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PUBLIC LAW 92-463-OCT. 6, 1972 Public Law 92-463

October 6, 1972 [H. R. 4383]

[86 STAT.

...

AN ACT To authorize the establishment of a system governing the rreation and operation of advisory committees in the executive branch of the Federal Government, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the soT^'^clV.rMee United States of America in Congress assembled, That this Act may AcL be cited as the "Federal Advisory Committee Act". FINDINGS AND

PURPOSES

SEC. 2. (a) The Congress finds that there are numerous committees, boards, commissions, councils, and similar groups which have been established to advise officers and agencies in the executive branch of the Federal Government and that they are frequently a useful and beneficial means of furnishing expert advice, ideas, and diverse opinions to the Federal Government. (b) The Congress further finds and declares that^— (1) the need for many existing advisory committees has not been adequately reviewed; (2) new advisory committees should be established only when they are determined to be essential and their number should be kept to the minimum necessary; (3) advisory committees should be terminated when they are no longer carrying out the purposes for which they were established; (4) standards and uniform procedures should govern the establishment, operation, administration, and duration of advisory committees; (5) the Congress and the public should be kept informed with respect to the number, purpose, membership, activities, and cost of advisory committees; and (6) the function of advisory committees should be advisory only, and that all matters under their consideration should be determined, in accordance with law. by the official, agency, or officer involved. ,, ,,, DEFINITIONS

SEC. 8. For the purpose of this Act— (1) The term "Director" means the Director of the Office of Management and Budget. (2) The term "advisory committee" means any committee, board, commission, council, conference, panel, task force, or other similar group, or any subcommittee or other subgroup thereof (hereafter in this paragraph referred to as "committee"), which is— (A) established by statute or reorganization plan, or (B) established or utilized by the President, or (C) established or utilized by one or more agencies, in the interest of obtaining advice or recommendations for the President or one or more agencies or officers of the Federal Government, except that such term excludes (i) the Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations, (ii) the Commission on Government Procurement, and (iii) any committee which is composed wholly of full-time officers or employees of the Federal Government.

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