[Congressional Bills 107th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2640 Introduced in House (IH)]







107th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 2640

To establish the Elie Wiesel Youth Leadership Congressional Fellowship 
    Program in the House of Representatives, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 25, 2001

   Mr. Serrano (for himself and Mr. Lewis of Georgia) introduced the 
     following bill; which was referred to the Committee on House 
                             Administration

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To establish the Elie Wiesel Youth Leadership Congressional Fellowship 
    Program in the House of Representatives, 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 ``Elie Wiesel Youth Leadership 
Congressional Fellowship Act of 2001''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds as follows:
            (1) The participation of young people in public life is 
        thwarted by perceptions that the legislative process is 
        corrupted by special interests which overwhelm ethical concerns 
        in the consideration and formation of public policy, and by a 
        feeling among young people that idealism is disrespected by 
        elected officials.
            (2) Elie Wiesel's leadership against indifference, 
        intolerance, and injustice encourages political activism by all 
        members of society, and in particular provides inspiration to 
        our youth.
            (3) Elie Wiesel is a fitting role model for the youth of 
        America.
            (4) Elie Wiesel has dedicated his life to leadership for 
        social justice and equality for all. He is a survivor of the 
        Holocaust and has worked tirelessly to gain acknowledgment of 
        the atrocities suffered by the Jewish people.
            (5) Elie Wiesel has published over 40 books dealing with 
        the moral responsibility of all people to fight hatred, racism, 
        and genocide.
            (6) Elie Wiesel was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, the 
        Congressional Gold Medal, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom 
        in recognition of his many contributions to human rights.
            (7) A congressional fellowship can create opportunities for 
        young leaders by enabling them to observe directly how public 
        decisions are made.
            (8) A congressional fellowship can be designed to allow 
        youth to focus on ethical decision-making in preparation for 
        future leadership roles.
            (9) Such a congressional fellowship should be named the 
        Elie Wiesel Youth Leadership Congressional Fellowship after 
        Elie Wiesel, because Elie Wiesel's service to society will 
        complement and inspire the Fellowship's purpose of developing 
        ethically informed youth leadership.

SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT OF CONGRESSIONAL FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM.

    (a) In General.--There is hereby established the Elie Wiesel Youth 
Leadership Congressional Fellowship Program, under which each Member of 
the House of Representatives may hire for the month of July in any year 
one additional employee who meets the eligibility criteria described in 
subsection (b) to serve as the Elie Wiesel Youth Leadership 
Congressional Fellow for the Member's office.
    (b) Criteria for Eligibility.--
            (1) In general.--An individual is eligible to serve as an 
        Elie Wiesel Youth Leadership Congressional Fellow for the 
        office of a Member of the House of Representatives if the 
        individual meets such criteria as the Committee on House 
        Administration (in conjunction with the Elie Wiesel Foundation) 
        may establish.
            (2) Specific information and assurances.--Under the 
        criteria established under paragraph (2), an individual shall 
        not be eligible to serve as a Fellow for the office of a Member 
        of the House of Representatives unless the individual provides 
        the following:
                    (A) A certification that the individual is a 
                resident of the district the Member represents.
                    (B) A certification that the individual attended 
                secondary school during the academic year immediately 
                preceding the period of the individual's service as the 
                Fellow for the Member's office.
                    (C) A recommendation certifying that the individual 
                is of a high moral character.
                    (D) An assurance that during the period of the 
                individual's service as the Fellow for the Member's 
                office, the individual will participate in leadership 
                and ethics courses offered by the Elie Wiesel 
                Foundation.
    (c) Compensation.--
            (1) Allowance for fellows.--A Member of the House of 
        Representatives shall pay the Elie Wiesel Youth Leadership 
        Congressional Fellow serving in the Member's office an 
        allowance of $1,400, to be paid out of the applicable accounts 
        of the House of Representatives.
            (2) Administrative expenses.--The Chief Administrative 
        Officer of the House of Representatives shall make an annual 
        payment out of the applicable accounts of the House of 
        Representatives to the Elie Wiesel Foundation in an amount 
        equal to the product of--
                    (A) the number of Elie Wiesel Youth Leadership 
                Congressional Fellows serving for Members of the House 
                of Representatives during the year; and
                    (B) $100.

SEC. 4. NO EFFECT ON NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES OR MEMBER'S REPRESENTATIONAL 
              ALLOWANCE.

    The employment of an Elie Wiesel Youth Leadership Congressional 
Fellow by a Member of the House of Representatives, and the payment of 
an allowance to such a Fellow by a Member, shall be in addition to all 
personnel and allowances otherwise made available to Members under 
other provisions of law, rule, or other authority.

SEC. 5. ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUPERVISED HOUSING AND TRANSPORTATION.

    The Chief Administrative Officer of the House of Representatives 
shall make arrangements for supervised housing for Elie Wiesel Youth 
Leadership Congressional Fellows at such facilities as the Chief 
Administrative Officer determines are available and appropriate 
(including the House Page Dorm, to the extent that space is available), 
and (upon request) for transportation for such Fellows to and from the 
District of Columbia.

SEC. 6. REGULATIONS.

    The Committee on House Administration shall prescribe such 
regulations as may be necessary to carry out this Act.

SEC. 7. DEFINITION.

    In this Act, the term ``Member of the House of Representatives'' 
includes a Delegate or Resident Commissioner to the Congress.
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