U.S. Department of State

   

1. Committee’s Official Designation

International Security Advisory Board (“ISAB” or “the Board”).

2. Authority

Pursuant to P.L. 105-277 (as codified at 22 USC § 2581(f)), the Department of State established the Secretary of State’s International Security Advisory Board (ISAB) to “advise with and make recommendations to the Secretary of State on United States arms control, nonproliferation, and disarmament policies and activities.” The ISAB, with its staff and selected members, provides analysis and insight into current issues-of-interest for the Secretary on a regular basis. The ISAB is established in accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA), 5 U.S.C. Appendix. The approval of this Charter by the Under Secretary of State for Management constitutes a determination by the Secretary that establishment of the Board is in the public interest.

3. Objectives and Scope of Activities

The ISAB will provide the Department of State with a continuing source of independent insight, advice, and innovation on all aspects of arms control, disarmament, nonproliferation, and international security and related aspects of public diplomacy. It will avail itself of the resources of all the Department’s bureaus and offices at its direction. At the same time, it will seek to make its own resources available to the Department’s bureaus and offices on a cooperative basis on projects of mutual interest.

4. Description of Duties

The Department of State has concluded that a single advisory board, dealing with the scientific, military, diplomatic, political, and public diplomacy aspects of arms control, disarmament, international security, and nonproliferation, would provide valuable independent insight and advice and thereby meet an important requirement of the Department. The duties of the ISAB are advisory only.

5. Agency or Official to Whom the Committee Reports

The Under Secretary for Arms Control and International Security (“the Under Secretary”) is the sponsor of the ISAB. The ISAB reports to the Secretary of State through the Under Secretary. Formation and use of the ISAB is determined to be in the public interest in connection with the performance of the duties of the Department of State.

6. Support

Support for the ISAB will be designated by the Office of the Under Secretary.

7. Estimated Annual Operating Costs and Staff Years

It is estimated that the ISAB’s operating costs per fiscal year will be no more than $287,000 plus 2.5 full-time employee-years.

Members of the ISAB who are not full-time employees of the U.S. Government will receive compensation for the time served at the rate of GS-15 step 10, plus transportation and per diem for overnight travel. Members of the ISAB who are full-time employees of the U.S. Government will serve without additional compensation but may be allowed transportation and per diem for overnight travel in lieu of subsistence and other expenses.

8. Designated Federal Officer

A full-time or permanent part-time employee, appointed by the Under Secretary, will serve as the DFO (who is also the Executive Director of the ISAB). The DFO will approve or call all of the advisory committee meetings and the meetings of any subcommittees; will prepare and approve all meeting agendas, attend all committee and subcommittee meetings; adjourn any meeting when the DFO determines adjournment to be in the public interest, and chair meetings when directed to do so by the Under Secretary.

9. Estimated Number and Frequency of Meetings

Meetings of the ISAB will be held approximately once each quarter. Each meeting will be held at a reasonable time, in a place reasonably accessible to the public, and in a room large enough to accommodate the ISAB members, staff, and interested members of the public. Meetings that do not deal with classified national security matters shall be open to the public. Persons wishing to appear before the ISAB must make prior arrangements to do so. Written materials may be submitted to the ISAB at any time, and should be sent to the Executive Director. Meetings may be closed to the public only as authorized by Section 10(d) of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (Title 5 USC Appendix).

10. Duration

The ISAB operates on a continuing basis.

11. Termination

The ISAB will terminate 2 years after the filing date of this charter, unless sooner terminated or renewed.

12. Membership and Designation

The ISAB shall be composed of not more than 30 members who shall serve in the capacity of Government employee (special Government employee or full-time Government employee). Appointments and termination of appointments, for both members and staff of the ISAB, shall be made by the Under Secretary.

Members serve under the pleasure of the Under Secretary and shall be appointed to the Board for a term of two years. The Under Secretary may reappoint Members for consecutive terms.

The ISAB shall reflect a balance of backgrounds, points of view, and demographic diversity and shall include a wide variety of scientific, military, diplomatic, and political backgrounds. All members shall hold a Top Secret security clearance.

The Under Secretary for Arms Control and International Security shall appoint the Chairperson(s) from the ISAB membership, and other staff as appropriate. If the position of the Under Secretary for Arms Control and International Security is vacant and the Secretary has not delegated his authorities to another officer, appointments under this Charter shall be made by the Under Secretary for Management in coordination with the Executive Director of the ISAB.

The Chairperson(s) shall preside at meetings and shall certify the minutes of each meeting within 90 days of the meeting to which the minutes relate.

The Executive Director shall be responsible for the tasks required by 41 CFR Part 102 and paragraph 8 of this Charter. In addition, he or she will:

1. Determine, with the approval of the Committee Management Officer and in accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act, whether a meeting is to be open, partially closed, or closed.
    
2. Notify all members of the time, place, and agenda of meetings.
    
3. Keep minutes and maintaining all ISAB files and records in accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act (see also paragraph 14 of this Charter).
    
4. Publish notices of the meetings in the Federal Register at least 15 days before the meeting, unless in exceptional circumstances shorter notice is required and the reasons for this shorter notice are included in the meeting announcement published in the Federal Register.

13. Subcommittees

The Under Secretary may authorize subcommittees and ad hoc task groups as needed. Any subcommittees must report back to the ISAB, and must not provide advice or work products directly to the Department of State.

14. Recordkeeping

Records of the ISAB and any subcommittees will be handled in accordance with General Records Schedule 26, Item 2. Subject to the Federal Advisory Committee Act and the Freedom of Information Act, 5 U.S.C. § 552, unclassified records, reports, transcripts, minutes and other documents that are made available to, or prepared for or by, the ISAB will be available for public inspection and copying at the Office of Strategic Planning and Outreach, U.S. Department of State, 2201 C Street NW, Washington D.C. 20520.

15. Filing Date:

NOW, THEREBY, this Charter shall be considered approved by the Department of State as of this date and shall be provided to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and to the Library of Congress pursuant to the provisions of the FACA.