Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 90 Part 1.djvu/1371

  under that paragraph shall serve for terms of from one to five years, as designated by the President at the time of appointment, in such manner as to insure that the terms of not less than one nor more than two of them will expire in any one year.

“(d) A vacancy in the Council shall not affect its powers, but shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment (and for the balance of the unexpired term).

“(e) The Chairman and the Vice Chairman of the Council shall be designated by the President. During the absence or disability of the Chairman or when the office is vacant, the Vice Chairman shall act in the place of the Chairman.

“(f) Fifteen members of the Council shall constitute a quorum.”.

(6) Amend section 204 by deleting the term “(10)” in the first sentence and inserting in lieu thereof the term “(17)”, and by striking the term “(11)” in the second sentence and inserting in lieu thereof the term “(18)”.

(7) Amend section 205 to read as follows:

“ 205. (a) There shall be an Executive Director of the Council Executive who shall be appointed in the competitive service by the Chairman with the concurrence of the Council. The Executive Director shall report directly to the Council and perform such functions and duties as the Council may prescribe.

“(b) The Council shall have a General Counsel, who shall be appointed by the Executive Director. The General Counsel shall report directly to the Executive Director and serve as the Council’s legal advisor. The Executive Director shall appoint such other attorneys as may be necessary to assist the General Counsel, represent the Council in courts of law whenever appropriate, assist the Department of Justice in handling litigation concerning the Council in courts of law, and perform such other legal duties and functions as the Executive Director and the Council may direct.

“(c) The Executive Director of the Council may appoint and fix the compensation of such officers and employees in the competitive service as are necessary to perform the functions of the Council at rates not to exceed that now or hereafter prescribed for the highest rate for grade 15 of the General Schedule under section 5332 of title 5, United States Code: Provided, however, That the Executive Director, with the concurrence of the Chairman, may appoint and fix the compensation of not to exceed five employees in the competitive service at rates not to exceed that now or hereafter prescribed for the highest rate of grade 17 of the General Schedule under section 5332 of title 5, United States Code.

“(d) The Executive Director shall have power to appoint and fix the compensation of such additional personnel as may be necessary to carry out its duties, without regard to the provisions of the civil service laws and the Classification Act of 1949.

“(e) The Executive Director of the Council is authorized to procure expert and consultant services in accordance with the provisions of section 3109 of title 5, United States Code.

“(f) Financial and administrative services (including those related to budgeting, accounting, financial reporting, personnel and procurement) shall be provided the Council by the Department of the Interior, for which payments shall be made in advance, or by reimbursement, from funds of the Council in such amounts as may be agreed upon by the Chairman of the Council and the Secretary of the Interior: Provided, That the regulations of the Department of the Interior for the collection of indebtedness of personnel resulting from erroneous