16 U.S.C. § 6106 — Cooperation

(a) In carrying out this chapter, the Secretary^* must:

(1) Support and coordinate existing efforts to conserve neotropical migratory bird species by:

(A) helping people involved in those efforts hold meetings;

(B) promoting the exchange of information among those people;

(C) developing and entering into agreements with other Federal agencies; foreign, State, and local government agencies; and nongovernmental organizations; and

(D) conducting other activities the Secretary considers appropriate; and

(2) coordinate activities and projects under this chapter with existing efforts to improve conservation^* of neotropical migratory bird species. This section does not define the term "neotropical migratory bird species."

(b)(1) To help carry out this chapter, the Secretary may convene an advisory group made up of individuals representing public and private organizations actively involved in conserving neotropical migratory birds. As a whole, the advisory group must have expertise in the methods and procedures described in section 6103(2) of this title for each country and region of the Western Hemisphere.

(b)(2)(A) The advisory group must:

(i) ensure that each advisory-group meeting is open to the public; and

(ii) at each meeting, provide interested persons an opportunity to present oral or written statements about items on the agenda.

(b)(2)(B) The Secretary must give the public timely notice of each advisory-group meeting.

(b)(2)(C) The Secretary must keep minutes of each advisory-group meeting and make them available to the public.

(b)(3) Chapter 10 of title 5 does not apply to the advisory group.

(c) No later than 180 days after April 24, 2024, the Secretary must submit to the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works and the House of Representatives Committee on Natural Resources a report describing how the Secretary implemented subsection (b). If applicable, the report must describe the composition of the advisory group convened under paragraph (1) of that subsection.