[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 229 (Monday, November 30, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 74769-74770]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-30311]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Office of the Secretary


Charter Renewal of Department of Defense Federal Advisory 
Committees

AGENCY: Department of Defense.

ACTION: Charter Amendment of a Federal Advisory Committee.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Defense is publishing this notice to 
announce that it is amending the charter for the Board of Regents, 
Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (``the Board'').

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jim Freeman, Advisory Committee 
Management Officer for the Department of Defense, 703-692-5952.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This committee's charter is being amended 
pursuant to 10 U.S.C. 2113a and in accordance with the Federal Advisory 
Committee Act (FACA) of 1972 (5 U.S.C., Appendix, as amended) and 41 
CFR 102-3.50(a).
    The Board is a statutory Federal advisory committee that assists 
the Secretary of Defense in an advisory capacity in carrying out the 
Secretary's responsibility to conduct the business of the Uniformed 
Services University of the Health Sciences (``the University''). The 
Board shall provide advice and recommendations on academic and 
administrative matters critical to the full accreditation and 
successful operation of the University.
    The DoD, through the Office of the USD(P&R), provides support for 
the performance of the Board's functions and ensures compliance with 
the requirements of the FACA, the Government in the Sunshine Act of 
1976 (5 U.S.C. 552b, as amended) (``the Sunshine Act''), governing 
Federal statutes and regulations, and established DoD policies and 
procedures.
    Under the provisions of 10 U.S.C. 2113a(b), the Board shall be 
composed of 15 members, appointed or designated as follows:
    a. Nine persons outstanding in the field of health care, higher 
education administration, or public policy, who shall be appointed from 
civilian life by the Secretary of Defense;
    b. The Secretary of Defense, or his designee, who shall be an ex-
officio member;
    c. The Surgeons General of the Uniformed Services, who shall be ex-
officio members; and
    d. The President of the University, who shall be a non-voting, ex-
officio member. As directed by 10 U.S.C. 2113a(c), the term of office 
for each member of the Board (other than ex-officio members) shall be 
six years except that:
    a. Any member appointed to fill a vacancy occurring before the 
expiration of the term for which his predecessor was appointed shall be 
appointed for the remainder of such term; and,
    b. Any member whose term of office has expired shall continue to 
serve until his successor is appointed.
    In accordance with 10 U.S.C. 2113a(d), one of the members of the 
Board (other than an ex-officio member) shall be designated as Chair by 
the Secretary of Defense and shall be presiding officer of the Board.
    Board members that are not ex-officio members shall be appointed by 
the Secretary of Defense and their appointments will be renewed on an 
annual basis according to DoD policies and procedures.
    Those members appointed by the Secretary of Defense from civilian 
life provide their best judgment on the matters before the Board, based 
upon each individual's professional experience. Board members who are 
not full-time or permanent part-time Federal officers or employees will 
be appointed as experts or consultants pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 3109 to 
serve as special government employee (SGE) members. Board members who 
are full-time or permanent part-time Federal officers or employees will 
serve as regular government employee (RGE) members pursuant to 41 CFR 
102-3.130(a). No member may serve more than two consecutive terms of 
service without Secretary of Defense or Deputy Secretary of Defense 
approval.
    Pursuant to 10 U.S.C. 2113a(e), Board members (other than ex-
officio members), while attending conferences or meetings or while 
otherwise performing their duties as members, shall be entitled to 
receive compensation at a rate to be fixed by the Secretary of Defense. 
Each member is reimbursed for travel and per diem as it pertains to 
official business of the Board.
    DoD, when necessary and consistent with the Board's mission and DoD 
policies and procedures, may establish subcommittees, task forces, or 
working groups to support the Board. Establishment of subcommittees 
will be based upon a written determination, to include terms of 
reference, by the Secretary of Defense, the Deputy Secretary of 
Defense, or the USD(P&R), as the Board's Sponsor.
    Such subcommittees will not work independently of the Board and 
will report all of their recommendations and advice solely to the Board 
for full and open deliberation and discussion. Subcommittees, task 
forces, or working groups have no authority to make decisions and 
recommendations, verbally or in writing, on behalf of the Board. No 
subcommittee or any of its members can update or report, verbally or in 
writing, on behalf of the Board, directly to the DoD or any Federal 
officers or employees. Each member, based upon his or her individual 
professional experience, provides his or her best judgment on the 
matters before the Board, and he or she does so in a manner that is 
free from conflict of interest. All subcommittee members will be 
appointed by the Secretary of Defense or the Deputy Secretary of 
Defense to a term of service of one-to-four years, with annual 
renewals, even if the individual is already a member of the Board. 
Subcommittee members will not serve more than two consecutive terms of 
service, unless authorized by the Secretary of Defense or the Deputy 
Secretary of Defense.
    Subcommittee members who are not full-time or permanent part-time 
Federal

[[Page 74770]]

officers or employees will be appointed as an expert or consultant 
pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 3109, to serve as a SGE member. Subcommittee 
members who are full-time or permanent part-time Federal officers or 
employees will be appointed pursuant to 41 CFR 102-3.130(a), to serve 
as a RGE member. With the exception of reimbursement of official travel 
and per diem related to the Board or its subcommittees, subcommittee 
members will serve without compensation.
    All subcommittees operate under the provisions of FACA, the 
Sunshine Act, governing Federal statutes and regulations, and 
established DoD policies and procedures.
    The Board's Designated Federal Officer (DFO) must be a full-time or 
permanent part-time DoD officer or employee, designated in accordance 
with established DoD policies and procedures. The Board's DFO is 
required to be in attendance at all meetings of the Board and any 
subcommittees for the entire duration of each and every meeting. 
However, in the absence of the Board's DFO, a properly approved 
Alternate DFO duly designated to the Board according to established DoD 
policies and procedures, must attend the entire duration of all 
meetings of the Board and any subcommittees.
    The DFO, or the Alternate DFO, calls all meetings of the Board and 
its subcommittees; prepares and approves all meeting agendas; and 
adjourns any meeting when the DFO, or the Alternate DFO, determines 
adjournment to be in the public interest or required by governing 
regulations or DoD policies and procedures.
    Pursuant to 41 CFR 102-3.105(j) and 102-3.140, the public or 
interested organizations may submit written statements to Board 
membership about the Board's mission and functions. Written statements 
may be submitted at any time or in response to the stated agenda of 
planned meeting of the Board.
    All written statements shall be submitted to the DFO for the Board, 
and this individual will ensure that the written statements are 
provided to the membership for their consideration. Contact information 
for the Board's DFO can be obtained from the GSA's FACA Database--
http://www.facadatabase.gov/.
    The DFO, pursuant to 41 CFR 102-3.150, will announce planned 
meetings of the Board. The DFO, at that time, may provide additional 
guidance on the submission of written statements that are in response 
to the stated agenda for the planned meeting in question.

    Dated: November 24, 2015.
Aaron Siegel,
Alternate OSD Federal Register Liaison Officer, Department of Defense.
[FR Doc. 2015-30311 Filed 11-27-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 5001-06-P