"(d) ADVISORY COUNCIL. "(1) ESTABLISHMENT.-There shall be an advisory council to the board of governors. "(2) MEMBERSHIP; APPOINTMENT BY PRESIDENT.— “(A) IN GENERAL.-The advisory council shall be composed of no fewer than 8 and no more than 10 members, each of whom shall be appointed by the President from principal officers of the executive departments and senior officers of the Armed Forces whose positions and interests qualify them to contribute to carrying out the programs and purposes of the corporation. "(B) MEMBERS FROM THE ARMED FORCES.-At least 1, but not more than 3, of the members of the advisory council shall be selected from the Armed Forces. "(3) DUTIES.-The advisory council shall advise, report directly to, and meet, at least 1 time per year with the board of governors, and shall have such name, functions and be subject to such procedures as may be provided in the bylaws. "(e) ACTION WITHOUT MEETING.-Any action required or permitted to be taken at any meeting of the board of governors or of any committee thereof may be taken without a meeting if all members of the board or committee, as the case may be, consent thereto in writing, or by electronic transmission and the writing or writings or electronic transmission or transmissions are filed with the minutes of proceedings of the board or committee. Such filing shall be in paper form if the minutes are maintained in paper form and shall be in electronic form if the minutes are maintained in electronic form. "(f) VOTING BY PROXY. "(1) IN GENERAL.-Voting by proxy is not allowed at any meeting of the board, at the annual meeting, or at any meeting of a chapter. "(2) EXCEPTION.-The board may allow the election of governors by proxy during any emergency. "(g) BYLAWS. "(1) IN GENERAL.-The board of governors may "(A) at any time adopt bylaws; and "(B) at any time adopt bylaws to be effective only in an emergency. "(2) EMERGENCY BYLAWS.-Any bylaws adopted pursuant to paragraph (1)(B) may provide special procedures necessary for managing the corporation during the emergency. All provisions of the regular bylaws consistent with the emergency bylaws remain effective during the emergency. "(h) DEFINITIONS.-For purposes of this section— "(1) the term 'entire board' means the total number of members of the board of governors that the corporation would have if there were no vacancies; and "(2) the term 'emergency' shall have such meaning as may be provided in the bylaws.". SEC. 7. POWERS. Subsection (a)(1) of section 300105 of title 36, United States Code, is amended by striking "bylaws" and inserting "policies". SEC. 8. ANNUAL MEETING. Section 300107 of title 36, United States Code, is amended to read as follows: "§ 300107. Annual meeting "(a) IN GENERAL.-The annual meeting of the corporation is the annual meeting of delegates of the chapters. "(b) TIME OF MEETING.-The annual meeting shall be held as determined by the board of governors. "(c) PLACE OF MEETING.-The board of governors is authorized to determine that the annual meeting shall not be held at any place, but may instead be held solely by means of remote communication subject to such procedures as are provided in the bylaws. "(d) VOTING. "(1) IN GENERAL.-In matters requiring a vote at the annual meeting, each chapter is entitled to at least 1 vote, and voting on all matters may be conducted by mail, telephone, telegram, cablegram, electronic mail, or any other means of electronic or telephone transmission, provided that the person voting shall state, or submit information from which it can be determined, that the method of voting chosen was authorized by such person. "(2) ESTABLISHMENT OF NUMBER OF VOTES.— "(A) IN GENERAL.-The board of governors shall determine on an equitable basis the number of votes that each chapter is entitled to cast, taking into consideration the size of the membership of the chapters, the populations served by the chapters, and such other factors as may be determined by the board. "(B) PERIODIC REVIEW.-The board of governors shall review the allocation of votes at least every 5 years.". SEC. 9. ENDOWMENT FUND. Section 300109 of title 36, United States Code, is amended SEC. 10. ANNUAL REPORT AND AUDIT. Subsection (a) of section 300110 of title 36, United States Code, is amended to read as follows: "(a) SUBMISSION OF REPORT.-As soon as practicable after the end of the corporation's fiscal year, which may be changed from time to time by the board of governors, the corporation shall submit a report to the Secretary of Defense on the activities of the corporation during such fiscal year, including a complete, itemized report of all receipts and expenditures.". SEC. 11. COMPTROLLER GENERAL OF THE UNITED STATES AND OFFICE OF THE OMBUDSMAN. (a) IN GENERAL.-Chapter 3001 of title 36, United States Code, is amended by redesignating section 300111 as section 300113 and by inserting after section 300110 the following new sections: "§ 300111. Authority of the Comptroller General of the United States "The Comptroller General of the United States is authorized to review the corporation's involvement in any Federal program or activity the Government carries out under law. "S300112. Office of the Ombudsman "(a) ESTABLISHMENT.-The corporation shall establish an Office of the Ombudsman with such duties and responsibilities as may be provided in the bylaws or a resolution of the board of governors. "(b) REPORT.— "(1) IN GENERAL.-The Office of the Ombudsman shall submit annually to the appropriate Congressional committees a report concerning any trends and systemic matters that the Office of the Ombudsman has identified as confronting the corporation. "(2) APPROPRIATE CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEES.-For purposes of paragraph (1), the appropriate Congressional committees are the following committees of Congress: "(A) SENATE COMMITTEES.-The appropriate Congressional committees of the Senate are "(i) the Committee on Finance; "(ii) the Committee on Foreign Relations; "(iii) the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions; "(iv) the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs; and "(v) the Committee on the Judiciary. "(B) HOUSE COMMITTEES.-The appropriate Congressional committees of the House of Representatives are"(i) the Committee on Energy and Commerce; "(ii) the Committee on Foreign Affairs; "(iii) the Committee on Homeland Security; "(iv) the Committee on the Judiciary; and "(v) the Committee on Ways and Means.". (b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.-The table of sections for chapter 3001 of title 36, United States Code, is amended by striking the item relating to section 300111 and inserting the following: "300111. Authority of the Comptroller General of the United States. "300112. Office of the Ombudsman. "300113. Reservation of right to amend or repeal.". Approved May 11, 2007. LEGISLATIVE HISTORY-H.R. 1681 (S. 655): HOUSE REPORTS: No. 110-87 (Comm. on Foreign Affairs). Apr. 17, considered and passed House. Public Law 110-27 110th Congress An Act To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 5757 Tilton Avenue in Riverside, California, as the "Lieutenant Todd Jason Bryant Post Office". Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. LIEUTENANT TODD JASON BRYANT POST OFFICE. (a) DESIGNATION.-The facility of the United States Postal Service located at 5757 Tilton Avenue in Riverside, California, shall be known and designated as the "Lieutenant Todd Jason Bryant Post Office". (b) REFERENCES.-Any reference in a law, map, regulation, document, paper, or other record of the United States to the facility referred to in subsection (a) shall be deemed to be a reference to the "Lieutenant Todd Jason Bryant Post Office". Approved May 25, 2007. May 25, 2007 [H.R. 988] LEGISLATIVE HISTORY-H.R. 988: CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 153 (2007): May 25, 2007 [H.R. 2206] U.S. Troop Veterans' Care, Katrina Recovery, and Iraq Public Law 110-28 110th Congress An Act Making emergency supplemental appropriations and additional supplemental appropriations for agricultural and other emergency assistance for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2007, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the "U.S. Troop Readiness, Veterans' Care, Katrina Recovery, and Iraq Accountability Appropriations Act, 2007". SEC. 2. TABLE OF CONTENTS. The table of contents for this Act is as follows: TITLE I-SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS FOR DEFENSE, INTER NATIONAL AFFAIRS, AND OTHER SECURITY-RELATED NEEDS TITLE II-HURRICANE KATRINA RECOVERY TITLE III-ADDITIONAL DEFENSE, INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS, AND HOME- TITLE IV-ADDITIONAL HURRICANE DISASTER RELIEF AND RECOVERY TITLE VI-OTHER MATTERS TITLE VII-ELIMINATION OF SCHIP SHORTFALL AND OTHER HEALTH TITLE VIII-FAIR MINIMUM WAGE AND TAX RELIEF TITLE IX-AGRICULTURAL ASSISTANCE TITLE X-GENERAL PROVISIONS SEC. 3. STATEMENT OF APPROPRIATIONS. The following sums in this Act are appropriated, out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2007. |