I

104TH CONGRESS

1ST SESSION H. R. 217

To establish a Second National Blue Ribbon Commission to Eliminate Waste

in Government.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

JANUARY 4, 1995

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

Committee on Government Reform and Oversight

A BILL

To establish a Second National Blue Ribbon Commission

to Eliminate Waste in Government.

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 ‘‘Second National Blue

5 Ribbon Commission to Eliminate Waste in Government

6 Act’’.

7 SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT.

8 There is established a commission known as the Sec9 ond National Blue Ribbon Commission to Eliminate
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1 Waste in Government (in this Act referred to as the

2 ‘‘Commission’’).

3 SEC. 3. DUTIES.

4 (a) IN GENERAL.—It shall be the duty of the Com5 mission—

6 (1) to conduct a private sector survey on man7 agement and cost control in the Federal Govern8 ment;

9 (2) to conduct in-depth reviews of the oper10 ations of the executive agencies;

11 (3) to review existing Government Accounting

12 Office (GAO), Congressional Budget Office (CBO),

13 Inspector General Reports, and other existing gov14 ernmental and nongovernmental recommendations

15 for reducing waste including recommendations from

16 the President’s Private Sector Survey on Cost Con17 trol, and, based on this review, to periodically submit

18 a report to the President and Congress a list of such

19 recommendations with estimated savings the Com20 mission determines are most significant and to in21 clude in the report a determination of whether the

22 recommendation can be implemented by Executive

23 Order or whether if requires legislative action; and

24 (4) to submit to the President and the Congress

25 recommendations for improving the budget process
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1 and management and for reducing waste and costs

2 in the Federal Government.

3 (b) PARTICULAR AREAS TO BE EXAMINED.—In ful4 filling the duties described in subsection (a), the Commis5 sion shall identify and address—

6 (1) opportunities for increased efficiency and

7 reduced costs in the Federal Government that can

8 be realized by executive action or legislation;

9 (2) areas in the Federal Government where

10 managerial accountability can be enhanced and ad11 ministrative control can be improved;

12 (3) specific Federal programs that have accom13 plished their objectives and ought to be terminated;

14 (4) specific Federal program services that could

15 be provided at a lower cost by the private sector;

16 (5) specific reforms of the budget process that

17 would yield savings, increase accountability and effi18 ciency, and enhance public confidence in the budget

19 process; and

20 (6) specific areas in the Federal Government

21 where further study can be justified by potential sav22 ings.

23 SEC. 4. MEMBERSHIP.

24 (a) NUMBER AND APPOINTMENT.—The Commission

25 shall be composed of 12 members appointed by the Presi-
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1 dent from among individuals who are not officers or em2 ployees of any government and who are especially qualified

3 to serve on the Commission by virtue of their education,

4 training or experience. The majority leader and minority

5 leader of the Senate and the Speaker and minority leader

6 of the House of Representatives may submit recommenda7 tions to the President concerning appointments to the

8 Commission. Not more than 6 members of the Commis9 sion shall be of the same political party.

10 (b) CONTINUATION OF MEMBERSHIP.—If an individ11 ual is appointed to the Commission, and later becomes an

12 officer or employee of a government, such individual may

13 continue as a member of the Commission for not longer

14 than the 30-day period beginning on the date such individ15 ual becomes such an officer or employee.

16 (c) APPOINTMENT OF MEMBERS.—Appointments

17 shall be made within 30 days of the date of the enactment

18 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 within 30 days in the manner in which the origi23 nal appointment was made.

24 (f) COMPENSATION.—
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1 (1) RATES OF PAY.—Except as provided in

2 paragraph (2), members of the Commission shall

3 serve without pay.

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

5 Commission shall receive travel expenses, including

6 per diem in lieu of subsidence, in accordance with

7 sections 5702 and 5703 of title 5, United States

8 Code.

9 (g) QUORUM.—5 members of the Commission shall

10 constitute a quorum, but a lesser number may hold hear11 ings.

12 (h) CHAIRPERSON.—The Chairperson of the Com13 mission shall be elected by the members from among the

14 members.

15 (i) MEETINGS.—The Commission shall meet at least

16 once each month at the call of the Chairperson of the

17 Commission.

18 SEC. 5. STAFF AND SUPPORT SERVICES.

19 (a) DIRECTOR.—The Commission shall have a Direc20 tor appointed by the Chairperson of the Commission and

21 paid by a rate determined by the Commission.

22 (b) STAFF.—With the approval of the Commission,

23 the Director of the Commission may appoint personnel as

24 the Director considers appropriate.
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1 SEC. 6. POWERS.

2 (a) HEARINGS AND SESSIONS.—The Commission

3 may, for the purpose of carrying out this Act, hold hear4 ings, sit and act at times and places, take testimony, and

5 receive evidence as the Commission considers appropriate.

6 (b) DELEGATION OF AUTHORITY.—Any member or

7 agent of the Commission may, if authorized by the Com8 mission, take any action which the Commission is author9 ized to take by this section.

10 (c) INFORMATION.—The Commission may secure di11 rectly from any Federal agency information necessary to

12 enable it to carry out this Act. Upon request of the Chair13 person of the Commission, the head of the Federal agency

14 shall furnish the information to the Commission.

15 (d) 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. 7. REPORTS.

20 (a) PERIODIC REPORTS.—Pursuant to section

21 3(a)(3) the Commission shall issue periodic reports to the

22 President and the Congress.

23 (b) FINAL REPORT.—Not later than the expiration

24 of the 24-month period beginning on the date of enact25 ment of this Act, the Commission shall submit to the

26 President and the Congress a final report setting forth
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1 the finding and conclusions of the Commission and specific

2 recommendations for legislative and administrative actions

3 that the Commission determines to be appropriate.

4 SEC. 8. TERMINATION.

5 The Commission shall terminate not later than the

6 expiration of the 30-day period beginning on the date on

7 which the Commission submits its final report under sec8 tion 7(b).

9 SEC. 9. FUNDING AND SUPPORT.

10 The Commission is to be funded, staffed and

11 equipped, to the extent practicable and permitted by law,

12 by the private sector without cost to the Federal Govern13 ment. To accomplish this objective, it is expected that the

14 Secretary of Commerce will engage in a joint project with

15 a nonprofit organization pursuant to the first section of

16 Public Law 91–412 (15 U.S.C. 1525) for the purpose of

17 providing support for the Commission.

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