Executive Order 12490

By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and statutes of the United States of America, including Title II of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Authorization Act, 1985 (Public Law 98-361) ("the Act"), and in order to establish a National Commission on Space, it is hereby ordered as follows:

Section 1. Establishment. (a) There is established the National Commission on Space. The Commission shall be composed of:

(1) fifteen members appointed or designated by the President (of whom no more than three shall be employees of the federal government) who by reason of their background, education, training, or experience possess expertise in scientific and technological pursuits, as well as the use and implications of the use of such pursuits, which allows them to contribute to the articulation of goals and rationale and the formulation of an agenda for the future direction of United States civilian space activity;

(2) not more than nine advisory, nonvoting members designated by the President, representing the Federal departments and agencies set forth in Section 203(b)(1) of the Act, provided that no one of those departments and agencies shall have more than one employee appointed to the Commission; and

(3) two advisory, non-voting members appointed by the President of the Senate from among the Members of the Senate and two advisory, non-voting members appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives from among the Members of the House.

(b) The President shall designate a Chairman and a Vice Chairman from among the voting members of the Commission.

Sec. 2. Functions. (a) Pursuant to Section 204 of the Act, the Commission shall study existing and proposed United States space activities; formulate an agenda for the United States civilian space program; and identify long range goals, opportunities, and policy options for civilian space activity for the next twenty years.

(b) The Commission shall submit its plan and any recommendations for proposed legislation to the President and the Congress within 12 months of the date of this Order.

Sec. 3. Administration. (a) The heads of Executive departments, agencies and independent instrumentalities shall, to the extent permitted by law, provide the Commission, upon request, such information as it may require for purposes of carrying out its functions.

(b) Members of the Commission appointed by the President under Section l(a)(1) from among private citizens of the United States may be paid at a rate not to exceed the daily equivalent of the annual rate of basic pay in effect under section 5332 of title 5, United States Code, for grade GS-18 of the General Schedule for each day, including travel time, during which such members are engaged in the actual performance of the duties of the Commission. While engaged in the work of the Commission, both voting and non-voting members may be allowed travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, to the extent permitted by law for persons serving intermittently in the government service (5 U.S.C. 5101-5107).

(c) To the extent permitted by law and subject to the availability of appropriations, the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration shall provide the Commission with such administrative services, funds, facilities, staff and other support services as may be necessary for the performance of its functions.

Sec. 4. General Provisions. (a) Notwithstanding the provisions of any other Executive Order, the functions of the President under the Federal Advisory Committee Act which are applicable to the Council, except that of reporting annually to the Congress, shall be performed by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, in accordance with guidelines and procedures established by the Administrator of General Services.

(b) The Commission shall terminate 60 days after submitting the report required by Section 2(b) of this Order.

RONALD REAGAN
The White House,
October 12, 1984.

[Filed with the Office of the Federal Register, 11:02 a.m., October 15, 1984]

Note: The Executive order was released by the Office of the Press Secretary on October 13.