[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3251 Introduced in House (IH)]







106th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 3251

  To establish the National Commission on the Impact of United States 
                       Culture on American Youth.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            November 8, 1999

Ms. Kaptur (for herself and Mr. Hunter) introduced the following bill; 
   which was referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To establish the National Commission on the Impact of United States 
                       Culture on American Youth.

    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 ``America's Youth Commission Act of 
1999''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress makes the following findings:
            (1) American youth, up to 18 years of age, represent the 
        freest, most educated, most affluent generation this Nation has 
        known. A majority will graduate from high school, will come 
        from families in which the parents or guardians are employed 
        and own property, and will come from a society which has 
        achieved unparalleled national economic and social opportunity 
        in a world largely at peace.
            (2) The potential for this generation of American youth to 
        make lasting contributions to freedom's cause is unparalleled. 
        Yet, despite this favorable domestic and international climate, 
        some serious flaws have appeared in America's social and 
        cultural fabric, characterized by destructive behaviors among 
        some of our youth that are damaging our Nation and the ability 
        of this generation to achieve its full potential.
            (3) While most of America's youth are achieving 
        academically and developing wholesome constructive pursuits, 
        youth violence in places like Littleton, Colorado, Springfield, 
        Oregon, and Jonesboro, Arkansas, and the rash of copycat 
        incidents, threatened or real, across the Nation has brought to 
        the fore a troubling lack of respect by some for other 
        individuals that lies at the heart of a free society.
            (4) Across our Nation, school ``pranks'' have in many cases 
        been destructive to schools and property and reveal a serious 
        lack of understanding by the perpetrators of the true costs of 
        their actions.
            (5) Equally serious are the consistently high and 
        personally destructive levels of alcohol and drug use by 
        American youth, sometimes coupled with gun violence, as well as 
        increasing levels of teenage suicide and eating disorders, such 
        as bulimia and anorexia.
            (6) Upholding human dignity faces challenges in the media 
        as well. By the time children in the United States have passed 
        through the eighth grade, they will have witnessed an average 
        of 8,000 murders and over 100,000 other acts of violence 
        through the media. In addition, many video games, music, films, 
        and Internet websites present material so degrading to human 
        dignity that they undermine the value of human life and elevate 
        the bizarre to normal. Some have characterized this as a 
        ``culture of death'' that permeates the consciousness of 
        American youth.
            (7) The structure of family, neighborhoods, work, and 
        community in the United States has been transformed in the last 
        30 years as economic growth and mobility have impacted 
        families' aspirations and livelihoods. The static purchasing 
        power of families, mergers, and dislocation of production, 
        higher family mobility and suburbanization, rising levels of 
        foster children, all have contributed to a more fluid social 
        structure and less continuity for youth in permanent nurturing 
        relationships with family and community. The social 
        consequences of these changes, along with the pervasive 
        influence of media, demand attention, for developmental 
        attachments by adults toward youth that characterized previous 
        generations have become more tenuous in today's society.

SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT.

    There is established a commission to be known as the ``National 
Commission on the Impact of United States Culture on America's Youth'' 
(hereinafter in this Act referred to as the ``Commission'').

SEC. 4. DUTY OF COMMISSION.

    The Commission shall investigate and make findings and 
recommendations with respect to--
            (1) the condition and status of contemporary youth in 
        America compared to prior generations, with particular 
        attention to family, neighborhood, schools, scholastic 
        attainment, work, and community involvement;
            (2) the nature, origins, and trends of antisocial and 
        violent behavior among American youth, including--
                    (A) an analysis of the trends in violent acts in 
                families, neighborhoods, and schools; and
                    (B) the influence of organizations, other cultural 
                elements, and individuals contributing to the 
                incitement or encouragement of violent behaviors;
            (3) identification of successful initiatives that involve 
        youth in positive development and experiences that curb 
        antisocial behavior among youth;
            (4) recommendations for averting and reducing violence 
        among American youth; and
            (5) recommendations for parents, families, nongovernmental 
        and private sector organizations and Federal, State, and local 
        authorities in building positive developmental experiences 
        among American youth.

SEC. 5. MEMBERSHIP.

    (a) Number and Appointment.--The Commission shall be composed of 11 
members appointed as follows:
            (1) Two members appointed by the Speaker of the House of 
        Representatives.
            (2) Two members appointed by the majority Leader of the 
        Senate.
            (3) Two members appointed by the minority Leader of the 
        House of Representatives.
            (4) Two members appointed by the minority Leader of the 
        Senate.
            (5) Three members appointed by the President.
    (b) Qualifications.--The members shall--
            (1) not be incumbent Members of Congress; and
            (2) be specially qualified to serve on the Commission by 
        reason of education, training, or experience.
    (c) Terms.--
            (1) In general.--Each member shall be appointed for the 
        life of the Commission.
            (2) Vacancies.--A vacancy in the Commission shall be filled 
        in the manner in which the original appointment was made.
    (d) Basic Pay.--Members shall serve without pay.
    (e) Travel Expenses.--Each member shall receive travel expenses, 
including per diem in lieu of subsistence, in accordance with section 
5703 of title 5, United States Code.
    (f) Quorum.--Seven members of the Commission shall constitute a 
quorum, but a lesser number may hold hearings.
    (g) Chair.--The Chair of the Commission shall be designated by the 
President at the time of the appointment.

SEC. 6. POWERS OF COMMISSION.

    (a) Hearings and Sessions.--The Commission may, for the purpose of 
carrying out this Act, hold hearings, sit and act at times and places, 
take testimony, and receive evidence as the Commission considers 
appropriate. The Commission shall ensure that its hearings and sessions 
are open to the public, with significant opportunities for testimony 
from members of the general public.
    (b) Powers of Members and Agents.--Any member or agent of the 
Commission may, if authorized by the Commission, take any action which 
the Commission is authorized to take by this section.
    (c) Obtaining Official Data.--The Commission may secure directly 
from any department or agency of the United States information 
necessary to enable it to carry out this Act. Upon request of the 
Chairperson of the Commission, the head of that department or agency 
shall cooperate with the Commission in providing that information.
    (d) 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 responsibilities 
under this Act.
    (e) 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.

    (a) Interim Report.--The Commission shall transmit an interim 
report to the President and the Congress not later than 180 days after 
the date the Commission is duly organized.
    (b) Final Report.--The Commission shall transmit a final report to 
the President and the Congress not later than one year after the date 
the Commission is duly organized. The final report shall contain a 
detailed statement of the findings and conclusions of the Commission, 
together with its recommendations for legislation.

SEC. 8. TERMINATION.

    The Commission shall terminate 30 days after transmitting its final 
report pursuant to section 7(b).

SEC. 9. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There is authorized to be appropriated $10,000,000 for fiscal year 
2000 to carry out this Act, to remain available until expended.

SEC. 10. 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 (2 U.S.C. 
651(c)(2)(A) and (C))) authorized by this Act shall be effective only 
to such extent and in such amounts as are provided in appropriation 
Acts.
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