---
kind: "section"
citation: "22 U.S.C. § 2903"
title: "22"
title_heading: "Foreign Relations and Intercourse"
number: "2903"
heading: "Japan-United States Friendship Commission"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/22/2903"
units:
  - "Chapter 44 — Japan-United States Friendship"
---

# §2903. Japan-United States Friendship Commission

- (a) **Establishment; composition—** There is established a [commission](/usc/22/277d–43.md?p=2) to be known as the Japan-United States Friendship [Commission](/usc/22/277d–43.md?p=2) (hereafter referred to as the “[Commission](/usc/22/277d–43.md?p=2)”). The [Commission](/usc/22/277d–43.md?p=2) shall be composed of—
  - (1) the members of the United States Panel of the Joint Committee on United States-Japan Cultural and Educational Cooperation;
  - (2) two Members of the House of Representatives, to be appointed at the beginning of each Congress or upon the occurrence of a vacancy during a Congress by the Speaker of the House of Representatives;
  - (3) two Members of the Senate, to be appointed at the beginning of each Congress or upon the occurrence of a vacancy during a Congress by the President pro tempore of the Senate;
  - (4) the Chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts; and
  - (5) the Chairman of the National Endowment for the Humanities.
- (b) **Compensation and travel expenses—** Members of the [Commission](/usc/22/277d–43.md?p=2) who are not full-time officers or employees of the United States and who are not Members of Congress shall, while serving on business of the [Commission](/usc/22/277d–43.md?p=2), be entitled to receive compensation at rates fixed by the President, but not exceeding the rate specified at the time of such service for grade GS–18 in [section 5332 of title 5](/usc/5/5332.md), including traveltime; and while so serving away from their homes or regular places of business, all members of the [Commission](/usc/22/277d–43.md?p=2) may be allowed travel expenses including per diem in lieu of subsistence, as authorized by [section 5703 of title 5](/usc/5/5703.md) for persons in Government service employed intermittently.
- (c) **Chairman; quorum; meetings—** The Chairman of the United States Panel of the Joint Committee on United States-Japan Cultural and Educational Cooperation shall be the Chairman of the [Commission](/usc/22/277d–43.md?p=2). A majority of the members of the [Commission](/usc/22/277d–43.md?p=2) shall constitute a quorum. The [Commission](/usc/22/277d–43.md?p=2) shall meet at least twice in each year.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 94–118, § 4, Oct. 20, 1975, 89 Stat. 604.)

## Notes

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### 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.