(a) Powers.—To carry out its duties under this subtitle, the Appalachian Regional Commission may—

(1) adopt, amend, and repeal bylaws and regulations governing the conduct of its business and the performance of its functions;

(2) appoint and fix the compensation of an executive director and other personnel as necessary to enable the Commission to carry out its functions, except that the compensation shall not exceed the maximum rate of basic pay for the Senior Executive Service under section 5382 of title 5, including any applicable locality-based comparability payment that may be authorized under section 5304(h)(2)(C) of title 5;

(3) request the head of any federal department or agency to detail to temporary duty with the Commission personnel within the administrative jurisdiction of the head of the department or agency that the Commission may need for carrying out its functions, each detail to be without loss of seniority, pay, or other employee status;

(4) arrange for the services of personnel from any state or local government, subdivision or agency of a state or local government, or intergovernmental agency;

(5)

(A) make arrangements, including contracts, with any participating state government for inclusion in a suitable retirement and employee benefit system of Commission personnel who may not be eligible for, or continue in, another governmental retirement or employee benefit system; or

(B) otherwise provide for coverage of its personnel;

(6) accept, use, and dispose of gifts or donations of services or any property;

(7) enter into and perform contracts, leases (including the lease of office space for any term), cooperative agreements, or other transactions, necessary in carrying out its functions, on terms as it may consider appropriate, with any—

(A) department, agency, or instrumentality of the Federal Government;

(B) State or political subdivision, agency, or instrumentality of a State; or

(C) person;

(8) maintain a temporary office in the District of Columbia and establish a permanent office at a central and appropriate location it may select and field offices at other places it may consider appropriate; and

(9) take other actions and incur other expenses as may be necessary or appropriate.

(b) Authorizations.—

(1) Detail employees.—The head of a federal department or agency may detail personnel under subsection (a)(3).

(2) Enter into and perform transactions.—A department, agency, or instrumentality of the Government, to the extent not otherwise prohibited by law, may enter into and perform a contract, lease, cooperative agreement, or other transaction under subsection (a)(7).

(c) Retirement and Other Employee Benefit Programs.—The Director of the Office of Personnel Management may contract with the Commission for continued coverage of Commission employees, if the employees are federal employees when they begin Commission employment, in the retirement program and other employee benefit programs of the Government.

(d) Expenses.—Administrative expenses of the Commission shall be paid equally by the Government and the States in the Appalachian region, except that the expenses of the Federal Cochairman, the alternate to the Federal Cochairman, and the staff of the Federal Cochairman shall be paid only by the Government. The Commission shall determine the amount to be paid by each State. The Federal Cochairman shall not participate or vote in that determination. Assistance authorized by this subtitle shall not be furnished to any State or to any political subdivision or any resident of any State, and a state member of the Commission shall not participate or vote in any decision by the Commission, while the State is delinquent in payment of its share of administrative expenses.