USC Chapter 3041

in effect

54 U.S.C. § 304101 Establishment; vacancies

(a) Establishment.—There is established as an independent agency of the United States Government an Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, which shall be composed of the following members:(1) A Chairman appointed by the President selected from the general public. (2) The Secretary. (3) The Architect of the Capitol. (4) The Secretary of Agriculture and the heads of 7 other agencies of the United States (other than the Department of the Interior), the activities of which affect historic preservation, designated by the President. (5) One Governor appointed by the President. (6) One mayor appointed by the President. (7) The President of the National Conference of State Historic Preservation Officers. (8) The General Chairman of the National Association of Tribal Historic Preservation Officers. (9) The Chairman of the National Trust. (10) Four experts in the field of historic preservation appointed by the President from architecture, history, archeology, and other appropriate disciplines. (11) Three members from the general public, appointed by the President. (12) One member of an Indian tribe or Native Hawaiian organization who represents the interests of the Indian tribe or Native Hawaiian organization of which he or she is a member, appointed by the President. (b) Designation of Substitutes.—Each member of the Council specified in paragraphs (2) to (5) and (7) through (9) of subsection (a) may designate another officer of the department, agency, or organization to serve on the Council instead of the member, except that, in the case of paragraphs (2) and (4), no officer other than an Assistant Secretary or an officer having major department-wide or agency-wide responsibilities may be designated. (c) Term of Office.—Each member of the Council appointed under paragraphs (10) through (12) of subsection (a) shall serve for a term of 4 years from the expiration of the term of the member’s predecessor. The members appointed under paragraphs (5) and (6) shall serve for the term of their elected office but not in excess of 4 years. An appointed member, other than the Chairman of the Council, may not serve more than 2 terms. An appointed member whose term has expired shall serve until that member’s successor has been appointed. (d) Vacancies.—A vacancy in the Council shall not affect its powers, but shall be filled, not later than 60 days after the vacancy commences, in the same manner as the original appointment (and for the balance of the unexpired term). (e) Chairman.—(1) After January 20, 2017, the Chairman shall—(A) be appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate; (B) serve at the will of the President; (C) serve full time; and (D) be compensated at the rate provided for Level V of the Executive Schedule Pay Rates under section 5316 of title 5. (2) The Chairman shall serve for a term of 4 years and may be reappointed once, for a total of not more than 8 years of service as Chairman, except that a Chairman whose appointment has expired under this paragraph shall serve until his or her successor has been appointed. The term of a Chairman shall start (regardless of actual appointment date) on January 20 after each general Presidential election. The first Chairman appointed after the date of enactment of this paragraph shall have a first term commencing on January 20, 2017, and ending on January 19, 2021. (3) The Chairmen before the first appointment of a Chairman in accordance with paragraph (1) of this subsection shall receive $100 per diem when engaged in the performance of the duties of the Council, and shall receive reimbursement for necessary traveling and subsistence expenses incurred by them in the performance of the duties of the Council. (f) Designation of Vice Chairman.—The President shall designate a Vice Chairman from the members appointed under paragraph (5), (6), (10), or (11) of subsection (a). The Vice Chairman shall perform the functions of the Chairman during the absence or disability of the Chairman or when the office is vacant. (g) Quorum.—Thirteen members of the Council shall constitute a quorum.

54 U.S.C. § 304102 Duties of Council

(a) Duties.—The Council shall—(1) advise the President and Congress on matters relating to historic preservation, recommend measures to coordinate activities of Federal, State, and local agencies and private institutions and individuals relating to historic preservation, and advise on the dissemination of information pertaining to those activities; (2) encourage, in cooperation with the National Trust and appropriate private agencies, public interest and participation in historic preservation; (3) recommend the conduct of studies in such areas as—(A) the adequacy of legislative and administrative statutes and regulations pertaining to historic preservation activities of State and local governments; and (B) the effects of tax policies at all levels of government on historic preservation; (4) advise as to guidelines for the assistance of State and local governments in drafting legislation relating to historic preservation; (5) encourage, in cooperation with appropriate public and private agencies and institutions, training and education in the field of historic preservation; (6) review the policies and programs of Federal agencies and recommend to Federal agencies methods to improve the effectiveness, coordination, and consistency of those policies and programs with the policies and programs carried out under this division; and (7) inform and educate Federal agencies, State and local governments, Indian tribes, other nations and international organizations and private groups and individuals as to the Council’s authorized activities. (b) Annual Report.—The Council annually shall submit to the President a comprehensive report of its activities and the results of its studies and shall from time to time submit additional and special reports as it deems advisable. Each report shall propose legislative enactments and other actions as, in the judgment of the Council, are necessary and appropriate to carry out its recommendations and shall provide the Council’s assessment of current and emerging problems in the field of historic preservation and an evaluation of the effectiveness of the programs of Federal agencies, State and local governments, and the private sector in carrying out this division.

54 U.S.C. § 304103 Cooperation between Council and instrumentalities of executive branch of Federal Government

The Council may secure directly from any Federal agency information, suggestions, estimates, and statistics for the purpose of this chapter. Each Federal agency may furnish information, suggestions, estimates, and statistics to the extent permitted by law and within available funds.

54 U.S.C. § 304104 Compensation of members of Council

The members of the Council specified in paragraphs (2), (3), and (4) of section 304101(a) of this title shall serve without additional compensation. The Chairman of the Council shall be compensated as provided in subsection (e) of section 304101. The other members of the Council shall receive $100 per diem when engaged in the performance of the duties of the Council. All members of the Council shall receive reimbursement for necessary traveling and subsistence expenses incurred by them in the performance of the duties of the Council.

54 U.S.C. § 304105 Administration

(a) Executive Director.—There shall be an Executive Director of the Council who shall be appointed by the Chairman with the concurrence of the Council in the competitive service at a rate within the General Schedule, in the competitive service at a rate that may exceed the rate prescribed for the highest rate established for grade 15 of the General Schedule under section 5332 of title 5, or in the Senior Executive Service under section 3393 of title 5. The Executive Director shall report directly to the Chairman and perform such functions and duties as the Chairman may prescribe. (b) General Counsel and Appointment of Other Attorneys.—(1) General counsel.—The Council shall have a General Counsel, who shall be appointed by the Executive Director. The General Counsel shall report directly to the Executive Director and serve as the Council’s legal advisor. (2) Appointment of other attorneys.—The Executive Director shall appoint other attorneys as may be necessary to—(A) assist the General Counsel; (B) represent the Council in court when appropriate, including enforcement of agreements with Federal agencies to which the Council is a party; (C) assist the Department of Justice in handling litigation concerning the Council in court; and (D) perform such other legal duties and functions as the Executive Director and the Council may direct. (c) Appointment and Compensation of Officers and Employees.—The Executive Director of the Council may appoint and fix the compensation of officers and employees in the competitive service who are necessary to perform the functions of the Council at rates not to exceed that prescribed for the highest rate for grade 15 of the General Schedule under section 5332 of title 5. The Executive Director, with the concurrence of the Chairman, may appoint and fix the compensation of not to exceed 5 employees in the competitive service at rates that exceed that prescribed for the highest rate established for grade 15 of the General Schedule under section 5332 of title 5 or in the Senior Executive Service under section 3393 of title 5. (d) Appointment and Compensation of Additional Personnel.—The Executive Director may appoint and fix the compensation of such additional personnel as may be necessary to carry out the Council’s duties, without regard to the civil service laws and chapter 51 and subchapter III of chapter 53 of title 5. (e) Expert and Consultant Services.—The Executive Director may procure expert and consultant services in accordance with section 3109 of title 5. (f) Financial and Administrative Services.—(1) Services to be provided by secretary, agency, or private entity.—Financial and administrative services (including those related to budgeting, accounting, financial reporting, personnel and procurement) shall be provided the Council by the Secretary or, at the discretion of the Council, another agency or private entity that reaches an agreement with the Council, for which payments shall be made in advance, or by reimbursement, from funds of the Council in such amounts as may be agreed on by the Chairman of the Council and the head of the agency or the authorized representative of the private entity that will provide the services. (2) Federal agency regulations relating to collection apply.—When a Federal agency affords those services, the regulations of that agency under section 5514(b) of title 5 for the collection of indebtedness of personnel resulting from erroneous payments shall apply to the collection of erroneous payments made to or on behalf of a Council employee, and regulations of that agency under sections 1513(d) and 1514 of title 31 for the administrative control of funds shall apply to appropriations of the Council. The Council shall not be required to prescribe those regulations. (g) Funds, Personnel, Facilities, and Services.—(1) Provided by federal agency.—Any Federal agency may provide the Council, with or without reimbursement as may be agreed on by the Chairman and the agency, with such funds, personnel, facilities, and services under its jurisdiction and control as may be needed by the Council to carry out its duties, to the extent that the funds, personnel, facilities, and services are requested by the Council and are otherwise available for that purpose. Any funds provided to the Council pursuant to this subsection shall be obligated by the end of the fiscal year following the fiscal year in which the funds are received by the Council. (2) Obtaining additional property, facilities, and services and receiving donations of money.—To the extent of available appropriations, the Council may obtain by purchase, rental, donation, or otherwise additional property, facilities, and services as may be needed to carry out its duties and may receive donations of money for that purpose. The Executive Director may accept, hold, use, expend, and administer the property, facilities, services, and money for the purposes of this division. (h) Rights, Benefits, and Privileges of Transferred Employees.—Any employee in the competitive service of the United States transferred to the Council under section 207 of the National Historic Preservation Act (Public Law 89–665) retains all the rights, benefits, and privileges pertaining to the competitive service held prior to the transfer. (i) Exemption From Chapter 10 of Title 5.—The Council is exempt from chapter 10 of title 5. (j) Provisions That Govern Operations of Council.—Subchapter II of chapter 5 and chapter 7 of title 5 shall govern the operations of the Council.

54 U.S.C. § 304106 International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property

(a) Authorization of Participation.—The participation of the United States as a member in the International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property is authorized. (b) Official Delegation.—The Council shall recommend to the Secretary of State, after consultation with the Smithsonian Institution and other public and private organizations concerned with the technical problems of preservation, the members of the official delegation that will participate in the activities of the International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property on behalf of the United States. The Secretary of State shall appoint the members of the official delegation from the persons recommended to the Secretary of State by the Council.

54 U.S.C. § 304107 Transmittal of legislative recommendations, testimony, or comments to any officer or agency of the United States prior to submission to Congress

No officer or agency of the United States shall have any authority to require the Council to submit its legislative recommendations, or testimony, or comments on legislation to any officer or agency of the United States for approval, comments, or review, prior to the submission of the recommendations, testimony, or comments to Congress. When the Council voluntarily seeks to obtain the comments or review of any officer or agency of the United States, the Council shall include a description of the actions in its legislative recommendations, testimony, or comments on legislation that it transmits to Congress.

54 U.S.C. § 304108 Regulations, procedures, and guidelines

(a) In General.—The Council may promulgate regulations as it considers necessary to govern the implementation of section 306108 of this title in its entirety. (b) Participation by Local Governments.—The Council shall by regulation establish such procedures as may be necessary to provide for participation by local governments in proceedings and other actions taken by the Council with respect to undertakings referred to in section 306108 of this title that affect the local governments. (c) Exemption for Federal Programs or Undertakings.—The Council, with the concurrence of the Secretary, shall promulgate regulations or guidelines, as appropriate, under which Federal programs or undertakings may be exempted from any or all of the requirements of this division when the exemption is determined to be consistent with the purposes of this division, taking into consideration the magnitude of the exempted undertaking or program and the likelihood of impairment of historic property.

54 U.S.C. § 304109 Budget submission

(a) Time and Manner of Submission.—The Council shall submit its budget annually as a related agency of the Department of the Interior. (b) Transmittal of Copies to Congressional Committees.—Whenever the Council submits any budget estimate or request to the President or the Office of Management and Budget, it shall concurrently transmit copies of that estimate or request to the Committee on Natural Resources and Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources and Committee on Appropriations of the Senate.

54 U.S.C. § 304110 Report by Secretary to Council

To assist the Council in discharging its responsibilities under this division, the Secretary at the request of the Chairman shall provide a report to the Council detailing the significance of any historic property, describing the effects of any proposed undertaking on the affected property, and recommending measures to avoid, minimize, or mitigate adverse effects.

54 U.S.C. § 304111 Reimbursements from State and local agencies

Subject to applicable conflict of interest laws, the Council may receive reimbursements from State and local agencies and others pursuant to agreements executed in furtherance of this division.

54 U.S.C. § 304112 Effectiveness of Federal grant and assistance programs

(a) Cooperative Agreements.—The Council may enter into a cooperative agreement with any Federal agency that administers a grant or assistance program for the purpose of improving the effectiveness of the administration of the program in meeting the purposes and policies of this division. The cooperative agreement may include provisions that modify the selection criteria for a grant or assistance program to further the purposes of this division or that allow the Council to participate in the selection of recipients, if those provisions are not inconsistent with the grant or assistance program’s statutory authorization and purpose. (b) Review of Grant and Assistance Programs.—The Council may—(1) review the operation of any Federal grant or assistance program to evaluate the effectiveness of the program in meeting the purposes and policies of this division; (2) make recommendations to the head of any Federal agency that administers the program to further the consistency of the program with the purposes and policies of this division and to improve its effectiveness in carrying out those purposes and policies; and (3) make recommendations to the President and Congress regarding the effectiveness of Federal grant and assistance programs in meeting the purposes and policies of this division, including recommendations with regard to appropriate funding levels.