[Congressional Bills 105th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1318 Introduced in House (IH)]







105th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 1318

  To establish a National Commission to Eliminate Waste in Government.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             April 14, 1997

 Mr. Royce (for himself and Mr. Minge) introduced the following bill; 
 which was referred to the Committee on Government Reform and Oversight

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To establish a National Commission to Eliminate Waste in Government.

    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 ``National Commission to Eliminate 
Waste in Government Act''.

SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT.

    There is established a commission known as the National Commission 
to Eliminate Waste in Government (in this Act referred to as the 
``Commission'').

SEC. 3. DUTIES.

    (a) In General.--It shall be the duty of the Commission--
            (1) to conduct a private sector survey on management and 
        cost control in the Federal Government;
            (2) to conduct in-depth reviews of the operations of the 
        executive agencies;
            (3) to review existing Government Accounting Office (GAO), 
        Congressional Budget Office (CBO), Inspector General reports, 
        and other existing governmental and nongovernmental 
        recommendations for reducing waste including recommendations 
        from the President's Private Sector Survey on Cost Control, 
        and, based on this review, to periodically submit a report to 
        the President and Congress a list of such recommendations with 
        estimated savings the Commission determines are most 
        significant and to include in the report a determination of 
        whether the recommendation can be implemented by Executive 
        order or whether it requires legislative action; and
            (4) to submit to the President and the Congress 
        recommendations for improving the budget process and management 
        and for reducing waste and costs in the Federal Government.
    (b) Particular Areas To Be Examined.--In fulfilling the duties 
described in subsection (a), the Commission shall identify and 
address--
            (1) opportunities for increased efficiency and reduced 
        costs in the Federal Government that can be realized by 
        Executive action or legislation;
            (2) areas in the Federal Government where managerial 
        accountability can be enhanced and administrative control can 
        be improved;
            (3) specific Federal programs that have accomplished 
their objectives and ought to be terminated;
            (4) specific Federal program services that could be 
        provided at a lower cost by the private sector;
            (5) specific reforms of the budget process that would yield 
        savings, increase accountability and efficiency, and enhance 
        public confidence in the budget process; and
            (6) specific areas in the Federal Government where further 
        study can be justified by potential savings.

SEC. 4. MEMBERSHIP.

    (a) Number and Appointment.--The Commission shall be composed of 12 
members who are not officers or employees of any government and who are 
especially qualified to serve on the Commission by virtue of their 
education, training, or experience. Not more than 6 members of the 
Commission shall be of the same political party. The members shall be 
appointed as follows:
            (1) Four individuals appointed by the President, not more 
        than two from the same political party.
            (2) Three individuals appointed by the Speaker of the House 
        of Representatives, not more than two from the same political 
        party.
            (3) One individual appointed by the minority leader of the 
        House of Representatives.
            (4) Three individuals appointed by the majority leader of 
        the Senate, not more than two from the same political party.
            (5) One individual appointed by the minority leader of the 
        Senate.
    (b) Continuation of Membership.--If an individual is appointed to 
the Commission, and later becomes an officer or employee of a 
government, such individual may continue as a member of the Commission 
for not longer than the 30-day period beginning on the date such 
individual becomes such an officer or employee.
    (c) Appointment of Members.--Appointments shall be made within 30 
days of the date of the enactment of this Act.
    (d) Terms.--Each member shall be appointed for the life of the 
Commission.
    (e) Vacancies.--A vacancy in the Commission shall be filled within 
30 days in the manner in which the original appointment was made.
    (f) Compensation; Rates of Pay.--Members of the Commission shall 
serve without pay.
    (g) Quorum.--Five members of the Commission shall constitute a 
quorum, but a lesser number may hold hearings.
    (h) Chairperson.--The Chairperson of the Commission shall be 
elected by the members from among the members.
    (i) Meetings.--The Commission shall meet at least once each month 
at the call of the Chairperson of the Commission.

SEC. 5. STAFF AND SUPPORT SERVICES.

    (a) Director.--The Commission shall have a Director appointed by 
the Chairperson of the Commission and paid a rate determined by the 
Commission.
    (b) Staff.--With the approval of the Commission, the Director of 
the Commission may appoint personnel as the Director considers 
appropriate.

SEC. 6. POWERS.

    (a) Hearings and Sessions.--The Commission may, for the purpose of 
carrying out this Act, hold hearings, sit and act at times and places, 
take testimony, and receive evidence as the Commission considers 
appropriate.
    (b) Delegation of Authority.--Any Member or agent of the Commission 
may, if authorized by the Commission, take any action which the 
Commission is authorized to take by this section.
    (c) Information.--The Commission may secure directly from any 
Federal agency information necessary to enable it to carry out this 
Act. Upon request of the Chairperson of the Commission, the head of the 
Federal agency shall furnish the information to the Commission.
    (d) Contract Authority.--The Commission may contract with and 
compensate government and private agencies or persons for supplies or 
services without regard to section 3709 of the Revised Statutes (41 
U.S.C. 5).

SEC. 7. REPORTS.

    (a) Periodic Reports.--Pursuant to section 3(a)(3) the Commission 
shall issue periodic reports to the President and the Congress.
    (b) Final Report.--Not later than the expiration of the 24-month 
period beginning on the date of enactment of this Act, the Commission 
shall submit to the President and the Congress a final report setting 
forth the finding and conclusions of the Commission and specific 
recommendations for legislative and administrative actions that the 
Commission determines to be appropriate.

SEC. 8. TERMINATION.

    The Commission shall terminate not later than the expiration of the 
30-day period beginning on the date on which the Commission submits its 
final report under section 7(b).

SEC. 9 FUNDING AND SUPPORT.

    The Commission is to be funded, staffed and equipped, by the 
private sector without cost to the Federal Government. To accomplish 
this objective, it is expected that the Secretary of Commerce will 
engage in a joint project with a nonprofit organization pursuant to the 
first section of Public Law 91-412 (15 U.S.C. 1525) for the purpose of 
providing support for the Commission.
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