[Congressional Bills 104th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 194 Introduced in House (IH)]







104th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. CON. RES. 194

  Establishing a commission to study compensation and other personnel 
           policies and practices in the legislative branch.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             June 27, 1996

 Mrs. Morella submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was 
              referred to the Committee on House Oversight

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
  Establishing a commission to study compensation and other personnel 
           policies and practices in the legislative branch.

    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring),

SECTION 1. DECLARATION OF POLICY.

    The Congress is committed to the elimination of all forms of 
discrimination that adversely affect pay or working conditions of any 
employee because of the race, color, religion, sex, or national origin 
of the employee, and it is the policy of the Congress that persons 
employed in the legislative branch shall receive equal pay in cases in 
which the work performed is comparable, as measured by the composite of 
skill, effort, responsibility, and working conditions normally required 
in the performance of the job.

SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF COMMISSION.

    (a) In General.--There is established the Commission on Employment 
Discrimination in the Legislative Branch (hereinafter in this 
resolution referred to as the ``Commission'').
    (b) Appointment of Members.--The Commission shall consist of 
thirteen members to be appointed for the life of the Commission as 
follows:
            (1) Four shall be Members of the House of Representatives, 
        appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, two 
        upon recommendation of the majority leader and two upon 
        recommendation of the minority leader.
            (2) Four shall be Senators, appointed by the President pro 
        tempore, two upon recommendation of the majority leader and two 
        upon recommendation of the minority leader.
            (3) Two shall be other than Members of Congress, appointed 
        by the Speaker of the House of Representatives and shall, to 
        the extent practicable, be persons with expertise in job 
        evaluation. One such member shall be appointed upon 
        recommendation of the majority leader and one upon 
        recommendation of the minority leader.
            (4) Two shall be other than Members of Congress, appointed 
        by the President pro tempore of the Senate and shall, to the 
        extent practicable, be persons with expertise in job 
        evaluation. One such member shall be appointed upon 
        recommendation of the majority leader and one shall be 
        appointed upon recommendation of the minority leader.
            (5) One shall be appointed by the Speaker of the House of 
        Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate, 
        acting jointly, upon recommendation of the members appointed 
        under paragraphs (1) through (4).
    (c) Prerequisites Relating to Certain Appointments.--(1) Of the 
members of the Commission appointed under subsection (b)(3)--
            (A) one shall be a member of one of the two largest labor 
        unions at the Library of Congress; and
            (B) one shall be a manager at the Library of Congress.
    (2) Of the members of the Commission appointed under subsection 
(b)(4)--
            (A) one shall be a member of one of the two largest labor 
        unions at the Library of Congress; and
            (B) one shall be a manager at the Library of Congress.
    (3) The member appointed under paragraph (1)(A) shall not be from 
the same labor union as the member appointed under paragraph (2)(A).
    (d) Removal.--The person making an appointment may remove a member 
of the Commission for neglect of duty or malfeasance in office.
    (e) Vacancies.--A vacancy in the Commission shall be filled in the 
manner in which the original appointment is made.
    (f) Chairman; Vice Chairman.--The Commission shall elect a chairman 
and a vice chairman from among its members. The chairman and vice 
chairman shall not be of the same political party.
    (g) Quorum.--Seven members of the Commission shall constitute a 
quorum for the transaction of business, but the Commission may 
establish a lesser number for holding hearings, taking testimony, and 
receiving evidence.
    (h) Commencement of Operations.--Members shall be appointed and the 
Commission shall commence operation not later than four weeks after the 
date on which this resolution is agreed to.

SEC. 3. FUNCTIONS OF COMMISSION.

    (a) In General.--The Commission shall--
            (1) employ a nongovernmental consultant with expertise in 
        job evaluation to study and compare the compensation paid 
        within and between job classifications in the Library of 
        Congress and to analyze personnel policies and practices in the 
        Library of Congress;
            (2) evaluate the compensation system and personnel policies 
        and practices in the Library of Congress for compliance with 
        title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and make specific 
        recommendations (other than any recommendation that, if 
        implemented, would result in a reduction in the rate of pay 
        payable for any position) to the Congress for such action as 
        may be necessary to achieve that compliance;
            (3) develop a comprehensive plan for application of the 
        principles of title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 
        throughout the legislative branch; and
            (4) make specific recommendations (other than any 
        recommendation that, if implemented, would result in a 
        reduction in the rate of pay payable for any position) to the 
        Congress for improvement of personnel policies and practices in 
        the legislative branch that may be necessary to carry out the 
        policy declared in section 1.
    (b) Specific Requirement Relating to the Consultant.--In carrying 
out the requirements of paragraph (1) of subsection (a), the consultant 
employed under such paragraph shall use standard objective job-
evaluation techniques to determine whether the compensation system at 
the Library of Congress is in compliance with the policy objectives in 
section 1.

SEC. 4. STAFF OF COMMISSION.

    (a) Staff Director.--The Commission shall have a staff director who 
shall be appointed by the chairman and who shall be paid at a rate not 
to exceed the maximum rate of basic pay payable under the General 
Schedule (as determined under section 5376 of title 5, United States 
Code).
    (b) Additional Staff.--With the approval of the Commission, the 
chairman may appoint, terminate, and fix the pay of additional staff. 
Any person so appointed may be paid at a rate not to exceed the maximum 
rate of basic pay payable for grade GS-15 of the General Schedule, 
under section 5332 of title 5, United States Code.

SEC. 5. COMPENSATION OF MEMBERS.

    (a) Prohibition of Compensation of Certain Members.--A member of 
the Commission who is a Member of Congress or a full-time officer or 
employee of the United States shall receive no additional pay by reason 
of service on the Commission.
    (b) Compensation of Other Members.--Any other member of the 
Commission shall be paid at a rate equal to the daily equivalent of the 
maximum annual rate of basic pay payable under the General Schedule (as 
determined under section 5376 of title 5, United States Code) for each 
day, including travel time, such member is engaged in the performance 
of duties of the Commission.

SEC. 6. POWERS OF COMMISSION.

    The Commission may hold hearings, take testimony, receive evidence, 
administer oaths or affirmations to witnesses appearing before it, and 
authorize any member or agent of the Commission to exercise such 
powers.

SEC. 7. REPORTS AND TERMINATION OF COMMISSION.

    The Commission may submit interim reports to the Congress and shall 
submit a final report to the Congress not later than 18 months after 
the date on which this resolution is agreed to. The Commission shall 
cease to exist thirty days after submitting the final report.

SEC. 8. ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS.

    (a) Funding.--There shall be paid from the applicable accounts of 
the House of Representatives and from the contingent fund of the Senate 
such sums as may be necessary to carry out this resolution. One-half of 
the total of such sums shall be paid from each such source. Payment 
shall be upon vouchers submitted by the chairman of the Commission and 
approved by the Committee on House Oversight of the House of 
Representatives or the Committee on Rules and Administration of the 
Senate, as appropriate.
    (b) Status of Members and Staff.--Members of the Commission (other 
than Members of Congress) and the staff of the Commission shall be 
treated as detailed employees, or as temporary or intermittent 
employees of the House or of the Senate, as appropriate.
    (c) Regulations.--The Committee on House Oversight of the House of 
Representatives and the Committee on Rules and Administration of the 
Senate, acting jointly, shall prescribe such regulations as may be 
necessary to carry out this resolution. Employment of experts and 
consultants, travel, procurement of support services, procedures for 
securing information, and other administrative matters with respect to 
the Commission shall be in accordance with such regulations.
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