[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2078 Introduced in House (IH)]

111th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 2078

 To establish a commission to study employment and economic insecurity 
                    in the United States workforce.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             April 23, 2009

 Mr. Hastings of Florida (for himself and Mr. Grijalva) introduced the 
 following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and 
                                 Labor

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To establish a commission to study employment and economic insecurity 
                    in the United States workforce.

    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 ``National Commission on Employment 
and Economic Security Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) Americans' commitment to economic participation has 
        been a defining feature of the cultural fabric of the United 
        States, helping individuals feel positive about themselves, 
        develop independence, and maintain hope for the future.
            (2) As Americans lose their jobs and their incomes shrink, 
        too often, they also face the loss of their family's health 
        insurance and, subsequent to the loss of income, even their 
        housing.
            (3) Since the recession began in December 2007, more than 
        5.1 million jobs have been lost. According to the Bureau of 
        Labor Statistics, by March 2009, the unemployment rate had 
        climbed to 8.5 percent. The scope of the economic downturn is 
        so large that its impact is felt almost everywhere along the 
        economic spectrum.
            (4) Over the past 12 months, the number of unemployed 
        persons has grown by about 5.3 million, and the unemployment 
        rate has risen by 3.4 percentage points, according to the 
        Bureau of Labor Statistics.
            (5) The number of long-term unemployed (i.e., those jobless 
        for 27 weeks or more) rose to 3.2 million over the month of 
        March 2009 and has increased by about 1.9 million since the 
        start of the recession in December 2007.
            (6) Eighty percent of Americans say the economy is a 
        significant cause of stress, an increase from 66 percent since 
        April 2008, according to a September 2008 survey by the 
        American Psychology Association.
            (7) Calls to the national suicide prevention lifeline 
        increased more than 20 percent from January 2008 to January 
        2009.
            (8) One-third of people going through foreclosure are 
        clinically depressed.
            (9) The loss of a job and the subsequent loss of income, 
        insurance, and other benefits from that job have been proven to 
        be substantial triggers for depression, anxiety, and stress.

SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT OF COMMISSION.

    There is established a commission to be known as the ``National 
Commission on Employment and Economic Security''.

SEC. 4. DUTIES OF COMMISSION.

    The Commission shall--
            (1) examine the issues of economic and psychological 
        insecurity of members of the United States workforce caused by 
        employment displacement;
            (2) gather data on the relationship between (A) 
        psychological stress caused by employment insecurity and 
        economic insecurity, (B) the increase in clinical depression 
        and anxiety in the United States, and (C) increased violence by 
        employees and former employees in the workplace and in their 
        private lives;
            (3) examine the economic and psychological effects of the 
        decreasing number of well-paid jobs on members of the United 
        States workforce and their families;
            (4) analyze whether measures may be taken to reduce said 
        economic and psychological effects; and
            (5) recommend potential solutions, including 
        recommendations for legislative and administrative action, to 
        alleviate the problems of economic and psychological insecurity 
        of members of the United States workforce.

SEC. 5. MEMBERSHIP OF COMMISSION.

    (a) Number and Appointment.--The Commission shall be composed of 15 
members, with expertise in research methods or statistics, who shall be 
appointed as follows:
            (1) 7 individuals appointed by the President, of which--
                    (A) 2 members shall be individuals who represent 
                labor organizations as defined by section 2(5) of the 
                National Labor Relations Act (29 U.S.C. 152(5));
                    (B) 2 members shall be individuals who represent 
                business interests; and
                    (C) 2 members shall be individuals who represent 
                mental health interests.
            (2) 2 individuals appointed by the Speaker of the House of 
        Representatives.
            (3) 2 individuals appointed by the minority leader of the 
        House of Representatives.
            (4) 2 individuals appointed by the majority leader of the 
        Senate.
            (5) 2 individuals appointed by the minority leader of the 
        Senate.
    (b) Qualifications.--
            (1) In general.--Members shall be experts in the fields of 
        labor, employment, the economy, and psychology.
            (2) Political affiliation.--Political affiliation shall not 
        be a factor in the appointment of members.
    (c) Deadline for Appointment.--Each member shall be appointed to 
the Commission not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment 
of this Act.
    (d) Terms.--Each member shall be appointed for the life of the 
Commission.
    (e) Vacancies.--A vacancy in the Commission shall be filled in the 
manner in which the original appointment was made.
    (f) Basic Pay.--Members shall serve without pay.
    (g) Travel Expenses.--Each member shall receive travel expenses, 
including per diem in lieu of subsistence, in accordance with sections 
5702 and 5703 of title 5, United States Code.
    (h) Quorum.--8 members of the Commission shall constitute a quorum 
but a lesser number may hold hearings.
    (i) Chairperson.--
            (1) In general.--The Chairperson of the Commission shall be 
        elected by the members not later than 30 days after the date on 
        which all of the original members of the Commission have been 
        appointed.
            (2) Presidential appointment.--If the members of the 
        Commission are unable to elect the Chairperson in accordance 
        with paragraph (1), the President shall appoint a member of the 
        Commission to be the Chairperson.
    (j) Meetings.--The Commission shall meet at the call of the 
Chairperson.

SEC. 6. STAFF OF COMMISSION.

    (a) Staff.--The Chairperson may appoint and fix the pay of the 
personnel of the Commission as the Chairperson considers appropriate.
    (b) Applicability of Certain Civil Service Laws.--The staff of the 
Commission shall be appointed subject to the provisions of title 5, 
United States Code, governing appointments in the competitive service, 
and shall be paid in accordance with the provisions of chapter 51 and 
subchapter III of chapter 53 of that title relating to classification 
and General Schedule pay rates.
    (c) Staff of Federal Agencies.--Upon request of the Chairperson, 
the head of any Federal department or agency may detail, on a 
reimbursable basis, any of the personnel of that department or agency 
to the Commission to assist it in carrying out its duties under this 
Act.

SEC. 7. POWERS OF COMMISSION.

    (a) Hearings and Sessions.--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. 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 by this section.
    (c) Obtaining Official Data.--The Commission may secure directly 
from any Federal department or agency 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 provide that 
information to the Commission.
    (d) Mail.--The Commission may use the United States mail in the 
same manner and under the same conditions as other Federal departments 
and agencies.
    (e) 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.
    (f) Immunity.--The Commission is an agency of the United States for 
purpose of part V of title 18, United States Code (relating to immunity 
of witnesses).
    (g) Subpoena Power.--
            (1) In general.--The Commission may issue a subpoena to 
        require the attendance and testimony of witnesses and the 
        production of evidence relating to any matter described in 
        paragraphs (1) through (3) of section 4.
            (2) Failure to obey an order or subpoena.--If a person 
        refuses to obey a subpoena issued under paragraph (1), the 
        Commission may apply to a United States district court for an 
        order requiring that person to appear before the Commission to 
        give testimony, produce evidence, or both, relating to the 
        matter under investigation. The application may be made within 
        the judicial district where the hearing is conducted or where 
        that person is found, resides, or transacts business. Any 
        failure to obey the order of the court may be punished by the 
        court as civil contempt.
            (3) Service of subpoenas.--The subpoenas of the Commission 
        shall be served in the manner provided for subpoenas issued by 
        a United States district court under the Federal Rules of Civil 
        Procedure for the United States district courts.
    (h) Contract Authority.--The Commission may contract with and 
compensate government and private agencies or persons for supplies or 
services, without regard to section 3709 of the Revised Statutes (41 
U.S.C. 5).

SEC. 8. REPORT OF COMMISSION.

    Not later than 1 year after the date on which all original members 
have been appointed to the Commission, the Commission shall transmit to 
the President and Congress a report that contains a detailed statement 
of the findings and recommendations of the Commission made pursuant to 
section 4.

SEC. 9. TERMINATION OF COMMISSION.

    (a) Termination.--The Commission shall terminate 60 days after the 
date of submission of the report pursuant to section 8.
    (b) Administrative Activities Before Termination.--The Commission 
may use the 60-day period referred to in paragraph (a) for the purpose 
of concluding its activities, including providing testimony to 
committees of Congress concerning its reports and disseminating the 
second report.

SEC. 10. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    (a) In General.--There are authorized to be appropriated to carry 
out this Act $2,000,000 for fiscal year 2010 for use in the development 
and implementation of plans under this Act.
    (b) Availability.--Amounts authorized to be appropriated by 
subsection (a) are authorized to remain available until expended.
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