I

106TH CONGRESS

2D SESSION H. R. 4899

To establish a commission to promote a consistent and coordinated foreign

policy of the United States to ensure economic and military security

in the Pacific region of Asia through the promotion of democracy, human

rights, the rule of law, free trade, and open markets, and for other

purposes.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

JULY 20, 2000

Mr. GILMAN introduced the following bill; which was referred to the

Committee on International Relations

A BILL

To establish a commission to promote a consistent and coordinated foreign policy of the United States to ensure

economic and military security in the Pacific region of

Asia through the promotion of democracy, human rights,

the rule of law, free trade, and open markets, and for

other purposes.

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 ‘‘Asian Pacific Charter

5 Commission Act of 2000’’.
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1 SEC. 2. PURPOSES.

2 The purposes of this Act are—

3 (1) to promote a consistent and coordinated

4 foreign policy of the United States to ensure eco5 nomic and military security in the Pacific region of

6 Asia;

7 (2) to support democratization, the rule of law,

8 and human rights in the Pacific region of Asia;

9 (3) to advance free trade and open markets on

10 a reciprocal basis in the Pacific region of Asia;

11 (4) to combat terrorism and the spread of illicit

12 narcotics in the Pacific region of Asia; and

13 (5) to advocate an active role for the United

14 States Government in diplomacy, security, and the

15 furtherance of good governance and the rule of law

16 in the Pacific region of Asia.

17 SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT OF COMMISSION.

18 There is established a commission to be known as the

19 Asian Pacific Charter Commission (hereafter in this Act

20 referred to as the ‘‘Commission’’).

21 SEC. 4. DUTIES OF COMMISSION.

22 (a) DUTIES.—The Commission shall establish and

23 carry out, either directly or through nongovernmental and

24 international organizations, programs, projects, and ac25 tivities to achieve the purposes described in section 2 of

26 this Act, including research and educational or legislative
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1 exchanges between the United States and countries in the

2 Pacific region of Asia.

3 (b) ADVISORY COMMITTEES.—The Commission may

4 establish such advisory committees as the Commission de5 termines to be necessary to advise the Commission on pol6 icy matters relating to the Pacific region of Asia and to

7 otherwise carry out this Act.

8 SEC. 5. MEMBERSHIP OF COMMISSION.

9 (a) COMPOSITION.—The Commission shall be com10 posed of 7 members all of whom—

11 (1) shall be citizens of the United States who

12 are not officers or employees of any government, ex13 cept to the extent they are considered such officers

14 or employees by virtue of their membership on the

15 Commission; and

16 (2) shall have interest and expertise in issues

17 relating to the Pacific region of Asia.

18 (b) APPOINTMENT.—

19 (1) IN GENERAL.—The individuals referred to

20 in subsection (a) shall be appointed—

21 (A) by the President, after consultation

22 with the Speaker of the House of Representa23 tives, the Chairman of the Committee on Inter24 national Relations of the House of Representa25 tives, the Majority Leader of the Senate, and
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1 the Chairman of the Committee on Foreign Re2 lations of the Senate; and

3 (B) by and with the advice and consent of

4 the Senate.

5 (2) POLITICAL AFFILIATION.—Not more than 4

6 of the individuals appointed under paragraph (1)

7 may be affiliated with the same political party.

8 (c) TERM.—Each member of the Commission shall

9 be appointed for a term of 6 years.

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

11 be filled in the same manner in which the original appoint12 ment was made.

13 (e) CHAIRPERSON; VICE CHAIRPERSON.—The Presi14 dent shall designate a Chairperson and Vice Chairperson

15 of the Commission from among the members of the Com16 mission.

17 (f) COMPENSATION.—

18 (1) RATES OF PAY.—Except as provided in

19 paragraph (2), members of the Commission shall

20 serve without pay.

21 (2) TRAVEL EXPENSES.—Each member of the

22 Commission may receive travel expenses, including

23 per diem in lieu of subsistence, in accordance with

24 sections 5702 and 5703 of title 5, United States

25 Code.
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1 (g) MEETINGS.—The Commission shall meet at the

2 call of the Chairperson.

3 (h) QUORUM.—A majority of the members of the

4 Commission shall constitute a quorum, but a lesser num5 ber of members may hold hearings.

6 (i) AFFIRMATIVE DETERMINATIONS.—An affirmative

7 vote by a majority of the members of the Commission shall

8 be required for any affirmative determination by the Com9 mission under section 4.

10 SEC. 6. POWERS OF COMMISSION.

11 (a) CONTRIBUTIONS.—The Commission may accept,

12 use, and dispose of gifts, bequests, or devises of services

13 or property, both real and personal, for the purpose of

14 assisting or facilitating the work of the Commission. Gifts,

15 bequests, or devises of money and proceeds from sales of

16 other property received as gifts, bequests, or devises shall

17 be deposited in the Treasury and shall be available for

18 disbursement upon order of the Commission.

19 (b) MAILS.—The Commission may use the United

20 States mails in the same manner and under the same con21 ditions as other departments and agencies of the United

22 States.

23 SEC. 7. STAFF AND SUPPORT SERVICES OF COMMISSION.

24 (a) EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.—The Commission shall

25 have an executive director appointed by the Commission
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1 after consultation with the Speaker of the House of Rep2 resentatives and the Majority Leader of the Senate. The

3 executive director shall serve the Commission under such

4 terms and conditions as the Commission determines to be

5 appropriate.

6 (b) STAFF.—The Commission may appoint and fix

7 the pay of such additional personnel, not to exceed 10 indi8 viduals, as it considers appropriate.

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

10 of the chairperson of the Commission, the head of any

11 Federal agency may detail, on a nonreimbursable basis,

12 any of the personnel of the agency to the Commission to

13 assist the Commission in carrying out its duties under this

14 Act.

15 (d) EXPERTS AND CONSULTANTS.—The chairperson

16 of the Commission may procure temporary and intermit17 tent services under section 3109(b) of title 5, United

18 States Code.

19 SEC. 8. REPORTS OF COMMISSION.

20 The Commission shall prepare and submit to Con21 gress an annual report on the programs, projects, and ac22 tivities on the Commission for the prior year.
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1 SEC. 9. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

2 (a) IN GENERAL.—There are authorized to be appro3 priated to carry out this Act $5,000,000 for each of the

4 fiscal years 2001 and 2002.

5 (b) AVAILABILITY.—Amounts appropriated pursuant

6 to the authorization of appropriations under subsection (a)

7 are authorized to remain available until expended.

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