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.—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 may secure 
directly from any executive department, bureau, 
agency, board, commission, office, independent es-
tablishment, or instrumentality of the Government, 
information, suggestions, estimates, and statistics 
for the purposes of this Act. Each department, bu-
reau, agency, board, commission, office, independent 
establishment, 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 be received, han-
dled, stored, and disseminated by members of the 
Commission and its staff consistent with all applica-
ble 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 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.—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. 
SEC. 7. PUBLIC MEETINGS, INFORMATION, AND HEARINGS. 
(a) 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 this Act. 
(b) 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. 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 the Commis-
sion, 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 regard to the provisions of title 5, 
United States Code, governing appointments in the 
competitive service, and without regard to the provi-
sions of 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 Execu-
tive Schedule under section 5316 of title 5, United 
States Code. Employees of the Federal Emergency 
Management Agency shall not be appointed to the 
staff of the Commission. 
(2) PERSONNEL AS FEDERAL EMPLOYEES.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—The executive director 
and any personnel of the Commission shall be 
considered 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) does not apply to members of the 
Commission. 
(b) DETAILEES.—Any Federal Government em-
ployee, except for an employee of the Federal Emergency 
Management Agency, 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 employment without interruption. 
(c) CONSULTANT SERVICES.—The Commission may 
procure the services of experts and consultants in accord-
ance with section 3109 of title 5, United States Code, but 
at rates not to exceed the daily rate paid a person occu-
pying a position at level IV of the Executive Schedule 
under section 5315 of title 5, United States Code. 
SEC. 9. 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. 10. 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-
isting procedures and requirements. No person shall be