2 U.S.C. § 473 — Technology Assessment Board

submitted 54 years ago by Pub. L. 92-484 to r/title-2-THE-CONGRESS · 418 words · no verdicts yet

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The Technology Assessment Board has thirteen members. Six are senators, six are representatives, and one is the non-voting Director. Party seats split evenly, and the chair alternates between the House and Senate each Congress.

(a) Membership -- The Board has thirteen members: (1) six Senators, appointed by the President pro tempore of the Senate -- three from the majority party and three from the minority party; (2) six members of the House of Representatives, appointed by the Speaker -- again three from the majority and three from the minority party; and (3) the Director, who cannot vote. (b) Execution of functions during vacancies; filling of vacancies -- If a seat on the Board is empty, the other members can still carry out the Board's work. Empty seats get filled the same way the original appointment was made. (c) Chairman and vice chairman; selection procedure -- At the start of each Congress, the Board picks a chairman and vice chairman from among its members. The vice chairman fills in for the chairman when the chairman is absent. The chairman and vice chairman roles switch between the Senate and House every Congress. In each even-numbered Congress, the House members on the Board choose the chairman from among themselves. Whichever chamber didn't provide the chairman chooses the vice chairman the same way. (d) Meetings; powers of Board -- The Board can meet and act wherever and whenever it wants, during Congress's sessions, recesses, and adjournments. With a majority vote, it can subpoena witnesses and documents, swear people in, take testimony, arrange printing and binding, and spend money as it sees fit. The Board can make its own rules for how it's organized and how it operates, except that it can't issue any recommendation unless a majority of the Board agrees. The chairman, or any voting member the chairman or Board picks, can sign subpoenas, and whoever the chairman names can serve them. The chairman or any voting member can also swear in witnesses.

the actual law source: uscode.house.gov ↗public domain

(a) Membership

The Board shall consist of thirteen members as follows:

(1)

six Members of the Senate, appointed by the President pro tempore of the Senate, three from the majority party and three from the minority party;

(2)

six Members of the House of Representatives appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, three from the majority party and three from the minority party; and

(3)

the Director, who shall not be a voting member.

(b) Execution of functions during vacancies; filling of vacancies

Vacancies in the membership of the Board shall not affect the power of the remaining members to execute the functions of the Board and shall be filled in the same manner as in the case of the original appointment.

The Board shall select a chairman and a vice chairman from among its members at the beginning of each Congress. The vice chairman shall act in the place and stead of the chairman in the absence of the chairman. The chairmanship and the vice chairmanship shall alternate between the Senate and the House of Representatives with each Congress. The chairman during each even-numbered Congress shall be selected by the Members of the House of Representatives on the Board from among their number. The vice chairman during each Congress shall be chosen in the same manner from that House of Congress other than the House of Congress of which the chairman is a Member.

(d) Meetings; powers of Board

The Board is authorized to sit and act at such places and times during the sessions, recesses, and adjourned periods of Congress, and upon a vote of a majority of its members, to require by subpena or otherwise the attendance of such witnesses and the production of such books, papers, and documents, to administer such oaths and affirmations, to take such testimony, to procure such printing and binding, and to make such expenditures, as it deems advisable. The Board may make such rules respecting its organization and procedures as it deems necessary, except that no recommendation shall be reported from the Board unless a majority of the Board assent. Subpenas may be issued over the signature of the chairman of the Board or of any voting member designated by him or by the Board, and may be served by such person or persons as may be designated by such chairman or member. The chairman of the Board or any voting member thereof may administer oaths or affirmations to witnesses.

Source credit: (Pub. L. 92–484, § 4, Oct. 13, 1972, 86 Stat. 798.)

history & why it existsrecord from the source credit

1972Enacted · Pub. L. 92-484 · 86 Stat. 798

A history note hasn’t been published yet. The record shows enactment by Pub. L. 92-484 on 1972-10-13.

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