Commission to Study the Federal Statistical System Act of 1996

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Commission to Study the Federal 
Statistical System Act of 1996''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    The Congress, recognizing the importance of statistical information 
in the development and administration of policies for the private and 
public sector, finds that--
            (1) accurate Federal statistics are required to develop, 
        implement, and evaluate government policies and laws;
            (2) Federal spending consistent with legislative intent 
        requires accurate and appropriate statistical information;
            (3) business and individual economic decisions are 
        influenced by Federal statistics and contracts are often based 
        on such statistics;
            (4) statistical information on the manufacturing and 
        agricultural sectors is more complete than statistical 
        information regarding the service sector which employs more 
        than half the Nation's workforce;
            (5) experts in the private and public sector have long-
        standing concerns about the accuracy and adequacy of numerous 
        Federal statistics, including the Consumer Price Index, gross 
        domestic product, trade data, wage data, and the poverty rate;
            (6) Federal statistical data should be accurate, 
        consistent, and continuous;
            (7) the Federal statistical infrastructure should be 
        modernized to accommodate the increasingly complex and ever 
        changing American economy;
            (8) Federal statistical agencies should utilize all 
        practical technologies to disseminate statistics to the public; 
        and
            (9) the Federal statistical infrastructure should maintain 
        the privacy of individuals.

SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT OF COMMISSION.

    (a) Establishment.--There is established a commission to be known 
as the Commission to Study the Federal Statistical System (hereafter in 
this Act referred to as the ``Commission'').
    (b) Membership.--
            (1) Composition.--The Commission shall be composed of 13 
        members of whom--
                    (A) 5 shall be appointed by the President;
                    (B) 4 shall be appointed by the President pro 
                tempore of the Senate, in consultation with the 
                majority leader and minority leader of the Senate; and
                    (C) 4 shall be appointed by the Speaker of the 
                House of Representatives, in consultation with the 
                majority leader and minority leader of the House of 
                Representatives.
            (2) Political party limitation.--(A) Of the 5 members of 
        the Commission appointed under paragraph (1)(A), no more than 3 
        members may be members of the same political party.
            (B) Of the 4 members of the Commission appointed under 
        subparagraphs (B) and (C) of paragraph (1), respectively, no 
        more than 2 members may be members of the same political party.
            (3) Consultation before appointments.--In making 
        appointments under paragraph (1), the President, the President 
        pro tempore of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of 
        Representatives shall consult with the National Science 
        Foundation and appropriate professional organizations, such as 
        the American Economic Association and the American Statistical 
        Association.
            (4) Qualifications.--An individual appointed to serve on 
        the Commission--
                    (A) shall have expertise in statistical policy and 
                a background in such disciplines as actuarial science, 
                demography, economics, and finance;
                    (B) may not be a Federal officer or employee; and
                    (C) should be an academician, a statistics user in 
                the private sector, or a former government official 
                with experience related to--
                            (i) the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the 
                        Department of Labor; or
                            (ii) the Bureau of Economic Analysis or the 
                        Bureau of the Census of the Department of 
                        Commerce.
            (5) Date.--The appointments of the members of the 
        Commission shall be made no later than 150 days after the date 
        of the 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) Initial Meeting.--No later than 30 days after the date on which 
all members of the Commission have been appointed, the Commission shall 
hold its first meeting.
    (e) Meetings.--The Commission shall meet at the call of the 
Chairman.
    (f) Quorum.--A majority of the members of the Commission shall 
constitute a quorum, but a lesser number of members may hold hearings.
    (g) Chairman.--The President shall designate a Chairman of the 
Commission from among the members.

SEC. 4. FUNCTIONS OF THE COMMISSION.

    (a) Study.--
            (1) In general.--The Commission shall conduct a 
        comprehensive study of all matters relating to the Federal 
        statistical infrastructure, including longitudinal surveys 
        conducted by private agencies and partially funded by the 
        Federal Government.
            (2) Study and recommendations.--The matters studied by and 
        recommendations of the Commission shall include--
                    (A) an examination of multipurpose statistical 
                agencies that collect and analyze data of broad 
                interest across department and function areas, such as 
                the Bureau of Economic Analysis and the Bureau of the 
                Census of the Commerce Department, and the Bureau of 
                Labor Statistics of the Labor Department;
                    (B) a review and evaluation of the collection of 
                data for purposes of administering such programs as 
                Old-Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance and 
                Unemployment Insurance under the Social Security Act;
                    (C) a review and evaluation of the mission and 
                organization of various statistical agencies, 
                including--
                            (i) recommendations with respect to 
                        statistical activities that should be expanded 
                        or deleted;
                            (ii) the order of priority such activities 
                        should be carried out;
                            (iii) a review of the advantages and 
                        disadvantages of a centralized statistical 
                        agency or a partial consolidation of the 
                        agencies for the Federal Government; and
                            (iv) an assessment of which agencies could 
                        be consolidated into such an agency;
                    (D) an examination of the methodology involved in 
                producing official data and recommendations for 
                technical changes to improve statistics;
                    (E) an evaluation of the accuracy and 
                appropriateness of key statistical indicators and 
                recommendations of ways to improve such accuracy and 
                appropriateness;
                    (F) a review of interagency coordination of 
                statistical data and recommendations of methods to 
                standardize collection procedures and surveys, as 
                appropriate, and presentation of data throughout the 
                Federal system;
                    (G) a review of information technology and 
                recommendations of appropriate methods for 
                disseminating statistical data, with special emphasis 
                on resources, such as the Internet, that allow the 
                public to obtain information in a timely and cost-
                effective manner;
                    (H) an examination of individual privacy in the 
                context of statistical data;
                    (I) a comparison of the United States statistical 
                system to statistical systems of other nations;
                    (J) a consideration of the coordination of 
                statistical data with other nations and international 
                agencies, such as the Organization for Economic 
                Cooperation and Development; and
                    (K) a recommendation of a strategy for maintaining 
                a modern and efficient Federal statistical 
                infrastructure as the needs of the United States 
                change.
    (b) Report.--
            (1) Interim report.--No later than June 1, 1998, the 
        Commission shall submit an interim report on the study 
        conducted under subsection (a) to the President and to the 
        Congress.
            (2) Final report.--No later than January 15, 1999, the 
        Commission shall submit a final report to the President and the 
        Congress which shall contain a detailed statement of the 
        findings and conclusions of the Commission, and recommendations 
        for such legislation and administrative actions as the 
        Commission considers appropriate.

SEC. 5. 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 advisable to carry out the 
purposes of 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 the provisions of this Act. 
Upon request of the Chairman 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.
    (d) Gifts.--The Commission may accept, use, and dispose of gifts or 
donations of services or property.

SEC. 6. COMMISSION PERSONNEL MATTERS.

    (a) Compensation of Members.--
            (1) In general.--Subject to paragraph (2), each member of 
        the Commission 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.
            (2) Chairman.--The Chairman shall be compensated at a rate 
        equal to the daily equivalent of the annual rate of basic pay 
        prescribed for level III 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.
    (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. Such travel may include travel outside the United States.
    (c) Staff.--
            (1) In general.--Subject to paragraph (2), the Commission 
        shall, without regard to the provisions of title 5, United 
        States Code, relating to the competitive service, appoint an 
        executive director who shall be paid at a rate equivalent to a 
        rate established for the Senior Executive Service under section 
        5382 of title 5, United States Code. The Commission shall 
        appoint such additional personnel as the Commission determines 
        to be necessary to provide support for the Commission, and may 
        compensate such additional personnel without regard to the 
        provisions of title 5, United States Code, relating to the 
        competitive service.
            (2) Limitation.--The total number of employees of the 
        Commission (including the executive director) may not exceed 
        30.
    (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 
Chairman of the Commission 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. 7. TERMINATION OF THE COMMISSION.

    The Commission shall terminate 90 days after the date on which the 
Commission submits the final report of the Commission.

SEC. 8. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There are authorized to be appropriated $2,500,000 for fiscal year 
1997, $5,000,000 for fiscal year 1998, and $2,500,000 for fiscal year 
1999 to the Commission to carry out the purposes of this Act.

Summary: Commission to Study the Federal Statistical System Act of 1996 - Establishes the Commission to Study the Federal Statistical System. Directs the Commission to study all matters relating to Federal statistical infrastructure, including longitudinal surveys conducted by private agencies and partially funded by the Federal Government. Authorizes appropriations.