Establishment of Afghanistan-Pakistan Study Group

(a)

Establishment

There is established in the legislative branch the Afghanistan-Pakistan Study Group (in this Act referred to as the Group). (b)

Sense of Congress

It is the sense of Congress that, to the maximum extent practicable, the Group should be modeled on the Iraq Study Group.

Composition of Group

(a)

Members

The Group shall be composed of 10 members, of whom— (1)1 member shall be appointed by the President, who shall serve as a co-chair of the Group; (2)1 member shall be appointed by the leader of the Senate (majority or minority leader, as the case may be) of the Republican Party, in consultation with the leader of the House of Representatives (majority or minority leader, as the case may be) of the Republican Party, who shall serve as a co-chair of the Group; (3)2 members shall be appointed by the senior member of the Senate leadership of the Democratic Party; (4)2 members shall be appointed by the senior member of the leadership of the House of Representatives of the Republican Party; (5)2 members shall be appointed by the senior member of the Senate leadership of the Republican Party; and (6)2 members shall be appointed by the senior member of the leadership of the House of Representatives of the Democratic Party. (b)

Qualifications; other membership requirements

(1)

Political party affiliation

Not more than 5 members of the Group shall be from the same political party. An individual appointed to the Group may not be a full-time officer or employee of the Federal Government. (2)

Sense of congress

It is the sense of Congress that individuals appointed to the Group should be prominent United States citizens, with national recognition and significant depth of experience in such professions as diplomacy, the armed services, governmental service, law, intelligence gathering, and foreign affairs. (c)

Deadline for appointment

All members of the Group shall be appointed not later than 30 days after the date of the enactment of this Act. (d)

Vacancies

Any vacancy in the Group shall not affect its powers, but shall be filled in the same manner in which the original appointment was made. (e)

Compensation

(1)

Prohibition on basic pay

Members of the Group shall serve without pay in connection with their service for the Group. (2)

Travel expenses

While away from their homes or regular places of business in the performance of services for the Group, members of the Group shall be allowed travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, in the same manner as persons employed intermittently in the Government service are allowed expenses under section 5703(b) of title 5, United States Code. (f)

Initial meeting

The Group shall meet and begin the operations of the Group as soon as practicable after the date of the enactment of this Act. (g)

Quorum

After its initial meeting, the Group shall meet upon the call of the co-chairs of the Group or a majority of the members of the Group. Six members of the Group shall constitute a quorum.

Duties

(a)

In general

The Group shall conduct a forward-looking, independent assessment of the current and prospective situation on the ground in Afghanistan and Pakistan, its impact on the surrounding region, and its consequences for United States interests. The Group shall examine four broad topic areas to include the strategic environment in and around Afghanistan and Pakistan, as well as security, political, and economic and reconstruction developments in those two countries. (b)

Report

Not later than 120 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Group shall submit to the President and Congress a report on the assessment conducted under this subsection, including relevant policy recommendations relating thereto.

Powers of Group

(a)

Rules of procedure

The Group may establish rules for the conduct of the Group’s business, if such rules are not inconsistent with this Act or other applicable law. (b)

Hearings and evidence

The Group or, on the authority of the Group, any subcommittee or member thereof, may, for the purpose of carrying out this Act— (1)hold such hearings and sit and act at such times and places, take such testimony, and receive such evidence; and (2)require the attendance and testimony of such witnesses and the production of such books, records, correspondence, memoranda, papers, and documents, as the Group or such designated subcommittee or designated member may determine advisable. (c)

Contracting

The Group may, to such extent and in such amounts as are provided in appropriation Acts, enter into contracts to enable the Group to discharge its duties under this Act. (d)

Information from federal agencies

(1)

In general

The Group is authorized to secure directly from any executive department, bureau, agency, board, commission, office, independent establishment, or instrumentality of the Government, information, suggestions, estimates, and statistics for the purposes of this Act. Each department, bureau, agency, board, commission, office, independent establishment, or instrumentality shall, to the extent authorized by law, furnish such information, suggestions, estimates, and statistics directly to the Group, upon request made by the co-chairs, the chairman of any subcommittee created by a majority of the Group, or any member designated by a majority of the Group. (2)

Receipt, handling, storage, and dissemination

Information shall only be received, handled, stored, and disseminated by members of the Group and its staff consistent with all applicable statutes, regulations, and Executive orders. (e)

Assistance from federal agencies

(1)

General services administration

The Administrator of General Services shall provide to the Group on a reimbursable basis administrative support and other services for the performance of the Group’s duties. (2)

Other departments and agencies

In addition to the assistance prescribed in paragraph (1), departments and agencies of the United States may provide to the Group such services, funds, facilities, and other support services as they may determine advisable and as may be authorized by law. (f)

Gifts

The Group may accept, use, and dispose of gifts or donations of services or property for the purpose of facilitating the work of the Group. (g)

Postal services

The Group may use the United States mails in the same manner and under the same conditions as departments and agencies of the United States.

Staff of Group

(a)

Appointment and compensation

The co-chairs, in accordance with rules agreed upon by the Group, may appoint and fix the compensation of a staff director and such other personnel as may be necessary to enable the Group to carry out its duties, without regard to the provisions of title 5, United States Code, governing appointments in the competitive service, and without regard to the provisions of chapter 51 and subchapter III of chapter 53 of such title relating to classification and General Schedule pay rates, 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)

Prohibition on personnel as federal employees

The positions of staff director and other personnel of the Group described in subsection (a) may not be filled by individuals who are Federal Government employees. (c)

Expert and consultant services

The Group is authorized to 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 title 5, United States Code. (d)

Volunteer services

Notwithstanding section 1342 of title 31, United States Code, the Group may accept and use voluntary and uncompensated services as the Group determines necessary.

Termination

(a)

In general

The Group, and all the authorities of this Act, shall terminate 60 days after the date on which the report is submitted under section 3(b). (b)

Administrative activities before termination

The Group may use the 60-day period referred to in paragraph (1) for the purpose of concluding its activities, including providing testimony to committees of Congress concerning its report and disseminating the report.

Funding

(a)

Transfer of funds from Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs

Of the amounts made available under the heading Administration of Foreign Affairs, Diplomatic and Consular Programs for the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs for fiscal year 2011, $1,000,000 shall be available for transfer to the Group for purposes of carrying out this Act. (b)

Prohibition on additional funds

No additional funds are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this Act.