[Congressional Bills 104th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 686 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







104th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 S. 686

 To establish a commission to examine the costs and benefits, and the 
 impact on voter turnout, of changing the deadline for filing Federal 
  income tax returns to the date on which Federal elections are held.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                April 6 (legislative day, April 5), 1995

  Mr. Kyl (for himself and Mr. McCain) introduced the following bill; 
     which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To establish a commission to examine the costs and benefits, and the 
 impact on voter turnout, of changing the deadline for filing Federal 
  income tax returns to the date on which Federal elections are held.

    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 ``Voter Turnout Enhancement Study 
Commission Act''.

SEC. 2. CONGRESSIONAL FINDINGS.

    The Congress finds that--
            (1) the right of citizens of the United States to vote is a 
        fundamental right;
            (2) Federal, State, and local governments have a duty to 
        promote the exercise of the right to vote to the greatest 
        extent possible;
            (3) the power to tax is only guardedly granted to Federal, 
        State, and local governments by the citizens of the United 
        States;
            (4) the only regular contact that most Americans have with 
        their government consists of filing personal income tax returns 
        and voting in Federal, State, and local elections;
            (5) in 1992, almost 115,000,000 Federal income tax returns 
        were filed by individuals and couples, but only approximately 
        104,000,000 votes were cast in the year's presidential 
        election;
            (6) an estimated 116 million Federal income tax returns 
        will be filed by individuals and couples for 1994, but only 
        about half that number of votes were cast in that year's 
        congressional elections; and
            (7) more closely tying the rights of individuals as voters 
        to their obligations as taxpayers will provide additional 
        incentives for individuals to both participate in the electoral 
        process and scrutinize the costs and benefits of government 
        policies.

SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT.

    There is established a commission to be known as the Voter Turnout 
Enhancement Study Commission (in this Act referred to as the 
``Commission'').

SEC. 4. MEMBERSHIP.

    (a) Number and Appointment.--The Commission shall be composed of 9 
members appointed as follows:
            (1) 3 members appointed by the President.
            (2) 3 members appointed by the President pro tempore of the 
        Senate, upon the joint recommendation of the majority leader 
        and the minority leader of the Senate.
            (3) 3 members appointed by the Speaker of the House of 
        Representatives, upon the joint recommendation of the Speaker 
        and the minority leader of the House of Representatives.
    (b) Political Affiliation.--Not more than 2 of the 3 members of the 
Commission appointed under any 1 paragraph of subsection (a) may be of 
the same political party.
    (c) Time of Appointment.--Members of the Commission shall be 
appointed not later than 30 days after the date of the enactment of 
this Act.
    (d) Terms.--Members of the Commission shall be appointed to serve 
for the life of the Commission.
    (e) Vacancies.-- Any vacancy in the Commission shall be filled in 
the same manner as the original appointment.
    (f) Compensation.--
            (1) Rate of pay.--Except as provided in paragraph (2), 
        members of the Commission shall serve without pay.
            (2) Travel expenses.--Each member of the Commission shall 
        be entitled to receive travel expenses, including per diem in 
        lieu of subsistence, as authorized by section 5703 of title 5, 
        United States Code, for persons employed intermittently in the 
        Government service.
    (g) Quorum.--A majority of the members of the Commission shall 
constitute a quorum, but a lesser number of members may hold a hearing.
    (h) Chairperson and Vice Chairperson.--The Commission shall select 
a Chairperson and Vice Chairperson from among its members.
    (i) Meetings.--
            (1) In general.--The Commission shall meet at the call of 
        the Chairperson or a majority of its members.
            (2) Initial meeting.--The Commission shall hold its initial 
        meeting not later than 30 days after the date on which all 
        members of the Commission have been appointed.

SEC. 5. DUTIES.

    (a) Study.--The Commission shall conduct a comprehensive study of 
all matters relating to the possibility of changing the filing date for 
Federal income tax returns to the 1st Tuesday after the 1st Monday in 
November. The study shall include an analysis of--
            (1) the costs and benefits of the change in filing date; 
        and
            (2) the likelihood that establishment of a single date on 
        which individuals can fulfill obligations of citizenship as 
        both electors and taxpayers will increase participation in 
        Federal, State, and local elections.
    (b) Consultation.--The Commission shall consult with Governors, 
Federal and State election officials, the Commissioner of Internal 
Revenue, and any other person, agency, or entity that the Commission 
determines to be appropriate.

SEC. 6. POWERS.

    (a) Hearings.--The Commission may hold the hearings, sit and act at 
the times and places, take the testimony, and receive the information 
that the Commission considers advisable to carry out the purposes of 
this Act.
    (b) Mails.--The Commission may use the United States mails in the 
same manner and under the same conditions as any other Federal 
department or agency.
    (c) Powers of Members and Agents.--Any member or agent of the 
Commission may, if authorized by the Commission, take any action that 
the Commission is authorized to take under this section.
    (d) Requests for Official Information.--The Commission may request 
from a Federal department or agency information necessary to enable the 
Commission to carry out this Act. The head of the department or agency 
shall provide the information to the Commission unless release of the 
information to the public by the agency is prohibited by law.

SEC. 7. STAFF ASSISTANCE FROM FEDERAL AGENCIES.

    Upon the request of the Commission or the Chairperson of the 
Commission, the head of any Federal department or agency may detail any 
of the personnel of the department or agency to the Commission to 
assist the Commission to carry out this Act.

SEC. 8. REPORT.

    Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, 
the Commission shall submit to the President and the Congress a report 
that contains--
            (1) a detailed statement of the findings and conclusions of 
        the study required by section 5; and
            (2) recommendations of the Commission regarding any 
        legislation or administrative action the Commission considers 
        appropriate.

SEC. 9. TERMINATION.

    The Commission shall terminate upon the submission of the report 
required by section 8.

SEC. 10. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be 
necessary to carry out this Act.
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