[Congressional Bills 105th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 208 Agreed to Senate (ATS)]







105th CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. RES. 208

To establish a special committee of the Senate to address the year 2000 
                          technology problem.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             April 2, 1998

    Mr. Lott (for himself and Mr. Daschle) submitted the following 
             resolution; which was considered and agreed to

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
To establish a special committee of the Senate to address the year 2000 
                          technology problem.

    Resolved,

SECTION 1. ESTABLISHMENT OF THE SPECIAL COMMITTEE.

    (a) Establishment.--There is established a special committee of the 
Senate to be known as the Special Committee on the Year 2000 Technology 
Problem (hereafter in this resolution referred to as the ``special 
committee'').
    (b) Purpose.--The purpose of the special committee is--
            (1) to study the impact of the year 2000 technology problem 
        on the Executive and Judicial Branches of the Federal 
        Government, State governments, and private sector operations in 
        the United States and abroad;
            (2) to make such findings of fact as are warranted and 
        appropriate; and
            (3) to make such recommendations, including recommendations 
        for new legislation and amendments to existing laws and any 
        administrative or other actions, as the special committee may 
        determine to be necessary or desirable.
No proposed legislation shall be referred to the special committee, and 
the committee shall not have power to report by bill, or otherwise have 
legislative jurisdiction.
    (c) Treatment as Standing Committee.--For purposes of paragraphs 1, 
2, 7(a)(1)-(2), and 10(a) of rule XXVI and rule XXVII of the Standing 
Rules of the Senate, and section 202 (i) and (j) of the Legislative 
Reorganization Act of 1946, the special committee shall be treated as a 
standing committee of the Senate.

SEC. 2. MEMBERSHIP AND ORGANIZATION OF THE SPECIAL COMMITTEE.

    (a) Membership.--
            (1) In general.--The special committee shall consist of 7 
        members of the Senate--
                    (A) 4 of whom shall be appointed by the President 
                pro tempore of the Senate from the majority party of 
                the Senate upon the recommendation of the Majority 
                Leader of the Senate; and
                    (B) 3 of whom shall be appointed by the President 
                pro tempore of the Senate from the minority party of 
                the Senate upon the recommendation of the Minority 
                Leader of the Senate.
        The chairman and ranking minority member of the Appropriations 
        Committee shall be appointed ex-officio members.
            (2) Vacancies.--Vacancies in the membership of the special 
        committee shall not affect the authority of the remaining 
        members to execute the functions of the special committee and 
        shall be filled in the same manner as original appointments to 
        it are made.
            (3) Service.--For the purpose of paragraph 4 of rule XXV of 
        the Standing Rules of the Senate, service of a Senator as a 
        member, chairman, or vice chairman of the special committee 
        shall not be taken into account.
    (b) Chairman.--The chairman of the special committee shall be 
selected by the Majority Leader of the Senate and the vice chairman of 
the special committee shall be selected by the Minority Leader of the 
Senate. The vice chairman shall discharge such responsibilities as the 
special committee or the chairman may assign.

SEC. 3. AUTHORITY OF SPECIAL COMMITTEE.

    (a) In General.--For the purposes of this resolution, the special 
committee is authorized, in its discretion--
            (1) to make expenditures from the contingent fund of the 
        Senate;
            (2) to employ personnel;
            (3) to hold hearings;
            (4) to sit and act at any time or place during the 
        sessions, recesses, and adjourned periods of the Senate;
            (5) to require, by subpoena or otherwise, the attendance of 
        witnesses and the production of correspondence, books, papers, 
        and documents;
            (6) to take depositions and other testimony;
            (7) to procure the services of individual consultations or 
        organizations thereof, in accordance with the provisions of 
        section 202(i) of the Legislative Reorganization Act of 1946; 
        and
            (8) with the prior consent of the Government department or 
        agency concerned and the Committee on Rules and Administration, 
        to use on a nonreimbursable basis the services of personnel of 
        any such department or agency.
    (b) Oaths for Witnesses.--The chairman of the special committee or 
any member thereof may administer oaths to witnesses.
    (c) Subpoenas.--Subpoenas authorized by the special committee may 
be issued over the signature of the chairman after consultation with 
the vice chairman, or any member of the special committee designated by 
the chairman after consultation with the vice chairman, and may be 
served by any person designated by the chairman or the member signing 
the subpoena.
    (d) Other Committee Staff.--The special committee may use, with the 
prior consent of the chairman of any other Senate committee or the 
chairman of any subcommittee of any committee of the Senate and on a 
nonreimbuseable basis, the facilities or services of any members of the 
staff of such other Senate committee whenever the special committee or 
its chairman, following consultation with the vice chairman, considers 
that such action is necessary or appropriate to enable the special 
committee to make the investigation and study provided for in this 
resolution.
    (e) Use of Office Space.--The staff of the special committee may be 
located in the personal office of a Member of the special committee.

SEC. 4. REPORT AND TERMINATION.

    The special committee shall report its findings, together with such 
recommendations as it deems advisable, to the Senate at the earliest 
practicable date.

SEC. 5. FUNDING.

    (a) In General.--From the date this resolution is agreed to through 
February 29, 2000, the expenses of the special committee incurred under 
this resolution shall not exceed $575,000 for the period beginning on 
the date of adoption of this resolution through February 28, 1999, and 
$575,000 for the period of March 1, 1999 through February 29, 2000, of 
which amount not to exceed $200,000 shall be available for each period 
for the procurement of the services of individual consultants, or 
organizations thereof, as authorized by section 202(i) of the 
Legislative Reorganization Act of 1946.
    (b) Payment of Benefits.--The retirement and health benefits of 
employees of the special committee shall be paid out of the contingent 
fund of the Senate.
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