12 2 STA T . 11 87PUBLIC LA W 11 0– 2 34—M A Y 22 , 2008 ‘ ‘ (10)FED E RALST AT U S .— F orpu rpo se so f Fe d er al la w, a m em b er of th e N at i o n al B oard shall be c onsidered a special G o v ernment emplo y ee (as defined in section 2 02(a) of title 1 8 , U nited S tates C ode). ‘‘(f) A D MIN ISTRATI V ESU P P O RT.— T he Secretary, on a reimburs - able basis from funds made available under section 3 8 5H , may provide such administrative support to the National Board as the Secretary determines is necessary. ‘ ‘ SEC.385D . R E GIONAL R U RAL IN V ES TM ENT B OARDS. ‘‘(a) I N GENERAL.—A R e g ional Rural Investment Board shall be a multi j urisdictional and multisectoral group that— ‘‘(1) represents the long-term economic, community, and cultural interests of a region
‘‘(2) is certified by the Secretary to establish a rural invest- ment strategy and compete for regional innovation grants; ‘‘(3) is composed of residents of a region that are broadly representative of diverse public, nonprofit, and private sector interests in investment in the region, including (to the ma x - imum extent practicable) representatives of— ‘‘(A) units of local, multijurisdictional, or State govern- ment, including not more than 1 representative from each State in the region; ‘‘(B) nonprofit community-based development organi z a- tions, including community development financial institu- tions and community development corporations; ‘‘(C) agricultural, natural resource, and other asset- based related industries; ‘‘( D ) in the case of regions with federally recognized Indian tribes, Indian tribes; ‘‘( E ) regional development organizations; ‘‘(F) private business organizations, including chambers of commerce; ‘‘(G)(i) institutions of higher education (as defined in section 101(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1 96 5 (20 U.S.C. 1001(a))); ‘‘(ii) tribally controlled colleges or universities (as defined in section 2(a) of Tribally Controlled College or University Assistance Act of 19 7 8 (25 U.S.C. 1801(a))); and ‘‘(iii) tribal technical institutions; ‘‘(H) wor k force and job training organizations; ‘‘(I) other entities and organizations, as determined by the Regional Board; ‘‘( J ) cooperatives; and ‘‘( K ) consortia of entities and organizations described in subparagraphs (A) through (J); ‘‘( 4 ) represents a region inhabited by— ‘‘(A) more than 25,000 individuals, as determined in the latest available decennial census conducted under sec- tion 141(a) of title 13, United States Code; or ‘‘(B) in the case of a region with a population density of less than 2 individuals per s q uare mile, at least 10,000 individuals, as determined in that latest available decen- nial census; ‘‘(5) has a membership of which not less than 25 percent, nor more than 40 percent, represents— Certif i ca ti on.7US C 20 0 9d d –3 .
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