The Administrator of the Transportation Security Administration (referred to in this section as “Administrator”) shall establish within the Transportation Security Administration the Surface Transportation Security Advisory Committee (referred to in this section as the “Advisory Committee”).
The Advisory Committee may advise, consult with, report to, and make recommendations to the Administrator on surface transportation security matters, including the development, refinement, and implementation of policies, programs, initiatives, rulemakings, and security directives pertaining to surface transportation security.
The members of the Advisory Committee shall not receive any compensation from the Government by reason of their service on the Advisory Committee.
The Administrator shall require the Advisory Committee to meet at least semiannually in person or through web conferencing and may convene additional meetings as necessary.
The Advisory Committee shall maintain a record of the persons present at each meeting.
Not later than 60 days after the date on which a voting member is appointed to the Advisory Committee and before that voting member may be granted any access to classified information or sensitive security information, the Administrator shall determine if the voting member should be restricted from reviewing, discussing, or possessing classified information or sensitive security information.
If a voting member is not restricted from reviewing, discussing, or possessing sensitive security information under subparagraph (A) and voluntarily signs a nondisclosure agreement, the voting member may be granted access to sensitive security information that is relevant to the voting member’s service on the Advisory Committee.
Access to classified materials shall be managed in accordance with Executive Order 13526 of December 29, 2009 (75 Fed. Reg. 707), or any subsequent corresponding Executive order.
Voting members shall protect sensitive security information in accordance with part 1520 of title 49, Code of Federal Regulations.
The Advisory Committee shall periodically submit reports to the Administrator on matters requested by the Administrator or by a majority of the members of the Advisory Committee.
The Advisory Committee shall submit to the Administrator and the appropriate congressional committees an annual report that provides information on the activities, findings, and recommendations of the Advisory Committee during the preceding year.
Not later than 6 months after the date that the Administrator receives an annual report under subparagraph (A), the Administrator shall publish a public version of the report, in accordance with section 552a(b) of title 5.
The Administrator shall consider the information, advice, and recommendations of the Advisory Committee in formulating policies, programs, initiatives, rulemakings, and security directives pertaining to surface transportation security.
Not later than 90 days after the date the Administrator receives a recommendation from the Advisory Committee under subsection (d)(2) that the Administrator agrees with, and quarterly thereafter until the recommendation is fully implemented, the Administrator shall submit a report to the appropriate congressional committees or post on the public website under paragraph (5) an update on the status of the recommendation.
The Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.) [1] shall not apply to the Advisory Committee or any subcommittee established under this section.