38 U.S.C. § 548 — Advisory Committee on United States Outlying Areas and Freely Associated States

(a) Establishment. The Secretary^* must establish an advisory committee called the “Advisory Committee on United States Outlying Areas and Freely Associated States.” It advises and guides the Secretary about matters involving “covered veterans.” This section does not otherwise define “advises and guides.”

(b) Duties. The Committee must:
(1) advise the Secretary about covered veterans, including ways the Department^* can improve its programs and services for them;
(2) identify new or changing issues important to covered veterans;
(3) suggest clarifications, recommendations, and solutions for issues raised by covered veterans;
(4) provide a place where covered veterans, veterans service organizations serving covered veterans, and the Department can discuss issues and proposed changes to Department regulations, policies, and procedures;
(5) identify priorities and advise the Secretary about suitable ways to consult veterans service organizations serving covered veterans;
(6) encourage the Secretary to work with other Federal departments and agencies and with Congress so covered veterans receive all benefits of being covered veterans;
(7) point out covered veterans’ contributions to the Armed Forces^*; and
(8) perform other duties the Secretary considers appropriate.

(c) Membership.
(1) The Committee must have 15 voting members appointed by the Secretary.
(2) When appointing them, the Secretary must ensure that:
(A) at least one member represents covered veterans in each of these areas: (i) American Samoa; (ii) Guam; (iii) Puerto Rico; (iv) the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands; (v) the Virgin Islands of the United States; (vi) the Federated States of Micronesia; (vii) the Republic of the Marshall Islands; and (viii) the Republic of Palau;
(B) at least half the appointed members are covered veterans, unless the Secretary decides that too few qualified covered veterans are available; and
(C) every appointed member lives in one of the areas listed in subparagraph (A).
(3) The Secretary may consult any Member of Congress who represents one of those areas when making appointments.
(4) Besides the appointed members, the Committee must include ex officio members appointed by the Secretary of State^* and the Secretary of the Interior from their respective Department employees.

(d) Terms; vacancies.
(1) A member serves a two-year term and may be appointed again for one additional two-year term.
(2) Within 180 days after the Secretary—or, for an ex officio member, the Secretary of State or Secretary of the Interior—receives notice of a vacancy, the vacancy must be filled in the same way as the original appointment.

(e) Meeting format and frequency.
(1) Unless paragraph (2) applies, the Committee must meet in person with the Secretary at least once each year and hold monthly conference calls as needed.
(2) A meeting under paragraph (1) may be virtual if necessary because of Department protocols or timing and budget considerations.

(f) Additional representation.
(1) Representatives of relevant Federal departments and agencies may attend meetings and give the Committee information.
(2) One Department representative must attend every meeting.
(3) These representatives are not voting members and may not receive extra pay for Committee-related services.

(g) Subcommittees.
(1) The Committee may establish subcommittees.
(2) After consulting the Committee, the Secretary may appoint to a subcommittee someone who is not a Committee member.
(3) A subcommittee may improve the Committee’s work, but it may not replace the Committee’s authority or give direct advice or work products to the Secretary.

(h) Reports.
(1) At least once every two years, the Committee must send the Secretary and the appropriate congressional committees a report containing any recommendations for legislative or administrative action and describing the Committee’s activities during the prior two years.
(2) Within 120 days after receiving that report, the Secretary must send the appropriate congressional committees a written response after giving the Committee a chance to review it and including any comments the Committee considers appropriate.
(3) The Secretary must post on a Department internet website every report received under paragraph (1) and every written response submitted under paragraph (2).

(i) Committee personnel matters. A member must be allowed travel expenses, including daily living expenses instead of subsistence, at the rates authorized for an agency employee under subchapter I of chapter 57 of title 5 while away from home or the member’s regular business place performing Committee duties.

(j) Consultation. In carrying out this section, the Secretary must consult veterans service organizations serving covered veterans.

(k) Termination. The Committee ends 10 years after the date this section was enacted.

(l) Definitions.
(1) “Appropriate congressional committees” means the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs and the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.
(2) “Committee” means the Advisory Committee on United States Outlying Areas and Freely Associated States established under subsection (a).
(3) “Covered veteran^*” means a veteran living in an area listed in subsection (c)(2)(A).
(4) “Veterans service organization serving covered veterans” means an organization that serves covered veterans’ interests, has covered veterans in substantive and policymaking positions, and has shown experience working with covered veterans.