U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE

WASHINGTON : 

1

19–010

" SENATE ! 108TH CONGRESS

1st Session 

REPORT

2003

108–110

Calendar No. 221

UNITED STATES CONSENSUS COUNCIL ACT 

OF 2003

R E P O R T

OF THE

COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS 

UNITED STATES SENATE

TO ACCOMPANY

S. 908

TO ESTABLISH THE UNITED STATES CONSENSUS COUNCIL TO 

PROVIDE FOR A CONSENSUS BUILDING PROCESS IN ADDRESSING NATIONAL PUBLIC POLICY ISSUES, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

JULY 22 (legislative day, JULY 21), 2003.—Ordered to be printed 


E:\Seals\Congress.#13
(II)

COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS 

SUSAN M. COLLINS, Maine, Chairman 

TED STEVENS, Alaska 

GEORGE V. VOINOVICH, Ohio 

NORM COLEMAN, Minnesota 

ARLEN SPECTER, Pennsylvania 

ROBERT F. BENNETT, Utah 

PETER G. FITZGERALD, Illinois 

JOHN E. SUNUNU, New Hampshire 

RICHARD C. SHELBY, Alabama 

JOSEPH I. LIEBERMAN, Connecticut 

CARL LEVIN, Michigan 

DANIEL K. AKAKA, Hawaii 

RICHARD J. DURBIN, Illinois 

THOMAS R. CARPER, Delaware 

MARK DAYTON, Minnesota 

FRANK LAUTENBERG, New Jersey 

MARK PRYOR, Arkansas 

MICHAEL D. BOPP, Staff Director and Chief Counsel 

KIM CORTHELL, Professional Staff Member 

JOYCE A. RECHTSCHAFFEN, Minority Staff Director and Counsel 

SUSAN E. PROPPER, Minority Counsel 

AMY B. NEWHOUSE, Chief Clerk

Calendar No. 221

108TH CONGRESS REPORT " SENATE ! 1st Session 108–110

UNITED STATES CONSENSUS COUNCIL ACT OF 2003

JULY 22 (legislative day, JULY 21), 2003.—Ordered to be printed 

Ms. COLLINS, from the Committee on Governmental Affairs, 

submitted the following 

R E P O R T 

[To accompany S. 908] 

The Committee on Governmental Affairs, to which was referred 

the bill (S. 908) to establish the United States Consensus Council 

to provide for a consensus building process in addressing national 

public policy issues, and for other purposes, reports favorably 

thereon with amendments and recommends that the bill as amended do pass.

CONTENTS 

I. Purpose and Summary .................................................................................. 1 

II. Background .................................................................................................... 2 

III. Discussion of Legislation ............................................................................... 2 

IV. Legislative History ......................................................................................... 4 

V. Section-by-Section Analysis .......................................................................... 4 

VI. Evaluation of Regulatory Impact .................................................................. 9 

VII. CBO Cost Estimate ........................................................................................ 9 

VIII. Changes to Existing Law .............................................................................. 10

I. PURPOSE AND SUMMARY

S. 908 is a bill to establish the United States Consensus Council 

(Council), an independent nonprofit entity that will provide professional mediation services in cooperation with Congress (and perhaps others) to help resolve difficult policy issues by building consensus agreements among stakeholders. Following the completion 

of a consensus-building process, the Council will issue a report reflecting the results of its consideration and efforts. This report is 

advisory and will not be binding on the decision-makers, but should 

contain policy solutions that would be acceptable to key stakeholders involved in the issue. 

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II. BACKGROUND

The United States Consensus Council is modeled upon similar 

entities that have operated in several states, including the Montana Consensus Council and the Consensus Council, Inc. in North 

Dakota. These Councils have addressed a wide variety of issues at 

the state level, such as hazardous waste treatment, mental health 

care, and urban sprawl. 

Although it is the role of Congress to find solutions to the country’s important public policy issues, the creation of the United 

States Consensus Council may be useful to Congress when it is 

faced with issues that are particularly complex or contentious, or 

that cross committee jurisdictional lines. In such cases, the Council 

may identify the range of stakeholders, assist those stakeholders to 

clarify and narrow their differences, and find areas of common 

ground on which they can agree. The Council will address only 

issues that are chosen in cooperation with appropriate leaders of 

Congress from both parties and the results reported by the Council 

based on its efforts will be solely advisory, subject to the normal 

legislative process. 

III. DISCUSSION OF LEGISLATION

Senator Collins offered an amendment to S. 908 at the Committee’s markup on June 17, 2003. The amendment, which was adopted by the Committee, clarifies the relationship of the Council with 

the United States Institute for Environmental Conflict Resolution 

(USIECR) and the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service 

(FMCS); modifies the procedure for making presidential appointees 

to the Council’s board of directors; and changes the requirement for 

the initial meeting of the board of directors. 

As amended, S. 908 establishes the United States Consensus 

Council as an independent nonprofit corporation under the District 

of Columbia Nonprofit Corporation Act. The Council will not be an 

agency or instrumentality of the United States. 

The Council’s powers are vested in a 12 member part-time Board 

of Directors. Each of the leaders of the majority and minority in the 

House of Representatives and the Senate may select two board 

members. The President may select four board members, two members from each political party. The President’s appointment of 

members of the opposing party shall only be on the recommendation of the congressional leaders from that party. All of the President’s initial appointments to the board must be made on the same 

date. The members of the board will not be subject to Senate confirmation. 

Members of the board will not be federal officers or employees 

and may not be selected from among those who are federal officers 

or employees or Members of Congress. Directors will serve no more 

than two four-year terms, except that two of the first directors selected by the President and the first Directors selected by the 

Speaker and the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives 

will be initially appointed to terms of two years, and may then be 

reappointed to no more than two additional four-year terms. 

The Council is required to have its initial board meeting within 

sixty days of the appointment of at least one-third of the board. 

However, this meeting may be held only when equal numbers of 

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board members from each of the major political parties have been 

appointed as of the date of this meeting. At the initial meeting, the 

board is required to provide for the incorporation of the Council 

and to adopt interim bylaws and guidelines. The articles of incorporation, bylaws and guidelines will be effective only until the first 

board meeting after the appointment of all board members at 

which time these articles, bylaws and guidelines will be ratified or 

modified. The purpose of this provision is to establish a process for 

the expeditious establishment of the Council. 

The Board will select a President, who will be the chief executive 

officer of the Council and carry out the functions of the Council 

subject to the supervision of the Board. The President will serve as 

a non-voting member of the Board and will be compensated at a 

rate not to exceed level II of the Executive Schedule. The Council 

may request that federal employees be detailed to the Council from 

any federal department or agency or from any Congressional office 

on a reimbursable basis. 

The Committee has amended the bill in order to express unequivocally the intent of its sponsors and the Committee to limit 

the purpose and programs of the Council to ensure that there is no 

duplication, redundancy, or conflict in the Council’s activities with 

the purposes and programs of the United States Institute for Environmental Conflict Resolution or the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service. The Institute and Service each provide services that 

are valuable to the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of 

the U.S. government, as well to the states, Indian tribes, local governments, and members of the public. It is the Committee’s intent 

that the Council carry forward its activities in a manner that supports and does not conflict with, duplicate, or otherwise impede the 

activities of the Institute or Service. In this regard, the Committee 

has directed that the Council consult with the Institute and Service 

to identify opportunities for collaboration in fulfillment of their respective purposes and programs and has required that the Council 

seek the consent of the Institute or Service as a precondition to undertaking any activity that relates to a matter within the authority 

of the Institute or Service. The Committee expects the Institute 

and Service and Council to work in a collaborative manner as appropriate to advance the central purpose shared by all three entities, namely, avoiding, reducing, and resolving societal conflicts. 

The Council may receive appropriated funds from Congress and 

may also accept private sector contributions for its activities. It 

must report annually to Congress and the President on its activities to disclose the sources of funding it receives and the purposes 

for which the funds were contributed. The report must also include 

a copy of the Council’s audited annual financial statement. GAO 

will review the annual report. 

The Council is prohibited from carrying out any lobbying activities except on matters related to its own appropriation and authorization. It is the intention of the Committee that the Council remain neutral on substantive policy issues. 

On dissolution of the Council, all funds received from appropriations, including any interest earned on appropriated funds, will revert to the United States Treasury. 

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IV. LEGISLATIVE HISTORY

S. 908 was introduced on April 17, 2003, by Senator Collins and 

was referred to the Committee on Governmental Affairs. The bill 

was co-sponsored by a bipartisan group of Senators: Daschle, 

Conrad, Santorum, Dorgan and Leahy. At the Committee’s markup 

on June 17, 2003, S. 908 was reported out with a Collins amendment by voice vote. Members present were Collins, Lieberman, 

Akaka, Coleman, Durbin, Fitzgerald, Lautenberg, Levin, Pryor, 

Sununu and Voinovich. 

A companion bill, H.R. 2459, was introduced in the House of Representatives on June 12, 2003, by Representative Dennis Rehberg 

and was referred to the House Committee on Government Reform. 

V. SECTION-BY-SECTION ANALYSIS

Sec. 1. Short title 

This section states that the Act may be cited as the ‘‘United 

States Consensus Council Act of 2003.’’

Sec. 2. Findings and purpose 

Paragraph (a). Findings. Paragraph (a) sets forth congressional 

findings which: (1) recognize that there is increasing success in addressing critical public policy issues through consensus building approaches; (2) state the need for a national Council to use such approaches on legislative policy issues of national importance; (3) assert that such a Council may enroll specific stakeholders, both public and private, to build agreements that may be implemented by 

appropriate authorities; (4) conclude that such a Council will strive 

to create agreements that integrate differing perspectives into 

highest common denominator solutions; (5) state that such a Council is an appropriate investment by the people of this Nation; (6) 

state that such a Council could prevent polarization on emerging 

policy issues; (7) recognize that such a Council may contribute to 

a renewed sense of civility and respect for different points of view; 

and (8) state that the Council may become a repository of wisdom 

and experience on public policy collaboration. 

Paragraph (b). Purpose. This paragraph states that the purpose 

of this Act is to establish an independent, nonprofit, national Council to serve the Nation by seeking to produce consensus on policy 

issues of national importance. 

Sec. 3. Definitions 

This section provides the definition of three terms. ‘‘Board’’ means the Board of Directors of the Council. ‘‘Council’’ refers to the 

United States Consensus Council. ‘‘Director’’ means an individual 

appointed to the Council’s Board of Directors. 

Sec. 4. United States Consensus Council 

Paragraph (a). Establishment. Paragraph (a) provides for the establishment of the United States Consensus Council. 

Paragraph (b). District of Columbia Nonprofit Corporation; Status; Restrictions. Paragraph (b) requires that the Council be incorporated as an independent, nonprofit corporation under the District 

of Columbia Nonprofit Corporation Act, and that the Council shall 

be subject to all the requirements and oversight, as applicable, purVerDate Jan 31 2003 11:46 Jul 23, 2003 Jkt 019010 PO 00000 Frm 00006 Fmt 6659 Sfmt 6602 E:\HR\OC\SR110.XXX SR110
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suant to this Act. It further states that the Council is not an agency or instrumentality of the United States. 

Paragraph (c). Trade Name and Trademark Rights; Vested 

Rights Protected; Condition for Use of Federal Identity. Subsection 

(c)(1) authorizes the Council to have the sole and exclusive right to 

use and to authorize the use of the term ‘‘United States Consensus 

Council,’’ as well as any emblem, badge, seal, or other mark of recognition adopted by the Council. Subsection (c)(2) restricts the 

Council’s ability to reference the United States Government or Nation in its name or in any mark of recognition to those fiscal years 

in which the Council has received an authorization of appropriations, or appropriations, by law. 

Sec. 5. Powers and duties 

Paragraph (a). In General. Paragraph (a) states that the Council 

may exercise all the authorities conferred by the District of Columbia Nonprofit Corporation Act that are consistent with this Act. 

Paragraph (b). Description of Specific Activities. Subsection (b)(1) 

describes some of the specific activities that the Council may undertake in carrying out its purpose of assisting in the development 

of consensus on national policy issues. These activities include designing consensus processes, establishing relationships with other 

institutions, both private and public, that will be able to assist in 

such processes, and coordinating with existing federal entities to 

avoid duplication. Subsection (b)(2) provides that the Council may 

not take any action relating to a matter within the authority of the 

U.S. Institute for Environmental Conflict Resolution and the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service without the consent of the 

Institute or Service; duplicate the activities of the Institute or Service; or interfere with the Institute or Service in carrying out their 

respective statutory responsibilities. The Institute or Service is required to respond to a request for consent within 30 days, unless 

the Council and the Institute or Service agree otherwise. Subsection (b)(3) sets out some of the steps the Council may take in 

designing a consensus process for a specific policy issue, and requires the Council to consider such factors as the degree of congressional interest in the issue. It also allows the Council to undertake 

a full range of activities to support its consensus building efforts. 

Subsection (b)(4) authorizes the Council to engage in any other activity that is consistent with its mission. 

Paragraph (c). General Authority. Paragraph (c) grants the 

Council the authority to do any and all lawful acts necessary or desirable to carry out the objectives and purposes of this Act. 

Paragraph (d). Guidelines for Council Operations. Paragraph (d) 

directs the Council to develop guidelines, as necessary, for matters 

related to: (1) personal service contracts; (2) standards for Directors, employees, and agents to avoid conflicts of interest; (3) fundraising policies; (4) procedures to ensure that participants in the 

Council’s consensus-building processes are informed of the Council’s sources [and purpose] of funding and any specified purpose of 

such donations; (5) duties and responsibilities of the Council, its 

Board, officers, employees, and agents; and (6) the establishment of 

advisory committees or similar working groups. 

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Sec. 6. Board of Directors 

Paragraph (a). Vested Powers. Paragraph (a) vests the powers of 

the Council in the Board of Directors unless otherwise specified in 

the Act or delegated by the Board. 

Paragraph (b). Appointments. Paragraph (b) provides for the appointment of the 12 voting members of the Board, who may be private citizens or state or local employees. Four appointments are 

given to the President, no more than 2 of whom shall be of the 

same political party. Members of the opposing party shall only be 

appointed by the President on the recommendation of the leaders 

of Congress from that party. The President shall make all four of 

the initial appointments on the same date. Two appointments each 

are given to the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the 

Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, and two appointments each are given to the Senate Majority and Minority Leaders. 

Paragraph (c). Term of Office: Commencement and Termination, 

Interim and Remainder Service, Limitation. Subsection (c)(1) provides that the terms of Directors are four years, with a limit of two 

consecutive terms. The initial appointees of the Speaker and Minority Leader of the House and two of the President’s appointees 

will each have a two-year term with the possibility of serving two 

additional four-year terms. This will allow for the ‘‘staggering’’ of 

appointments to avoid turnover of the entire Board in any given 

year. Subsection (c)(2) states that a Director who is appointed to 

replace another Director whose term has not expired shall be appointed to serve the remainder of that term. Subsection (c)(3) provides that the President of the Council will serve as a nonvoting 

Director of the Board. 

Paragraph (d). Qualifications. Subsection (d)(1) provides that a 

demonstrated interest in the mission of the Council or expertise in 

consensus-building shall be considered in making appointments to 

the Board of Directors. Subsection (d)(2) precludes any person who 

is a federal officer or employee or a Member of Congress from serving as a Director to avoid the potential for conflicts such individuals might have with matters that could be addressed by the Council.

Paragraph (e). Removal From Office. Paragraph (e) provides that 

a Director may be removed at any time by the appointing official 

(or his or her successor in office) or by a process to be established 

in the bylaws of the Council. 

Paragraph (f). Meetings; Notice in Federal Register. Paragraph 

(f) requires the Board to establish bylaws governing its meetings. 

Subsection (f)(1) provides for an initial organization meeting to be 

held within 60 days after the appointment of at least one-third of 

the members to adopt interim bylaws and guidelines, which shall 

be effective only until the first board meeting after the appointment of all members. The initial meeting may be held only if equal 

numbers of members from each of the two major political parties 

are appointed to the board as of the date of that meeting. Subsection (f)(2) mandates that the Council shall meet at least semiannually with a majority of the Directors in office constituting a 

quorum. Subsection (f)(3) requires that all governing meetings of 

the Board be noticed in the Federal Register and remain open to 

the public, subject to narrow exceptions relating to personnel 

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issues, litigation and matters involving the status of individual Directors. 

Paragraph (g). Compensation. Subsection (g)(1) provides that a 

Director may be compensated at the daily rate payable for a position at level IV of the Executive Schedule under section 5315 of 

title 5, United States Code, for each day in which the Director is 

engaged in the performance of duties of the Council. Subsection 

(g)(2) makes clear that a Director may be compensated under this 

paragraph if he or she notifies the Board of an election to receive 

compensation. Subsection (g)(3) states that such compensation will 

be available only for duties performed after the date of this notification. 

Paragraph (h). Travel Expenses. Paragraph (h) provides that a 

Director may receive reasonable travel, subsistence, and other necessary expenses while away from home or regular place of business 

in the performance of duties for the Board. 

Sec. 7. Officers and employees 

Paragraph (a). President of Council. Paragraph (a) requires the 

Board to appoint a President to be the chief executive officer of the 

Council. The President will carry out the functions of the Council 

under the supervision and direction of the Board. 

Paragraph (b). Compensation of President of the Council. Paragraph (b) provides that the annual rate of pay of the President may 

not exceed the rate payable for a position at level II of the Executive Schedule under section 5313 of title 5, United States Code. 

Paragraph (c). Assignment of Federal Officers or Employees. 

Paragraph (c) permits federal officers or employees to be detailed 

to the Council on a fully reimbursable basis. There will be no impact on the federal employment benefits and rights of such an officer or employee during the course of the detail. 

Paragraph (d). Personnel. Paragraph (d) authorizes the President 

of the Council to appoint and fix the compensation of such additional personnel as is determined necessary, and states that neither the President nor any other employees of the Council will be 

employees of the United States. 

Paragraph (e). Compensation for Services or Expenses; Prohibition on Loans to Council Directors and Personnel. Paragraph (e) 

prohibits inurement of any Council resources to any employee, 

agent, or member of the Council, either during the life of the Council or upon dissolution, and prohibits the Council from making 

loans to such persons. 

Sec. 8. Procedures and records 

Paragraph (a). Monitoring and Evaluation of Programs. Paragraph (a) directs the Council to monitor and evaluate Council programs to ensure compliance with the provisions of this Act and all 

other legal requirements. 

Paragraph (b). Accounts of Receipts and Disbursements; Financial Reports. Paragraph (b) requires the Council to keep complete 

records of accounts, with separate and distinct accounts of receipts 

and disbursement of Federal funds, and records of the purpose of 

any donation for which a purpose is specified. This paragraph also 

requires the Council’s annual financial report to identify the use of 

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all funding and to give a clear description of the full financial situation of the Council. 

Paragraph (c). Minutes of Proceedings. Paragraph (c) requires 

the Council to keep minutes of the proceedings of the Board and 

of any committees having authority under the Board. 

Paragraph (d). Record and Inspection of Required Items. Paragraph (d) delineates some of the specific records that the Council 

must maintain and make available to any Director. Subsection 

(d)(1) specifies that these records include the names and addresses 

of Directors, legal documents pertaining to the Council, minutes of 

proceedings, documents relating to applications and proposals or to 

grants or contracts issued or received, and financial records of the 

Council. Subsection (d)(2) provides that any Director or attorney of 

a Director may inspect these records at any reasonable time for 

any proper purpose.

Paragraph (e). Audits. Paragraph (e) requires that the accounts 

of the Council be audited annually in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards by an independent certified public accountant or independent licensed public accountant. The person(s) 

conducting the audit must have full access to all records and documents necessary to conduct the audit. 

Paragraph (f). Annual Report to Congress; Copies for Public. 

Subsection (f)(1) requires the Council to provide an annual report 

to the Congress and the President, within six months after the 

close of the fiscal year. Subsection (f)(2) specifies that the report 

must include a description of the Council’s activities for the prior 

year, a copy of the independent audit conducted pursuant to paragraph (e), and a disclosure statement indicating the source of all 

funds received in the prior year and the purposes for which the 

funds were contributed. Subsection (f)(3) requires that the report 

be made publicly available. 

Paragraph (g). GAO Review. Paragraph (g) requires that the annual report submitted to Congress pursuant to paragraph (f) be simultaneously submitted to the General Accounting Office for its review. 

Sec. 9. Prohibition on lobbying activities 

Paragraph (a) provides that the terms ‘‘covered executive branch 

official,’’ ‘‘covered legislative branch official,’’ ‘‘client,’’ ‘‘lobbying activities,’’ and ‘‘lobbying contact’’ have the meaning given in the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995, and provides an exemption for communications with covered executive and legislative branch officials 

relating to the appropriations for the Council or other legislation 

directly affecting the Council. 

Paragraph (b) prohibits the Council from engaging in lobbying 

activities. 

Sec. 10. Funding 

Paragraph (a). Authorization of Appropriations. Paragraph (a) 

authorizes the appropriation of $2 million for FY 2003 and such 

sums as are necessary for FY 2004 through 2008. 

Paragraph (b). Availability. Paragraph (b) provides that the 

funds authorized in paragraph (a) will remain available to the 

Council until they are expended. 

9

Paragraph (c). Availability of Funds from FY2003. Paragraph (c) 

provides that any funds authorized to be made available through 

the General Services Administration during fiscal year 2003 for the 

purposes of this Act shall remain available until expended. 

Paragraph (d). Investment of Funds. Paragraph (d) permits the 

funds appropriated under paragraph (a) to be invested only in instruments backed by the full faith and credit of the United States 

or in a federally insured financial institution. The interest earned 

on such funds may be used only for the purposes provided under 

this Act. 

Sec. 11. Dissolution 

This section provides that upon dissolution or final liquidation of 

the Council, all funds appropriated by the United States, including 

any interest attributable to such funds, shall be returned to the 

United States Treasury. Any other funds held by the Council will 

be handled under the laws of the District of Columbia applicable 

to nonprofit corporations. 

VI. EVALUATION OF REGULATORY IMPACT

Paragraph 11(b)(1) of rule XXVI of the Standing Rules of the 

Senate requires that each report accompanying a bill evaluate ‘‘the 

regulatory impact which would be incurred in carrying out this 

bill.’’

The enactment of this legislation will not have significant regulatory impact. 

VII. CBO COST ESTIMATE

U.S. CONGRESS, 

CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE, 

Washington, DC, June 23, 2003. 

Hon. SUSAN M. COLLINS, 

Chairman, Committee on Governmental Affairs, 

U.S. Senate, Washington, DC. 

DEAR MADAM CHAIRMAN: The Congressional Budget Office has 

prepared the enclosed cost estimate for S. 908, the United States 

Consensus Council Act of 2003. 

If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be pleased 

to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Matthew Pickford. 

Sincerely, 

DOUGLAS HOLTZ-EAKIN, Director. 

Enclosure.

S. 908—United States Consensus Council Act of 2003

S. 908 would establish the United States Consensus Council, consisting of 12 members to be appointed by the President, Senate Majority and Minority Leaders, and the Speaker and Minority Leader 

of the House of Representatives. The council would provide advice 

to the Congress on policy issues of national importance through a 

collaborative process. The bill would authorize the commission to 

accept and spend private donations and would direct the General 

Accounting Office to review the council’s annual report. The bill would authorize the appropriation of $2 million in 2003 and such 

10

sums as may be necessary in subsequent fiscal years to carry out 

its provisions. 

For this estimate, CBO assumes that the bill be enacted near the 

end of fiscal year 2003. CBO estimates that implementing the legislation would cost about $2 million annually beginning in 2004, 

assuming appropriation of the necessary amounts. The bill would 

authorize the commission to earn interest on unspent appropriated 

funds and spend that amount without further appropriation. CBO 

estimates that direct spending funded by private contributions and 

interest earnings would be insignificant. 

S. 908 contains no intergovernmental mandates as defined in the 

Unfunded Mandates Reform Act and would impose no costs on 

state, local, or tribal governments. 

S. 908 would not allow any business or individual to use the 

term ‘‘United States Consensus Council’’ or mark of recognition 

without the consent of the council. If a company or individual is 

found to be using the name currently and the council does not 

grant permission for such usage, then the bill would impose a mandate on the private-sector entity. The cost of such a mandate would 

be equal to the fair market value of the name. In such an instance, 

the federal government would be required to compensate the 

owner. A search through the Internet and the U.S. Trademark and 

Patent Office database found no other use of that name. Although 

such a search is not exhaustive, CBO expects that the bill would 

probably not impose a private-sector mandate. 

The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Matthew Pickford. 

This estimate was approved by Peter H. Fontaine, Deputy Assistant Director for Budget Analysis. 

VIII. CHANGES TO EXISTING LAW

In compliance with paragraph 12 of rule XXVI of the Standing 

Rules of the Senate, the Committee notes that the legislation is a 

free standing bill that will make no changes to any existing law.

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