An Act to establish an Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations
PL 86-380 (H.R.6904), enacted 09/24/1959

73 S T A T . ] 
P U B U C LAW 86-38a-SEPT. 24, 1969 
703 
entitled "An Act relating to the policing of the buildings and grounds 
of the Smithsonian Institution and its constituent bureaus", approved 
October 24,1951 (40 U.S.C, sec. 193n and the following), is amended 
by adding at the end thereof the following new section: 
"SEC. 10. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, each of 
the following positions on the police force authorized for the National 
Zoological Park by this Act shall be placed in the General Schedule 
of the Classification Act of 1949, as amended, in the grade designated 
opposite it as follows: 
"(1) Private—Grade GS-5. 
"(2) Sergeant—Grade GS-6. 
"(3) Lieutenant—Grade GS-7. 
"(4) Captain—Grade GS-8.;' 
SEC. 2. Each member of the police force authorized for the Na-
tional Zoological Park by the Act entitled "An Act relating to the 
policing of the buildings and grounds of the Smithsonian Institu-
tion and its constituent bureaus", approved October 24, 1951 (40 
U.S.C, sec. 193n and the following), who immediately prior to the 
effective date of this Act is receiving basic compensation at one of 
the scheduled or longevity rates of a grade in the General Schedule 
of the Classification Act of 1949, as amended, shall receive a rate 
of basic compensation on and after the effective date of this Act 
at the schedule or longevity rate for that step of the grade to which 
his position is assigned by the first section of this Act which corre-
sponds numerically to the step of the grade which he occupied imme-
diately prior to the effective date of this Act. 
SEC. 3. The amendment made by the first section of this Act shall 
take effect on the first day of the first pay period which begins on or 
after the date of enactment of this Act. 
Approved September 23, 1959. 
65 Stat. 634. 
63 Stat. 954. 
5 u s e 1071 note. 
Effective date. 
Public Law 86-380 
AN ACT 
To establish an Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations. 
September 24, 1959 
[H. R. 6904] 
Be it enacted hy the Senate and lloune of Representatives 
of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled^ 
ADVISORY COMMISSION ON INTERGOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS 
Advisory 
C o m -
mission on Inter-
governmental 
Re-
SECTION 1. There is hereby established a permanent bipartisan com- Nations. 
mission to be known as the Advisory Commission on Intergovern-
mental Relations, hereinafter referred to as the "Commission". 
DECLARATION OF PURPOSE 
SEC. 2. Because the complexity of modern life intensifies the need 
in a federal form of government for the fullest cooperation and coordi-
nation of activities between the levels of government, and because 
population growth and scientific developments portend an increas-
ingly complex society in future years, it is essential that an appro-
priate agency be established to give continuing attention to inter-
governmental problems. 
It is intended that the Commission, in the performance of its duties, 
will— 
(1) bring together representatives of the Federal, State, and 
local governments for the consideration of common problems; 
704 
PUBLIC LAW 86-380-SEPT. 24, 1969 
[78 STAT. 
(2) provide a forum for discussing the administration and 
coordination of Federal grant and other programs requiring 
intergovernmental cooperation; 
(3) give critical attention to the conditions and controls 
involved in the administration of Federal grant programs; 
(4:) make available technical assistance to the executive and 
legislative branches of the Federal Government in the review of 
proposed legislation to determine its overall effect on the Federal 
system; 
(5) encourage discussion and study at an early stage of emerg-
ing public problems that are likely to require intergovernmental 
cooperation; 
(6) recommend, within the framework of the Constitution, the 
most desirable allocation of governmental functions, responsi-
bilities, and revenues among the several levels of government; and 
(T) recommend methods of coordinating and simplifying tax 
laws and administrative practices to achieve a more orderly and 
less competitive fiscal relationship between the levels of govern-
ment and to reduce the burden of compliance for taxpayers. 
MEMBERSHIP OF THE COMMISSION 
SEC. 3. (a) The Commission shall be composed of twenty-six mem-
bers, as follows: 
(1) Six appointed by the President of the United States, three of 
whom shall be officers of the executive branch of the Government, and 
three private citizens, all of whom shall have had experience or 
familiarity with relations between the levels of government; 
(2) Three appointed by the President of the Senate, who shall be 
Members of the Senate; 
(3) Three appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representa-
tives, who shall be Members of the House; 
(4) Four appointed by the President from a panel of at least eight 
Governors submitted by the Governors' Conference; 
(5) Three appointed b^ the President from a panel of at least six 
members of State legislative bodies submitted by the board of man-
agers of the Council of State Governments; 
(6) Four appointed by the President from a panel of at least eight 
mayors submitted jointly by the American Municipal Association and 
the United States Conference of Mayors; 
(7) Three appointed by the President from a panel of at least six 
elected county officers submitted by the National Association of County 
Officials. 
(b) The members appointed from private life under paragraph (1) 
of subsection (a) shall be appointed without regard to political 
affiliation; of each class of members enumerated in paragraphs (2) 
and (3) of subsection (a), two shall be from the majority party of 
the respective houses; of each class of members enumerated in para-
graphs (4), (5), (6), and (7) of subsection (a), not more than two 
shall be from any one political party; of each class of members enu-
merated in paragraphs (5), (6) and (7) of subsection (a), not more 
than one shall be from any one State; at least two of the appointees 
under paragraph (6) of subsection (a) shall be from cities under five 
hundred thousand population. 
(c) The term of office of each member of the Commission shall be 
two years, but members shall be eligible for reappointment. 
73 S T A T . ] 
PUBLIC LAW 86.380-SEPT. 24. 1969 
706 
ORGANIZATION OF THE COMMISSION 
SEC. 4. (a) The President shall convene the Commission within 
ninety days following enactment of this Act at such time and place as 
he may designate for the Commission's initial meeting. 
(b) The President shall designate a Chairman and a Vice Chairman 
from among members of the Commission. 
(c) Any vacancy in the membership of the Commission shall be 
filled in the same manner in which the original appointment was 
made; except that w^here the number of vacancies is fewer than the 
number of members specified in paragraphs (4), (5), (6), and (7) of 
section S(a), each panel of names submitted in accordance with the 
aforementioned paragraphs shall contain at least two names for each 
vacancy. 
(d) Where any member ceases to serve in the official position from 
which originally appointed under section 3(a), his place on the Com-
mission shall be deemed to be vacant. 
(e) Thirteen members of the Commission shall constitute a quorum, 
but two or more members shall constitute a quorum for the purpose of 
conducting hearings. 
DUTIES OF THE COMMISSION 
SEC. 5. It shall be the duty of the Commission— 
(1) to engage in such activities and to make such studies and 
investigations as are necessary or desirable in the accomplishment 
of the purposes set forth in section 2 of this Act; 
^2) to consider, on its own initiative, ways and means for fos-
tering better relations between the levels of government; 
(3) to submit an annual report to the President and the Con- denfandclnJ/eVi" 
gress on or before January 31 of each year. 
The Commission 
may also submit such additional reports to the President, to the 
Congress or any committee of the Congress, and to any unit of 
government or organization as the Commission may deem appro-
priate. 
P O W E R S A N D A D M I N I S T R A T I V E PROVISIONS 
SEC. 6. (a) The Commission or, on the authorization of the Com-
mission, any subcommittee or members thereof, may, for the purpose 
of carrying out the provisions of this Act, hold such hearings, take 
such testimony, and sit and act at such times and places as the Com-
mission deems advisable. Any member authorized by the Commis-
sion may administer oaths or affirmations to witnesses appearing 
before the Commission or any subcommittee or members thereof. 
(b) Each department, agency, and instrumentality of the executive 
branch of the Government, including independent agencies, is author-
ized and directed to furnish to the Commission, upon request made 
bj^ the Chairman or Vice Chairman, such information as the Com-
mission deems jiecessary to carry out its functions under this Act. 
(c) The Commission shall have power to appoint, fix the compen-
sation of, and remove a staff director without regard to the civil 
service laws and the Classification Act of 1949. Such appointment 
"us*c*io^7^'*note. 
shall be made solely on the basis of fitness to perform the duties of the 
position and without regard to political affiliation. 
(d) Subject to such rules and regulations as may be adopted by the 
Commission, the Chairman, without regard to the civil service laws 
and the Classification Act of 1949, and without reference to political 
affiliation, shall have the power— 
(1) to appoint, fix the compensation of, and remove such other 
personnel as he deems necessary. 
706 
PUBLIC LAW 86-381-8EPT. 26, 1969 
[73 ST A T . 
50 Stat. 810. 
70 Stat. 743. 
68 Stat. 736. 
63 Stat. 166. 
(2) to procure temporary and intermittent services to the same 
extent as is authorized by section 15 of the Administrative 
Expenses Act of 1946 (5 U.S.C. 55a) but at rates not to exceed 
$50 a day for individuals. 
(e) Except as otherwise provided in this Act, persons in the employ 
of the Commission under subsections (c) and (d) (1) of this section 
shall be considered to be Federal employees for all purposes, includ-
ing— 
(1) the Civil Service Retirement Act, as amended (5 U.S.C. 
2251-2267), 
(2) the Federal Employees' Group Life Insurance Act of 1954, 
as amended (5 U.S.C. 2091-2103), 
(3) annual and sick leave, and 
(4) the Travel Expense Act of 1949, as amended (5 U.S.C. 
835-842). 
(f) No individual employed in the service of the Commission shall 
be paid compensation tor such employment at a rate in excess of 
$20,000 per annum. 
63 Stat. 166. 
60 Stat. 808. 
COMPENSATION OF COMMISSION MEMBERS 
SEC. 7. (a) Members of the Commission who are Members of Con-
gress, officers of the executive branch of the Federal Government, 
Governors, or full-time salaried officers of city and county govern-
ments shall serve without compensation in addition to that received in 
their regular public employment, but shall be allowed necessary travel 
expenses (or, in the alternative, a per diem in lieu of subsistence and 
mileage not to exceed the rates prescribed in the Travel Expense Act 
of 1949, as amended), without regard to the Travel Expense Act of 
1949, as amended (5 U.S.C. 835-842), the Standardized Government 
Travel Regulations, or section 10 of the Act of March 3,1933 (5 U.S.C. 
73b), and other necessary expenses incurred by them in the perform-
,ance of duties vested in the Commission. 
(b) Members of the Commission, other than those to w^hom subsec-
tion (a) is applicable, shall receive compensation at the rate of $50 
per day for each day they are engaged m the performance of their 
duties as members of the Commission and shall be entitled to reim-
bursement for travel, subsistence, and other necessary expenses in-
curred b^r them in the performance of their duties as members of the 
Commission, as provided for in subsection (a) of this section. 
AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS 
SEC. 8. There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may 
be necessary to carry out the provisions of this Act. 
Approved September 24, 1959. 
September 25, 1959 
[H. R. 4821] 
Public Law 86-381 
AN ACT 
To amend the Act of August 12, 1955, Public Law 378, Eighty-fourth Congress 
(69 Stat. 707), so as to provide additional relief for losses sustained in the 
Texas City disaster. 
Be it enacted hy the Senate and House of Representatives 
of the 
to't^he^T^xlJciry United States of America in Congress assembled, That the Act of 
Disaster Relief August 12, 1955, Public Law 378, Eighty-fourth Congress (69 Stat. 
^'^^' 
707), as amended, is further amended as provided herein.