I 

111TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 2718 

To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to create a sensible infrastructure for delivery system reform by renaming the Medicare Payment 

Advisory Commission, making the Commission an executive branch agency, and providing the Commission new resources and authority to implement Medicare payment policy. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JUNE 4, 2009 

Mr. COOPER introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Energy 

and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 

A BILL 

To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to create 

a sensible infrastructure for delivery system reform by 

renaming the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission, 

making the Commission an executive branch agency, and 

providing the Commission new resources and authority 

to implement Medicare payment policy. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 


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1 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

2 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Medicare Payment Ad3 visory Commission (MedPAC) Reform Act of 2009’’. 

4 SEC. 2. RENAMING AND REFORMING THE MEDICARE PAY5 MENT ADVISORY COMMISSION. 

6 (a) AMENDMENT TO TITLE.— 

7 (1) IN GENERAL.—Section 1805 of the Social 

8 Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395b–6) is amended— 

9 (A) in the heading, by striking ‘‘MEDI10 CARE PAYMENT ADVISORY COMMISSION’’ 

11 and inserting ‘‘MEDICARE PAYMENT AND

12 ACCESS COMMISSION’’; and 

13 (B) in subsection (a), by striking ‘‘Medi14 care Payment Advisory Commission’’ and in15 serting ‘‘Medicare Payment and Access Com16 mission (or ‘MedPAC’)’’. 

17 (2) REFERENCES.—Any reference to the Medi18 care Payment Advisory Commission shall be deemed 

19 a reference to the Medicare Payment and Access 

20 Commission. 

21 (b) ESTABLISHMENT AS EXECUTIVE AGENCY.—Sec22 tion 1805 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395b– 

23 6) is amended— 

24 (1) in the heading, by striking ‘‘ADVISORY’’; 

25 (2) in subsection (a)— 

26 (A) by striking ‘‘Advisory’’; and 


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1 (B) by striking ‘‘agency of Congress’’ and 

2 inserting ‘‘independent establishment (as de3 fined in section 104 of title 5, United States 

4 Code)’’; 

5 (3) in subsection (c)— 

6 (A) in paragraph (1)— 

7 (i) by striking ‘‘APPOINTMENT.—The 

8 Commission’’ and inserting ‘‘APPOINT9 MENT.— 

10 ‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—The Commission’’; 

11 (ii) in subparagraph (A), as inserted 

12 by clause (i)— 

13 (I) by striking ‘‘17’’ and insert14 ing ‘‘11’’; 

15 (II) by inserting ‘‘the Secretary 

16 and the Administrator of the Centers 

17 for Medicare & Medicaid Services, 

18 who shall each serve as non-voting 

19 members of the Commission, and’’ 

20 after ‘‘composed of’’; and 

21 (III) by striking ‘‘Comptroller 

22 General’’ and inserting ‘‘President, by 

23 and with the advice and consent of 

24 the Senate’’; and 


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1 (iii) by adding at the end the fol2 lowing new subparagraphs: 

3 ‘‘(B) LIMITATION ON NUMBER OF TERMS

4 SERVED.—An individual may not be appointed 

5 as a member of the Commission for more than 

6 2 consecutive terms. 

7 ‘‘(C) MEMBERS CURRENTLY APPOINTED.— 

8 ‘‘(i) IN GENERAL.—Any individual 

9 serving as a member of the Commission as 

10 of the date of enactment of the Medicare 

11 Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) 

12 Reform Act of 2009 may continue to serve 

13 as a member until the earlier of— 

14 ‘‘(I) the remainder of the term 

15 for which the member was appointed; 

16 or 

17 ‘‘(II) April 30, 2010. 

18 ‘‘(ii) CLARIFICATION REGARDING VA19 CANCIES.—Any vacancy in the Commission 

20 on or after such date of enactment shall be 

21 filled as provided in accordance with sub22 paragraph (A).’’; and 

23 (B) in paragraph (2), by striking subpara24 graph (D) and inserting the following new sub25 paragraph: 


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1 ‘‘(D) ADDITIONAL QUALIFICATIONS.—In 

2 addition to the qualifications described in the 

3 succeeding provisions of this paragraph, the 

4 President shall consider the political balance of 

5 the membership of the Commission and the 

6 needs of individuals entitled to (or enrolled for) 

7 benefits under part A or enrolled under part B 

8 who are entitled to medical assistance under a 

9 State plan under title XIX.’’. 

10 (C) in paragraph (3)— 

11 (i) by amending subparagraph (A) to 

12 read as follows: 

13 ‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—The terms of mem14 bers of the Commission shall be for 6 years ex15 cept that, of the members first appointed— 

16 ‘‘(i) four shall be appointed for terms 

17 of 5 years; 

18 ‘‘(ii) four shall be appointed for terms 

19 of 3 years; and 

20 ‘‘(iii) three shall be appointed for 

21 terms of 1 year.’’; and 

22 (ii) in subparagraph (B), in the third 

23 sentence, by striking ‘‘A vacancy’’ and in24 serting ‘‘Except as provided in paragraph 

25 (1)(C), a vacancy’’; 


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1 (D) by amending paragraph (4) to read as 

2 follows: 

3 ‘‘(4) COMPENSATION.—Membership in the 

4 Commission shall be a full-time position. A member 

5 of the Commission shall be entitled to compensation 

6 at the rate payable for level IV of the Executive 

7 Schedule under section 5316 of title 5, United 

8 States Code.’’. 

9 (E) by amending paragraph (5) to read as 

10 follows: 

11 ‘‘(5) CHAIRMAN; VICE CHAIRMAN.—The Presi12 dent shall designate a member of the Commission, at 

13 the time of appointment of the member by and with 

14 the advice and consent of the Senate, as Chairman 

15 and a member of the Commission, at the time of ap16 pointment of the member by and with the advice and 

17 consent of the Senate, as Vice Chairman, except that 

18 in the case where the Chairman or the Vice Chair19 man is not able to be present (including in the case 

20 of vacancy), a majority of the Commission may des21 ignate another member for the period of such ab22 sence.’’; 

23 (4) in subsection (d), in the matter preceding 

24 paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘Subject to such review 

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1 sure the efficient administration of the Commission, 

2 the Commission’’ and inserting ‘‘The Commission’’; 

3 (5) by amending subsection (f) to read as fol4 lows: 

5 ‘‘(f) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 

6 are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be 

7 necessary to carry out the provisions of this section. Sixty 

8 percent of such appropriations shall be payable from the 

9 Federal Hospital Insurance Trust Fund, and 40 percent 

10 of such appropriation shall be payable from the Federal 

11 Supplementary Medical Insurance Trust Fund.’’; and 

12 (6) by adding at the end the following new sub13 section: 

14 ‘‘(g) REFERENCES.—Any reference to the Medicare 

15 Payment Advisory Commission or MedPAC shall be 

16 deemed a reference to the Medicare Payment and Access 

17 Commission.’’. 

18 (c) AUTHORITY TO DETERMINE PAYMENT RATES

19 AND ROUTINE EVALUATION OF PAYMENT RATES UNDER

20 THE MEDICARE PROGRAM.— 

21 (1) IN GENERAL.—Section 1805(b) of the So22 cial Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395b–6(b)) is amend23 ed— 

24 (A) in paragraph (1)(B), by inserting ‘‘and 

25 determine payment rates for items and services 


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1 furnished under this title in accordance with 

2 paragraph (9)’’ before the semicolon at the end; 

3 and 

4 (B) by adding at the end the following new 

5 paragraphs: 

6 ‘‘(9) AUTHORITY TO DETERMINE PAYMENT

7 RATES UNDER THIS TITLE.— 

8 ‘‘(A) DETERMINATION OF PAYMENT

9 RATES.— 

10 ‘‘(i) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding 

11 any other provision of law, the Commission 

12 shall determine payment rates for items 

13 and services furnished under this title. In 

14 determining such payment rates, the Com15 mission shall do so in a manner that is 

16 consistent with the provisions of sections 

17 1801 and 1802. 

18 ‘‘(ii) TIMELINE FOR DETERMINATIONS

19 WITH RESPECT TO PAYMENT POLICIES FOR

20 PHYSICIANS AND HOSPITALS.—The Com21 mission shall make a determination under 

22 this subparagraph with respect to payment 

23 policies— 

24 ‘‘(I) for physicians (as defined in 

25 section 1861(r)(1)), not later than 


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1 December 1 of each year (beginning 

2 with 2012); and 

3 ‘‘(II) for hospitals, not later than 

4 March 1 of each year (beginning with 

5 2013). 

6 ‘‘(B) IMPLEMENTATION OF PAYMENT

7 RATES.— 

8 ‘‘(i) AUTHORITY OF SECRETARY.— 

9 Notwithstanding any other provision of 

10 law, the Secretary shall promulgate regula11 tions to implement any payment rates de12 termined by the Commission under sub13 paragraph (A). 

14 ‘‘(ii) PAYMENT RATES AND REGULA15 TIONS CURRENTLY IN EFFECT.—Any pay16 ment rate for items and services furnished 

17 under this title as of the date of enactment 

18 of the Medicare Payment Advisory Com19 mission (MedPAC) Reform Act of 2009 or 

20 regulation promulgated by the Secretary 

21 relating to such payments prior to such 

22 date of enactment shall remain in effect 

23 until the Secretary promulgates regulations 

24 under clause (ii) to implement a payment 


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1 rate determined by the Commission with 

2 respect to the item or service. 

3 ‘‘(C) LIMITATION ON JUDICIAL REVIEW.— 

4 Any determination of the Commission relating 

5 to payment rates for items and services fur6 nished under this title shall be a final agency 

7 action of the Commission and shall not be sub8 ject to judicial review. 

9 ‘‘(D) ANNUAL REPORT.—Not later than 

10 March 15 of each year (beginning with 2012), 

11 the Commission shall submit to Congress a re12 port on any payment rates determined under 

13 subparagraph (A) during the preceding year, 

14 including the performance of the Secretary in 

15 implementing such payment rates by promul16 gating regulations under subparagraph (B). 

17 ‘‘(10) ROUTINE EVALUATION OF PAYMENT

18 RATES.—The Commission shall review the payment 

19 rate for each item and service furnished under this 

20 title not less frequently than every 5 years in order 

21 to determine whether the Commission should make 

22 a determination under paragraph (9) to update such 

23 payment rate.’’. 


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1 (2) GAO STUDY AND ANNUAL REPORT ON DE2 TERMINATION AND IMPLEMENTATION OF PAYMENT

3 RATES.— 

4 (A) STUDY.—The Comptroller General of 

5 the United States shall conduct a study on 

6 changes to payment policies under the Medicare 

7 program under title XVIII of the Social Secu8 rity Act as a result of the amendments made by 

9 this subsection, including an analysis of— 

10 (i) any determinations made by the 

11 Medicare Payment and Access Commission 

12 under subparagraph (A) of section 

13 1805(b)(9) of such Act, as added by para14 graph (1), during the preceding year; 

15 (ii) any regulations promulgated by 

16 the Secretary of Health and Human Serv17 ices under subparagraph (B) of such sec18 tion during the preceding year; 

19 (iii) the process for— 

20 (I) making such determinations 

21 (including the evidence to support any 

22 such determination); 

23 (II) promulgating such regula24 tions (including the capacity of the 

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1 ices to promulgate such regulations); 

2 and 

3 (iv) the ability of the Centers for 

4 Medicare & Medicaid Services to fulfill its 

5 responsibilities in carrying out such regula6 tions. 

7 (B) REPORT.—Not later than December 

8 31 of each year (beginning with 2012), the 

9 Comptroller General shall submit to Congress a 

10 report containing the results of the study con11 ducted under subparagraph (A), together with 

12 recommendations for such legislation and ad13 ministrative action as the Secretary determines 

14 appropriate. 

15 (d) CONGRESSIONAL ACTION.—Section 1805 of the 

16 Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395b–6), as amended by 

17 subsection (b), is amended— 

18 (1) by redesignating subsections (f) and (g), re19 spectively, as subsections (g) and (h); and 

20 (2) by inserting after subsection (e) the fol21 lowing new subsection: 

22 ‘‘(f) CONGRESSIONAL ACTION.— 

23 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding any other 

24 provision of law, it shall only be in order in the Sen25 ate or the House of Representatives to consider any 


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1 measure that would overrule a determination of the 

2 Commission with respect to payments for items and 

services furnished under this title if 3 3 ⁄5 of the Mem4 bers, duly chosen and sworn, of the Senate or the 

5 House of Representatives agree to such consider6 ation. 

7 ‘‘(2) RULES OF THE SENATE AND HOUSE OF

8 REPRESENTATIVES.—This subsection is enacted by 

9 Congress— 

10 ‘‘(A) as an exercise of the rulemaking 

11 power of the Senate and House of Representa12 tives, respectively, and is deemed to be part of 

13 the rules of each House, respectively, but appli14 cable only with respect to the procedure to be 

15 followed in that House in the case of a measure 

16 described in paragraph (1), and it supersedes 

17 other rules only to the extent that it is incon18 sistent with such rules; and 

19 ‘‘(B) with full recognition of the constitu20 tional right of either House to change the rules 

21 (so far as they relate to the procedure of that 

22 House) at any time, in the same manner, and 

23 to the same extent as in the case of any other 

24 rule of that House.’’. 


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1 (e) RESEARCH, INFORMATION ACCESS, AND DEM2 ONSTRATION PROJECTS.—Section 1805(e) of the Social 

3 Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395b–6(e)) is amended by add4 ing at the end the following new paragraphs: 

5 ‘‘(5) AUTHORITY TO INFORM RESEARCH PRIOR6 ITIES FOR DATA COLLECTION.—The Commission 

7 may advise the Secretary (through the Director of 

8 the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality and 

9 the Director of the National Institutes of Health) on 

10 priorities for health services research, particularly as 

11 such priorities pertain to necessary changes and 

12 issues regarding payment reforms under this title. 

13 ‘‘(6) EXPANDED AUTHORITY TO ACCESS FED14 ERAL DATA AND REPORTS.—In addition to data ob15 tained under paragraph (1), the Commission shall 

16 have priority access to all raw data and research 

17 conducted or funded by the Federal Government, in18 cluding data and research produced by the Centers 

19 for Medicare & Medicaid Services, the National In20 stitutes of Health, and the Agency for Healthcare 

21 Research and Quality. 

22 ‘‘(7) ELECTRONIC ACCESS.—The National Di23 rector for Health Information Technology, in coordi24 nation with the Secretary, the Administrator of the 

25 Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, and the 


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1 Commission, shall establish a direct electronic link 

2 for raw data, including claims data under this title, 

3 to be accessed by the Commission for the purposes 

4 of evaluating and determining recommendations 

5 under this title, in accordance with applicable pri6 vacy laws and data use agreements. 

7 ‘‘(8) ACCESS TO BIANNUAL REPORTS.—Not less 

8 frequently than on a biannual basis, the National In9 stitutes of Health and the Agency for Healthcare 

10 Research and Quality shall submit to the Commis11 sion a report containing information on any research 

12 conducted by the National Institutes of Health and 

13 the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, re14 spectively, which has relevance for the determina15 tions and recommendations being considered by the 

16 Commission. Such information shall be provided to 

17 the Commission in electronic form. 

18 ‘‘(9) REVISIONS TO PROCESS FOR CONDUCT OF

19 DEMONSTRATION PROJECTS RELATING TO PAY20 MENTS UNDER THIS TITLE.—Effective beginning 

21 January 1, 2011, the Commission shall have sole au22 thority to design and evaluate demonstration 

23 projects relating to payments under this title which 

24 are authorized by section 402 of the Social Security 

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1 tion 1115. The Secretary shall maintain all responsi2 bility for implementing such demonstration projects, 

3 including for implementing the process through 

4 which providers are reimbursed for items and serv5 ices furnished under the demonstration projects. 

6 Nothing in this paragraph shall affect the authority 

7 of the Secretary with respect to demonstration 

8 projects under this title not relating to such pay9 ments.’’. 

10 (f) ADDITIONAL RESOURCES TO CARRY OUT DU11 TIES.— 

12 (1) IN GENERAL.—Section 1805(d) of the So13 cial Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395b–6(d)) is amend14 ed— 

15 (A) in paragraph (1), by inserting ‘‘(in16 cluding an attorney)’’ after ‘‘such other per17 sonnel’’; and 

18 (B) in paragraph (5), by striking ‘‘and’’ at 

19 the end; 

20 (C) in paragraph (6), by striking the pe21 riod at the end and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 

22 (D) by adding at the end the following new 

23 paragraph: 

24 ‘‘(7) establish a public affairs office.’’. 


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1 (2) OFFICE OF THE OMBUDSMAN.—Section 

2 1805(e) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 

3 1395b–6(e)), as amended by subsection (e), is 

4 amended by adding at the end the following new 

5 paragraph: 

6 ‘‘(10) OFFICE OF THE OMBUDSMAN.— 

7 ‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—The Commission shall 

8 establish an office of the ombudsman to handle 

9 complaints regarding the implementation of 

10 regulations under subsection (a)(9)(B). 

11 ‘‘(B) DUTIES.—The office of the ombuds12 man shall— 

13 ‘‘(i) act as a liaison between the Com14 mission and any entity or individual af15 fected by the implementation of such a 

16 regulation; and 

17 ‘‘(ii) ensure that the Commission has 

18 established safeguards— 

19 ‘‘(I) to encourage such entities 

20 and individuals to submit complaints 

21 to the office of the ombudsman; and 

22 ‘‘(II) to protect the confiden23 tiality of any entity or individual who 

24 submits such a complaint.’’. 


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1 (g) USE OF FUNDING.—Section 1805(g) of the Social 

2 Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395b–6(g)), as amended by sub3 section (b) and redesignated by subsection (d), is amended 

4 by adding at the end the following new sentence: ‘‘Out 

5 of amounts appropriated under the preceding sentence, 

6 the Commission may use not more than $500,000,000 

7 each fiscal year to test new methods of reimbursement 

8 under this title.’’. 

9 (h) MACPAC TECHNICAL AMENDMENTS.—Section 

10 1900(b) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396) is 

11 amended— 

12 (1) in paragraph (1)(D), by striking ‘‘June 1’’ 

13 and inserting ‘‘June 15’’; and 

14 (2) by adding at the end the following: 

15 ‘‘(10) CONSULTATION WITH MEDPAC.— 

16 MACPAC shall regularly consult with the Medicare 

17 Payment and Access Commission (in this paragraph 

18 referred to as ‘MedPAC’) established under section 

19 1805 in carrying out its duties under this section.’’. 

20 (i) LOBBYING COOLING-OFF PERIOD FOR MEMBERS

21 OF THE MEDICARE PAYMENT ADVISORY COMMISSION.— 

22 Section 207(c) of title 18, United States Code, is amended 

23 by inserting at the end the following: 

24 ‘‘(3) MEMBERS OF THE MEDICARE PAYMENT

25 ADVISORY COMMISSION.— 


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1 ‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Paragraph (1) shall 

2 apply to a member of the Medicare Payment 

3 Advisory Commission who was appointed to 

4 such Commission as of the day before the date 

5 of enactment of the Medicare Payment Advisory 

6 Commission (MedPAC) Reform Act of 2009. 

7 ‘‘(B) AGENCIES AND CONGRESS.—For pur8 poses of paragraph (1), the agency in which the 

9 individual described in subparagraph (A) served 

10 shall be considered to be the Medicare Payment 

11 and Access Commission established under sec12 tion 1805 of the Social Security Act, the De13 partment of Health and Human Services, and 

14 the relevant committees of jurisdiction of Con15 gress.’’. 

16 SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT OF COUNCIL OF HEALTH AND 

17 ECONOMIC ADVISERS, CONSUMER ADVISORY 

18 COUNCIL, AND FEDERAL HEALTH ADVISORY 

19 COUNCIL. 

20 Section 1805(b) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 

21 1395b–6(b)), as amended by section 2(c), is amended by 

22 adding at the end the following new paragraph: 

23 ‘‘(11) COUNCIL OF HEALTH AND ECONOMIC AD24 VISERS, CONSUMER ADVISORY COUNCIL, AND FED25 ERAL HEALTH ADVISORY COUNCIL.— 


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1 ‘‘(A) COUNCIL OF HEALTH AND ECONOMIC

2 ADVISERS.— 

3 ‘‘(i) IN GENERAL.—The Commission 

4 shall establish a council of health and eco5 nomic advisers to advise the Commission 

6 on its development, analyses, and imple7 mentation of payment policies under this 

8 title. 

9 ‘‘(ii) MEMBERSHIP.— 

10 ‘‘(I) IN GENERAL.—The council 

11 of health and economic advisers shall 

12 be composed of acknowledged experts 

13 in health care and economics selected 

14 by the Commission. 

15 ‘‘(II) INITIAL INCLUSION OF

16 FORMER MEMBERS OF MEDICARE PAY17 MENT ADVISORY COMMISSION.—The 

18 members initially selected for the 

19 council of health and economic advis20 ers under subclause (I) shall include 

21 those individuals who were members 

22 of the Medicare Payment Advisory 

23 Commission as of the day before the 

24 date of enactment of the Medicare 


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1 Payment Advisory Commission 

2 (MedPAC) Reform Act of 2009. 

3 ‘‘(B) CONSUMER ADVISORY COUNCIL.— 

4 ‘‘(i) IN GENERAL.—There is estab5 lished a consumer advisory council to ad6 vise the Commission on the impact of pay7 ment policies under this title on con8 sumers. 

9 ‘‘(ii) MEMBERSHIP.— 

10 ‘‘(I) NUMBER AND APPOINT11 MENT.—The consumer advisory coun12 cil shall be composed of 10 consumer 

13 representatives appointed by the 

14 Comptroller General of the United 

15 States, 1 from among each of the 10 

16 regions established by the Secretary 

17 as of the date of enactment of the 

18 Medicare Payment Advisory Commis19 sion (MedPAC) Reform Act of 2009. 

20 ‘‘(II) QUALIFICATIONS.—The 

21 membership of the council shall rep22 resent the interests of consumers and 

23 particular communities. 

24 ‘‘(iii) DUTIES.—The consumer advi25 sory council shall, subject to the call of the 


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1 Commission, meet not less frequently than 

2 2 times each year in the District of Colum3 bia. 

4 ‘‘(iv) OPEN MEETINGS.—Meetings of 

5 the consumer advisory council shall be 

6 open to the public. 

7 ‘‘(v) ELECTION OF OFFICERS.—Mem8 bers of the consumer advisory council shall 

9 elect their own officers. 

10 ‘‘(C) FEDERAL HEALTH ADVISORY COUN11 CIL.— 

12 ‘‘(i) IN GENERAL.—There is estab13 lished a Federal health advisory council to 

14 consult with and provide advice to the 

15 Commission on all matters within the ju16 risdiction of the Commission. 

17 ‘‘(ii) MEMBERSHIP.—The Federal 

18 health advisory council shall be composed 

19 of 10 representatives from the health care 

20 industry appointed by the Comptroller 

21 General of the United States, 1 from 

22 among each of the 10 regions established 

23 by the Secretary as of the date of enact24 ment of the Medicare Payment Advisory 


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1 Commission (MedPAC) Reform Act of 

2 2009. 

3 ‘‘(iii) TERMS.— 

4 ‘‘(I) IN GENERAL.—The terms of 

5 members of the Federal health advi6 sory council shall be for 1 year. 

7 ‘‘(II) LIMITATION ON NUMBER

8 OF TERMS SERVED.—An individual 

9 may not be appointed as a member of 

10 the Federal health advisory council for 

11 more than 3 terms. 

12 ‘‘(iv) DUTIES.—The Federal health 

13 advisory council shall, subject to the call of 

14 the Commission, meet not less frequently 

15 than 2 times each year in the District of 

16 Columbia. 

17 ‘‘(v) OPEN MEETINGS.—Meetings of 

18 the Federal health advisory council shall be 

19 open to the public. 

20 ‘‘(vi) ELECTION OF OFFICERS.—Mem21 bers of the Federal health advisory council 

22 shall elect their own officers. 

23 ‘‘(D) LIMITATION ON FUNDING.—Out of 

24 amounts appropriated under subsection (g), the 


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1 Commission may use not more than $300,000 

2 each fiscal year to carry out this paragraph.’’. 

Æ 


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