[Congressional Bills 112th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6505 Introduced in House (IH)]

112th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 6505

To provide for the establishment of a Commission on the Advancement of 
                           Social Enterprise.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           September 21, 2012

Mr. Cicilline introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
              Committee on Oversight and Government Reform

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To provide for the establishment of a Commission on the Advancement of 
                           Social Enterprise.

    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 ``Social Enterprise Ecosystem and 
Economic Development Commission Act of 2012'' or as the ``SEEED 
Commission Act of 2012''.

SEC. 2. COMMISSION ON THE ADVANCEMENT OF SOCIAL ENTERPRISE.

    (a) Establishment.--There is established a commission to be known 
as the Commission on the Advancement of Social Enterprise (referred to 
in this section as the ``Commission''). The purpose of the commission 
is to examine and make recommendations with respect to ways the Federal 
Government can support and utilize the transformative power of social 
enterprises.
    (b) Federal Advisory Committee Act.--The Federal Advisory Committee 
Act does not apply to the Commission established under this subsection.
    (c) Membership.--The membership of the Commission shall be composed 
of the following or their designees:
            (1) The Administrator of the Small Business Administration.
            (2) The Administrator of the Economic Development 
        Administration.
            (3) The Director of the Office of Social Innovation and 
        Civic Participation.
            (4) The Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation for 
        National and Community Service.
            (5) The Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy.
            (6) The Director of the Office of Management and Budget.
            (7) The Commissioner of Internal Revenue.
            (8) The Secretary of Labor.
            (9) The Director of the Census.
            (10) The Director of the National Economic Council.
            (11) The Attorney General.
            (12) The Secretary of State.
            (13) The Secretary of Education.
            (14) The Secretary of the Treasury.
            (15) The Secretary of Health and Human Services.
            (16) The Commissioner of Social Security.
            (17) The Secretary of Agriculture.
            (18) The Secretary of Commerce.
            (19) The Secretary of Housing and Urban Development.
            (20) The Chair of the Council of Economic Advisors.
            (21) The Administrator of the General Services 
        Administration.
    (d) Operation.--
            (1) Chairperson.--The Director of the Office of Social 
        Innovation and Civic Participation shall serve as the 
        Chairperson of the Commission.
            (2) Meetings.--
                    (A) In general.--The Commission shall meet at the 
                call of the Chairperson.
                    (B) Initial meeting.--The initial meeting shall 
                take place not later than 30 days after the date of 
                enactment of this Act.
            (3) Quorum.--A majority of the members of the Commission 
        shall constitute a quorum, but a lesser number of members may 
        hold hearings.
            (4) Rules.--The Commission may establish, by majority vote, 
        any rules for the conduct of Commission business, in accordance 
        with this Act and other applicable law.
    (e) Duties.--
            (1) Defining social enterprise.--Not later than 1 year 
        after the initial meeting of the Commission, the Commission 
        shall establish criteria for identifying social enterprises for 
        purposes of Federal programs. The Commission will draw upon 
        existing leading research and scholarship in this area as well 
        as the input of practitioners and policy experts within the 
        social enterprise field.
            (2) Study activities.--
                    (A) In general.--The Commission shall identify 
                opportunities for the Federal Government to more 
                effectively engage social enterprises in creating jobs 
                and strengthening local economies while achieving 
                optimal outcomes in addressing policy challenges at the 
                national, state, and local level. The Commission shall 
                receive and consider reports and testimony from 
                individuals, government departments, State and local 
                elected officials, community-based organizations, 
                nonprofit organizations, faith-based organizations, 
                foundations, and other public and private organizations 
                statewide and of national significance on the 
                following:
                            (i) How social enterprise can accelerate 
                        progress on social issues.
                            (ii) How social enterprises work in a 
                        cross-sector manner.
                            (iii) How social enterprise can advance 
                        social and economic development goals.
                    (B) Areas of study and recommendation.--The areas 
                studied and potential recommendations offered by the 
                Commission under this paragraph shall include the 
                following:
                            (i) The role of social enterprises in the 
                        United States economy.
                            (ii) The role of social enterprises in 
                        addressing economic, social, and environmental 
                        policy challenges across all levels of 
                        government.
                            (iii) The role of social enterprises as 
                        community support and development entities.
                            (iv) A statistical and qualitative 
                        examination of social enterprise within the 
                        United States and its contribution to the 
                        social and economic development of the United 
                        States.
                            (v) Means through which the Federal 
                        Government can assist in enhancing the capacity 
                        of social enterprises.
                            (vi) Corporate legal structures that foster 
                        or impede the development of social 
                        enterprises.
                            (vii) How to reform the Internal Revenue 
                        Code to reduce obstacles that social 
                        enterprises face when addressing social issues 
                        and creating economic value through innovative 
                        methods.
                            (viii) How to reform Federal securities 
                        laws to encourage impact investing.
                            (ix) How the Federal Government can 
                        leverage existing Community Development 
                        Financial Institutions programs.
                            (x) How various sectors (including but not 
                        limited to philanthropic, for-profit, and non-
                        profit sectors) and levels of government 
                        currently interact with social enterprises.
                            (xi) Review of the current process through 
                        which social enterprises--both for-profit and 
                        nonprofit organizations--can obtain Federal 
                        loans, grants, and contracts and offer 
                        recommendations for improving these processes 
                        in light of the special needs and contributions 
                        of social enterprises.
                            (xii) Review of the current process, 
                        policies, and procedures through which social 
                        enterprises--both for-profit and nonprofit 
                        organizations--can access Federal contracting 
                        opportunities and offer recommendations for 
                        improving the access of social enterprises to 
                        Federal procurement opportunities.
                            (xiii) How the Federal Government can play 
                        a role in developing a purchasing directory of 
                        social enterprises within the United States 
                        that can be supported by citizens, businesses, 
                        and government.
                            (xiv) Opportunities for the Federal 
                        Government to develop and expand research and 
                        the collection and analysis of longitudinal 
                        data on social enterprises.
                            (xv) Barriers to social enterprise growth.
                            (xvi) Opportunities for the development of 
                        an entity or initiative to support 
                        intermediaries that will promote and invest in 
                        social enterprise.
                            (xvii) Identification of the appropriate 
                        entity within the Federal Government that shall 
                        be charged with the responsibility of preparing 
                        an annual report to Congress on the impact of 
                        social enterprises in the United States and the 
                        extent to which the Federal Government 
                        interacts with, supports, and invests in social 
                        enterprises. And, where appropriate, this 
                        entity shall monitor and update the areas of 
                        study listed in this subparagraph.
    (f) Powers of the Commission.--
            (1) The Commission may hold such hearings and collect such 
        information as appropriate for carrying out this section.
            (2) Except as otherwise prohibited by law, the Commission 
        may secure directly from any Federal department or agency 
        information the Commission considers necessary to carry out 
        this section. Upon the request of the Commission, the head of 
        the any Federal agency shall furnish information requested 
        under this paragraph to the Commission.
            (3) The Commission may enter into contracts for research to 
        inform the deliberations of the Commission.
            (4) The Commission may use the United States mails in the 
        same manner and under the same conditions as other agencies of 
        the Federal Government.
    (g) Commission Personnel Matters.--
            (1) Travel expenses.--A member of the Commission shall be 
        allowed travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of 
        subsistence, at rates authorized for an employee of an agency 
        under subchapter I of chapter 57 of title 5, United States 
        Code, while away from the home or regular place of business of 
        the member in the performance of the duties of the Commission.
            (2) Detail of federal employees.--On the affirmative vote 
        of \2/3\ of the members of the Commission and the approval of 
        the appropriate Federal agency head, an employee of the Federal 
        Government at GS-13 level or higher may be detailed to the 
        Commission without reimbursement, and such detail shall be 
        without interruption or loss of civil service status, benefits, 
        or privileges.
            (3) Staff.--
                    (A) In general.--
                            (i) Appointment and compensation.--The 
                        chairperson, in accordance with rules agreed 
                        upon by the Commission, may appoint and fix the 
                        compensation of a staff director and such other 
                        personnel as may be necessary to enable the 
                        Commission to carry out its functions, 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.
                            (ii) Personnel as federal employees.--
                                    (I) In general.--Any personnel of 
                                the Commission who are employees shall 
                                be employees under section 2105 of 
                                title 5, United States Code, for 
                                purposes of chapters 63, 81, 83, 84, 
                                85, 87, 89, and 90 of that title.
                                    (II) Members of the commission.--
                                Subparagraph (I) shall not be construed 
                                to apply to members of the Commission.
                    (B) Volunteer services.--Notwithstanding section 
                1342 of title 31, United States Code, the Commission 
                may accept and use voluntary and uncompensated services 
                as the Commission determines necessary.
            (4) Procurement of temporary and intermittent services.--On 
        request of the Commission, the Attorney General shall provide 
        to the Commission, on a reimbursable basis, reasonable and 
        appropriate office space, supplies, and administrative 
        assistance.
    (h) Contracts for Research.--
            (1) Researchers and experts.--On an affirmative vote of \2/
        3\ of the members of the Commission, the Commission may select 
        nongovernmental researchers and experts to assist the 
        Commission in carrying out the duties of the Commission under 
        this section.
            (2) Other organizations.--Nothing in this subsection limits 
        the ability of the Commission to enter into contracts with any 
        other entity or organization to carry out research necessary to 
        carry out the duties of the Commission under this section.
    (i) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the Commission establishes 
criteria by which to identify social enterprise, the Commission shall 
submit to the President and Congress a report on the Commission's 
findings, conclusions, and recommendations. The report shall identify 
the Federal programs recommended and shall include--
            (1) reports on all matters studied as described in 
        subsection (b); and
            (2) how existing Federal Government programs can be 
        expanded to take advantage of the social and economic benefits 
        of social enterprises.
    (j) Termination.--The Commission shall terminate 90 days after the 
date on which the Commission submits the report of the Commission under 
subsection (i).
    (k) Availability of Appropriations.--Funds appropriated to the 
Commission shall be available for the duration of the Commission.
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