### §3127. Support for Advisory Board

#### (a) Appointment of staff

To assist the Advisory Board in the performance of its duties, the Secretary may appoint, after consultation with the chairperson of the Advisory Board—

(1) a full-time executive director who shall perform such duties as the chairperson of the Advisory Board may direct and who shall receive compensation at a rate not to exceed the rate payable for GS–18 of the General Schedule established in section 5332 of title 5; and

(2) a professional staff of not more than five full-time employees qualified in the food and agricultural sciences, of which one shall serve as the executive secretary to the Advisory Board.

#### (b) Additional clerical assistance and staff personnel

The Secretary shall provide such additional clerical assistance and staff personnel as may be required to assist the Advisory Board in carrying out its duties.

#### (c) Assistance of outside personnel

In formulating its recommendations to the Secretary, the Advisory Board may obtain the assistance of Department of Agriculture employees, and, to the maximum extent practicable, the assistance of employees of other Federal departments and agencies conducting related programs of agricultural research, extension, and teaching and of appropriate representatives of colleges and universities, including State agricultural experiment stations, cooperative extension services, and other non-Federal organizations conducting significant programs in the food and agricultural sciences.

(Pub. L. 95–113, title XIV, §1412, Sept. 29, 1977, 91 Stat. 991; Pub. L. 97–98, title XIV, §1413, Dec. 22, 1981, 95 Stat. 1302; Pub. L. 101–624, title XVI, §1605(b)(1), Nov. 28, 1990, 104 Stat. 3713; Pub. L. 102–237, title IV, §402(5), Dec. 13, 1991, 105 Stat. 1863; Pub. L. 104–127, title VIII, §§852(b)(3), 853(b)(4), Apr. 4, 1996, 110 Stat. 1171, 1172; Pub. L. 105–185, title VI, §606(c)(1), June 23, 1998, 112 Stat. 603.)

#### **Editorial Notes**

#### Amendments

1998—Subsecs. (a), (b). Pub. L. 105–185, §606(c)(1)(A), substituted "its duties" for "their duties".

Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 105–185, §606(c)(1)(B), substituted "its recommendations" for "their recommendations".

1996—Pub. L. 104–127, §§852(b)(3)(A), 853(b)(4)(A), in section catchline, substituted "Advisory Board" for "Joint Council, Advisory Board, and Technology Board".

Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 104–127, §§852(b)(3)(B)(i), (ii), 853(b)(4)(B)(i), in introductory provisions, substituted "To assist the Advisory Board in" for "To assist the Joint Council, the Advisory Board, and the Technology Board in" and "with the chairperson of the Advisory Board" for "with the cochairpersons of the Joint Council and the chairperson of the Advisory Board and the Technology Board".

Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 104–127, §§852(b)(3)(B)(ii), 853(b)(4)(B)(i), substituted "the chairperson of the Advisory Board" for "the cochairpersons of the Joint Council and the chairperson of the Advisory Board and the Technology Board".

Subsec. (a)(2). Pub. L. 104–127, §§852(b)(3)(B)(iii), 853(b)(4)(B)(ii), substituted "one shall serve as the executive secretary to the Advisory Board" for "one shall serve as the executive secretary to the Joint Council, one shall serve as the executive secretary to the Advisory Board, and one shall serve as the executive secretary to the Technology Board".

Subsecs. (b), (c). Pub. L. 104–127, §§852(b)(3)(C), 853(b)(4)(C), substituted "Advisory Board" for "Joint Council, Advisory Board, and Technology Board".

1991—Subsecs. (b), (c). Pub. L. 102–237 substituted ", Advisory Board, and Technology Board" for "and Advisory Board".

1990—Pub. L. 101–624, §1605(b)(1)(A), amended section catchline generally.

Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 101–624, §1605(b)(1)(B), in introductory provision, substituted ", the Advisory Board, and the Technology Board" for "and the Advisory Board" and inserted "and the Technology Board" before the dash, in par. (1), inserted "and the Technology Board" before "may direct", and in par. (2), substituted "Council," for "Council and" and inserted before period at end ", and one shall serve as the executive secretary to the Technology Board".

Subsecs. (b), (c). Pub. L. 101–624, §1605(b)(1)(C), (D), which directed the substitution of ", the Advisory Board, and the Technology Board" for "and the Advisory Board", could not be executed because the phrase "and the Advisory Board" did not appear in text.

1981—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 97–98 inserted in provision preceding par. (1) provision requiring consultation with the cochairpersons of the Joint Council and the chairperson of the Advisory Board, redesignated former par. (2) as (1) and substituted provision that a full-time executive director perform such duties as the cochairpersons of the Joint Council and chairperson of the Advisory Board direct for provision that an executive director perform such duties as the chairman of the Joint Council and the chairman of the Advisory Board direct, and redesignated former par. (1) as (2) and inserted provision that one of the full-time staff serve as the executive secretary to the Joint Council and one serve as executive secretary to the Advisory Board.

#### **Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries**

#### Effective Date of 1981 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 97–98 effective Dec. 22, 1981, see section 1801 of Pub. L. 97–98, set out as an Effective Date note under section 4301 of this title.

#### Effective Date

Section effective Oct. 1, 1977, see section 1901 of Pub. L. 95–113, set out as an Effective Date of 1977 Amendment note under section 1307 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.