[Congressional Bills 104th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1856 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







104th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 1856

   To establish a commission to study and provide recommendations on 
  restoring solvency in the medicare program under title XVIII of the 
                          Social Security Act.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             June 11, 1996

Mr. Dole (for himself, Mr. Roth, Mr. Simpson, Mr. Pressler, Mr. Hatch, 
 Mr. Chafee, Mr. Murkowski, and Mr. Cochron) introduced the following 
  bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To establish a commission to study and provide recommendations on 
  restoring solvency in the medicare program under title XVIII of the 
                          Social Security Act.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Medicare Restoration Act of 1996''.

SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT.

    There is established a commission to be known as the National 
Commission on Medicare Reform (referred to in this Act as the 
``Commission'').

SEC. 3. FINDINGS.

    The Congress finds that--
            (1) the medicare program under title XVIII of the Social 
        Security Act provides essential health care insurance to this 
        Nation's senior citizens and to individuals with disabilities;
            (2) the Federal Hospital Insurance Trust Fund will be 
        bankrupt in the year 2001, and faces even greater solvency 
        problems in the long-run with the aging of the baby boom 
        generation;
            (3) the trustees of the trust funds of the medicare program 
        have reported that growth in spending within the Federal 
        Supplementary Medical Insurance Trust Fund is unsustainable; 
        and
            (4) expeditious action is needed in order to restore the 
        fiscal health of the medicare program and to maintain this 
        Nation's commitment to senior citizens and to individuals with 
        disabilities.

SEC. 4. DUTIES OF THE COMMISSION.

    The Commission shall--
            (1) review relevant analyses of the current, short-term, 
        and long-term financial condition of the Federal Hospital 
        Insurance Trust Fund and the Federal Supplementary Medical 
        Insurance Trust Fund under title XVIII of the Social Security 
        Act;
            (2) identify problems that threaten the solvency of such 
        trust funds;
            (3) analyze potential solutions to such problems that will 
        both assure the financial integrity of the medicare program 
        under such title and the provision of appropriate benefits 
        under such program;
            (4) make recommendations to restore the short-range and 
        long-range solvency of the Federal Hospital Insurance Trust 
        Fund, to provide for sustainable growth of the Supplementary 
        Medical Insurance Trust Fund, and on related matters as the 
        Commission deems appropriate; and
            (5) review and analyze such other matters as the Commission 
        deems appropriate.

SEC. 5. MEMBERSHIP.

    (a) Number and Appointment.--The Commission shall be composed of 15 
members, of whom--
            (1) five shall be appointed by the President, of whom not 
        more than 3 shall be of the same political party;
            (2) five shall be appointed by the Majority Leader of the 
        Senate, in consultation with the Minority Leader of the Senate, 
        of whom not more than 3 shall be of the same political party; 
        and
            (3) five shall be appointed by the Speaker of the House of 
        Representatives, in consultation with the Minority Leader of 
        the House of Representatives, of whom not more than 3 shall be 
        of the same political party.
    (b) Comptroller General.--The Comptroller General of the United 
States shall advise the Commission on the methodology to be used in 
identifying problems and analyzing potential solutions in accordance 
with section 4.
    (c) Term of Appointment.--The members shall serve on the Commission 
for the life of the Commission.
    (d) Meetings.--The Commission shall locate its headquarters in the 
District of Columbia, and shall meet at the call of the Chairperson.
    (e) Quorum.--Ten members of the Commission shall constitute a 
quorum, but a lesser number may hold hearings.
    (f) Chairperson and Vice Chairperson.--Not later than 15 days after 
all the members of the Commission are appointed, such members shall 
designate a Chairperson and Vice Chairperson from among the members of 
the Commission.
    (g) Vacancies.--A vacancy on the Commission shall be filled in the 
manner in which the original appointment was made not later than 30 
days after the Commission is given notice of the vacancy.
    (h) Compensation.--Members of the Commission shall receive no 
additional pay, allowances, or benefits by reason of their service on 
the Commission.
    (i) Expenses.--Each member of the Commission shall receive travel 
expenses and per diem in lieu of subsistence in accordance with 
sections 5702 and 5703 of title 5, United States Code.

SEC. 6. STAFF AND SUPPORT SERVICES.

    (a) Director.--
            (1) Appointment.--Upon consultation with the members of the 
        Commission, the Chairperson shall appoint a Director of the 
        Commission.
            (2) Compensation.--The Director shall be paid the rate of 
        basic pay for level V of the Executive Schedule.
    (b) Staff.--With the approval of the Commission, the Director may 
appoint such personnel as the Director considers appropriate.
    (c) Applicability of Civil Service Laws.--The staff of the 
Commission shall be appointed without regard to the provisions of title 
5, United States Code, governing appointments in the competitive 
service, and shall be paid 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.
    (d) Experts and Consultants.--With the approval of the Commission, 
the Director may procure temporary and intermittent services under 
section 3109(b) of title 5, United States Code.
    (e) Staff of Federal Agencies.--Upon the request of the Commission, 
the head of any Federal agency may detail any of the personnel of such 
agency to the Commission to assist in carrying out the duties of the 
Commission.
    (f) Other Resources.--The Commission shall have reasonable access 
to materials, resources, statistical data, and other information from 
the Library of Congress and agencies and elected representatives of the 
executive and legislative branches of the Federal Government. The 
Chairperson of the Commission shall make requests for such access in 
writing when necessary.
    (g) Physical Facilities.--The Administrator of the General Services 
Administration shall locate suitable office space for the operation of 
the Commission. The facilities shall serve as the headquarters of the 
Commission and shall include all necessary equipment and incidentals 
required for the proper functioning of the Commission.

SEC. 7. POWERS OF COMMISSION.

    (a) Hearings.--The Commission may conduct public hearings or forums 
at the discretion of the Commission, at any time and place the 
Commission is able to secure facilities and witnesses, for the purpose 
of carrying out the duties of the Commission.
    (b) Delegation of Authority.--Any member or agent of the Commission 
may, if authorized by the Commission, take any action the Commission is 
authorized to take by this section.
    (c) Gifts, Bequests, and Devises.--The Commission may accept, use, 
and dispose of gifts, bequests, or devises of services or property, 
both real and personal, for the purpose of aiding or facilitating the 
work of the Commission. Gifts, bequests, or devises of money and 
proceeds from sales of other property received as gifts, bequests, or 
devises shall be deposited in the Treasury and shall be available for 
disbursement upon order of the Commission.
    (d) Mails.--The Commission may use the United States mails in the 
same manner and under the same conditions as other Federal agencies.

SEC. 8. REPORTS.

    Not later than June 30, 1997, the Commission shall submit a report 
to the President and to the Congress on the findings and conclusions of 
the Commission.

SEC. 9. TERMINATION.

    The Commission shall terminate on the date which is 30 days after 
the date the Commission submits its report to the President and to the 
Congress under section 8.

SEC. 10. FUNDING.

    The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall provide to the 
Commission, out of funds otherwise available to such Secretary, such 
sums as are necessary to carry out the purposes of the Commission.
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