[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8604 Introduced in House (IH)]

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117th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 8604

To establish the Free City Commission to examine the effects of liberal 
     Government policy on American cities, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 29, 2022

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

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To establish the Free City Commission to examine the effects of liberal 
     Government policy on American cities, 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 ``Free City Commission Act''.

SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT AND PURPOSE OF COMMISSION.

    (a) Establishment.--There is established in the legislative branch 
a commission to be known as the ``Free City Commission'' (referred to 
in this Act as the ``Commission'').
    (b) Purpose.--The purpose of the Commission is to study the effects 
of progressive governance on cities within the United States over the 
last 75 years.

SEC. 3. COMPOSITION OF COMMISSION.

    (a) Members.--
            (1) Appointment.--The Commission shall be composed of 20 
        members, to be appointed not later than 30 days after the date 
        of enactment of this Act, of whom--
                    (A) 5 members shall be appointed by the majority 
                leader of the Senate;
                    (B) 5 members shall be appointed by the minority 
                leader of the Senate;
                    (C) 5 members shall be appointed by the Speaker of 
                the House of Representatives; and
                    (D) 5 members shall be appointed by the minority 
                leader of the House of Representatives.
            (2) Qualifications.--Members appointed under subsection (a) 
        shall consist of individuals with expertise in any of the 
        issues described in paragraphs (1) through (10) of section 6.
            (3) Limitation.--An individual appointed to the Commission 
        may not be an officer or employee of the Federal Government.
            (4) Chair, vice chair, and meetings.--Not later than 30 
        days after the date on which a simple majority of the members 
        of the Commission are appointed under paragraph (1), such 
        members shall meet to elect a chair and vice chair from among 
        such members and shall determine a schedule of Commission 
        meetings.
    (b) Initial Meeting.--The Commission shall meet and begin the 
operations of the Commission not later than 30 days after the 
appointment of a simple majority of members of the Commission.
    (c) Quorum and Vacancy.--
            (1) Quorum.--A simple majority of the members of the 
        Commission shall constitute a quorum, but a lesser number of 
        members may hold hearings.
            (2) Vacancy.--Any vacancy in the Commission shall not 
        affect its powers and shall be filled in the same manner in 
        which the original appointment was made.

SEC. 4. DUTIES OF COMMISSION.

    The Commission shall, with respect to cities in the United States 
during the 75-year period preceding the date of enactment of this Act--
            (1) examine the causal link between permissive drug 
        policies and the increase in drug violence and drug usage;
            (2) examine the effects of a lack of educational 
        opportunities;
            (3) evaluate the success of law enforcement tactics in 
        preventing violence and protecting civilians;
            (4) examine the prevalence of abortion in minority 
        communities;
            (5) examine the failures of public schools in urban 
        environments;
            (6) evaluate the success of opportunity zones;
            (7) the link between home ownership and community 
        stability;
            (8) investigate mental health;
            (9) study signs of civic engagement like voting and 
        parental involvement in schools;
            (10) investigate public health markers like chronic disease 
        and sexual health;
            (11) rates of religious affiliation, participation, and 
        belief in these communities; and
            (12) not later than 18 months after the date of enactment 
        of this Act, submit a report on the findings under paragraphs 
        (1) through (11) to the individuals described in section 
        6(b)(2).

SEC. 5. POWERS OF COMMISSION.

    (a) Hearings.--The Commission may hold such hearings, meet and act 
at such times and places, and receive such evidence as may be necessary 
to carry out the functions of the Commission.
    (b) Information From Federal Agencies.--
            (1) In general.--The Commission may access, to the extent 
        authorized by law, from any executive department, bureau, 
        agency, board, commission, office, independent establishment, 
        or instrumentality of the Federal Government such information, 
        suggestions, estimates, and statistics as the Commission 
        considers necessary to carry out this Act.
            (2) Provision of information.--On written request of the 
        chair of the Commission, each department, bureau, agency, 
        board, commission, office, independent establishment, or 
        instrumentality shall, to the extent authorized by law, provide 
        the requested information to the Commission.
            (3) Receipt, handling, storage, and dissemination.--
        Information shall only be received, handled, stored, and 
        disseminated by members of the Commission and its staff 
        consistent with all applicable statutes, regulations, and 
        Executive orders.
    (c) Assistance From Federal Agencies.--
            (1) General services administration.--On request of the 
        chair of the Commission, the Administrator of General Services 
        shall provide to the Commission, on a reimbursable basis, 
        administrative support and other assistance necessary for the 
        Commission to carry out its duties.
            (2) Other departments and agencies.--In addition to the 
        assistance provided for under paragraph (1), departments and 
        agencies of the United States may provide to the Commission 
        such assistance as they may determine advisable and as 
        authorized by law.
    (d) Contracting.--The Commission may enter into contracts to enable 
the Commission to discharge its duties under this Act.
    (e) Donations.--The Commission may accept, use, and dispose of 
donations of services or property.
    (f) Postal Services.--The Commission may use the United States 
mails in the same manner and under the same conditions as a department 
or agency of the United States.

SEC. 6. STAFF OF COMMISSION.

    (a) In General.--The chair of the Commission, in consultation with 
the vice chair, 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, in accordance with the provisions of title 5, United States 
Code, 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) Staff of Federal Agencies.--Upon request of the chair of the 
Commission, the head of any executive department, bureau, agency, 
board, commission, office, independent establishment, or 
instrumentality of the Federal Government may detail, without 
reimbursement, any of its personnel to the Commission to assist it in 
carrying out its duties under this Act. Any detail of an employee shall 
be without interruption or loss of civil service status or privilege.
    (c) Consultant Services.--The Commission 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.

SEC. 7. TRAVEL EXPENSES.

    Each member of the Commission shall serve without compensation, but 
shall receive travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of 
subsistence, in accordance with applicable provisions in the same 
manner as persons employed intermittently in the Government service are 
allowed expenses under section 5703 of title 5, United States Code.

SEC. 8. FEDERAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE ACT APPLICABILITY.

    The provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act shall apply to 
the Commission, including the staff of the Commission.

SEC. 9. REPORTS OF COMMISSION; TERMINATION.

    (a) Other Reports and Information.--
            (1) Reports.--The Commission may issue additional reports 
        as the Commission determines necessary.
            (2) Information.--The Commission may hold public hearings 
        to collect information and shall make such information 
        available for use by the public.
    (b) Final Report.--
            (1) In general.--The Commission shall, not later than 18 
        months after the date of its first meeting, submit to the 
        individuals described in paragraph (2) a final report 
        containing specific findings, conclusions, and recommendations 
        required under this Act as have been agreed to by a majority of 
        Commission members.
            (2) Individuals.--The individuals described in this 
        paragraph are the President, the Secretary of Health and Human 
        Services, the Attorney General, the Speaker of the House of 
        Representatives, the minority leader of the House of 
        Representatives, the majority leader of the Senate, and the 
        minority leader of the Senate.
    (c) Termination.--
            (1) In general.--The Commission, and all the authorities of 
        this Act, shall terminate on the date that is 2 years after the 
        date of enactment of this Act.
            (2) Records.--Not later than the date of termination of the 
        Commission under paragraph (1), all records and papers of the 
        Commission shall be delivered to the Archivist of the United 
        States for deposit in the National Archives.
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