There is established in the Office of the Secretary in the Department of Education a Rehabilitation Services Administration which shall be headed by a Commissioner (hereinafter in this chapter referred to as the “Commissioner”) appointed by the President by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. Such Administration shall be the principal agency, and the Commissioner shall be the principal officer, of the Department for purposes of carrying out subchapters I, III, VI, and part B of subchapter VII. The Commissioner shall be an individual with substantial experience in rehabilitation and in rehabilitation program management. In the performance of the functions of the office, the Commissioner shall be directly responsible to the Secretary of Education or to the Under Secretary or an appropriate Assistant Secretary of such Department, as designated by the Secretary. The functions of the Commissioner shall not be delegated to any officer not directly responsible, both with respect to program operation and administration, to the Commissioner. Any reference in this chapter to duties to be carried out by the Commissioner shall be considered to be a reference to duties to be carried out by the Secretary of Education acting through the Commissioner. In carrying out any of the functions of the office under this chapter, the Commissioner shall be guided by general policies of the National Council on Disability established under subchapter IV of this chapter.

The Secretary of Education shall take whatever action is necessary to ensure that funds appropriated pursuant to this chapter are expended only for the programs, personnel, and administration of programs carried out under this chapter.

(Pub. L. 93–112, § 3, as added Pub. L. 105–220, title IV, § 403, Aug. 7, 1998, 112 Stat. 1096; amended Pub. L. 113–128, title IV, § 403, July 22, 2014, 128 Stat. 1632.)