[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 106 (Thursday, July 9, 2015)]
[Senate]
[Page S4975]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 2200. Mr. BENNET submitted an amendment intended to be proposed to 
amendment SA 2089 submitted by Mr. Alexander (for himself and Mrs. 
Murray) to the bill S. 1177, to reauthorize the Elementary and 
Secondary Education Act of 1965 to ensure that every child achieves; 
which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

       At the end of part B of title X, add the following:

     SEC. ____. ESTABLISHING A SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON CHILDREN.

       (a) Special Committee Established.--
       (1) In general.--There is established a special committee 
     of the Senate to be known as the Special Committee on 
     Children (hereinafter in this section referred to as the 
     ``special committee'').
       (2) Members.--The special committee shall consist of 19 
     members, including a chairman. The members and the chairman 
     of the special committee shall be appointed in the same 
     manner and at the same time as the members and chairman of a 
     standing committee of the Senate.
       (b) Treated as a Standing Committee of the Senate.--For 
     purposes of paragraph 4 of rule XXV of the Standing Rules of 
     the Senate, and for purposes of section 202 of the 
     Legislative Reorganization Act of 1946 (2 U.S.C. 4301), the 
     special committee shall be treated as a standing committee of 
     the Senate.
       (c) Duty.--
       (1) In general.--It shall be the duty of the special 
     committee to conduct a continuing study of any and all 
     matters pertaining to children and their welfare, including--
       (A) programs and services relating to the health, welfare, 
     safety, housing, nutrition, education, economic stability, 
     civil rights needs of children, and Federal programs and 
     services that have a purpose of benefitting children or have 
     the effect of benefitting children; and
       (B) the effectiveness of such programs and services.
       (2) Limitation.--No proposed legislation shall be referred 
     to the special committee, and the special committee shall not 
     have power to report by bill or otherwise have legislative 
     jurisdiction.
       (d) Report.--The special committee shall, from time to time 
     (but not less than once a year), report to the Senate the 
     results of the study conducted pursuant to subsection (c)(1), 
     together with such recommendations as the special committee 
     considers appropriate.
       (e) Authorized Activities.--The special committee, or any 
     duly authorized subcommittee thereof, is authorized, in its 
     discretion to--
       (1) make investigations into any matter within its 
     jurisdiction;
       (2) make expenditures from the contingent fund of the 
     Senate;
       (3) employ personnel;
       (4) hold hearings;
       (5) sit and act at such places and times during the 
     sessions, recesses, and adjourned periods of the Senate;
       (6) require, by subpoena or otherwise, the attendance of 
     such witnesses and the production of such books, papers, and 
     documents, administer such oaths, take such testimony, 
     procure such printing and binding, and make such other 
     expenditures as it deems advisable;
       (7) take depositions and other testimony;
       (8) procure the service of individual consultants or 
     organizations thereof (as authorized by section 202(i) of the 
     Legislative Reorganization Act of 1946 (2 U.S.C. 4301(i)); 
     and
       (9) with the prior consent of the Government department or 
     agency concerned and the Committee on Rules and 
     Administration, use on a reimbursable basis the services of 
     personnel of any such department or agency.
       (f) Power to Administer Oaths.--The chairman of the special 
     committee or any member thereof may administer oaths to 
     witnesses.
       (g) Subpoenas.--Subpoenas authorized by the special 
     committee may be issued over the signature of the chairman, 
     or any member of the special committee designated by the 
     chairman, and may be served by any person designated by the 
     chairman or the member signing the subpoena.
       (h) Quorum.--A majority of the members of the special 
     committee, or any subcommittee thereof, shall constitute a 
     quorum for the transaction of business, except that a lesser 
     number, to be fixed by the committee, shall constitute a 
     quorum for the purpose of taking sworn testimony.
       (i) Enactment.--This section is enacted by Congress--
       (1) as an exercise of the rulemaking power of the Senate, 
     and as such it is deemed a part of the rules of the Senate, 
     and it supersedes other rules only to the extent that it is 
     inconsistent with such rules; and
       (2) with full recognition of the constitutional right of 
     the Senate to change the rules relating to the procedure of 
     the Senate at any time, in the same manner, and to the same 
     extent as in the case of any other rule of the Senate.
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