A bill to establish a National Commission to Eliminate Waste in Government.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``National Commission to Eliminate 
Waste in Government Act of 2001''.

SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT.

    There is established the National Commission to Eliminate Waste in 
Government (in this Act referred to as the ``Commission'').

SEC. 3. DUTIES.

    (a) In General.--It shall be the duty of the Commission to--
            (1) conduct a private sector survey on management and cost 
        control in the Federal Government;
            (2) conduct in-depth reviews of the operations of the 
        executive agencies;
            (3)(A) review existing reports from the Government 
        Accounting Office, the Congressional Budget Office, and the 
        various Inspector General offices within executive agencies, 
        reports and other existing governmental and nongovernmental 
        recommendations for reducing waste, including recommendations 
        from the President's Private Sector Survey on Cost Control; and
            (B) based on the review under subparagraph (A), 
        periodically submit reports to the President and Congress 
        including--
                    (i) a list of such recommendations that the 
                Commission determines are most significant;
                    (ii) the estimated savings of the recommendations; 
                and
                    (iii) determinations of whether the recommendations 
                can be implemented by Executive order or require 
                legislative action; and
            (4) submit to the President and the Congress 
        recommendations for improving the budget process and management 
        and for reducing waste and costs in the Federal Government.
    (b) Particular Areas To Be Examined.--In fulfilling the duties 
described under subsection (a), the Commission shall identify and 
address--
            (1) opportunities for increased efficiency and reduced 
        costs in the Federal Government that can be realized by 
        Executive action or legislation;
            (2) areas in the Federal Government where managerial 
        accountability can be enhanced and administrative control can 
        be improved;
            (3) specific Federal programs that have accomplished their 
        objectives and should be terminated;
            (4) specific Federal program services that could be 
        provided at a lower cost by the private sector;
            (5) specific reforms of the budget process that would yield 
        savings, increase accountability and efficiency, and enhance 
        public confidence in the budget process; and
            (6) specific areas in the Federal Government where further 
        study can be justified by potential savings.

SEC. 4. MEMBERSHIP.

    (a) Number and Appointment.--
            (1) Number.--The Commission shall be composed of 12 members 
        who are not officers or employees of any government and who are 
        especially qualified to serve on the Commission by virtue of 
        their education, training, or experience.
            (2) Political party representation.--Not more than 6 
        members of the Commission shall be of the same political party.
            (3) Appointment.--The members of the Commission shall be 
        appointed as follows:
                    (A) 4 individuals shall be appointed by the 
                President, not more than 2 of whom shall be from the 
                same political party.
                    (B) 3 individuals shall be appointed by the Speaker 
                of the House of Representatives, not more than 2 of 
                whom shall be from the same political party.
                    (C) 1 individual shall be appointed by the minority 
                leader of the House of Representatives.
                    (D) 3 individuals shall be appointed by the 
                majority leader of the Senate, not more than 2 of whom 
                shall be from the same political party.
                    (E) 1 individual shall be appointed by the minority 
                leader of the Senate.
    (b) Continuation of Membership.--If an individual is appointed to 
the Commission, and later becomes an officer or employee of a 
government, such individual may continue as a member of the Commission 
for not longer than the 30-day period beginning on the date such 
individual becomes such an officer or employee.
    (c) Appointment of Members.--Appointments shall be made not later 
than 30 days after the date of enactment of this Act.
    (d) Terms.--Each member shall be appointed for the life of the 
Commission.
    (e) Vacancies.--A vacancy in the Commission shall be filled within 
30 days in the manner in which the original appointment was made.
    (f) Compensation.--Federal funds may not be used to pay any member 
of the Commission for services performed as a member.
    (g) Quorum.--Five members of the Commission shall constitute a 
quorum, but a lesser number may hold hearings.
    (h) Chairperson.--The Chairperson of the Commission shall be 
elected by the members from among the members.
    (i) Meetings.--The Commission shall meet at least once each month 
at the call of the Chairperson of the Commission.

SEC. 5. STAFF AND SUPPORT SERVICES.

    (a) Director.--The Commission shall have a Director appointed by 
the Chairperson of the Commission and paid a rate determined by the 
Commission.
    (b) Staff.--With the approval of the Commission, the Director of 
the Commission may appoint personnel as the Director considers 
appropriate.

SEC. 6. POWERS.

    (a) Hearings and Sessions.--The Commission may, for the purpose of 
carrying out this Act, hold hearings, sit and act at times and places, 
take testimony, and receive evidence as the Commission considers 
appropriate.
    (b) Delegation of Authority.--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.
    (c) Information.--The Commission may secure directly from any 
Federal agency information necessary to enable it to carry out this 
Act. Upon request of the Chairperson of the Commission, the head of the 
Federal agency shall furnish the information to the Commission.
    (d) Contract Authority.--The Commission may contract with and 
compensate government and private agencies or persons for supplies or 
services without regard to section 3709 of the Revised Statutes (41 
U.S.C. 5).

SEC. 7. REPORTS.

    (a) Periodic Reports.--In accordance with section 3(a)(3), the 
Commission shall issue periodic reports to the President and the 
Congress.
    (b) Final Report.--Not later than the expiration of the 24-month 
period beginning on the date of enactment of this Act, the Commission 
shall submit to the President and the Congress a final report setting 
forth the findings and conclusions of the Commission and specific 
recommendations for legislative and administrative actions that the 
Commission determines to be appropriate.

SEC. 8. TERMINATION.

    The Commission shall terminate not later than the expiration of the 
30-day period beginning on the date on which the Commission submits its 
final report under section 7(b).

SEC. 9 FUNDING AND SUPPORT.

    The Commission shall be funded, staffed, and equipped by the 
private sector without cost to the Federal Government.

Summary: National Commission to Eliminate Waste in Government Act of 2001 - Establishes the National Commission to Eliminate Waste in Government to: (1) conduct a private sector survey on management and cost control in Government, (2) conduct in-depth reviews of executive agency operations. (3) review existing General Accounting Office, Congressional Budget Office, and various Inspector General offices' reports and other existing governmental and nongovernmental recommendations for reducing waste, including recommendations from the President's Private Sector Survey on Cost Control, and to periodically report to the President and Congress on such recommendations that are most significant, on the estimated savings from such recommendations, and on whether the recommendations can be implemented by executive order or require legislative action. And (4) submit to the President and Congress recommendations for improving the budget process and management and for reducing waste and costs. Requires the Commission to be funded, staffed, and equipped by the private sector without cost to the Government.