[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4899 Introduced in House (IH)]







106th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 4899

   To establish a commission to promote a consistent and coordinated 
  foreign policy of the United States to ensure economic and military 
    security in the Pacific region of Asia through the promotion of 
democracy, human rights, the rule of law, free trade, and open markets, 
                        and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 20, 2000

  Mr. Gilman introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                  Committee on International Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To establish a commission to promote a consistent and coordinated 
  foreign policy of the United States to ensure economic and military 
    security in the Pacific region of Asia through the promotion of 
democracy, human rights, the rule of law, free trade, and open markets, 
                        and for other purposes.

    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 ``Asian Pacific Charter Commission Act 
of 2000''.

SEC. 2. PURPOSES.

    The purposes of this Act are--
            (1) to promote a consistent and coordinated foreign policy 
        of the United States to ensure economic and military security 
        in the Pacific region of Asia;
            (2) to support democratization, the rule of law, and human 
        rights in the Pacific region of Asia;
            (3) to advance free trade and open markets on a reciprocal 
        basis in the Pacific region of Asia;
            (4) to combat terrorism and the spread of illicit narcotics 
        in the Pacific region of Asia; and
            (5) to advocate an active role for the United States 
        Government in diplomacy, security, and the furtherance of good 
        governance and the rule of law in the Pacific region of Asia.

SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT OF COMMISSION.

    There is established a commission to be known as the Asian Pacific 
Charter Commission (hereafter in this Act referred to as the 
``Commission'').

SEC. 4. DUTIES OF COMMISSION.

    (a) Duties.--The Commission shall establish and carry out, either 
directly or through nongovernmental and international organizations, 
programs, projects, and activities to achieve the purposes described in 
section 2 of this Act, including research and educational or 
legislative exchanges between the United States and countries in the 
Pacific region of Asia.
    (b) Advisory Committees.--The Commission may establish such 
advisory committees as the Commission determines to be necessary to 
advise the Commission on policy matters relating to the Pacific region 
of Asia and to otherwise carry out this Act.

SEC. 5. MEMBERSHIP OF COMMISSION.

    (a) Composition.--The Commission shall be composed of 7 members all 
of whom--
            (1) shall be citizens of the United States who are not 
        officers or employees of any government, except to the extent 
        they are considered such officers or employees by virtue of 
        their membership on the Commission; and
            (2) shall have interest and expertise in issues relating to 
        the Pacific region of Asia.
    (b) Appointment.--
            (1) In general.--The individuals referred to in subsection 
        (a) shall be appointed--
                    (A) by the President, after consultation with the 
                Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Chairman 
                of the Committee on International Relations of the 
                House of Representatives, the Majority Leader of the 
                Senate, and the Chairman of the Committee on Foreign 
                Relations of the Senate; and
                    (B) by and with the advice and consent of the 
                Senate.
            (2) Political affiliation.--Not more than 4 of the 
        individuals appointed under paragraph (1) may be affiliated 
        with the same political party.
    (c) Term.--Each member of the Commission shall be appointed for a 
term of 6 years.
    (d) Vacancies.--A vacancy in the Commission shall be filled in the 
same manner in which the original appointment was made.
    (e) Chairperson; Vice Chairperson.--The President shall designate a 
Chairperson and Vice Chairperson of the Commission from among the 
members of the Commission.
    (f) Compensation.--
            (1) Rates of pay.--Except as provided in paragraph (2), 
        members of the Commission shall serve without pay.
            (2) Travel expenses.--Each member of the Commission may 
        receive travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of 
        subsistence, in accordance with sections 5702 and 5703 of title 
        5, United States Code.
    (g) Meetings.--The Commission shall meet at the call of the 
Chairperson.
    (h) Quorum.--A majority of the members of the Commission shall 
constitute a quorum, but a lesser number of members may hold hearings.
    (i) Affirmative Determinations.--An affirmative vote by a majority 
of the members of the Commission shall be required for any affirmative 
determination by the Commission under section 4.

SEC. 6. POWERS OF COMMISSION.

    (a) Contributions.--The Commission may accept, use, and dispose of 
gifts, bequests, or devises of services or property, both real and 
personal, for the purpose of assisting or facilitating the work of the 
Commission. Gifts, bequests, or devises of money and proceeds from 
sales of other property received as gifts, bequests, or devises shall 
be deposited in the Treasury and shall be available for disbursement 
upon order of the Commission.
    (b) 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.

SEC. 7. STAFF AND SUPPORT SERVICES OF COMMISSION.

    (a) Executive Director.--The Commission shall have an executive 
director appointed by the Commission after consultation with the 
Speaker of the House of Representatives and the Majority Leader of the 
Senate. The executive director shall serve the Commission under such 
terms and conditions as the Commission determines to be appropriate.
    (b) Staff.--The Commission may appoint and fix the pay of such 
additional personnel, not to exceed 10 individuals, as it considers 
appropriate.
    (c) Staff of Federal Agencies.--Upon request of the chairperson of 
the Commission, the head of any Federal agency may detail, on a 
nonreimbursable basis, any of the personnel of the agency to the 
Commission to assist the Commission in carrying out its duties under 
this Act.
    (d) Experts and Consultants.--The chairperson of the Commission may 
procure temporary and intermittent services under section 3109(b) of 
title 5, United States Code.

SEC. 8. REPORTS OF COMMISSION.

    The Commission shall prepare and submit to Congress an annual 
report on the programs, projects, and activities on the Commission for 
the prior year.

SEC. 9. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    (a) In General.--There are authorized to be appropriated to carry 
out this Act $5,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2001 and 2002.
    (b) Availability.--Amounts appropriated pursuant to the 
authorization of appropriations under subsection (a) are authorized to 
remain available until expended.
                                 <all>