[Congressional Bills 105th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 185 Introduced in House (IH)]

  1st Session
                                H. R. 185

 To establish a commission to study employment and economic insecurity 
                 in the workforce in the United States.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            January 7, 1997

   Mr. Hastings of Florida introduced the following bill; which was 
        referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To establish a commission to study employment and economic insecurity 
                 in the workforce in the United States.

    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 ``Presidential Commission to Study 
Employment and Economic Insecurity in the American Workforce Act''.

SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF COMMISSION.

    There is established a commission to be known as the Presidential 
Commission to Study Employment and Economic Insecurity in the American 
Workforce (in this Act referred to as the ``Commission'').

SEC. 3. DUTIES OF COMMISSION.

    The Commission shall--
            (1) examine the issues of economic and psychological 
        insecurity of members of the workforce in the United States 
        caused by employment dislocation;
            (2) examine the relationship between psychological stress 
        caused by employment insecurity and economic insecurity, and 
        increased violence by employees and former employees in the 
        workplace;
            (3) examine the economic and psychological effects of the 
        decreasing number of well-paid jobs on members of the workforce 
        in the United States; and
            (4) recommend potential solutions, including 
        recommendations for legislation and administrative action, to 
        alleviate the problems of economic and psychological insecurity 
        of members of the workforce in the United States.

SEC. 4. MEMBERSHIP OF COMMISSION.

    (a) Number and Appointment.--The Commission shall be composed of 17 
members (in this Act referred to as the ``members'') who shall be 
appointed as follows:
            (1) 9 individuals appointed by the President.
            (2) 2 individuals appointed by the Majority Leader of the 
        House of Representatives.
            (3) 2 individuals appointed by the Minority Leader of the 
        House of Representatives.
            (4) 2 individuals appointed by the Majority Leader of the 
        Senate.
            (5) 2 individuals appointed by the Minority Leader of the 
        Senate.
    (b) Qualifications.--
            (1) In general.--Members shall be experts in the subjects 
        of labor and employment.
            (2) Political affiliation.--Political affiliation shall not 
        be a determining factor in the appointment of members.
    (c) Deadline for Appointment.--Every original member shall be 
appointed to the Commission within 3 months after the date of the 
enactment of this Act.
    (d) Terms.--Each member shall be appointed for the life of the 
Commission.
    (e) Basic Pay.--Members shall not be paid by reason of their 
service as members.
    (f) Travel Expenses.--Each member shall receive travel expenses, 
including per diem in lieu of subsistence, in accordance with sections 
5702 and 5703 of title 5, United States Code.
    (g) Quorum.--9 members shall constitute a quorum for conducting the 
business of the Commission, but a lesser number may hold hearings.
    (h) Chairperson.--The members shall elect 1 member to act as the 
Chairperson of the Commission (in this Act referred to as the 
``Chairperson'').
    (i) Meetings.--The Commission shall meet at the call of the 
Chairperson.

SEC. 5. STAFF OF COMMISSION.

    (a) Staff.--The Chairperson may appoint and fix the pay of 
Commission personnel as the Chairperson considers appropriate.
    (b) Applicability of Certain Civil Service Laws.--The staff of the 
Commission shall be appointed subject to the provisions of title 5, 
United States Code, governing appointments in the competitive service, 
and shall be paid in accordance with the provisions of chapter 51 and 
subchapter III of chapter 53 of such title relating to classification 
and General Schedule pay rates.
    (c) Staff of Federal Agencies.--Upon request of the Chairperson, 
the head of any Federal department or agency may detail, on a 
reimbursable basis, any of the personnel of the department or agency to 
assist the Commission in carrying out the duties of the Commission.

SEC. 6. POWERS OF COMMISSION.

    (a) Hearings and Sessions.--The Commission may hold hearings, sit 
and act at times and places, take testimony, and receive evidence as 
the Commission considers appropriate to carry out this Act. The 
Commission may administer oaths or affirmations to witnesses appearing 
before the Commission.
    (b) Powers of Members and Agents.--The Commission may delegate to a 
member or agency any authority of the Commission under this subsection 
or subsection (e) or (h).
    (c) Obtaining Official Data.--The Commission may secure directly 
from any department or agency of the United States information 
necessary to enable the Commission to carry out this Act. Upon request 
of the Chairperson, the head of the department or agency shall furnish 
the information to the Commission.
    (d) Mails.--The Commission may use the United States mails in the 
same manner and under the same conditions as other departments and 
agencies of the United States.
    (e) Administrative Support Services.--Upon the request of the 
Commission, the Administrator of General Services shall provide to the 
Commission, on a reimbursable basis, the administrative support 
services necessary for the Commission to carry out its duties.
    (f) Immunity.--The Commission is an agency of the United States for 
purposes of part V of title 18, United States Code (relating to 
immunity of witnesses).
    (g) Subpoena Power.--
            (1) In general.--The Commission may issue a subpoena to 
        require the attendance and testimony of witnesses and the 
        production of evidence relating to any matter described in 
        section 3.
            (2) Failure to obey an order or subpoena.--If a person 
        refuses to obey an order or subpoena of the Commission that is 
        issued in connection with a Commission hearing, the Commission 
        may apply to the United States district court in the judicial 
        district in which the hearing is held for an order requiring 
        the person to comply with the subpoena or order.
    (h) Contract Authority.--The Commission may contract with and 
compensate government or private agencies or persons for supplies or 
services, without regard to section 3709 of the Revised Statutes (41 
U.S.C. 5).

SEC. 7. REPORT OF COMMISSION.

    The Commission shall transmit a report to the President and the 
Congress not later than 1 year after the date that all original members 
have been appointed to the Commission. The report shall contain a 
detailed statement of the findings, conclusions, and recommendations of 
the Commission.

SEC. 8. TERMINATION OF COMMISSION.

    The Commission shall terminate 30 days after submitting the report 
required by section 7.

SEC. 9. BUDGET ACT COMPLIANCE.

    Any spending authority (as defined in subparagraphs (A) and (C) of 
section 401(c)(2) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974) authorized 
by this Act shall be effective only to such extent and in such amounts 
as are provided in appropriations Acts.
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