[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 85 (Tuesday, June 11, 1996)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6084-S6085]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. DOLE:
  S. 1857. A bill to establish a bipartisan commission on campaign 
practices and provide that its recommendations be given expedited 
consideration; to the Committee on Rules and Administration.


        the bipartisan campaign practices commission act of 1996

  Mr. DOLE. Mr. President, as I prepare to leave an institution in 
which I have served for over 35 years, I am mindful that in many ways 
the public has lost confidence in the ability of legislators to 
represent their interests, not special interests.
  We should not allow this to continue. Representative Democracy, 
founded on fair and competitive elections, is at the core of what makes 
America great. Yet, concern over how we finance elections threatens to 
erode the trust the American people have in our elected officials.
  As my colleagues know, Congress has tried repeatedly to grapple with 
this issue and largely failed. However, I continue to believe that the 
very nature of the problem makes it difficult to resolve in the normal 
give and take of the legislative process.
  In 1990, for example, Senator Mitchell and I appointed a six-member 
commission of outside experts to look at this issue and report back to 
us, but the report was unfortunately ignored by Congress.
  I suggested in 1994 and repeatedly since then that a similar 
commission be constituted to report back to Congress, but with an 
important difference. This time, the report should be in the form of 
recommended legislative language which provides a solution and Congress 
should have an opportunity for an up and down vote.
  As my colleagues know, both President Clinton and Speaker Gingrich 
endorsed a similar concept last year when they met in New Hampshire.
  I therefore send to the desk a bill that establishes an eight-member 
commission of outside experts. They would have the broadest possible 
mandate to think through this problem, come up with solutions and 
report back to Congress not more than 30 days after the convening of 
the 105th Congress.
  The commission will send Congress legislative language for those 
recommendations on which seven members agree. Congress will consider 
those recommendations under expedited procedures that mirror the fast-
track authorities in our trade laws.
  I know my colleagues will be grappling with this issue soon. However, 
I believe that it would be better to take this issue out of what is 
already a super-heated partisan atmosphere, and allow a bipartisan 
approach to be developed that Congress cannot ignore.
  Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be 
printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the bill was ordered to be printed in the 
Record, as follows:

                                S. 1857

       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 Campaign 
     Practices Commission Act of 1996''.

     SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT.

       There is established a commission to be known as the 
     ``Bipartisan Commission on

[[Page S6085]]

     Campaign Practices'' (referred to in this Act as the 
     ``Commission'').

     SEC. 3. DUTIES OF THE COMMISSION.

       The Commission shall study the laws and regulations that 
     affect how campaigns for Federal office are conducted and may 
     make recommendations for change. In studying Federal campaign 
     practices, the Commission shall consider--
       (1) whether too much or too little money is spent trying to 
     influence campaigns for Federal office and whether the funds 
     that are spent are sufficiently disclosed;
       (2) whether the current laws (including regulations) 
     governing campaigns for Federal office encourage or 
     discourage those most qualified to hold office from seeking 
     it;
       (3) whether the existing system of financing campaigns for 
     Federal office promotes trust and confidence in the political 
     process among the electorate;
       (4) whether the rules governing access to media ensure that 
     the electorate has the greatest possible opportunity to be 
     informed of candidates' positions on the issues; and
       (5) such other matters as the Commission considers 
     appropriate.

     SEC. 4. MEMBERSHIP.

       (a) Composition.--The Commission shall be composed of 9 
     members of the private sector, as follows:
       (1) Two shall be appointed by the Majority Leader of the 
     Senate.
       (2) Two shall be appointed by the Speaker of the House of 
     Representatives.
       (3) Two shall be appointed by the President.
       (4) One shall be appointed by the Minority Leader of the 
     Senate.
       (5) One shall be appointed by the Minority Leader of the 
     House of Representatives.
       (6) A chairperson shall be appointed in accordance with 
     subsection (b).
       (b) Chairperson.--
       (1) Selection.--Within 7 days after all the members 
     described in section 3(a) (1) through (5) are appointed, 
     those members shall meet and by majority vote select a 
     chairperson.
       (2) Failure to make selection.--If, by the date that is 30 
     days after the date of the meeting described in subsection 
     (b), the office of chairperson is still vacant, all current 
     members of the Commission shall be discharged from further 
     service as members of the Commission.
       (c) Vacancies.--A vacancy in the Commission shall be filled 
     in the manner in which the original appointment was made.
       (d) Compensation.--Each member of the Commission shall each 
     be entitled to receive the daily equivalent of the annual 
     rate of basic pay in effect for level V of the Executive 
     Schedule under section 5316 of title 5, United States Code, 
     for each day during which the member is engaged in the actual 
     performance of the duties of the Commission.
       (e) Quorum.--Six members of the Commission shall constitute 
     a quorum, and any decision of the Commission shall require 
     the affirmative vote of 6 members.
       (f) Meetings.--The Commission shall meet at the call of the 
     chairperson or at the request of 6 members of the Commission.

     SEC. 5. STAFF OF COMMISSION; SERVICES.

       Subject to such rules as may be adopted by the Commission, 
     the chairperson, 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 that title relating to 
     classifications and General Schedule pay rates, may appoint 
     such staff personnel as the chairperson considers necessary 
     and procure temporary and intermittent services to the same 
     extent as is authorized by section 3109(b) of title 5, United 
     States Code.

     SEC. 6. RECOMMENDATION; FAST TRACK PROCEDURES.

       (a) Report.--Not later than 30 days after the convening of 
     the 105th Congress, the Commission shall submit to Congress a 
     report describing the study conducted under section 3.
       (b) Recommendations.--The report under subsection (a) may 
     include any recommendations for changes in the laws 
     (including regulations) governing the conduct of Federal 
     campaigns, including any changes in the rules of the Senate 
     or the House of Representatives, to which 6 or more members 
     of the Commission may agree.
       (c) Preparation of Bills.--If 7 or more members concur on 1 
     or more recommendations for changes in the way campaigns for 
     Federal office are conducted, the members agreeing on each 
     such recommendation shall prepare for each a bill that would 
     implement the recommendation, and the implementing bill shall 
     be submitted with the report under subsection (a).
       (d) Consideration by Congress.--Each implementing bill 
     submitted with the report under subsection (a) shall be given 
     expedited consideration under the same provisions and in the 
     same way as an implementing bill for a trade agreement under 
     section 151 of the Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C. 2191).

     SEC. 7. TERMINATION.

       The Commission shall cease to exist 30 days after 
     submission of the report under section 6.

     SEC. 8. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

       There is authorized to be appropriated $750,000 to carry 
     out this Act.
                                 ______