Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 91.djvu/1025

 PUBLIC LAW 95-113—SEPT. 29, 1977

91 STAT. 991

SUPPORT FOR THE JOINT COUNCIL AND ADVISORY BOARD

SEC. 1412. (a) To assist the Joint Council and Advisory Board in 7 USC 3127. the performance of their duties, the Secretary is authorized to appoint— (1) not to exceed five full-time professional staff employees qualified in the food and agricultural sciences, and (2) an executive director for such staff who shall perform such duties as the chairmen of the Joint Council and the chairman of the Advisory Board may direct, and who shall receive compensation at a rate not in excess of the rate for GS-18 in the General Schedule set out in section 5332 of title 5 of the United States Code. (b) The Secretary shall provide such additional clerical assistance and staflf personnel as may be required to assist the Joint Council and Advisory Board in carrying out their duties. (c) In formulating their recommendations to the Secretary, the Joint Council and Advisory Board may obtain the assistance of Department of Agriculture employees, and, to the maximum extent practicable, the assistance of employees of other Federal departments and agencies conducting related programs of agricultural research, extension, and teaching and of appropriate representatives of colleges and universities, including State agricultural experiment stations, cooperative extension services, and other non-Federal organizations conducting significant programs in the food and agricultural sciences. GENERAL PROVISIONS

SEC. 1413. (a) Any vacancy in the Joint Council or the Advisory Vacancies. Board shall not affect their powers under this title and shall be filled 7 USC 3128. in the same manner as the original position. (b) Members of the Joint Council and Advisory Board shall serve Travel expenses, without compensation, if not otherwise officers or employees of the Unit«d States, except that they shall, while away from their homes or regular places of business in the performance of services under this title, be allowed travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, in the same manner as persons employed intermittently in the Government service are allowed expenses under sections 5701 through 5707 of title 5 of the United States Code. Subtitle C—Agricultural Kesearch and Education Grants and Fellowships PROGRAM OF COMPETITIVE, SPECIAL, AND FACILITIES GRANTS FOR AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH

S E C 1414. Section 2 of the Act of August 4, 1965 (79 Stat. 431; 7 U.S.C. 450i), is amended to read as follows: " S E C 2. (a) In order to promote research in food, agriculture, and related areas, a research grants program is hereby established in the Department of Agriculture. "(b) The Secretary of Agriculture is authorized to make competitive Grants, grants, for periods not to exceied fivie years, to State agricultural experiment stations, all colleges and universities, other research institutions and organizations. Federal agencies, private organizations or corporations, and individuals, for research to further the programs of the Department of Agriculture. To the greatest extent possible the Secretary shall allocatti these grants to high priority research taking

2-9-19H 0

�