[Congressional Bills 107th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 14 Introduced in House (IH)]







107th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 H. R. 14

    To establish a Bipartisan Commission on Social Security Reform.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            January 3, 2001

Mr. Portman (for himself and Mr. Condit) introduced the following bill; 
         which was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
    To establish a Bipartisan Commission on Social Security Reform.

    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 ``Bipartisan Commission on Social 
Security Reform Act of 2001''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    The Congress finds the following:
            (1) The 2000 Report of the Social Security Board of 
        Trustees projects that the receipts financing the Social 
        Security trust funds will fall below its outgo in 2015 and the 
        trust funds will be depleted in 2037. At that time only 72 
        percent of Social Security benefits would be payable then with 
        incoming receipts.
            (2) The primary reason is demographic: the post-World War 
        II baby boomers will begin retiring in less than a decade and 
        life expectancy is rising. By 2025 the number of people age 65 
        and older is predicted to grow by 75 percent. In contrast, the 
        number of workers supporting the system would grow by 13 
        percent.
            (3) If there are no other surplus governmental receipts, 
        policymakers would have 3 choices: raise taxes or other income, 
        cut spending, or borrow the money. Mirroring this adverse 
        outlook are public opinion polls showing that fewer than 50 
        percent of respondents are confident that Social Security can 
        meet its long-term commitments. There also is a widespread 
        perception that Social Security may not be as good a value in 
        the future as it is today.
            (4) While it is accepted that Social Security reform is 
        needed without undue delay, there clearly is no consensus on 
        how this should be accomplished. This was evident by the Report 
        of the 1994-1996 Social Security Advisory Council, which 
        provided 3 very different plans but none of which received a 
        majority's endorsement. It also is reflected by the many bills 
        introduced in the 105th Congress and the 106th Congress and 
        proposals by the administration that represent a diversity of 
        approaches to Social Security reform. As a result of 
        differences within Congress and with the administration, there 
        has been no movement on Social Security reform.
            (5) This state of affairs shows the need to develop 
        consensus legislation between Congress and the administration 
        that can be enacted into law without undue delay. To accomplish 
        this there is to be established a Bipartisan Commission on 
        Social Security Reform charged with developing a unified 
        proposal to ensure the long-term retirement security of 
        Americans.

SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT OF COMMISSION.

    There is established in the legislative branch a Bipartisan 
Commission on Social Security Reform (in this Act referred to as the 
``Commission'').

SEC. 4. DUTIES OF THE COMMISSION.

    The Commission shall design a single set of legislative and 
administrative recommendations for long-range reforms for restoring the 
solvency of the Social Security system, and maintaining retirement 
income security in the United States.

SEC. 5. COMPOSITION OF THE COMMISSION.

    (a) Number and Appointment.--The Commission shall be composed of 17 
members, of whom--
            (1) 3 members shall be selected by the Speaker of the House 
        of Representatives, 1 from among Members of the House, and 2 
        from among private citizens;
            (2) 3 members shall be selected by the majority leader of 
        the Senate, 1 from among Members of the Senate, and 2 from 
        among private citizens;
            (3) 3 members shall be selected by the minority leader of 
        the House of Representatives, 1 from among Members of the 
        House, and 2 from among private citizens;
            (4) 3 members shall be selected by the minority leader of 
        the Senate, 1 from among Members of the Senate, and 2 from 
        among private citizens; and
            (5) 5 members shall be selected by the President, 2 from 
        among officers of the executive branch of the United States 
        Government, and 3 from among private citizens.
The Commissioner of Social Security shall be an ex officio, nonvoting 
member of the Commission.
    (b) Qualifications.--The members of the Commission shall consist of 
individuals who are of recognized standing and distinction who can 
represent the multiple generations who have a stake in the viability of 
the Social Security system, and who possess a demonstrated capacity to 
discharge the duties imposed on the Commission. At least 1 of the 
members shall be appointed from individuals representing the interests 
of employees, and at least 1 of the members shall be appointed from 
individuals representing the interests of employers.
    (c) Chair.--The officials referred to in paragraphs (1) through (5) 
of subsection (a) shall designate a member of the Commission to serve 
as Chair of the Commission (or 2 of the members of the Commission to 
serve as Co-Chairs of the Commission) who shall chair (or jointly 
chair) the Commission, determine its duties, and supervise its staff.
    (d) Terms of Appointment.--The members of the Commission shall be 
appointed not more than 30 days after the date of the enactment of this 
Act. The members of the Commission shall serve for the life of the 
Commission.
    (e) Vacancies.--A vacancy in the Commission shall not affect the 
power of the remaining members to execute the duties of the Commission 
but any such vacancy shall be filled in the same manner in which the 
original appointment was made.

SEC. 6. PROCEDURES.

    (a) Meetings.--The Commission shall meet at the call of its Chair 
(or Co-Chairs) or a majority of its members. If after 30 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, 9 or more members of the Commission 
have been appointed, members who have been appointed may meet and 
select the Chair (or Co-Chairs) who thereafter shall have the authority 
to begin the operations of the Commission, including the hiring of 
staff.
    (b) Quorum.--A quorum shall consist of nine members of the 
Commission, except that a lesser number may conduct a hearing under 
subsection (c).
    (c) Hearings and Other Activities.--For the purpose of carrying out 
its duties, the Commission may hold such hearings and undertake such 
other activities as the Commission determines necessary to carry out 
its duties.
    (d) Obtaining Information.--Upon request of the Commission, the 
Commissioner of Social Security and the head of any other agency or 
instrumentality of the Federal Government shall furnish information 
deemed necessary by the panel to enable it to carry out its duties.

SEC. 7. ADMINISTRATION.

    (a) Compensation.--Except as provided in subsection (b), members of 
the Commission shall receive no additional pay, allowances, or benefits 
by reason of their service on the Commission.
    (b) Travel Expenses and Per Diem.--Each member of the Commission 
who is not a present Member of the Congress and who is not otherwise an 
officer or employee of the Federal Government shall receive travel 
expenses and per diem in lieu of subsistence in accordance with 
sections 5702 and 5703 of title 5, United States Code.
    (c) Staff and Support Services.--
            (1) Staff director.--
                    (A) Appointment.--The Chair (or Co-Chairs) in 
                accordance with the rules agreed upon by the Commission 
                shall appoint a staff director for the Commission.
                    (B) Compensation.--The staff director shall be paid 
                at a rate not to exceed the rate established for level 
                V of the Executive Schedule under section 5315 of title 
                5, United States Code.
            (2) Staff.--The Chair (or Co-Chairs) in accordance with the 
        rules agreed upon by the Commission shall appoint such 
        additional personnel as the Commission determines to be 
        necessary.
            (3) Applicability of civil service laws.--The staff 
        director and other members of the staff of the Commission shall 
        be appointed without regard to the provisions of title 5, 
        United States Code, governing appointments in the competitive 
        service, and shall be paid without regard to the provisions of 
        chapter 51 and subchapter III of chapter 53 of such title 
        relating to classification and General Schedule pay rates.
            (4) Experts and consultants.--With the approval of the 
        Commission, the staff director may procure temporary and 
        intermittent services under section 3109(b) of title 5, United 
        States Code.
    (d) Physical Facilities.--The Architect of the Capitol, in 
consultation with the appropriate entities in the legislative branch, 
shall locate and provide suitable office space for the operation of the 
Commission on a nonreimbursable basis. The facilities shall serve as 
the headquarters of the Commission and shall include all necessary 
equipment and incidentals required for the proper functioning of the 
Commission.
    (e) Administrative Support Services and Other Assistance.--
            (1) Upon the request of the Commission, the Architect of 
        the Capitol, the Commissioner of Social Security, and the 
        Administrator of General Services shall provide to the 
        Commission on a nonreimbursable basis such administrative 
        support services as the Commission may request.
            (2) In addition to the assistance set forth in paragraphs 
        (1) and (2), departments and agencies of the United States may 
        provide the Commission such services, funds, facilities, staff, 
        and other support services as the Commission may deem advisable 
        and as may be authorized by law.
    (g) Use of Mails.--The Commission may use the United States mails 
in the same manner and under the same conditions as Federal agencies 
and shall, for purposes of the frank, be considered a commission of 
Congress as described in section 3215 of title 39, United States Code.
    (h) Printing.--For purposes of costs relating to printing and 
binding, including the cost of personnel detailed from the Government 
Printing Office, the Commission shall be deemed to be a committee of 
the Congress.

SEC. 8. REPORT.

    Not later than 6 months after the date of the first meeting of the 
Commission, the Commission shall submit to the Committee on Ways and 
Means of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Finance of 
the Senate a report which shall contain a detailed statement of the 
findings and conclusions of the Commission, including the set of 
recommendations required under section 4. The report shall be approved 
by at least nine members of the Commission.

SEC. 9. TERMINATION.

    The Commission shall terminate 30 days after submitting its final 
report.

SEC. 10. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be 
necessary for the activities of the Commission. Until such time as 
funds are otherwise specifically appropriated for such activities, 
$2,000,000 shall be available for the activities of the Commission from 
funds otherwise currently appropriated for administrative expenses of 
the Social Security Administration pursuant to section 201(g)(1)(A) of 
the Social Security Act.
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