95.5—Use of advisory committees generally.
(a)
Advisory committees are formed to provide a means of obtaining advice, views, and recommendations of benefit to the operations of the Government from industrialists, businessmen, scientists, engineers, educators, and other public and private citizens whose experience and talents would not otherwise be available to the Department. An advisory committee may be used when its counsel is desired on matters under consideration by any part of the Department. Unless specifically authorized by law to the contrary, no advisory committee may be used for functions which are not solely advisory. Determinations of action to be taken with respect to matters upon which an advisory committee advises or recommends may be made only by a full-time, salaried officer or employee of the Government.
(b)
An advisory committee may be established to serve the Department as a whole, the Office of the Secretary, any operating administration, any combination of the Office of the Secretary and the operating administrations, or the operating administrations collectively. However, no advisory committee may be formed or used unless (1) the committee is specifically authorized by law, or (2) the committee is specifically approved, in writing, by the Secretary or his designee, to be in the public interest in connection with the performance of duties imposed on the Department or any part of it.