§278e. Functions and activities

In the performance of the functions of the Institute the Secretary of Commerce is authorized to undertake the following activities: (a) The purchase, repair, and cleaning of uniforms for guards; (b) the care, maintenance, protection, repair, and alteration of Institute buildings and other plant facilities, equipment, and property; (c) the rental of field sites and laboratory, office, and warehouse space; (d) the purchase of reprints from technical journals or other periodicals and the payment of page charges for the publication of research papers and reports in such journals; (e) the furnishing of food and shelter without repayment therefor to employees of the Government at Arctic and Antarctic stations; (f) for the conduct of observations on radio propagation phenomena in the Arctic or Antarctic regions, the appointment of employees at base rates established by the Secretary of Commerce which shall not exceed such maximum rates as may be specified from time to time in the appropriation concerned, and without regard to the civil service and classification laws and sections 5542 to 5546 of title 5; (g) the erection on leased property of specialized facilities and working and living quarters when the Secretary of Commerce determines that this will best serve the interests of the Government; and (h) the provision of transportation services for employees of the Institute between the facilities of the Institute and nearby public transportation, notwithstanding section 1344 of title 31.

(Mar. 3, 1901, ch. 872, §15, as added Pub. L. 85–890, §1, Sept. 2, 1958, 72 Stat. 1711 ; amended Pub. L. 92–317, §3(e), June 22, 1972, 86 Stat. 235 ; Pub. L. 100–418, title V, §5115(a)(1), Aug. 23, 1988, 102 Stat. 1433 ; Pub. L. 104–113, §8(2), Mar. 7, 1996, 110 Stat. 779 .)

References in Text

The civil service laws, referred to in cl. (f), are set forth in Title 5, Government Organization and Employees. See, particularly, section 3301 et seq. of Title 5.

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

Codification

"Sections 5542 to 5546 of title 5" substituted in text for "titles II and III of the Federal Employees Pay Act of 1945" on authority of Pub. L. 89–554, §7(b), Sept. 6, 1966, 80 Stat. 631 , the first section of which enacted Title 5, Government Organization and Employees.

Amendments

1996-Pub. L. 104–113 struck out "and" before "(g)" and inserted before period at end "; and (h) the provision of transportation services for employees of the Institute between the facilities of the Institute and nearby public transportation, notwithstanding section 1344 of title 31".

1988-Pub. L. 100–418 substituted "functions of the Institute" for "functions of the National Bureau of Standards" and "Institute buildings" for "Bureau buildings".

1972-Pub. L. 92–317 substituted, in cl. (b), "the care, maintenance, protection, repair, and alteration of Bureau buildings and other plant facilities, equipment, and property" for "the repair and alteration of buildings and other plant facilities".