[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 489 Introduced in House (IH)]







110th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 489

  To establish a commission to develop legislation designed to reform 
 entitlement benefit programs and ensure a sound fiscal future for the 
                 United States, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            January 16, 2007

 Mr. McHenry introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on the Budget, and in addition to the Committee on Rules, for 
a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for 
consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the 
                          committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To establish a commission to develop legislation designed to reform 
 entitlement benefit programs and ensure a sound fiscal future for the 
                 United States, and for other purposes.

    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 ``Commission On Reforming Entitlement 
Spending Act'' or the ``CORE Spending Act''.

SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT.

    There is established a commission to be known as the ``Commission 
On Reforming Entitlement Spending'' (hereinafter in this Act referred 
to as the ``Commission'').

SEC. 3. DUTIES OF COMMISSION.

    (a) Mandatory Legislation Development.--
            (1) Issues to address.--The Commission shall examine the 
        long-term fiscal challenges facing the United States and 
        develop legislation designed to address the following issues:
                    (A) The unsustainable imbalance between long-term 
                Federal spending commitments and projected revenues.
                    (B) Increasing net national savings to provide for 
                domestic investment and economic growth.
                    (C) The implications of foreign ownership of debt 
                instruments issued by the United States Government.
                    (D) Improving the budget process to place greater 
                emphasis on long-term fiscal issues.
            (2) Policy solutions.--Legislation developed to address the 
        issues described in paragraph (1) may include the following:
                    (A) Reforms that limit the growth of entitlement 
                spending to ensure that the programs are fiscally 
                sustainable.
                    (B) Reforms that strengthen the safety net 
                functions of entitlement programs to provide assistance 
                to the neediest people.
                    (C) Incentives to increase private savings.
                    (D) Automatic stabilizers or triggers to enforce 
                spending and revenue targets.
                    (E) Any other reforms designed to address the 
                issues described in paragraph (1).
            (3) Limitation.--The legislation developed under this 
        subsection may not include any new, or any increase in an 
        existing, Federal tax.
    (b) Optional Development of Cost Estimate Alternatives.--The 
Commission shall by an affirmative vote of 5 members develop not more 
than 2 methods for estimating the cost of legislation as an alternative 
to the method currently used by the Congressional Budget Office. Any 
such alternative method must be designed to address any flaws in the 
method currently used with regard to estimating the positive economic 
effects of legislation.

SEC. 4. INITIAL TOWN HALL STYLE PUBLIC HEARINGS.

    (a) In General.--The Commission shall hold at least 1 town hall 
style public hearing within each Federal reserve district, and shall, 
to the extent feasible, ensure that there is broad public participation 
in the hearings.
    (b) Hearing Format.--During each hearing, the Commission shall 
present to the public, and generate comments and suggestions regarding, 
the issues described in section 3, policies designed to address the 
issues, and tradeoffs between the policies.

SEC. 5. REPORT.

    The Commission shall, not later than 180 days after the date of 
enactment of this Act, submit a report to Congress and the President 
containing the following:
            (1) A detailed description of the activities of the 
        Commission.
            (2) A summary of comments and suggestions generated from 
        the town hall style public hearings.
            (3) A detailed statement of any findings of the Commission 
        as to public preferences regarding the issues, policies, and 
        tradeoffs presented in the town hall style public hearings.
            (4) A detailed description of the long-term fiscal problems 
        faced by the United States.
            (5) A list of policy options for addressing those problems.
            (6) Criteria for the legislative proposal to be developed 
        by the Commission.

SEC. 6. LEGISLATIVE PROPOSAL.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 60 days after the date the report 
is submitted under section 5 and by a vote of two-thirds of the 
members, the Commission shall submit a legislative proposal to Congress 
and the President designed to address the issues described section 3.
    (b) Proposal Requirements.--The proposal must, to the extent 
feasible, be designed--
            (1) to achieve generational equity and long-term economic 
        stability;
            (2) to address the comments and suggestions of the public; 
        and
            (3) to meet the criteria set forth in the Commission 
        report.
    (c) Inclusion of Cost Estimate.--The Commission shall submit with 
the proposal--
            (1) a long-term CBO cost estimate prepared under section 14 
        for the proposal; and
            (2) if an alternative cost estimate method is developed by 
        the Commission, a 50-year cost estimate using such method.

SEC. 7. MEMBERSHIP AND MEETINGS.

    (a) In General.--The Commission shall be composed of 15 voting 
members appointed pursuant to paragraph (1) and 2 nonvoting members 
described in paragraph (2).
            (1) Voting members.--(A) The President shall appoint 3 
        members, one of which the President shall appoint as 
        chairperson of the Commission.
            (B) The Speaker of the House of Representatives shall 
        appoint 3 members.
            (C) The Minority Leader of the House of Representatives 
        shall appoint 3 members.
            (D) The Majority Leader of the Senate shall appoint 3 
        members.
            (E) The Minority Leader of the Senate shall appoint 3 
        members.
            (2) Nonvoting members.--The Comptroller General of the 
        United States and the Director of the Congressional Budget 
        Office shall each be nonvoting members of the Commission and 
        shall advise and assist at the request of the Commission.
    (b) Limitation as to Members of Congress.--Each appointing 
authority described in subsection (a)(1) who is a Member of Congress 
may only appoint 1 Member of Congress to the Commission.
    (c) Date for Original Appointment.--The appointing authorities 
described in subsection (a)(1) shall appoint the initial members of the 
Commission not later than 30 days after the date of enactment of this 
Act.
    (d) Terms.--
            (1) In general.--The term of each member is for the life of 
        the Commission.
            (2) Vacancies.--A vacancy in the Commission shall be filled 
        not later than 30 days after such vacancy occurs and in the 
        manner in which the original appointment was made.
    (e) Pay and Reimbursement.--
            (1) No compensation for members of commission.--Except as 
        provided in paragraph (2), a member of the Commission may not 
        receive pay, allowances, or benefits by reason of their service 
        on the Commission.
            (2) Travel expenses.--Each member shall receive travel 
        expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence under 
        subchapter I of chapter 57 of title 5, United States Code.
    (f) Meetings.--The Commission shall meet upon the call of the 
chairperson or a majority of its voting members.
    (g) Quorum.--Six voting members of the Commission shall constitute 
a quorum, but a lesser number may hold hearings.

SEC. 8. DIRECTOR AND STAFF OF COMMISSION.

    (a) Director.--
            (1) In general.--Subject to subsection (c) and to the 
        extent provided in advance in appropriation Acts, the 
        Commission shall appoint and fix the pay of a director.
            (2) Duties.--The director of the Commission shall be 
        responsible for the administration and coordination of the 
        duties of the Commission and shall perform other such duties as 
        the Commission may direct.
    (b) Staff.--In accordance with rules agreed upon by the Commission, 
subject to subsection (c), and to the extent provided in advance in 
appropriation Acts, the director may appoint and fix the pay of 
additional personnel.
    (c) Applicability of Certain Civil Service Laws.--The director and 
staff of the Commission may be appointed without regard to the 
provisions of title 5, United States Code, governing appointments in 
the competitive service, and may be paid without regard to the 
provisions of chapter 51 and subchapter III of chapter 53 of that title 
relating to classification and General Schedule pay rates, except that 
pay fixed under subsection (a) may not exceed $150,000 per year and pay 
fixed under subsection (b) may not exceed a rate equal to the daily 
equivalent of the annual rate of basic pay for level V of the Executive 
Schedule under section 5316 of title 5, United States Code.
    (d) Detailees.--Any Federal Government employee may be detailed to 
the Commission without reimbursement from the Commission, and such 
detailee shall retain the rights, status, and privileges of their 
regular employment without interruption.
    (e) Experts and Consultants.--In accordance with rules agreed upon 
by the Commission and to the extent provided in advance in 
appropriation Acts, the director may procure the services of experts 
and consultants under section 3109(b) of title 5, United States Code, 
but at rates not to exceed the daily equivalent of the annual rate of 
basic pay for level V of the Executive Schedule under section 5316 of 
title 5, United States Code.

SEC. 9. POWERS OF COMMISSION.

    (a) Hearings and Evidence.--The Commission may, for the purpose of 
carrying out this Act, hold such hearings in addition to the town hall 
style public hearings, sit and act at such times and places, take such 
testimony, and receive such evidence as the Commission considers 
appropriate. The Commission may administer oaths or affirmations to 
witnesses appearing before it.
    (b) Powers of Members and Agents.--Any member or agent of the 
Commission may, if authorized by the Commission, take any action which 
the Commission is authorized to take under this section.
    (c) Mails.--The Commission may use the United States mails in the 
same manner and under the same conditions as other departments and 
agencies of the United States.
    (d) Administrative Support Services.--Upon the request of the 
Commission, the Administrator of General Services shall provide to the 
Commission, on a reimbursable basis, the administrative support 
services necessary for the Commission to carry out its responsibilities 
under this Act.
    (e) Contract Authority.--To the extent provided in advance in 
appropriation Acts, the Commission may enter into contracts to enable 
the Commission to discharge its duties under this Act.
    (f) Gifts.--The Commission may accept, use, and dispose of gifts or 
donations of services or property.

SEC. 10. TERMINATION.

    The Commission shall terminate 60 days after submitting its 
legislative proposal.

SEC. 11. ALTERNATIVE LEGISLATIVE PROPOSAL OF PRESIDENT.

    The President may, not later than 60 days after the Commission 
submits its legislative proposal, submit to Congress an alternative to 
the legislative proposal submitted by the Commission.

SEC. 12. ALTERNATIVE LEGISLATIVE PROPOSAL OF THE COMMITTEE ON THE 
              BUDGET.

    The Committee on the Budget of either House may, in consultation 
with the relevant committees of their respective House and not later 
than 60 days after the Commission submits its legislative proposal, 
have published in the Congressional Record an alternative to the 
legislative proposal submitted by the Commission.

SEC. 13. CONSIDERATION OF LEGISLATION.

    (a) Introduction.--On the first legislative day after the 
Commission submits its legislative proposal, the Speaker of the House 
of Representatives and the Majority Leader of the Senate shall 
introduce (by request) the legislation submitted by the Commission.
    (b) In the House of Representatives.--
            (1) Privileged consideration.--In the House of 
        Representatives, if a committee to which the legislation has 
        been referred has not reported the legislation before the 
        expiration of the 60-day period described in section 12, then--
                    (A) that committee shall be discharged from 
                consideration of the legislation;
                    (B) the legislation shall be placed on the 
                appropriate calendar; and
                    (C) a motion to proceed to the consideration of the 
                legislation is highly privileged and is not debatable.
            (2) Amendments limited.--
                    (A) In general.--Except as provided in subparagraph 
                (B), an amendment to the legislation may not be offered 
                in the House of Representatives.
                    (B) Permitted amendments.--(i) Any Member may 
                offer, as an amendment in the nature of a substitute, 
                the alternative legislative proposal submitted by the 
                President.
                    (ii) Any Member may offer, as an amendment in the 
                nature of a substitute, the alternative legislative 
                proposal submitted by the Commission.
                    (iii) The chairman of the House Committee on the 
                Budget may offer, as an amendment in the nature of a 
                substitute, the alternative legislative proposal 
                published in the Congressional Record by the House 
                Committee on the Budget.
                    (C) Points of order.--An amendment offered under 
                subparagraph (B) is subject to a point of order if--
                            (i) the amendment is not accompanied by a 
                        long-term CBO cost estimate of the amendment; 
                        or
                            (ii) the long-term CBO cost estimate of the 
                        amendment exceeds the long-term CBO cost 
                        estimate of the legislative proposal submitted 
                        by the Commission.
                    (D) Multiple amendments.--If more than one 
                amendment is offered under this paragraph, then each 
                amendment shall be considered separately, and the 
                amendment receiving both a majority and the highest 
                number of votes shall be the amendment adopted.

SEC. 14. LONG-TERM CBO COST ESTIMATE.

    (a) Preparation and Submission.--When the Commission, the 
President, or the chairman of the Committee on the Budget of either 
House submits a written request to the Director of the Congressional 
Budget Office for a long-term CBO cost estimate of legislation proposed 
under this Act or an amendment referred to in section 13(b)(2)(B), the 
Director shall prepare the estimate and have it published in the 
Congressional Record as expeditiously as possible.
    (b) Content.--A long-term CBO cost estimate shall include--
            (1) an estimate of the cost of each provision of the 
        legislation or amendment for first fiscal year it would take 
        effect and for each of the 50 fiscal years thereafter; and
            (2) a statement of any estimated future costs not reflected 
        by the estimate described in paragraph (1).
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