[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 443 Introduced in House (IH)]







110th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. CON. RES. 443

To establish the Joint Select Committee on Reorganization and Reform of 
               Foreign Assistance Agencies and Programs.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           December 10, 2008

Ms. Ros-Lehtinen (for herself, Mr. Burton of Indiana, Mr. Boozman, Mr. 
   Fortenberry, and Mr. Fortuno) submitted the following concurrent 
        resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Rules

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
To establish the Joint Select Committee on Reorganization and Reform of 
               Foreign Assistance Agencies and Programs.

    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring),

SECTION 1. ESTABLISHMENT.

    There is hereby established in the Senate and the House of 
Representatives a joint select committee to be known as the ``Joint 
Select Committee on Reorganization and Reform of Foreign Assistance 
Agencies and Programs'' (hereinafter referred to as the ``Joint Select 
Committee'').

SEC. 2. FUNCTIONS.

    The Joint Select Committee is authorized and directed to conduct a 
full and complete investigation of--
            (1) the organization of the various Federal agencies and 
        departments that oversee and implement United States foreign 
        assistance programs, and the interaction and coordination of 
        such agencies and departments with respect to such programs;
            (2) the objectives of United States foreign assistance 
        programs, including the relationship between development goals 
        and United States national security goals;
            (3) the staffing levels and funding levels of United States 
        foreign assistance programs;
            (4) the performance of United States foreign assistance 
        programs in meeting United States national interests; and
            (5) legislative procedures, practices, and organization 
        related to the authorization and appropriation of funding for 
        and oversight of United States foreign assistance programs and 
        agencies and departments which implement such programs.

SEC. 3. REPORT.

    (a) Report on Results of Investigation.--The Joint Select Committee 
shall submit a report to the Senate and House as soon as practicable, 
but not later than January 20, 2010, on the results of its 
investigation under section 2, and may include in the report such 
recommendations, including proposed legislation to carry out such 
recommendations, as it deems advisable.
    (b) Expedited Consideration of Proposed Legislation.--
            (1) Expedited consideration.--
                    (A) In general.--The provisions of section 2908 
                (other than subsection (a)) of the Defense Base Closure 
                and Realignment Act of 1990 shall apply to the 
                consideration of a bill described in paragraph (2) in 
                the same manner as such provisions apply to a joint 
                resolution described in section 2908(a) of such Act.
                    (B) Special rules.--For purposes of applying 
                subparagraph (A) with respect to such provisions, the 
                following rules shall apply:
                            (i) Any reference to the Committee on Armed 
                        Services of the House of Representatives shall 
                        be deemed a reference to the Committee on 
                        Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives 
                        and any reference to the Committee on Armed 
                        Services of the Senate shall be deemed a 
                        reference to the Committee on Foreign Relations 
                        of the Senate.
                            (ii) Any reference to the date on which the 
                        President transmits a report shall be deemed a 
                        reference to the date on which a bill described 
                        in paragraph (2) is introduced in the House of 
                        Representatives or Senate (as the case may be).
            (2) Bill described.--For purposes of paragraph (1), a bill 
        described in this paragraph is a bill--
                    (A) which is introduced in the House of 
                Representatives by the designated House member 
                described in paragraph (3)(A) or which is introduced in 
                the Senate by the designated Senate member described in 
                paragraph (3)(B);
                    (B) which is introduced during the 30-day period 
                which begins on the date the Joint Select Committee 
                submits the report required under subsection (a);
                    (C) which consists solely of the proposed 
                legislation which is included in such report to carry 
                out the recommendations made by the Joint Select 
                Committee in the report; and
                    (D) the title of which is as follows: ``A bill to 
                carry out the recommendations of the Joint Select 
                Committee on Reorganization and Reform of Foreign 
                Assistance Agencies and Programs.''.
            (3) Designated members described.--For purposes of 
        paragraph (2)(A), the ``designated House member'' and 
        ``designated Senate member'' shall be determined as follows:
                    (A) If the chair of the Joint Select Committee is a 
                Member of the House of Representatives, the chair shall 
                be the designated House member. If the vice chair of 
                the Joint Select Committee is a Member of the House of 
                Representatives and the chair is not a Member of the 
                House of Representatives, the vice chair shall be the 
                designated House member. If neither the chair or vice 
                chair is a Member of the House of Representatives, a 
                member of the Joint Select Committee who is a Member of 
                the House of Representatives shall be selected jointly 
                by the chair and vice chair as the designated House 
                member.
                    (B) If the chair of the Joint Select Committee is a 
                Member of the Senate, the chair shall be the designated 
                Senate member. If the vice chair of the Joint Select 
                Committee is a Member of the Senate and the chair is 
                not a Member of the Senate, the vice chair shall be the 
                designated Senate member. If neither the chair or vice 
                chair is a Member of the Senate, a member of the Joint 
                Select Committee who is a Member of the Senate shall be 
                selected jointly by the chair and vice chair as the 
                designated Senate member.

SEC. 4. MEMBERSHIP.

    (a) Composition and Appointment.--
            (1) In general.--Subject to subsection (b), the Joint 
        Select Committee shall be composed of 60 Members of the House 
        of Representatives and Senate, of whom--
                    (A) 30 shall be Members of the House of 
                Representatives (of whom 15 shall represent the 
                majority political party and 15 shall represent the 
                minority political party) and shall be appointed by the 
                Speaker of the House of Representatives with the 
                concurrence of the minority leader of the House of 
                Representatives; and
                    (B) 30 shall be Members of the Senate (of whom 15 
                shall represent the majority political party and 15 
                shall represent the minority political party) and shall 
                be appointed by the majority leader of the Senate with 
                the concurrence of the minority leader of the Senate.
            (2) Treatment of delegate and resident commissioner.--For 
        purposes of this subsection, a ``Member'' of the House of 
        Representatives includes a Delegate or Resident Commissioner to 
        the Congress.
    (b) Priority of Appointment.--Each of the following individuals 
shall be appointed by the Speaker or the President pro Tempore (as the 
case may be) to serve as one of the 60 Members of the Joint Select 
Committee:
            (1) The Speaker of the House of Representatives (or the 
        Speaker's designee).
            (2) The majority leader and minority leader of the House of 
        Representatives (or their designees).
            (3) The majority leader and minority leader of the Senate 
        (or their designees).
            (4) The chairman and ranking minority member of the 
        Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives 
        (or their designees).
            (5) The chairman and ranking minority member of the 
        Committee on Armed Services of the House of Representatives (or 
        their designees).
            (6) The chairman and ranking minority member of the 
        Committee on Rules of the House of Representatives (or their 
        designees).
            (7) The chairman and ranking minority member of the 
        Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives (or 
        their designees).
            (8) The chairman and ranking minority member of the 
        Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations and Related Programs 
        of the Committee on Appropriations of the House of 
        Representatives (or their designees).
            (9) The chairman and ranking minority member of the 
        Committee on Agriculture of the House of Representatives (or 
        their designees).
            (10) The chairman and ranking minority member of the 
        Committee on Financial Services of the House of Representatives 
        (or their designees).
            (11) The chairman and ranking minority member of the 
        Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate (or their 
        designees).
            (12) The chairman and ranking minority member of the 
        Committee on Armed Services of the Senate (or their designees).
            (13) The chairman and ranking minority member of the 
        Committee on Rules and Administration of the Senate (or their 
        designees).
            (14) The chairman and ranking minority member of the 
        Committee on Appropriations of the Senate (or their designees).
            (15) The chairman and ranking minority member of the 
        Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations and Related Programs 
        of the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate (or their 
        designees).
            (16) The chairman and ranking minority member of the 
        Committee on Agriculture of the Senate (or their designees).
            (17) The chairman and ranking minority member of the 
        Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs of the Senate.
    (c) Leadership.--
            (1) Chair.--The members of the Joint Select Committee who 
        represent the majority political party shall designate one of 
        those members to serve as chair of the Joint Select Committee.
            (2) Vice chair.--The members of the Joint Select Committee 
        who represent the minority political party shall designate one 
        of those members to serve as vice-chair of the Joint Select 
        Committee.
    (d) Vacancies.--A vacancy in the membership of the Joint Select 
Committee shall not affect the power of the remaining members to 
execute the functions of the Joint Select Committee, and shall be 
filled in the same manner as in the case of the original appointment.

SEC. 5. POWERS.

    (a) Hearings and Other Activities.--For the purpose of carrying out 
its duties, the Joint Select Committee may hold such hearings and 
undertake such other activities as the Joint Select Committee 
determines to be necessary to carry out its duties, whether the 
Congress is in session, has recessed, or has adjourned.
    (b) Obtaining Information.--
            (1) Authority to use subpoenas.--The Joint Select Committee 
        may require by subpoena the attendance of such witnesses and 
        the production of such books, papers, and documents, as it 
        considers appropriate.
            (2) Procedures.--Subpoenas may be issued over the signature 
        of the chair of the Joint Select Committee or of any member 
        designated by the chair or by the Joint Select Committee to the 
        extent the chairman or such member is authorized by a majority 
        of the joint committee to issue such subpoenas, and may be 
        served by any person designated by such chairman or member.
    (c) Access to Legislative Branch Services.--The Joint Select 
Committee shall have access to the services of the Government 
Accountability Office, the Congressional Budget Office, and the 
Congressional Research Service in the same manner and under the same 
terms and conditions as any standing committee of the House of 
Representatives or Senate.
    (d) Adoption of Rules.--Not later than 30 days after all of its 
members have been appointed, the Joint Select Committee shall adopt 
rules governing its operations and shall submit such rules to the Clerk 
of the House of Representatives and Secretary of the Senate for 
publication in the Congressional Record.

SEC. 6. STAFF; TRAVEL.

    (a) Appointment of Staff.--
            (1) In general.--The Joint Select Committee may appoint, 
        prescribe the duties and responsibilities of, and fix the pay 
        of such personnel as the chair and vice chair consider 
        appropriate to assist the Joint Select Committee in carrying 
        out its duties, except that no individual appointed under this 
        authority may receive pay at a rate greater than the highest 
        annual rate of pay which may be paid under level V of the 
        Executive Schedule under section 5316 of title 5, United States 
        Code.
            (2) Allocation of appointments.--Of the full-time 
        equivalent personnel positions appointed under this 
        subsection--
                    (A) 50 percent shall be appointed by the chair 
                (with the concurrence of the vice chair); and
                    (B) 50 percent shall be appointed by the vice chair 
                (with the concurrence of the chair).
            (3) Detail of federal employees.--Upon the joint request of 
        the chair and vice chair, the head of any Federal agency or of 
        any office in the legislative branch is authorized to detail, 
        without reimbursement, any of the personnel of such agency or 
        office to the Joint Select Committee to assist the Joint Select 
        Committee in carrying out its duties.
    (b) Reimbursement of Travel Expenses.--Subject to the rules adopted 
by the Joint Select Committee pursuant to section 5(d), the chair and 
vice chair may reimburse members and staff of the Joint Select 
Committee for travel, subsistence, and other necessary expenses 
incurred in the performance of their duties and responsibilities for 
the Joint Select Committee, other than expenses in connection with any 
meeting of the Joint Select Committee, or any subcommittee thereof, 
held in the District of Columbia.

SEC. 7. FUNDING.

    (a) Vouchers.--Payments for expenses of the Joint Select Committee 
shall be made using vouchers authorized by the Joint Select Committee, 
signed by the chair and vice chair of the Joint Select Committee, and 
approved in a manner directed by the Committee on Rules and 
Administration of the Senate and the Committee on House Administration 
of the House of Representatives.
    (b) Source of Funds.--There are authorized to be appropriated not 
more than $7,000,000 for the operation of the Joint Select Committee, 
of which--
            (1) 50 percent shall be derived from the applicable 
        accounts of the House of Representatives; and
            (2) 50 percent shall be derived from the contingent fund of 
        the Senate.

SEC. 8. TERMINATION.

    (a) Termination Date.--The Joint Select Committee shall terminate 
30 days after filing the report required under section 3 or upon the 
expiration of the 1-year period which begins on the date of the 
adoption of this resolution, whichever occurs earlier.
    (b) Transfer of Records.--Upon termination of the Joint Select 
Committee, the records of the Joint Select Committee shall be 
transferred jointly to, and held jointly by, the Clerk of the House of 
Representatives and Secretary of the Senate.
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