[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4177 Introduced in House (IH)]







109th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 4177

 To establish a commission to review Federal Government administration 
                        and spending practices.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            October 28, 2005

  Ms. Harris introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                     Committee on Government Reform

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To establish a commission to review Federal Government administration 
                        and spending practices.

    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 ``Federal Government Spending 
Accountability and Oversight Act''.

SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT.

    There is established a commission to be known as the Federal 
Government Spending Accountability and Oversight Commission (in this 
Act referred to as the ``Commission'').

SEC. 3. DUTIES OF COMMISSION.

    The Commission--
            (1) shall conduct a survey on cost control in the Federal 
        Government;
            (2) shall conduct in-depth reviews of the operations of 
        Executive agencies to evaluate potential improvements in agency 
        operations; and
            (3) shall advise and make recommendations to Congress, the 
        President, and the heads of Executive agencies with respect to 
        improving management and reducing costs.

SEC. 4. MEMBERSHIP.

    (a) Number and Appointment.--The Commission shall be composed of 24 
members appointed as follows:
            (1) 8 individuals appointed by the President.
            (2) 4 individuals appointed by the Speaker of the House of 
        Representatives.
            (3) 4 individuals appointed by the minority leader of the 
        House of Representatives.
            (4) 4 individuals appointed by the majority leader of the 
        Senate.
            (5) 4 individuals appointed by the minority leader of the 
        Senate.
    (b) Qualifications of Members.--
            (1) Prohibition on government employees.--Individuals 
        appointed to the Commission shall not be officers or employees 
        of a government.
            (2) Other qualifications.--Individuals appointed to the 
        Commission shall possess extensive experience in their 
        respective fields, and shall be qualified to study government 
        spending and budget practices.
            (3) Political party affiliation.--Not more than 4 members 
        of the Commission appointed by the President under subsection 
        (a)(1) shall be from the same political party.
    (c) Deadline for Appointment.--Appointments shall be made not later 
than 60 days after the date of enactment of this Act.
    (d) Continuation of Membership.--If a member is appointed to the 
Commission, and later becomes an officer or employee of a government, 
that member may continue as a member of the Commission for not longer 
than the 30-day period beginning on the date that member becomes such 
an officer or employee.
    (e) Terms.--
            (1) In general.--Each 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 not 
        later than 30 days after the date on which the vacancy occurs.
    (f) Basic Pay.--Members shall serve without pay.
    (g) Quorum.--13 members of the Commission shall constitute a 
quorum, but a lesser number may hold hearings.
    (h) Chairperson.--The Chairperson of the Commission shall be 
elected by the members. The term of office of the Chairperson shall be 
the duration of the Commission.
    (i) Meetings.--The Commission shall meet not fewer than one time 
per month at the call of the Chairperson.

SEC. 5. DIRECTOR AND STAFF OF COMMISSION.

    (a) Director.--The Commission shall have a Director who shall be 
appointed by the Chairperson. The Director shall be paid at a rate to 
be determined by the Commission.
    (b) Staff.--With the approval of the Chairperson, the Director may 
appoint personnel as the Director considers appropriate. Such personnel 
shall be paid at a rate to be determined by the Director, with the 
approval of the Chairperson.

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.--If authorized by the Commission, 
any member or agent of the Commission may take any action that the 
Commission is authorized to take by this section.
    (c) Obtaining Official Data.--The Commission may secure directly 
from any department or agency of the United States information 
necessary to enable it to carry out this Act. Upon request of the 
Chairperson, the head of that department or agency shall furnish to the 
Committee, its staff, and the Secretary of Commerce such information, 
including information relating to the structure, organization, 
personnel, and operations of that department or agency, to the extent 
permitted by law.
    (d) Contract Authority.--The Commission may contract with and 
compensate government and private agencies or persons for supplies or 
services, without regard to section 3709 of the Revised Statutes (41 
U.S.C. 5).
    (e) Gifts, Bequests, and Devises.--The Commission may accept, use, 
and dispose of gifts, bequests, or devises of services or property, 
both real and personal, for the purpose of aiding or facilitating the 
work of the Commission. Gifts, bequests, or devises of money and 
proceeds from sales of other property received as gifts, bequests, or 
devises shall be deposited in the Treasury and shall be available for 
disbursement upon order of the Chairperson. For purposes of Federal 
income, estate, and gift taxes, property accepted under this subsection 
shall be considered as a gift, bequest, or devise to the United States.

SEC. 7. JOINT PROJECTS.

    The Secretary of Commerce may engage in joint projects, or perform 
services, on matters of mutual interest with the Commission in 
accordance with Public Law 91-412 (15 U.S.C. 1525).

SEC. 8. REPORTS.

    (a) Preliminary Report.--Not later than 6 months after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Commission shall submit to the President and 
Congress a report containing its findings.
    (b) Interim Report.--Not later than 12 months after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Commission shall submit to the President and 
Congress a report containing its findings.
    (c) Final Report.--Not later than 18 months after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Commission shall submit to the President and 
Congress a report containing--
            (1) the findings and conclusions of the Commission; and
            (2) specific recommendations for legislative and 
        administrative actions determined by the Commission to be 
        appropriate.
    (d) Considerations.--In preparing reports required under this 
section, the Commission shall consider the following:
            (1) Executive or congressional action that can increase 
        efficiency and reduce costs in the Federal Government.
            (2) Areas where managerial accountability can be enhanced 
        and administrative control can be improved.
            (3) Long and short-term opportunities for managerial 
        improvement.
            (4) Specific areas where potential savings justify further 
        study.
            (5) Information and data relating to governmental 
        expenditures, indebtedness, and personnel management.
            (6) Federal programs that can be terminated because the 
        objectives of the program have been terminated or are 
        duplicated by another Federal program.
            (7) Federal programs that can be carried out more 
        efficiently and cost-effectively by the private sector.

SEC. 9. DEFINITION OF EXECUTIVE AGENCY.

    In this Act, the term ``Executive agency'' has the meaning given 
that term by section 105 of title 5, United States Code.

SEC. 10. FUNDING.

    All of the expenses of the Commission shall be paid from non-
Federal sources.

SEC. 11. TERMINATION.

    The Commission shall terminate not later than 30 days after the 
date of submission of the report required under section 8(c).
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