[Results of Meeting With Holocaust Memorial Council]

Questions were raised concerning the Holocaust Memorial Council's status, the applicability of federal statutes and regulations to its activities, and the rules governing the compensation and hiring of its employees. It was determined that: (1) the Council is an independent federal establishment; (2) the Council is not subject to the statutes and regulations usually applicable to government agencies when expending donated funds; (3) the Council may use appropriated funds to pay a fundraiser or other specialist; (4) the Council may compensate a fundraiser or specialist hired as an employee at a rate equivalent to the maximum annual rate of pay for a grade GS-18; (5) the salary of a fundraiser who is paid with appropriated funds may not be augmented with donated funds; and (6) while Congress exercises its oversight through the appropriations process, there is no provision for comparable oversight with respect to activities funded with donated funds, and statutory amendments were suggested which would require the Council to annually report to Congress and authorize the Comptroller General to audit the Council's financial transactions.