[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 3061 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

<DOC>






114th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 3061

To establish a national commission on fiscal responsibility and reform.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             June 15, 2016

  Mr. Manchin (for himself, Mr. Kirk, and Mr. Perdue) introduced the 
 following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on 
               Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To establish a national commission on fiscal responsibility and reform.

    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 ``Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2016'' 
or the ``FIRE Act''.

SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF COMMISSION.

    (a) Establishment.--Not later than 180 days after each inauguration 
of a President, there shall be established within the legislative 
branch a commission to be known as the National Commission on Fiscal 
Responsibility and Reform (referred to in this section as the 
``Commission'').
    (b) Membership.--A Commission established under subsection (a) 
shall be composed of 18 members of whom--
            (1) six members shall be appointed by the President, of 
        whom not more than 4 shall be from the same political party;
            (2) three members shall be appointed by the Majority Leader 
        of the Senate, from among current Members of the Senate;
            (3) three members shall be appointed by the Speaker of the 
        House of Representatives, from among current Members of the 
        House of Representatives;
            (4) three members shall be appointed by the Minority Leader 
        of the Senate, from among current Members of the Senate; and
            (5) three members shall be appointed by the Minority Leader 
        of the House of Representatives, from among current Members of 
        the House of Representatives.
    (c) Co-Chairpersons.--From among the members appointed under 
paragraph (1), the President shall designate 2 members, who shall not 
be of the same political party, to serve as Co-Chairpersons of the 
Commission.
    (d) Qualifications.--Members appointed to each Commission 
established under subsection (a) shall have significant depth of 
experience and responsibilities in matters relating to government 
service, fiscal policy, economics, Federal agency or private sector 
management, public administration, and law.
    (e) Duties.--
            (1) In general.--Each Commission established under 
        subsection (a) shall identify policies to improve the fiscal 
        situation in the medium term and to achieve fiscal 
        sustainability over the long term.
            (2) Requirements.--In carrying out paragraph (1), each 
        Commission shall--
                    (A) propose recommendations designed to balance the 
                budget, excluding interest payments on the debt, by the 
                end of the 10-year period beginning on the date on 
                which the Commission is established, in order to 
                stabilize the debt-to-GDP ratio at an acceptable level; 
                and
                    (B) propose recommendations that meaningfully 
                improve the long-term fiscal outlook, including changes 
                to address the growth of entitlement spending and the 
                gap between the projected revenues and expenditures of 
                the Federal Government.
    (f) Reports.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the date on 
        which members are appointed under subsection (a) to a 
        Commission, the Commission shall vote on the approval of a 
        final report containing the recommendations required under 
        subsection (e).
            (2) Approval of report.--Each Commission may only issue a 
        final report if the final report is approved by not less than 
        12 members of the Commission.
            (3) Submission of report to congress.--A final report 
        approved under this subsection shall be submitted to Congress 
        and made available to the public.
    (g) Powers of the Commission.--
            (1) Hearings.--Each Commission may hold such hearings, sit 
        and act at such times and places, take such testimony, and 
        receive such evidence as the Commission considers advisable to 
        carry out the duties of the Commission described in subsection 
        (e).
            (2) Information from federal agencies.--Each Commission may 
        secure directly from any Federal department or agency such 
        information as the Commission considers necessary to carry out 
        the duties of the Commission described in subsection (e). Upon 
        request from the Co-Chairpersons of a Commission, the head of a 
        department or agency shall provide the information requested to 
        the Commission.
            (3) Postal services.--Each Commission may use the United 
        States mails in the same manner and under the same conditions 
        as other departments and agencies of the Federal Government.
            (4) Website.--Each Commission shall establish a website 
        that shall contain--
                    (A) the recommendations required under subsection 
                (e); and
                    (B) the records of attendance of the members of the 
                Commission for each meeting of the Commission.
    (h) GAO Assistance.--The Comptroller General of the United States 
shall provide technical assistance to each Commission, as each 
Commission conducts the work of the Commission, on the findings and 
recommendations of the Government Accountability Office.
    (i) CBO Assistance.--The Director of the Congressional Budget 
Office shall provide technical assistance to each Commission, as each 
Commission conducts the work of the Commission, on the findings and 
recommendations of the Congressional Budget Office.
    (j) Personnel Matters.--
            (1) In general.--Members of each Commission shall serve 
        without any additional compensation.
            (2) Travel expenses.--Members of each Commission shall be 
        allows travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of 
        subsistence, as rates authorized for employees of agencies 
        under subchapter I of chapter 57 of title 5, United States 
        Code, while away from their homes or regular places of business 
        in the performance of services for the Commission.
            (3) Staff.--
                    (A) In general.--The Co-Chairpersons of each 
                Commission, may without regard to the civil service 
                laws and regulations, appoint and terminate an 
                executive director and such other additional personnel 
                as may be necessary to enable the Commission to perform 
                its duties. The employment of an executive director 
                shall be subject to confirmation by the Commission.
                    (B) Compensation.--The Co-Chairpersons of each 
                Commission may fix the compensation of the executive 
                director and other personnel without regard to the 
                provisions of chapter 51 and subchapter III of chapter 
                53 of title 5, United States Code, relating to the 
                classification of positions and General Schedule pay 
                rates, except that the rate of pay for the executive 
                director and other personnel may not exceed the rate 
                payable for level V of the Executive Schedule under 
                section 5613 of such title.
            (4) Detail of government employees.--Any Federal Government 
        employee may be detailed to a Commission established under 
        subsection (a) without reimbursement, and such detail shall be 
        without interruption or loss of civil service status or 
        privilege.
            (5) Procurement of temporary and intermittent services.--
        The Co-Chairpersons of each Commission may procure temporary 
        and intermittent services under section 3109(b) of title 5, 
        United States Code, at rates for individuals which do not 
        exceed the daily equivalent of the annual rate of basic pay 
        prescribed for level V of the Executive Schedule under section 
        5316 of such title.
    (k) Termination of the Commission.--Each Commission established 
under subsection (a) shall terminate 30 days after the date on which 
the Commission submits the final report of the Commission under 
subsection (f).
    (l) Rules of Construction.--Nothing in this Act shall be construed 
to--
            (1) impair or otherwise affect--
                    (A) authority granted by law to an executive 
                department, agency, or the head thereof; or
                    (B) functions of the Director of the Office of 
                Management and Budget relating to budgetary, 
                administrative, or legislative proposals; or
            (2) create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, 
        enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United 
        States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, 
        employees, or agents, or any other person.
    (m) Authorization of Appropriations.--
            (1) In general.--There are authorized to be appropriated to 
        each Commission established under this Act such sums as may be 
        necessary to carry out this Act.
            (2) Availability.--Any sums appropriated under paragraph 
        (1) shall remain available, without fiscal year limitation, 
        until expended.

SEC. 3. CONSIDERATION OF COMMISSION RECOMMENDATIONS.

    (a) Definitions.--In this section--
            (1) the term ``Commission report'' means a final report 
        submitted to Congress under section 2(f)(3); and
            (2) the term ``joint resolution'' means a joint resolution 
        that contains legislative text necessary to implement the 
        recommendations contained in the Commission report.
    (b) Submission of Proposed Joint Resolution.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the date on 
        which a Commission report is submitted under section 2(f)(3), 
        the President shall transmit to Congress a special message 
        accompanied by a proposed joint resolution.
            (2) Requirements for preparation of proposed joint 
        resolution.--
                    (A) Consultation with congress.--
                            (i) In general.--The President may not 
                        transmit a proposed joint resolution under 
                        paragraph (1) until after the President 
                        completes consultation with Congress in 
                        accordance with this subparagraph.
                            (ii) Consultation with committees.--The 
                        President shall consult with the chairman and 
                        ranking minority member of each relevant 
                        committee of the Senate or of the House of 
                        Representatives regarding the contents of a 
                        proposed joint resolution.
                            (iii) Requirements for consultation.--The 
                        consultation required under clause (ii) shall 
                        provide the opportunity for the chairman and 
                        ranking member of each relevant committee of 
                        the Senate or of the House of Representatives 
                        to provide--
                                    (I) substantive feedback or 
                                recommendations relating to the 
                                Commission report and how best to 
                                legislatively address the 
                                recommendations contained in the 
                                Commission report;
                                    (II) recommendations for 
                                alternative means of addressing the 
                                recommendations contained in the 
                                Commission report; and
                                    (III) recommendations regarding 
                                which recommendations contained in the 
                                Commission report should not be 
                                addressed in the proposed joint 
                                resolution.
                            (iv) Relevant committees.--The relevant 
                        committees of the Senate and the House of 
                        Representatives for purposes of this 
                        subparagraph shall be--
                                    (I) determined by the President; 
                                and
                                    (II) based on the content of the 
                                proposed joint resolution.
                    (B) Consultation with gao and cbo.--The President 
                shall prepare a proposed joint resolution transmitted 
                under paragraph (1) in consultation with the 
                Comptroller General of the United States and the 
                Director of the Congressional Budget Office.
            (3) Contents of special message.--A special message 
        transmitted under paragraph (1) shall--
                    (A) specify recommendations outlined in the 
                Commission report that are excluded from the proposed 
                joint resolution;
                    (B) detail why the recommendations described in 
                subparagraph (A) were excluded from the proposed joint 
                resolution;
                    (C) specify recommendations outlined in the 
                Commission report that are included in the proposed 
                joint resolution; and
                    (D) identify programs included in the Commission 
                report that should be eliminated or consolidated.
            (4) Transmittal.--The President shall submit the special 
        message to the Secretary of the Senate if the Senate is not in 
        session and to the Clerk of the House of Representatives if the 
        House is not in session.
            (5) Public availability.--The President shall make a copy 
        of the special message and the proposed joint resolution 
        publicly available, and shall publish in the Federal Register a 
        notice of the message and information on how it can be 
        obtained.
    (c) Introduction by Leaders.--
            (1) In the house of representatives.--
                    (A) In general.--Not later than 30 days on which 
                the House of Representatives is in session after the 
                date on which the President transmits a proposed joint 
                resolution under subsection (b), the proposed joint 
                resolution shall be introduced in the House of 
                Representatives (by request) by the majority leader of 
                the House of Representatives or by a Member of the 
                House of Representatives designated by the majority 
                leader of the House of Representatives.
                    (B) Joint resolution not introduced.--
                            (i) In general.--If, within 31 days on 
                        which the House of Representatives is in 
                        session after the date on which the President 
                        transmits a proposed joint resolution under 
                        subsection (b), the proposed joint resolution 
                        is not introduced in accordance with 
                        subparagraph (A), it shall be in order for the 
                        minority leader of the House of Representatives 
                        or a Member of the House of Representatives 
                        designated by the minority leader of the House 
                        of Representatives to introduce the proposed 
                        joint resolution.
                            (ii) Joint resolution introduction by 
                        others.--If, within 40 days on which the House 
                        of Representatives is in session after the date 
                        on which the President transmits a proposed 
                        joint resolution under subsection (b), the 
                        proposed joint resolution is not introduced in 
                        accordance with subparagraph (A) or clause (i) 
                        of this subparagraph, it shall be in order for 
                        any member of the House of Representatives to 
                        introduce the proposed joint resolution in the 
                        House of Representatives.
            (2) In the senate.--
                    (A) In general.--Not later than 30 days on which 
                the Senate is in session after the date on which the 
                President transmits a proposed joint resolution under 
                subsection (b), the proposed joint resolution shall be 
                introduced in the Senate (by request) by the majority 
                leader of the Senate or by a Member of the Senate 
                designated by the majority leader of the Senate.
                    (B) Joint resolution not introduced.--
                            (i) In general.--If, within 31 days on 
                        which the Senate is in session after the date 
                        on which the President transmits a proposed 
                        joint resolution under subsection (b), the 
                        proposed joint resolution is not introduced in 
                        accordance with subparagraph (A), it shall be 
                        in order for the minority leader of the Senate 
                        or a Member of the Senate designated by the 
                        minority leader of the Senate to introduce the 
                        proposed joint resolution.
                            (ii) Joint resolution introduction by 
                        others.--If, within 40 days on which the Senate 
                        is in session after the date on which the 
                        President transmits a proposed joint resolution 
                        under subsection (b), the proposed joint 
                        resolution is not introduced in accordance with 
                        subparagraph (A) or clause (i) of this 
                        subparagraph, it shall be in order for any 
                        member of the Senate to introduce the proposed 
                        joint resolution.
                                 <all>