[Congressional Bills 105th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 335 Introduced in House (IH)]







105th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 335

   To establish the Commission on the Future for America's Veterans.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            January 7, 1997

  Mr. Solomon (for himself and Mr. Watts of Oklahoma) introduced the 
   following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans' 
Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on Rules, for a period to be 
subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration 
  of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee 
                               concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To establish the Commission on the Future for America's Veterans.

    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 ``Commission on the Future for 
America's Veterans Act''.

SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF COMMISSION.

    There is established a commission to be known as the Commission on 
the Future for America's Veterans (hereinafter in this Act referred to 
as the ``Commission'').

SEC. 3. MEMBERSHIP.

    (a) Composition.--
            (1) In general.--The Commission shall be composed of 12 
        members appointed in accordance with paragraph (2) and 3 ex 
        officio members designated in paragraph (3).
            (2) Appointed members.--Members of the Commission shall be 
        appointed as follows:
                    (A) The Speaker of the House of Representatives and 
                the majority leader of the Senate, acting jointly, in 
                consultation with the chairman of the Committee on 
                Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and the chairman of the 
                Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the House of 
                Representatives, shall appoint four members.
                    (B) Eight members shall be appointed from among 
                individuals who are not full-time officers or employees 
                of the United States as follows:
                            (i) The chairman of the Committee on 
                        Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and the ranking 
                        member of that committee shall each appoint one 
                        member.
                            (ii) The chairman of the Committee on 
                        Veterans' Affairs of the House of 
                        Representatives and the ranking member of that 
                        committee shall each appoint one member.
                            (iii) The chairman of the Committee on 
                        Armed Services of the Senate and the ranking 
                        member of that committee shall each appoint one 
                        member.
                            (iv) The chairman of the Committee on 
                        National Security of the House of 
                        Representatives and the ranking member of that 
                        committee shall each appoint one member.
                    (C) Members appointed under this paragraph shall 
                have appropriate experience and expertise on veterans, 
                organizational, and management matters, as well as on 
                health care services available to veterans provided by 
                the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, and to the maximum 
                extent practicable, shall be veterans.
            (3) Ex officio members.--The following shall serve as 
        members of the Commission:
                    (A) The Under Secretary for Health of the 
                Department of Veterans Affairs, or the Under 
                Secretary's designee.
                    (B) The Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health 
                Affairs of the Department of Defense, or the Assistant 
                Secretary's designee.
                    (C) The Assistant Secretary for Planning and 
                Evaluation of the Department of Health and Human 
                Services, or the Assistant Secretary's designee.
    (b) Designation of the Chairman.--The Speaker of the House of 
Representatives and the majority leader of the Senate, acting jointly, 
in consultation with the chairman of the Committee on Veterans' Affairs 
of the Senate and the chairman of the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of 
the House of Representatives shall, from the members appointed under 
subsection (a)(1), designate the chairman of the Commission.
    (c) Time for Appointment, Designation.--The members of the 
Commission shall be appointed and the chairman of the Commission shall 
be designated not later than 30 days after the date of the enactment of 
this Act.
    (d) Period of Appointment; Vacancies.--
            (1) Period.--Members of the Commission shall be appointed 
        for the life of the Commission.
            (2) Vacancies.--Any vacancy in the Commission shall not 
        affect its powers and shall be filled in the same manner as the 
        original appointment.
    (e) Quorum.--A majority of the members of the Commission shall 
constitute a quorum, but a lesser number may hold hearings.
    (f) Meetings.--
            (1) In general.--The Commission shall meet at the call of 
        the chairman of the Commission.
            (2) Initial meeting.--Not later than 30 days after the date 
        on which all members of the Commission have been appointed, the 
        Commission shall hold its first meeting.
    (g) Majority Vote.--The Commission may not submit a legislative 
proposal or make a recommendation or report to Congress unless the 
proposal, recommendation or report is approved by a majority of the 
members of the Commission present and voting, a quorum being present.
    (h) Authority of Individuals To Act for Commission.--Any member or 
agent of the Commission may, if authorized by the Commission, take any 
action which the Commission is authorized to take under this Act.

SEC. 4. DUTIES.

    (a) Study.--The Commission shall conduct a comprehensive study of 
health care services provided by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs.
    (b) Matters Studied.--The matters studied by the Commission shall 
include--
            (1) legislative proposals to improve delivery of health 
        care to veterans, including H.R. 1767 of the 104th Congress, 
        H.R. 3117 of the 104th Congress, H.R. 3119 of the 104th 
        Congress, and the G.I. Bill of Health (H.R. 3950 of the 104th 
        Congress);
            (2) alternative means for delivery of health care to a 
        veteran (such as managed care); and
            (3) eligibility reform.
    (c) Demonstration Project Bill.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
        the enactment of this Act, the Commission shall submit to 
        Congress a legislative proposal in the form of a draft bill 
        (hereinafter in this Act referred to as a ``demonstration 
        project bill'').
            (2) Content of bill.--
                    (A) Authority of secretary.--A demonstration 
                project bill shall authorize the Secretary of Veterans 
                Affairs to implement temporary demonstration projects 
                to improve health care services under the Department of 
                Veterans Affairs.
                    (B) Implementation at medical centers.--A 
                demonstration project bill shall provide that the 
                temporary demonstration projects be implemented at no 
                fewer than 20 and no greater than 40 Department of 
                Veterans Affairs medical centers specified in the 
                demonstration project bill.
                    (C) Selection of centers.--In selecting the centers 
                under subparagraph (B), the chairman, in consultation 
                with the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, shall assure a 
                diversity of centers according to geographic areas, 
                demographic characteristics of, and specialized medical 
                services provided by individual centers.
                    (D) Termination.--A demonstration project bill 
                shall provide that the temporary demonstration projects 
                terminate not later than 18 months after the date of 
                the enactment of the Act providing for such temporary 
                demonstration projects.
    (d) Evaluation of Projects; Audit.--The Commission shall monitor 
and evaluate the temporary demonstration projects and shall arrange for 
audits of such projects.
    (e) Report.--Not later than 15 months after the date of the 
enactment of the Act providing for the temporary demonstration projects 
under subsection (c), the chairman of the Commission shall submit to 
Congress a report which contains a detailed statement of the findings 
and conclusions of the Commission with respect to the temporary 
demonstration projects, together with recommendations for such 
legislation and administrative action as the Commission considers 
appropriate.

SEC. 5. EXPEDITED CONGRESSIONAL PROCEDURE.

    (a) Procedure in the House of Representatives.--
            (1) Introduction of demonstration project bill.--A 
        qualified demonstration project bill is one that is introduced 
        by the majority leader of the House of Representatives for 
        himself and the minority leader of the House of 
        Representatives, or by Members designated jointly by the 
        majority leader and the minority leader of the House of 
        Representatives, not later than the close of the 15th day after 
        the date on which such bill is submitted to the House of 
        Representatives under section 4(c).
            (2) Committee consideration.--If a committee to which a 
        qualified demonstration project bill has been referred has not 
        reported such bill at the close of the 10th day after the date 
        of the bill's introduction, such committee shall be 
        automatically discharged from further consideration of the 
        bill, and the bill shall be placed on the appropriate calendar.
            (3) Computation of days.--For purposes of this subsection, 
        in computing the number of days, there shall be excluded any 
        day on which the House of Representatives is not in session.
    (b) Procedure in the Senate.--
    (c) Rules of the House of Representatives and Senate.--This section 
is enacted by the Congress--
            (1) as an exercise of the rulemaking power of the House of 
        Representatives and the Senate, respectively, and as such it 
        shall be considered as part of the rules of each House, 
        respectively, or of that House to which it specifically 
        applies, and such rules shall supersede other rules only to the 
        extent that they are inconsistent therewith; and
            (2) with full recognition of the constitutional right of 
        either House to change the rules (so far as relating to such 
        House) at any time, in the same manner and to the same extent 
        as in the case of any other rule of that House.

SEC. 6. POWERS.

    (a) Hearings.--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 advisable to carry out the 
purposes of this Act.
    (b) Information From Federal Agencies.--The chairman of the 
Commission may secure directly from any department or agency of the 
Federal Government such information as the chairman of the Commission 
considers necessary to carry out the duties under this Act. Upon 
request of the chairman of the Commission, the head of such department 
or agency shall furnish such information expeditiously to the 
Commission.
    (c) 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. MISCELLANEOUS ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS.

    (a) Postal Services.--The Commission may use the United States 
mails in the same manner and under the same conditions as other 
departments and agencies of the Federal Government.
    (b) Gifts.--The Commission may accept, use, and dispose of gifts or 
donations of services or property.
    (c) Miscellaneous Administrative Support.--The Secretary of 
Veterans Affairs and the Secretary of Defense shall, upon the request 
of the chairman of the Commission, furnish the Commission, on a 
reimbursable basis, such administrative and support services as the 
Commission may require.

SEC. 8. COMMISSION PERSONNEL MATTERS.

    (a) Compensation of Members.--
            (1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraph (2), each 
        member of the Commission shall be compensated at a rate equal 
        to the daily equivalent of the annual rate of basic pay 
        prescribed for level IV of the Executive Schedule under section 
        5315 of title 5, United States Code, for each day (including 
        travel time) during which such member is engaged in performing 
        the duties of the Commission.
            (2) Prohibition of compensation of federal employees.--
        Members of the Commission who are full-time officers or 
        employees of the United States or Members of Congress may not 
        receive additional pay, allowances, or benefits by reason of 
        their service on the Commission.
    (b) Travel.--Members and personnel of the Commission may travel on 
military aircraft, military vehicles, or other military conveyances 
when travel is necessary in the performance of a duty of the Commission 
except when the cost of commercial transportation is less expensive.
    (c) Staff.--
            (1) Appointment.--The chairman of the Commission may 
        appoint, without regard to civil service laws and regulations, 
        an executive director and such additional personnel as may be 
        necessary to carry out the duties of the Commission.
            (2) Preference to veterans.--
                    (A) Executive director.--The executive director of 
                the Commission shall be a veteran.
                    (B) Additional personnel.--In appointing additional 
                personnel to the Commission, the chairman shall give 
                preference to veterans.
            (3) Compensation of staff.--The chairman of the Commission 
        may fix the compensation of the executive director and 
        additional personnel without regard to the provisions of 
        chapter 51 and subchapter III of chapter 53 of title 5, United 
        States Code, relating to classification of positions and 
        General Schedule pay rates, except that the rate of pay for the 
        executive director and additional personnel may not exceed the 
        rate payable for level V of the Executive Schedule under 
        section 5316 of such title.
    (d) Detail of Government Employees.--Upon request of the chairman 
of the Commission, the head of any department or agency of the Federal 
Government may detail, on a nonreimbursable basis, any personnel of the 
department or agency to the Commission to assist the Commission in 
carrying out its duties under this Act.
    (e) Procurement of Temporary and Intermittent Services.--The 
chairman of the Commission may procure temporary and intermittent 
services under section 3109(b) of title 5, United States Code, at rates 
for individuals which do not exceed the daily equivalent of the annual 
rate of basic pay prescribed for level IV of the Executive Schedule 
under section 5316 of such title.

SEC. 9. FUNDING.

    Of the amounts appropriated for the Department of Veterans Affairs 
for fiscal year 1997 or subsequent fiscal years, the Secretary of 
Veterans Affairs shall make available to the Commission such amounts as 
the chairman of the Commission certifies to the Secretary as necessary 
for the Commission to carry out its duties under this Act.

SEC. 10. TERMINATION.

    The Commission shall terminate 30 days after the date of the 
termination of the temporary demonstration projects under section 4(c).
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