BOARD ON GEOGRAPHIC NAMES BYLAWS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP78-05927A000100100003-5
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 9
• Document Creation Date: December 9, 2016
• Document Release Date: July 24, 2000
• Sequence Number: 3
• Content Type: REQ

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*DOI Waiver In ERU File*
Adopted by the Board on May 25, 1948, revised July 21, 1953,
revised July 21, 1959, revised October 15, 1963
Article I _ Name and Object
Sec. I The name of the organi!,ation is the "Board on Geographic
Names," as prescribed in the Act of July 25, 1947
(61 Stat. 456, 43 USCA Sec.. 364), "An Act to provide a
central authority for }tandardizing geographic names for
the purpose of eliminating duplication in standardizing
such names among the Federal Departments, and for other
purposes."
Sec. 2 The object of the Board, which functions conjointly with
the Secretary of the Interior (hereinafter called the
Secretary), as provided in the Act of July 25, 1947, is
to "provide for uniformity in geographic nomenclature
and orthography throughout the Federal Government."
Article II - Members
The membership of the Board shall conform to the provisions
.of Section 2 of the Act. At the time of the adoption of
the third revision of these bylaws the membership com-
prises one representative each from the following con-
stituent departments and independent agencies:
Department of State
Department of the Army
Department of the Navy
Post Office Department
Department of the Interior
Department of Agriculture
Department of Commerce
Government Printing Office
Library of Congress
Central Intelligence Agency
Department of the Air Force
Department of Defense
Sec. 2 To insure full representation at all meetings of the Board
and its committees, the head of any department or inde-
pendent agency represented on the Board may designate a
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deputy member who will serve and vote as the represen-
tative of that department or independent agency in the
absence of the regular representative, The word "member"
as used in these bylaws shall be held to refer to any
deputy representing a department or agency in the
absence of the regular member. A deputy member may
attend and participate in meetings of the Board or of
the committees, other than the Executive Committee, on
which his department or independent agency is repre-
sented, except that he may not vote if the regular member
from his department or agency is present. A member or
deputy from a given agency may not second a motion made
by the other.
Sec. 3 A department or independent agency which is represented on
the Board may, in the absence or unavailability of both
its member and deputy,, provide for the attendance of an
observer at.a meeting of the Board or of a committee
except the Executive Committee. On specific request of
the agency concerned the Board or committee may give
such observer the status of a deputy for that meeting
only.
Sec. 4 Only Board members are eligible for election as officers
of the Board and its standing committees.
Sec. 5 Each member and each deputy shall be appointed for a two-
year term, and may be reappointed to successive terms as
provided by law. Each term~of office shall, expire on
September 30 of the odd-numbered year, and the terms of
members and deputies shall run concurrently, Appointment
to a vacancy shall be for the remainder of the unexpired
term.
Sec. 6 Each member shall keep the DNC or I'NC informed concerning
the current and antic_pated programs of his department or
independent agency that have a banviii-g on geographic names,
He shall also inform the pertinent committees as far in
advance as possible concerning the specific geographic
name needs of his department or agency.
Article III - Officers
See. 1 The officers of the Board shall be a Chairman, a ;Tice Chair-
man, an Executive Secretary for Foreign Names, and an
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Executive Secretary for Domestic Names. The Chairman
shall be nominated by the Board and appointed by the
Secretary in accordance with statutory requirements,
and the Vice Chairman shall be elected by the Board.
They shall be chosen by secret ballot at the regular
meeting of the Board in October of each odd-numbered
year, and shall serve for two years or until their
successors are chosen and enter upon duty. The Direc-
tor of the Office of Geography shall serve, ex officio,
as the Executive Secretary for Foreign Names. The
Executive Secretary for Domestic Names shall be ap-
pointed by the Director, Geological Survey.
Sec. 2 The Chairman shall preside at meetings of the Board. He
shall perform the usual duties of a Chairman, and other
duties that may be assigned to him by the Board. Except
for the advisory committees provided for in the Act,
he shall appoint the members of all committees not spe-
cifically elected by the Board. He shall be ex officio
a member, without vote, of all committees of which he is
not a regular member.
Sec. 3 The Vice Chairman shall act as chairman in the absence of
that. officer. He shall be Chairman of the Executive
Committee, and shall present reports thereof at meetings
of the Board. He may attend ex officio, without vote,
meetings of any committee of which he is not a member.
He may not be chairman of any standing committee other
than the Executive Committee.
Sec. 4 The Executive Secretary to the Board shall be either the
Executive Secretary for Foreign Names or the Executive
Secretary for Doines;i Names. He shall be appointed by
the Chairman.
Sec. 5 The Executive Secretary to the Board will prepare the min-
utes and reports o,? the Board. Reports of Board and
committee chairmen ill be made available to the Exec-
utive Secretary to the Board for reproduction in suffi-
cient quantities for all Board members and for other
requirements. He will maintain records and conduct
correspondence of the Board, exclusive of correspondence
pertaining directly to foreign or domestic names, in
accordance with procedures formulated by the Board and
approved by the Secretary, He will provide a meeting
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place for the Board and advise members of the time and
place of meetings. lie may participate, without vote,
in all meetings of the Board and the meetings of the
Executive Committee.
See. 6 The Executive Secretary for Foreign Names will maintain
all records of the Board, including the correspondence
files that pertain to foreign names which would exclude
the contiguous United States - Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto
Rico, and the Virgin Islands. He Will provide a meeting
place for the Committee and advise the members as to
the time and place of the meeting. Ile will-prepare the
minutes of the meetings of the Foreign Names Committee,
and conduct related correspondence of the Board and the
Committee in accordance with procedures formulated by
the Board and approved by the Secretary. He will serve
as technical consul`int to the Board in matters pertain-
ing to foreign names, He may participate, without vote,
in all meetings of the Board arid the Executive Committee
and he or his representative will be present at all
meetings of the Foreign Names Committee at which name
decisions are made.
Sec. 7 The Executive Secretary for Domestic Names will maintain
all records of the Board including the correspondence
files that pertain to domestic geographic names in the
contiguous United States - Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico,
and the Virgin Islands. He will provide a meeting place
for the Committee and advise the members as to the time
and place of the meeting. He will prepare the minutes
of the meetings of the Domestic Names Committee, and con-
duct related correspondence of the Board and the Committee
in accordance with procedures formulated by the Board and
approved by the Secretary. He will serve as technical
consultant to the Board in matters pertaining to domestic
names. He may participate, without vote, in all meetings
of the Board and the Executive Committee and he or his
representative will be present at all meetings of the
Domestic Names Committee at which name decisions are made.
Article IV - CoiLunittees
See. 1 There shall be the following standing committees: (1) The
Executive Committee; (2) the Domestic Names Committee;
(3) the Foreign Names Committee; and (4) the Publications
Committee. Additional standing committees may be estab-'
lished or discharged by the Board. There shall be at
least three members on each standing committee.
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See. 2 The Executive Committee shall consist of the Chairman and
the Vice Chairman of the Board and the Chairman or in
their absence the Vice Chairman, of the Domestic Names
Committee, the Foreign Names Committee, and the Publi-
cations Committee. The Executive Committee acting for the
Board will elect members of special committees and will
coordinate the work of all committees. It will maintain
cognizance of the activities of the staffs particularly
in relation to the official resolutions of the Board, and
will make recommendations thereon.. It will take action
on routine matters within its competence, and by its unan-
imous vote may act for the Board on urgent matters normally
referable to the Board.
Sec. 3 The Domestic Names Committee, the Foreign Names Committee,
and the Publications Committee shall consist of the
members representing t~.( iepartments and agencies here
named:
(a). The ')c nlestic Names Committee:
Post t f f ice Department
Depa intent of the Interior
Department of Agriculture
Department of Commerce
Government Printing Office
(b) The Voreign Names Committee:
Department of State
Department of the Army
Department of the Navy
Library of Congress
Central Intelligence Agency
Department of the Air Force
Department of Defense
(c) The Publications Committee:
Government Printing Office
and, in each instance, of such additional individual
members as may be elected by the Executive Committee.
See. 4 The Domestic Names Committee will operate in accordance with
principles, policies, and procedures approved by the
Board and the Secretary. The Domestic Names Committee
will utilize staff services provided by the Geological
Survey, and render decisions on individual geographic
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names and approve preferred sources clearly within
established principles, policies, and procedures. All
other committee action will be referred to the Board
for approval. The committee will perform such other
duties as may be assigned by the Board or the Executive
Committee.
Sec, 5 The Foreign Names Committee will utilize the staff ser-
vices provided by the Office of Geography and render
decisions on individual geographic names and approve
preferred sources clearly within established principles,
policies, and procedures.. All other committee action,
will be referred to the Board for approval. The com-
mittee will perform such other duties as may be assigned
by the Board or the Executive Committee,
Wll. Leevmmena general specif i-
cations for the content, form, and periodicity of all
publications of the Board, for approval by the Board and
the Secretary, Thereafter the Committee will act on
behalf of the Board in connection with the issuance of
all publications of the Board and will perform such other
duties as may be assigned by the.Board or the Executive
Committee.
See, 7 Ad Hoc Committees, with membership not necessarily restricted
to Board members or deputies, may be created by the Board
or the Executive Committee, or by one of the other stand-
ing committees with the approval, of the Board or the
Executive Commits ey., Such committees may be discharged.
by the body that created them.
See. 8 Advisory committees may be recommended for appointment by
the Secretary. The standing committees may recommend to
the Board the creation of advisory committees on specific'
problems.
Sec. 9 Each standing, special, or advisory committee shall elect
its own officers, except as otherwise provided in the by-
laws or by action of the Board.
Sec. 10 The actions of any committee are subject to review and
approval by the Board.
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Article V - Executive Secretaries
Sec. 1 The Executive Secretaries will keep the Board and its
committees informed of the progress of projects and
apprised of current or impending problems and issues,
in relation to programs approved by the Board and the
Secretary. They will coordinate the work programs of
their staffs with the official actions of the Board
and, so far as possible, will bring projects to com-
pletion in accordance with the recommendations of the
Board.
Sec. 2 In the interim between meetings, Board matters regarded
as urgent by the Chairman will be referred by him,
through the Executive Secretary, to the appropriate
officer or committee of the Board for necessary action.
Article VI - Meetings
'Sec. 1 Regular meetings of the Board shall be held on the third
Tuesday of January, April, July, and October of each
year, or at such time as the Board may determine.
Special meetings may be called by the Chairman or the
Executive Committee.
In any meeting of the Board, a majority of the members
shall constitute a quorum. Except as otherwise speci-
fied, a majority vote of the members present is suffi-
cient for any action.
.At any special meeting of the Board when the members.
receive notice less than two working days in advance, a
vote by a majority of all members of the Board is re-
quired for any action.
Sec. 4 In the interim between meetings, urgent Board matters may
be decided by two-thirds vote of all members of the Board
by telephone or written vote on the initiative of the
Chairman of the Board or his representative. Pertinent
written material applicable to the urgent matter must be
in the hands of the 3card members before such action is
taken. Such action shall be recorded in the minutes of
the next Board meeting.
See. 5 Parliamentary procedures at meetings of the Board and its
committees shall conform to Robert's Rules of Order,.,
revised, unless otherwise proV-ided.
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Article"VII Principles, Polic.ies1 and Procedures
Sec, 1 Statements of principles and basic policies governing
geographic nomenclature, to be followed by the Board,
its committees and staffs, and by departments and
agencies of the Government, shall be formulated by the
Board and approved by the Secretary in accordance with
statutory requirements. These statements may be revised
or amplified as often as necessary.
.Sec. 2 The Board, its committees and staffs shall in their working
procedures implement the provisions of the Act of July 25,
1947 (61 Stat. 456; 43 USCA See. 364) (Sec. 3) that"the
principles, policies, and procedures formulated hereunder
shall be designed to serve the interests of the Federal
Government and the general public,, to enlist the effective
cooperation of the Federal departments and agencies most
concerned, and to give full consideration to the specific
interest of particular Federal and State agencies."
Sec. 3 Specific procedures., supplemental to these bylaws, will he
formulated from t Lm,~ to time, by committees of the Board,
to cover the work o- the Board and its committees. When
approved by the Board and the Secretary, such procedures
will be incorporated in a code..
Article VIII - Corninunnic at ions
Sec. 1 Formal actions or resolutions of the Board that require
validation by the Secretary will be submitted to him in
writing by the Chairman of the Board or other designated
officer.
See. 2 Communications to and from the. Board will be conducted in
accordance with procedures formulated by the Board and
approved by the Secretary
Article IX - Amendments
See. 1 Amendments to these bylaws proposed by one of the standing
committees or by any three members of the Board, or by the
Chairman, shall be considered by the .Cxectttive Committee
and reported to the Board,
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Sec. 2 Amendments to these bylaws may be adopted in any duly
called meeting of tie Board by a two-thirds vote of
the members pres_it notice of such proposed amendments
having been commir:i. ated to the members of the Board
thirty days in advance of the meeting, and shall take
effect upon approval by the Secretary.
Approved in third revision: November 6, 1963
/s/ Stewart L. Udall
Secretary of the Interior
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