129 
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. 
(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 
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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 
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 
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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 
section 5315 of title 5 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 
a Commission shall be allowed travel expenses, including per diem in lieu 
of subsistence, in the same manner as persons employed intermittently in 
the Government service are allowed expenses under section 5703 of title 5. 
§ 70709. Security clearances for Commission members and 
staff 
The appropriate Federal agencies or departments shall cooperate with a 
Commission in expeditiously providing to the Commission members and 
staff appropriate security clearances to the extent possible pursuant to exist-
ing procedures and requirements. No person shall be provided with access 
to classified information under this chapter without the appropriate security 
clearances. 
§ 70710. Reporting requirements and termination 
(a) INTERIM REPORTS.—A Commission may submit to the President and 
Congress interim reports containing such findings, conclusions, and rec-
ommendations for corrective actions as have been agreed to by a majority 
of Commission members. 
(b) FINAL REPORT.—A Commission shall submit to the President and 
Congress, and make concurrently available to the public, a final report con-
taining such findings, conclusions, and recommendations for corrective ac-
tions as have been agreed to by a majority of Commission members. Such 
report shall include any minority views or opinions not reflected in the ma-
jority report. 
(c) TERMINATION.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—A Commission, and all the authorities of this 
chapter 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 TERMINATION.—A Com-
mission may use the 60-day period referred to in paragraph (1) for the 
purpose of concluding its activities, including providing testimony to 
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committees of Congress concerning its reports and disseminating the 
final report. 
CHAPTER 709—INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION 
Sec. 
70901.
Peaceful uses of space station. 
70902.
Allocation of International Space Station research budget. 
70903.
International Space Station research. 
70904.
International Space Station completion. 
70905.
National laboratory designation. 
70906.
International Space Station National Laboratory Advisory Committee. 
70907.
Maintaining use through at least 2020. 
§ 70901. Peaceful uses of space station 
No civil space station authorized under section 103(a)(1) of the National 
Aeronautics and Space Administration Authorization Act, Fiscal Year 1991 
(Public Law 101–611, 104 Stat. 3190) may be used to carry or place in 
orbit any nuclear weapon or any other weapon of mass destruction, to in-
stall any such weapon on any celestial body, or to station any such weapon 
in space in any other manner. This civil space station may be used only 
for peaceful purposes. 
§ 70902. Allocation of International Space Station research 
budget 
The Administrator shall allocate at least 15 percent of the funds budg-
eted for International Space Station research to ground-based, free-flyer, 
and International Space Station life and microgravity science research that 
is not directly related to supporting the human exploration program, con-
sistent with section 40904 of this title. 
§ 70903. International Space Station research 
The Administrator shall— 
(1) carry out a program of microgravity research consistent with sec-
tion 40904 of this title; and 
(2) consider the need for a life sciences centrifuge and any associated 
holding facilities. 
§ 70904. International Space Station completion 
(a) POLICY.—It is the policy of the United States to achieve diverse and 
growing utilization of, and benefits from, the International Space Station. 
(b) ELEMENTS, CAPABILITIES, AND CONFIGURATION CRITERIA.—The 
Administrator shall ensure that the International Space Station will— 
(1) be assembled and operated in a manner that fulfills international 
partner agreements, as long as the Administrator determines that the 
shuttle can safely enable the United States to do so; 
(2) be used for a diverse range of microgravity research, including 
fundamental, applied, and commercial research, consistent with section 
40904 of this title; 
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