A bill to establish certain requirements relating to the continuation of the Survey of Income and Program Participation.

Summary: Prohibits the Secretary of Commerce from: (1) discontinuing the Survey of Income and Program Participation; (2) making any change in the design or content of such Survey; or (3) allowing any of the foregoing unless the discontinuation or change involved has first been approved in accordance with this Act.

Provides that whenever, in the judgment of the Secretary, it becomes necessary to discontinue the Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP), or to make any change in its design or content, the Secretary shall prepare a written proposal.

Establishes the Commission on the Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP Commission) to consider and act on any proposal relating to the SIPP in accordance with this Act.

Requires the SIPP Commission to consider promptly any proposal received under this Act and, after appropriate deliberation, transmit its decision of approval or disapproval to the Secretary in a timely fashion.

SECTION 1. RESTRICTIONS.

    The Secretary of Commerce may not--
            (1) discontinue the Survey of Income and Program 
        Participation,
            (2) make any change in the design or content of such 
        Survey, or
            (3) allow any of the foregoing,



    
unless the discontinuation or change involved has first been approved 
in accordance with section 2.

SEC. 2. PROPOSED ACTIONS.

    (a) In General.--Whenever in the judgment of the Secretary of 
Commerce it becomes necessary to discontinue the Survey of Income and 
Program Participation or to make any change in the design or content of 
the Survey of Income and Program Participation, he shall prepare a 
written proposal under this subsection. Such proposal--
            (1) shall include--
                    (A) a description of the specific actions proposed 
                to be taken;
                    (B) the date or schedule for their proposed 
                implementation; and
                    (C) the reasons or justification for each proposed 
                action; and
            (2) shall be submitted by the Secretary of Commerce to the 
        SIPP Commission (established by section 3) in such time, form, 
        and manner as the Commission may require.
    (b) Consideration and Decision.--The SIPP Commission shall promptly 
consider any proposal received under subsection (a) and, after 
appropriate deliberation, shall transmit its decision to approve or 
disapprove such proposal to the Secretary of Commerce in timely 
fashion. Any such decision shall be in writing and shall include a 
statement of reasons and justification.

SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT OF COMMISSION.

    (a) In General.--There is established a commission to be known as 
the ``Commission on the Survey of Income and Program Participation'' 
(in this Act referred to as the ``SIPP Commission'' or the 
``Commission'').
    (b) Composition.--The Commission shall be composed of--
            (1) the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, 
        who shall serve ex officio;
            (2) 1 member from the Department of Agriculture, who shall 
        be appointed by the Secretary of Agriculture;
            (3) 1 member from the Department of Labor, who shall be 
        appointed by the Secretary of Labor;
            (4) 1 member from the Department of Energy, who shall be 
        appointed by the Secretary of Energy;
            (5) 1 member from the Department of Health and Human 
        Services, who shall be appointed by the Secretary of Health and 
        Human Services;
            (6) 1 member from the Social Security Administration, who 
        shall be appointed by the Commissioner of Social Security;
            (7) 1 member from the Bureau of the Census, who shall be 
        appointed by the Secretary of Commerce in consultation with the 
        Director of the Census; and
            (8) 2 members from the National Academy of Sciences, who 
        shall be appointed by the Director of the Office of Management 
        and Budget from among individuals recommended by the Council of 
        the National Academy of Sciences.
All appointments to the Commission shall be made from among social 
scientists and statisticians who have experience analyzing longitudinal 
household data on economic well-being and participation in government 
programs.
    (c) Terms of Appointees.--
            (1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraph (2), each 
        member who is appointed to the Commission shall be appointed 
        for a term of 2 years.
            (2) Vacancies.--
                    (A) In general.--Any member appointed to fill a 
                vacancy occurring before the expiration of the term for 
                which the member's predecessor was appointed shall be 
                appointed only for the remainder of that term.
                    (B) Service after term ends.--A member may serve 
                after the expiration of that member's term until a 
                successor has taken office.
                    (C) Manner of appointment.--A vacancy among any of 
                the appointed members shall be filled in the manner in 
                which the original appointment was made.
    (d) Chairman.--The Director of the Office of Management and Budget 
shall serve as Chairman of the Commission.
    (e) Functions.--
            (1) In general.--It shall be the function of the Commission 
        to consider and act on any proposal relating to the Survey of 
        Income and Program Participation (described in section 2(a)) in 
        accordance with section 2(b).
            (2) Nondelegable functions.--The functions of the Director 
        of the Office of Management and Budget under this Act shall be 
        nondelegable.
    (f) Procedures.--The Commission shall meet at the call of the 
Chairman of the Commission. A majority of the members of the Commission 
who are eligible to vote shall constitute a quorum. All members except 
those under paragraphs (1) and (8), respectively, of subsection (b) 
shall be eligible to vote.
    (g) Compensation.--Members of the Commission shall serve as such 
without pay, but shall be allowed travel expenses, including a per diem 
allowance in lieu of subsistence, in the same manner as persons serving 
intermittently in Government service are allowed travel expenses under 
section 5703 of title 5, United States Code.

SEC. 4. EFFECTIVE DATE.

    This Act shall take effect as of the date of the enactment of this 
Act or September 30, 2006, whichever is earlier.