National Commission on Educational Readiness Act

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``National Commission on Educational 
Readiness Act''.

SEC. 2. PURPOSE.

    It is the purpose of this Act to promote and improve the quality of 
preschool skills development by coordinating efforts on behalf of 
public and private organizations to improve and enhance systems of care 
for children and their families.

SEC. 3. NATIONAL COMMISSION ON EDUCATIONAL READINESS.

    (a) Establishment.--There is hereby established a National 
Commission on Educational Readiness (hereafter in this Act referred to 
as the ``Commission'').
    (b) Membership and Administration of the Commission.--
            (1) In general.--The Commission shall consist of 11 
        members, of whom--
                    (A) 2 members shall be appointed by the Secretary 
                of Education;
                    (B) 2 members shall be appointed by the Secretary 
                of Health and Human Services;
                    (C) 2 members shall be appointed by the Majority 
                Leader of the Senate in consultation with the Minority 
                Leader of the Senate;
                    (D) 2 members shall be appointed by the Speaker of 
                the House of Representatives in consultation with the 
                Minority Leader of the House of Representatives; and
                    (E) 3 members shall be jointly selected by the 
                Majority Leader of the Senate and the Speaker of the 
                House of Representatives from among individuals who 
                have demonstrated expertise in areas such as early 
                childhood development, comprehensive services delivery 
                for pregnant women, infants, toddlers, and preschool 
                children, professional teaching, or nonprofit 
                organizations or foundations which work to expand 
                educational opportunities for preschool children, such 
                individuals may include State or local officials 
                responsible for health and education policy, parents or 
                representatives of parent organizations.
            (2) Chairman and vice chairman.--The Commission shall 
        select a Chairperson and Vice Chairperson from among the 
        members of the Commission.
            (3) Vacancies.--A vacancy in the Commission shall not 
        affect its powers, but shall be filled in the same manner as 
        the original appointment was made.
            (4) Meetings.--The Commission shall meet on a regular 
        basis, as necessary, at the call of the Chairperson of the 
        Commission or a majority of the Commission's members.
            (5) Quorum.--A majority of the members of the Commission 
        shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.
            (6) Terms.--(A) Members of the Commission shall be 
        appointed to serve for terms of 3 years, except that of the 
        members first appointed--
                    (i) 4 members shall serve for terms of 1 year;
                    (ii) 4 members shall serve for terms of 2 years; 
                and
                    (iii) 3 members shall serve for terms of 3 years.
            (B) Members may be reappointed to the Commission.
            (7) Contracts.--To carry out this Act, the Commission may 
        enter into such contracts and other arrangements to such extent 
        or in such amounts as are provided in appropriation Acts, and 
        without regard to the provisions of section 3709 of the Revised 
        Statutes (41 U.S.C. 5). Contracts and other arrangements may be 
        entered into under this paragraph with or without consideration 
        or bond.
            (8) Compensation.--Each member of the Commission shall 
        serve without compensation, but shall be allowed travel 
        expenses including per diem in lieu of subsistence, as 
        authorized by section 5703 of title 5, United States Code, when 
        engaged in the performance of Commission duties.
            (9) Activity of the commission.--The Commission may begin 
        to carry out its duties under this Act when at least 6 members 
        of the Commission have been appointed pursuant to paragraph 
        (1).

SEC. 4. DUTIES OF THE COMMISSION.

    The Commission shall--
            (1) recommend a national policy designed to prepare the 
        Nation's children for formal learning, including 
        recommendations concerning appropriate roles for the Federal 
        Government, States, local governments and the private sector;
            (2) recommend to the President and the Congress the 
        specific changes needed within Federal laws and policies to 
        achieve an effective Federal role in such preparation;
            (3) encourage State and local initiatives on behalf of 
        children (including legislative and policy changes as the 
        Commission determines necessary) and monitor progress toward 
        school readiness;
            (4) sponsor national, State and regional conferences on 
        ready to learn activities;
            (5) establish and operate a national clearinghouse for the 
        dissemination of information and materials on readiness to 
        learn;
            (6) establish an advisory council in accordance with 
        section 10;
            (7) collaborate with specific entities involved with ready 
        to learn issues or activities such as the National Ready to 
        Learn Council, the National Education Goals Panel and 
        appropriate State ready to learn activities;
            (8) develop and maintain collaborative arrangements with 
        public agencies and professional and voluntary organizations 
        that are involved in ready to learn issues; and
            (9) provide consultation and technical assistance, or 
        arrange for the provision of such consultation and technical 
        assistance, to State and community entities providing or 
        preparing to provide integrated comprehensive health or child 
        development services or educational services to pregnant women, 
        infants, toddlers, and preschool children.

SEC. 5. REPORTS.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 1 year after the date on which all 
members of the Commission are appointed in accordance with section 
3(b), the Commission shall prepare and submit to the President and to 
the appropriate committees of the Congress a comprehensive report on 
the activities of the Commission.
    (b) Contents.--The report submitted pursuant to subsection (a) 
shall include such findings and recommendations for legislation and 
administrative action as the Commission considers appropriate based on 
the activities of the Commission.
    (c) Other Reports.--The Commission shall prepare and submit to the 
President and the Congress such other reports as the Commission 
considers appropriate.

SEC. 6. INFORMATION.

    The Commission may secure directly from any Federal agency such 
information, relevant to the Commission's functions, as may be 
necessary to enable the Commission to carry out the Commission's 
duties. Upon request of the Chairman of the Commission, the head of the 
agency shall, to the extent permitted by law, furnish such information 
to the Commission.

SEC. 7. GIFTS.

    The Commission may accept, use, and dispose of gifts and donations 
of money, services, or property, for the purpose of aiding the 
activities of the Commission.

SEC. 8. MAIL.

    The Commission may use the United States mails in the same manner 
and under the same conditions as the departments and agencies of the 
United States.

SEC. 9. COMMISSION STAFF.

    (a) Executive Director.--The Commission shall appoint an executive 
director, who shall be paid at a rate not to exceed the maximum rate of 
basic pay under section 5376 of title 5, United States Code, and such 
professional and clerical personnel as may be reasonable and necessary 
to enable the Commission to carry out its functions without regard to 
the provisions of title 5, United States Code, governing appointments 
in the competitive service, and without regard to the provisions of 
chapter 51 and subchapter III of chapter 53 of such title, or of any 
other provision of law, relating to the number, classification and 
General Schedule rates, except that no employee, other than the staff 
director, may be compensated at a rate to exceed the maximum rate 
applicable to level 15 of the General Schedule set forth in section 
5332 of title 5, United States Code.
    (b) Other Federal Personnel.--Upon request of the Chairman of the 
Commission, the head of any Federal agency is authorized to detail, 
without reimbursement, any personnel of such agency to the Commission 
to assist the Commission in carrying out its duties under this Act. 
Such detail shall be without interruption or loss of civil service 
status or privilege set forth in section 5332 of title 5, United States 
Code.

SEC. 10. ADVISORY COUNCIL.

    (a) Establishment.--The Commission shall establish an advisory 
council (hereafter in this Act referred to as the ``Council'') composed 
of representatives of professional and voluntary organizations, and 
recognized scholars and experts in early childhood development, 
education, health, child advocacy and other relevant fields.
    (b) Functions.--
            (1) In general.--The Council shall--
                    (A) advise the Commission regarding--
                            (i) readiness to learn;
                            (ii) the design, development and execution 
                        of the strategies assisted under this Act; and
                            (iii) the coordination of activities 
                        assisted under this Act, including procedures 
                        to assure compliance with the provisions of 
                        this Act; and
                    (B) make recommendations to the Commission in 
                accordance with paragraph (2).
            (2) Recommendations.--The Council shall make 
        recommendations to the Commission regarding how best to--
                    (A) promote collaboration and joint activities to 
                assist communities in assuring the Nation's children 
                receive the variety of supports such children require 
                to be ready for school;
                    (B) report on and promote innovative and exemplary 
                projects and programs that highlight integrated, 
                comprehensive services, including how such projects and 
                programs may be used as models for replication in other 
                communities;
                    (C) encourage and support the development of State 
                and community ready to learn activities;
                    (D) monitor national progress toward the National 
                Education Goal regarding school readiness; and
                    (E) develop, exchange and disseminate information 
                regarding readiness to learn.

SEC. 11. APPLICABILITY OF FEDERAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE ACT.

    The provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act shall not 
apply to the Commission established under this Act.

SEC. 12. EXPERTS AND CONSULTANTS.

    Subject to such rules as may be prescribed by the Commission, the 
Chairman of the Commission may procure temporary and intermittent 
services under section 3109 of title 5, United States Code, as rates 
for individuals, not to exceed the daily rate payable for level GS-15 
of the General Schedule set forth in section 5332 of title 5, United 
States Code.

SEC. 13. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    (a) In General.--There are authorized to be appropriated $1,500,000 
for fiscal year 1994 and such sums as may be necessary for each of the 
fiscal years 1995 and 1996 to carry out the provisions of this Act.
    (b) Availability.--Amounts appropriated pursuant to the authority 
of subsection (a) shall remain available until expended.

Summary: National Commission on Educational Readiness Act - Establishes a National Commission on Educational Readiness . Directs the Commission to: (1) recommend a national policy to prepare children for formal learning. (2) recommend specific changes in Federal laws and policies to effectuate the Federal role. (3) encourage State and local initiatives and monitor progress toward school readiness. (4) run a national clearinghouse for information and materials on readiness to learn, (5) sponsor conferences, (6) establish an advisory council. (7) arrange for provision of consultation and technical assistance to State or community entities for integrated comprehensive health or child development services or educational services to pregnant women, infants, toddlers, and preschool children. And (8) report to the President and the Congress. Authorizes appropriations.