§  54.705   Committees of the Administrator's Board of Directors.

   (a) Schools and Libraries Committee--(1) Committee functions. The
   Schools and Libraries Committee shall oversee the administration of the
   schools and libraries support mechanism by the Schools and Libraries
   Division. The Schools and Libraries Committee shall have the authority
   to make decisions concerning:

   (i) How the Administrator projects demand for the schools and libraries
   support mechanism;

   (ii) Development of applications and associated instructions as needed
   for the schools and libraries support mechanism;

   (iii) Administration of the application process, including activities
   to ensure compliance with Federal Communications Commission rules and
   regulations;

   (iv) Performance of outreach and education functions;

   (v) Review of bills for services that are submitted by schools and
   libraries;

   (vi)-(viii) [Reserved]

   (ix) The classification of schools and libraries as urban or rural and
   the use of the discount matrix established in § 54.505(c) of this
   chapter to set the discount rate to be applied to services purchased by
   eligible schools and libraries;

   (x) Performance of audits of beneficiaries under the schools and
   libraries support mechanism; and

   (xi) Development and implementation of other functions unique to the
   schools and libraries support mechanism.

   (2) Committee composition. The Schools and Libraries Committee shall
   consist of the following members of the Administrator's Board of
   Directors:

   (i) Three school representatives;

   (ii) One library representative;

   (iii) One service provider representative;

   (iv) One at-large representative elected by the Administrator's Board
   of Directors; and

   (v) The Administrator's Chief Executive Officer.

   (b) Rural Health Care Committee--(1) Committee functions. The Rural
   Health Care Committee shall oversee the administration of the rural
   health care support mechanism by the Rural Health Care Division. The
   Rural Health Care Committee shall have authority to make decisions
   concerning:

   (i) How the Administrator projects demand for the rural health care
   support mechanism;

   (ii) Development of applications and associated instructions as needed
   for the rural health care support mechanism;

   (iii) Administration of the application process, including activities
   to ensure compliance with Federal Communications Commission rules and
   regulations;

   (iv) Calculation of support levels under § 54.609;

   (v) Performance of outreach and education functions;

   (vi) Review of bills for services that are submitted by rural health
   care providers;

   (vii) Monitoring demand for the purpose of determining when the $400
   million cap has been reached;

   (viii) Performance of audits of beneficiaries under the rural health
   care support mechanism; and

   (ix) Development and implementation of other functions unique to the
   rural health care support mechanism.

   (2) Committee composition. The Rural Health Care Committee shall
   consist of the following members of the Administrator's Board of
   Directors:

   (i) Two rural health care representatives;

   (ii) One service provider representative;

   (iii) Two at-large representatives elected by the Administrator's Board
   of Directors;

   (iv) One State telecommunications regulator, one state consumer
   advocate; and

   (v) The Administrator's Chief Executive Officer.

   (c) High Cost and Low Income Committee--(1) Committee functions. The
   High Cost and Low Income Committee shall oversee the administration of
   the high cost and low income support mechanisms, the interstate access
   universal service support mechanism for price cap carriers described in
   subpart J of this part, and the interstate common line support
   mechanism for rate-of-return carriers described in subpart K of this
   part by the High Cost and Low Income Division. The High Cost and Low
   Income Committee shall have the authority to make decisions concerning:

   (i) How the Administrator projects demand for the high cost, low
   income, interstate access universal service, and interstate common line
   support mechanisms;

   (ii) Development of applications and associated instructions as needed
   for the high cost, low income, interstate access universal service, and
   interstate common line support mechanisms;

   (iii) Administration of the application process, including activities
   to ensure compliance with Federal Communications Commission rules and
   regulations;

   (iv) Performance of audits of beneficiaries under the high cost, low
   income, interstate access universal service and interstate common line
   support mechanisms; and

   (v) Development and implementation of other functions unique to the
   high cost, low income, interstate access universal service and
   interstate common line support mechanisms.

   (d) Binding Authority of Committees of the Board. (1) Any action taken
   by the Committees of the Board established in paragraphs (a) through
   (c) of this section shall be binding on the Board of Directors of the
   Administrator, unless such action is presented for review to the Board
   by the Administrator's Chief Executive Officer and the Board
   disapproves of such action by a two-thirds vote of a quorum of
   directors, as defined in the Administrator's by-laws.

   (2) The budgets prepared by each Committee shall be subject to Board
   review as part of the Administrator's combined budget. The Board shall
   not modify the budgets prepared by the Committees of the Board unless
   such modification is approved by a two-thirds vote of a quorum of the
   Board, as defined in the Administrator's by-laws.

   [ 63 FR 70574 , Dec. 21, 1998, as amended at  65 FR 38690 , June 21, 2000;
    65 FR 57739 , Sept. 26, 2000;  66 FR 59728 , Nov. 30, 2001;  79 FR 49204 ,
   Aug. 19, 2014]