[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5980 Introduced in House (IH)]







110th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 5980

 To establish the Commission on Securing the United States in the 21st 
                                Century.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 6, 2008

  Mr. Schiff introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                      Committee on Foreign Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To establish the Commission on Securing the United States in the 21st 
                                Century.

    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 Securing the United 
States in the 21st Century Act of 2008''.

SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF COMMISSION.

    There is established a commission to be known as the ``Commission 
on Securing the United States in the 21st Century'' (in this Act 
referred to as the ``Commission'').

SEC. 3. DUTIES OF THE COMMISSION.

    The Commission shall--
            (1) conduct a comprehensive review of the global security 
        environment that identifies the strategic interests and 
        objectives of the United States for the security environment 
        the United States may confront during the next two decades and 
        beyond;
            (2) develop a national security strategy appropriate for 
        that future security environment and for the Nation's 
        character;
            (3) develop a detailed plan to achieve the national 
        security strategy by--
                    (A) defining security goals for the United States;
                    (B) describing the internal and external policy 
                instruments required to best utilize the resources of 
                the United States;
                    (C) identifying steps for implementation of the 
                national security strategy including the organization, 
                coordination, planning, management arrangements, and 
                procedures necessary for implementation; and
                    (D) reviewing budgetary and resource allocations 
                for departments and agencies and recommending changes 
                to such allocations;
            (4) recommend additional changes to the national security 
        system as necessary including agency, institutional, and other 
        structural reforms; and
            (5) submit to the President and Congress reports pursuant 
        to section 8 containing detailed statements of the Commission 
        findings, conclusions, and recommendations for corrective 
        measures as determined by a majority of the members of the 
        Commission.

SEC. 4. MEMBERSHIP.

    (a) Number and Appointment.--The Commission shall be composed of 13 
members, to be appointed as follows:
            (1) One member, who shall serve as chairperson, shall be 
        appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, in 
        consultation with the majority leader of the Senate.
            (2) One member, who shall serve as vice-chairperson, shall 
        be appointed by the minority leader of the House of 
        Representatives, in consultation with the minority leader of 
        the Senate.
            (3) One member shall be appointed by the Secretary of 
        Defense.
            (4) One member shall be appointed by the Secretary of 
        State.
            (5) One member shall be appointed by the Director of 
        National Intelligence.
            (6) Two members shall be appointed by the majority leader 
        of the Senate.
            (7) Two members shall be appointed by the Speaker of the 
        House of Representatives.
            (8) Two members shall be appointed by the minority leader 
        of the Senate.
            (9) Two members shall be appointed by the minority leader 
        of the House of Representatives.
    (b) Prohibited Appointments.--
            (1) An individual appointed to the Commission may not be an 
        officer or employee of the Federal Government or any State or 
        local government.
            (2) If a member of the Commission becomes an officer or 
        employee of the Federal Government or any State or local 
        government, the member may continue to serve as a member for 
        not longer than the 60-day period beginning on the date that 
        member becomes such an officer or employee.
    (c) Political Affiliation.--Not more than seven members appointed 
to the Commission may be of the same political party.
    (d) Considerations for Appointment.--Individuals appointed to the 
Commission should be prominent citizens of the United States, with 
national recognition and significant depth of experience in professions 
such as governmental service, law enforcement, the armed services, law, 
public administration, intelligence gathering, commerce, or foreign 
affairs.
    (e) Period of Appointment.--Each member shall be appointed for the 
life of the Commission.
    (f) Vacancies.--A vacancy shall not affect the power and duties of 
the Commission but shall be filled in the same manner as the original 
appointment.
    (g) Deadline for Appointment.--Members of the Commission shall be 
appointed not later than 60 days after the date of enactment of this 
Act.

SEC. 5. ADMINISTRATION.

    (a) Quorum.--Seven members of the Commission shall constitute a 
quorum but a lesser number may hold hearings.
    (b) Meetings.--
            (1) Initial meeting.--The Commission shall meet and 
        commence its duties not later than 15 days after the deadline 
        for appointment of members under section 4(g).
            (2) Regular meetings.--The Commission shall meet at the 
        call of its chairperson or a majority of its members.
    (c) Basic Pay.--Members shall each be paid at a rate not to exceed 
the daily equivalent of the annual rate of basic pay for level IV of 
the Executive Schedule under section 5315 of title 5, United States 
Code, for each day (including travel time) during which that member is 
engaged in the actual performance of duties vested in the Commission.
    (d) Travel Expenses.--Members shall receive travel expenses, 
including per diem in lieu of subsistence, in accordance with 
applicable provisions under subchapter I of chapter 57 of title 5, 
United States Code, while away from their homes or regular places of 
business in performance of services for the Commission.

SEC. 6. STAFF OF COMMISSION; EXPERTS AND CONSULTANTS.

    (a) In General.--
            (1) Appointment.--The chairperson, in consultation with the 
        vice-chairperson, in accordance with rules agreed upon by the 
        Commission, may appoint a staff director and such other 
        personnel as may be necessary to enable the Commission to carry 
        out its duties, without regard to the provisions of title 5, 
        United States Code, governing appointments in the competitive 
        service.
            (2) Compensation.--The staff director and other personnel 
        shall be paid without regard to the provisions of chapter 51 
        and subchapter III of chapter 53 of title 5, United States 
        Code, relating to classification and General Schedule pay 
        rates, except that no rate of pay fixed under this paragraph 
        may 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, for each day (including travel 
        time) during which that staff member is engaged in work for the 
        Commission.
    (b) 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.
    (c) Experts and Consultants.--The Commission may procure temporary 
and intermittent services under section 3109(b) of title 5, United 
States Code, but at rates for individuals not to exceed the daily 
equivalent of the annual rate of basic pay for level IV of the 
Executive Schedule under section 5315 of title 5, United States Code.

SEC. 7. POWERS OF THE COMMISSION.

    (a) Hearings.--The Commission may, for the purpose of carrying out 
this Act, hold hearings, sit and act at times and places, take 
testimony, and receive evidence as the Commission considers 
appropriate.
    (b) Nonapplicability of the Federal Advisory Committee Act.--The 
Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.) shall not apply to the 
Commission.
    (c) Contracting.--The Commission may enter into contracts to enable 
the Commission to discharge its duties under this Act.
    (d) Obtaining Official Information.--
            (1) Securing information.--The Commission may secure 
        directly from any department or agency of the United States, 
        information necessary to enable it to carry out this Act. Upon 
        request of the chairperson of the Commission, the head of that 
        department or agency shall furnish that information to the 
        Commission.
            (2) Handling information.--Information shall only be 
        received, handled, stored, and disseminated by members of the 
        Commission and its staff consistent with all applicable 
        statutes and regulations.
    (e) Security Clearance for Commission Members and Staff.--The 
appropriate Federal agencies or departments shall cooperate with the 
Commission in expeditiously providing to the Commission members and 
staff appropriate security clearances to the extent possible pursuant 
to existing procedures and requirements, except that no person shall be 
provided with access to classified information under this Act without 
the appropriate security clearances.
    (f) Administrative Support Services.--
            (1) General services administration.--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.
            (2) Other departments and agencies.--In addition to the 
        assistance referred to in paragraph (1), Federal departments 
        and agencies may provide to the Commission such services as 
        such departments and agencies determine advisable and as 
        authorized by law.
    (g) Gifts, Bequests, and Devises.--The Commission may accept, use, 
and dispose of gifts, bequests, or devises of services or property, 
both real and personal, for the purpose of aiding or facilitating the 
work of the Commission. Gifts, bequests, or devises of money and 
proceeds from sales of other property received as gifts, bequests, or 
devises shall be deposited in the Treasury and shall be available for 
disbursement upon the order of the chairperson.
    (h) 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.

SEC. 8. REPORTS.

    (a) Interim Reports.--The Commission may submit to the President 
and Congress interim reports as the Commission considers appropriate.
    (b) Final Report.--The Commission shall prepare and submit a final 
report to the President and Congress not later than 1 year after the 
Commission's initial meeting.
    (c) Public Disclosure.--The Commission shall make public copies of 
the reports required under subsections (a) and (b).

SEC. 9. TERMINATION.

    (a) In General.--The Commission shall terminate 60 days after 
submitting its final report.
    (b) Administrative Activities Before Termination.--During the 60-
day period referred to in subsection (a) the Commission may conclude 
its activities, including providing testimony to committees of Congress 
concerning its reports and disseminating the final report.

SEC. 10. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    (a) In General.--There is authorized to be appropriated $2,000,000 
for the fiscal year 2008 to carry out this Act.
    (b) Availability.--Amounts appropriated pursuant to the 
authorization of appropriations under subsection (a) are authorized to 
remain available until expended.
                                 <all>