The Secretary of Commerce is authorized to
(a)
appoint employees for the conduct of meteorological investigations in the Arctic region without regard to the civil service laws and fix their compensation without regard to chapter
51 and subchapter
III of chapter
53 of title
5, and sections
5542,
5543,
5545, and
5546 of title
5, at base rates not to exceed the maximum scheduled rate for GS–12, and
(b)
grant extra compensation to employees of other Government agencies for taking and transmitting meteorological observations without regard to section
5533 of title
5.