[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 589 Introduced in House (IH)]







109th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 589

     Creating a select committee to oversee and, where necessary, 
  investigate and maximize the necessarily significant appropriations 
 expended to win the War on Terror, especially within the operational 
                   theaters of Afghanistan and Iraq.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            December 7, 2005

Mr. McCotter (for himself and Mr. Peterson of Minnesota) submitted the 
   following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Rules

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
     Creating a select committee to oversee and, where necessary, 
  investigate and maximize the necessarily significant appropriations 
 expended to win the War on Terror, especially within the operational 
                   theaters of Afghanistan and Iraq.

Whereas America's effort to win the War on Terror has necessarily involved 
        significant appropriations, especially within the operational theaters 
        of Afghanistan and Iraq;
Whereas these appropriations are dedicated to maximally supplying our military 
        personnel and singularly achieving victory, especially in operational 
        theaters of Afghanistan and Iraq; and
Whereas in this time of war the Congress must exercise its duty to oversee the 
        expenditure of these appropriations to ensure these funds are being 
        properly and fully expended to provision our military and promote our 
        victory: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved,

SECTION 1. ESTABLISHMENT OF SELECT COMMITTEE.

    Until otherwise provided by law, there is hereby created a select 
committee (hereinafter referred to as the ``Victory Committee'') to 
oversee and, where necessary, investigate any and all appropriations 
expended to win the War on Terror, especially within the operational 
theaters of Afghanistan and Iraq.

SEC. 2. MEMBERSHIP AND FUNCTIONS.

    (a) Membership.--The Victory Committee is to be composed of 10 
Members of the House, to be appointed by the Speaker (of whom 5 shall 
be appointed upon the recommendation of the minority leader), one of 
whom shall be designated as chair from the majority party and one of 
whom shall be designated vice chair from the minority party. Any 
vacancy occurring in the membership of the Victory Committee shall be 
filled in the same manner in which the original appointment was made.
    (b) Functions.--The Victory Committee shall conduct ongoing 
oversight and, where necessary, investigations of appropriations made 
by the United States Government to win the War on Terror, especially in 
the operational theaters of Afghanistan and Iraq, and to make such 
recommendations to the House as the Victory Committee deems appropriate 
regarding the following matters:
            (1) Overseeing and ensuring compliance with the bidding, 
        contracting, and auditing standards applicable to United States 
        Government contracting with domestic and foreign business 
        entities, domestic and foreign governmental entities, and 
        domestic and foreign non-governmental entities.
            (2) Examining and, where necessary, proposing expansions of 
        oversight procedures regarding appropriated United States 
        Government funds to the above listed entities.
            (3) Enforcing the accountability of the above listed 
        entities to ensure appropriated United States Government funds 
        are being fully utilized and effectively implemented in 
        accordance with their specified purposes.
            (4) Guaranteeing no United States Government funds 
        appropriated to the above listed entities are through 
        misfeasance or malfeasance being wasted, embezzled, laundered, 
        or otherwise misappropriated and mismanaged, especially as such 
        illegitimate actions may result in such funds passing into the 
        hands of our Nation's enemies.
            (5) Recommending penalties for discovered violations of law 
        and abuses in the awarding and execution of Government 
        contracts and agreements.
            (6) Recommending the exclusion and replacement of any and 
        all non-compliant or under-performing entities listed above.
            (7) Promoting within large comprehensive contracts the 
        inclusion and utilization of small businesses, through 
        subcontracts or otherwise.
            (8) Addressing other such other matters as the Victory 
        Committee deems appropriate.

SEC. 3. RULES AND PROCEDURES.

    (a) Quorum.--
            (1) In general.--4 members of the Victory Committee shall 
        constitute a quorum for the transaction of business, except 
        that the issuance of any report, recommendation, or 
        investigatory finding shall require a majority of the committee 
        to be actually present.
            (2) Lesser number permitted for holding hearings.--The 
        Victory Committee may designate a lesser number of members, but 
        not less than 2, as a quorum for the purpose of holding 
        hearings to take testimony and receive evidence.
    (b) Powers.--For the purpose of carrying out this resolution, the 
Victory Committee may----
            (1) sit and act during the present Congress at any time and 
        place within the United States or elsewhere, whether the House 
        is in session, has recessed, or has adjourned;
            (2) may hold such hearings as it considers necessary; and
            (3) require, by subpoena or otherwise (as provided in 
        subsection (c)), the attendance and testimony of such 
        witnesses, the furnishing of information by interrogatory, and 
        the production of such books, records, correspondences, 
        memoranda, papers, documents, and other things and information 
        of any kind, including classified materials, as it deems 
        necessary to further and perform its mission.
    (c) Issuance of Subpoenas.--A subpoena may be authorized and issued 
by the Victory Committee in the conduct of any investigation or series 
of investigations or activities only when mutually authorized by the 
chair and the vice chair. Authorized subpoenas shall be jointly signed 
by both the chair and the vice chair (or, in their absence, by their 
designated members of the Victory Committee), and may be served by any 
person designated by the chair and vice chair. Subpoenas shall be 
issued under the seal of the House and attested by the Clerk. The 
Victory Committee may request investigations, reports, and other 
assistance from any agency of the executive, legislative, and judicial 
branches of government.
    (d) Meetings.--The chair, or in his or her absence the vice chair, 
shall preside at all meetings and hearings of the Victory Committee. If 
the chair and vice chair are absent, the Victory Committee's meeting or 
hearing shall be conducted by the designee of the chair. All meetings 
and hearings of the Victory Committee shall be conducted in open 
session, unless a majority of members of the Victory Committee vote 
otherwise, there being in attendance the requisite number of required 
for the purpose of hearings to take testimony.
    (e) Applicability of the Rules of the House.--The Rules of the 
House of Representatives applicable to standing committees shall govern 
the Victory Committee where not inconsistent with this resolution.
    (f) Written Committee Rules.--The Victory Committee shall, upon a 
majority vote, adopt additional written rules to govern its procedures, 
which shall be made public and shall not be inconsistent with this 
resolution or the Rules of the House of Representatives.

SEC. 4. ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS.

    (a) Appointment of Staff.--Except as provided in subsection (b), 
the Victory Committee staff shall be appointed, and may be removed, by 
the chair and shall work under the general supervision and direction of 
the chair.
    (b) Powers of Vice Chair.--All staff provided to the minority party 
members of the Victory Committee shall be appointed, and may be 
removed, by the vice chair of the committee, and shall work under the 
general supervision and direction of the vice chair.
    (c) Compensation.--The chair shall fix the compensation of all 
staff of the Victory Committee, after consultation with the vice chair 
regarding any minority party staff, within the budget approved for such 
purposes for the Victory Committee.
    (d) Reimbursement of Expenses.--The Victory Committee may reimburse 
the members of its staff for travel, subsistence, and other necessary 
expenses incurred by them in the performance of their functions for the 
Victory Committee.
    (e) Payment of Expenses.--There shall be paid out of the applicable 
accounts of the House such sums as may be necessary for the expenses of 
the Victory Committee. Such payments shall be made on vouchers signed 
by the chair of the Victory Committee and approved in the manner 
directed by the Committee on House Administration. Amounts made 
available under this subsection shall be expended in accordance with 
regulations prescribed by the Committee on House Administration.

SEC. 5. REPORTS.

    Upon the agreement of the chair and vice chair and the subsequent 
approval by vote of a majority of its members, the Victory Committee 
shall issue its reports, recommendations, and (where necessary) 
investigatory findings to the House. Any report issued by the Victory 
Committee when the House is not in session shall be filed with the 
Clerk of the House. Any report issued by the Victory Committee shall be 
referred to the committee or committees that have jurisdiction over the 
subject matter of the report.
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