[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 172 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







106th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 172

To establish a special committee of the Senate to address the cultural 
                         crisis facing America.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             August 4, 1999

  Mr. Brownback (for himself, Mr. Moynihan, Mr. Lott, Mr. Dorgan, Mr. 
 Allard, Mr. Conrad, Mr. Abraham, Mr. Coverdell, Mr. Sessions, and Mr. 
 Craig) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 
                 Committee on Rules and Administration

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
To establish a special committee of the Senate to address the cultural 
                         crisis facing America.

    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 American Culture 
(hereafter in this resolution referred to as the ``special 
committee'').
    (b) Purpose.--The purpose of the special committee is--
            (1) to study the causes and reasons for social and cultural 
        regression;
            (2) to make such findings of fact as are warranted and 
        appropriate, including the impact that such negative cultural 
        trends and developments have on the broader society, 
        particularly in regards to child well-being; and
            (3) to explore means of cultural renewal.
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) and (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.
            (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--
            (1) 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
            (2) 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 
nonreimburseable 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 prior to December 
31, 2000.

 SEC. 5. FUNDING.

    (a) In General.--From the date this resolution is agreed to through 
December 31, 2000, the expenses of the special committee incurred under 
this resolution--
            (1) shall be paid out of the miscellaneous items account of 
        the contingent fund of the Senate;
            (2) shall not exceed $500,000, of which amount not to 
        exceed $150,000 shall be available 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 (2 U.S.C. 72a(i)); and
            (3) shall include sums in addition to expenses described 
        under paragraph (2), as may be necessary for agency 
        contributions related to compensation of employees of the 
        special committee.
    (b) Payment of Expenses.--Payment of expenses of the special 
committee shall be disbursed upon vouchers approved by the chairman, 
except that vouchers shall not be required for disbursements of 
salaries (and related agency contributions) paid at an annual rate.
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