12 CFR 272.4 – Committee actions
(a) Actions at meetings. Actions are taken at meetings of the Committee except as described below.
(b) Actions between meetings. Special circumstances may make it desirable in the public interest for Committee members to consider an action to modify an outstanding Committee authorization or directive at a time when it is not feasible to call a meeting. Whenever, in the judgment of the Chair, such circumstances have arisen, the relevant information and recommendations for action are transmitted to the members by the Secretary, and the members communicate their votes to the Secretary. If the action is approved by a majority of the members, advice to that effect is promptly given by the Secretary to the members of the Committee and to the Reserve bank selected to execute transactions for the System Open Market Account. All communications of recommended actions and votes under this paragraph shall be in writing, by telephone, or electronic means; if the communication is made orally, the Secretary shall cause a written record to be made without delay. An action taken between meetings has the force and effect of an action at a meeting: Provided, however, That if a meeting is held before the execution of any operations pursuant to the action, the action is null and void unless it is ratified and confirmed by the Committee at such meeting.
(c) Delegations of authority. In special circumstances, the Committee may delegate authority to take an action, subject to such instructions or guidelines as the Committee deems proper. Such delegations of authority may be made to the Chair; to a subcommittee consisting of the Chair and the Vice Chair of the Committee and the Vice Chair of the Board (or in the absence of the Chair or of the Vice Chair of the Board the members of the Board designated by the Chair as alternates, and in the absence of the Vice Chair of the Committee the alternate for the Vice Chair); or to any other member or members of the Committee. An action taken pursuant to such a delegation of authority has the force and effect of an action taken by the Committee.
(d) Technical changes to Committee rules. The Secretary of the Committee (or the acting secretary) is authorized to make technical corrections, such as spelling, grammar, construction, and organization (including removal of obsolete provisions and references), to the Committee’s rules, regulations, and orders and other records of Committee action but only with the concurrence of the Committee’s General Counsel.
(e) Effective date. Committee action ordinarily is made effective as of the time it is taken because the nature of the subject matter and the action taken is such that the public interest and the proper discharge of the Committee’s responsibilities so require. Occasionally, however, the Committee may specify that an action is to be effective at some different time.