Reading Room Document

Duration of Four Statutorily Created Veterans Administration Advisory Committees

This document addresses the duration of four Veterans Administration (VA) advisory committees under the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA). The conclusion reached is that the duration of advisory committees may be determined by implication from the particular statute involved, allowing them to survive the FACA's 2-year cutoff provisions. The document presents a detailed analysis of the statutory provisions for each committee, concluding that the Cemeteries and Structural Safety Committees have continuing duration implied by law, while the Education Committee and special medical advisory group (SMAG) have limited extended duration for specific purposes. The questions presented for review include whether the statutes establishing the committees specify their terms of existence, and whether the committees are assigned specific ongoing functions that are integral to the implementation of a statutory scheme.

April 13, 1979