[Congressional Bills 112th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 2 Introduced in House (IH)]

112th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. CON. RES. 2

 Establishing the Congressional Commission on the European Union, and 
                          for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            January 5, 2011

   Mr. Issa submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was 
 referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, 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

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
 Establishing the Congressional Commission on the European Union, and 
                          for other purposes.

    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring),

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This resolution may be cited as the ``Congressional Commission on 
the European Union Resolution''.

SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF CONGRESSIONAL COMMISSION ON THE EUROPEAN 
              UNION.

    There is established in the legislative branch the Congressional 
Commission on the European Union (hereafter in this resolution referred 
to as the ``Commission'').

SEC. 3. MEMBERSHIP OF COMMISSION.

    (a) Selection and Appointment of Members.--The Commission shall be 
composed of 18 members as follows:
            (1) Nine Members of the House of Representatives who shall 
        be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, of 
        whom 5 shall be selected from the majority party, after 
        consultation with the Chairman of the Committee on Foreign 
        Affairs, and 4 shall be selected from the minority party, after 
        consultation with the minority leader of the House and the 
        ranking minority member of the Committee on Foreign Affairs. 
        For purposes of this paragraph, a Delegate or Resident 
        Commissioner to the Congress shall be considered a Member of 
        the House of Representatives.
            (2) Nine Members of the Senate who shall be appointed by 
        the President pro tempore of the Senate, of whom 5 shall be 
        selected from the majority party of the Senate, after 
        consultation with the majority leader and the Chairman of the 
        Committee on Foreign Affairs, and 4 shall be selected from the 
        minority party, after consultation with the minority leader of 
        the Senate and the ranking minority member of the Committee on 
        Foreign Affairs.
    (b) Chairman and Vice Chairman.--
            (1) Odd-numbered congress.--At the beginning of each odd-
        numbered Congress--
                    (A) the President pro tempore of the Senate, on the 
                recommendation of the majority leader, shall designate 
                one of the Senate Members of the Commission to serve as 
                Chairman of the Commission during that Congress; and
                    (B) the Speaker of the House of Representatives 
                shall designate one of the House Members of the 
                Commission to serve as Vice Chairman of the Commission 
                during that Congress.
            (2) Even-numbered congress.--At the beginning of each even-
        numbered Congress--
                    (A) the Speaker of the House of Representatives 
                shall designate one of the House Members of the 
                Commission to serve as Chairman of the Commission 
                during that Congress; and
                    (B) the President pro tempore of the Senate, on the 
                recommendation of the majority leader, shall designate 
                one of the Senate Members of the Commission to serve as 
                Vice Chairman of the Commission during that Congress.

SEC. 4. DUTIES OF COMMISSION.

    (a) Activities.--The Commission shall work with the European 
Parliament of the European Union and the European Commission on a 
frequent and regular basis in order to--
            (1) enable Members, officers, and employees of Congress to 
        provide expert advice to members and staff of the European 
        Parliament of the European Union and the European Commission, 
        and to permit members and staff of such entities to obtain the 
        services of the Congressional Budget Office, the Congressional 
        Research Service, and the Government Accountability Office 
        through requests transmitted to the Commission;
            (2) enable members and staff of the European Parliament of 
        the European Union and the European Commission visiting 
        Congress and its support agencies to learn about their 
        corresponding operations first-hand; and
            (3) provide information and recommendations to committees 
        of the House of Representatives and Senate regarding 
        legislation, regulatory standards, and activities being 
        proposed by the European Parliament and European Commission.
    (b) Studies.--In order to carry out the activities described in 
subsection (a), the Commission shall conduct on an annual basis (or 
more frequently if necessary) a study on the impact on United States 
interests of legislation recently passed by the European Parliament and 
regulations issued by the European Commission. The Commission shall 
conduct on an annual basis a study on the impact on the European Union 
of legislation recently passed by Congress and regulations issued by 
the executive branch. The studies required under this subsection shall 
also assess the following:
            (1) The potential benefit to the European Parliament and 
        European Commission of expert advice from Members, staff, and 
        committees of Congress in areas including, but not limited to, 
        regulatory reform, trade, defense, monetary policy, homeland 
        security, human rights, science and technology, government 
        oversight, education, agriculture, and health.
            (2) The potential benefit to Congress of expert advice from 
        members, staff, and committees of the European Union and 
        European Commission in areas including, but not limited to, 
        regulatory reform, trade, defense, monetary policy, homeland 
        security, human rights, science and technology, government 
        oversight, education, agriculture, and health.
    (c) Report.--Not later than 180 days after the establishment of the 
Commission and annually thereafter, the Commission shall submit to 
Congress a report on the following:
            (1) The results of the studies conducted pursuant to 
        subsection (b).
            (2) In accordance with the results of such studies, a 
        review of the activities of the Commission in the immediately 
        preceding year and a proposal for the activities of the 
        Commission in the subsequent year, as described in subsection 
        (a).
    (d) Official Meetings of the Commission.--The Commission may hold 
hearings or meetings at the discretion of the Chairman on matters of 
mutual interest to Congress and the European Parliament and European 
Commission.
    (e) Administration of Oaths.--The Chairman of the Commission or any 
member designated by the Chairman may administer oaths to any witness.

SEC. 5. PARTICIPATION OF CERTAIN LEGISLATIVE BRANCH EMPLOYEES.

    At the request of the Commission, the head of any office or 
committee of the House of Representatives or the Senate, or the 
Congressional Budget Office, the Congressional Research Service, and 
the Government Accountability Office may assist the work of the 
Commission by authorizing personnel of such office, committee, or 
agency, as the case may be, to participate in activities of the 
Commission.

SEC. 6. FUNDING FOR COMMISSION.

    (a) Funding; Disbursements.--
            (1) Source of funding.--There are authorized to be 
        appropriated for each fiscal year such sums as may be necessary 
        to enable the Commission to carry out its duties and functions, 
        to be derived--
                    (A) in the case of a fiscal year which ends during 
                a Congress during which the Chairman of the Commission 
                is a Member of the House of Representatives, from the 
                applicable accounts of the House of Representatives; 
                and
                    (B) in the case of a fiscal year which ends during 
                a Congress during which the Chairman of the Commission 
                is a Member of the Senate, from the contingent fund of 
                the Senate.
            (2) Disbursements.--Funds provided to the Commission shall 
        be disbursed on vouchers approved jointly by the Chairman and 
        Vice Chairman.
    (b) Official Reception and Representational Expenses.--Not to 
exceed $15,000 of the funds provided to the Commission for any fiscal 
year may be used for official reception and representational expenses 
during such fiscal year.
    (c) Authorization of Foreign Travel for Official Purposes.--Foreign 
travel for official purposes by Commission members and staff may be 
authorized by either the Chairman or the Vice Chairman, subject to the 
Rules of the House of Representatives (other than in the case of travel 
by a Member of the Commission who is a Member of the Senate).
    (d) Use of Foreign Currencies.--For purposes of this section, the 
Commission shall be deemed to be a standing committee of Congress and 
shall be entitled to use funds in accordance with section 502(b) of the 
Mutual Security Act of 1954 (22 U.S.C. 1754(b)).
    (e) Office Facilities.--
            (1) In general.--Funds may be provided for the lease of 
        office space at or near the headquarters of the European 
        Parliament and European Commission in Brussels, Belgium.
            (2) Limitations on funding for office space.--Funds for the 
        lease of office space are subject to approval by the Chairman 
        and Vice Chairman of the Commission, in consultation with the 
        Speaker of the House of Representatives and President pro 
        tempore of the Senate.

SEC. 7. COMMISSION STAFF.

    (a) Staff.--
            (1) Staff director.--The Commission shall have a staff 
        director, who shall be appointed by the Chairman of the 
        Commission and whose pay shall be fixed by the Chairman of the 
        Commission.
            (2) Other staff.--The Chairman of the Commission shall 
        appoint and fix the pay of other personnel of the Commission, 
        subject to the approval of at least 2 of the following Members 
        of the Commission:
                    (A) The Vice Chairman.
                    (B) The senior Member from the minority party of 
                the House of Representatives.
                    (C) The senior Member from the minority party of 
                the Senate.
    (b) Treatment of Employees as House Employees.--For purposes of pay 
and other employment benefits, rights, and privileges, and for all 
other purposes, including the applicability of the Rules of the House 
of Representatives, each employee of the Commission shall be considered 
an employee of the House of Representatives.

SEC. 8. PRINTING AND BINDING COSTS.

    For purposes of costs relating to printing and binding, including 
the costs of personnel detailed from the Government Printing Office, 
the Commission shall be deemed to be a standing committee of Congress.
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