116 STAT. 406 PUBLIC LAW 107-171—MAY 13, 2002 "(B) OTHER MEMBERS.—In consultation with the chairman and ranking member of each of the Committee on Agriculture of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate, the Secretary may appoint not more than 3 other officers or employees of the Executive Branch to serve as ex-officio, non-voting members of the National Board. "(6) VACANCIES.—^A vacancy on the National Board shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment. "(7) COMPENSATION. —^A member of the National Board shall receive no compensation for service on the National Board, but shall be reimbursed for travel and other expenses incurred in carrying out the duties of the member of the National Board in accordance with section 5702 and 5703 of title 5, United States Code. "(8) CHAIRPERSON. —The National Board shall select a chairperson from among the members of the National Board. "(9) MEETINGS.— "(A) TIME AND PLACE.— The National Board shall meet at the call of the chairperson. "(B) QUORUM.— ^A quorum of the National Board shall consist of a majority of the members. "(C) MAJORITY VOTE. —^A decision of the National Board shall be made by majority vote. "(10) FEDERAL STATUS. —For purposes of Federal law, a member of the National Board shall be considered a special Government employee (as defined in section 202(a) of title 18, United States Code). "(11) CONFLICT OF INTEREST.— "(A) IN GENERAL.— Except as provided in subparagraph (C), no member of the National Board shall vote on any matter respecting any application for a grant or other particular matter pending before the National Board in which, to the knowledge of the member, the member, spouse, or child of the member, partner, or organization in which the member is serving as officer, director, trustee, partner, or employee, or any person or organization with whom the member is negotiating or has any arrangement concerning prospective employment, has a financial interest. "(B) VIOLATIONS. —^A violation of subparagraph (A) by a member of the National Board shall be cause for removal of the member, but shall not impair or otherwise affect the validity of any otherwise lawful action by the National Board in which the member participated. "(C) EXCEPTION. — Subparagraph (A) shall not apply to the extent a member of the National Board advises the National Board of the nature of the particular matter in which the member proposes to participate, if— "(i) the member makes a full disclosure of the financial interest; and "(ii) prior to any participation by the member, the National Board determines, by majority vote of the other members of the National Board, that the financial interest is too remote or too inconsequential to affect the integrity of the services of the member to the National Board in that matter.
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