[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 59 (Friday, April 11, 2003)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5370-S5371]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Ms. COLLINS (for herself, Mr. Dorgan, Mr. Santorum, and Mr. 
        Conrad):
  S. 908. A bill to establish the United States Consensus Council to 
provide for a consensus building process in addressing national public 
policy issues, and for other purposes; to the Committee on Governmental 
Affairs.
  Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, I am introducing legislation today that 
would create a United States Consensus Council. Designed to facilitate 
a consensus building process on important national issues, the U.S. 
Consensus Council is modeled upon similar entities that have operated 
successfully in several States. The council would be a nonprofit, 
private entity that would serve both the legislative and executive 
branches of government. Its role would be to build agreements among 
stakeholders on public policy issues where there are diverse and 
conflicting views and bring these agreements back to Congress or other 
decision-makers for action.
  A good example of such a consensus council is the Montana Consensus 
Council. Established in 1994, this council has helped to facilities 
agreements on a range of contentious public issues. The Council, for 
example, facilitated development of a plan for the cleanup of hazardous 
waste sites that was overwhelmingly approved by the State legislature. 
It also helped mediate a dispute between recreationists and ranchers 
over water rights and, with the input of key stakeholders, an agreement 
was successfully reached.
  The North Dakota Consensus Council, created in 1990, has helped build 
agreements on numerous local and State issues, including facilitating a 
five year effort to develop a strategic plan for the future of North 
Dakota and an economic development strategy to implement that plan.
  The U.S. Consensus Council Act was introduced in the last Congress by 
Senator Dorgan and cosponsored by a bipartisan group of Senators. The 
Committee on Governmental Affairs favorably reported the bill last 
fall, but the full Senate did not have an opportunity to act on it 
before adjournment. I am pleased that Senator Dorgan, along with 
Senators Santorum and Conrad, have joined me in reintroducing the 
legislation today.
  The legislation would establish the U.S. Consensus Council as an 
independent nonprofit corporation under the District of Columbia 
Nonprofit Corporation Act. The Council would not be an agency or 
instrumentality of the United States. The Council's role would be to 
design and conduct processes that bring together key stakeholders and 
build agreements on complex public policy issues. The resulting 
recommendations would be advisory, subject to the normal legislative or 
regulatory processes.
  The Council's powers would be vested in a 12-member part-time Board 
of Directors. Each of the leaders of the majority and minority in the 
House of Representatives and the Senate would appoint two board 
members, and the President would appoint four members. Members of the 
Board cannot be Federal officers or employees.
  A President, selected by the Board, would be the chief executive 
officer of the Council.
  Mr. DORGAN. Madam President, today I am pleased to join my colleague, 
Senator Collins, in introducing legislation that would create the 
United States Consensus Council. This council would be a nonprofit, 
quasi-governmental entity. Its role would be to build agreements among 
stakeholders on legislative issues where there are diverse and 
conflicting views and bring these agreements back to Congress or other 
decisionmakers for action.
  We all talk about the benefit of working across party lines to 
develop consensus on a variety of policy issues. This bill would help 
to institutionalize this goal and provide ongoing support to Congress 
by bringing stakeholders to the table to resolve a wide range of 
difficult national issues.
  The North Dakota Consensus Council in my home State serves as a model 
for this national proposal. In North Dakota, the Consensus Council has 
helped to find common ground on the use of grasslands in the western 
part of the State, the structure of judgeships across the State, and 
flood mitigation efforts in the Red River Valley. By bringing together 
all of the interested parties, the North Dakota Consensus Council was 
able to find solutions to problems that had previously seemed 
insurmountable. Washington, DC, is ripe with opportunity for the same 
kind of consensus building and mediation. We can not only build on the 
experience of consensus building in North Dakota, but similar successes 
in Montana, Florida, Oregon, and many other States.
  The United States Consensus Council would bring people together and 
then

[[Page S5371]]

help to develop recommendations. These recommendations would be 
advisory and would not circumvent any of the normal legislative 
requirements or processes. The board of directors would be appointed by 
the President and the bipartisan congressional leadership. The council 
would remain neutral on substantive policy matters.
  The council would focus on issues that are contentious or deadlocked, 
or they could be emerging issues where mediation could help to prevent 
later polarization.
  The council's role will be to design and conduct processes that lead 
to common ground on effective public policy for a particular issue. The 
council could be called upon to convene key stakeholders in face-to-
face meetings over time to build agreements on complex issues.
  I have long been a supporter of building consensus and finding ways 
to reach compromise. I believe that this legislation could help the 
Congress and the administration to find that middle ground. There are 
so many important issues that get deadlocked in Washington, and this 
approach will help to break that logjam. I look forward to working with 
my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to move this bill through the 
process.
                                 ______