US Code

Public Law 119-73 (01/23/2026)

42 U.S.C. § 285m–4

National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders Advisory Board

(a)

Establishment

The Secretary shall establish in the Institute the National Deafness and Other Communication Disorders Advisory Board (hereafter in this section referred to as the “Advisory Board”).

(b)

Composition; qualifications; appointed and ex officio members

The Advisory Board shall be composed of eighteen appointed members and nonvoting ex officio members as follows:
(1)
The Secretary shall appoint—
(A)
twelve members from individuals who are scientists, physicians, and other health and rehabilitation professionals, who are not officers or employees of the United States, and who represent the specialties and disciplines relevant to deafness and other communication disorders, including not less than two persons with a communication disorder; and
(B)
six members from the general public who are knowledgeable with respect to such disorders, including not less than one person with a communication disorder and not less than one person who is a parent of an individual with such a disorder.
Of the appointed members, not less than five shall by virtue of training or experience be knowledgeable in diagnoses and rehabilitation of communication disorders, education of the hearing, speech, or language impaired, public health, public information, community program development, occupational hazards to communications senses, or the aging process.
(2)
The following shall be ex officio members of each Advisory Board:
(A)
The Assistant Secretary for Health, the Director of NIH, the Director of the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Under Secretary for Health of the Department of Veterans Affairs, and the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs (or the designees of such officers).
(B)
Such other officers and employees of the United States as the Secretary determines necessary for the Advisory Board to carry out its functions.
(c)

Compensation

Members of an Advisory Board who are officers or employees of the Federal Government shall serve as members of the Advisory Board without compensation in addition to that received in their regular public employment. Other members of the Board shall receive compensation at rates not to exceed the daily equivalent of the annual rate in effect for grade GS–18 of the General Schedule for each day (including traveltime) they are engaged in the performance of their duties as members of the Board.

(d)

Term of office; vacancies

The term of office of an appointed member of the Advisory Board is four years, except that no term of office may extend beyond the expiration of the Advisory Board. Any member appointed to fill a vacancy for an unexpired term shall be appointed for the remainder of such term. A member may serve after the expiration of the member’s term until a successor has taken office. If a vacancy occurs in the Advisory Board, the Secretary shall make an appointment to fill the vacancy not later than 90 days from the date the vacancy occurred.

(e)

Chairman

The members of the Advisory Board shall select a chairman from among the appointed members.

(f)

Personnel; executive director; professional and clerical staff members; consultants; information and administrative support services and facilities

The Secretary shall, after consultation with and consideration of the recommendations of the Advisory Board, provide the Advisory Board with an executive director and one other professional staff member. In addition, the Secretary shall, after consultation with and consideration of the recommendations of the Advisory Board, provide the Advisory Board with such additional professional staff members, such clerical staff members, such services of consultants, such information, and (through contracts or other arrangements) such administrative support services and facilities, as the Secretary determines are necessary for the Advisory Board to carry out its functions.

(g)

Meetings

The Advisory Board shall meet at the call of the chairman or upon request of the Director of the Institute, but not less often than four times a year.

(h)

Functions

The Advisory Board shall—
(1)
section 285m–1(a) of this title review and evaluate the implementation of the plan prepared under and periodically update the plan to ensure its continuing relevance;
(2)
for the purpose of assuring the most effective use and organization of resources respecting deafness and other communication disorders, advise and make recommendations to the Congress, the Secretary, the Director of NIH, the Director of the Institute, and the heads of other appropriate Federal agencies for the implementation and revision of such plan; and
(3)
maintain liaison with other advisory bodies related to Federal agencies involved in the implementation of such plan and with key non-Federal entities involved in activities affecting the control of such disorders.
(i)

Subcommittee activities; workshops and conferences; collection of data

In carrying out its functions, the Advisory Board may establish subcommittees, convene workshops and conferences, and collect data. Such subcommittees may be composed of Advisory Board members and nonmember consultants with expertise in the particular area addressed by such subcommittees. The subcommittees may hold such meetings as are necessary to enable them to carry out their activities.

(j)

Pub. L. 109–482, title I, § 104(b)(1)(J)120 Stat. 3693 Repealed. , ,

(k)

Commencement of existence

The National Deafness and Other Communication Disorders Advisory Board shall be established not later than .

July 1, 1944, ch. 373Pub. L. 100–553, § 2(4)102 Stat. 2772Pub. L. 100–690, title II, § 2613(a)(1)102 Stat. 4235Pub. L. 100–690, title II, § 2613(b)(2)102 Stat. 4238Pub. L. 101–93, § 5(b)103 Stat. 611Pub. L. 102–405, title III, § 302(e)(1)106 Stat. 1985Pub. L. 102–531, title III, § 312(d)(8)106 Stat. 3504Pub. L. 103–43, title XX, § 2008(b)(8)107 Stat. 211Pub. L. 109–482, title I, § 104(b)(1)(J)120 Stat. 3693(, title IV, § 464D, as added , , , and , , ; amended , , ; , , ; , , ; , , ; , , ; , , .)

Editorial Notes

Codification

Pub. L. 100–553section 2613(a)(1) of Pub. L. 100–690 and contained identical provisions enacting this section. See 1988 Amendment note below.

Amendments

Pub. L. 109–4822007—Subsec. (j). struck out subsec. (j) which read as follows: “The Advisory Board shall prepare an annual report for the Secretary which—

“(1) describes the Advisory Board’s activities in the fiscal year for which the report is made;

“(2) describes and evaluates the progress made in such fiscal year in research, treatment, education, and training with respect to the deafness and other communication disorders;

“(3) summarizes and analyzes expenditures made by the Federal Government for activities respecting such disorders in such fiscal year; and

section 285m–1(a) of this title“(4) contains the Advisory Board’s recommendations (if any) for changes in the plan prepared under .”

Pub. L. 103–431993—Subsec. (b)(2)(A). substituted “Department of Veterans Affairs” for “Veterans’ Administration”.

Pub. L. 102–5311992—Subsec. (b)(2)(A). substituted “Centers for Disease Control and Prevention” for “Centers for Disease Control”.

Pub. L. 102–405 substituted “Under Secretary for Health” for “Chief Medical Director”.

Pub. L. 101–931989—Subsec. (k). substituted “” for “90 days after the date of the enactment of the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders Act”.

Pub. L. 100–690, § 2613(b)(2)Pub. L. 100–690, § 2613(a)(1)1988—, amended this section to read as if the amendments made by , which enacted this section, had not been enacted. See Codification note above.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date of 2007 Amendment

Pub. L. 109–482section 109 of Pub. L. 109–482section 281 of this titleAmendment by applicable only with respect to amounts appropriated for fiscal year 2007 or subsequent fiscal years, see , set out as a note under .

Effective Date of 1988 Amendment

section 2613(b)(2) of Pub. L. 100–690section 2613(b)(1) of Pub. L. 100–690section 285m of this titleFor effective date of amendment by , see , set out as an Effect of Enactment of Similar Provisions note under .

Termination of Advisory Boards

Advisory boards established after , to terminate not later than the expiration of the 2-year period beginning on the date of their establishment, unless, in the case of a board established by the President or an officer of the Federal Government, such board is renewed by appropriate action prior to the expiration of such 2-year period, or in the case of a board established by the Congress, its duration is otherwise provided by law. See sections 1001(2) and 1013 of Title 5, Government Organization and Employees.

Pub. L. 93–641, § 688 Stat. 2275section 217a of this title, , , set out as a note under , provided that an advisory committee established pursuant to the Public Health Service Act shall terminate at such time as may be specifically prescribed by an Act of Congress enacted after .

References in Other Laws to GS–16, 17, or 18 Pay Rates

Pub. L. 101–509section 5376 of Title 5References in laws to the rates of pay for GS–16, 17, or 18, or to maximum rates of pay under the General Schedule, to be considered references to rates payable under specified sections of Title 5, Government Organization and Employees, see section 529 [title I, § 101(c)(1)] of , set out in a note under .