SEC. 3. COMPOSITION OF COMMISSION. 
(a) MEMBERS.—The Commission shall be composed 
of 7 members, of whom— 
(1) 1 member shall be appointed by the Chair-
man of the Committee on Science and Technology of 
the House of Representatives, who shall serve as 
chairman of the Commission; 
(2) 1 member shall be appointed by the Chair-
man of the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
Transportation of the Senate, who shall serve as vice 
chairman of the Commission; 
(3) 1 member shall be appointed by the Chair-
man of the Committee on Science and Technology of 
the House of Representatives; 
(4) 2 members shall be appointed by the Rank-
ing Minority Member of the Committee on Science 
and Technology of the House of Representatives; 
(5) 1 member shall be appointed by the Chair-
man of the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
Transportation of the Senate; and 
(6) 1 member shall be appointed by the Rank-
ing Minority Member of the Committee on Com-
merce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate. 
(b) QUALIFICATIONS; INITIAL MEETING.— 
(1) NONGOVERNMENTAL APPOINTEES.—An in-
dividual appointed to the Commission may be an of-
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ficer or employee of the Federal Government or any 
State or local government. 
(2) OTHER QUALIFICATIONS.—Individuals ap-
pointed to the Commission shall be prominent 
United States citizens, with national recognition and 
significant depth of experience in astronomy, geol-
ogy, physics, nuclear weapons systems, space sys-
tems, advanced technology, foreign affairs, or other 
relevant disciplines. 
(3) DEADLINE FOR APPOINTMENT.—All mem-
bers of the Commission shall be appointed on or be-
fore ølllll, 2010¿. 
(4) INITIAL MEETING.—The Commission shall 
meet and begin the operations of the Commission as 
soon as practicable. 
(c) QUORUM; VACANCIES.—After its initial meeting, 
the Commission shall meet upon the call of the chairman 
or a majority of its members. Four members of the Com-
mission shall constitute a quorum. Any vacancy in the 
Commission shall not affect its powers, but shall be filled 
in the same manner in which the original appointment was 
made. 
SEC. 4. FUNCTIONS OF COMMISSION. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The functions of the Commission 
are as follows: 
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(1) Identify, review, and evaluate the structure, 
coordination, management policies, and procedures 
of the Federal Government, and, as appropriate, 
international bodies, and nongovernmental entities, 
relative to detecting, characterizing, mitigating, and 
over all response efforts to dangerous NEOs. 
(2) Assess United States and foreign technology 
readiness levels required to provide effective plan-
etary defense and make recommendations to develop 
required technologies, including NEO detection and 
characterization systems, spacecraft, propulsion sys-
tems, nuclear devices, high order explosive systems, 
modeling and simulation capabilities, and laser sys-
tems. 
(3) Submit to the President and Congress such 
reports as are required by this Act containing such 
findings, conclusions, and recommendations as the 
Commission shall determine, including proposing or-
ganization, coordination, planning, management ar-
rangements, procedures, rules, and regulations. 
SEC. 5. POWERS OF COMMISSION. 
(a) IN GENERAL.— 
(1) HEARINGS AND EVIDENCE.—The Commis-
sion or, on the authority of the Commission, any 
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subcommittee or member thereof, may, for the pur-
pose of carrying out this Act— 
(A) hold such hearings and sit and act at 
such times and places, take such testimony, re-
ceive such evidence, and administer such oaths. 
(b) CONTRACTING.—The Commission may, to such 
extent and in such amounts as are provided in appropria-
tion Acts, enter into contracts to enable the Commission 
to discharge its duties under this Act. 
(c) INFORMATION FROM FEDERAL AGENCIES.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Commission is author-
ized to secure directly from any executive depart-
ment, bureau, agency, board, commission, office, 
independent establishment, or instrumentality of the 
Government, information, suggestions, estimates, 
and statistics for the purposes of this Act. Each de-
partment, bureau, agency, board, commission, office, 
independent establishment, or instrumentality shall, 
to the extent authorized by law, furnish such infor-
mation, suggestions, estimates, and statistics di-
rectly to the Commission, upon request made by the 
chairman, the chairman of any subcommittee cre-
ated by a majority of the Commission, or any mem-
ber designated by a majority of the Commission. 
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(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 the Commission on a reimbursable basis adminis-
trative support and other services for the perform-
ance of the Commission’s functions. 
(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) GIFTS.—The Commission may accept, use, and 
dispose of gifts or donations of services or property. 
(f) POSTAL SERVICES.—The Commission may use 
the United States mails in the same manner and under 
the same conditions as departments and agencies of the 
United States. 
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SEC. 6. NONAPPLICABILITY OF FEDERAL ADVISORY COM-
MITTEE ACT. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Federal Advisory Committee 
Act (5 U.S.C. App.) shall not apply to the Commission. 
(b) PUBLIC MEETINGS AND RELEASE OF PUBLIC 
VERSIONS OF REPORTS.—The Commission shall— 
(1) hold public hearings and meetings to the ex-
tent appropriate; and 
(2) release public versions of the reports re-
quired under section 10(a) and (b). 
(c) PUBLIC HEARINGS.—Any public hearings of the 
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. 7. STAFF OF COMMISSION. 
(a) IN GENERAL.— 
(1) APPOINTMENT AND COMPENSATION.—The 
chairman, in consultation with vice chairman, in ac-
cordance with rules agreed upon by the Commission, 
may appoint and fix the compensation of a staff di-
rector and such other personnel as may be necessary 
to enable the Commission to carry out its functions, 
without regard to the provisions of title 5, United 
States Code, governing appointments in the competi-
tive service, and without regard to the provisions of 
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chapter 51 and subchapter III of chapter 53 of such 
title relating to classification and General Schedule 
pay rates, except that no rate of pay fixed under this 
paragraph 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. 
(2) PERSONNEL AS FEDERAL EMPLOYEES.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—The executive director 
and any personnel of the Commission who are 
employees shall be employees under section 
2105 of title 5, United States Code, for pur-
poses 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 the Commission. 
(b) DETAILEES.—Any Federal Government employee 
may be detailed to the Commission without reimbursement 
from the Commission, and such detailee shall retain the 
rights, status, and privileges of his or her regular employ-
ment without interruption. 
(c) CONSULTANT SERVICES.—The Commission is au-
thorized to procure the services of experts and consultants 
in accordance with section 3109 of title 5, United States 
Code, but at rates not to exceed the daily rate paid a per-
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son occupying a position at level IV of the Executive 
Schedule under section 5315 of title 5, United States 
Code. 
SEC. 8. COMPENSATION AND TRAVEL EXPENSES. 
(a) COMPENSATION.—Each member of the Commis-
sion may be compensated at not to exceed the daily equiva-
lent of the annual rate of basic pay in effect for a position 
at level IV of the Executive 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. 9. SECURITY CLEARANCES FOR COMMISSION MEM-
BERS AND STAFF. 
The appropriate Federal agencies or departments 
shall cooperate with the Commission in expeditiously pro-
viding to the Commission members and staff appropriate 
security clearances to the extent possible pursuant to ex-
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isting procedures and requirements, except that no person 
shall be provided with access to classified information 
under this Act without the appropriate security clearances. 
SEC. 10. REPORTS OF COMMISSION; TERMINATION. 
(a) INTERIM REPORTS.—The Commission may sub-
mit to the President and Congress interim reports con-
taining such findings, conclusions, and recommendations 
for corrective measures as have been agreed to by a major-
ity of Commission members. 
(b) FINAL REPORT.—Not later than 18 months after 
the date of enactment of this Act, the Commission shall 
submit to the President and Congress a final report con-
taining such findings, conclusions, and recommendations 
for corrective measures as have been agreed to by a major-
ity of Commission members. 
(c) TERMINATION.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Commission, and all the 
authorities of this Act, shall terminate 120 days 
after the date on which the final report is submitted 
under subsection (b). 
(2) ADMINISTRATIVE ACTIVITIES BEFORE TER-
MINATION.—The Commission may use the 120-day 
period referred to in paragraph (1) for the purpose 
of concluding its activities, including providing testi-
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mony to committees of Congress concerning its re-
ports and disseminating the final report. 
SEC. 11. FUNDING. 
ø(a) TRANSFER
FROM
THE
llll.—Of the 
amounts authorized to be appropriated by this Act and 
made available in Public Law lllll not to exceed 
$2,000,000 shall be available for transfer to the Commis-
sion for purposes of the activities of the Commission under 
this Act.¿ 
(b) DURATION OF AVAILABILITY.—Amounts made 
available to the Commission under subsection (a) shall re-
main available until the termination of the Commission. 
Æ 
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