127 
CHAPTER 707—HUMAN SPACE FLIGHT INDEPENDENT 
INVESTIGATION COMMISSION 
Sec. 
70701.
Definitions. 
70702.
Establishment of Commission. 
70703.
Tasks of Commission. 
70704.
Composition of Commission. 
70705.
Powers of Commission. 
70706.
Public meetings, information, and hearings. 
70707.
Staff of Commission. 
70708.
Compensation and travel expenses. 
70709.
Security clearances for Commission members and staff. 
70710.
Reporting requirements and termination. 
§ 70701. Definitions 
In this chapter: 
(1) COMMISSION.—The term ‘‘Commission’’ means a Commission es-
tablished under this chapter. 
(2) INCIDENT.—The term ‘‘incident’’ means either an accident or a 
deliberate act. 
§ 70702. Establishment of Commission 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The President shall establish an independent, 
nonpartisan Commission within the executive branch to investigate any inci-
dent that results in the loss of— 
(1) a space shuttle; 
(2) the International Space Station or its operational viability; 
(3) any other United States space vehicle carrying humans that is 
owned by the Federal Government or that is being used pursuant to 
a contract with the Federal Government; or 
(4) a crew member or passenger of any space vehicle described in 
this subsection. 
(b) DEADLINE FOR ESTABLISHMENT.—The President shall establish a 
Commission within 7 days after an incident specified in subsection (a). 
§ 70703. Tasks of Commission 
A Commission established pursuant to this chapter shall, to the extent 
possible, undertake the following tasks: 
(1) INVESTIGATION.—Investigate the incident. 
(2) CAUSE.—Determine the cause of the incident. 
(3) CONTRIBUTING FACTORS.—Identify all contributing factors to 
the cause of the incident. 
(4) RECOMMENDATIONS.—Make recommendations for corrective ac-
tions. 
(5) ADDITIONAL
FINDINGS
OR
RECOMMENDATIONS.—Provide any 
additional findings or recommendations deemed by the Commission to 
be important, whether or not they are related to the specific incident 
under investigation. 
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(6) REPORT.—Prepare a report to Congress, the President, and the 
public. 
§ 70704. Composition of Commission 
(a) NUMBER OF COMMISSIONERS.—A Commission established pursuant 
to this chapter shall consist of 15 members. 
(b) SELECTION.—The members of a Commission shall be chosen in the 
following manner: 
(1) APPOINTMENT BY PRESIDENT.—The President shall appoint the 
members, and shall designate the Chairman and Vice Chairman of the 
Commission from among its members. 
(2) LISTS
PROVIDED
BY
LEADERS
OF
CONGRESS.—The majority 
leader of the Senate, the minority leader of the Senate, the Speaker 
of the House of Representatives, and the minority leader of the House 
of Representatives shall each provide to the President a list of can-
didates for membership on the Commission. The President may select 
one of the candidates from each of the 4 lists for membership on the 
Commission. 
(3) PROHIBITION REGARDING FEDERAL OFFICERS AND EMPLOYEES 
AND MEMBERS OF CONGRESS.—No officer or employee of the Federal 
Government or Member of Congress shall serve as a member of the 
Commission. 
(4) PROHIBITION REGARDING CONTRACTORS.—No member of the 
Commission shall have, or have pending, a contractual relationship with 
the Administration. 
(5) PROHIBITION REGARDING CONFLICT OF INTEREST.—The Presi-
dent shall not appoint any individual as a member of a Commission 
under this section who has a current or former relationship with the 
Administrator that the President determines would constitute a conflict 
of interest. 
(6) EXPERIENCE.—To the extent practicable, the President shall en-
sure that the members of the Commission include some individuals with 
experience relative to human carrying spacecraft, as well as some indi-
viduals with investigative experience and some individuals with legal ex-
perience. 
(7) DIVERSITY.—To the extent practicable, the President shall seek 
diversity in the membership of the Commission. 
(c) DEADLINE FOR APPOINTMENT.—All members of a Commission estab-
lished under this chapter shall be appointed no later than 30 days after the 
incident. 
(d) INITIAL MEETING.—A Commission shall meet and begin operations 
as soon as practicable. 
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(e) SUBSEQUENT MEETINGS.—After its initial meeting, a Commission 
shall meet upon the call of the Chairman or a majority of its members. 
(f) QUORUM.—Eight members of a Commission shall constitute a 
quorum. 
(g) VACANCIES.—Any vacancy in a Commission shall not affect its pow-
ers, but shall be filled in the same manner in which the original appoint-
ment was made. 
§ 70705. Powers of Commission 
(a) HEARINGS AND EVIDENCE.—A Commission or, on the authority of 
the Commission, any subcommittee or member thereof, may, for the purpose 
of carrying out this chapter— 
(1) hold such hearings and sit and act at such times and places, take 
such testimony, receive such evidence, administer such oaths; and 
(2) require, by subpoena or otherwise, the attendance and testimony 
of such witnesses and the production of such books, records, cor-
respondence, memoranda, papers, and documents, 
as the Commission or such designated subcommittee or member may deter-
mine advisable. 
(b) CONTRACTING.—A Commission may, to such extent and in such 
amounts as are provided in appropriation Acts, enter into contracts to en-
able the Commission to discharge its duties under this chapter. 
(c) INFORMATION FROM FEDERAL AGENCIES.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—A Commission may secure directly from any exec-
utive department, bureau, agency, board, commission, office, inde-
pendent establishment, or instrumentality of the Government, informa-
tion, suggestions, estimates, and statistics for the purposes of this 
chapter. Each department, bureau, agency, board, commission, office, 
independent establishment, or instrumentality shall, to the extent au-
thorized by law, furnish such information, suggestions, estimates, and 
statistics directly to the Commission, upon request made by the Chair-
man, the chairman of any subcommittee created by a majority of the 
Commission, or any member designated by a majority of the Commis-
sion. 
(2) RECEIPT, HANDLING, STORAGE, AND DISSEMINATION.—Informa-
tion shall only be received, handled, stored, and disseminated by mem-
bers of the Commission and its staff consistent with all applicable stat-
utes, regulations, and Executive orders. 
(d) ASSISTANCE FROM FEDERAL AGENCIES.— 
(1) GENERAL
SERVICES
ADMINISTRATION.—The Administrator of 
General Services shall provide to a Commission on a reimbursable basis 
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administrative support and other services for the performance of the 
Commission’s tasks. 
(2) OTHER DEPARTMENTS AND AGENCIES.—In addition to the as-
sistance prescribed in paragraph (1), departments and agencies of the 
United States may provide to the Commission such services, funds, fa-
cilities, staff, and other support services as they may determine advis-
able and as may be authorized by law. 
(3) ADMINISTRATION ENGINEERING AND SAFETY CENTER.—The Ad-
ministration Engineering and Safety Center shall provide data and 
technical support as requested by the Commission. 
§ 70706. Public meetings, information, and hearings 
(a) PUBLIC MEETINGS AND RELEASE OF PUBLIC VERSIONS OF RE-
PORTS.—A Commission shall— 
(1) hold public hearings and meetings to the extent appropriate; and 
(2) release public versions of the reports required under this chapter. 
(b) PUBLIC HEARINGS.—Any public hearings of a Commission shall be 
conducted in a manner consistent with the protection of information pro-
vided to or developed for or by the Commission as required by any applica-
ble statute, regulation, or Executive order. 
§ 70707. Staff of Commission 
(a) APPOINTMENT AND COMPENSATION.—The Chairman, in consultation 
with the Vice Chairman, in accordance with rules agreed upon by a Com-
mission, may appoint and fix the compensation of a staff director and such 
other personnel as may be necessary to enable the Commission to carry out 
its functions. 
(b) DETAILEES.—Any Federal Government employee, except for an em-
ployee of the Administration, may be detailed to a Commission without re-
imbursement from the Commission, and such detailee shall retain the rights, 
status, and privileges of his or her regular employment without interruption. 
(c) CONSULTANT SERVICES.—A Commission may procure the services of 
experts and consultants in accordance with section 3109 of title 5, but at 
rates not to exceed the daily equivalent of the annual rate of basic pay in 
effect for positions at level IV of the Executive Schedule under section 5315 
of title 5. An expert or consultant whose services are procured under this 
subsection shall disclose any contract or association the expert or consultant 
has with the Administration or any Administration contractor. 
§ 70708. Compensation and travel expenses 
(a) COMPENSATION.—Each member of a Commission may be com-
pensated at a rate not to exceed the daily equivalent of the annual rate of 
basic pay in effect for positions at level IV of the Executive Schedule under 
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