106TH CONGRESS

2D SESSION H. R. 4899

AN ACT

To establish a commission to promote a consistent

and coordinated foreign policy of the UnitedStates to ensure economic and military securityin the Asia-Pacific region through the promotionof democracy, human rights, the rule of law, andfor other purposes.

106TH CONGRESS

2D SESSION H. R. 4899

AN ACT

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

economic and military security in the Asia-Pacific region

through the promotion of democracy, human rights, the

rule of law, and for other purposes.
2

•HR 4899 EH

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 ‘‘Pacific Charter Com5 mission Act of 2000’’.

6 SEC. 2. PURPOSES.

7 The purposes of this Act are—

8 (1) to promote a consistent and coordinated

9 foreign policy of the United States to ensure eco10 nomic and military security in the Asia-Pacific re11 gion;

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

13 and human rights in the Asia-Pacific region;

14 (3) to promote United States exports to the

15 Asia-Pacific region by advancing economic coopera16 tion;

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

18 narcotics in the Asia-Pacific region; and

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

20 States Government in diplomacy, security, and the

21 furtherance of good governance and the rule of law

22 in the Asia-Pacific region.
3

•HR 4899 EH

1 SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT OF COMMISSION.

2 There is established a commission to be known as the

3 Pacific Charter Commission (hereafter in this Act referred

4 to as the ‘‘Commission’’).

5 SEC. 4. DUTIES OF COMMISSION.

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

7 carry out, either directly or through nongovernmental or8 ganizations, programs, projects, and activities to achieve

9 the purposes described in section 2, including research and

10 educational or legislative exchanges between the United

11 States and countries in the Asia-Pacific region.

12 (b) MONITORING OF DEVELOPMENTS.—The Com13 mission shall monitor developments in countries of the

14 Asia-Pacific region with respect to United States foreign

15 policy toward such countries, the status of democratiza16 tion, the rule of law and human rights in the region, eco17 nomic relations among the United States and such coun18 tries, and activities related to terrorism and the illicit nar19 cotics trade.

20 (c) POLICY REVIEW AND RECOMMENDATIONS.—In

21 carrying out this section, the Commission shall evaluate

22 United States Government policies toward countries of the

23 Asia-Pacific region and recommend options for policies of

24 the United States Government with respect to such coun25 tries, with a particular emphasis on countries that are of
4

•HR 4899 EH

1 importance to the foreign policy, economic, and military

2 interests of the United States.

3 (d) CONTACTS WITH OTHER ENTITIES.—In per4 forming the functions described in subsections (a) through

5 (c), the Commission shall, as appropriate, seek out and

6 maintain contacts with nongovernmental organizations,

7 international organizations, and representatives of indus8 try, including receiving reports and updates from such or9 ganizations and evaluating such reports.

10 (e) ANNUAL REPORT.—Not later than 18 months

11 after the date of the enactment of this Act, and not later

12 than the end of each 12-month period thereafter, the Com13 mission shall prepare and submit to the President and the

14 Congress a report that contains the findings of the Com15 mission during the preceding 12-month period. Each such

16 report shall contain—

17 (1) recommendations for legislative, executive,

18 or other actions resulting from the evaluation of

19 policies described in subsection (c);

20 (2) a description of programs, projects, and ac21 tivities of the Commission for the prior year; and

22 (3) a complete accounting of the expenditures

23 made by the Commission during the prior year.

24 (f) CONGRESSIONAL HEARINGS ON ANNUAL RE25 PORT.—The Committee on International Relations of the
5

•HR 4899 EH

1 House of Representatives and the Committee on Foreign

2 Relations of the Senate, shall, not later than 45 days after

3 the receipt by the Congress of the report referred to in

4 subsection (c), hold hearings on the report, including any

5 recommendations contained therein.

6 (g) ADVISORY COMMITTEES.—The Commission may

7 establish such advisory committees as the Commission de8 termines to be necessary to advise the Commission on pol9 icy matters relating to the Asia-Pacific region and to oth10 erwise carry out this Act.

11 SEC. 5. MEMBERSHIP OF COMMISSION.

12 (a) COMPOSITION.—The Commission shall be com13 posed of seven members all of whom—

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

15 are not officers or employees of any government, ex16 cept to the extent they are considered such officers

17 or employees by virtue of their membership on the

18 Commission; and

19 (2) shall have interest and expertise in issues

20 relating to the Asia-Pacific region.

21 (b) APPOINTMENT.—

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

23 in subsection (a) shall be appointed—

24 (A) by the President, after consultation

25 with the Speaker and Minority Leader of the
6

•HR 4899 EH

1 House of Representatives, the Chairman and

2 ranking member of the Committee on Inter3 national Relations of the House of Representa4 tives, the Majority Leader and Minority Leader

5 of the Senate, and the Chairman and ranking

6 member of the Committee on Foreign Relations

7 of the Senate; and

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

9 the Senate.

10 (2) POLITICAL AFFILIATION.—Not more than

11 four of the individuals appointed under paragraph

12 (1) may be affiliated with the same political party.

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

14 be appointed for a term of 6 years.

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

16 be filled in the same manner in which the original appoint17 ment was made.

18 (e) CHAIRPERSON; VICE CHAIRPERSON.—The Presi19 dent shall designate a Chairperson and Vice Chairperson

20 of the Commission from among the members of the Com21 mission.

22 (f) COMPENSATION.—

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

24 paragraph (2), members of the Commission shall

25 serve without pay.
7

•HR 4899 EH

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

2 Commission may receive travel expenses, including

3 per diem in lieu of subsistence, in accordance with

4 sections 5702 and 5703 of title 5, United States

5 Code.

6 (g) MEETINGS.—The Commission shall meet at the

7 call of the Chairperson.

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

9 Commission shall constitute a quorum, but a lesser num10 ber of members may hold hearings.

11 (i) AFFIRMATIVE DETERMINATIONS.—An affirmative

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

13 be required for any affirmative determination by the Com14 mission under section 4.

15 SEC. 6. POWERS OF COMMISSION.

16 (a) HEARINGS AND INVESTIGATIONS.—The Commis17 sion may hold such hearings, sit and act at such times

18 and places, take such testimony and receive such evidence,

19 and conduct such investigations as the Commission con20 siders advisable to carry out this Act.

21 (b) INFORMATION FROM FEDERAL AGENCIES.—The

22 Commission may secure directly from any Federal depart23 ment or agency such information as the Commission con24 siders necessary to carry out this Act. Upon request of

25 the Chairperson of the Commission, the head of any such
8

•HR 4899 EH

1 department agency shall furnish such information to the

2 Commission as expeditiously as possible.

3 (c) CONTRIBUTIONS.—The Commission may accept,

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

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

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

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

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

9 be deposited in the Treasury and shall be available for

10 disbursement upon order of the Commission.

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

12 States mails in the same manner and under the same con13 ditions as other departments and agencies of the United

14 States.

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

16 (a) EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.—The Commission shall

17 have an executive director appointed by the Commission

18 after consultation with the Speaker and Minority Leader

19 of the House of Representatives and the Majority Leader

20 and Minority Leader of the Senate. The executive director

21 shall serve the Commission under such terms and condi22 tions as the Commission determines to be appropriate.

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

24 the pay of such additional personnel, not to exceed 10 indi25 viduals, as it considers appropriate.
9

•HR 4899 EH

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

2 of the chairperson of the Commission, the head of any

3 Federal agency may detail, on a nonreimbursable basis,

4 any of the personnel of the agency to the Commission to

5 assist the Commission in carrying out its duties under this

6 Act.

7 (d) EXPERTS AND CONSULTANTS.—The chairperson

8 of the Commission may procure temporary and intermit9 tent services under section 3109(b) of title 5, United

10 States Code.

11 SEC. 9. TERMINATION.

12 The Commission shall terminate not later than 5

13 years after the date of the enactment of this Act.

14 SEC. 10. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

15 (a) IN GENERAL.—There are authorized to be appro16 priated to carry out this Act $2,500,000 for each of the

17 fiscal years 2001 and 2002.

18 (b) AVAILABILITY.—Amounts appropriated pursuant

19 to the authorization of appropriations under subsection (a)

20 are authorized to remain available until expended.
10

•HR 4899 EH

1 SEC. 11. EFFECTIVE DATE.

2 This Act shall take effect on February 1, 2001.

Passed the House of Representatives September 25,

2000.

Attest:

Clerk.