PUBLIC LAW 105-225—AUG. 12, 1998 112 STAT. 1491 1949, to which the United States of America has given its adhesion; and (C) any other treaty, convention, or protocol similar in purpose to which the United States of America has given or may give its adhesion; (2) in carrying out the purposes described in paragraph (1) of this section, to perform all the duties devolved on a national society by each nation that has acceded to any of those treaties, conventions, or protocols; (3) to act in matters of voluntary relief and in accordance with the military authorities as a medium of communication between the people of the United States and the Armed Forces of the United States and to act in those matters between similar national societies of governments of other countries through the International Committee of the Red Cross and the Government, the people, and the Armed Forces of the United States; and (4) to carry out a system of national and international relief in time of peace, and to apply that system in mitigating the suffering caused by pestilence, famine, fire, floods, and other great national calamities, and to devise and carry out measures for preventing those calamities. §300103. Membership and chapters (a) MEMBERSHIP. — Membership in the corporation is open to all the people of the United States and its territories and possessions, on payment of an amount specified in the bylaws. (b) CHAPTERS.—(1) The chapters of the corporation are the local units of the corporation. The board of governors shall prescribe regulations related to— (A) granting charters to the chapters and revoking those charters; (B) the territorial jurisdiction of the chapters; (C) the relationship of the chapters to the corporation; and (D) compliance by the chapters with the policies and regulations of the corporation. (2) The regulations shall require that each chapter adhere to the democratic principles of election specified in the bylaws in electing the governing body of the chapter and selecting delegates to the national convention of the corporation. § 300104. Board of governors (a) BOARD OF GOVERNORS.—(1) The board of governors is the governing body of the corporation with all powers of governing and managing the corporation. The board has 50 members. The governors shall be appointed or elected in the following manner: (A) The President shall appoint eight governors, one of whom the President shall designate to act as the principal officer of the corporation with the title and functions provided in the bylaws. The other governors appointed by the President shall be officials of departments and agencies of the United States Government, whose positions and interests qualify them to contribute to carrying out the programs and purposes of the corporation. At least one, but not more than three, of those officials shall be selected from the Armed Forces.
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