Federal Register, Volume 79 Issue 80 (Friday, April 25, 2014)

[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 80 (Friday, April 25, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 22953-22954]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-09408]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Office of the Secretary


Federal Advisory Committee; Response Systems to Adult Sexual 
Assault Crimes Panel; Charter Amendment

AGENCY: DoD.

ACTION: Charter amendment.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Defense (DoD) is publishing this notice to 
announce that it is amending the charter for the Response Systems to 
Adult Sexual Assault Crimes Panel (``the Panel'').

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jim Freeman, Advisory Committee 
Management Officer for the DoD, 703-692-5952.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This Panel's charter is being amended under 
the provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act of 1972 (5 U.S.C. 
Appendix, as amended), the Government in the Sunshine Act of 1976 (5 
U.S.C. 552b) (``the Sunshine Act''), and 41 CFR 102-3.50(d).
    The Panel is a discretionary Federal advisory committee that shall 
provide the Committees on the Armed Services of the Senate and the 
House of Representatives, through the General Counsel of the DoD and 
the Secretary of Defense, a report of its findings and recommendations. 
The Panel will conduct an independent review and assessment of the 
systems used to investigate, prosecute, and adjudicate crimes involving 
adult sexual assault and related offenses, under 10 U.S.C. 920 (Article 
120, Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ)), for the purpose of 
developing recommendations regarding how to improve the effectiveness 
of such systems. Additionally, Section 1731(a) of the National Defense 
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2014 (``the FY 2014 NDAA'') (Pub. L. 
113-66) established additional tasks.
    Pursuant to Section 576(b)(1)(A) of the FY 2013 NDAA, the Panel 
shall be comprised of nine members, five of whom are appointed by the 
Secretary of Defense and one member each appointed by the Chairmen and 
Ranking Members of the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and 
the House of Representatives, respectively.
    The members shall be selected from among private United States 
citizens, who collectively possess expertise in military law, civilian 
law, the investigation, prosecution, and adjudication of sexual 
assaults in Federal and State criminal courts, victim advocacy, 
treatment for victims, military justice, the organization and missions 
of the Armed Forces, and offenses relating to rape, sexual assault, and 
other adult sexual assault crimes. The chair shall be appointed by the 
Secretary of Defense from among the members of the Panel. Members shall 
be appointed for the life of the Panel. Any vacancy in the Panel shall 
be filled in the same manner as the original appointment. Members of 
the Panel, who were appointed by the Secretary of Defense, shall be 
appointed as experts or consultants, under the authority of 5 U.S.C. 
3109, to serve as special government employee (SGE) members.
    Panel members shall, with the exception of travel and per diem for 
official travel, serve without compensation, unless authorized by the 
Secretary of Defense.
    Each Panel member is appointed to provide advice to 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.
    The Department, when necessary and consistent with the Panel's 
mission, may establish subcommittees, task forces, and working groups. 
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 the Office of the General 
Counsel of the DoD.
    These subcommittees shall not work independently of the Panel and 
shall report all of their recommendations and advice to the Panel for 
full 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 Panel. No subcommittee or any 
of its members can update or report, verbally or in writing, on behalf 
of the Panel directly to the DoD or any Federal officer or employee.
    The Secretary of Defense shall appoint subcommittee members even if 
the member in question is already a member of the Panel. Such 
individuals, if not full-time or part-time government personnel, shall 
be appointed as experts or consultants, under the authority of 5 U.S.C. 
3109, to serve as SGE members. Subcommittee members shall serve for

[[Page 22954]]

the life of the subcommittee. With the exception of travel and per diem 
for official travel related to the Panel or its subcommittees, 
subcommittee members shall serve without compensation.
    All subcommittees operate pursuant to the provisions of FACA, the 
Sunshine Act, governing Federal statutes and regulations, and 
established DoD policies and procedures. The Panel's Designated Federal 
Officer (DFO) shall be a full-time or permanent part-time DoD employee 
and shall be appointed in accordance with established DoD policies and 
procedures.
    The Panel's DFO is required to be in attendance at all meetings of 
the Panel and its subcommittees for the entire duration of each and 
every meeting. However, in the absence of the Panel's DFO, a properly 
approved Alternate DFO, duly appointed to the Panel according to 
established DoD policies and procedures, shall attend the entire 
duration of all meetings of the Panel and its subcommittees.
    The DFO, or the alternate DFO, shall call all of the Panel's and 
its subcommittee's meetings; 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; and chair meetings when 
directed to do so by the official to whom the Panel reports.
    Pursuant to 41 CFR 102-3.105(j) and 102-3.140, the public or 
interested organizations may submit written statements to the Panel 
membership about the Panel's mission and functions. Written statements 
may be submitted at any time or in response to the stated agenda of 
planned meeting of the Panel.
    All written statements shall be submitted to the DFO for the Panel, 
and this individual will ensure that the written statements are 
provided to the membership for their consideration. Contact information 
for the Panel 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 Panel. 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: April 22, 2014.
Aaron Siegel,
Alternate OSD Federal Register Liaison Officer, Department of Defense.
[FR Doc. 2014-09408 Filed 4-24-14; 8:45 am]
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