Federal Advisory Committees
Advisory Committees
Advisory committees have played an important role in shaping programs and policies of the federal government from the earliest days of the Republic. Since President George Washington sought the advice of such a committee during the Whiskey Rebellion of 1794, the contributions made by these groups have been impressive and diverse.
Through enactment of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA) of 1972 (Public Law 92-463), the U.S. Congress formally recognized the merits of seeking the advice and assistance of our nation’s citizens.
The Committee’s mission is to provide advice on the policies and procedures and focus the resources of the U.S. Government (USG) through the Trade Promotion Coordinating Committee (TPCC) in order to increase environmental exports of U.S. companies. The ETTAC advises the TPCC through the Secretary of Commerce. Within the Department, the Director of the Office of Environmental Technologies and one staff person act as Executive Director and DFO of the ETTAC respectively. Members, appointed by the Secretary of Commerce, provide advice on the international interests and competitiveness of the U.S. environmental sector. ETTAC members consult widely with U.S. environmental technologies firms, relevant federal and state government agencies, and other experts in developing their advice for the USG. ETTAC’s recommendations target critical issues facing the U.S. industry on international markets such as tariff and non-tariff barriers, advocacy/government support, and USG policies/programs to help U.S. environmental firms compete in export markets. The ETTAC is instrumental in guiding the reconstitution of the Environmental Trade Working Group of the Trade Promotion Coordinating Committee (ETWG) and its U.S. Environmental Export Initiative. The interaction between the ETTAC and ETWG has been critical in developing an interagency strategy in increasing U.S. environmental exports.
The Board advises the Secretary of Commerce on government policies and programs that affect the U.S. travel and tourism industry, including ways to ensure the United States remains a preeminent destination for travel and tourism. The Board acts as a liaison to the stakeholders represented by the membership, consulting with them on emerging issues in the industry to support sustainable travel and tourism growth, and providing a forum for discussing and proposing solutions to industry-related problems. The Board provides recommendations to the Secretary regarding U.S. travel and tourism.