[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4899 Referred in Senate (RFS)]

  2d Session
                                H. R. 4899


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

           September 26 (legislative day, September 22), 2000

Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 AN ACT


 
   To establish a commission to promote a consistent and coordinated 
  foreign policy of the United States to ensure economic and military 
security in the Asia-Pacific region through the promotion of democracy, 
         human rights, the rule of law, 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 ``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 Asia-Pacific region;
            (2) to support democratization, the rule of law, and human 
        rights in the Asia-Pacific region;
            (3) to promote United States exports to the Asia-Pacific 
        region by advancing economic cooperation;
            (4) to combat terrorism and the spread of illicit narcotics 
        in the Asia-Pacific region; 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 Asia-Pacific region.

SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT OF COMMISSION.

    There is established a commission to be known as the 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 organizations, programs, projects, 
and activities to achieve the purposes described in section 2, 
including research and educational or legislative exchanges between the 
United States and countries in the Asia-Pacific region.
    (b) Monitoring of Developments.--The Commission shall monitor 
developments in countries of the Asia-Pacific region with respect to 
United States foreign policy toward such countries, the status of 
democratization, the rule of law and human rights in the region, 
economic relations among the United States and such countries, and 
activities related to terrorism and the illicit narcotics trade.
    (c) Policy Review and Recommendations.--In carrying out this 
section, the Commission shall evaluate United States Government 
policies toward countries of the Asia-Pacific region and recommend 
options for policies of the United States Government with respect to 
such countries, with a particular emphasis on countries that are of 
importance to the foreign policy, economic, and military interests of 
the United States.
    (d) Contacts With Other Entities.--In performing the functions 
described in subsections (a) through (c), the Commission shall, as 
appropriate, seek out and maintain contacts with nongovernmental 
organizations, international organizations, and representatives of 
industry, including receiving reports and updates from such 
organizations and evaluating such reports.
    (e) Annual Report.--Not later than 18 months after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, and not later than the end of each 12-month 
period thereafter, the Commission shall prepare and submit to the 
President and the Congress a report that contains the findings of the 
Commission during the preceding 12-month period. Each such report shall 
contain--
            (1) recommendations for legislative, executive, or other 
        actions resulting from the evaluation of policies described in 
        subsection (c);
            (2) a description of programs, projects, and activities of 
        the Commission for the prior year; and
            (3) a complete accounting of the expenditures made by the 
        Commission during the prior year.
    (f) Congressional Hearings on Annual Report.--The Committee on 
International Relations of the House of Representatives and the 
Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate, shall, not later than 45 
days after the receipt by the Congress of the report referred to in 
subsection (c), hold hearings on the report, including any 
recommendations contained therein.
    (g) 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 Asia-Pacific 
region and to otherwise carry out this Act.

SEC. 5. MEMBERSHIP OF COMMISSION.

    (a) Composition.--The Commission shall be composed of seven 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 Asia-Pacific region.
    (b) Appointment.--
            (1) In general.--The individuals referred to in subsection 
        (a) shall be appointed--
                    (A) by the President, after consultation with the 
                Speaker and Minority Leader of the House of 
                Representatives, the Chairman and ranking member of the 
                Committee on International Relations of the House of 
                Representatives, the Majority Leader and Minority 
                Leader of the Senate, and the Chairman and ranking 
                member 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 four 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) Hearings and Investigations.--The Commission may hold such 
hearings, sit and act at such times and places, take such testimony and 
receive such evidence, and conduct such investigations as the 
Commission considers advisable to carry out 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 this Act. Upon request of 
the Chairperson of the Commission, the head of any such department 
agency shall furnish such information to the Commission as 
expeditiously as possible.
    (c) 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.
    (d) 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 and Minority Leader of the House of Representatives and the 
Majority Leader and Minority 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. 9. TERMINATION.

    The Commission shall terminate not later than 5 years after the 
date of the enactment of this Act.

SEC. 10. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    (a) In General.--There are authorized to be appropriated to carry 
out this Act $2,500,000 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.

SEC. 11. EFFECTIVE DATE.

    This Act shall take effect on February 1, 2001.

            Passed the House of Representatives September 25, 2000.

            Attest:

                                                 JEFF TRANDAHL,

                                                                 Clerk.