Presidential Commission on Telemedicine Act

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Presidential Commission on 
Telemedicine Act''.

SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT.

    There is established a commission to be known as the Presidential 
Commission on Telemedicine (in this Act referred to as the 
``Commission'').

SEC. 3. DUTIES.

    The Commission shall carry out the following duties:
            (1) Conduct a full and complete review and study of the use 
        of telecommunications and information systems technologies--
                    (A) in the provision of health care and in the 
                performance of health research--
                            (i) to perform examinations and procedures, 
                        and to conduct consultations, relating to the 
                        diagnosis and treatment of illnesses, injuries, 
                        and other physical and mental conditions; and
                            (ii) to archive, access, and transmit data 
                        that is necessary or appropriate to perform or 
                        conduct such examinations, procedures, and 
                        consultations;
                    (B) in the training of students of health 
                professions and the continuing education of practicing 
                health care providers; and
                    (C) in the monitoring of medical conditions by 
                individuals at home.
            (2) Assess whether such technologies are effective in 
        improving the quality and accessibility of health care and 
        reducing the costs of such care.
            (3) Examine methods by which training in the use of 
        telecommunications and information systems technologies in the 
        delivery of health care might be improved.
            (4) Analyze any obstacles that may impede such technologies 
        from being widely used and accepted by health care providers in 
        the United States.
            (5) Develop a model definition of the term ``telemedicine'' 
        that may be used by health care providers, persons that provide 
        payment for health care services, and other participants in the 
        health care system.

SEC. 4. MEMBERSHIP.

    (a) Number and Appointment.--The Commission shall be composed of 31 
members. The Commission shall consist of the following members:
            (1) The Vice President of the United States or such 
        individual's delegate.
            (2) The Secretary of Defense or such individual's delegate.
            (3) The Secretary of Commerce or such individual's 
        delegate.
            (4) The Secretary of Health and Human Services or such 
        individual's delegate.
            (5) The Secretary of Energy or such individual's delegate.
            (6) 26 individuals appointed by the President from among 
        individuals who are consumers of health care services or are 
        distinguished in the field of biomedical engineering, computer 
        science, telecommunications, medicine, nursing, health care 
        law, administration of health care, health education, or 
        business.
    (b) Terms.--Each member shall be appointed for the life of the 
Commission.
    (c) Vacancies.--A vacancy in the Commission shall be filled not 
later than 30 days after the date of the creation of the vacancy in the 
manner in which the original appointment was made.
    (d) Compensation.--
            (1) Rates of pay.--Except as provided in paragraph (2), 
        members of the Commission shall serve without pay.
            (2) Travel expenses.--Each member of the Commission shall 
        receive travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of 
        subsistence, in accordance with sections 5702 and 5703 of title 
        5, United States Code.
    (e) Quorum.--16 members of the Commission shall constitute a 
quorum, but a lesser number may hold hearings, take testimony, or 
receive evidence.
    (f) Chairperson.--The Vice President (or such individual's 
delegate) shall be the chairperson of the Commission.
    (g) Meetings.--The Commission shall meet at the call of the 
chairperson of the Commission or a majority of its members.

SEC. 5. STAFF AND SUPPORT SERVICES.

    (a) Director.--The Commission shall have a director appointed by 
the Commission and paid at a rate not to exceed the minimum rate of 
basic pay payable for GS-13 of the General Schedule.
    (b) Staff.--The Commission may appoint and fix the pay of 
additional personnel as it considers appropriate, except that an 
individual so appointed may not receive pay in excess of the maximum 
rate of basic pay payable for GS-11 of the General Schedule.
    (c) Applicability of Certain Civil Service Laws.--The director and 
staff of the Commission may be appointed without regard to the 
provisions of title 5, United States Code, governing appointments in 
the competitive service, and may be paid without regard to the 
provisions of chapter 51 and subchapter III of chapter 53 of that title 
relating to classification and General Schedule pay rates, except as 
provided in subsections (a) and (b).
    (d) Staff of Federal Agencies.--Upon request of the Commission, the 
head of any Federal agency may detail, on a nonreimbursable basis, any 
of the personnel of the agency to the Commission to assist it in 
carrying out its duties under this Act.
    (e) Experts and Consultants.--The Commission may procure temporary 
and intermittent services under section 3109(b) of title 5, United 
States Code, but at rates for individuals not to exceed the daily 
equivalent of the minimum annual rate of basic pay payable for GS-13 of 
the General Schedule.
    (f) Administrative Support Services.--The Administrator of General 
Services shall provide to the Commission on a reimbursable basis such 
administrative support services necessary for the Commission to carry 
out its responsibilities under this Act.

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. The Commission may administer oaths or affirmations to 
witnesses appearing before it.
    (b) Delegation of Authority.--Any member or agent of the Commission 
may, if authorized by the Commission, take any action that the 
Commission is authorized to take by this section.
    (c) Information.--
            (1) In general.--The Commission may secure directly from 
        any Federal agency information necessary to enable it to carry 
        out this Act. Upon request of the Commission, the head of the 
        Federal agency shall furnish the information to the Commission.
            (2) Exception.--Paragraph (1) shall not apply to any 
        information that the Commission is prohibited to secure or 
        request by another law.
    (d) Mails.--The Commission may use the United States mails in the 
same manner and under the same conditions as other Federal agencies.
    (e) 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. REPORT.

    Not later than the expiration of the 1-year period beginning on the 
date of the appointment of the last member of the Commission to be 
appointed under section 4(a), the Commission shall submit to the 
President and the Congress a report containing the findings, 
conclusions, and recommendations of the Commission.

SEC. 8. TERMINATION.

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

SEC. 9. BUDGET COMPLIANCE.

    Any spending authority (as defined in subparagraphs (A) and (C) of 
section 401(c)(2) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 (2 U.S.C. 
651(c)(2)(A))) authorized by this title shall be effective only to such 
extent or in such amounts as are provided in appropriation Acts.

Summary: Presidential Commission on Telemedicine Act - Establishes the Presidential Commission on Telemedicine, which shall review and study the use of telecommunications and information systems technologies in: (1) the provision of health care and the performance of health research. (2) the training of students of health professions and the continuing education of practicing health care providers. And (3) the monitoring of medical conditions by individuals at home. Requires the Commission to: (1) assess whether such technologies are effective in improving the quality and accessibility of health care and reducing its cost. (2) examine methods by which training in the use of telecommunications and information systems technologies in the delivery of health care might be improved. (3) analyze any obstacles that may impede the wide use and acceptance of such technologies by health care providers. And (4) develop a model definition of the term telemedicine. Requires a final report to the President and the Congress.