authorized for a position above grade GS–15 of the General Schedule under section 5108 of title 5, for each day (including traveltime) during which the members are engaged in the business of the Commission. While so serving on the business of the Commission away from their homes or regular places of business, they may be allowed travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, as authorized by section 5703 of title 5 for persons employed intermittently in the Government service.

(c) Professional and technical personnel

(1) The Commission is authorized to appoint, without regard to the provisions of title 5 covering appointments in the competitive service, such professional and technical personnel as may be necessary to enable it to carry out its function under this chapter.

(2) The Commission may procure, without regard to the civil service or classification laws, temporary and intermittent services of such personnel as is necessary to the extent authorized by section 3109 of title 5, but at rates not to exceed the rate specified at the time of such service for grade GS–18 in section 5332 of title 5, including traveltime, and while so serving on the business of the Commission away from their homes or regular places of business they may be allowed travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, as authorized by section 5703 of title 5 for persons employed intermittently in the Government service.

( Pub. L. 91–345, §6, July 20, 1970, 84 Stat. 442 ; Pub. L. 93–29, title VIII, §802(b), May 3, 1973, 87 Stat. 59 ; Pub. L. 102–95, §5, Aug. 14, 1991, 105 Stat. 479 ; Pub. L. 104–208, div. A, title I, §101(e) [title VII, §703(b)], Sept. 30, 1996, 110 Stat. 3009–233 , 3009-307.)

References in Text

The provisions of title 5 covering appointments in the competitive service, referred to in subsec. (c)(1), are classified to sections 3301 et seq. of Title 5, Government Organization and Employees.

The civil service laws, referred to in subsec. (c)(2), are set forth in Title 5. See, particularly, section 3301 et seq. of Title 5.

The classification laws, referred to in subsec. (c)(2), are set forth in chapter 51 (§5101 et seq.) and subchapter III (§5331 et seq.) of chapter 53 of Title 5.

Amendments

1996-Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 104–208, §101(e) [title VII, §703(b)(1)(A), (B)(ii), (C)], in first sentence, substituted "Librarian of Congress, the Director of the Institute of Museum and Library Services (who shall serve as an ex officio, nonvoting member)," for "Librarian of Congress", in second sentence, inserted "and at least one other of whom shall be knowledgeable with respect to the library and information service and science needs of the elderly" before period at end, and in third sentence, inserted "appointive" before "members of the Commission".

Pub. L. 104–208, §101(e) [title VII, §703(b)(1)(B)(i)], substituted "special competence in or knowledge of" for "special competence or interest in". The substitution was made to reflect the probable intent of Congress, in the absence of closing quotations designating the provisions to be inserted.

Pub. L. 104–208, §101(e) [title VII, §703(b)(1)(D)], which directed that "term." be substituted for "term and at least" and all that follows in last sentence of subsec. (a), could not be executed because the phrase "term and at least" did not appear in subsec. (a).

Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 104–208, §101(e) [title VII, §703(b)(2)], substituted "the daily equivalent of the maximum rate authorized for a position above grade GS–15 of the General Schedule under section 5108 of title 5, for each day (including traveltime) during which the members are engaged in the business of the Commission. While" for "the rate specified at the time of such service for grade GS–18 in section 5332 of title 5, including traveltime, and while".

1991-Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 102–95 inserted after third sentence "A majority of members of the Commission shall constitute a quorum for conduct of business at official meetings of the Commission." and substituted "(1) the term of office of any member of the Commission shall continue until the earlier of (A) the date on which the member's successor has been appointed by the President; or (B) July 19 of the year succeeding the year in which the member's appointed term of office shall expire," for "(1) the terms of office of the members first appointed shall commence on July 20, 1970, and shall expire two at the end of one year, three at the end of two years, three at the end of three years, three at the end of four years, and three at the end of five years, as designated by the President at the time of appointment" in fourth sentence.

1973-Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 93–29 required that one of the appointees be knowledgeable with respect to the library and information service and science needs of the elderly.

¹ So in original.