---
kind: "section"
citation: "2 U.S.C. § 476"
title: "2"
title_heading: "The Congress"
number: "476"
heading: "Technology Assessment Advisory Council"
release: "119-102"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/2/476"
units:
  - "Chapter 15 — Office of Technology Assessment"
---

# §476. Technology Assessment Advisory Council

- (a) **Establishment; composition—** The Office shall establish a Technology Assessment Advisory Council (hereinafter referred to as the “Council”). The Council shall be composed of the following twelve [members](/usc/2/4556.md?p=2):
  - (1) ten [members](/usc/2/4556.md?p=2) from the public, to be appointed by the [Board](/usc/2/179u.md?p=2), who shall be persons eminent in one or more fields of the physical, biological, or social sciences or engineering or experienced in the administration of technological activities, or who may be judged qualified on the basis of contributions made to educational or public activities;
  - (2) the [Comptroller General](/usc/2/682.md?p=2); and
  - (3) the Director of the Congressional Research Service of the Library of Congress.
- (b) **Duties—** The Council, upon request by the [Board](/usc/2/179u.md?p=2), shall—
  - (1) review and make recommendations to the [Board](/usc/2/179u.md?p=2) on activities undertaken by the Office or on the initiation thereof in accordance with [section 472(d) of this title](/usc/2/472.md?p=d);
  - (2) review and make recommendations to the [Board](/usc/2/179u.md?p=2) on the findings of any assessment made by or for the Office; and
  - (3) undertake such additional related tasks as the [Board](/usc/2/179u.md?p=2) may direct.
- (c) **Chairman and Vice Chairman; election by Council from members appointed from public; terms and conditions of service—** The Council by majority vote, shall elect from its [members](/usc/2/4556.md?p=2) appointed under [subsection (a)(1)](#a-1) of this section a Chairman and a Vice Chairman, who shall serve for such time and under such conditions as the Council may prescribe. In the absence of the Chairman, or in the event of his incapacity, the Vice Chairman shall act as Chairman.
- (d) **Terms of office of members appointed from public; reappointment—** The term of office of each [member](/usc/2/4556.md?p=2) of the Council appointed under [subsection (a)(1)](#a-1) shall be four years except that any such [member](/usc/2/4556.md?p=2) appointed to fill a vacancy occurring prior to the expiration of the term for which his predecessor was appointed shall be appointed for the remainder of such term. No person shall be appointed a [member](/usc/2/4556.md?p=2) of the Council under [subsection (a)(1)](#a-1) more than twice. Terms of the [members](/usc/2/4556.md?p=2) appointed under [subsection (a)(1)](#a-1) shall be staggered so as to establish a rotating membership according to such method as the [Board](/usc/2/179u.md?p=2) may devise.
- (e) **Payment to Comptroller General and Director of Congressional Research Service of travel and other necessary expenses; payment to members appointed from public of compensation and reimbursement for travel, subsistence, and other necessary expenses—**
  - (1) The [members](/usc/2/4556.md?p=2) of the Council other than those appointed under [subsection (a)(1)](#a-1) shall receive no pay for their services as [members](/usc/2/4556.md?p=2) of the Council, but shall be allowed necessary travel expenses (or, in the alternative, mileage for use of privately owned vehicles and payments when traveling on official business at not to exceed the payment prescribed in regulations implementing section 5702 and in[^1] [5704](/usc/5/5704.md) of title 5), and other necessary expenses incurred by them in the performance of duties vested in the Council, without regard to the provisions of subchapter 1 of chapter 57 and [section 5731 of title 5](/usc/5/5731.md), and regulations promulgated thereunder.
  - (2) The [members](/usc/2/4556.md?p=2) of the Council appointed under [subsection (a)(1)](#a-1) shall receive compensation for each day engaged in the actual performance of duties vested in the Council at rates of pay not in excess of the daily equivalent of the highest rate of basic pay set forth in the General Schedule of [section 5332(a) of title 5](/usc/5/5332.md?p=a), and in addition shall be reimbursed for travel, subsistence, and other necessary expenses in the manner provided for other [members](/usc/2/4556.md?p=2) of the Council under paragraph (1) of this subsection.

## Footnotes

[^1]: So in original. Probably should be followed by “section”.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 92–484, § 7, Oct. 13, 1972, 86 Stat. 800; Pub. L. 99–234, title I, § 107(a), Jan. 2, 1986, 99 Stat. 1759.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

1986—Subsec. (e)(1). Pub. L. 99–234 substituted “payments when traveling on official business at not to exceed the payment prescribed in regulations implementing section 5702 and in” for “a per diem in lieu of subsistence at not to exceed the rate prescribed in sections 5702 and”.

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date of 1986 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 99–234 effective on effective date of regulations to be promulgated not later than 150 days after Jan. 2, 1986, or 180 days after Jan. 2, 1986, whichever occurs first, see section 301(a) of Pub. L. 99–234, set out as a note under section 5701 of Title 5, Government Organization and Employees.

### Termination of Advisory Councils

Advisory councils in existence on Jan. 5, 1973, to terminate not later than the expiration of the 2-year period following Jan. 5, 1973, unless, in the case of a council established by the President or an officer of the Federal Government, such council is renewed by appropriate action prior to the expiration of such 2-year period, or in the case of a council established by the Congress, its duration is otherwise provided by law. See sections 1001(2) and 1013 of Title 5, Government Organization and Employees.

### References in Other Laws to GS–16, 17, or 18 Pay Rates

References in laws to the rates of pay for GS–16, 17, or 18, or to maximum rates of pay under the General Schedule, to be considered references to rates payable under specified sections of Title 5, Government Organization and Employees, see section 529 [title I, § 101(c)(1)] of Pub. L. 101–509, set out in a note under section 5376 of Title 5.