((a)) ** Establishment** The Secretary shall designate an office of the Department to coordinate the activities of the Department as they relate to the outlying areas.

((b)) ** Appointment** Not later than 90 days after , the head of the office designated under subsection (a) shall appoint a coordinator for the outlying areas, who shall be a person with substantial experience in the operation of Federal programs in the outlying areas.January 8, 20022002-01-08

((c)) ** Duties** The coordinator for the outlying areas shall—

((1)) serve as the principal advisor to the Department on Federal matters affecting the outlying areas;

((2)) evaluate, on a periodic basis, the needs of education programs in the outlying areas;

((3)) assist with the coordination of programs that serve the outlying areas; and

((4)) provide guidance to programs within the Department that serve the outlying areas.

((d)) ** Outlying areas defined** As used in this section, the term “outlying areas” includes Guam, the Virgin Islands, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands, but does not include the freely associated states of the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, and the Republic of Palau.