[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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