II 

116TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 960 

To establish a commission to develop proposals regarding voting representation for citizens of the United States who reside in a territory, commonwealth, or Federal District of the United States. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

MARCH 28, 2019 

Mr. MERKLEY introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred 

to the Committee on the Judiciary 

A BILL 

To establish a commission to develop proposals regarding 

voting representation for citizens of the United States 

who reside in a territory, commonwealth, or Federal District of the United States. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘We the People Com5 mission on Full Representation Act of 2019’’. 

6 SEC. 2. DEFINITION OF COVERED JURISDICTION. 

7 In this Act, the term ‘‘covered jurisdiction’’ means— 

8 (1) Puerto Rico; 


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1 (2) the District of Columbia; 

2 (3) Guam; 

3 (4) the United States Virgin Islands; 

4 (5) American Samoa; and 

5 (6) the Northern Mariana Islands. 

6 SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT OF COMMISSION. 

7 (a) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is established a com8 mission to be known as the ‘‘We the People Commission 

9 on Full Representation’’ (in this Act referred to as the 

10 ‘‘Commission’’). 

11 (b) MEMBERSHIP.— 

12 (1) COMPOSITION.—The Commission shall be 

13 composed of 10 members, appointed as follows: 

14 (A) Two members appointed by the Presi15 dent. 

16 (B) Two members appointed by the major17 ity leader of the Senate. 

18 (C) Two members appointed by the minor19 ity leader of the Senate. 

20 (D) Two members appointed by the Speak21 er of the House of Representatives. 

22 (E) Two members appointed by the minor23 ity leader of the House of Representatives. 

24 (2) QUALIFICATIONS.— 


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1 (A) IN GENERAL.—The Commission shall 

2 include not less than 1 member who represents 

3 each covered jurisdiction. 

4 (B) REPRESENTATION.—To represent a 

5 covered jurisdiction for purposes of subpara6 graph (A), an individual shall— 

7 (i) be a native of the jurisdiction; 

8 (ii) be an elected representative of the 

9 jurisdiction; 

10 (iii) have lived in the jurisdiction for 

11 a period of not less than 10 years; or 

12 (iv) have expertise, such as academic 

13 expertise, on the jurisdiction. 

14 (3) APPOINTMENT DEADLINE.—Members of the 

15 Commission shall be appointed not later than 90 

16 days after the date of enactment of this Act. 

17 (c) PERIOD OF APPOINTMENT.—Members of the 

18 Commission shall be appointed for the life of the Commis19 sion. 

20 (d) VACANCIES.—A vacancy in the Commission shall 

21 be filled in the manner in which the original appointment 

22 was made. 

23 (e) MEETINGS.— 

24 (1) INITIAL MEETING.—The Commission shall 

25 hold its first meeting not later than 30 days after 


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1 a majority of members are appointed to the Commis2 sion. 

3 (2) MEETING.—The Commission shall regularly 

4 meet at the call of the Chair. Such meetings may be 

5 carried out through the use of telephonic or other 

6 appropriate telecommunication technology if the 

7 Commission determines that such technology will 

8 allow the members to communicate simultaneously. 

9 (f) QUORUM.—A majority of the members of the 

10 Commission shall constitute a quorum, but a lesser num11 ber of members may hold hearings. 

12 (g) CHAIR.—The President shall designate a member 

13 of the Commission to be the Chair of the Commission. 

14 SEC. 4. DUTIES. 

15 (a) DEVELOPMENT OF PROPOSALS.—The Commis16 sion— 

17 (1) shall develop a proposal for each covered ju18 risdiction regarding voting representation for citi19 zens of the United States who reside in that jurisdic20 tion; 

21 (2) in a proposal for a covered jurisdiction 

22 under paragraph (1), may recommend— 

23 (A) any type of representation, including 

24 statehood or voting representation only in the 

25 House of Representatives; or 


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1 (B) no representation; and 

2 (3) in determining under paragraph (1) wheth3 er and, if so, how a covered jurisdiction should be 

4 represented, shall consider— 

5 (A) whether the jurisdiction has held a ref6 erendum on achieving voting representation in 

7 the United States; and 

8 (B) the size of the jurisdiction. 

9 (b) REPORT.—Not later than 2 years after the date 

10 of enactment of this Act, the Commission shall submit to 

11 the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental 

12 Affairs of the Senate, the Committee on Oversight and 

13 Reform of the House of Representatives, and the Com14 mittee on Rules of the House of Representatives a report 

15 that contains the proposals developed under subsection 

16 (a). 

17 SEC. 5. POWERS OF COMMISSION. 

18 (a) HEARINGS.—The Commission may hold such 

19 hearings, sit and act at such times and places, take such 

20 testimony, and receive evidence as the Commission con21 siders advisable to carry out the responsibilities of the 

22 Commission. 

23 (b) INFORMATION FROM FEDERAL AGENCIES.—The 

24 Commission may secure directly from any department or 

25 agency of the Federal Government such information as the 


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1 Commission considers necessary to carry out the duties 

2 of the Commission. 

3 (c) INFORMATION FROM NONGOVERNMENTAL ORGA4 NIZATIONS.— 

5 (1) IN GENERAL.—In carrying out its duties, 

6 the Commission may seek guidance through con7 sultation with foundations, veteran service organiza8 tions, nonprofit groups, faith-based organizations, 

9 private and public institutions of higher education, 

10 and other organizations as the Commission deter11 mines appropriate. 

12 (2) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of 

13 Congress that the Commission should consult with 

14 nongovernmental organizations as authorized under 

15 paragraph (2). 

16 (d) POSTAL SERVICES.—The Commission may use 

17 the United States mails in the same manner and under 

18 the same conditions as departments and agencies of the 

19 United States. 

20 (e) GIFTS.—The Commission may accept, use, and 

21 dispose of gifts or donations of services or property. 

22 SEC. 6. COMMISSION PERSONNEL MATTERS. 

23 (a) COMPENSATION OF MEMBERS; TRAVEL EX24 PENSES.—Each member shall serve without pay but shall 

25 receive travel expenses to perform the duties of the ComVerDate Sep 11 2014 04:17 Apr 05, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00006 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S960.IS S960

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1 mission, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, at rates 

2 authorized under subchapter I of chapter 57 of title 5, 

3 United States Code. 

4 (b) STAFF.—The Chair, in accordance with rules 

5 agreed upon by the Commission, may appoint and fix the 

6 compensation of a staff director and any other personnel 

7 that may be necessary to enable the Commission to carry 

8 out the functions of the Commission— 

9 (1) without regard to the provisions of title 5, 

10 United States Code, governing appointments in the 

11 competitive service; and 

12 (2) without regard to the provision of chapter 

13 51 and subchapter III of chapter 53 of title 5, 

14 United States Code, relating to classification and 

15 General Schedule pay rates, except that no rate of 

16 pay fixed under this paragraph may exceed the 

17 equivalent of that payable for a position at level IV 

18 of the Executive Schedule under section 5315 of 

19 that title. 

20 (c) DETAIL OF GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES.—Any 

21 Federal Government employee may be detailed to the 

22 Commission without reimbursement, and that detail shall 

23 be without interruption or loss of civil service status or 

24 privilege. 

25 (d) PERSONNEL AS FEDERAL EMPLOYEES.— 


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1 (1) IN GENERAL.—The executive director and 

2 any personnel of the Commission shall be considered 

3 employees under section 2105 of title 5, United 

4 States Code, for purpose of chapters 63, 81, 83, 84, 

5 85, 87, 89, and 90 of that title. 

6 (2) MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION.—Para7 graph (1) shall not be construed to apply to mem8 bers of the Commission. 

9 (e) COMMISSION RECORDS.—The Commission shall 

10 keep an accurate and complete record of the actions and 

11 meetings of the Commission. The record shall be made 

12 available for public inspection and the Comptroller Gen13 eral of the United States may audit and examine the 

14 record. 

15 (f) CONTRACTING.—The Commission may, to such 

16 extent and in such amounts as are provided in appropria17 tion Acts, enter into contracts to enable the Commission 

18 to discharge the duties of the Commission under this Act. 

19 (g) EXPERT AND CONSULTANT SERVICE.—The Com20 mission may procure the services of experts and consult21 ants in accordance with section 3109 of title 5, United 

22 States Code, at rates not to exceed the daily rate paid 

23 to a person occupying a position at level IV of the Execu24 tive Schedule under section 5315 of title 5, United States 

25 Code. 


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1 (h) PHYSICAL FACILITIES AND EQUIPMENT.—Upon 

2 the request of the Commission, the Administrator of Gen3 eral Services shall provide to the Commission, on a reim4 bursable basis, the administrative support services nec5 essary for the Commission to carry out its responsibilities 

6 under this Act. The administrative support services may 

7 include human resource management, budget, leasing ac8 counting, and payroll services. 

9 SEC. 7. TERMINATION OF COMMISSION. 

10 The Commission shall terminate 30 days after the 

11 date on which the Commission submits the report under 

12 section 4. 

13 SEC. 8. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 

14 (a) IN GENERAL.—There are authorized to be appro15 priated such sums as may be necessary to the Commission 

16 to carry out this Act. 

17 (b) AVAILABILITY.—Any sums appropriated under 

18 the authorization contained in this section shall remain 

19 available, without fiscal year limitation, until expended. 

Æ 


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