Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 124.djvu/623

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124 STAT. 597 PUBLIC LAW 111–148—MAR. 23, 2010 safety, health, and worker protections in the workplace for the health care workforce. (8) ASSESSMENT.—The Commission shall assess and receive reports from the National Center for Health Care Workforce Analysis established under section 761(b) of the Public Service Health Act (as amended by section 5103). (e) CONSULTATION WITH FEDERAL, STATE, AND LOCAL AGENCIES, CONGRESS, AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS.— (1) IN GENERAL.—The Commission shall consult with Fed- eral agencies (including the Departments of Health and Human Services, Labor, Education, Commerce, Agriculture, Defense, and Veterans Affairs and the Environmental Protection Agency), Congress, the Medicare Payment Advisory Commis- sion, the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission, and, to the extent practicable, with State and local agencies, Indian tribes, voluntary health care organizations, professional societies, and other relevant public-private health care partner- ships. (2) OBTAINING OFFICIAL DATA.—The Commission, consistent with established privacy rules, may secure directly from any department or agency of the Executive Branch information necessary to enable the Commission to carry out this section. (3) DETAIL OF FEDERAL GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES.—An employee of the Federal Government may be detailed to the Commission without reimbursement. The detail of such an employee shall be without interruption or loss of civil service status. (f) DIRECTOR AND STAFF; EXPERTS AND CONSULTANTS.—Subject to such review as the Comptroller General of the United States determines to be necessary to ensure the efficient administration of the Commission, the Commission may— (1) employ and fix the compensation of an executive director that shall not exceed the rate of basic pay payable for level V of the Executive Schedule and such other personnel as may be necessary to carry out its duties (without regard to the provisions of title 5, United States Code, governing appoint- ments in the competitive service); (2) seek such assistance and support as may be required in the performance of its duties from appropriate Federal departments and agencies; (3) enter into contracts or make other arrangements, as may be necessary for the conduct of the work of the Commission (without regard to section 3709 of the Revised Statutes (41 U.S.C. 5)); (4) make advance, progress, and other payments which relate to the work of the Commission; (5) provide transportation and subsistence for persons serving without compensation; and (6) prescribe such rules and regulations as the Commission determines to be necessary with respect to the internal organization and operation of the Commission. (g) POWERS.— (1) DATA COLLECTION.—In order to carry out its functions under this section, the Commission shall— (A) utilize existing information, both published and unpublished, where possible, collected and assessed either by its own staff or under other arrangements made in