The Secretary of the U.S. Department of Education announces the agency’s intention to establish a Rehabilitation Research Advisory Council (RRAC). Section 205(a) of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, stipulates that, “Subject to the availability of appropriations, the Secretary shall establish in the Department of Education a Rehabilitation Research Advisory Council . . . composed of 12 members appointed by the Secretary.” Section 205(b) provides that the RRAC will advise the Director of the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR) “with respect to research priorities and the development of the 5-year plan.” The Advisory Council will be governed by provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA) (Pub. L 92-463; as amended, 5 U.S.C. app.), which sets forth standards for the formation and use of advisory committees.
The Secretary of Education has determined that establishment of the Rehabilitation Research Advisory Council is desirable to provide advice and consultation to the NIDRR Director on how to improve NIDRR’s responsiveness to the current state of the science and the needs of the stakeholder community. The Advisory Council will represent an important, regular forum through which consumers could interact with NIDRR and have direct input into the advice that guides NIDRR’s work; will improve research outcomes by identifying new approaches, promoting innovation, recognizing unforeseen risks or barriers, and identifying unintended consequences; will assist NIDRR in its efforts to formalize and document the structure of its long-range planning process; and will add stability and continuity to both NIDRR’s long-range planning and priority-setting process. In accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act provisions found at 5 U.S.C. 102-3.60, the Department will file a charter.
The Department is seeking nominations for membership on the Advisory Council consistent with the requirements listed in the Supplementary Information section of this notice. Nominations should be submitted with a cover letter and include the nominee’s contact information (current mailing address, email address, fax, and telephone number) and current curriculum vitae or resume. Address the cover letter as follows: Honorable Arne Duncan, Secretary of Education, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20202.
- Submit nominations by email no later than close of business on December 30, 2013.
- Nominations should be emailed to the Office of the Secretary/White House Liaison Office, [email protected]. Note in the subject line “Nomination-RRAC”.
