USC Chapter 25

in effect

12 U.S.C. § 2401 Establishment of Commission

There is established the National Commission on Electronic Fund Transfers (hereinafter referred to as the “Commission”) which shall be an independent instrumentality of the United States.

12 U.S.C. § 2402 Membership of Commission

(a) CompositionThe Commission shall be composed of twenty-six members as follows:(1) the Chairman of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System or his delegate; (2) the Attorney General or his delegate; (3) the Comptroller of the Currency or his delegate; (4) the Chairman of the Federal Home Loan Bank Board or his delegate; (5) the Administrator of the National Credit Union Administration or his delegate; (6) the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or his delegate; (7) the Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission or his delegate; (8) the Postmaster General or his delegate; (9) the Secretary of the Treasury or his delegate; (10) the Chairman of the Federal Trade Commission or his delegate; (11) two individuals, appointed by the President, one of whom is an official of a State agency which regulates banking, or similar financial institutions, and one of whom is an official of a State agency which regulates thrift or similar financial institutions; (12) seven individuals, appointed by the President, who are officers or employees of, or who otherwise represent banking, thrift, or other business entities, including one representative each of commercial banks, mutual savings banks, savings and loan associations, credit unions, retailers, nonbanking institutions offering credit card services, and organizations providing interchange services for credit cards issued by banks; (13) five individuals, appointed by the President, from private life who are not affiliated with, do not represent and have no substantial interest in any banking, thrift, or other financial institution, including but not limited to credit unions, retailers, and insurance companies; (14) the Comptroller General of the United States or his delegate; and (15) the Director of the Office of Technology Assessment. (b) Designation of ChairpersonThe Chairperson shall be designated by the President at the time of his appointment from among the members of the Commission and such selection shall be by and with the advice and consent of the Senate unless the appointee holds an office to which he was appointed by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. (c) VacanciesA vacancy in the Commission shall be filled in the manner in which the original appointment was made.

12 U.S.C. § 2403 Functions of Commission

(a) Study, investigation, and recommendations; considerationsThe Commission shall conduct a thorough study and investigation and recommend appropriate administrative action and legislation necessary in connection with the possible development of public or private electronic fund transfer systems, taking into account, among other things—(1) the need to preserve competition among the financial institutions and other business enterprises using such a system; (2) the need to promote competition among financial institutions and to assure Government regulation and involvement or participation in a system competitive with the private sector be kept to a minimum; (3) the need to prevent unfair or discriminatory practices by any financial institution or business enterprise using or desiring to use such a system; (4) the need to afford maximum user and consumer convenience; (5) the need to afford maximum user and consumer rights to privacy and confidentiality; (6) the impact of such a system on economic and monetary policy; (7) the implications of such a system on the availability of credit; (8) the implications of such a system expanding internationally and into other forms of electronic communications; and (9) the need to protect the legal rights of users and consumers. (b) Interim and final reports; submission dates; transmittal of final report to President and Congress; contents; availability to public; termination date of CommissionThe Commission shall make an interim report within one year of the date of the confirmation by the Senate of the Chairperson or the appointment by the President of an acting Chairperson and at such other times as it deems advisable and shall transmit to the President and to the Congress not later than two years after the date of the confirmation by the Senate of the Chairperson or the appointment by the President of an acting Chairperson, a final report of its findings and recommendations. Any such report shall include all hearing transcripts, staff studies, and other material used in preparation of the report. The interim and final reports shall be made available to the public upon transmittal. Sixty days after transmission of its final report the Commission shall cease to exist. (c) Clearance by Federal agencies prior to transmittal of interim or final reportThe Commission shall not be required to obtain the clearance of any Federal agency prior to the transmittal of any interim or final report.

12 U.S.C. § 2404 Powers of Commission

(a) Hearings; administration of oathsThe Commission may for the purpose of carrying out this chapter hold such hearings, sit and act at such times and places, take such testimony, and receive such evidence, as the Commission may deem advisable. The Commission may administer oaths of 11 So in original. Probably should be “or”. affirmations to witnesses appearing before it. (b) Implementation authority of members or agents of CommissionWhen so authorized by the Commission, any member or agent of the Commission may take any action which the Commission is authorized to take by this section. (c) Request for information from other Federal departments or agenciesThe Commission may secure directly from any department or agency of the United States information necessary to enable it to carry out this chapter. Upon request of the Chairperson of the Commission, the head of such department or agency shall furnish such information to the Commission. (d) Issuance of subpenas for attendance of witnesses and production of evidence; refusal to obey; contempt proceedings; manner of service of subpenas; service of process(1) The Commission shall have power to issue subpenas requiring the attendance and testimony of witnesses and the production of any evidence that relates to any matter under investigation by the Commission. Such attendance of witnesses and the production of such evidence may be required from any place within the United States at any designated place of hearing within the United States. (2) If a person issued a subpena under paragraph (1) refuses to obey such subpena or is guilty of contumacy, any court of the United States within the judicial district within which the hearing is conducted or within the judicial district within which such person is found or resides or transacts business may (upon application by the Commission) order such person to appear before the Commission to produce evidence or to give testimony touching the matter under investigation. Any failure to obey such order of the court may be punished by such court as a contempt thereof. (3) The subpenas of the Commission shall be served in the manner provided for subpenas issued by a United States district court under the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure for the United States district courts. (4) All process of any court to which application may be made under this section may be served in the judicial district wherein the person required to be served resides or may be found.

12 U.S.C. § 2405 Executive Director and additional staff personnel; appointment and compensation; experts and consultants; employment and compensation; audits by Comptroller General

(a) The Commission—(1) may appoint with the advice and consent of the Senate and fix the compensation of an Executive Director, and such additional staff personnel as he deems necessary, without regard to the provisions of title 5 governing appointments in the competitive service, and without regard to chapter 51 and subchapter III of chapter 53 of such title relating to classification and General Schedule pay rates, but at rates not in excess of the maximum rate for GS–18 of the General Schedule under section 5332 of such title; and (2) may procure temporary and intermittent services to the same extent as is authorized by section 3109 of title 5, but at rates not to exceed $150 a day for individuals. (b) The Comptroller General is authorized to make detailed audits of the books and records of the Commission, and shall report the results of any such audit to the Commission and to the Congress.

12 U.S.C. § 2406 Compensation of members of Commission

(a) A member of the Commission who is an officer or employee of the United States shall serve as a member of the Commission without additional compensation, but shall be entitled to reimbursement for travel, subsistence, and other necessary expenses incurred in the performance of his duties as a member of the Commission. (b) A member of the Commission who is not otherwise an officer or employee of the United States shall be compensated at a rate of $150 per day when engaged in the performance of his duties as a member of the Commission, and shall also be reimbursed for travel, subsistence, and other necessary expenses incurred in the performance of his duties as a member of the Commission.

12 U.S.C. § 2407 Cooperation and assistance of other Federal departments, agencies, and instrumentalities

(a) Each department, agency, and instrumentality of the executive branch of the Government, including independent agencies, is authorized and directed to furnish to the Commission, upon request, such data, reports, and other information as the Commission deems necessary to carry out its functions under this chapter. (b) The head of any department, agency, or instrumentality of the United States may detail such personnel and may furnish such services, with or without reimbursement, as the Commission may request to assist it in carrying out its functions.

12 U.S.C. § 2408 Authorization of appropriations

There are authorized to be appropriated without fiscal year limitations such sums, not to exceed $2,000,000, as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of this chapter.