Short title

This Act may be cited as the

Kids in Disasters Well-being, Safety, and Health Act of 2007

Definition

In this Act, the terms child and children mean an individual or individuals, respectively, who have not attained 18 years of age.

Establishment of Commission

There is established a commission to be known as the National Commission on Children and Disasters (referred to in this Act as the Commission).

Purposes of Commission

The purposes of the Commission are to— (1)conduct a comprehensive study to examine and assess the needs of children as they relate to preparation for, response to, and recovery from all hazards, including major disasters and emergencies; (2)build upon the investigations of other entities and avoid unnecessary duplication, by reviewing the findings, conclusions, and recommendations of other commissions, Federal, State, and local governments, or nongovernmental entities, relating to the needs of children as they relate to preparation for, response to, and recovery from all hazards, including major disasters and emergencies; and (3)submit a report to the President and Congress on specific findings, conclusions, and recommendations to address the needs of children as they relate to preparation for, response to, and recovery from all hazards, including major disasters and emergencies.

Composition of Commission

(a)

Members

The Commission shall be composed of 10 members, of whom— (1)1 member shall be appointed by the President; (2)1 member, who is of a different political party than that of the member appointed under paragraph (1), shall be appointed by the President; (3)2 members shall be appointed by the majority leader of the Senate; (4)2 members shall be appointed by the minority leader of the Senate; (5)2 members shall be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives; and (6)2 members shall be appointed by the minority leader of the House of Representatives. (b)

Chairperson and vice-chairperson selection

The Chairperson and Vice Chairperson shall be elected from among members of the Commission. (c)

Governmental appointees

An individual appointed to the Commission may not be an official or employee of the Federal Government. (d)

Commission representation

The Commission shall include— (1)representatives from private nonprofit entities with demonstrated expertise in addressing the needs of children as they relate to preparation for, response to, and recovery from all hazards, including major disasters and emergencies; and (2)State emergency managers and local emergency managers. (e)

Qualifications

Members appointed under subsection (a) shall include— (1)individuals involved with providing services to children, including health, education, housing, and other social services, including grant and entitlement programs; (2)individuals with experience in emergency management, including coordination of resources and services among State and local governments, the Federal Government, and nongovernmental entities; (3)individuals with philanthropic experience focused on the needs of children; (4)individuals with experience in providing donated goods and services, including personnel services, to meet the needs of children and families as they relate to preparation for, response to, and recovery from all hazards, including major disasters and emergencies; and (5)individuals who have conducted academic research into related issues. (f)

Appointments

All members of the Commission shall be appointed not later than 90 days after the date of enactment of this Act. (g)

Initial meeting

The Commission shall meet and begin the operations of the Commission not later than 120 days after the date of enactment of this Act. (h)

Quorum and vacancy

(1)

Quorum

A majority of the members of the Commission shall constitute a quorum, but a lesser number of members may hold hearings. (2)

Vacancy

Any vacancy in the Commission shall not affect its powers and shall be filled in the same manner in which the original appointment was made.

Duties of Commission

The Commission shall— (1)conduct a comprehensive study that examines and assesses the needs of children as they relate to preparation for, response to, and recovery from all hazards, including major disasters and emergencies, including specific findings relating to— (A)children’s physical and mental health; (B)child care, including in private for-profit and nonprofit settings; (C)child welfare; (D)elementary and secondary education; (E)sheltering, temporary housing, and affordable housing; (F)transportation; (G)entitlement and grant programs; (H)juvenile justice; (I)evacuation; and (J)relevant activities in emergency management; (2)identify, review, and evaluate existing law relevant to the needs of children as they relate to preparation for, response to, and recovery from all hazards, including major disasters and emergencies; (3)identify, review, and evaluate the lessons learned from past disasters and emergencies relative to addressing the needs of children; and (4)submit a report to the President and Congress on the Commission’s specific findings, conclusions, and recommendations to address the needs of children as they relate to preparation for, response to, and recovery from all hazards, including major disasters and emergencies, including specific recommendations on the need for planning and establishing a national resource center on children and disasters, coordination of resources and services, administrative actions, policies, regulations, financing, and legislative changes as the Commission considers appropriate.

Powers of Commission

(a)

Hearings

The Commission may hold such hearings, meet and act at such times and places, and receive such evidence as may be necessary to carry out the functions of the Commission. (b)

Information from Federal agencies

(1)

In general

The Commission may secure directly from any executive department, bureau, agency, board, commission, office, independent establishment, or instrumentality of the Federal Government such information, suggestions, estimates, and statistics as the Commission considers necessary to carry out this Act. (2)

Provision of information

On request of the Chairperson of the Commission, each department, bureau, agency, board, commission, office, independent establishment, or instrumentality shall, to the extent authorized by law, provide the requested information to the Commission. (3)

Receipt, handling, storage, and dissemination

Information shall only be received, handled, stored, and disseminated by members of the Commission and its staff consistent with all applicable statutes, regulations, and Executive orders. (c)

Assistance from Federal agencies

(1)

General services administration

On request of the Chairperson of the Commission, the Administrator of General Services shall provide to the Commission, on a reimbursable basis, administrative support and other services necessary for the Commission to carry out its duties. (2)

Other departments and agencies

In addition to the assistance provided for under paragraph (1), departments and agencies of the United States may provide to the Commission such services as they may determine advisable and as authorized by law. (d)

Contracting

The Commission may enter into contracts to enable the Commission to discharge its duties under this Act. (e)

Donations

The Commission may accept, use, and dispose of donations of services or property. (f)

Postal services

The Commission may use the United States mails in the same manner and under the same conditions as a department or agency of the United States.

Staff of Commission

(a)

In general

The Chairperson of the Commission, in consultation with the Vice Chairperson, in accordance with rules agreed upon by the Commission, may appoint and fix the compensation of a staff director and such other personnel as may be necessary to enable the Commission to carry out its functions, in accordance with the provisions of title 5, United States Code, except that no rate of pay fixed under this subsection may exceed the equivalent of that payable for a position at level V of the Executive Schedule under section 5316 of title 5, United States Code. (b)

Staff of Federal agencies

Upon request of the Chairperson of the Commission, the head of any executive department, bureau, agency, board, commission, office, independent establishment, or instrumentality of the Federal Government may detail, without reimbursement, any of its personnel to the Commission to assist it in carrying out its duties under this Act. Any detail of an employee shall be without interruption or loss of civil service status or privilege. (c)

Consultant services

The Commission is authorized to procure the services of experts and consultants in accordance with section 3109 of title 5, United States Code, but at rates not to exceed the daily rate paid a person occupying a position at level IV of the Executive Schedule under section 5315 of title 5, United States Code.

Travel expenses

Each member of the Commission shall serve without compensation, but shall receive travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, in accordance with applicable provisions in the same manner as persons employed intermittently in the Government service are allowed expenses under section 5703 of title 5, United States Code.

10.

Federal Advisory Committee Act applicability

The provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act shall apply to the Commission, including the staff of the Commission.

11.

Reports of Commission; termination

(a)

Interim report

Not later than December 31, 2008, the Commission shall submit to the President and Congress an interim report containing specific findings, conclusions, and recommendations required under this Act as have been agreed to by a majority of Commission members. (b)

Final report

Not later than 24 months after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Commission shall submit to the President and Congress a final report containing specific findings, conclusions, and recommendations required under this Act as have been agreed to by a majority of Commission members. (c)

Termination

(1)

In general

The Commission, and all the authorities of this Act, shall terminate 180 days after the date on which the final report is submitted under subsection (b). (2)

Records

Not later than the date of termination of the Commission under paragraph (1), all records and papers of the Commission shall be delivered to the Archivist of the United States for deposit in the National Archives.

12.

Authorization of appropriations

There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this Act, $2,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2008 and 2009.