Gambling Impact Study Commission Act

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Gambling Impact Study Commission 
Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds that:
            (1) Many State and local governments and Native American 
        tribal governments support development of a gambling industry 
        as a source of jobs and additional revenue.
            (2) The benefits to residents and communities of revenue 
        generated by gambling bring problems as well as benefits.

SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT OF COMMISSION.

    (a) Establishment.--There is established a commission to be known 
as the Gambling Impact Study Commission (hereafter in this Act referred 
to as the ``Commission'').
    (b) Membership.--
            (1) Composition.--The Commission shall be composed of 9 
        members of whom--
                    (A) 3 shall be appointed by the President;
                    (B) 3 shall be appointed by the President pro 
                tempore of the Senate, upon the recommendation of the 
                majority and minority leaders of the Senate; and
                    (C) 3 shall be appointed by the Speaker of the 
                House of Representatives, in consultation with the 
                minority leader of the House of Representatives.
    (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 as directed by the President.
    (e) Meetings.--After the initial meeting, 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 and Vice Chairman.--The Commission shall select a 
Chairman and Vice Chairman from among its members.

SEC. 4. DUTIES OF THE COMMISSION.

    (a) Study.--
            (1) In general.--The Commission shall conduct a thorough 
        study of all matters relating to the impact of gambling on 
        States, political subdivisions of States, and Native American 
        tribes.
            (2) Matters studied.--The matters studied by the Commission 
        shall include--
                    (A) the impact of gambling on States, political 
                subdivisions of States, and Native American tribes; and
                    (B) possible alternative sources of revenue for 
                States, political subdivisions of States, and Native 
                American Indian tribes.
    (b) Report.--No later than 18 months after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Commission shall submit a report to the 
President and the Congress 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. 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.

SEC. 6. 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 Chairman of the Commission 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 executive director shall be 
        compensated at $75,000 annually. The Chairman of the Commission 
        may fix the compensation of other personnel without regard to 
        the provisions of 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 such 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 
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 its report under section 4.

SEC. 8. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    (a) In General.--There is authorized to be appropriated $250,000 to 
the Commission to carry out the purposes of this Act.
    (b) Availability.--Any sums appropriated under the authorization 
contained in this section shall remain available, without fiscal year 
limitation, until expended.

Summary: Gambling Impact Study Commission Act - Establishes the Gambling Impact Study Commission to study all matters relating to the impact of gambling on States, political subdivisions of States, and Native American tribes for a report to the Congress and the President. Authorizes appropriations.