(b) Duties The panel shall advise the Secretary and the Director concerning
(1) applications or proposals for, and performance under, grants and contracts awarded under section
1124 of this title;
(2) the sea grant fellowship program;
(3) the designation and operation of sea grant colleges and sea grant institutes, and the operation of sea grant programs;
(4) the formulation and application of the planning guidelines and priorities under section
1123 (a) and (c)(1) of this title; and
(5) such other matters as the Secretary refers to the panel for review and advice.
The Secretary shall make available to the panel such information, personnel, and administrative services and assistance as it may reasonably require to carry out its duties.
(c) Membership, terms, and powers
(1) The panel shall consist of 15 voting members who shall be appointed by the Secretary. The Director and a director of a sea grant program who is elected by the various directors of sea grant programs shall serve as nonvoting members of the panel. Not less than 8 of the voting members of the panel shall be individuals who, by reason of knowledge, experience, or training, are especially qualified in one or more of the disciplines and fields included in marine science. The other voting members shall be individuals who, by reason of knowledge, experience, or training, are especially qualified in, or representative of, education, marine affairs and resource management, extension services, State government, industry, economics, planning, or any other activity which is appropriate to, and important for, any effort to enhance the understanding, assessment, development, utilization, or conservation of ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes resources. No individual is eligible to be a voting member of the panel if the individual is
(A) the director of a sea grant college or sea grant institute;
(B) an applicant for, or beneficiary (as determined by the Secretary) of, any grant or contract under section
1124 of this title; or
(C) a full-time officer or employee of the United States.
(2) The term of office of a voting member of the panel shall be 3 years for a member appointed before November 26, 2002, and 4 years for a member appointed or reappointed after November 26, 2002. The Director may extend the term of office of a voting member of the panel appointed before November 26, 2002, by up to 1 year. At least once each year, the Secretary shall publish a notice in the Federal Register soliciting nominations for membership on the panel.
(3) Any individual appointed to a partial or full term may be reappointed for one additional full term. A voting member may serve after the date of the expiration of the term of office for which appointed until his or her successor has taken office.
(4) The panel shall select one voting member to serve as the Chairman and another voting member to serve as the Vice Chairman. The Vice Chairman shall act as Chairman in the absence or incapacity of the Chairman.
(5) Voting members of the panel shall
(A) receive compensation at a rate established by the Secretary, not to exceed the maximum daily rate payable under section
5376 of title
5, when actually engaged in the performance of duties for such panel; and
(B) be reimbursed for actual and reasonable expenses incurred in the performance of such duties.
(6) The panel shall meet on a biannual basis and, at any other time, at the call of the Chairman or upon the request of a majority of the voting members or of the Director.
(7) The panel may exercise such powers as are reasonably necessary in order to carry out its duties under subsection (b) of this section.
