80 FR 12621 - Office of the Secretary

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 46 (March 10, 2015)

The Department of Defense (DoD) is publishing this notice to announce that it is renewing the charter for the National Security Education Board (``the Board'').

[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 46 (Tuesday, March 10, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 12621-12623]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2015-05499]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE


Office of the Secretary

Renewal of Department of Defense Federal Advisory Committees

AGENCY: DoD.

ACTION: Renewal of Federal Advisory Committee.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Defense (DoD) is publishing this notice to 
announce that it is renewing the charter for the National Security 
Education Board (``the Board'').

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jim Freeman, Advisory Committee

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Management Officer for the Department of Defense, 703-692-5952.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This committee's charter is being renewed 
pursuant to 50 U.S.C. 1903, and in accordance with the Federal Advisory 
Committee Act (FACA) of 1972 (5 U.S.C., Appendix, as amended) and 41 
CFR 102-3.50(a), established the Board.The Board is a statutory Federal 
advisory committee that provides independent advice and recommendations 
to the Secretary of Defense on developing the national capacity to 
educate United States citizens to understand foreign cultures, 
strengthen United States economic competitiveness, and enhance 
international cooperation and security. The Board, pursuant to 50 
U.S.C. 1930(d) and consistent with chapter 37 of 50 U.S.C., shall 
perform the following:
    (a.) Develop criteria for awarding scholarships, fellowships, and 
grants, including an order of priority in such awards that favors 
individuals expressing an interest in national security issues or 
pursuing a career in a national security position.
    (b.) Provide for wide dissemination of information regarding the 
activities under the statute.
    (c.) Establish qualifications for students desiring scholarships or 
fellowships, and institutions of higher education desiring grants. In 
case of students desiring a scholarship or fellowship, a requirement 
that the student have a demonstrated commitment to the study of the 
discipline for which the scholarship or fellowship is to be awarded.
    (d.) After taking into account the annual analyses of trends in 
language, international, area, and counter-proliferations studies under 
50 U.S.C. 1906(b)(1), make recommendations to the Secretary of Defense 
regarding:
    (i.) Which countries are not emphasized in other U.S. study abroad 
programs, such as countries in which few U.S. students are studying and 
countries which are of importance to the national security interests of 
the United States and are, therefore, critical countries for the 
purpose of 50 U.S.C. 1902(a)(1)(A);
    (ii.) Which areas within the disciplines described in 50 U.S.C. 
1902(1)(B) relating to the national security interests of the United 
States are areas of study in which United States students are deficient 
in learning and are, therefore, critical areas within those disciplines 
for the purposes of that section;
    (iii.) Which areas within the disciplines described in 50 U.S.C. 
1902(a)(1)(C) are areas in which United States students, educators, and 
Government employees are deficient in learning and in which 
insubstantial numbers of United States institutions of higher education 
provide training and are, therefore, critical areas within those 
disciplines for the purposes of that section;
    (iv.) How students desiring scholarships or fellowships can be 
encouraged to work for an agency or office of the Federal Government 
involved in national security affairs or national security policy upon 
completion of their education; and
    (v.) Which foreign languages are critical to the national security 
interests of the United States for purposes of 50 U.S.C. 1902(a)(1)(D) 
(relating to grants for the National Flagship Language Initiative) and 
50 U.S.C. 1902(a)(1)(E) (relating to the scholarship program for 
advanced English language studies by heritage community citizens).
    (e.) Encourage application for fellowships from graduate students 
having an educational background in any academic discipline, 
particularly in the areas of science or technology.
    (f.) Provide the Secretary of Defense with a list of scholarship 
recipients and fellowship recipients biennially, including an 
assessment of their foreign area and language skills, who are available 
to work in a national security position.
    (g.) Provide the Secretary of Defense a report fully describing the 
foreign area and language skills obtained by the recipient as a result 
of the assistance, not later than 30 days after a scholarship or 
fellowship recipient completes the study or education for which 
assistance was provided under the Program.
    (h.) Review the administration of the National Security 
Scholarships, Fellowships, and Grants Program.
    (i.) To the extent provided by the Secretary of Defense, oversee 
and coordinate the activities of the National Language Service Corps 
(NLSC) under 50 U.S.C. 1913, including:
    (i.) Assessing on a periodic basis whether the NLSC is addressing 
the needs identified by the heads of departments and agencies of the 
Federal Government for personnel with skills in various foreign 
languages;
    (ii.) Recommending plans for the NLSC to address foreign language 
shortfalls and requirements of the departments and agencies of the 
Federal Government;
    (iii.) Recommending effective ways to increase public awareness of 
the need for foreign languages skills and career paths in the Federal 
Government that use those skills; and
    (iv.) Overseeing the NLSC efforts to work with Executive agencies 
and State and Local governments to respond to interagency plans and 
agreements to address overall foreign language shortfalls and to 
utilize personnel to address the various types of crises that warrant 
foreign language skills.
    The Board reports to the Secretary of Defense. The Secretary of 
Defense, pursuant to 50 U.S.C. 1906, shall submit to the President and 
to the Congressional intelligence committees an annual report of the 
conduct of the National Security Scholarships, Fellowships and Grants 
Program, which contains, at a minimum, the content outlined in 50 
U.S.C. 1906(b). In preparation of this annual report, the Secretary of 
Defense shall consult with the members of the Board, who shall each 
submit to the Secretary, as a minimum, an assessment of hiring needs in 
the areas of language and area studies, and projection of the 
deficiencies in such areas. The Secretary shall include all assessments 
in the annual report.
    The Department of Defense (DoD), through the Under Secretary of 
Defense for Personnel and Readiness (USD(P&R)), provides support, as 
deemed necessary, for the Board's performance and functions and ensures 
compliance with the requirements of the FACA, the Government in the 
Sunshine Act of 1976 (5 U.S.C. 552b, as amended) (``the Sunshine 
Act''), governing Federal statutes and regulations, and established DoD 
policies and procedures. Under the provisions of 50 U.S.C. 1903(b), the 
Board is composed of 14 members:
    (a.) The following individuals or the representatives of such 
individuals:
    (i.) The Secretary of Defense, who shall serve as the Chairman of 
the Board.
    (ii.) The Secretary of Education.
    (iii.) The Secretary of State.
    (iv.) The Secretary of Commerce.
    (v.) The Secretary of Homeland Security.
    (vi.) The Secretary of Energy.
    (vii.) The Director of the National Intelligence.
    (viii.) The Chairperson of the National Endowment for the 
Humanities.
    (b.) Six individuals appointed by the President, who shall be 
experts in the fields of international, language, area, and counter-
proliferation studies education and who may not be officers or 
employees of the Federal Government.
    Members of the Board appointed by the President shall be appointed 
for a period specified by the President at the time of their 
appointment, but not to exceed four years. Consistent with 50

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U.S.C. 1903, the Secretary of Defense designates the USD(P&R) as the 
Chairperson of the Board. If the USD(P&R) is unavailable to chair a 
specific session of the Board, then the Assistant Secretary of Defense 
for Personnel and Force Management shall perform the functions of the 
Chairperson of the Board while the USD(P&R) is unavailable. The 
authority to chair the Board may not be further delegated.
    Board members, who are not full-time or permanent part-time Federal 
officers or employees, will be appointed as experts or consultants 
pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 3109 to serve as special government employee (SGE) 
members. Board members who are full-time or permanent part-time Federal 
officers or employees shall be appointed pursuant to 41 CFR 102-
3.130(a) to serve as regular government employee (RGE) members. Each 
member of the Board is appointed to provide advice on behalf of the 
Government on the basis of his or her best judgment without 
representing any particular point of view and in a manner that is free 
from conflict of interest. Pursuant to 50 U.S.C. 1903(c), individuals 
appointed by the President shall receive no compensation for service on 
the Board. With the exception of reimbursement of official Board-
related travel and per diem, Board members shall serve without 
compensation.
    The Department, when necessary and consistent with the Board's 
mission and DoD policies and procedures, may establish subcommittees, 
task forces, or working groups to support the Board. Establishment of 
subcommittees will be based upon a written determination, to include 
terms of reference, by the Secretary of Defense, the Deputy Secretary 
of Defense, or USD(P&R), as the Board's sponsor.
    Such subcommittees shall not work independently of the Board and 
shall report all of their recommendations and advice solely to the 
Board for full and open deliberation and discussion. Subcommittees, 
task forces, or working groups have no authority to make decisions and 
recommendations, verbally or in writing, on behalf of the Board, 
directly to the DoD or any Federal officers or employees.
    The Secretary of Defense or the Deputy Secretary of Defense will 
appoint subcommittee members to a term of service of one-to-four years, 
with annual renewals, even if the member in question is already a 
member of the Board.
    Subcommittee members, if not full-time or permanent part-time 
Federal employees, will be appointed as experts or consultants pursuant 
to 5 U.S.C. 3109, to serve as SGE members. Those individuals who are 
full-time or permanent part-time Federal officers or employees shall be 
appointed, pursuant to 41 CFR 102-3.130(a), to serve as RGE members. 
With the exception of reimbursement of official Board-related travel 
and per diem, subcommittee members shall serve without compensation.
    All subcommittees operate under the provisions of FACA, the 
Sunshine Act, governing Federal statutes and regulations, and governing 
DoD policies and procedures. The Board's Designated Federal Officer 
(DFO) shall be a full-time or permanent part-time DoD employee 
appointed in accordance with governing DoD policies and procedures. The 
Board's DFO is required to be in attendance at all meetings of the 
Board and its subcommittees for the entire duration of each and every 
meeting. However, in the absence of the Board's DFO, a properly 
approved Alternate DFO, duly appointed to the Board according to 
established DoD policies and procedures, shall attend the entire 
duration of all meetings of the Board and its subcommittees.
    The DFO, or the Alternate DFO, shall call all meetings of the Board 
and its subcommittees; prepare and approve all meeting agendas; and 
adjourn any meeting when the DFO, or the Alternate DFO, determines 
adjournment to be in the public interest or required by governing 
regulations or DoD policies and procedures.
    Pursuant to 41 CFR 102-3.105(j) and 102-3.140, the public or 
interested organizations may submit written statements to National 
Security Education Board membership about the Board's mission and 
functions. Written statements may be submitted at any time or in 
response to the stated agenda of planned meeting of the National 
Security Education Board.
    All written statements shall be submitted to the DFO for the 
National Security Education Board, and this individual will ensure that 
the written statements are provided to the membership for their 
consideration. Contact information for the National Security Education 
Board DFO can be obtained from the GSA's FACA Database--http://www.facadatabase.gov/.
    The DFO, pursuant to 41 CFR 102-3.150, will announce planned 
meetings of the National Security Education Board. The DFO, at that 
time, may provide additional guidance on the submission of written 
statements that are in response to the stated agenda for the planned 
meeting in question.

    Dated: March 4, 2015.
Aaron Siegel,
Alternate OSD Federal Register Liaison Officer, Department of Defense.
[FR Doc. 2015-05499 Filed 3-9-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 5001-06-P