    [Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 35, Number 37 (Monday, September 20, 1999)]
    [Pages 1754-1755]
    [Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

    <R04>
    Executive Order 13137--Further Amendment to Executive Order 12975, as
    Amended, National Bioethics Advisory Commission

    September 15, 1999

        By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and
    the laws of the United States of America, and in order to more
    accurately describe the expertise requirements for members selected for
    the National Bioethics Advisory Commission, it is hereby ordered that
    Executive Order 12975, as amended (``Order''), is further amended as
    follows:
        Section 1. Section 3 of the order shall read as follows: ``Sec. 3.
    Establishment of National Bioethics Advisory Commission. There is
    established in the Department of Health and Human Services a National
    Bioethics Advisory Commission (NBAC). The NBAC shall be subject to the
    Federal Advisory Committee Act, as amended (5 U.S.C. App.).''
        Sec. 2. A new section 4 shall be added to the order to read: ``Sec.
    4. Structure. (a) The National Bioethics Advisory Commission shall be
    composed of not more than 18 non-government members appointed by the
    President. At least one member shall be selected from each of the
    following categories of primary expertise: (1) philosophy/theology; (2)
    social/behavioral science; (3) law; (4) medicine/allied health
    professions; and (5) biological research. At least three members shall
    be selected from the general public, bringing to the Commission
    expertise other than that listed. The membership shall be approximately
    evenly balanced between scientists and non-scientists. Close attention
    will be given to equitable geographic distribution and to ethnic and
    gender representation.
        (b) Members of the Commission will serve for terms of 2 years and
    may continue to serve after the expiration of their term until a
    successor is appointed. A member appointed to fill an unexpired term
    will be appointed to the remainder of such term.
        (c) The President shall designate a Chairperson from among the
    members of the NBAC.''
        Sec. 3. (a) ``[S]ection 5'' in the third sentence of section 1(b) of
    the order shall be deleted and ``section 6'' shall be inserted in lieu
    thereof.
        (b) Current sections 4 through 7 of Executive Order 12975 shall be
    renumbered sections 5 through 8.
        (c) New section 8(b) is amended by deleting ``October 3, 1999'' and
    inserting ``October 3, 2001'' in lieu thereof.
                                                William J. Clinton
    The White House,
    September 15, 1999.

    [[Page 1755]]

    [Filed with the Office of the Federal Register, 8:45 a.m., September 17,
    1999]

    Note: This Executive order was released by the Office of the Press
    Secretary on September 16, and it was published in the Federal Register
    on September 20.