A bill to establish a Congressional Commission on Expanding Social Service Delivery Options.

Summary: Congressional Commission on Expanding Social Service Delivery Options Act - Establishes a Congressional Commission on Expanding Social Service Delivery Options.

Directs the Commission to: (1) study all matters relating to increasing beneficiary-selected or beneficiary-directed options for social service delivery (delivery options) in federal social service programs, including certificate, scholarship, voucher, or other forms of indirect delivery; (2) review all relevant existing programs, including initiatives of the Corporation for National and Community Service; and (3) determine and recommend program areas for which it is appropriate and feasible to implement such delivery options fully or partially. Requires the Commission to promote goals of: (1) expanding consumer and beneficiary choice in such programs; (2) maximizing use of governmental resources in them; and (3) minimizing concerns relating to any precedent under the Constitution regarding participation in them of faith-based providers.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Congressional Commission on 
Expanding Social Service Delivery Options Act''.

SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF COMMISSION.

    (a) Establishment.--There is established a Congressional Commission 
on Expanding Social Service Delivery Options (referred to in this Act 
as the ``Commission'').
    (b) Membership.--
            (1) Composition.--The Commission shall be composed of 10 
        members, of whom--
                    (A) 3 shall be appointed by the Speaker of the 
                House of Representatives;
                    (B) 3 shall be appointed by the majority leader of 
                the Senate;
                    (C) 2 shall be appointed by the minority leader of 
                the House of Representatives; and
                    (D) 2 shall be appointed by the minority leader of 
                the Senate.
            (2) Qualifications.--Members of the Commission shall be 
        appointed from among individuals with demonstrated expertise 
        and experience in social service delivery, including, to the 
        extent practicable, in the area of reform of such delivery.
            (3) Date.--The appointments of the members of the 
        Commission shall be made not later than 30 days after the date 
        of enactment of this Act.
    (c) Period of Appointment; Vacancies.--Members shall be appointed 
for the life of the Commission. Any vacancy in the Commission shall not 
affect its powers, but shall be filled in the same manner as the 
original appointment.
    (d) Co-Chairpersons.--The Speaker of the House of Representatives 
shall designate 1 of the members appointed under subsection (b)(1)(A) 
as a co-Chairperson of the Commission. The majority leader of the 
Senate shall designate 1 of the members appointed under subsection 
(b)(1)(B) as a co-Chairperson of the Commission.
    (e) Initial Meeting.--Not later than 60 days after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Commission shall hold its first meeting.
    (f) Meetings.--The Commission shall meet at the call of either co-
Chairperson.
    (g) Quorum.--A majority of the members of the Commission shall 
constitute a quorum, but a lesser number of members may hold hearings.

SEC. 3. DUTIES OF THE COMMISSION.

    (a) Study.--
            (1) In general.--The Commission shall conduct a thorough 
        and thoughtful study of all matters relating to increasing 
        beneficiary-selected or beneficiary-directed options for social 
        service delivery in Federal social service programs, including 
        certificate, scholarship, voucher, or other forms of indirect 
        delivery. The Commission shall review all relevant Federal 
        social service programs in existence on the date of the 
        beginning of the study, including the initiatives of the 
        Corporation for National and Community Service. The Commission 
        shall determine program areas, among the Federal programs, for 
        which it is appropriate and feasible to implement full or 
        partial beneficiary-selected or beneficiary-directed options 
        for the delivery of the social services.
            (2) Goals.--In making determinations under paragraph (1), 
        the Commission shall seek to promote goals of--
                    (A) expanding consumer and beneficiary choice in 
                Federal social service programs;
                    (B) maximizing the use of governmental resources in 
                the Federal programs; and
                    (C) minimizing concerns relating to any precedent 
                under the Constitution regarding the participation of 
                faith-based providers in the Federal programs.
    (b) Recommendations.--The Commission shall develop recommendations 
on program areas, among the Federal social service programs, for which 
it is appropriate and feasible to implement full or partial 
beneficiary-selected or beneficiary-directed options for the delivery 
of the social services.
    (c) Report.--Not later than 11 months after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Commission shall submit a report to the Speaker and 
minority leader of the House of Representatives and the majority leader 
and minority leader of the Senate, which shall contain a detailed 
statement of the findings and conclusions of the Commission, together 
with its recommendations for such legislation and administrative 
actions as it considers appropriate.

SEC. 4. POWERS OF THE COMMISSION.

    (a) Hearings.--The Commission may hold such hearings, sit and act 
at such times and places, take such testimony, and receive such 
evidence as the Commission considers necessary to carry out this Act.
    (b) Information From Federal Agencies.--The Commission may secure 
directly from any Federal department or agency such information as the 
Commission considers necessary to carry out this Act. Upon request of 
either co-Chairperson of the Commission, the head of such department or 
agency shall furnish such information to the Commission.
    (c) Postal Services.--The Commission may use the United States 
mails in the same manner and under the same conditions as other 
departments and agencies of the Federal Government.

SEC. 5. COMMISSION PERSONNEL MATTERS.

    (a) Compensation of Members.--Each member of the Commission who is 
not an officer or employee of the Federal Government shall be 
compensated at a rate equal to the daily equivalent of the annual rate 
of basic pay prescribed for level IV of the Executive Schedule under 
section 5315 of title 5, United States Code, for each day (including 
travel time) during which such member is engaged in the performance of 
the duties of the Commission. All members of the Commission who are 
officers or employees of the United States shall serve without 
compensation in addition to that received for their services as 
officers or employees of the United States.
    (b) Travel Expenses.--The members of the Commission shall be 
allowed travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, at 
rates authorized for employees of agencies under subchapter I of 
chapter 57 of title 5, United States Code, while away from their homes 
or regular places of business in the performance of services for the 
Commission.
    (c) Staff.--
            (1) In general.--The co-Chairpersons of the Commission, 
        acting jointly, may, without regard to the civil service laws 
        and regulations, appoint and terminate an executive director 
        and such other additional personnel as may be necessary to 
        enable the Commission to perform its duties. The employment of 
        an executive director shall be subject to confirmation by the 
        Commission.
            (2) Compensation.--The co-Chairpersons of the Commission, 
        acting jointly, may fix the compensation of the executive 
        director and other personnel without regard to chapter 51 and 
        subchapter III of chapter 53 of title 5, United States Code, 
        relating to classification of positions and General Schedule 
        pay rates, except that the rate of pay for the executive 
        director and other personnel may not exceed the rate payable 
        for level V of the Executive Schedule under section 5316 of 
        such title.
    (d) Detail of Government Employees.--Any Federal Government 
employee may be detailed to the Commission without reimbursement, and 
such detail shall be without interruption or loss of civil service 
status or privilege.
    (e) Procurement of Temporary and Intermittent Services.--The co-
Chairpersons of the Commission, acting jointly, may procure temporary 
and intermittent services under section 3109(b) of title 5, United 
States Code, at rates for individuals which do not exceed the daily 
equivalent of the annual rate of basic pay prescribed for level V of 
the Executive Schedule under section 5316 of such title.

SEC. 6. TERMINATION OF THE COMMISSION.

    The Commission shall terminate 90 days after the date on which the 
Commission submits its report under section 3.

SEC. 7. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    (a) In General.--There are authorized to be appropriated to the 
Commission for fiscal year 2006 such sums as may be necessary to carry 
out this Act.
    (b) Availability.--Any sums appropriated under the authorization 
contained in this section shall remain available, without fiscal year 
limitation, until expended.