[Congressional Bills 105th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 798 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







105th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 S. 798

  To establish a Commission on Information Technology Worker Shortage.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                              May 22, 1997

  Mr. Warner introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
         referred to the Committee on Labor and Human Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To establish a Commission on Information Technology Worker Shortage.

    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 ``Information Technology Worker 
Shortage Commission Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds that--
            (1) information technology is one of the fastest growing 
        areas in the United States economy;
            (2) the United States is a world leader in the information 
        technology industry;
            (3) the continued growth and prosperity of the information 
        technology industry is important to the continued prosperity of 
        the United States economy;
            (4) an adequate supply of information technology workers is 
        essential for the success of information technology and other 
        business entities that use information technology;
            (5) as of the date of enactment of this Act, there is a 
        shortage of information technology workers; and
            (6) in the absence of a concerted effort by business 
        entities, the Federal Government, the governments of States and 
        political subdivisions thereof, and educational institutions, 
        the shortage of information technology workers will continue to 
        be a problem.

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Business entity.--The term ``business entity'' means a 
        firm, corporation, association, partnership, consortium, joint 
        venture, or other form of enterprise.
            (2) Commission.--The term ``Commission'' means the 
        Information Technology Worker Shortage Commission established 
        under section 4.
            (3) Information technology.--The term ``information 
        technology'' has the meaning given that term in section 5002 of 
        the Information Technology Management Reform Act of 1996 (110 
        Stat. 679).
            (4) State.--The term ``State'' means each of the several 
        States of the United States and the District of Columbia.

SEC. 4. ESTABLISHMENT OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY COMMISSION.

    (a) Establishment.--There is established a commission to be known 
as the Information Technology Worker Shortage Commission.
    (b) Membership.--
            (1) Composition.--
                    (A) In general.--The Commission shall be composed 
                of 21 members, of which--
                            (i) 7 members shall be appointed by the 
                        President;
                            (ii) 7 members shall be appointed by the 
                        Majority Leader of the Senate; and
                            (iii) 7 members shall be appointed by the 
                        Speaker of the House of Representatives.
                    (B) Governmental representatives.--Of the members 
                appointed under this subsection--
                            (i) 1 member shall be an officer or 
                        employee of the Department of Labor, who shall 
                        be appointed by the President;
                            (ii) 1 member shall be an officer or 
                        employee of the Department of Education, who 
                        shall be appointed by the President; and
                            (iii) 2 members shall be representatives of 
                        the governments of States and political 
                        subdivisions thereof.
                    (C) Educators.--Of the members appointed under this 
                subsection, 6 shall be educators who are selected from 
                among elementary, secondary, vocational, and 
                postsecondary educators.
                    (D) Business representatives.--Of the members 
                appointed under this subsection, at least 4 shall be 
                individuals who are employed in information technology 
                business entities of a size that is small or average 
                for that type of business entity (as determined by the 
                appropriate appointing authority under this 
                subsection).
            (2) Date.--The appointments of the members of the 
        Commission shall be made by the later of--
                    (A) September 1, 1997; or
                    (B) the date that is 30 days after the date of 
                enactment of this Act.
    (c) Period of Appointment; Vacancies.--Members shall be appointed 
for the life of the Commission. Any vacancy in the Commission shall not 
affect its powers, but shall be filled in the same manner as the 
original appointment.
    (d) Initial Meeting.--No later than 30 days after the date on which 
all members of the Commission have been appointed, the Commission shall 
hold its first meeting.
    (e) Meetings.--The Commission shall meet at the call of the 
Chairperson.
    (f) Quorum.--A majority of the members of the Commission shall 
constitute a quorum, but a lesser number of members may hold hearings.
    (g) Chairperson and Vice Chairperson.--The Commission shall select 
a chairperson and vice chairperson from among its members.

SEC. 5. DUTIES OF THE COMMISSION.

    (a) Study.--
            (1) In general.--The Commission shall conduct a thorough 
        study of all matters relating to the shortage of information 
        technology workers in the United States.
            (2) Matters studied.--The matters studied by the Commission 
        shall include an examination of--
                    (A) the causes of the shortage of information 
                technology workers in the United States;
                    (B) possible solutions to address the shortage 
                referred to in subparagraph (A); and
                    (C) the relative efficacy of programs in the United 
                States and foreign countries to provide for an increase 
                in the number of information technology workers, with 
                special emphasis on programs that provide for secondary 
                education or postsecondary education in a program other 
                than a 4-year baccalaureate program (including 
                associate degree programs and graduate degree 
                programs).
            (3) Public hearings.--As part of the study conducted under 
        this subsection, the Commission shall hold public hearings in 
        each region of the United States concerning the issues referred 
        to in subparagraphs (A) and (B) of paragraph (2).
            (4) Existing information.--To the extent practicable, in 
        carrying out the study under this subsection, the Commission 
        shall identify and use existing information related to the 
        issues referred to in subparagraphs (A) and (B) of paragraph 
        (2).
            (5) Consultation with chief information officers council.--
        In carrying out the study under this subsection, the Commission 
        shall consult with the Chief Information Officers Council 
        established under Executive Order No. 13011.
    (b) Report.--Not later than July 1, 1998, the Commission shall 
submit a report to the President and the Congress which shall contain a 
detailed statement of the findings and conclusions of the Commission, 
together with its recommendations for such legislation and 
administrative actions as it considers appropriate.
    (c) Facilitation of Exchange of Information.--In carrying out the 
study under subsection (a), the Commission shall, to the extent 
practicable, facilitate the exchange of information concerning the 
issues that are the subject of the study among--
            (1) officials of the Federal Government and the governments 
        of States and political subdivisions thereof; and
            (2) educators from Federal, State, and local institutions 
        of higher education and secondary schools.

SEC. 6. POWERS OF THE COMMISSION.

    (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 Commission may secure 
directly from any Federal department or agency such information as the 
Commission considers necessary to carry out the provisions of this Act. 
Upon request of the Chairperson of the Commission, the head of such 
department or agency shall furnish such information to the Commission.
    (c) 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.
    (d) Gifts.--The Commission may accept, use, and dispose of gifts or 
donations of services or property.

SEC. 7. COMMISSION PERSONNEL MATTERS.

    (a) Compensation of Members.--Except as provided in subsection (b), 
each member of the Commission who is not an officer or employee of the 
Federal Government shall serve without compensation. All members of the 
Commission who are officers or employees of the United States shall 
serve without compensation in addition to that received for their 
services as officers or employees of the United States.
    (b) Travel Expenses.--The members of the Commission shall be 
allowed travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, at 
rates authorized for employees of agencies under subchapter I of 
chapter 57 of title 5, United States Code, while away from their homes 
or regular places of business in the performance of services for the 
Commission.
    (c) Staff.--
            (1) In general.--The Chairperson of the Commission may, 
        without regard to the civil service laws and regulations, 
        appoint and terminate an executive director and such other 
        additional personnel as may be necessary to enable the 
        Commission to perform its duties. The employment of an 
        executive director shall be subject to confirmation by the 
        Commission.
            (2) Compensation.--The Chairperson of the Commission may 
        fix the compensation of the executive director and other 
        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 other 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.--Any Federal Government 
employee may be detailed to the Commission without reimbursement, and 
such detail shall be without interruption or loss of civil service 
status or privilege.
    (e) Procurement of Temporary and Intermittent Services.--The 
Chairperson 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 V of the Executive Schedule 
under section 5316 of such title.

SEC. 8. TERMINATION OF THE COMMISSION.

    The Commission shall terminate on the date that is 90 days after 
the date on which the Commission submits its report under section 5(b).

SEC. 9. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    (a) In General.--There are authorized to be appropriated $750,000 
for fiscal year 1998 to the Commission to carry out the purposes of 
this Act.
    (b) Availability.--Any sums appropriated under the authorization 
contained in this section shall remain available, without fiscal year 
limitation, until expended.
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