(a) Scientific and technological information solicited by the Commission. Communications of a former Commission employee solely for the purpose of furnishing scientific or technological information solicited by the Commission in the course of its statutory investigations are exempted from the restrictions on postemployment practices.

(b) Exemption for persons with special qualifications in a technical discipline—(1) Applicability. A former Commission employee may be exempted from the restrictions on postemployment practices if the Chairman, in consultation with the Director, Office of Government Ethics (the Director), executes a certification published in the Federal Register that the former Commission employee has outstanding qualifications in a scientific, technological, or other technical discipline; that the former Commission employee is acting with respect to a particular matter which requires such qualifications; and that the national interest would be served by the former Commission employee's participation.

(2) Certification authority. Certification shall be by the Chairman, or in the absence thereof, by the acting head of the Commission. Consultation with the Director shall precede any certification. The exemption is effective upon the execution of the certification. The Secretary shall immediately transmit the certification to the Federal Register for publication.

(c) Testimony and statement under oath are subject to penalty of perjury—(1) Applicability. A former Commission employee may testify before any court, board, commission, or legislative body with respect to matters of fact within the personal knowledge of the former Commission employee. This provision does not, however, allow a former Commission employee, otherwise barred under 18 U.S.C. 207 (a), (b), or (c), to testify on behalf of another as an expert witness except (i) to the extent that the former employee may testify from personal knowledge as to occurrences which are relevant to the issues in the proceeding, including those in which the Commission employee participated, utilizing his or her expertise, or (ii) in any proceeding where it is determined that another expert in the field cannot practically be obtained, that it is impracticable for the facts or opinions on the same subject to be obtained by other means, and that the former Commission employee's testimony is required in the interest of justice.

(2) Statements under penalty of perjury. A former Commission employee may make any statements required to be made under penalty of perjury, such as those required in registration statements for securities, tax returns, or security clearances. The exception does not, however, permit a former employee to submit pleadings, applications, or other documents in a representational capacity on behalf of another merely because the attorney or other representative must sign the documents under oath or penalty of perjury.