[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 289 Introduced in House (IH)]

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116th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 289

To establish the Commission on Long Term Social Security Solvency, and 
                          for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            January 8, 2019

   Mr. Cole introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Ways and Means, 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

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To establish the Commission on Long Term Social Security Solvency, 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 ``Bipartisan Social Security 
Commission Act of 2019''.

SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT.

    There is established in the legislative branch a commission to be 
known as the ``Commission on Long Term Social Security Solvency'' (in 
this Act referred to as the ``Commission'').

SEC. 3. DUTY OF THE COMMISSION.

    Not later than 1 year after the initial meeting of the Commission, 
the Commission shall transmit to Congress a special message that 
includes recommendations and proposed legislation for achieving 
solvency in each of the Federal Old-Age and Survivors Insurance Trust 
Fund and the Federal Disability Insurance Trust Fund for a period of at 
least 75 years beginning on the date that is 1 year after the initial 
meeting of the Commission. Such message shall be approved by at least 9 
members of the Commission.

SEC. 4. MEMBERS.

    (a) Number and Appointment.--The Commission shall be composed of 13 
members. Of the members of the Commission--
            (1) 1 shall be appointed by the President;
            (2) 3 shall be appointed by the Speaker of the House of 
        Representatives;
            (3) 3 shall be appointed by the Minority Leader of the 
        House of Representatives;
            (4) 3 shall be appointed by the Majority Leader of the 
        Senate; and
            (5) 3 shall be appointed by the Minority Leader of the 
        Senate.
    (b) Qualifications for Congressional Appointees.--Of the members of 
the Commission appointed by the Congress, at least 1 appointed by each 
political party shall be an expert who is not an elected official or an 
officer or employee of the Federal Government or of any State.
    (c) Timing of Appointments.--Each of the appointments made under 
subsection (a) shall be made not later than 45 days after the date of 
the enactment of this Act.
    (d) Terms; Vacancies.--Each member shall be appointed for the life 
of the Commission, and a vacancy in the Commission shall be filled in 
the manner in which the original appointment was made.
    (e) Compensation.--
            (1) In general.--Members of the Commission shall serve 
        without pay.
            (2) Travel expenses.--Each member shall receive travel 
        expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, in 
        accordance with applicable provisions under subchapter I of 
        chapter 57 of title 5, United States Code.

SEC. 5. OPERATION AND POWERS OF THE COMMISSION.

    (a) Chair and Co-Chair.--The member of the Commission appointed by 
the President under section 4(a) shall serve as the chair of the 
Commission. A co-chair of the Commission shall be designated by the 
Speaker of the House of Representatives at the time of the appointment.
    (b) Meetings.--The Commission shall meet not later than 30 days 
after the members of the Commission have been appointed, and at such 
times thereafter as the chair or co-chair shall determine.
    (c) Rules of Procedure.--The chair and co-chair shall, with the 
approval of a majority of the members of the Commission, establish 
written rules of procedure for the Commission, which shall include a 
quorum requirement to conduct the business of the Commission.
    (d) Hearings.--The Commission shall, for the purpose of carrying 
out this Act, hold at least one hearing that is open to the public and 
allows for public comment and participation, and may hold such other 
hearings, sit and act at times and places, take testimony, and receive 
evidence as the Commission considers appropriate.
    (e) Obtaining Official Data.--The Commission may secure directly 
from any department or agency of the United States, including the 
Congressional Budget Office and the Government Accountability Office, 
any information or technical assistance necessary to enable it to carry 
out this Act. Upon request of the chair or co-chair of the Commission, 
the head of that department or agency shall furnish that information or 
technical assistance to the Commission.
    (f) Contract Authority.--The Commission may contract with and 
compensate government and private agencies or persons for any purpose 
necessary to enable it to carry out this Act.
    (g) Mails.--The Commission may use the United States mails in the 
same manner and under the same conditions as other departments and 
agencies of the United States.

SEC. 6. PERSONNEL.

    (a) Director.--The Commission shall have a Director who shall be 
appointed by the Commission. The Director shall be paid at a rate of 
pay equivalent to the annual rate of basic pay for a comparable 
position paid under the Executive Schedule, subject to the approval of 
the chair and the co-chair.
    (b) Staff.--The Director may appoint and fix the pay of additional 
staff as the Director considers appropriate.
    (c) Experts and Consultants.--The Commission may procure temporary 
and intermittent services under section 3109(b) of title 5, United 
States Code, but at rates for individuals not to exceed the daily 
equivalent of the annual rate of basic pay for a comparable position 
paid under the Executive Schedule.
    (d) Staff of Federal Agencies.--Upon request of the Commission, the 
head of any Federal department or agency may detail, without 
reimbursement, any of the personnel of that department or agency to the 
Commission to assist it in carrying out its duties under this Act.
    (e) Administrative Support Services.--Upon the request of the 
Commission, the Administrator of General Services shall provide to the 
Commission, on a reimbursable basis, the administrative support 
services necessary for the Commission to carry out its responsibilities 
under this Act.
    (f) Gifts, Bequests, and Devises.--The Commission may accept, use, 
and dispose of gifts, bequests, or devises of services or property, 
both real and personal, for the purpose of aiding or facilitating the 
work of the Commission. Gifts, bequests, or devises of money and 
proceeds from sales of other property received as gifts, bequests, or 
devises shall be deposited in the Treasury and shall be available for 
disbursement upon order of the Commission.

SEC. 7. TERMINATION.

    The Commission shall terminate not later than 60 days after the 
submission of the report described in section 3.

SEC. 8. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There is authorized to be appropriated not more than $2,000,000 to 
carry out this Act.

SEC. 9. EXPEDITED CONSIDERATION OF COMMISSION RECOMMENDATIONS.

    (a) Expedited Consideration.--
            (1) Introduction of approval bill.--The majority leader of 
        each House or a designee shall (by request) introduce an 
        approval bill as described in subsection (c) not later than the 
        third day of session of that House after the date of receipt of 
        a special message transmitted to the Congress under section 3.
            (2) Consideration in the house of representatives.--
                    (A) Referral and reporting.--Any committee of the 
                House of Representatives to which an approval bill is 
                referred shall report it to the House without amendment 
                not later than the third legislative day after the date 
                of its introduction. If a committee fails to report the 
                bill within that period or the House has adopted a 
                concurrent resolution providing for adjournment sine 
                die at the end of a Congress, such committee shall be 
                automatically discharged from further consideration of 
                the bill and it shall be placed on the appropriate 
                calendar.
                    (B) Proceeding to consideration.--Not later than 3 
                legislative days after the approval bill is reported or 
                a committee has been discharged from further 
                consideration thereof, it shall be in order to move to 
                proceed to consider the approval bill in the House. 
                Such a motion shall be in order only at a time 
                designated by the Speaker in the legislative schedule 
                within two legislative days after the day on which the 
                proponent announces an intention to the House to offer 
                the motion provided that such notice may not be given 
                until the approval bill is reported or a committee has 
                been discharged from further consideration thereof. 
                Such a motion shall not be in order after the House has 
                disposed of a motion to proceed with respect to that 
                special message. The previous question shall be 
                considered as ordered on the motion to its adoption 
                without intervening motion. A motion to reconsider the 
                vote by which the motion is disposed of shall not be in 
                order.
                    (C) Consideration.--If the motion to proceed is 
                agreed to, the House shall immediately proceed to 
                consider the approval bill in the House without 
                intervening motion. The approval bill shall be 
                considered as read. All points of order against the 
                approval bill and against its consideration are waived. 
                The previous question shall be considered as ordered on 
                the approval bill to its passage without intervening 
                motion except 4 hours of debate equally divided and 
                controlled by the proponent and an opponent and one 
                motion to limit debate on the bill. A motion to 
                reconsider the vote on passage of the approval bill 
                shall not be in order.
            (3) Consideration in the senate.--
                    (A) Committee action.--The appropriate committee of 
                the Senate shall report without amendment the approval 
                bill not later than the third session day after 
                introduction. If a committee fails to report the 
                approval bill within that period or the Senate has 
                adopted a concurrent resolution providing for 
                adjournment sine die at the end of a Congress, the 
                committee shall be automatically discharged from 
                further consideration of the approval bill and it shall 
                be placed on the appropriate calendar.
                    (B) Motion to proceed.--Not later than 3 session 
                days after the approval bill is reported in the Senate 
                or the committee has been discharged thereof, it shall 
                be in order for any Senator to move to proceed to 
                consider the approval bill in the Senate. The motion 
                shall be decided without debate and the motion to 
                reconsider shall be deemed to have been laid on the 
                table. Such a motion shall not be in order after the 
                Senate has disposed of a prior motion to proceed with 
                respect to the approval bill.
                    (C) Consideration.--If a motion to proceed to the 
                consideration of the approval bill is agreed to, the 
                Senate shall immediately proceed to consideration of 
                the approval bill without intervening motion, order, or 
                other business, and the approval bill shall remain the 
                unfinished business of the Senate until disposed of. 
                Consideration on the bill in the Senate under this 
                subsection, and all debatable motions and appeals in 
                connection therewith, shall not exceed 30 hours equally 
                divided in the usual form. All points of order against 
                the approval bill or its consideration are waived. 
                Consideration in the Senate on any debatable motion or 
                appeal in connection with the approval bill shall be 
                limited to not more than 1 hour. A motion to postpone, 
                or a motion to proceed to the consideration of other 
                business, or a motion to recommit the approval bill is 
                not in order. A motion to reconsider the vote by which 
                the approval bill is agreed to or disagreed to is not 
                in order.
            (4) Amendments prohibited.--No amendment to, or motion to 
        strike a provision from, an approval bill considered under this 
        section shall be in order in either the Senate or the House of 
        Representatives.
            (5) Coordination with action by other house.--
                    (A) In general.--If, before passing the approval 
                bill, one House receives from the other a bill--
                            (i) the approval bill of the other House 
                        shall not be referred to a committee; and
                            (ii) the procedure in the receiving House 
                        shall be the same as if no approval bill had 
                        been received from the other House until the 
                        vote on passage, when the bill received from 
                        the other House shall supplant the approval 
                        bill of the receiving House.
                    (B) Exception.--This paragraph shall not apply to 
                the House of Representatives.
    (b) Limitation.--Subsection (a) shall apply only to an approval 
bill described in subsection (c) and introduced pursuant to subsection 
(a)(1).
    (c) Approval Bill Described.--For purposes of subsection (a), a 
bill described in this paragraph is a bill--
            (1) which consists of the proposed legislation which is 
        included in such report to carry out the recommendations made 
        by the Commission in the report; and
            (2) the title of which is as follows: ``A bill to carry out 
        the recommendations of the Commission on Long Term Social 
        Security Solvency.''.
    (d) Extended Time Period.--If Congress adjourns at the end of a 
Congress and an approval bill was then pending in either House of 
Congress or a committee thereof, or an approval bill had not yet been 
introduced with respect to a special message, then within the first 3 
days of session of the next Congress, the Commission shall transmit to 
Congress an additional special message containing all of the 
information in the previous, pending special message. An approval bill 
may be introduced within the first five days of session of such next 
Congress and shall be treated as an approval bill under this section, 
and the time periods described in paragraphs (2) and (3) of subsection 
(a) shall commence on the day of introduction of that approval bill.
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