when summoned under authority of this 
section, the Commission may, by majority 
vote, certify a statement of fact consti-
tuting such failure to the appropriate 
United States attorney, who may bring the 
matter before the grand jury for its action, 
under the same statutory authority and 
procedures as if the United States attorney 
had received a certification under sections 
102 through 104 of the Revised Statutes 
of the United States (2 U.S.C. 192 
through 194). 
(b) CONTRACTING.—A Commission established pur-
suant to this Act may, to such extent and in such amounts 
as are provided in appropriation Acts, enter into contracts 
to enable the Commission to discharge its duties under 
this Act. 
(c) INFORMATION FROM FEDERAL AGENCIES.—
(1) IN
GENERAL.—A Commission established 
pursuant to this Act is authorized to secure directly 
from any executive department, bureau, agency, 
board, commission, office, independent establish-
ment, or instrumentality of the Government, infor-
mation, suggestions, estimates, and statistics for the 
purposes of this Act. Each department, bureau,
agency, board, commission, office, independent es-
tablishment, or instrumentality shall, to the extent 
authorized by law, furnish such information, sugges-
tions, estimates, and statistics directly to the Com-
mission, upon request made by the Chairman, the 
chairman of any subcommittee created by a majority 
of the Commission, or any member designated by a 
majority of the Commission. 
(2) RECEIPT, HANDLING, STORAGE, AND DIS-
SEMINATION.—Information shall only be received, 
handled, stored, and disseminated by members of 
the Commission and its staff consistent with all ap-
plicable statutes, regulations, and Executive orders. 
(d) ASSISTANCE FROM FEDERAL AGENCIES.—
(1) GENERAL
SERVICES
ADMINISTRATION.—
The Administrator of General Services shall provide 
to a Commission established pursuant to this Act on 
a reimbursable basis administrative support and 
other services for the performance of the Commis-
sion’s tasks. 
(2) OTHER DEPARTMENTS AND AGENCIES.—In 
addition to the assistance prescribed in paragraph 
(1), departments and agencies of the United States 
may provide to the Commission such services, funds, 
facilities, staff, and other support services as they
may determine advisable and as may be authorized 
by law. 
(e) POSTAL SERVICES.—A Commission established 
pursuant to this Act may use the United States mails in 
the same manner and under the same conditions as de-
partments and agencies of the United States. 
SEC. 7. PUBLIC MEETINGS, INFORMATION, AND HEARINGS. 
(a) PUBLIC MEETINGS AND RELEASE OF PUBLIC 
VERSIONS OF REPORTS.—A Commission established pur-
suant to this Act shall—
(1) hold public hearings and meetings to the ex-
tent appropriate; and 
(2) release public versions of the reports re-
quired under this Act. 
(b) PUBLIC HEARINGS.—Any public hearings of a 
Commission shall be conducted in a manner consistent 
with the protection of information provided to or developed 
for or by the Commission as required by any applicable 
statute, regulation, or Executive order. 
SEC. 8. STAFF OF COMMISSION. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—
(1) APPOINTMENT AND COMPENSATION.—The 
Chairman, in consultation with Vice Chairman, in 
accordance with rules agreed upon by a Commission 
established pursuant to this Act, 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, without re-
gard to the provisions of title 5, United States Code, 
governing appointments in the competitive service, 
and without regard to the provisions of chapter 51 
and subchapter III of chapter 53 of such title relat-
ing to classification and General Schedule pay rates, 
except that no rate of pay fixed under this sub-
section may exceed the equivalent of that payable for 
a position at level V of the Executive Schedule under 
section 5316 of title 5, United States Code. Employ-
ees of NASA shall not be appointed to the staff of 
a Commission. 
(2) PERSONNEL AS FEDERAL EMPLOYEES.—
(A) IN GENERAL.—The executive director 
and any personnel of a Commission established 
pursuant to this Act who are employees shall be 
employees under section 2105 of title 5, United 
States Code, for purposes of chapters 63, 81, 
83, 84, 85, 87, 89, and 90 of that title. 
(B) MEMBERS OF COMMISSION.—Subpara-
graph (A) shall not be construed to apply to 
members of a Commission established pursuant 
to this Act.
(b) DETAILEES.—Any Federal Government em-
ployee, except for an employee of NASA, may be detailed 
to a Commission established pursuant to this Act without 
reimbursement 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 estab-
lished pursuant to this Act is authorized to procure the 
services of experts and consultants in accordance with sec-
tion 3109 of title 5, United States Code, but at rates not 
to exceed the daily rate paid a person occupying a position 
at level IV of the Executive Schedule under section 5315 
of title 5, United States Code. Any consultant or expert 
whose services are procured under this subsection shall 
disclose any contract or association it has with NASA or 
any NASA contractor. 
SEC. 9. COMPENSATION AND TRAVEL EXPENSES. 
(a) COMPENSATION.—Each member of a Commission 
established pursuant to this Act may be compensated at 
not to exceed the daily equivalent of the annual rate of 
basic pay in effect for a position at level IV of the Execu-
tive Schedule under section 5315 of title 5, United States 
Code, for each day during which that member is engaged 
in the actual performance of the duties of the Commission.
(b) TRAVEL EXPENSES.—While away from their 
homes or regular places of business in the performance 
of services for the Commission, members of the Commis-
sion shall be allowed travel expenses, including per diem 
in lieu of subsistence, in the same manner as persons em-
ployed intermittently in the Government service are al-
lowed expenses under section 5703(b) of title 5, United 
States Code. 
SEC. 10. SECURITY CLEARANCES FOR COMMISSION MEM-
BERS AND STAFF. 
The appropriate Federal agencies or departments 
shall cooperate with a Commission established pursuant 
to this Act in expeditiously providing to the Commission 
members and staff appropriate security clearances to the 
extent possible pursuant to existing procedures and re-
quirements. No person shall be provided with access to 
classified information under this Act without the appro-
priate security clearances. 
SEC. 11. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS AND TERMINATION. 
(a) INTERIM REPORTS.—A Commission established 
pursuant to this Act may submit to the President and 
Congress interim reports containing such findings, conclu-
sions, and recommendations for corrective actions as have 
been agreed to by a majority of Commission members.
(b) FINAL REPORT.—A Commission established pur-
suant to this Act shall submit to the President and Con-
gress, and make concurrently available to the public, a 
final report containing such findings, conclusions, and rec-
ommendations for corrective actions as have been agreed 
to by a majority of Commission members. Such report 
shall include any minority views or opinions not reflected 
in the majority report. 
(c) TERMINATION.—
(1) IN
GENERAL.—A Commission established 
pursuant to this Act, and all the authorities of this 
Act with respect to that Commission, shall terminate 
60 days after the date on which the final report is 
submitted under subsection (b). 
(2) ADMINISTRATIVE ACTIVITIES BEFORE TER-
MINATION.—A Commission may use the 60-day pe-
riod referred to in paragraph (1) for the purpose of 
concluding its activities, including providing testi-
mony to committees of Congress concerning its re-
ports and disseminating the final report. 
SEC. 12. ROLE OF NTSB. 
The NTSB shall assume responsibility for the inves-
tigation of any incident described in section 3(a) imme-
diately upon the occurrence of that incident. The NTSB 
shall transfer responsibility for the investigation to a Com-
mission established pursuant to this Act as soon as the 
Commission holds its initial meeting under section 4(d). 
SEC. 13. FUNDING. 
Such sums as are necessary to carry out this Act are 
authorized to be appropriated. Sums authorized by this 
Act shall remain available until the termination of the 
Commission for which they are appropriated.
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