[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2124 Introduced in House (IH)]







108th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 2124

 To establish a Foster Care Reform Commission to study the foster care 
                      crisis in the United States.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 15, 2003

 Mr. Cardoza introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
   Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on 
Education and the Workforce, for a period to be subsequently determined 
 by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as 
        fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To establish a Foster Care Reform Commission to study the foster care 
                      crisis in the United States.

    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 ``Foster Care Reform Commission Act''.

SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT.

    There is established a commission to be known as the ``Foster Care 
Reform Commission'' (in this Act referred to as the ``Commission'').

SEC. 3. DUTIES OF COMMISSION.

    The Commission shall study the ongoing foster care crisis in the 
United States as well as individual efforts undertaken by States, 
localities, and through privately administered foster care programs. In 
reviewing the efforts of localities, States and private foster care 
programs, the Commission shall determine a list of best practices that 
would help advance safe and reliable foster care in the United States.

SEC. 4. MEMBERSHIP.

    (a) Number and Appointment.--Not later than 6 months after the date 
of the enactment of this Act:
            (1) Congressional members.--4 Commission members shall be 
        appointed as follows:
                    (A) 1 Senator appointed by the Majority Leader of 
                the Senate.
                    (B) 1 Senator appointed by the Minority Leader of 
                the Senate.
                    (C) 1 Representative appointed by the Speaker of 
                the House.
                    (D) 1 Representative appointed by the Minority 
                Leader of the House of Representatives.
            (2) Other members.--The 4 Commission members appointed 
        under paragraph (1) shall meet and select from among themselves 
        a chairman, who shall preside over a meeting to appoint 11 
        additional Commission members--
                    (A) 5 of whom shall be experts on child care and 
                foster care issues from the private sector;
                    (B) 1 of whom shall be an expert on child care and 
                foster care issues from the public sector; and
                    (C) 5 of whom shall be experts on child care and 
                foster care issues from academia.
    (b) Political Affiliation.--Not more than 8 Commission members 
appointed may be of the same political party.
    (c) Terms.--
            (1) Life of commission.--Each Commission member shall be 
        appointed for the life of the Commission.
            (2) Vacancies.--A vacancy in the Commission shall be filled 
        in the manner in which the original appointment was made.
    (d) No Pay.--Commission members shall not receive compensation by 
reason of service on the Commission.
    (e) Travel Expenses.--Each Commission member shall receive travel 
expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, in accordance with 
applicable provisions under subchapter I of chapter 57 of title 5, 
United States Code.
    (f) Quorum.--8 members of the Commission shall constitute a quorum 
but a lesser number may hold hearings.
    (g) Chairperson; Co-Chairperson.--The Commission shall have a 
Chairperson and a co-Chairperson, only 1 of whom shall be a Member of 
Congress.
    (h) Meetings.--The Commission shall meet at the call of the 
Chairperson and co-Chairperson, or of a majority of its members.

SEC. 5. DIRECTOR AND STAFF OF COMMISSION; EXPERTS AND CONSULTANTS.

    (a) Director.--The Commission shall have a Director who shall be 
appointed by the Chairperson and co-Chairperson of the Commission, with 
the approval of the Secretary of Health and Human Services. To the 
extent or in the amounts provided in advance in appropriation Acts, the 
Director shall be paid at a rate not to exceed the rate of basic pay 
for Level V of the Executive Schedule.
    (b) Staff.--With the approval of the Chairperson and the co-
Chairperson of the Commission, the Director may appoint additional 
personnel as the Chairperson and co-Chairperson consider appropriate.
    (c) Applicability of Certain Civil Service Laws.--The Director and 
staff of the Commission shall be appointed subject to the provisions of 
title 5, United States Code, governing appointments in the competitive 
service, and shall be paid in accordance with the provisions of chapter 
51 and subchapter III of chapter 53 of that title relating to 
classification and General Schedule pay rates.
    (d) Staff of Federal Agencies.--Upon request of the Chairperson and 
co-Chairperson, the head of any Federal department or agency may 
detail, on a reimbursable basis, any of the personnel of that 
department or agency to the Commission to assist it in carrying out its 
duties under this Act.

SEC. 6. POWERS OF COMMISSION.

    (a) Hearings and Sessions.--The Commission may, for the purpose of 
carrying out this Act, hold hearings, sit and act at times and places, 
take testimony, and receive evidence as the Commission considers 
appropriate.
    (b) Powers of Members and Agents.--Any member or agent of the 
Commission may, if authorized by the Commission, take any action which 
the Commission is authorized to take by this section.
    (c) Obtaining Official Data.--The Commission may request any 
department or agency of the United States to furnish the Commission 
with such information as the Commission deems necessary to enable the 
Commission to carry out this Act.
    (d) Mails.--The Commission may use the United States mails in the 
same manner and under the same conditions as other departments and 
agencies of the United States.
    (e) Administrative Support Services.--Upon the request of the 
Commission, the Administrator of General Services shall provide to the 
Commission, on a reimbursable basis, the administrative support 
services necessary for the Commission to carry out its responsibilities 
under this Act.

SEC. 7. REPORT.

    Not later than 2 years after all original Commission members are 
appointed, the Commission shall transmit to the President, the 
Congress, and the Secretary of Health and Human Services a report that 
contains a detailed statement of the findings and conclusions of the 
Commission regarding reform of the foster care system, together with 
its recommendations for such legislation and administrative action as 
the Commission deems appropriate.

SEC. 8. TERMINATION.

    The Commission shall terminate on the date the report required by 
section 7 is so transmitted.
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