(a) Establishment

There is established a committee to be known as the Committee for Purchase From People Who Are Blind or Severely Disabled (hereafter in sections 46 to 48c of this title referred to as the ''Committee''). The Committee shall be composed of fifteen members appointed as follows:

(1)

The President shall appoint as a member one officer or employee from each of the following: The Department of Agriculture, the Department of Defense, the Department of the Army, the Department of the Navy, the Department of the Air Force, the Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Commerce, the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Department of Justice, the Department of Labor, and the General Services Administration. The head of each such department and agency shall nominate one officer or employee in his department or agency for appointment under this paragraph.

(2)

(A)

The President shall appoint one member from persons who are not officers or employees of the Government and who are conversant with the problems incident to the employment of the blind.

(B)

The President shall appoint one member from persons who are not officers or employees of the Government and who are conversant with the problems incident to the employment of other severely handicapped individuals.

(C)

The President shall appoint one member from persons who are not officers or employees of the Government and who represent blind individuals employed in qualified nonprofit agencies for the blind.

(D)

The President shall appoint one member from persons who are not officers or employees of the Government and who represent severely handicapped individuals (other than blind individuals) employed in qualified nonprofit agencies for other severely handicapped individuals.

(b) Vacancy

A vacancy in the membership of the Committee shall be filled in the manner in which the original appointment was made.

(c) Chairman

The members of the Committee shall elect one of their number to be Chairman.

(d) Terms

(1)

Except as provided in paragraphs (2), (3), and (4), members appointed under paragraph (2) of subsection (a) of this section shall be appointed for terms of five years. Any member appointed to the Committee under such paragraph may be reappointed to the Committee if he meets the qualifications prescribed by that paragraph.

(2)

Of the members first appointed under paragraph (2) of subsection (a) of this section -

(A)

one shall be appointed for a term of three years,

(B)

one shall be appointed for a term of four years, and

(C)

one shall be appointed for a term of five years,

as designated by the President at the time of appointment.

(3)

Any member appointed under paragraph (2) of subsection (a) of this section to fill a vacancy occurring prior to the expiration of the term for which his predecessor was appointed shall be appointed only for the remainder of such term. A member appointed under such paragraph may serve after the expiration of his term until his successor has taken office.

(4)

The member first appointed under paragraph (2)(B) of subsection (a) of this section shall be appointed for a term of three years.

(e) Pay and travel expenses

(1)

Except as provided in paragraph (2), members of the Committee shall each be entitled to receive the daily equivalent of the annual rate of basic pay in effect for grade GS-18 of the General Schedule for each day (including traveltime) during which they are engaged in the actual performance of services for the Committee.

(2)

Members of the Committee who are officers or employees of the Government shall receive no additional pay on account of their service on the Committee.

(3)

While away from their homes or regular places of business in the performance of services for the Committee, members of the Committee shall be allowed travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, in the same manner as persons employed intermittently in the Government service are allowed expenses under section 5703(b) ^[1] of title 5.

(f) Staff

(1)

Subject to such rules as may be adopted by the Committee, the Chairman may appoint and fix the pay of such personnel as the Committee determines are necessary to assist it in carrying out its duties and powers under sections 46 to 48c of this title.

(2)

Upon request of the Committee, the head of any entity of the Government is authorized to detail, on a reimbursable basis, any of the personnel of such entity to the Committee to assist it in carrying out its duties and powers under section 46 to 48c of this title.

(3)

The staff of the Committee appointed under paragraph (1) shall be appointed subject to the provisions of title 5 governing appointments in the competitive service, and shall be paid in accordance with the provisions of chapter 51 and subchapter III of chapter 53 of such title 5 relating to classification and General Schedule pay rates.

(g) Obtaining official data

The Committee may secure directly from any entity of the Government information necessary to enable it to carry out sections 46 to 48c of this title. Upon request of the Chairman of the Committee, the head of such Government entity shall furnish such information to the Committee.

(h) Administrative support services

The Administrator of General Services shall provide to the Committee on a reimbursable basis such administrative support services as the Committee may request.

(i) Annual report

The Committee shall, not later than December 31 of each year, transmit to the President and to the Congress a report which shall include the names of the Committee members serving in the preceding fiscal year, the dates of Committee meetings in that year, a description of its activities under sections 46 to 48c of this title in that year, and any recommendations for changes in sections 46 to 48c of this title which it determines are necessary