[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 3968 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

111th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 3968

  To establish a National Council on Children, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           November 18, 2010

  Mr. Dodd (for himself and Mr. Casey) introduced the following bill; 
     which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, 
                     Education, Labor, and Pensions

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To establish a National Council on Children, 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 ``Children's Act of 2010''.

SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF COUNCIL.

    There is established a council to be known as the National Council 
on Children (referred to in this Act as the ``Council'').

SEC. 3. PURPOSES OF COUNCIL.

    The purposes of the Council are the following:
            (1) To conduct a comprehensive study to examine and assess 
        the health, safety, and learning needs of children.
            (2) To examine systems for children's programs and assess 
        ways to increase spending in preventive services for children 
        and youth in order to improve outcomes.
            (3) To build upon the evaluations of other entities and 
        avoid unnecessary duplication, by reviewing the findings, 
        conclusions, and recommendations of previous commissions, the 
        Federal Government, State and local governments, and 
        nongovernmental entities, relating to the health, safety, and 
        learning needs of children.
            (4) To submit a report to the President and Congress on 
        specific findings, conclusions, and recommendations to address 
        the health, safety, and learning needs of children.
            (5) Upon completion of the study and issuance of 
        recommendations to address the needs of children, to transition 
        and annually assess the performance of the United States in 
        ensuring the well-being of children, and make recommendations 
        to improve children's well-being, by--
                    (A) establishing national goals for improving 
                children's well-being and developing year-to-year 
                targets for improvement to determine how the United 
                States fares with respect to achieving the national 
                goals, in accordance with section 6(b)(1);
                    (B) identifying and selecting national indicators 
                of child well-being to measure children's positive and 
                negative development in accordance with section 
                6(b)(3), and assessing how the United States fares with 
                respect to achieving the national goals as described in 
                subparagraph (A);
                    (C) making legislative and budgetary 
                recommendations to Congress and the President to 
                achieve the national goals, in accordance with 
                paragraphs (4) and (5) of section 6(b), which may 
                include recommendations regarding--
                            (i) policy;
                            (ii) systemic reforms;
                            (iii) incentives for States;
                            (iv) methods for outcomes analysis;
                            (v) public information; and
                            (vi) community outreach.

SEC. 4. COMPOSITION.

    (a) Date of Appointment.--Members of the Council shall be appointed 
during the period beginning on February 6, 2011, and ending on March 
31, 2011.
    (b) Members.--The Council shall be composed of 24 members, of 
whom--
            (1) 8 members, not more than 4 of whom may be of the same 
        political party, shall be appointed by the President;
            (2) 4 members shall be appointed by the majority leader of 
        the Senate, after consultation with the chairperson and ranking 
        member of--
                    (A) the Committee on Finance;
                    (B) the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and 
                Pensions;
                    (C) the Committee on Appropriations; and
                    (D) other relevant committees of the Senate, as 
                determined by the majority leader of the Senate;
            (3) 4 members shall be appointed by the minority leader of 
        the Senate, after consultation with the chairperson and ranking 
        member of--
                    (A) the Committee on Finance;
                    (B) the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and 
                Pensions;
                    (C) the Committee on Appropriations; and
                    (D) other relevant committees of the Senate, as 
                determined by the minority leader of the Senate;
            (4) 4 members shall be appointed by the Speaker of the 
        House of Representatives, after consultation with the 
        chairperson and ranking member of--
                    (A) the Committee on Ways and Means;
                    (B) the Committee on Energy and Commerce;
                    (C) the Committee on Education and Labor;
                    (D) the Committee on Appropriations; and
                    (E) other relevant committees of the House of 
                Representatives, as determined by the Speaker of the 
                House of Representatives; and
            (5) 4 members shall be appointed by the minority leader of 
        the House of Representatives, after consultation with the 
        chairperson and ranking member of--
                    (A) the Committee on Ways and Means;
                    (B) the Committee on Energy and Commerce;
                    (C) the Committee on Education and Labor;
                    (D) the Committee on Appropriations; and
                    (E) other relevant committees of the House of 
                Representatives, as determined by the minority leader 
                of the House of Representatives.
    (c) Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson, and Meetings.--Not later than 30 
days after the date on which all members of the Council have been 
appointed under subsection (a), the members shall meet to elect a 
Chairperson and Vice Chairperson from among such members and shall 
determine a schedule of Council meetings.
    (d) Council Representation and Qualifications.--
            (1) Knowledge or experience.--Each member of the Council, 
        including each member appointed under paragraph (2), shall have 
        substantial knowledge or experience relating to--
                    (A)(i) child or adolescent development (including 
                early childhood development); and
                    (ii) child health, social and behavioral 
                development, and education;
                    (B) indicators of child well-being;
                    (C) neurology and brain development;
                    (D) law;
                    (E) finance and economics;
                    (F) policy, programs, or research relating to 
                children and their families;
                    (G) methods of proven preventive practice and 
                policy to promote optimal child outcomes; or
                    (H) functions of the family, family strengthening, 
                and parent involvement.
            (2) Represented groups.--
                    (A) Appointments by the president.--In carrying out 
                subsection (b)(1)(A), the President shall appoint--
                            (i) 1 individual who represents an 
                        organization that--
                                    (I) provides services to children;
                                    (II) is involved in activities on 
                                behalf of children; or
                                    (III) has engaged in academic 
                                research with respect to the problems 
                                and needs of children;
                            (ii) 1 individual who represents elected or 
                        appointed public officials (at the Federal, 
                        State, or local level) involved in issues and 
                        programs relating to children;
                            (iii) 1 individual who represents parents 
                        (including fathers), relative caregivers and 
                        guardians, or parents' organizations; and
                            (iv) not less than 1 other individual who 
                        represents any of the groups described in 
                        clauses (i), (ii), and (iii).
                    (B) Appointments by congressional leaders.--Not 
                less than 1 of the 4 individuals that the majority 
                leader of the Senate, the minority leader of the 
                Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, 
                and the minority leader of the House of Representatives 
                each appoint as members of the Council shall be a 
                representative of not less than one of the groups 
                described in clauses (i) through (iii) of subparagraph 
                (A).
                    (C) Other groups.--A Council member appointed under 
                this subsection may, in addition to meeting all other 
                requirements of this paragraph, be a representative 
                of--
                            (i) a philanthropy focused on the needs of 
                        children;
                            (ii) the business sector;
                            (iii) a public safety organization;
                            (iv) a civil rights organization;
                            (v) an institution of higher education;
                            (vi) a senior citizen organization; or
                            (vii) the media.
            (3) Consultation with relevant committees.--The 
        appointments made under subparagraphs (A) and (B) of paragraph 
        (2) shall be made in consultation with the chairpersons and 
        ranking members of--
                    (A) the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and 
                Pensions and the Committee on Finance of the Senate; 
                and
                    (B) the Committee on Education and Labor, the 
                Committee on Energy and Commerce, and the Committee on 
                Ways and Means of the House of Representatives.
    (e) Period of Appointment.--
            (1) Length of term.--Each member of the Council shall serve 
        a 2-year term, except as provided in paragraph (3).
            (2) Consecutive terms.--A member of the Council may be 
        reappointed at the end of the member's first term, but may not 
        serve for more than 1 additional 2-year term.
            (3) Exception.--Notwithstanding paragraph (2), an active 
        member of Congress or an employee of the Federal Government may 
        only serve as a member of the Council for the first 2-year term 
        of the Council or until the report described in section 5(b) 
        has been finalized and submitted, whichever is later, and may 
        not be reappointed after the end of such period.
            (4) Continuity.--Notwithstanding paragraphs (2) and (3), a 
        member may serve after the expiration of the member's term 
        until the member's successor has taken office.
    (f) Quorum and Vacancy.--
            (1) Quorum.--A majority of the members of the Council shall 
        constitute a quorum, but a lesser number of members may hold 
        hearings.
            (2) Vacancy.--Any vacancy in the Council shall--
                    (A) not affect the powers of the Council; and
                    (B) be filled in the same manner in which the 
                original appointment was made.

SEC. 5. DUTIES.

    (a) Comprehensive Study.--Pursuant to section 3(1), the Council 
shall conduct a comprehensive study that examines and assesses the 
needs of children, including specific findings relating to the 
following domains:
            (1) Health and safety.--The Council shall study children's 
        health and safety, including how to--
                    (A) reduce infant mortality and the number of 
                babies with low birth-weight;
                    (B) reduce the number of children with chronic 
                illnesses and disabilities;
                    (C) improve the nutrition of children and promote 
                the physical fitness of children;
                    (D) reduce child mortality rates and the suicide 
                rate for children and youth;
                    (E) improve mental health outcomes for infants, 
                toddlers, preschoolers, children, and youth;
                    (F) ensure that pregnant women and teenagers 
                receive adequate prenatal care and education;
                    (G) improve the provision of health care for foster 
                care children and other vulnerable populations;
                    (H) ensure that all children have access to both 
                preventive and acute health care services, including 
                dental, vision, and mental health care;
                    (I) improve the quality and availability of health 
                care coverage, including dental, vision, and mental 
                health care, for children;
                    (J) reduce the number of children with dental 
                disease through prevention, family education, and 
                disease management;
                    (K) improve coordination of care among child health 
                services; and
                    (L) improve health and safety standards in child 
                care settings.
            (2) Social and emotional development.--The Council shall 
        study the social and emotional development of children, 
        including how to--
                    (A) prevent and treat child abuse and neglect;
                    (B) improve the provision of services and supports 
                to vulnerable parents and families, including those 
                affected by poverty, violence, substance abuse, and 
                parental depression;
                    (C) improve counseling services for children;
                    (D) strengthen family functioning;
                    (E) improve the quality of early care and education 
                and increase access to such services;
                    (F) improve foster care and adoption services, 
                safely reduce the number of children in foster care, 
                and increase permanency;
                    (G) reduce violent crime victimization rates among 
                youth;
                    (H) provide services effectively for youth in 
                transition to adulthood, particularly for vulnerable 
                youth;
                    (I) reduce cigarette smoking and illicit drug and 
                alcohol use by children and youth, and support children 
                affected (including children affected prenatally and in 
                the early years) by parental substance use and abuse; 
                and
                    (J) reduce the incidence of teenage pregnancy.
            (3) Education and intellectual development.--The Council 
        shall study education and the intellectual development of 
        children, including--
                    (A) how to encourage academic excellence for all 
                children at all levels of education;
                    (B) how to improve access to high-quality early 
                care and education opportunities to enhance educational 
                achievement;
                    (C) how to improve the qualifications of teachers 
                and early care and education providers and ensure that 
                schools can better prepare our youth for the 
                competitive global economy;
                    (D) how parents, communities, schools, and early 
                childhood programs can work together to help children 
                achieve success at each step of the academic ladder;
                    (E) how to encourage students to complete secondary 
                school and remain in school to fulfill the students' 
                academic potential and how to reengage students who 
                drop out of school;
                    (F) how to improve--
                            (i) school stability, including stability 
                        in postsecondary education, for pregnant, 
                        parenting, homeless, and foster youth; and
                            (ii) the provision of support services for 
                        such youth;
                    (G) how schools and early childhood programs can 
                better meet--
                            (i) the needs of the diverse children of 
                        the United States, including the needs of 
                        children from various ethnic and racial 
                        backgrounds; and
                            (ii) the special needs of children with 
                        disabilities and children with limited English 
                        proficiency;
                    (H) how to leverage data, standards, assessments, 
                and accountability systems to appropriately improve 
                educational opportunities for all children;
                    (I) how to improve access to affordable higher 
                education opportunities for all youth, particularly for 
                low- and moderate-income youth, including improving 
                such access for youth in foster care and former foster 
                care youth; and
                    (J) how to improve access to and quality of after-
                school and youth development programs.
            (4) Economic security.--The Council shall study economic 
        security and tax policy, including--
                    (A) how to reduce short- and long-term poverty 
                among children;
                    (B) how to ensure that parents support their 
                children to the fullest extent possible;
                    (C) how to ensure that cash assistance to needy 
                children is adequate;
                    (D) how to ensure that child care assistance to 
                families is adequate;
                    (E) how to ensure the equitable tax treatment of 
                families with children;
                    (F) the effect of existing tax provisions, 
                including the dependent care tax credit, the earned 
                income tax credit, and the child tax credit, on 
                children living in poverty, as well as children in 
                other low and moderate income working families;
                    (G) whether and how the dependent care tax credit 
                should be modified and the effect of such a policy;
                    (H) whether and how the earned income tax credit 
                should be modified and the effect of such a policy;
                    (I) whether and how the child tax credit should be 
                modified and the effect of such a policy; and
                    (J) whether other tax-related policies would reduce 
                poverty among children, and improve child well-being 
                generally.
            (5) Other domains.--In addition to making the findings 
        described in paragraphs (1) through (4), the Council shall--
                    (A)(i) identify ways in which public and private 
                organizations and institutions can work together at the 
                community level to identify deficiencies in existing 
                services (as of the time of the study) for children and 
                families; and
                    (ii) develop recommendations to ensure that the 
                needs of families and children are met, using all 
                available resources, in a coordinated and comprehensive 
                manner;
                    (B)(i) assess the existing capacities of agencies 
                to collect and analyze data on the status of children 
                and on relevant programs;
                    (ii) identify gaps in the data collection system 
                for such data; and
                    (iii) recommend ways to improve the collection of 
                data and the coordination among agencies in the 
                collection and utilization of such data;
                    (C) identify, review, and evaluate pertinent laws, 
                regulations, policies, and programs existing as of the 
                time of the study that are relevant to the needs of 
                children;
                    (D) identify promising approaches to ensuring that 
                all children have equal access to high-quality 
                programs, services, and resources, irrespective of--
                            (i) geographic location;
                            (ii) ethnic and racial background;
                            (iii) special needs; or
                            (iv) disabilities;
                    (E) identify ways to ensure the integration of 
                policies, programs, and efforts across the domains 
                described in paragraphs (1) through (4);
                    (F) identify ways to ensure the integration of 
                policies, programs, and efforts for children across age 
                groups, including infants, toddlers, preschoolers, 
                children, and youth;
                    (G) identify ways to promote proven practices with 
                a return on investment for children and youth; and
                    (H) identify ways to incentivize Federal agencies 
                and State governments to promote prevention practices 
                and policies, rather than a crisis response, in 
                addressing children's needs.
    (b) Report.--
            (1) In general.--The Council shall prepare, in accordance 
        with this subsection--
                    (A) an interim report not later than 1 year after 
                the date of the first meeting of the Council; and
                    (B) a final report not later than 2 years after the 
                date of the first meeting of the Council.
            (2) Content.--The Council shall include, in each report 
        described in paragraph (1), the specific findings and 
        conclusions from the Council's study and the recommendations of 
        the Council addressing the needs of children, including 
        specific recommendations on the need for actions, policies, 
        regulations, and legislative changes as the Council considers 
        appropriate.
            (3) Information.--The Council shall hold regional public 
        hearings to collect information for the report and shall make 
        such information available for use by the public.
            (4) Testimony, data, and findings.--Each report described 
        in paragraph (1) shall--
                    (A) be based upon the testimony received in the 
                hearings conducted pursuant to paragraph (3) and 
                section 8(a), and upon other data and findings 
                developed by the Council; and
                    (B) be agreed to by a majority of the Council 
                members.
            (5) Recipients.--The Council shall submit each report 
        described in paragraph (1) to--
                    (A) the President;
                    (B) the Committee on Finance and the Committee on 
                Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate; 
                and
                    (C) the Committee on Ways and Means, the Committee 
                on Education and Labor, and the Committee on Energy and 
                Commerce of the House of Representatives.
            (6) Additional reports.--The Council may issue additional 
        reports as the Council determines necessary.

SEC. 6. TRANSITION PERIOD AND ONGOING DUTIES.

    (a) Transition and Planning Period.--Immediately after submitting a 
final report described in section 5(b)(1)(B), the Council shall begin a 
60-day period during which the Council shall plan how to transition to 
the ongoing duties described in subsection (b).
    (b) Duties.--After the transition and planning period described in 
subsection (a), the Council shall begin to annually assess the 
performance of the United States in ensuring the well-being of 
children, and to make recommendations to improve children's well-being, 
by carrying out the following:
            (1) Setting national goals and targets.--
                    (A) Establishment of goals and targets.--Not later 
                than 1 year after the issuance of the final report 
                under section 5(b), the Council shall--
                            (i) establish national goals to help guide 
                        the selection of national indicators of child 
                        well-being, and of systems indicators to 
                        improve child well-being and to promote 
                        prevention practices, in each domain described 
                        in paragraph (3)(A);
                            (ii) develop year-to-year targets to 
                        measure improvements in such national 
                        indicators and systems indicators toward 
                        achieving the national goals; and
                            (iii) in carrying out clauses (i) and (ii), 
                        review and consider any existing national goals 
                        and year-to-year targets.
                    (B) Revisions.--The Council may, as the Council 
                determines appropriate, revise the national goals and 
                year-to-year targets established under subparagraph 
                (A).
            (2) Accountability through annual evaluation.--The Council 
        shall annually evaluate the progress of the United States 
        toward achieving the national goals and year-by-year targets 
        under paragraph (1)(A).
            (3) Defining the domains of child well-being.--The Council 
        shall define each domain of child well-being described in 
        paragraphs (1) through (4) of section 5(a).
            (4) Indicators of child well-being.--
                    (A) National indicators.--For purposes of this Act, 
                the indicators of child well-being selected under 
                subparagraph (B)(ii), including any modifications to 
                such indicators made in accordance with subparagraph 
                (D)(i), shall be known as the ``national indicators of 
                child well-being''.
                    (B) Establishing the national indicators of child 
                well-being.--The Council shall establish the initial 
                national indicators of child well-being by--
                            (i) identifying existing indicators of 
                        child well-being in each domain defined under 
                        paragraph (3); and
                            (ii) selecting indicators of child well-
                        being in each domain that meet the requirements 
                        of subparagraph (C) and that directly 
                        correspond to the national goals established 
                        under paragraph (1)(A).
                    (C) Reliability and measurement.--In order to be 
                selected as a national indicator of child well-being, 
                an indicator shall be--
                            (i) reliable, valid, and grounded in 
                        scientific theory and research in existence as 
                        of the date of the selection or revision of the 
                        indicator;
                            (ii) measured regularly to assess trends 
                        over time;
                            (iii) measured across population subgroups;
                            (iv) culturally appropriate and relevant;
                            (v) disaggregated, to the extent 
                        practicable, by social characteristics such as 
                        gender, age, race, ethnicity, poverty status, 
                        family structure, immigrant status of the child 
                        and the child's parents, educational level, and 
                        disability status;
                            (vi) measured across age-groups, in order 
                        to set a standard to be utilized in future 
                        research or surveys; and
                            (vii) measured across consistent 
                        demographic criteria in order to identify 
                        appropriate social characteristics and race 
                        categories, setting a standard to be utilized 
                        in future research or surveys.
                    (D) Modifications.--The Council shall modify the 
                national indicators of child well-being as the Council 
                determines appropriate by--
                            (i) revising the national indicators of 
                        child well-being (including by adding or 
                        removing indicators); and
                            (ii) identifying or, as necessary, 
                        providing research and recommendations to 
                        support the development of, new or improved 
                        indicators of child well-being in such domains.
            (5) Providing legislative recommendations.--
                    (A) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the 
                Council establishes national goals under paragraph 
                (1)(A), and annually thereafter, the Council shall 
                submit to Congress specific legislative 
                recommendations, including specific legislative 
                language to achieve the national goals.
                    (B) Notice and comment.--The annual legislative 
                recommendations made by the Council under subparagraph 
                (A) shall be subject to notice and opportunity for 
                comment by the public for not less than 60 days before 
                the submission of the legislative recommendations to 
                Congress, and such notice and comments shall be 
                published in the Federal Register.
            (6) Providing recommendations.--
                    (A) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the 
                Council establishes national goals under paragraph 
                (1)(A), and annually thereafter, the Council shall 
                submit, in a timely manner for consideration in the 
                budget process, the recommendations described in 
                subparagraphs (B), (C), and (D) to the President, the 
                chairperson and ranking member of the Committee on the 
                Budget of the House of Representatives, and the 
                chairperson and ranking member of the Committee on the 
                Budget of the Senate.
                    (B) Budgetary recommendations.--The Council shall 
                submit budgetary recommendations as to the amount of 
                funding required by Federal departments and agencies 
                for the purpose of achieving the national goals.
                    (C) Reporting recommendations.--The Council shall 
                submit specific recommendations for how Federal 
                expenditures for children and youth should be reported 
                in order to determine what percentage of those expenses 
                are spent on prevention services.
                    (D) Recommendations regarding needs and 
                distribution of federal resources.--The Council shall 
                submit specific recommendations as to what Federal 
                resources are required by, and how the Federal 
                resources should be distributed to, the States in order 
                to best achieve--
                            (i) the national goals; and
                            (ii) goals developed by the States to 
                        improve children's well-being, if applicable.
            (7) Annual report.--
                    (A) In general.--Not later than September 30 of the 
                year following the year the Council establishes initial 
                national goals under paragraph (1)(A), and each 
                September 30 thereafter, the Council shall prepare and 
                submit to the President and Congress a report entitled 
                ``National Indicators of Child Well-being: A Report 
                Card'' that shall--
                            (i) assess the status of the United States 
                        in achieving the national goals and year-by-
                        year targets established and developed under 
                        subparagraphs (B) and (C) of paragraph (1); and
                            (ii) present, as appropriate, available 
                        data relating to children on health, education, 
                        personal development, housing, employment, 
                        insurance, prevention, and early intervention.
                    (B) Public input.--In determining the findings, 
                conclusions, and recommendations to include in the 
                report described in subparagraph (A), the Council shall 
                seek input from the public, particularly--
                            (i) parents;
                            (ii) educators;
                            (iii) pediatricians;
                            (iv) pediatric nurse practitioners;
                            (v) mental health professionals;
                            (vi) child welfare professionals;
                            (vii) psychiatrists;
                            (viii) psychologists;
                            (ix) behavioral scientists;
                            (x) social workers;
                            (xi) demographers; and
                            (xii) representatives of organizations with 
                        a broad range of expertise in--
                                    (I) child development;
                                    (II) indicators of child well-
                                being; or
                                    (III) policy, programs, or research 
                                relating to children and their 
                                families.
            (8) Use of national indicators of child well-being.--The 
        Council or a Federal department or agency that elects to use 
        the national indicators of child well-being shall use the 
        indicators only to--
                    (A) identify positive and negative trends in child 
                well-being;
                    (B) identify policies or programs that are 
                deserving of rigorous, formal evaluation;
                    (C) describe or elucidate circumstances and 
                particular trends and patterns, in the areas of 
                positive and negative outcomes for children;
                    (D) monitor or track positive and negative outcomes 
                for children; or
                    (E) set goals or establish measurable targets or 
                thresholds.

SEC. 7. POWERS.

    (a) Hearings.--The Council 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 Council.
    (b) Information From Federal Agencies.--
            (1) In general.--The Council may access, to the extent 
        authorized by law, 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 Council considers 
        necessary to carry out this Act.
            (2) Provision of information.--On written request of the 
        Chairperson of the Council, each department, bureau, agency, 
        board, commission, office, independent establishment, or 
        instrumentality shall, to the extent authorized by law, provide 
        the requested information to the Council.
            (3) Receipt, handling, storage, and dissemination.--
        Information shall only be received, handled, stored, and 
        disseminated by members and staff of the Council 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 Council, the Administrator of General 
        Services shall provide to the Council, on a reimbursable basis, 
        administrative support and other assistance necessary for the 
        Council to carry out the duties of the Council.
            (2) Other departments and agencies.--In addition to the 
        assistance provided under paragraph (1), departments and 
        agencies of the United States may provide to the Council such 
        assistance as they may determine advisable and as authorized by 
        law.
    (d) Contracts and Cooperative Agreements.--The Council may enter 
into contracts or cooperative agreements with Federal or State 
agencies, other entities, including private entities and institutions 
of higher education, or individuals for activities necessary to the 
discharge of the duties and responsibilities of the Council, 
including--
            (1) the conduct of research and surveys;
            (2) the preparation of reports; and
            (3) the identification and development of indicators of 
        child well-being;
    (e) Donations.--The Council may accept, use, and dispose of 
donations of services or property.
    (f) Postal Services.--The Council may use the United States mails 
in the same manner and under the same conditions as a department or 
agency of the United States.

SEC. 8. STAFF.

    (a) In General.--The Chairperson, in consultation with the Vice 
Chairperson and in accordance with rules agreed upon by the Council, 
may appoint and fix the compensation of an executive director and such 
other personnel as may be necessary to enable the Council to carry out 
the functions of the Council, 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) Qualifications of Executive Director.--
            (1) Experience.--The executive director shall be an 
        individual who has demonstrated experience in strategic 
        planning, administration, and business management, and has 
        exhibited competency in--
                    (A) planning or operations of programs for children 
                and families;
                    (B) working cooperatively and effectively with 
                others to set goals, resolve problems and make 
                decisions that will enhance the Council's 
                effectiveness;
                    (C) managing projects effectively; and
                    (D) developing realistic action plans and time 
                schedules.
            (2) Expertise.--The executive director shall have--
                    (A) expertise in child well-being or child 
                development; and
                    (B) an understanding of and appreciation for--
                            (i) research relating to children and 
                        families; and
                            (ii) indicators of child well-being.
    (c) Detailees.--Upon request of the Chairperson of the Council, 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 Council to assist the Council in carrying out the duties of the 
Council under this Act. Any detail of an employee shall be without 
interruption or loss of civil service status or privilege.
    (d) Consultant Services.--The Council may 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 such title.

SEC. 9. TRAVEL EXPENSES.

    Each member of the Council 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.

SEC. 10. FEDERAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE ACT APPLICABILITY.

    The provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. 
App.) shall apply to the Council, except that sections 10 and 14 of 
such Act shall not apply.

SEC. 11. BUDGET.

    The Council shall prepare annually a budget justifying amounts 
necessary to carry out the duties of the Council and shall annually 
submit the budget and any appropriations requests both to Congress and 
to the Director of the Office of Management and Budget.

SEC. 12. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be 
necessary to carry out this Act.
                                 <all>