Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 119.djvu/1084

 119 STAT. 1066

Establishment.

Deadline.

VerDate 14-DEC-2004

08:19 Oct 26, 2006

PUBLIC LAW 109–58—AUG. 8, 2005

out its functions under this Act, and each such agency or department is authorized to cooperate with the Commission and, to the extent permitted by law, to furnish such information (other than information described in section 552(b)(1)(A) of title 5, United States Code) to the Commission, upon the request of the Commission; (2) may enter into contracts, subject to the availability of appropriations for contracting, and employ such staff experts and consultants as may be necessary to carry out the duties of the Commission, as provided by section 3109 of title 5, United States Code; and (3) shall establish a multidisciplinary science and technical advisory panel of experts in the field of energy to assist the Commission in preparing its report, including ensuring that the scientific and technical information considered by the Commission is based on the best scientific and technical information available. (d) STAFFING.—The chairman of the Commission may, without regard to the civil service laws and regulations, appoint and terminate an executive director and such other additional personnel as may be necessary for the Commission to perform its duties. The executive director shall be compensated at a rate not to exceed the rate payable for Level IV of the Executive Schedule under chapter 5136 of title 5, United States Code. The chairman shall select staff from among qualified citizens of Canada, Mexico, and the United States of America. (e) MEETINGS.— (1) ADMINISTRATION.—All meetings of the Commission shall be open to the public, except that a meeting or any portion of it may be closed to the public if it concerns matters or information described in section 552b(c) of title 5, United States Code. Interested persons shall be permitted to appear at open meetings and present oral or written statements on the subject matter of the meeting. The Commission may administer oaths or affirmations to any person appearing before it. (2) NOTICE; MINUTES; PUBLIC AVAILABILITY OF DOCUMENTS.— (A) NOTICE.—All open meetings of the Commission shall be preceded by timely public notice in the Federal Register of the time, place, and subject of the meeting. (B) MINUTES.—Minutes of each meeting shall be kept and shall contain a record of the people present, a description of the discussion that occurred, and copies of all statements filed. Subject to section 552 of title 5, United States Code, the minutes and records of all meetings and other documents that were made available to or prepared for the Commission shall be available for public inspection and copying at a single location in the offices of the Commission. (3) INITIAL MEETING.—The Commission shall hold its first meeting within 30 days after all 16 members have been appointed. (f) REPORT.—Within 12 months after the effective date of this Act, the Commission shall submit to Congress and the President a final report of its findings and recommendations regarding North American energy freedom.

Jkt 039194

PO 00001

Frm 01064

Fmt 6580

Sfmt 6581

E:\PUBLAW\PUBL001.119

APPS06

PsN: PUBL001

�