; service without pay Members of the Commission shall serve without pay, except that members of the Commission shall be entitled to reimbursement for travel, subsistence, and other necessary expenses incurred by them in carrying out the functions of the Commission, in the same manner as persons employed intermittently by the Federal Government are allowed expenses under section 5703 of title 5, United States Code. 5. Staff The Commission may appoint and fix the compensation of a staff director and such other personnel as may be necessary to enable the Commission to carry out its functions, without regard to the provisions of title 5, United States Code, governing appointments in the competitive service, and without regard to the provisions of chapter 51 and subchapter III of chapter 53 of such title relating to classification and General Schedule pay rates, except that no rate of pay fixed under this section may exceed the equivalent of that payable for a position at level V of the Executive Schedule under section 5316 of title 5, United States Code. 6. Meetings (a) In general The Commission shall meet at the call of the Chair or of a majority of its members. (b) First meeting The first such meeting shall occur not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act. 7. Powers (a) In general The Commission may, for the purpose of carrying out this Act, hold hearings, sit and act at times and places, take testimony, and receive evidence as the Commission considers appropriate. (b) Delegation Any member or agent of the Commission may, if authorized by the Commission, take any action which the Commission is authorized to take by this section. (c) Access to information The Commission may secure directly from any department or agency of the United States information necessary to enable it to carry out this Act. Upon request of the Commission, the head of such department or agency shall furnish such information to the Commission. (d) Use of mails The Commission may use the United States mails in the same