time, shall set and complete proceedings required to be conducted in accordance with sections 556 and 557 of this title or other proceedings required by law and shall make its decision. Except in cases of willfulness or those in which public health, interest, or safety requires otherwise, the withdrawal, suspension, revocation, or annulment of a license is lawful only if, before the institution of agency proceedings therefor, the licensee has been given

(1) notice by the agency in writing of the facts or conduct which may warrant the action; and

(2) opportunity to demonstrate or achieve compliance with all lawful requirements.

When the licensee has made timely and sufficient application for a renewal or a new license in accordance with agency rules, a license with reference to an activity of a continuing nature does not expire until the application has been finally determined by the agency. (Pub. L. 89-554, Sept. 6, 1966, 80 Stat. 388.)

§ 559. Effect on other laws; effect of subsequent statute

This subchapter, chapter 7, and sections 1305, 3105, 3344, 4301(2) (E), 5372, and 7521 of this title, and the provisions of section 5335 (a) (B) of this title that relate to administrative law judges, do not limit or repeal additional requirements imposed by statute or otherwise recognized by law. Except as otherwise required by law, requirements or privileges relating to evidence or procedure apply equally to agencies and persons. Each agency is granted the authority necessary to comply with the requirements of this subchapter through the issuance of rules or otherwise. Subsequent statute may not be held to supersede or modify this subchapter, chapter 7, sections 1305, 3105, 3344, 4301 (2) (E), 5372, or 7521 of this title, or the provisions of section 5335(a)(B) of this title that relate to administrative law judges, except to the extent that it does so expressly. (Pub L. 89-554, Sept. 6. 1966, 80 Stat. 388, amended Pub. L. 90-623, § 1(1), Oct. 22, 1968, 82 Stat. 1312; Pub. L. 95-251, Mar. 27, 1978, 92 Stat. 183; Pub. L. 95-454. Oct. 13, 1978, 92 Stat. 1221.)

SUBCHAPTER III-ADMINISTRATIVE CONFERENCE OF THE UNITED STATES

§ 571. Purpose

It is the purpose of this subchapter to provide suitable arrangements through which Federal agencies, assisted by outside experts, may cooperatively study mutual problems, exchange information, and develop recommendations for action by proper authorities to the end that private rights may be fully protected and regulatory activities and other Federal responsibilities may be carried out expeditiously in the public interest. (Pub. L. 89-554, Sept. 6, 1966, 80 Stat. 388.)

§ 572. Definitions

For the purpose of this subchapter

(1) "administrative program" includes a Federal function which involves protection of the public interest and the determination of rights, privileges, and obligations of private persons through rule making, adjudication, licensing, or investigation, as those terms are used in subchapter II of this chapter, except that

it does not include a military or foreign affairs function of the United States;

(2) "administrative agency" means an authority as defined by section 551(1) of this title; and

(3) "administrative procedure" means procedure used in carrying out an administrative program and is to be broadly construed to include any aspect of agency organization, procedure, or management which may affect the equitable consideration of public and private interests, the fairness of agency decisions, the speed of agency action, and the relationship of operating methods to later judicial review, but does not include the scope of agency responsibility as established by law or matters of substantive policy committed by law to agency discretion.

(Pub. L. 89-554, Sept. 6, 1966, 80 Stat. 388.)

§ 573. Administrative Conference of the United States

(a) The Administrative Conference of the United States consists of not more than 91 nor less than 75 members appointed as set forth in subsection (b) of this section.

(b) The Conference is composed of—

(1) a full-time Chairman appointed for a 5-year term by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. The Chairman is entitled to pay at the highest rate established by statute for the chairman of an independent regulatory board or commission, and may continue to serve until his successor is appointed and has qualified;

(2) the chairman of each independent regulatory board or commission or an individual designated by the board or commission; (3) the head of each Executive department or other administrative agency which is designated by the President, or an individual designated by the head of the department or agency;

(4) when authorized by the Council referred to in section 575 (b) of this title, one or more appointees from a board, commission, department, or agency referred to in this subsection, designated by the head thereof with, in the case of a board or commission, the approval of the board or commission;

(5) individuals appointed by the President to membership on the Council who are not otherwise members of the Conference; and

(6) not more than 36 other members appointed by the Chairman, with the approval of the Council, for terms of 2 years, except that the number of members appointed by the Chairman may at no time be less than one-third nor more than two-fifths of the total number of members. The Chairman shall select the members in a manner which will provide broad representation of the views of private citizens and utilize diverse experience. The members shall be members of the practicing bar, scholars in the field of administrative law or government, or others specially informed by knowledge and experience with respect to Federal administrative procedure.

(c) Members of the Conference, except the Chairman, are not entitled to pay for service. Members appointed from outside the Federal Government are entitled to travel expenses, including per diem instead

of subsistence, as authorized by section 5703 of this title for individuals serving without pay. (Pub. L. 89-554, Sept. 6, 1966, 80 Stat. 389.) § 574. Powers and duties of the Conference

To carry out the purpose of this subchapter, the Administrative Conference of the United States may

(1) study the efficiency, adequacy, and fairness of the administrative procedure used by administrative agencies in carrying out administrative programs, and make recommendations to administrative agencies, collectively or individually, and to the President, Congress, or the Judicial Conference of the United States, in connection therewith, as it considers appropriate;

(2) arrange for interchange among administrative agencies of information potentially useful in improving administrative procedure; and

(3) collect information and statistics from administrative agencies and publish such reports as it considers useful for evaluating and improving administrative procedure.

(Pub. L. 89-554, Sept. 6, 1966, 80 Stat. 390.)

§ 575. Organization of the Conference

(a) The membership of the Administrative Conference of the United States meeting in plenary session constitutes the Assembly of the Conference. The assembly has ultimate authority over all activities of the Conference. Specifically, it has the power to

(1) adopt such recommendations as it considers appropriate for improving administrative procedure. A member who disagrees with a recommendation adopted by the Assembly is entitled to enter a dessenting opinion and an alternate proposal in the record of the Conference proceedings, and the opinion and proposal so entered shall accompany the Conference recommendation in a publication or distribution thereof; and

(2) adopt bylaws and regulations not inconsistent with this subchapter for carrying out the functions of the Conference, including the creation of such committees as it considers necessary for the conduct of studies and the development of recommendations for consideration by the Assembly.

(b) The Conference includes a Council composed of the Chairman of the Conference, who is Chairman of the Council, and 10 other members appointed by the President, of whom not more than one-half shall be employees of Federal regulatory agencies or Executive departments. The President may designate a member of the Council as Vice Chairman. During the absence or incapacity of the Chairman or when that office is vacant, the Vice Chairman shall serve as Chairman. The term of each member, except the Chairman, is 3 years. When the term of a member ends, he may continue to serve until a successor is appointed. However, the service of any member ends when a change in his employment status would make him ineligible for Council membership under the conditions of his original appointment. The Council has the power to

(1) determine the time and place of plenary sessions of the Conference and the agenda for the sessions. The Council shall call at least one plenary session each year;

(2) propose by laws and regulations, including rules of procedure and committee organization, for adoption by the Assembly; (3) make recommendations to the Conference or its committees on a subject germane to the purpose of the Conference;

(4) receive and consider reports and recommendations of committees of the Conference and send them to members of the Conference with the views and recommendations of the Council;

(5) designate a member of the Council to preside at meetings of the Council in the absence or incapacity of the Chairman and Vice Chairman;

(6) designate such additional officers of the Conference as it considers desirable;

(7) approve or revise the budgetary proposals of the Chairman; and

(8) exercise such other powers as may be delegated to it by the Assembly.

(c) The Chairman is the chief executive of the Conference. In that capacity he has the power to

(1) make inquiries into matters he considers important for Conference consideration, including matters proposed by individuals inside or outside the Federal Government;

(2) be the official spokesman for the Conference in relations with the several branches and agencies of the Federal Government and with interested organizations and individuals outside the Government, including responsibility for encouraging Federal agencies to carry out the recommendations of the Conference;

(3) request agency heads to provide information needed by the Conference, which information shall be supplied to the extent permitted by law;

(4) recommend to the Council appropriate subjects for action by the Conference;

(5) appoint, with the approval of the Council, members of committees authorized by the bylaws and regulations of the Conference:

(6) prepare, for approval of the Council, estimates of the budgetary requirements of the Conference;

(7) appoint and fix the pay of employee, define their duties and responsibilities, and direct and supervise their activities; (8) rent office space in the District of Columbia;

(9) provide necessary services for the Assembly, the Council, and the committees of the Conference;

(10) organize and direct studies ordered by the Assembly or the Council, to contract for the performance of such studies with any public or private persons, firm, association, corporation, or institution under title III of the Federal Property and Administrative Services Act of 1949, as amended (41 U.S.C. 251-260), and to use from time to time, as appropriate, experts and consultants who may be employed in accordance with section 3109 of this title at rates not in excess of the maximum rate of pay for grade GS-15 as provided in section 5332 of this title;

(11) utilize, with their consent, the services and facilities of Federal agencies and of State and private agencies and instrumentalities with or without reimbursement;

(12) accept, hold, administer, and utilize gifts, devices, and bequests of property, both real and personal, for the purpose of aiding and facilitating the work of the Conference. Gifts and bequests of money and proceeds from sales of other property received as gifts, devises, or bequests shall be deposited in the Treasury and shall be disbursed upon the order of the Chairman. Property accepted pursuant to this section, and the proceeds thereof, shall be used as nearly as possible in accordance with the terms of the gifts, devises, or bequests. For purposes of Federal income, estate, or gift taxes, property accepted under this section shall be considered as a gift, devise, or bequest to the United States;

(13) accept voluntary and uncompensated services notwithstanding the provisions of section 3679(b) of the Revised Statutes (31 U.S.C. 665 (b));

(14) on request of the head of an agency, furnish assistance and advice on matters of administrative procedure; and

(15) exercise such additional authority as the Council or Assembly delegates to him.

The Chairman shall preside at meetings of the Council and at each plenary session of the Conference, to which he shall make a full report concerning the affairs of the Conference since the last preceding plenary session. The Chairman, on behalf of the Conference, shall transmit to the President and Congress an annual report and such interim reports as he considers desirable. (Pub. L. 89-554, Sept. 6, 1966, 80 Stat. 390, amended Pub. L. 92-526, § 1, Oct. 21, 1972, 86 Stat. 1048.) § 576. Appropriations.

be

To carry out the purposes of this subchapter, there are authorized to appropriated sums not to exceed $1,700,000 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 1979, $2,000,000 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 1980, $2,300,000 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 1981, and $2,300,000 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 1982. (Pub. L. 95– 293, June 13, 1978, 92 Stat. 317.)

SECTION 1905 OF TITLE 18, UNITED STATES CODE

§ 1905. Disclosure of confidential information generally.

Whoever, being an officer or employee of the United States or of any department or agency thereof, publishes, divulges, discloses, or makes known in any manner or to any extent not authorized by law any information coming to him in the course of his employment or official duties or by reason of any examination or investigation made by, or return, report or record made to or filed with, such department or agency or officer or employee thereof, which information concerns or relates to the trade secrets, processes, operations, style of work, or apparatus, or to the identity, confidential statistical data, amount or source of any income, profits, losses, or expenditures of any person. firm, partnership, corporation, or association; or permits any income return or copy thereof or any book containing any abstract or particulars thereof to be seen or examined by any person except as provided by law; shall be fined not more than $1,000, or imprisoned not more than one year, or both; and shall be removed from office or employment.

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