Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 98 Part 3.djvu/104

 98 STAT. 2476 Grants. Contracts with U.S.

31 USC 3324.

Report.

PUBLIC LAW 98-524—OCT. 19, 1984

"(6) enter into contracts and grants and make such other arrangements and modifications, as may be necessary; "(7) conduct such hearings, studies, and research activities as the Council deems necessary to enable it to carry out its functions under this section; "(8) use the services, personnel, facilities, and information of any department, agency, or instrumentality of the executive branch of the Federal Government and the services, personnel, facilities, and information of State and local public agencies and private agencies and organizations, with the consent of such agencies, with or without reimbursement therefor; and "(9) make advance, progress, and other payments necessary under this section without regard to the provisions of section 3648 of the Revised Statutes (31 U.S.C. 529). "(d) Upon request made by the Chairperson of the Council, each department, agency, and instrumentality of the executive branch of the Federal Government is authorized and directed to make its services, personnel, facilities, and information available to the greatest practicable extent to the Council in the performance of its functions under this section. "(e) The Council may establish working groups on occupational competencies to provide the Secretary, the President, the Congress, and the States with current information on the types and levels of occupational competencies necessary for entry and sustained productive employment in given jobs or industries, including levels of skills required, and equipment, methods, and facilities needed for the occupation. The Council may establish working groups for the occupations the Council considers important or necessary and may reconstitute such groups as occupational priorities are revised. Members of the working groups shall be appointed by the Council on the advice of national trade and professional associations and labor organizations. Working group members shall be individuals with specific knowledge in the technology and practice of the occupations relevant to the task of the group. The Council may provide the results and recommendations of the working groups to each State council on vocational education and other appropriate State agencies. "(f) The Council may use funds available for this part to obtain the services of staff specialists for working groups who have demonstrated technical skills and instructional ability in the occupations in question. "(g) The Council shall make a report of its findings and recommendations to the President, the Congress, and the Secretary every second year, and may make such interim reports and recommendations as the Council may consider desirable. The Council shall include in such reports the manner in which the competency statements provided by the Council have been used by the States. The Council may include in such reports its evaluation of the status, progress, and needs of vocational education (including recommendations for Federal legislation and appropriations). Each such report shall include any minority, dissenting, or supplementary view submitted by any member of the Council.

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