--- kind: "section" citation: "42 U.S.C. § 242q–1" title: "42" title_heading: "The Public Health and Welfare" number: "242q–1" heading: "Membership" release: "119-102" date: "2026-07-12" url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/42/242q-1" units: - "Chapter 6A — Public Health Service" - "Subchapter II — General Powers and Duties" - "Part A — Research and Investigations" --- # §242q–1. Membership - (a) **Composition—** The [Task Force](/usc/42/242q–4.md?p=3) shall be composed of— - (1) the Assistant [Secretary](/usc/42/201.md?p=c) for Health; - (2) the [Surgeon General](/usc/42/201.md?p=b) of the Public Health [Service](/usc/42/201.md?p=a); - (3) the Assistant [Secretary](/usc/42/201.md?p=c) for Planning and Evaluation; - (4) the [Director](/usc/42/11851.md?p=5) of the National Institute on Aging, and the [Directors](/usc/42/11851.md?p=5) of such other [agencies](/usc/42/8262.md?p=1) of the National Institutes of Health as the [Secretary](/usc/42/201.md?p=c) determines to be appropriate; - (5) the Commissioner of the Administration on Aging; - (6) the Commissioner of Food and [Drugs](/usc/42/11851.md?p=4); - (7) the Under [Secretary](/usc/42/201.md?p=c) for Health of the Department of Veterans Affairs; - (8) the [Administrator](/usc/42/4005.md?p=1) of the the[^1] Substance Abuse and Mental Health [Services](/usc/42/201.md?p=a) Administration; - (9) the [Administrator](/usc/42/4005.md?p=1) of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid [Services](/usc/42/201.md?p=a); - (10) the Commissioner of Social Security; - (11) the [Director](/usc/42/11851.md?p=5) of the [Agency](/usc/42/8262.md?p=1) for Healthcare Research and Quality; - (12) two Members of the House of Representatives appointed by the Speaker of the House in consultation with the Minority Leader, and two members of the Senate appointed by the Majority Leader in consultation with the Minority Leader, not more than one of whom from each body shall be members of the same political party; and - (13) three members of the general public, to be appointed by the [Secretary](/usc/42/201.md?p=c), that shall include one representative each from— - (A) a [nonprofit](/usc/42/300s–3.md?p=3) group representing older Americans; - (B) a private voluntary health organization concerned with the health problems affecting older Americans; and - (C) a [nonprofit](/usc/42/300s–3.md?p=3) organization concerned with research related to the health and [independence](/usc/42/242q–4.md?p=1-B) of older Americans. - (b) **Chair—** The [Secretary](/usc/42/201.md?p=c), acting through either the Assistant [Secretary](/usc/42/201.md?p=c) for Health or the [Director](/usc/42/11851.md?p=5) of the National Institute on Aging, shall serve as the Chair of the [Task Force](/usc/42/242q–4.md?p=3). - (c) **Quorum—** A majority of the members of the [Task Force](/usc/42/242q–4.md?p=3) shall constitute a quorum, and a lesser number may hold hearings. - (d) **Meetings—** The [Task Force](/usc/42/242q–4.md?p=3) shall meet periodically at the call of the Chair, but in no event less than twice each year. - (e) **Compensation and expenses—** - (1) **Compensation—** Members of the [Task Force](/usc/42/242q–4.md?p=3) who are not regular full-time [employees](/usc/42/300gg–91.md?p=d-5) of the United States Government shall, while attending meetings and conferences of the [Task Force](/usc/42/242q–4.md?p=3) or otherwise engaged in the business of the [Task Force](/usc/42/242q–4.md?p=3) (including traveltime), be entitled to receive compensation at a rate fixed by the [Secretary](/usc/42/201.md?p=c), but not exceeding the rate specified at the time of such [service](/usc/42/201.md?p=a) under GS–18 of the General Schedules established under [section 5332 of title 5](/usc/5/5332.md). - (2) **Expenses—** While away from their homes or regular places of business on the business of the [Task Force](/usc/42/242q–4.md?p=3), members of such [Task Force](/usc/42/242q–4.md?p=3) may be allowed travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, as is authorized under [section 5703 of title 5](/usc/5/5703.md) for persons employed intermittently in the Government [service](/usc/42/201.md?p=a). ## Footnotes [^1]: So in original. ## Source credit (Pub. L. 101–557, title III, § 302, Nov. 15, 1990, 104 Stat. 2769; Pub. L. 102–321, title I, § 161, July 10, 1992, 106 Stat. 375; Pub. L. 102–405, title III, § 302(e)(1), Oct. 9, 1992, 106 Stat. 1985; Pub. L. 106–129, § 2(b)(2), Dec. 6, 1999, 113 Stat. 1670; Pub. L. 108–173, title IX, § 900(e)(6)(D), Dec. 8, 2003, 117 Stat. 2373.) ## Notes ### Editorial Notes ### Codification Section was enacted as part of the Home Health Care and Alzheimer’s Disease Amendments of 1990, and not as part of the Public Health Service Act which comprises this chapter. ### Amendments 2003—Subsec. (a)(9). Pub. L. 108–173 substituted “Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services” for “Health Care Financing Administration”. 1999—Subsec. (a)(11). Pub. L. 106–129 substituted “Director of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality” for “Administrator for Health Care Policy and Research”. 1992—Subsec. (a)(7). Pub. L. 102–405 substituted “Under Secretary for Health of the Department of Veterans Affairs” for “Chief Medical Director of the Department of Veterans Affairs”. Subsec. (a)(8). Pub. L. 102–321 substituted “Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration” for “Alcohol, Drug Abuse and Mental Health Administration”. ### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries ### Effective Date of 1992 Amendment Amendment by Pub. L. 102–321 effective Oct. 1, 1992, with provision for programs providing financial assistance, see section 801(c), (d) of Pub. L. 102–321, set out as a note under section 236 of this title. ### 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.