[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1889 Introduced in Senate (IS)]








109th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 1889

     To establish the Comprehensive Entitlement Reform Commission.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            October 19, 2005

   Mr. Hagel introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
                  referred to the Committee on Finance

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
     To establish the Comprehensive Entitlement Reform Commission.

    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 ``Comprehensive Entitlement Reform 
Commission Act of 2005''.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Commission.--The term ``Commission'' means the 
        Comprehensive Entitlement Reform Commission established under 
        section 3.
            (2) Medicaid.--The term ``Medicaid'' means the program 
        established under title XIX of the Social Security Act (42 
        U.S.C. 1396 et seq.).
            (3) Medicare.--The term ``Medicare'' means the program 
        established under title XVIII of the Social Security Act (42 
        U.S.C. 1395 et seq.).
            (4) Social security.--The term ``Social Security'' means 
        the program of old-age, survivors, and disability insurance 
        benefits established under title II of the Social Security Act 
        (42 U.S.C. 401 et seq.).

SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT OF COMMISSION.

    There is established a commission to be known as the 
``Comprehensive Entitlement Reform Commission''.

SEC. 4. PURPOSE.

    The Commission will review Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid 
and make comprehensive recommendations to sustain the solvency and 
stability of these three programs for future generations.

SEC. 5. DUTIES OF THE COMMISSION.

    (a) In General.--The Commission shall conduct a comprehensive 
review of Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid consistent with the 
purpose specified in section 4 and shall submit the report required 
under subsection (b).
    (b) Report.--
            (1) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the selection of 
        the 2 Co-Chairpersons and the Executive Director of the 
        Commission, the Commission shall prepare and submit a final 
        report that contains a detailed statement of the 
        recommendations, findings, and conclusions of the Commission to 
        the appropriate Committees of Congress and the President.
            (2) Public availability.--The report submitted under this 
        subsection shall be made available to the public.

SEC. 6. MEMBERSHIP.

    (a) Number and Appointment.--The Commission shall be composed of 8 
members, to be appointed as follows:
            (1) The majority leader of the Senate shall appoint 2 
        members.
            (2) The minority leader of the Senate shall appoint 2 
        members.
            (3) The Speaker of the House of Representatives shall 
        appoint 2 members.
            (4) The minority leader of the House of Representatives 
        shall appoint 2 members.
    (b) Prohibited Appointments.--Members of the Commission shall not 
include Members of Congress or other elected Federal, State, or local 
government officials.
    (c) Period of Appointment.--Each member shall be appointed for the 
life of the Commission. Any vacancies shall not affect the power and 
duties of the Commission but shall be filled in the same manner as the 
original appointment.
    (d) Date.--Members of the Commission shall be appointed by not 
later than 30 days after the date of enactment of this Act.
    (e) Initial Organization Period.--Not later than 60 days after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Commission shall develop and 
implement a schedule for completion of the review and report required 
under section 5.
    (f) Co-Chairpersons.--The Commission shall select 2 Co-Chairpersons 
from among its members.
    (g) Termination.--The Commission shall terminate on the date that 
is 30 days after the date on which the Commission submits the report 
required under section 5(b)(1).

SEC. 7. ADMINISTRATION.

    (a) Quorum.--Five members of the Commission shall constitute a 
quorum for purposes of voting, but a quorum is not required for members 
to meet and hold hearings.
    (b) Meetings.--
            (1) In general.--The Commission shall meet at the call of 
        the Co-Chairpersons or a majority of its members.
            (2) Open meetings.--Each meeting of the Commission, other 
        than meetings in which classified information is to be 
        discussed, shall be open to the public.
    (c) Hearings.--The Commission may hold such hearings and undertake 
such other activities as the Commission determines to be necessary to 
carry out its duties.
    (d) Travel Expenses.--Members shall receive travel expenses, 
including per diem in lieu of subsistence, in accordance with sections 
5702 and 5703 of title 5, United States Code, while away from their 
homes or regular places of business in performance of services for the 
Commission.
    (e) Staff.--
            (1) Executive director.--The Commission shall have a staff 
        headed by an Executive Director. The Executive Director shall 
        be paid at a rate equivalent to a rate established for the 
        Senior Executive Service under section 5382 of title 5, United 
        States Code.
            (2) Staff appointment.--With the approval of the 
        Commission, the Executive Director may appoint such personnel 
        as the Executive Director determines to be appropriate.
            (3) Actuarial experts and consultants.--With the approval 
        of the Commission, the Executive Director may procure temporary 
        and intermittent services under section 3109(b) of title 5, 
        United States Code.
            (4) Detail of government employees.--Upon the request of 
        the Commission, the head of any Federal agency may detail, 
        without reimbursement, any of the personnel of such agency to 
        the Commission to assist in carrying out the duties of the 
        Commission. Any such detail shall not interrupt or otherwise 
        affect the civil service status or privileges of the Federal 
        employee.
            (5) Other resources.--The Commission shall have reasonable 
        access to materials, resources, statistical data, and other 
        information such Commission determines to be necessary to carry 
        out its duties from the Library of Congress, the Chief Actuary 
        of Social Security, the Congressional Budget Office, and other 
        agencies and elected representatives of the executive and 
        legislative branches of the Federal Government. The Co-
        Chairpersons of the Commission shall make requests for such 
        access in writing when necessary.

SEC. 8. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    (a) In General.--There are authorized to be appropriated for fiscal 
year 2006, $1,500,000 to carry out the purposes of this Act.
    (b) Availability.--Any sums appropriated under the subsection (a) 
shall remain available, without fiscal year limitation, until expended.
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