United States Code
USC most recently checked for updates: Dec 13, 2024
The term “national security” shall be construed so as to include those issues relating to “homeland security”, including its application to critical infrastructure.
The terms “Committee” and “chairperson” mean the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States and the chairperson thereof, respectively.
The term “control” means the power, direct or indirect, whether exercised or not exercised, to determine, direct, or decide important matters affecting an entity, subject to regulations prescribed by the Committee.
With respect to a real estate purchase, lease, or concession described in subparagraph (B)(ii)(II)(bb)(AA), the Committee shall prescribe regulations to ensure that the term “close proximity” refers only to a distance or distances within which the purchase, lease, or concession of real estate could pose a national security risk in connection with a United States military installation or another facility or property of the United States Government described in that subparagraph.
Notwithstanding subclause (I), for purposes of this subparagraph, the term “material nonpublic technical information” does not include financial information regarding the performance of a United States business.
The Committee shall prescribe regulations providing guidance on the types of transactions that the Committee considers to be “other investment” for purposes of subparagraph (B)(iii).
For the purposes of items (cc) and (dd) of subclause (I) and except as provided in item (bb), a waiver of a potential conflict of interest, a waiver of an allocation limitation, or a similar activity, applicable to a transaction pursuant to the terms of an agreement governing an investment fund shall not be considered to constitute control of investment decisions of the fund or decisions relating to entities in which the fund is invested.
The Committee may prescribe regulations providing for exceptions to item (aa) for extraordinary circumstances.
For purposes of subparagraph (B)(iii), the term “other investment” does not include an investment involving an air carrier, as defined in section 40102(a)(2) of title 49, that holds a certificate issued under section 41102 of that title.
Any definition of “critical infrastructure” established under any provision of law other than this section shall not be determinative for purposes of this section.
The Committee shall prescribe regulations that further define the term “foreign person” for purposes of clauses (ii) and (iii) of subparagraph (B). In prescribing such regulations, the Committee shall specify criteria to limit the application of such clauses to the investments of certain categories of foreign persons. Such criteria shall take into consideration how a foreign person is connected to a foreign country or foreign government, and whether the connection may affect the national security of the United States.
The term “critical infrastructure” means, subject to regulations prescribed by the Committee, systems and assets, whether physical or virtual, so vital to the United States that the incapacity or destruction of such systems or assets would have a debilitating impact on national security.
The chairperson may recommend technologies for identification under the interagency process set forth in section 4817(a) of this title.
Recommendations by the chairperson under clause (i) shall draw upon information arising from reviews and investigations conducted under subsection (b), notices submitted under subsection (b)(1)(C)(i), declarations filed under subsection (b)(1)(C)(v), and non-notified and non-declared transactions identified under subsection (b)(1)(H).
The term “foreign government-controlled transaction” means any covered transaction that could result in the control of any United States business by a foreign government or an entity controlled by or acting on behalf of a foreign government.
The term “intelligence community” has the meaning given that term in section 3003(4) of title 50.
The term “investment” means the acquisition of equity interest, including contingent equity interest, as further defined in regulations prescribed by the Committee.
The term “lead agency” means the agency or agencies designated as the lead agency or agencies pursuant to subsection (k)(5).
The term “party” has the meaning given that term in regulations prescribed by the Committee.
The term “United States” means the several States, the District of Columbia, and any territory or possession of the United States.
The term “United States business” means a person engaged in interstate commerce in the United States.
If the Committee determines that the covered transaction is a foreign government-controlled transaction, the Committee shall conduct an investigation of the transaction under paragraph (2).
Any party or parties to any covered transaction may initiate a review of the transaction under this paragraph by submitting a written notice of the transaction to the Chairperson of the Committee.
Subject to item (cc), the Committee shall provide comments on a draft or formal written notice or accept a formal written notice submitted under subclause (I) with respect to a covered transaction not later than the date that is 10 business days after the date of submission of the draft or formal written notice.
If the Committee determines that a draft or formal written notice described in item (aa) is not complete, the Committee shall notify the party or parties to the transaction in writing that the notice is not complete and provide an explanation of all material respects in which the notice is incomplete.
The timing requirement under item (aa) shall apply only in a case in which the parties stipulate under clause (vi) that the transaction is a covered transaction.
No covered transaction for which a notice was submitted under clause (i) may be withdrawn from review, unless a written request for such withdrawal is submitted to the Committee by any party to the transaction and approved by the Committee.
A request for withdrawal under clause (ii) shall not be construed to preclude any party to the covered transaction from continuing informal discussions with the Committee or any member thereof regarding possible resubmission for review pursuant to this paragraph.
The Committee may require a written notice submitted under clause (i) to include a copy of any partnership agreements, integration agreements, or other side agreements relating to the transaction, as specified in regulations prescribed by the Committee.
A party to any covered transaction may submit to the Committee a declaration with basic information regarding the transaction instead of a written notice under clause (i).
The Committee shall prescribe regulations establishing requirements for declarations submitted under this clause. In prescribing such regulations, the Committee shall ensure that such declarations are submitted as abbreviated notifications that would not generally exceed 5 pages in length.
The Committee shall take action under item (aa) not later than 30 days after receiving a declaration under this clause.
Nothing in this subclause (other than item (aa)(CC)) shall be construed to affect the authority of the President or the Committee to take any action authorized by this section with respect to a covered transaction.
The Committee shall prescribe regulations specifying the types of covered transactions for which the Committee requires a declaration under this subclause.
Except as provided in subitem (BB), the parties to a covered transaction shall submit a declaration described in subclause (I) with respect to the transaction if the transaction involves an investment that results in the acquisition, directly or indirectly, of a substantial interest in a United States business described in subsection (a)(4)(B)(iii) by a foreign person in which a foreign government has, directly or indirectly, a substantial interest.
In this item, the term “substantial interest” has the meaning given that term in regulations which the Committee shall prescribe. In developing those regulations, the Committee shall consider the means by which a foreign government could influence the actions of a foreign person, including through board membership, ownership interest, or shareholder rights. An interest that is excluded under subparagraph (D) of subsection (a)(4) from the term “other investment” as used in subparagraph (B)(iii) of that subsection or that is less than a 10 percent voting interest shall not be considered a substantial interest.
The Committee may waive, with respect to a foreign person, the requirement under subitem (AA) for the submission of a declaration described in subclause (I) if the Committee determines that the foreign person demonstrates that the investments of the foreign person are not directed by a foreign government and the foreign person has a history of cooperation with the Committee.
The Committee may require the submission of a declaration described in subclause (I) with respect to any covered transaction identified under regulations prescribed by the Committee for purposes of this item, at the discretion of the Committee, that involves a United States business described in subsection (a)(4)(B)(iii)(II).
Parties to a covered transaction for which a declaration is required under this subclause may instead elect to submit a written notice under clause (i).
In the regulations prescribed under item (aa), the Committee may not require a declaration to be submitted under this subclause with respect to a covered transaction more than 45 days before the completion of the transaction.
The Committee may not request or recommend that a declaration submitted under this subclause be withdrawn and refiled, except to permit parties to a covered transaction to correct material errors or omissions in the declaration submitted with respect to that transaction.
The Committee may impose a penalty pursuant to subsection (h)(3) with respect to a party that fails to comply with this subclause.
A written notice submitted under clause (i) or a declaration submitted under clause (v) that includes a stipulation under subclause (I) shall include a description of the basis for the stipulation.
Any review under this paragraph shall be completed before the end of the 45-day period beginning on the date of the acceptance of written notice under subparagraph (C) by the chairperson, or beginning on the date of the initiation of the review in accordance with subparagraph (D), as applicable.
The authority of the Committee to initiate a review under subparagraph (D) may not be delegated to any person, other than the Deputy Secretary or an appropriate Under Secretary of the department or agency represented on the Committee.
In each case described in subparagraph (B), the Committee shall immediately conduct an investigation of the effects of a covered transaction on the national security of the United States, and take any necessary actions in connection with the transaction to protect the national security of the United States.
Except as provided in clause (ii), any investigation under subparagraph (A) shall be completed before the end of the 45-day period beginning on the date on which the investigation commenced.
In extraordinary circumstances (as defined by the Committee in regulations), the chairperson may, at the request of the head of the lead agency, extend an investigation under subparagraph (A) for one 15-day period.
The authority of the chairperson and the head of the lead agency referred to in subclause (I) may not be delegated to any person other than the Deputy Secretary of the Treasury or the deputy head (or equivalent thereof) of the lead agency, as the case may be.
If the Committee extends the deadline under subclause (I) with respect to a covered transaction, the Committee shall notify the parties to the transaction of the extension.
Notwithstanding subparagraph (B)(i), an investigation of a foreign government-controlled transaction described in subclause (II) of subparagraph (B)(i) or a transaction involving critical infrastructure described in subclause (III) of subparagraph (B)(i) shall not be required under this paragraph, if the Secretary of the Treasury and the head of the lead agency jointly determine, on the basis of the review of the transaction under paragraph (1), that the transaction will not impair the national security of the United States.
The authority of the Secretary or the head of an agency referred to in clause (i) may not be delegated to any person, other than the Deputy Secretary of the Treasury or the deputy head (or the equivalent thereof) of the lead agency, respectively.
The Chairperson shall, not later than 180 days after the effective date of the Foreign Investment and National Security Act of 2007, publish in the Federal Register guidance on the types of transactions that the Committee has reviewed and that have presented national security considerations, including transactions that may constitute covered transactions that would result in control of critical infrastructure relating to United States national security by a foreign government or an entity controlled by or acting on behalf of a foreign government.
Upon completion of a review under this subsection that concludes action under this section, or upon the Committee making a notification under paragraph (1)(C)(v)(III)(aa)(DD), the chairperson and the head of the lead agency shall transmit a certified notice to the members of Congress specified in subparagraph (C)(iii).
As soon as is practicable after completion of an investigation under subsection (b) that concludes action under this section, the chairperson and the head of the lead agency shall transmit to the members of Congress specified in subparagraph (C)(iii) a certified written report (consistent with the requirements of subsection (c)) on the results of the investigation, unless the matter under investigation has been sent to the President for decision.
Each certified notice and report required under subparagraphs (A) and (B), respectively, shall be signed by the chairperson and the head of the lead agency, and shall state that, in the determination of the Committee, there are no unresolved national security concerns with the transaction that is the subject of the notice or report.
Each certified notice and report required under subparagraphs (A) and (B), respectively, shall be signed by the chairperson and the head of the lead agency, which signature requirement may only be delegated in accordance with subclause (II).
Subject to item (bb), the chairperson, in consultation with the Committee, may determine the level of official to whom the signature requirement under subclause (I) for the chairperson and the head of the lead agency may be delegated. The level of official to whom the signature requirement may be delegated may differ based on any factor relating to a transaction that the chairperson, in consultation with the Committee, deems appropriate, including the type or value of the transaction.
The signature requirement under subclause (I) may be delegated not below the level of the Assistant Secretary of the Treasury or an equivalent official of the lead agency.
Instead of transmitting a separate certified notice or certified report under subparagraph (A) or (B) with respect to each covered transaction, the Committee may, on a monthly basis, transmit such notices and reports in a consolidated document to the Members of Congress specified in clause (iii).
Except as provided in subparagraph (B), the Director of National Intelligence shall expeditiously carry out a thorough analysis of any threat to the national security of the United States posed by any covered transaction, which shall include the identification of any recognized gaps in the collection of intelligence relevant to the analysis.
The Director shall seek and incorporate into the analysis required by clause (i) the views of all affected or appropriate agencies of the intelligence community with respect to the transaction.
At the request of the lead agency, the Director shall update the analysis conducted under clause (i) with respect to a covered transaction with respect to which an agreement was entered into under subsection (l)(3)(A).
The Committee shall ensure that its processes under this section preserve the ability of the Director to conduct analysis under clause (i) that is independent, objective, and consistent with all applicable directives, policies, and analytic tradecraft standards of the intelligence community.
The Director of National Intelligence may provide the Committee with basic information regarding any threat to the national security of the United States posed by a covered transaction described in clause (ii) instead of conducting the analysis required by subparagraph (A).
The analysis required under subparagraph (A) shall be provided by the Director of National Intelligence to the Committee not later than 30 days after the date on which notice of the transaction is accepted by the Committee under paragraph (1)(C), but such analysis may be supplemented or amended, as the Director considers necessary or appropriate, or upon a request for additional information by the Committee. The Director may begin the analysis at any time prior to acceptance of the notice, in accordance with otherwise applicable law.
The Director of National Intelligence shall ensure that the intelligence community remains engaged in the collection, analysis, and dissemination to the Committee of any additional relevant information that may become available during the course of any investigation conducted under subsection (b) with respect to a transaction.
The Director of National Intelligence shall be a nonvoting, ex officio member of the Committee, and shall be provided with all notices received by the Committee under paragraph (1)(C) regarding covered transactions, but shall serve no policy role on the Committee, other than to provide analysis under subparagraphs (A) and (C) in connection with a covered transaction.
The Director may provide to the Committee an assessment, separate from the analyses under subparagraphs (A) and (B), of any operational impact of a covered transaction on the intelligence community and a description of any actions that have been or will be taken to mitigate any such impact.
The Committee shall submit the analysis required by subparagraph (A) with respect to a covered transaction to the Select Committee on Intelligence of the Senate and the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence of the House of Representatives upon the conclusion of action under this section (other than compliance plans under subsection (l)(6)) with respect to the transaction.
No provision of this subsection shall be construed as prohibiting any party to a covered transaction from submitting additional information concerning the transaction, including any proposed restructuring of the transaction or any modifications to any agreements in connection with the transaction, while any review or investigation of the transaction is ongoing.
The Committee shall notify the parties to a covered transaction of the results of a review or investigation under this section, promptly upon completion of all action under this section.
Any deadline or time limitation under this subsection shall be tolled during a lapse in appropriations.
Except as provided in paragraph (2), any information or documentary material filed with the President or the President’s designee pursuant to this section shall be exempt from disclosure under section 552 of title 5, and no such information or documentary material may be made public.
The chairperson, in consultation with other members of the Committee, should establish a formal process for the exchange of information under paragraph (2)(C) with governments of countries that are allies or partners of the United States, in the discretion of the chairperson, to protect the national security of the United States and those countries.
Subject to paragraph (4), the President may take such action for such time as the President considers appropriate to suspend or prohibit any covered transaction that threatens to impair the national security of the United States.
The President may direct the Attorney General of the United States to seek appropriate relief, including divestment relief, in the district courts of the United States, in order to implement and enforce this subsection.
For purposes of determining whether to take action under paragraph (1), the President shall consider, among other factors each of the factors described in subsection (f), as appropriate.
The actions of the President under paragraph (1) of subsection (d) and the findings of the President under paragraph (4) of subsection (d) shall not be subject to judicial review.
A civil action challenging an action or finding under this section may be brought only in the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.
If a civil action challenging an action or finding under this section is brought, and the court determines that protected information in the administrative record, including classified or other information subject to privilege or protections under any provision of law, is necessary to resolve the challenge, that information shall be submitted ex parte and in camera to the court and the court shall maintain that information under seal.
The use of information provisions of sections 1806, 1825, 1845, and 1881e of this title shall not apply in a civil action brought under this subsection.
The Committee shall, upon request from any Member of Congress specified in subsection (b)(3)(C)(iii), promptly provide briefings on a covered transaction for which all action has concluded under this section, or on compliance with a mitigation agreement or condition imposed with respect to such transaction, on a classified basis, if deemed necessary by the sensitivity of the information. Briefings under this paragraph may be provided to the congressional staff of such a Member of Congress having appropriate security clearance.
The disclosure of information under this subsection shall be consistent with the requirements of subsection (c). Members of Congress and staff of either House of Congress or any committee of Congress, shall be subject to the same limitations on disclosure of information as are applicable under subsection (c).
Proprietary information which can be associated with a particular party to a covered transaction shall be furnished in accordance with subparagraph (A) only to a committee of Congress, and only when the committee provides assurances of confidentiality, unless such party otherwise consents in writing to such disclosure.
The President shall direct, subject to notice and comment, the issuance of regulations to carry out this section.
No provision of this section shall be construed as altering or affecting any other authority, process, regulation, investigation, enforcement measure, or review provided by or established under any other provision of Federal law, including the International Emergency Economic Powers Act [50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.], or any other authority of the President or the Congress under the Constitution of the United States.
In any case in which an assessment of the risk of diversion of defense critical technology is performed by a designee of the President, a copy of such assessment shall be provided to any other designee of the President responsible for reviewing or investigating a transaction under this section.
The Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, established pursuant to Executive Order No. 11858, shall be a multi agency committee to carry out this section and such other assignments as the President may designate.
The Secretary of the Treasury shall serve as the chairperson of the Committee.
Each member of the Committee shall designate an Assistant Secretary, or an equivalent official, who is appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, to carry out such duties related to the Committee as the member of the Committee may delegate.
There shall be established in the Office of International Affairs at the Department of the Treasury 2 additional positions of Assistant Secretary of the Treasury, who shall be appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, to carry out such duties related to the Committee as the Secretary of the Treasury may delegate, consistent with this section.
One of the positions of Assistant Secretary of the Treasury authorized under subclause (I) shall be the Assistant Secretary for Investment Security, whose duties shall be principally related to the Committee, as delegated by the Secretary of the Treasury under this section.
The heads of the departments and agencies represented on the Committee may appoint, without regard to the provisions of sections 3309 through 3318 of title 5, candidates directly to positions in the competitive service (as defined in section 2102 of that title) in their respective departments and agencies. The primary responsibility of positions authorized under the preceding sentence shall be to administer this section.
The chairperson shall consult with the heads of such other Federal departments, agencies, and independent establishments in any review or investigation under subsection (a), as the chairperson determines to be appropriate, on the basis of the facts and circumstances of the covered transaction under review or investigation (or the designee of any such department or agency head).
The Committee shall meet upon the direction of the President or upon the call of the chairperson, without regard to section 552b of title 5 (if otherwise applicable).
The Committee, acting through the chairperson, may suspend a proposed or pending covered transaction that may pose a risk to the national security of the United States for such time as the covered transaction is under review or investigation under subsection (b).
The Committee may, at any time during the review or investigation of a covered transaction under subsection (b), complete the action of the Committee with respect to the transaction and refer the transaction to the President for action pursuant to subsection (d).
The Committee or a lead agency may, on behalf of the Committee, negotiate, enter into or impose, and enforce any agreement or condition with any party to the covered transaction in order to mitigate any risk to the national security of the United States that arises as a result of the covered transaction.
If a party to a covered transaction has voluntarily chosen to abandon the transaction, the Committee or lead agency, as the case may be, may negotiate, enter into or impose, and enforce any agreement or condition with any party to the covered transaction for purposes of effectuating such abandonment and mitigating any risk to the national security of the United States that arises as a result of the covered transaction.
The Committee or lead agency, as the case may be, may negotiate, enter into or impose, and enforce any agreement or condition with any party to a completed covered transaction in order to mitigate any interim risk to the national security of the United States that may arise as a result of the covered transaction until such time that the Committee has completed action pursuant to subsection (b) or the President has taken action pursuant to subsection (d) with respect to the transaction.
The chairperson and the head of the lead agency shall periodically review the appropriateness of an agreement or condition imposed under subparagraph (A) and terminate, phase out, or otherwise amend the agreement or condition if a threat no longer requires mitigation through the agreement or condition.
The provisions of section 4556(b) of this title shall apply to any mitigation agreement entered into or condition imposed under subparagraph (A).
Any determination of the Committee to suspend a covered transaction under paragraph (1), to refer a covered transaction to the President under paragraph (2), or to negotiate, enter into or impose, or enforce any agreement or condition under paragraph (3)(A) with respect to a covered transaction, shall be based on a risk-based analysis, conducted by the Committee, of the effects on the national security of the United States of the covered transaction, which shall include an assessment of the threat, vulnerabilities, and consequences to national security related to the transaction.
Any member of the Committee who concludes that a covered transaction poses an unresolved national security concern shall recommend to the Committee that the Committee suspend the transaction under paragraph (1), refer the transaction to the President under paragraph (2), or negotiate, enter into or impose, or enforce any agreement or condition under paragraph (3)(A) with respect to the transaction. In making that recommendation, the member shall propose or contribute to the risk-based analysis required by subparagraph (A).
For purposes of subparagraph (A), the terms “threat”, “vulnerabilities”, and “consequences to national security” shall have the meanings given those terms by the Committee by regulation.
The lead agency, other than any entity of the intelligence community, shall, on behalf of the Committee, ensure that the requirements of subparagraph (A) with respect to any covered transaction that is subject to such subparagraph are met.
The lead agency shall negotiate, modify, monitor, and enforce, on behalf of the Committee, any agreement entered into or condition imposed under paragraph (3) with respect to a covered transaction, based on the expertise with and knowledge of the issues related to such transaction on the part of the designated department or agency. The lead agency may, at its discretion, seek and receive the assistance of other departments or agencies in carrying out the purposes of this paragraph.
In the case of a covered transaction with respect to which an agreement is entered into under paragraph (3)(A), the Committee or lead agency, as the case may be, shall formulate, adhere to, and keep updated a plan for monitoring compliance with the agreement.
If the parties to an agreement entered into under paragraph (3)(A) enter into a contract with an independent entity from outside the United States Government for the purpose of monitoring compliance with the agreement, the Committee shall take such action as is necessary to prevent a conflict of interest from arising by ensuring that the independent entity owes no fiduciary duty to the parties.
Any agreement or condition entered into or imposed under paragraph (3)(A) shall be considered binding on all successors and assigns unless and until the agreement or condition terminates on its own terms or is otherwise terminated by the Committee in its sole discretion.
Subject to subparagraphs (A) through (F), the Committee shall develop and agree upon methods for evaluating compliance with any agreement entered into or condition imposed with respect to a covered transaction that will allow the Committee to adequately ensure compliance without unnecessarily diverting Committee resources from assessing any new covered transaction for which a written notice under clause (i) of subsection (b)(1)(C) or declaration under clause (v) of that subsection has been filed, and if necessary, reaching a mitigation agreement with or imposing a condition on a party to such covered transaction or any covered transaction for which a review has been reopened for any reason.
The chairperson shall transmit a report to the chairman and ranking member of the committee of jurisdiction in the Senate and the House of Representatives, before July 31 of each year on all of the reviews and investigations of covered transactions completed under subsection (b) during the 12-month period covered by the report.
All appropriate portions of the annual report under paragraph (1) may be classified. An unclassified version of the report, as appropriate, consistent with safeguarding national security and privacy, shall be made available to the public.
If the Committee recommends that the President suspend or prohibit a covered transaction because the transaction threatens to impair the national security of the United States, the Committee shall, in the classified version of the report required under paragraph (1), notify Congress of the recommendation and, upon request, provide a classified briefing on the recommendation.
The Committee shall prescribe regulations expressly providing for the application of section 1001 of title 18, United States Code, to all information provided to the Committee under this section by any party to a covered transaction.
This subsection shall have no force or effect on or after the date that is 7 years after
There is established in the Treasury of the United States a fund, to be known as the “Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States Fund” (in this subsection referred to as the “Fund”), to be administered by the chairperson.
There are authorized to be appropriated to the Fund for each of fiscal years 2019 through 2023 $20,000,000 to perform the functions of the Committee.
The Committee may assess and collect a fee in an amount determined by the Committee in regulations, to the extent provided in advance in appropriations Acts, without regard to section 9701 of title 31, and subject to subparagraph (B), with respect to each covered transaction for which a written notice is submitted to the Committee under subsection (b)(1)(C)(i). The total amount of fees collected under this paragraph may not exceed the costs of administering this section.
The Committee shall periodically reconsider and adjust the amount of the fee to be assessed under subparagraph (A) with respect to a covered transaction to ensure that the amount of the fee does not exceed the costs of administering this section and otherwise remains appropriate.
Not later than 270 days after
After completing the study required by clause (i), the chairperson, or a designee of the chairperson, shall submit to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Financial Services of the House of Representatives a report on the findings of the study.
To the extent provided in advance in appropriations Acts, the chairperson may transfer any amounts in the Fund to any other department or agency represented on the Committee for the purpose of addressing emerging needs in carrying out activities under this section. Amounts so transferred shall be in addition to any other amounts available to that department or agency for that purpose.
The chairperson, in consultation with the Committee, may centralize certain functions of the Committee within the Department of the Treasury for the purpose of enhancing interagency coordination and collaboration in carrying out the functions of the Committee under this section.
Functions that may be centralized under paragraph (1) include identifying non-notified and non-declared transactions pursuant to subsection (b)(1)(H), and other functions as determined by the chairperson and the Committee.
Nothing in this section shall be construed as limiting the authority of any department or agency represented on the Committee to represent its own interests before the Committee.