(a) Establishment

There is established a committee to be known as the “Committee on Levee Safety”.

(b) Membership

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The committee shall be composed of 16 members as follows:

(1) Nonvoting members.—The following 2 nonvoting members:

(A) The Secretary (or a designee of the Secretary).

(B) The Administrator (or a designee of the Administrator).

(2) The following 14 voting members appointed by the Secretary:

(A) Eight representatives of State levee safety agencies, one from each of the eight civil works divisions of the Corps of Engineers.

(B) Two representatives of the private sector who have expertise in levee safety.

(C) Two representatives of local and regional governmental agencies who have expertise in levee safety.

(D) Two representatives of Indian tribes who have expertise in levee safety.

(c) Administration

(1) Terms of voting members

(A) In general

A voting member of the committee shall be appointed for a term of 3 years, except that, of the members first appointed—

(i) 5 shall be appointed for a term of 1 year;

(ii) 5 shall be appointed for a term of 2 years; and

(iii) 4 shall be appointed for a term of 3 years.

(B) Reappointment

A voting member of the committee may be reappointed to the committee, as the Secretary determines to be appropriate.

(C) Vacancies

A vacancy on the committee shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment was made.

(2) Chairperson

(A) In general

The voting members of the committee shall appoint a chairperson from among the voting members of the committee.

(B) Term

The chairperson shall serve a term of not more than 2 years.

(d) Standing committees

(1) In general

The committee may establish standing committees comprised of volunteers from all levels of government and the private sector, to advise the committee regarding specific levee safety issues, including participating programs, technical issues, public education and awareness, and safety and the environment.

(2) Membership

The committee shall recommend to the Secretary for approval individuals for membership on the standing committees.

(e) Duties and powers

The committee—

(1) shall submit to the Secretary and Congress an annual report regarding the effectiveness of the levee safety initiative in accordance with section 3303b of this title; and

(2) may secure from other Federal agencies such services, and enter into such contracts, as the committee determines to be necessary to carry out this subsection.

(f) Task force coordination

The committee shall, to the maximum extent practicable, coordinate the activities of the committee with the Federal Interagency Floodplain Management Task Force.

(g) Compensation

(1) Federal employees

Each member of the committee who is an officer or employee of the United States—

(A) shall serve without compensation in addition to compensation received for the services of the member as an officer or employee of the United States; but

(B) shall be allowed a per diem allowance for travel expenses, at rates authorized for an employee of an agency under subchapter I of chapter 57 of title 5, while away from the home or regular place of business of the member in the performance of the duties of the committee.

(2) Non-Federal employees

To the extent amounts are made available to carry out this section in appropriations Acts, the Secretary shall provide to each member of the committee who is not an officer or employee of the United States a stipend and a per diem allowance for travel expenses, at rates authorized for an employee of an agency under subchapter I of chapter 57 of title 5, while away from the home or regular place of business of the member in performance of services for the committee.

(3) Standing committee members

Each member of a standing committee shall serve in a voluntary capacity.

(h) Applicability of chapter 10 of title 5

Chapter 10 of title 5 shall not apply to the committee.