---
kind: "section"
citation: "42 U.S.C. § 16156"
title: "42"
title_heading: "The Public Health and Welfare"
number: "16156"
heading: "Technical Advisory Committee"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/42/16156"
units:
  - "Chapter 149 — National Energy Policy and Programs"
  - "Subchapter VIII — Hydrogen"
---

# §16156. Technical Advisory Committee

- (a) **Establishment—** The [Hydrogen](/usc/42/16152.md?p=1) Technical and [Fuel Cell](/usc/42/16152.md?p=2) [Advisory Committee](/usc/42/17061.md?p=2) is established to advise the [Secretary](/usc/42/15801.md?p=4) on the programs and activities under this subchapter.
- (b) **Membership—**
  - (1) **Members—** The [Technical Advisory Committee](/usc/42/16152.md?p=8) shall be comprised of not fewer than 12 nor more than 25 members. The members shall be appointed by the [Secretary](/usc/42/15801.md?p=4) to represent domestic industry, academia, professional societies, government [agencies](/usc/42/8262.md?p=1), Federal laboratories, previous advisory panels, and financial, environmental, and other appropriate organizations based on the [Department](/usc/42/15801.md?p=1)’s assessment of the technical and other qualifications of [Technical Advisory Committee](/usc/42/16152.md?p=8) members and the needs of the [Technical Advisory Committee](/usc/42/16152.md?p=8).
  - (2) **Terms—** The term of a member of the [Technical Advisory Committee](/usc/42/16152.md?p=8) shall not be more than 3 years. The [Secretary](/usc/42/15801.md?p=4) may appoint members of the [Technical Advisory Committee](/usc/42/16152.md?p=8) in a manner that allows the terms of the members serving at any time to expire at spaced intervals so as to ensure continuity in the functioning of the [Technical Advisory Committee](/usc/42/16152.md?p=8). A member of the [Technical Advisory Committee](/usc/42/16152.md?p=8) whose term is expiring may be reappointed.
  - (3) **Chairperson—** The [Technical Advisory Committee](/usc/42/16152.md?p=8) shall have a chairperson, who shall be elected by the members from among their number.
- (c) **Review—** The [Technical Advisory Committee](/usc/42/16152.md?p=8) shall review and make recommendations to the [Secretary](/usc/42/15801.md?p=4) on—
  - (1) the implementation of programs and activities under this subchapter;
  - (2) the safety, economical, and environmental consequences of technologies for the production, distribution, delivery, [storage](/usc/42/16152.md?p=6), or use of [hydrogen](/usc/42/16152.md?p=1) energy and [fuel cells](/usc/42/16152.md?p=2); and
  - (3) the plan under [section 16153 of this title](/usc/42/16153.md).
- (d) **Response—**
  - (1) **Consideration of recommendations—** The [Secretary](/usc/42/15801.md?p=4) shall consider, but need not adopt, any recommendations of the [Technical Advisory Committee](/usc/42/16152.md?p=8) under [subsection (c)](#c).
  - (2) **Biennial report—** The [Secretary](/usc/42/15801.md?p=4) shall transmit a biennial report to Congress describing any recommendations made by the [Technical Advisory Committee](/usc/42/16152.md?p=8) since the previous report. The report shall include a description of how the [Secretary](/usc/42/15801.md?p=4) has implemented or plans to implement the recommendations, or an explanation of the reasons that a recommendation will not be implemented. The report shall be transmitted along with the President’s budget proposal.
- (e) **Support—** The [Secretary](/usc/42/15801.md?p=4) shall provide resources necessary in the judgment of the [Secretary](/usc/42/15801.md?p=4) for the [Technical Advisory Committee](/usc/42/16152.md?p=8) to carry out its responsibilities under this subchapter.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 109–58, title VIII, § 807, Aug. 8, 2005, 119 Stat. 849.)