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such subcommittees as the Commission considers appro-
priate. 
(c) STAFF.—Subject to such policies as the Commis-
sion may prescribe, the Chairperson may appoint and fix 
the pay of such additional personnel as the Chairperson 
considers appropriate to carry out the duties of the Com-
mission. The Commission shall confirm the appointment of 
the executive director by majority vote of all of the members 
of the Commission. 
(d) APPLICABILITY
OF
CERTAIN
CIVIL
SERVICE 
LAWS.—Staff of the Commission may be—
(1) appointed without regard to the provisions of 
title 5, United States Code, governing appointments 
in the competitive service; and 
(2) paid without regard to the provisions of 
chapter 51 and subchapter III of chapter 53 of that 
title relating to classification and General Schedule 
pay rates, except that an individual so appointed 
may not receive pay in excess of the annual rate of 
basic pay prescribed for GS–15 of the General Sched-
ule under section 5332 of that title. 
(e) EXPERTS AND CONSULTANTS.—In carrying out its 
objectives, the Commission may procure temporary and 
intermittent services of consultants and experts under sec-
tion 3109(b) of title 5, United States Code, at rates for indi-
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viduals which do not exceed the daily equivalent of the an-
nual rate of basic pay prescribed for GS–15 of the General 
Schedule under section 5332 of that title. 
(f) DETAIL OF GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES.—Upon re-
quest of the Chairperson, any Federal Government employee 
may be detailed to the Commission to assist in carrying 
out the duties of the Commission—
(1) on a reimbursable basis; and 
(2) such detail shall be without interruption or 
loss of civil service status or privilege. 
SEC. 209. TERMINATION. 
The Commission shall terminate 90 days after the date 
on which the Commission submits its report under section 
206. 
SEC. 210. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 
There are authorized to be appropriated to the Com-
mission, such sums as may be necessary to carry out this 
title, to remain available until expended. 
TITLE III—MISCELLANEOUS 
SEC. 301. BIG SIOUX RIVER AND SKUNK CREEK, SIOUX 
FALLS, SOUTH DAKOTA. 
The project for flood control, Big Sioux River and 
Skunk Creek, Sioux Falls, South Dakota, authorized by sec-
tion 101(a)(28) of the Water Resources Development Act of 
1996 (110 Stat. 3666), is modified to authorize the Sec-
103
retary to reimburse the non-Federal interest for funds ad-
vanced by the non-Federal interest for the Federal share of 
the project, only if additional Federal funds are appro-
priated for that purpose. 
SEC. 302. SUSPENSION OF PETROLEUM ACQUISITION FOR 
STRATEGIC PETROLEUM RESERVE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in subsection 
(b) and notwithstanding any other provision of law, during 
the period beginning on the date of enactment of this Act 
and ending on December 31, 2008—
(1) the Secretary of the Interior shall suspend 
acquisition of petroleum for the Strategic Petroleum 
Reserve through the royalty-in-kind program; and 
(2) the Secretary of Energy shall suspend acqui-
sition of petroleum for the Strategic Petroleum Re-
serve through any other acquisition method. 
(b) RESUMPTION.—Not earlier than 30 days after the 
date on which the President notifies Congress that the Presi-
dent has determined that the weighted average price of pe-
troleum in the United States for the most recent 90-day 
period is $75 or less per barrel—
(1) the Secretary of the Interior may resume ac-
quisition of petroleum for the Strategic Petroleum Re-
serve through the royalty-in-kind program; and
104
(2) the Secretary of Energy may resume acquisi-
tion of petroleum for the Strategic Petroleum Reserve 
through any other acquisition method. 
(c) EXISTING CONTRACTS.—In the case of any oil 
scheduled to be delivered to the Strategic Petroleum Reserve 
pursuant to a contract entered into by the Secretary of En-
ergy prior to, and in effect on, the date of enactment of 
this Act, the Secretary shall, to the maximum extent prac-
ticable, negotiate a deferral of the delivery of the oil for a 
period of not less than 1 year, in accordance with proce-
dures of the Department of Energy in effect on the date 
of enactment of this Act for deferrals of oil.
Attest:
Secretary.