Detailed Summary

<b>(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary has been expanded because action occurred on the measure.)</b>

Federal Advisory Committee Act Amendments of 2009 - Amends the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA) to require appointments to advisory committees to be made without regard to political affiliation or activity, unless otherwise required by federal statute. Directs each agency head to: (1) ensure that no individual who has a conflict of interest is appointed unless the agency head determines that the need for the individual's services outweighs the potential impacts of the conflict; (2) require that each individual to be appointed inform the agency of any actual or potential conflict; and (3) ensure that advisory committee reports are the result of the committee's independent judgment.

Requires: (1) the public disclosure of any conflict of interest; (2) the Director of the Office of Government Ethics to promulgate regulations defining &quot;conflict of interest&quot;; and (3) the Administrator of General Services to promulgate regulations to implement FACA.

Regards an individual who is not a full-time or permanent part-time officer or employee of the federal government as a committee member if the individual regularly attends and participates in meetings,even if the individual does not have the right to vote.

Requires public disclosure of: (1) charters of advisory committees; (2) the process used to establish and appoint committee members; (3) specified information about current members; (4) each committee's decision-making process; (5) transcripts or recordings of meetings; (6) determinations to close meetings; and (7) notices of future meetings. Requires agency heads to make such information available on the agency's public Internet site within a specified time frame. Authorizes an agency to withhold information that would be exempt from disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act. Requires the Administrator to provide electronic access to such information on the General Services Administration's (GSA's) Internet site.

Expands the information required to be disclosed about advisory committee charters.

Requires the Comptroller General to review and report on agency compliance with FACA.

Status of the Legislation

Latest Major Action: 6/4/2009: Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 68.

Points in Favor

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Points Against

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