To establish the Commission on Affordable Health Care to study and provide recommendations for establishing a health care system to provide affordable health care to all citizens of the United States and for the roles of certain health care entities in providing such services under such system, and to provide for expedited Congressional consideration of such recommendations.

Summary: Commission on Affordable Health Care Act of 2008 - Establishes in the legislative branch the Commission on Affordable Health Care to: (1) conduct a comprehensive study of potential models for a health care system to provide affordable and quality health care to all U.S. citizens; and (2) make recommendations for implementing such a system. Requires the Commission to report to Congress on the study and include a legislative proposal that provides for a health care system based on the recommendations of the Commission. Provides for expedited congressional consideration of such a proposal.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Commission on Affordable Health Care 
Act of 2008''.

SEC. 2. COMMISSION ON AFFORDABLE HEALTH CARE.

    (a) Establishment of Commission.--
            (1) Establishment.--There is established in the legislative 
        branch a commission to be known as the ``Commission on 
        Affordable Health Care'' (in this section referred to as the 
        ``Commission'').
            (2) Duties.--The Commission shall conduct a comprehensive 
        study of potential models for a health care system to provide 
        affordable (as determined by the Commission) and quality health 
        care to all citizens of the United States and based on such 
        study shall make recommendations for implementing such a 
        system, including recommendations for the role of and 
        relationships between the Federal government, State 
        governments, health care providers, and other appropriate 
        health care industry entities in providing such health care 
        under such a system.
            (3) Applicability of certain administrative laws.--
                    (A) FOIA.--The provisions of section 552 of title 
                5, United States Code (commonly referred to as the 
                ``Freedom of Information Act''), shall apply to the 
                activities of the Commission under this section.
                    (B) Federal records act.--The provisions of title 
                44, United States Code, shall apply to the records, 
                documents, and other papers of the Commission under 
                this section.
    (b) Structure and Membership of the Commission.--
            (1) Number and appointment.--The Commission shall be 
        composed of not more than 19 members and shall include at least 
        the following:
                    (A) The Chairman of the Committee on Energy and 
                Commerce of the House of Representatives.
                    (B) The Chairman of the Committee on Ways and Means 
                of the House of Representatives.
                    (C) The Chairman of the Committee on Finance of the 
                Senate.
                    (D) The Chairman of the Committee on Health, 
                Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate.
                    (E) One representative for each of the following 
                interested entities:
                            (i) Patient advocates.
                            (ii) Hospitals.
                            (iii) Physicians.
                            (iv) Medical devices.
                            (v) Pharmaceutical companies.
                            (vi) Nurses.
                            (vii) The National Governors Association.
                            (viii) The Department of Health and Human 
                        Services.
                            (ix) The White House.
                            (x) Labor unions.
                            (xi) The Chamber of Commerce.
                            (xii) Any other appropriate interested 
                        entity identified by the co-chairmen of the 
                        Commission.
            (2) Co-chairmen of the commission.--The co-chairmen of the 
        Commission shall include only each chairman described in each 
        of subparagraphs (A) through (D) of paragraph (1).
            (3) Continuation of membership.--If a member was appointed 
        to the Commission as a Member of Congress and the member ceases 
        to be a Member of Congress, or was appointed to the Commission 
        because the member was not an officer or employee of any 
        government and later becomes an officer or employee of a 
        government, that member may continue as a member for not longer 
        than the 60-day period beginning on the date that member ceases 
        to be a Member of Congress, or becomes such an officer or 
        employee, as the case may be.
            (4) Vacancies.--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.
            (5) Basic pay.--
                    (A) Rates of pay.--Except as provided in 
                subparagraph (B), members shall serve without pay.
                    (B) Travel expenses.--Each member shall receive 
                travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of 
                subsistence, in accordance with applicable provisions 
                under subchapter I of chapter 57 of title 5, United 
                States Code.
            (6) Quorum.--Seven members of the Commission shall 
        constitute a quorum.
    (c) Meetings.--
            (1) Initial meeting of co-chairmen of commission.--Not 
        later than the date that is 60 days after the date of the 
        enactment of this Act, the co-chairmen of the Commission shall 
        initially meet to--
                    (A) identify any appropriate interested party to be 
                included under subsection (b)(1)(E)(ix); and
                    (B) establish appropriate rules and procedures for 
                the Commission, including a rule requiring that each 
                member of the Commission who represents an entity 
                described in subsection (b)(1)(E) prepare for the 
                Commission a written proposal that describes the 
                proposed role of the entity involved in a health system 
                to ensure the provision of affordable health care under 
                such system to all citizens of the United States.
            (2) General meetings.--The Commission shall meet at the 
        call of a majority of the co-chairmen of the Commission.
    (d) Staff.--
            (1) In general.--The Commission may appoint any employee 
        pursuant to section 3161(b) of title 5, United States Code. The 
        rate of basic pay for such an employee shall be established 
        pursuant to section 3161(d)(1) of that title.
            (2) Experts and consultants.--The Commission may procure 
        temporary and intermittent services under section 3109(b) of 
        title 5, United States Code, but at rates for individuals not 
        to exceed the daily equivalent of the maximum annual rate of 
        basic pay for GS-3 of the General Schedule.
            (3) Staff of federal agencies.--Upon request of the 
        Commission, the head of any Federal department or agency may 
        detail any of the personnel of that department or agency to the 
        Commission to assist it in carrying out its duties under this 
        section.
    (e) Powers of the Commission.--
            (1) Hearings and session.--The Commission may, for the 
        purpose of carrying out this section, hold hearings, sit and 
        act at times and places, take testimony, and receive evidence 
        as the Commission considers appropriate.
            (2) Powers of members and agents.--Any member or agent of 
        the Commission may, if authorized by the Commission, take any 
        action which the Commission is authorized to take by this 
        section.
            (3) Obtaining official data.--The Commission may secure 
        directly from any department or agency of the United States 
        information necessary to enable it to carry out this section. 
        Upon request of the Commission, the head of that department or 
        agency shall furnish that information to the Commission.
            (4) Gifts, bequests, and devises.--The Commission may 
        accept, use, and dispose of gifts, bequests, or devises of 
        services or property, both real and personal, for the purpose 
        of aiding or facilitating the work of the Commission. Gifts, 
        bequests, or devises of money and proceeds from sales of other 
        property received as gifts, bequests, or devises shall be 
        deposited in the Treasury and shall be available for 
        disbursement upon order of the Commission.
            (5) Mails.--The Commission may use the United States mails 
        in the same manner and under the same conditions as other 
        departments and agencies of the United States.
            (6) Administrative support services.--Upon the request of 
        the Commission, the Administrator of General Services shall 
        provide to the Commission, on a reimbursable basis, the 
        administrative support services necessary for the Commission to 
        carry out its responsibilities under this section.
    (f) Report; Legislative Proposal.--Not later than two years after 
the date of the initial meeting of the co-chairmen of the Commission 
described in subsection (c)(1), the Commission shall submit to Congress 
a report on the study described in subsection (a)(2) that contains--
            (1) a detailed statement of the findings, conclusions, and 
        recommendations of the Commission, including such 
        recommendations described in such paragraph; and
            (2) a legislative proposal that provides for a health care 
        system based on the recommendations of the Commission.
    (g) Termination.--The Commission, and all the authorities of this 
Act, shall terminate 30 days after the date on which the report is 
submitted under subsection (f).
    (h) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated such sums as may be necessary to carry out this section.

SEC. 3. EXPEDITED CONGRESSIONAL CONSIDERATION OF LEGISLATIVE PROPOSAL 
              FOR HEALTH CARE SYSTEM.

    (a) Introduction and Expedited Consideration in the House of 
Representatives.--
            (1) Introduction in house of representatives.--The 
        legislative proposal submitted pursuant to section 2(f)(2) 
        shall be in the form of a joint resolution (in this subsection 
        referred to as the ``resolution''). Such resolution shall be 
        introduced in the House of Representatives by the Speaker 
        immediately upon receipt of the language and shall be referred 
        non-sequentially to the appropriate committee (or committees) 
        of the House of Representatives. If the resolution is not 
        introduced in accordance with the preceding sentence, the 
        resolution may be introduced by any member of the House of 
        Representatives.
            (2) Committee consideration.--Not later than 15 calendar 
        days after the introduction of the resolution described in 
        paragraph (1), each committee of the House of Representatives 
        to which the resolution was referred shall report the 
        resolution. The report may include, at the committee's 
        discretion, a recommendation for action by the House. If a 
        committee has not reported such resolution (or an identical 
        resolution) at the end of 15 calendar days after its 
        introduction or at the end of the first day after there has 
        been reported to the House a resolution, whichever is earlier, 
        such committee shall be deemed to be discharged from further 
        consideration of such resolution and such resolution shall be 
        placed on the appropriate calendar of the House of 
        Representatives.
            (3) Expedited procedure in house.--Not later than 5 
        legislative days after the date on which all committees have 
        been discharged from consideration of a resolution, the Speaker 
        of the House of Representatives, or the Speaker's designee, 
        shall move to proceed to the consideration of the resolution. 
        It shall also be in order for any member of the House of 
        Representatives to move to proceed to the consideration of the 
        resolution at any time after the conclusion of such 5-day 
        period. All points of order against the resolution (and against 
        consideration of the resolution) are waived. A motion to 
        proceed to the consideration of the resolution is highly 
        privileged in the House of Representatives and is not 
        debatable. The motion is not subject to amendment, to a motion 
        to postpone consideration of the resolution, or to a motion to 
        proceed to the consideration of other business. A motion to 
        reconsider the vote by which the motion to proceed is agreed to 
        or not agreed to shall not be in order. If the motion to 
        proceed is agreed to, the House of Representatives shall 
        immediately proceed to consideration of the resolution without 
        intervening motion, order, or other business, and the 
        resolution shall remain the unfinished business of the House of 
        Representatives until disposed of. A motion to recommit the 
        resolution shall not be in order. Upon its passage in the 
        House, the clerk of the House shall provide for its immediate 
        transmittal to the Senate.
    (b) Expedited Consideration in the Senate.--
            (1) Referral to committee.--If the resolution is agreed to 
        by the House of Representatives, upon its receipt in the Senate 
        the Majority Leader of the Senate, or the Leader's designee, 
        the resolution shall be referred to the appropriate committee 
        (or committees) of the Senate.
            (2) Committee consideration.--Not later than 15 calendar 
        days after the referral of the resolution under paragraph (1), 
        each committee of the Senate to which the resolution was 
        referred shall report the resolution. The report may include, 
        at each such committee's discretion, a recommendation for 
        action by the Senate. If a committee has not reported such 
        resolution (or an identical resolution) at the end of 15 
        calendar days after its referral or at the end of the first day 
        after there has been reported to the Senate a resolution, 
        whichever is earlier, such committee shall be deemed to be 
        discharged from further consideration of such resolution and 
        such resolution shall be placed on the appropriate calendar of 
        the Senate.
            (3) Expedited floor consideration.--Not later than 5 
        legislative days after the date on which all committees have 
        been discharged from consideration of a resolution, the 
        Majority Leader of the Senate, or the Majority Leader's 
        designee, shall move to proceed to the consideration of the 
        resolution. It shall also be in order for any member of the 
        Senate to move to proceed to the consideration of the 
        resolution at any time after the conclusion of such 5-day 
        period. All points of order against the resolution (and against 
        consideration of the resolution) are waived. A motion to 
        proceed to the consideration of the resolution in the Senate is 
        privileged and is not debatable. The motion is not subject to 
        amendment, to a motion to postpone consideration of the 
        resolution, or to a motion to proceed to the consideration of 
        other business. A motion to reconsider the vote by which the 
        motion to proceed is agreed to or not agreed to shall not be in 
        order. If the motion to proceed is agreed to, the Senate shall 
        immediately proceed to consideration of the resolution without 
        intervening motion, order, or other business, and the 
        resolution shall remain the unfinished business of the Senate 
        until disposed of.
    (c) Rules of the Senate and House of Representatives.--This section 
is enacted by Congress--
            (1) as an exercise of the rulemaking power of the Senate 
        and House of Representatives, respectively, and is deemed to be 
        part of the rules of each House, respectively, but applicable 
        only with respect to the procedure to be followed in that House 
        in the case of a resolution under this subsection, 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 
        either House to change the rules (so far as they relate to the 
        procedure of that House) at any time, in the same manner, and 
        to the same extent as in the case of any other rule of that 
        House.