The Office, the Bureau of Justice Assistance, the National Institute of Justice, and the Bureau of Justice Statistics are authorized to appoint, without regard to the provisions of title 5, advisory committees to advise them with respect to the administration of this chapter as they deem necessary. Such committees shall be subject to the Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.). Members of such committees not otherwise in the employ of the United States, while engaged in advising or attending meetings of such committees, shall be compensated at rates to be fixed by the Office but not to exceed the daily equivalent of the rate of pay payable from time to time for GS–18 of the General Schedule under section
5332 of title
5, and while away from home or regular place of business they may be allowed travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, in the same manner as authorized by section 5703 of such title 5 for persons in the Government service employed intermittently.