[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5588 Introduced in House (IH)]







106th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 5588

       To establish the Government Program Evaluation Commission.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            October 27, 2000

  Mr. Archer introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                     Committee on Government Reform

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
       To establish the Government Program Evaluation Commission.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. ESTABLISHMENT OF COMMISSION.

    There is established a bipartisan commission to be known as the 
Government Program Evaluation Commission (in this Act referred to as 
the ``Commission'').

SEC. 2. DUTIES OF COMMISSION.

    The Commission shall make a complete study and evaluation of 
existing Federal programs and activities and projected expansions of 
such programs and activities for the purpose of determining, in light 
of the fundamental needs of the Nation and its vital objectives--
            (1) the effectiveness of each such program or activity in 
        terms of its present and projected costs;
            (2) whether each such program or activity should be 
        continued and, if so, the level at which it should be 
        continued; and
            (3) in the allocation of Federal funds, the relative 
        priority that should be assigned to each such program or 
        activity.

SEC. 3. REPORT OF THE COMMISSION.

    (a) In General.--Not later than February 1, 2002, the Commission 
shall submit to the President and the Congress a comprehensive report.
    (b) Contents.--The report shall contain a detailed statement of the 
findings and conclusions of the Commission, together with its 
recommendations (including any recommendations as to constitutional 
amendments, legislative enactments, and administrative actions) for 
changes in Federal programs and activities, that the Commission 
determines are necessary to meet the fundamental needs and vital 
objectives of the Nation.

SEC. 4. MEMBERSHIP OF THE COMMISSION.

    (a) Number and Appointment.--The Commission shall be composed of 12 
members from private life, as follows:
            (1) 4 members appointed by the President.
            (2) 4 members appointed by the President pro tempore of the 
        Senate.
            (3) 4 members appointed by the Speaker of the House of 
        Representatives.
    (b) Limitation.--Of each class of 4 members referred to in 
subsection (a), not more than 2 members may be from each of the 2 major 
political parties.
    (c) Vacancies.--Any vacancy in the Commission shall not affect its 
powers, and shall be filled in the same manner in which the original 
appointment was made.
    (d) Chairman and Vice Chairman.--The Commission shall elect a 
Chairman and a Vice Chairman from among its members.
    (e) Quorum.--7 members of the Commission shall constitute a quorum.
    (f) Compensation.--Members of the Commission shall serve without 
pay for their service on the Commission.

SEC. 5. STAFF OF THE COMMISSION.

    (a) In General.--The Commission may appoint and fix the 
compensation of such personnel as it considers appropriate.
    (b) Inapplicability of Certain Civil Service Laws.--The staff of 
the Commission may be appointed without regard to the provisions of 
title 5, United States Code, governing appointments in the competitive 
service, and may be paid without regard to the provisions of chapter 51 
and subchapter III of chapter 53 of that title, relating to 
classification and General Schedule pay rates, except that an 
individual so appointed may not receive pay in excess of the maximum 
rate of basic pay under the General Schedule.
    (c) Experts and Consultants.--The Commission may procure temporary 
and intermittent services under section 3109(b) of title 5, United 
States Code.

SEC. 6. POWERS OF THE COMMISSION.

    (a) Hearings and Sessions.--The Commission may, for the purpose of 
carrying out this Act, hold such hearings, sit and act at such times 
and places, take such testimony, and receive such evidence as the 
Commission considers appropriate. The Commission may administer oaths 
or affirmations to witnesses appearing before it.
    (b) Powers of Members and Agents.--If authorized by the Commission, 
any member or agent of the Commission may take any action that 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 
Chairman or Vice Chairman of the Commission, the head of that 
department or agency shall furnish that information to the Commission.

SEC. 7. TERMINATION.

    The Commission shall terminate 30 days after submitting the report 
required by section 3.
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