[Congressional Bills 103th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 299 Introduced in House (IH)]

103d CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 299

       To establish a Commission on Environment and Development.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            January 5, 1993

 Mr. Porter (for himself, Mr. Beilenson, Mr. Brown of California, Mr. 
 Hughes, Mrs. Morella, Mr. Blackwell, Ms. Pelosi, Mr. Studds, and Mr. 
  Ackerman) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                      Committee on Foreign Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
       To establish a Commission on Environment and Development.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. ESTABLISHMENT OF COMMISSION.

    There is established a commission to be known as the Commission on 
Environment and Development (hereinafter in this Act referred to as the 
``Commission'').

SEC. 2. FUNCTIONS OF COMMISSION.

    (a) In General.--The Commission shall--
            (1) monitor the actions of the signatories to documents of 
        the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development 
        that reflect compliance with or violation of the goals of--
                    (A) the Articles of Agenda 21 of the United Nations 
                Conference on Environment and Development,
                    (B) the Statement of Principles on the Maintenance, 
                Conservation, and Development of All Forests,
                    (C) the United Nations Framework Convention on 
                Climate Change, and
                    (D) the Convention on Biological Diversity;
            (2) monitor and encourage the development of programs and 
        activities by the United States Government and private 
        organization with a view toward advancing the objectives of the 
        United Nations Conference on Environment and Development; and
            (3) review reports submitted by countries to the United 
        Nations Commission on Sustainable Development, including those 
        submitted by the United States.
    (b) Public Participation.--In carrying out its functions, the 
Commission shall consult with and draw upon the expertise of United 
States and foreign nongovernmental organizations, citizens' groups, and 
other public and private bodies concerned with international and 
national environmental and sustainable development issues.

SEC. 3. MEMBERSHIP OF COMMISSION.

    (a) In General.--The Commission shall be composed of 11 members as 
follows:
            (1) Four Members of the House of Representatives appointed 
        by the Speaker of the House of Representatives. Two members 
        shall be selected from the majority party and two shall be 
        selected, after consultation with the minority leader of the 
        House, from the principal minority party.
            (2) Four Members of the Senate appointed by the President 
        of the Senate. Two members shall be selected from the majority 
        party and two shall be selected, after consultation with the 
        minority leader of the Senate, from the minority party.
            (3) The Assistant Secretary of State for Oceans and 
        International Environmental and Scientific Affairs.
            (4) The Administrator of the Environmental Protection 
        Agency.
            (5) The Chairman of the Council on Environmental Quality.
    (b) Chair and Cochair.--
            (1) In general.--There shall be a Chair and a Cochair of 
        the Commission.
            (2) Appointment.--(A) At the beginning of each odd-numbered 
        Congress, the Speaker of the House of Representatives shall 
        designate one of the House Members as Chair of the Commission. 
        At the beginning of each even-numbered Congress, the President 
        of the Senate, on the recommendation of the majority leader, 
        shall designate one of the Senate Members as Chair of the 
        Commission.
            (B) At the beginning of each odd-numbered Congress, the 
        President of the Senate, on the recommendation of the majority 
        leader, shall designate one of the Senate Members as Cochair of 
        the Commission. At the beginning of each even-numbered 
        Congress, the Speaker of the House of Representatives shall 
        designate one of the House Members as Cochair of the 
        Commission.

SEC. 4. REPORTS TO AND BY THE COMMISSION.

    (a) Reports to the Commission.--In order to assist the Commission 
in carrying out its duties, the President shall submit to the 
Commission semiannual reports which shall include--
            (1) a detailed survey of actions by signatories of 
        documents of the United Nations Conference on Environment and 
        Development that reflect compliance with or violation of the 
        goals of those documents; and
            (2) a listing and description of present or planned 
        programs and activities of the appropriate agencies of the 
        executive branch advancing the objectives of the United Nations 
        Conference on Environment and Development.
    (b) Reports by the Commission.--The Commission shall report to the 
House of Representatives and the Senate on a periodic basis with 
respect to the matters described in section 2(a), and shall provide 
information to Members of the House of Representatives and Senate as 
requested.

SEC. 5. INVESTIGATIVE POWERS OF THE COMMISSION.

    In carrying out this Act, the Commission may require, by subpoena 
or otherwise, the attendance and testimony of such witnesses and the 
production of such books, records, correspondence, memorandums, papers, 
and documents as it deems necessary. Subpoenas may be issued over the 
signature of the Chair of the Commission or such other member of the 
Commission as the Chair may designate. The Chair of the Commission, or 
any member designated by the Chair, may administer oaths to any 
witness.

SEC. 6. STAFF OF THE COMMISSION.

    The Commission may employ individuals for its staff, who shall be 
considered to be congressional employees (as defined in section 2107 of 
title 5, United States Code) for purposes of pay and other employment 
benefits, rights, and privileges and for all other purposes.

SEC. 7. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    To carry out this Act, there is authorized to be appropriated to 
the Commission for each fiscal year such sums as may be necessary, 
which are authorized to remain available until expended.

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