I

104TH CONGRESS

2D SESSION H. R. 3353

To establish a commission to study employment and economic insecurity

in the workforce in the United States.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

APRIL 30, 1996

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

the Committee on Economic and Educational Opportunities

A BILL

To establish a commission to study employment and

economic insecurity in the workforce in 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 ‘‘Presidential Commis5 sion to Study Employment and Economic Insecurity in the

6 American Workforce Act’’.

7 SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF COMMISSION.

8 There is established a commission to be known as the

9 Presidential Commission to Study Employment and Eco-
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1 nomic Insecurity in the American Workforce (in this Act

2 referred to as the ‘‘Commission’’).

3 SEC. 3. DUTIES OF COMMISSION.

4 The Commission shall—

5 (1) examine the issues of economic and psycho6 logical insecurity of members of the workforce in the

7 United States caused by employment dislocation;

8 (2) examine the relationship between psycho9 logical stress caused by employment insecurity and

10 economic insecurity, and increased violence by em11 ployees and former employees in the workplace;

12 (3) examine the economic and psychological ef13 fects of the decreasing number of well-paid jobs on

14 members of the workforce in the United States; and

15 (4) recommend potential solutions, including

16 recommendations for legislation and administrative

17 action, to alleviate the problems of economic and

18 psychological insecurity of members of the workforce

19 in the United States.

20 SEC. 4. MEMBERSHIP OF COMMISSION.

21 (a) NUMBER AND APPOINTMENT.—The Commission

22 shall be composed of 17 members (in this Act referred to

23 as the ‘‘members’’) who shall be appointed as follows:

24 (1) 9 individuals appointed by the President.
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1 (2) 2 individuals appointed by the Majority

2 Leader of 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 subjects of labor and employment.

12 (2) POLITICAL AFFILIATION.—Political affili13 ation shall not be a determining factor in the ap14 pointment of members.

15 (c) DEADLINE FOR APPOINTMENT.—Every original

16 member shall be appointed to the Commission within 3

17 months after the date of the enactment of this Act.

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

19 life of the Commission.

20 (e) BASIC PAY.—Members shall not be paid by rea21 son of their service as members.

22 (f) TRAVEL EXPENSES.—Each member shall receive

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

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

25 United States Code.
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1 (g) QUORUM.—9 members shall constitute a quorum

2 for conducting the business of the Commission, but a less3 er number may hold hearings.

4 (h) CHAIRPERSON.—The members shall elect 1 mem5 ber to act as the Chairperson of the Commission (in this

6 Act referred to as the ‘‘Chairperson’’).

7 (i) MEETINGS.—The Commission shall meet at the

8 call of the Chairperson.

9 SEC. 5. STAFF OF COMMISSION.

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

11 the pay of Commission personnel as the Chairperson con12 siders appropriate.

13 (b) APPLICABILITY OF CERTAIN CIVIL SERVICE

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

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

16 governing appointments in the competitive service, and

17 shall be paid in accordance with the provisions of chapter

18 51 and subchapter III of chapter 53 of such title relating

19 to classification and General Schedule pay rates.

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

21 of the Chairperson, the head of any Federal department

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

23 personnel of the department or agency to assist the Com24 mission in carrying out the duties of the Commission.
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1 SEC. 6. POWERS OF COMMISSION.

2 (a) HEARINGS AND SESSIONS.—The Commission

3 may hold hearings, sit and act at times and places, take

4 testimony, and receive evidence as the Commission consid5 ers appropriate to carry out this Act. The Commission

6 may administer oaths or affirmations to witnesses appear7 ing before the Commission.

8 (b) POWERS OF MEMBERS AND AGENTS.—The Com9 mission may delegate to a member or agent any authority

10 of the Commission under this subsection or subsection (e)

11 or (i).

12 (c) OBTAINING OFFICIAL DATA.—The Commission

13 may secure directly from any department or agency of the

14 United States information necessary to enable the Com15 mission to carry out this Act. Upon request of the Chair16 person, the head of the department or agency shall furnish

17 the information to the Commission.

18 (d) MAILS.— The Commission may use the United

19 States mails in the same manner and under the same con20 ditions as other departments and agencies of the United

21 States.

22 (e) ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT SERVICES.—Upon

23 the request of the Commission, the Administrator of Gen24 eral Services shall provide to the Commission, on a reim25 bursable basis, the administrative support services nec26 essary for the Commission to carry out its duties.
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1 (f) IMMUNITY.—The Commission is an agency of the

2 United States for purposes of part V of title 18, United

3 States Code (relating to immunity of witnesses).

4 (g) SUBPOENA POWER.—

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

6 a subpoena to require the attendance and testimony

7 of witnesses and the production of evidence relating

8 to any matter described in section 3.

9 (2) FAILURE TO OBEY AN ORDER OR SUB10 POENA.—If a person refuses to obey an order or

11 subpoena of the Commission that is issued in con12 nection with a Commission hearing, the Commission

13 may apply to the United States district court in the

14 judicial district in which the hearing is held for an

15 order requiring the person to comply with the sub16 poena or order.

17 (h) CONTRACT AUTHORITY.—The Commission may

18 contract with and compensate government or private agen19 cies or persons for supplies or services, without regard to

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

21 SEC. 7. REPORT OF COMMISSION.

22 The Commission shall transmit a report to the Presi23 dent and the Congress not later than 1 year after the date

24 that all original members have been appointed to the Com25 mission. The report shall contain a detailed statement of
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1 the findings, conclusions, and recommendations of the

2 Commission.

3 SEC. 8. TERMINATION OF COMMISSION.

4 The Commission shall terminate 30 days after sub5 mitting the report required by section 7.

6 SEC. 9. BUDGET ACT COMPLIANCE.

7 Any spending authority (as defined in subparagraphs

8 (A) and (C) of section 401(c)(2) of the Congressional

9 Budget Act of 1974) authorized by this Act shall be effec10 tive only to such extent and in such amounts as are pro11 vided in appropriations Acts.

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