I 

112TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 3493 

To establish a commission to study employment and economic insecurity 

in the United States workforce. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

NOVEMBER 18, 2011 

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida introduced the following bill; which was referred to 

the Committee on Education and the Workforce 

A BILL 

To establish a commission to study employment and 

economic insecurity in the United States workforce. 

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 ‘‘National Commission 

5 on Employment and Economic Security Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

7 Congress finds the following: 

8 (1) Americans’ commitment to economic par9 ticipation has been a defining feature of the cultural 

10 fabric of the United States, helping individuals feel 


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1 positive about themselves, develop independence, and 

2 maintain hope for the future. 

3 (2) As Americans lose their jobs and their in4 comes shrink, too often, they also face the loss of 

5 their family’s health insurance and, subsequent to 

6 the loss of income, even their housing. 

7 (3) Since the recession began in December 

8 2007, more than 9 million jobs have been lost. Ac9 cording to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, by Sep10 tember 2011, the unemployment rate had climbed to 

11 9.1 percent. The scope of the economic downturn is 

12 so large that its impact is felt almost everywhere 

13 along the economic spectrum. 

14 (4) As of September 2011, the number of un15 employed persons had reached 14 million, and the 

16 unemployment rate has hovered between 9.0 and 9.2 

17 percent since April 2011, according to the Bureau of 

18 Labor Statistics. 

19 (5) The number of long-term unemployed work20 ers (i.e., those jobless for 27 weeks or more) was 6.2 

21 million in September 2011 and has increased by al22 most 26 percent since the start of the recession in 

23 2007. 

24 (6) According to an American Psychological As25 sociation September 2010 report, money (76 perVerDate Mar 15 2010 04:17 Nov 22, 2011 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H3493.IH H3493

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1 cent), work (70 percent) and the economy (65 per2 cent) remain the most frequently cited sources of 

3 stress for Americans. 

4 (7) The loss of a job and the subsequent loss 

5 of income, insurance, and other benefits from that 

6 job have been proven to not only lead to increased 

7 stress but also be substantial triggers for mental 

8 health disorders including depression and anxiety. 

9 (8) Calls to the National Suicide Prevention 

10 Lifeline increased by more than 72 percent from 

11 2007 to 2010. 

12 (9) One-third of people going through fore13 closure are clinically depressed. 

14 (10) According to a 2010 American Psycho15 logical Association report, job stability is on the rise 

16 as a source of stress; nearly half (49 percent) of 

17 adults reported that job stability was a source of 

18 stress in 2010 (compared to 44 percent in 2009). At 

19 the same time, fewer Americans are satisfied with 

20 the ways their employer helps them balance work 

21 and non-work demands (36 percent compared to 42 

22 percent in 2009). 

23 (11) Research shows that time flexible work 

24 policies are associated with less stress, fewer ab25 sences from work, and more employer loyalty. 


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1 SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT OF COMMISSION. 

2 There is established a commission to be known as the 

3 ‘‘National Commission on Employment and Economic Se4 curity’’. 

5 SEC. 4. DUTIES OF COMMISSION. 

6 The Commission shall— 

7 (1) examine the issues of economic and psycho8 logical insecurity of members of the United States 

9 workforce caused by employment displacement; 

10 (2) gather data on the relationship between (A) 

11 psychological stress caused by employment insecurity 

12 and economic insecurity, (B) the increase in mental 

13 health disorders including clinical depression and 

14 anxiety in the United States, and (C) increased vio15 lence by employees and former employees in the 

16 workplace and in their private lives; 

17 (3) analyze the psychological impact of in18 creased workplace responsibilities and stress on cur19 rent workers due to downsizing, and the role of 

20 workplace flexibility policies in alleviating stress on 

21 these remaining workers; 

22 (4) examine the economic and psychological ef23 fects of the decreasing number of well-paid jobs on 

24 members of the United States workforce and their 

25 families; 


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1 (5) analyze whether measures may be taken to 

2 reduce said economic and psychological effects; and 

3 (6) recommend potential solutions, including 

4 recommendations for legislative and administrative 

5 action, to alleviate the problems of economic and 

6 psychological insecurity of members of the United 

7 States workforce. 

8 SEC. 5. MEMBERSHIP OF COMMISSION. 

9 (a) NUMBER AND APPOINTMENT.—The Commission 

10 shall be composed of 17 members, with expertise in re11 search methods or statistics, who shall be appointed as 

12 follows: 

13 (1) 9 individuals appointed by the President, of 

14 which— 

15 (A) 2 members shall be individuals who 

16 represent labor organizations as defined by sec17 tion 2(5) of the National Labor Relations Act 

18 (29 U.S.C. 152(5)); 

19 (B) 2 members shall be individuals who 

20 represent business interests; 

21 (C) 2 members shall be individuals who 

22 represent mental health interests; and 

23 (D) 3 members shall be individuals who 

24 represent relevant Federal agencies. 


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1 (2) 2 individuals appointed by the Speaker of 

2 the House of Representatives. 

3 (3) 2 individuals appointed by the minority 

4 leader of the House of Representatives. 

5 (4) 2 individuals appointed by the majority 

6 leader of the Senate. 

7 (5) 2 individuals appointed by the minority 

8 leader of the Senate. 

9 (b) QUALIFICATIONS.— 

10 (1) IN GENERAL.—Members shall be experts in 

11 the fields of labor, employment, economics, and psy12 chology. 

13 (2) POLITICAL AFFILIATION.—Political affili14 ation shall not be a factor in the appointment of 

15 members. 

16 (c) DEADLINE FOR APPOINTMENT.—Each member 

17 shall be appointed to the Commission not later than 90 

18 days after the date of the enactment of this Act. 

19 (d) TERMS.—Each member shall be appointed for the 

20 life of the Commission. 

21 (e) VACANCIES.—A vacancy in the Commission shall 

22 be filled in the manner in which the original appointment 

23 was made. 

24 (f) BASIC PAY.—Members shall serve without pay. 


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1 (g) TRAVEL EXPENSES.—Each member shall receive 

2 travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, 

3 in accordance with sections 5702 and 5703 of title 5, 

4 United States Code. 

5 (h) QUORUM.—8 members of the Commission shall 

6 constitute a quorum but a lesser number may hold hear7 ings. 

8 (i) CHAIRPERSON.— 

9 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Chairperson of the 

10 Commission shall be elected by the members not 

11 later than 30 days after the date on which all of the 

12 original members of the Commission have been ap13 pointed. 

14 (2) PRESIDENTIAL APPOINTMENT.—If the 

15 members of the Commission are unable to elect the 

16 Chairperson in accordance with paragraph (1), the 

17 President shall appoint a member of the Commission 

18 to be the Chairperson. 

19 (j) MEETINGS.—The Commission shall meet at the 

20 call of the Chairperson. 

21 SEC. 6. STAFF OF COMMISSION. 

22 (a) STAFF.—The Chairperson may appoint and fix 

23 the pay of the personnel of the Commission as the Chair24 person considers appropriate. 


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1 (b) APPLICABILITY OF CERTAIN CIVIL SERVICE

2 LAWS.—The staff of the Commission shall be appointed 

3 subject to the provisions of title 5, United States Code, 

4 governing appointments in the competitive service, and 

5 shall be paid in accordance with the provisions of chapter 

6 51 and subchapter III of chapter 53 of that title relating 

7 to classification and General Schedule pay rates. 

8 (c) STAFF OF FEDERAL AGENCIES.—Upon request 

9 of the Chairperson, the head of any Federal department 

10 or agency may detail, on a reimbursable basis, any of the 

11 personnel of that department or agency to the Commission 

12 to assist it in carrying out its duties under this Act. 

13 SEC. 7. POWERS OF COMMISSION. 

14 (a) HEARINGS AND SESSIONS.—The Commission 

15 may, for the purpose of carrying out this Act, hold hear16 ings, sit and act at times and places, take testimony, and 

17 receive evidence as the Commission considers appropriate. 

18 The Commission may administer oaths or affirmations to 

19 witnesses appearing before it. 

20 (b) POWERS OF MEMBERS AND AGENTS.—Any mem21 ber or agent of the Commission may, if authorized by the 

22 Commission, take any action which the Commission is au23 thorized to take by this section. 

24 (c) OBTAINING OFFICIAL DATA.—The Commission 

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1 cy information necessary to enable it to carry out this Act. 

2 Upon request of the Chairperson of the Commission, the 

3 head of that department or agency shall provide that in4 formation to the Commission. 

5 (d) MAIL.—The Commission may use the United 

6 States mail in the same manner and under the same con7 ditions as other Federal departments and agencies. 

8 (e) ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT SERVICES.—Upon 

9 the request of the Commission, the Administrator of Gen10 eral Services shall provide to the Commission, on a reim11 bursable basis, the administrative support services nec12 essary for the Commission to carry out its responsibilities 

13 under this Act. 

14 (f) IMMUNITY.—The Commission is an agency of the 

15 United States for purpose of part V of title 18, United 

16 States Code (relating to immunity of witnesses). 

17 (g) SUBPOENA POWER.— 

18 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Commission may issue 

19 a subpoena to require the attendance and testimony 

20 of witnesses and the production of evidence relating 

21 to any matter described in paragraphs (1) through 

22 (3) of section 4. 

23 (2) FAILURE TO OBEY AN ORDER OR SUB24 POENA.—If a person refuses to obey a subpoena 

25 issued under paragraph (1), the Commission may 


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1 apply to a United States district court for an order 

2 requiring that person to appear before the Commis3 sion to give testimony, produce evidence, or both, re4 lating to the matter under investigation. The appli5 cation may be made within the judicial district 

6 where the hearing is conducted or where that person 

7 is found, resides, or transacts business. Any failure 

8 to obey the order of the court may be punished by 

9 the court as civil contempt. 

10 (3) SERVICE OF SUBPOENAS.—The subpoenas 

11 of the Commission shall be served in the manner 

12 provided for subpoenas issued by a United States 

13 district court under the Federal Rules of Civil Pro14 cedure for the United States district courts. 

15 (h) CONTRACT AUTHORITY.—The Commission may 

16 contract with and compensate government and private 

17 agencies or persons for supplies or services, without regard 

18 to section 3709 of the Revised Statutes (41 U.S.C. 5). 

19 SEC. 8. REPORT OF COMMISSION. 

20 Not later than 1 year after the date on which all 

21 original members have been appointed to the Commission, 

22 the Commission shall transmit to the President and Con23 gress a report that contains a detailed statement of the 

24 findings and recommendations of the Commission made 

25 pursuant to section 4. 


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1 SEC. 9. TERMINATION OF COMMISSION. 

2 (a) TERMINATION.—The Commission shall terminate 

3 60 days after the date of submission of the report pursu4 ant to section 8. 

5 (b) ADMINISTRATIVE ACTIVITIES BEFORE TERMI6 NATION.—The Commission may use the 60-day period re7 ferred to in paragraph (a) for the purpose of concluding 

8 its activities, including providing testimony to committees 

9 of Congress concerning its reports and disseminating the 

10 second report. 

11 SEC. 10. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 

12 (a) IN GENERAL.—There are authorized to be appro13 priated $2,000,000 for fiscal year 2012 for use in the de14 velopment and implementation of plans under this Act. 

15 (b) AVAILABILITY.—Amounts authorized to be appro16 priated by subsection (a) are authorized to remain avail17 able until expended. 

Æ 


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