Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 110 Part 1.djvu/1214

 110 STAT. 1190 PUBLIC LAW 104-127—APR. 4, 1996 of services for the panel, the member shall be allowed travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, at the same rate as a person employed intermittently in the Government service would be allowed under section 5703 of title 5, United States Code. Regulations. " (g) CONFLICTS OF INTEREST. —The Secretary shall promulgate regulations regarding conflicts of interest with respect to the members of the panel. "(h) EXEMPTION. —The Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.) and title XVIII of the Food and Agriculture Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 2281 et seq.) shall not apply to the panel. "(i) FUNDING. —From funds available to the Secretary to carry out this Act and the Poultry Products Inspection Act (21 U.S.C. 451 et seq.), the Secretary shall allocate such sums as may be necessary to carry out this section.". (2) CROSS REFERENCE IN POULTRY PRODUCTS INSPECTION ACT.—The Poultry Products Inspection Act (21 U.S.C. 451 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following: 21 USC 471. "SEC. 30. SAFE MEAT AND POULTRY INSPECTION PANEL. "(a) REVIEW AND EVALUATION.—The advisory panel known as the 'Safe Meat and Poultry Inspection Panel' established by section 410 of the Federal Meat Inspection Act shall review and evaluate, as the panel considers necessary, the adequacy, necessity, safety, cost-effectiveness, and scientific merit of— "(1) inspection procedures of, and work rules and worker relations involving Federal employees employed in, plants inspected under this Act; "(2) informal petitions or proposals for changes in inspection procedures, processes, and techniques of plants inspected under this Act; "(3) formal changes in poultry inspection regulations promulgated under this Act, whether in notice, proposed, or final form; and "(4) such other matters as may be referred to the panel by the Secretary regarding the quality or effectiveness of a safe and cost-effective poultry inspection system under this Act. " (b) REPORTS.— "(1) IN GENERAL.— The Safe Meat and Poultry Inspection Panel shall submit to the Secretary a report on the results of each review and evaluation carried out under paragraph (1), including such recommendations as the panel considers appropriate. "(2) REPORTS ON FORMAL CHANGES.—In the case of a report concerning a formal change in poultry inspection regulations, the report shall be made within the time limits prescribed for formal comments on such changes.", (b) INTERSTATE SHIPMENT OF STATE-INSPECTED MEAT AND POULTRY. —Not later than 90 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Agriculture shall submit to Congress recommendations concerning the steps necessary to achieve interstate shipment of— (1) meat inspected under a State meat inspection program developed and administered under section 301 of the Federal Meat Inspection Act (21 U.S.C. 661); and

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