The Secretary shall appoint a Committee on Mining and Mineral Resources Research composed of—

(1) the Assistant Secretary of the Interior responsible for minerals and mining research, or his delegate;

(2) the Director, United States Bureau of Mines, or his delegate;

(3) the Director, United States Geological Survey, or his delegate;

(4) the Director of the National Science Foundation, or his delegate;

(5) the President, National Academy of Sciences, or his delegate;

(6) the President, National Academy of Engineering, or his delegate; and

(7) not more than 7 other persons who are knowledgeable in the fields of mining and mineral resources research, including two university administrators involved in the conduct of programs authorized by this subchapter, 3 representatives from the mining industry, a working miner, and a representative from the conservation community. In making these 7 appointments, the Secretary shall consult with interested groups.

The Committee shall consult with, and make recommendations to, the Secretary on all matters relating to mining and mineral resources research and the determinations that are required to be made under this subchapter. The Secretary shall consult with, and consider recommendations of, such Committee in such matters.

Committee members, other than officers or employees of Federal, State, or local governments, shall be, for each day (including traveltime) during which they are performing Committee business, paid at a rate fixed by the Secretary but not [1] excess of the daily equivalent of the maximum rate of pay for grade GS–18 of the General Schedule under section 5332 of title 5, and shall be fully reimbursed for travel, subsistence, and related expenses.

The Committee shall be jointly chaired by the Assistant Secretary of the Interior responsible for minerals and mining and a person to be elected by the Committee from among the members referred to in paragraphs (5), (6), and (7) of subsection (a) of this section.

The Committee shall develop a national plan for research in mining and mineral resources, considering ongoing efforts in the universities, the Federal Government, and the private sector, and shall formulate and recommend a program to implement the plan utilizing resources provided for under this subchapter. The Committee shall submit such plan to the Secretary, the President, and the Congress on or before March 1, 1986, and shall submit an annual update of such plan by January 15 of each calendar year.

Section 10 of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.) shall not apply to the Committee.

(Pub. L. 98–409, § 9, Aug. 29, 1984, 98 Stat. 1540; Pub. L. 100–483, §§ 8, 9, Oct. 12, 1988, 102 Stat. 2340; Pub. L. 102–285, § 10(b), May 18, 1992, 106 Stat. 172.)