[Congressional Bills 105th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1549 Introduced in House (IH)]







105th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 1549

To establish a commission to be known as the Harold Hughes-Bill Emerson 
                       Commission on Alcoholism.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 7, 1997

Mr. Ramstad (for himself, Mr. Kleczka, Mrs. Emerson, Mr. Campbell, Mr. 
 Castle, Mr. Davis of Virginia, Mr. Ehlers, Mr. Frost, Mr. Gilchrest, 
   Mrs. Johnson of Connecticut, Mr. Klug, Mr. Lazio of New York, Mr. 
McNulty, Mr. Nethercutt, Mr. Walsh, Mr. Wamp, and Mr. Wolf) introduced 
  the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To establish a commission to be known as the Harold Hughes-Bill Emerson 
                       Commission on Alcoholism.

    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 ``Harold Hughes-Bill Emerson 
Commission on Alcoholism Act''.

SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT.

    There is established a commission to be known as the Harold Hughes-
Bill Emerson Commission on Alcoholism (in this Act referred to as the 
``Commission'').

SEC. 3. DUTIES.

    (a) In General.--The Commission shall carry out the following 
duties:
            (1) Hold public hearings on selected areas of interest 
        related to alcoholism.
            (2) Promote the development of a national consensus on 
        policy issues related to alcoholism, which may include 
        conducting a national opinion survey on attitudes toward the 
        disease of alcoholism and its prevention.
            (3) Evaluate the interest of the provider and medical 
        communities in new medications related to alcoholism and the 
        barriers to the communities in obtaining such medications, and 
        make recommendations regarding research on and the 
        manufacturing and availability of such medications.
            (4) In conjunction with the National Institute on 
        Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse and the advisory council of such 
        Institute, conduct a study to identify the current state-of-
        the-art alcohol research, unmet alcohol research needs, and 
        appropriate research funding in view of the size and scope of 
        the alcoholism problem.
            (5) Evaluate and make recommendations regarding the 
        education of physicians in American medical schools concerning 
        alcoholism (including an examination of the requirements of 
        accreditation of medical schools) and the certification of 
        other individuals trained to provide alcoholism prevention and 
        treatment services.
            (6) Evaluate and make recommendations regarding the 
        availability, timing, and dissemination of research information 
        to alcoholism prevention and treatment services administrators 
        and providers, and the application of current research findings 
        by these administrators and providers.
            (7) Make recommendations designed to reduce and prevent 
        alcoholism which include recommendations concerning appropriate 
        roles for the Federal, State, and local governments and the 
        private sector, and concerning specific changes needed to 
        Federal laws and Federal programs.
    (b) Reports.--Not later than two years after the date on which 
amounts under section 8 are first made available for carrying out this 
Act, the Commission shall submit to the President and the Congress a 
report describing the findings made in studies under subsection (a). 
The Commission may submit to the President and the Congress such 
interim reports regarding the duties of the Commission under such 
subsection as the Commission determines to be appropriate.

SEC. 4. MEMBERSHIP.

    (a) Composition.--
            (1) In general.--The Commission shall be composed of 12 
        voting members appointed in accordance with paragraph (2), one 
        ex officio voting member designated in paragraph (3), and such 
        ex officio nonvoting members as may serve pursuant to paragraph 
        (4).
            (2) Appointed members.--Members of the Commission shall be 
        appointed in accordance with the following:
                    (A) The President shall appoint four individuals 
                who are not officers or employees of the Federal 
                Government. Such individuals shall be appointed from 
                four of the following fields of expertise:
                            (i) An economist.
                            (ii) A biomedical or behavioral researcher 
                        or clinician.
                            (iii) A person from the field of business.
                            (iv) A representative of the medical 
                        schools.
                            (v) A health provider.
                    (B) The President Pro Tempore of the Senate shall, 
                after consultation with the majority and minority 
                leaders of the Senate, appoint four individuals. Of 
                such individuals--
                            (i) two shall be Senators;
                            (ii) one shall be an expert in alcoholism 
                        prevention; and
                            (iii) one shall be an expert in alcoholism 
                        treatment.
                    (C) The Speaker of the House of Representatives 
                shall, after consultation with the majority and 
                minority leaders of the House, appoint four 
                individuals. Of such individuals--
                            (i) two shall be Members of the House;
                            (ii) one shall be a person with personal or 
                        family experience with alcoholism; and
                            (iii) one shall be a marketing or 
                        communications expert.
            (3) Voting ex officio member.--The Director of the National 
        Institute on Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse shall serve as a 
        voting ex officio member of the Commission.
            (4) Nonvoting ex officio members or advisors.--The 
        Commission may request Federal officials to serve as nonvoting 
        members of or advisors to the Commission, including but not 
        limited to--
                    (A) the Secretary of Veterans Affairs or the 
                designee of the Secretary;
                    (B) the Assistant Secretary of Health, Department 
                of Defense, or the designee of the Assistant Secretary;
                    (C) the Secretary of Health and Human Services or 
                the designee of the Secretary; and
                    (D) the Attorney General or the designee of the 
                Attorney General.
    (b) Chair.-- The Commission shall designate a voting member of the 
Commission to serve as the chair of the Commission.
    (c) Terms.--The term of a member of the Commission is the duration 
of the Commission.
    (d) Vacancies.--
            (1) Authority of commission.--A vacancy in the membership 
        of the Commission does not affect the power of the remaining 
        members to carry out the duties under section 3.
            (2) Appointment of successors.--A vacancy in the membership 
        of the Commission shall be filled in the manner in which the 
        original appointment was made.
            (3) Incomplete term.--If a member of the Commission does 
        not serve the full term applicable to the member, the 
        individual appointed to fill the resulting vacancy shall be 
        appointed for the remainder of the term of the predecessor of 
        the individual.
    (e) Meetings.--
            (1) In general.--The Commission shall meet at the call of 
        the Chair or a majority of the members, except that not less 
        than two meetings shall be held each year for the duration of 
        the Commission.
            (2) Quorum.--A quorum for meetings of the Commission is 
        constituted by the presence of 7 members, except that a lesser 
        number may conduct hearings under section 6(a).
    (f) Compensation; Reimbursement of Expenses.--
            (1) Compensation.--Members of the Commission may not 
        receive compensation for service on the Commission, subject to 
        paragraph (2).
            (2) Reimbursement.--Members of the Commission may, in 
        accordance with chapter 57 of title 5, United States Code, be 
        reimbursed for travel, subsistence, and other necessary 
        expenses incurred in carrying out the duties of the Commission.

SEC. 5. STAFF AND CONSULTANTS.

    (a) Staff.--
            (1) In general.--The Commission may appoint and determine 
        the compensation of such staff as may be necessary to carry out 
        the duties of the Commission, including an executive director. 
        Such appointments and compensation may be made without regard 
        to the provisions of title 5, United States Code, that govern 
        appointments in the competitive services, and the provisions of 
        chapter 51 and subchapter III of chapter 53 of such title that 
        relate to classifications and the General Schedule pay rates.
            (2) Limitation.--Staff members appointed under paragraph 
        (1) may not be compensated in excess of the maximum rate of 
        basic pay payable for GS-15, except that the executive director 
        may not be compensated in an amount exceeding the maximum rate 
        of basic pay payable under the General Schedule for positions 
        above GS-15.
    (b) Consultants.--The Commission may procure such temporary and 
intermittent services of consultants under section 3109(b) of title 5, 
United States Code, as the Commission may determine to be useful in 
carrying out the duties under section 3. The Commission may not procure 
services under this subsection at any rate in excess of the daily 
equivalent of the maximum annual rate of basic pay payable under the 
General Schedule for positions above GS-15. Consultants under this 
subsection may, in accordance with chapter 57 of title 5, United States 
Code, be reimbursed for travel, subsistence, and other necessary 
expenses incurred for activities carried out on behalf of the 
Commission pursuant to section 3.

SEC. 6. POWERS.

    (a) In General.--For the purpose of carrying out the duties of the 
Commission under section 3, the Commission may hold such hearings, sit 
and act at such times and places, take such testimony, and receive such 
evidence as the Commission considers appropriate.
    (b) Obtaining Official Information.--Upon the request of the 
Commission, the heads of Federal agencies shall furnish directly to the 
Commission information necessary for the Commission to carry out the 
duties under section 3.
    (c) Use of Mails.--The Commission may use the United States mails 
in the same manner and under the same conditions as Federal agencies.
    (d) Administrative Support Services.--Upon the request of the 
Commission, the Administrator of General Services shall provide to the 
Commission on a reimbursable basis such administrative support, 
including quarters for the Commission, as may be necessary for the 
Commission to carry out the duties under section 3.
    (e) Acceptance of Gifts.--The Commission may accept cash and in-
kind contributions to the Commission for the purpose of carrying out 
the activities of the Commission.

SEC. 7. DURATION OF COMMISSION.

    The Commission terminates upon the expiration of the 60-day period 
beginning on the date on which the final report is submitted under 
section 3(b).

SEC. 8. AUTHORIZATION FOR APPROPRIATIONS.

    For the purpose of carrying out this Act, there is authorized to be 
appropriated $3,000,000. Amounts appropriated under the preceding 
sentence are available until the termination of the Commission under 
section 7.

SEC. 9. CONFORMING AMENDMENT.

    Section 18 of Public Law 96-180 (93 Stat. 1306; 42 U.S.C. 4541 
note) is repealed.
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