To establish a United States Design Council as an advisory committee within the Department of Commerce to promote understanding of the importance of design in the development of products and systems, and for other purposes.

Summary: Establishes a United States Design Council as an advisory committee within the Department of Commerce to promote excellence and innovation in the design of U.S. products and systems in order to enhance U.S. competitiveness, trade, and economic opportunities.

SECTION 1. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES.

    (a) Findings.--The Congress finds the following:
            (1) The United States lags behind many of the other 
        industrialized nations in understanding the relationship of 
        design principles to the conceptualization and development of 
        high quality products and systems and to research and design 
        methodologies.
            (2) Innovative and excellent design is critical to the 
        successful development, manufacturing, and marketing of 
        products and systems.
            (3) Since 70 percent or more of the costs of product, 
        process, and system development, manufacture, and use is 
        determined during the initial design stage, design must be a 
        critical factor from the beginning of product development.
            (4) A strong domestic design engineering capability can 
        reduce costs and enhance competitiveness.
            (5) Excellence in design, including integrating 
        environmental objectives at the beginning of the production 
        process, improves the quality of life by creating useful, safe, 
        and attractive products and systems and by conserving 
        nonrenewable resources through the efficient use of materials 
        and the reduction of the generation of waste.
            (6) Information technologies and concurrent engineering 
        processes can aid the concurrent design process. Information 
        technologies can also provide links among different industry 
        sectors.
            (7) Greater efforts should be made to exhibit and promote, 
        both domestically and internationally, well-designed United 
        States products and systems.
            (8) The United States, unlike many of its foreign economic 
        competitors, lacks a national strategy to promote and recognize 
        design excellence in its products and systems.
            (9) Excellence in design can be enhanced through a 
        combination of efforts of the private and public sectors.
            (10) A national design program to promote excellence in the 
        design of United States products and systems can enhance the 
        competitiveness of United States products and systems and 
        expand trade and economic opportunities for the people of the 
        United States.
    (b) Purposes.--It is the purpose of this Act--
            (1) to establish a United States Design Council as an 
        advisory committee within the Department of Commerce;
            (2) to educate United States businesses with respect to the 
        importance of innovation and excellence in design to 
        competitiveness;
            (3) to promote programs of research, development, and 
        technology transfer related to promoting understanding of the 
        principles and processes of design and design engineering; and
            (4) to assist government agencies in developing and 
        encouraging innovation and excellence in design in their own 
        facilities and programs and by suppliers of products and 
        systems.

SEC. 2. DESIGN COUNCIL.

    (a) Establishment.--
            (1) In general.--There is established a United States 
        Design Council (hereinafter in this Act referred to as the 
        ``Council'') as an advisory committee within the Department of 
        Commerce to advise the Secretary of Commerce on matters related 
        to design. The Council shall be composed of 17 members 
        appointed by the Secretary of Commerce as follows:
                    (A) 2 members who are employed as business 
                executives in the fields of product development, 
                manufacturing, and systems development.
                    (B) 2 members who are industrial designers.
                    (C) 4 members who have expertise in information 
                technologies, concurrent engineering, or environmental 
                engineering.
                    (D) 2 members who are architects.
                    (E) 2 members who are graphic designers.
                    (F) 3 members who are employees of Federal agencies 
                which have a specialized interest in innovation and 
                excellence in design.
                    (G) 2 members who are representatives of labor 
                organizations.
            (2) Understanding of united states economy.--All members of 
        the Council shall be individuals who have a broad understanding 
        of the United States economy and the international competitive 
        position of the United States.
            (3) Recommendations for appointments.--In making 
        appointments under this Act, the Secretary of Commerce shall 
        consider recommendations made by appropriate professional and 
        trade associations, and by any other persons concerned with the 
        innovative and excellent design of products and systems.
            (4) Terms.--
                    (A) In general.--Except as provided in 
                subparagraphs (B) and (C), each member of the Council 
                shall be appointed for a term of three years.
                    (B) Original appointments.--Of the members 
                originally appointed under this subsection, five 
                members shall be appointed for a term of one year and 
                five members shall be appointed for a term of two 
                years, as designated by the Secretary of Commerce at 
                the time of appointment.
                    (C) Other terms.--A member appointed to fill a 
                vacancy shall serve for the remainder of the term for 
                which the predecessor of such member was appointed. A 
                member may serve after the expiration of the member's 
                term until a successor has taken office.
            (5) Vacancies.--A vacancy in the Council shall not affect 
        the powers of the Council and shall be filled in the same 
        manner in which the original appointment was made. No member 
        shall be eligible for reappointment during the one-year period 
        following the expiration of the member's term unless such 
        member served on the Council for less than one year.
            (6) Chairperson.--The Secretary of Commerce shall designate 
        one member of the Council as Chairperson.
            (7) Vice chairperson.--The Council shall elect one of its 
        members to serve as Vice Chairperson.
            (8) Prohibition on compensation.--
                    (A) In general.--Except as provided in subparagraph 
                (B), members of the Council shall serve on the Council 
                without pay.
                    (B) Travel expenses.--Each member of the Council 
                shall receive travel expenses, including per diem in 
                lieu of subsistence, in accordance with sections 5702 
                and 5703 of title 5, United States Code.
            (9) Meetings.--The Council shall meet not less than twice a 
        year. The Council shall meet at the call of the Chairperson or 
        a majority of its members.
    (b) Advice and Recommendations.--The Council shall provide advice 
and recommendations to the Secretary of Commerce on the performance by 
the Secretary of the following functions:
            (1) To support, as appropriate, private-sector efforts for 
        the development of voluntary standards for innovation, 
        appropriateness, and excellence in the design of products and 
        systems.
            (2) To provide information to United States businesses on 
        the use of design in the strategic planning process and in 
        promoting their competitiveness.
            (3) To plan and implement programs which will educate 
        United States businesses and the public with respect to the 
        value of innovation and excellence in design and to encourage 
        such businesses to promote such value in the design and 
        creation of products and systems.
            (4) To consult and, to the extent practicable, coordinate 
        its activities with each Federal agency that is concerned with 
        the design of products, processes, and systems.
            (5) To develop a repository of information on aspects of 
        design in manufacturing and economic development, and to make 
        the information available for use by the public.
            (6) To devise and propose mechanisms by which the design 
        activities of each Federal agency referred to in this Act is 
        made known to, and coordinated with, the activities of each 
        other such Federal agency in a manner that will contribute to 
        the carrying out of this Act.
            (7) To acquaint the public with the possibility of careers 
        in design.
            (8) To encourage educational institutions to adopt courses 
        in design and in research related to design, and to include 
        materials related to the appreciation of design in various 
        courses of instruction.
            (9) To cooperate, to the extent practicable, with State and 
        local governments, international organizations, and private 
        agencies concerned with innovation and excellence in the design 
        of products and systems.
    (c) Powers.--
            (1) In general.--The Council may prescribe such rules as 
        may be necessary to carry out its functions under this Act.
            (2) Information.--The Council may secure directly from a 
        Federal agency such information as the Council may require to 
        carry out its functions under this Act. Upon request of the 
        Chairperson or Vice Chairperson of the Council, the head of the 
        Federal agency shall furnish the information to the Council.
            (3) Advisory committees.--The Council may appoint advisory 
        committees to assist the Council in carrying out its functions 
        under this Act. A member of an advisory committee under this 
        paragraph may not receive compensation for the member's service 
        on the advisory committee.
            (4) Mail.--The Council may use the United States mails in 
        the same manner and upon the same conditions as any other 
        Federal agency.
    (d) Director; Staff, Experts and Consultants.--
            (1) Director.--The Council shall have a Director who shall 
        be appointed by the Secretary of Commerce and who shall be paid 
        at a rate not to exceed the rate of basic pay payable for grade 
        15 of the General Schedule set forth in title 5, United States 
        Code.
            (2) Staff.--The Council may appoint and fix the pay of any 
        staff in addition to the Director that the Council considers 
        necessary to carry out this Act.
            (3) Applicability of civil service laws.--The staff of the 
        Council shall be appointed subject to the provisions of title 
        5, United States Code, and shall be paid in accordance with the 
        provisions of chapter 51 and subchapter III of chapter 53 of 
        such title, relating to classification and General Schedule pay 
        rates.
            (4) Experts and consultants.--With the approval of the 
        Council, the Director may procure temporary and intermittent 
        services to the same extent as is authorized by section 3109(b) 
        of title 5, United States Code.
            (5) Other assistance.--As permitted by law and as necessary 
        to carry out this Act, the Department of Commerce shall provide 
        to the Council any staff, available information, and other 
        assistance required by the Council to perform its functions 
        under this Act.
    (e) Consultation and Coordination.--In providing advice and 
recommendations to the Secretary of Commerce under this Act, the 
Council may--
            (1) consult with, and take into account the interests and 
        views of, representatives of United States commerce and 
        industry (including small businesses, science organizations, 
        industrial design organizations, engineering organizations, and 
        labor organizations), educational institutions, consumers, 
        other Federal agencies, State and local governments, nationally 
        recognized organizations that develop and coordinate standards, 
        and any other persons the Council considers appropriate;
            (2) take into account relevant, ongoing activities in the 
        private and public sectors to avoid the unnecessary duplication 
        of such activities;
            (3) provide for appropriate procedures pursuant to which 
        persons may, under the auspices of the Council, formulate, 
        recommend, or suggest to the Council specific programs for 
        coordinating innovation and excellence in design in each 
        industry or segment thereof;
            (4) publicize in an appropriate manner programs and 
        standards proposed under this Act and provide an opportunity 
        for interested persons to submit comments on the programs and 
        standards;
            (5) consult and cooperate with organizations and persons in 
        the United States who are working to gain international 
        recognition for design as a competitive advantage; and
            (6) make recommendations to the Congress and the Secretary 
        of Commerce with respect to design issues, including--
                    (A) the impact of design on workers and on 
                different occupations and industries;
                    (B) the value to consumers of innovation and 
                excellence in design;
                    (C) the impact of design on society and the 
                economy;
                    (D) the effects of design on small businesses;
                    (E) the impact of design on the international 
                competitiveness of the United States; and
                    (F) the appropriateness of, and methods for, using 
                procurement by the Federal Government as a means to 
                effect innovation and excellence in design.
    (f) Annual Report.--Each year, the Council shall submit to the 
Secretary of Commerce and to the Congress a report that summarizes the 
activities of the Council during the year preceding the year in which 
the report is submitted. The report shall include any recommendations 
the Council considers appropriate.