IB 

Union Calendar No. 771 

118TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 8302 

[Report No. 118–800, Part I] 

To establish a commission to review the programs of the Department of 

Housing and Urban Development and make recommendations for legislative reforms, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MAY 8, 2024 

Mr. DAVIDSON (for himself, Mr. MEUSER, Mr. DONALDS, and Mr. 

GARBARINO) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Financial Services, and in addition to the Committee on Rules, 

for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case 

for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the 

committee concerned 

DECEMBER 5, 2024 

Reported from the Committee on Financial Services with an amendment 

[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic] 

DECEMBER 5, 2024 

Referral to the Committee on Rules extended for a period ending not later 

than December 19, 2024 

DECEMBER 19, 2024 

Committee on Rules discharged; committed to the Committee of the Whole 

House on the State of the Union and ordered to be printed 

[For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on May 8, 2024] 


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A BILL 

To establish a commission to review the programs of the 

Department of Housing and Urban Development and 

make recommendations for legislative reforms, and for 

other purposes. 


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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 ‘‘HUD Evaluation and 

5 Optimization Commission Act of 2024’’. 

6 SEC. 2. HUD EVALUATION AND OPTIMIZATION COMMIS7 SION. 

8 (a) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is established a commis9 sion to be known as the HUD Evaluation and Optimization 

10 Commission (in this Act referred to as the ‘‘Commission’’). 

11 (b) MEMBERS.— 

12 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Commission shall be com13 posed of 4 members, appointed not later than 30 days 

14 after the date of the enactment of this Act, as follows: 

15 (A) One member shall be appointed by the 

16 Speaker of the House of Representatives. 

17 (B) One member shall be appointed by the 

18 minority leader of the House of Representatives. 

19 (C) One member shall be appointed by the 

20 majority leader of the Senate. 

21 (D) One member shall be appointed by the 

22 minority leader of the Senate. 

23 (2) PROHIBITION ON LOBBYISTS.—An individual 

24 may not be appointed as a member of the Commis25 sion if the individual was registered as a lobbyist 


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1 under the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 (2 U.S.C. 

2 1601 et seq.) at any time during the 5-year period 

3 ending on the date of the appointment. 

4 (c) TERMS.—Each member shall be appointed for the 

5 life of the Commission. Any vacancy in the Commission 

6 shall not affect its powers, but shall be filled not later than 

7 14 days after the date on which the vacancy occurs in the 

8 same manner as the original appointment. 

9 (d) CHAIRPERSON AND VICE CHAIRPERSON.— 

10 (1) ELECTION.—The members of the Commission 

11 shall elect a Chairperson and a Vice Chairperson 

12 from among the members of the Commission. 

13 (2) ABSENCE OF CHAIRPERSON.—The Vice 

14 Chairperson shall serve as the Chairperson in the ab15 sence of the Chairperson. 

16 (e) COMPENSATION.— 

17 (1) IN GENERAL.—Each member of the Commis18 sion shall be compensated at a rate equal to the daily 

19 equivalent of the annual rate of basic pay for level IV 

20 of the Executive Schedule under section 5314 of title 

21 5, United States Code, for each day (including travel 

22 time) during which such member is engaged in the 

23 performance of the duties of the Commission. 

24 (2) TRAVEL EXPENSES.—Each member may be 

25 allowed travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of 


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1 subsistence, in accordance with applicable provisions 

2 under subchapter I of chapter 57 of title 5, United 

3 States Code. 

4 (f) MEETINGS.— 

5 (1) INITIAL MEETING.—Not later than 30 days 

6 after the date on which all members of the Commis7 sion have been appointed, the Commission shall hold 

8 the initial meeting of the Commission. 

9 (2) SUBSEQUENT MEETINGS.—The Commission 

10 shall meet— 

11 (A) at least once each month; and 

12 (B) at the call of the Chairperson or the 

13 majority of the members of the Commission. 

14 (g) QUORUM.—A majority of the voting members shall 

15 constitute a quorum, but a lesser number may hold meetings 

16 approved pursuant to subsection (f)(2). 

17 (h) VOTING.—The Commission shall act only on an 

18 affirmative vote of a majority of the members of the Com19 mission. 

20 (i) FEDERAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE ACT.—Chapter 

21 10 of title 5, United States Code (5 U.S.C. 1001 et seq.; 

22 relating to Federal Advisory Committees), shall not apply 

23 to the Commission. 


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1 SEC. 3. DUTIES. 

2 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Commission shall review and 

3 determine— 

4 (1) the number, design, complexity, utilization, 

5 authorization or lack thereof, and potential overlap of 

6 the current programs administered by the Depart7 ment of Housing and Urban Development (in this Act 

8 referred to as the ‘‘Department’’); 

9 (2) the level of effectiveness of the Department 

10 and its programs, including identifying how best to 

11 optimize the effectiveness of each area of review, to 

12 more effectively meet the Department’s mission while 

13 reducing waste and mismanagement; and 

14 (3) the extent to which housing costs are driving 

15 inflation and how to reduce inflation in the cost of 

16 housing. 

17 (b) ANALYSIS AND RECOMMENDATIONS.—The Com18 mission shall analyze the potential performance and cost19 efficiency benefits that could be achieved through a reorga20 nization of the Department, including consolidation and re21 alignment of its programs, and shall make recommenda22 tions regarding— 

23 (1) changes to the Department’s organizational 

24 structure to better serve program participants, protect 

25 taxpayers, and create operational efficiencies; 


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1 (2) improvements in the processes that the De2 partment can execute to better fulfill its statutory ob3 ligations and mission to provide decent, safe, sani4 tary, and affordable housing; 

5 (3) the reduction of fragmentation and overlap 

6 between various Department programs and between 

7 programs of the Department and programs of other 

8 Federal agencies, and enhanced program utilization; 

9 (4) technology-based solutions to allow programs 

10 to operative more efficiently and effectively and to 

11 better serve eligible program participants; 

12 (5) quantitative and qualitative measures of the 

13 effectiveness of programs that provide housing for ex14 tremely low-, very low-, low-, and moderate-income 

15 individuals and families; 

16 (6) reforms the Department can undertake to 

17 prevent, to the maximum extent possible, a disruptive 

18 loss of benefits by program participants who experi19 ence income growth that may otherwise disqualify 

20 them from such benefits (commonly referred to as a 

21 ‘‘benefits cliff’’) or, conversely, that may disqualify 

22 participants with lower incomes marginally in excess 

23 of program requirements; 

24 (7) ways to improve the social and economic out25 comes for program participants, including actions the 


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1 Department can take to mitigate health and safety 

2 risks to program participants and to foster economic 

3 mobility and opportunity; 

4 (8) improvements to enhance transparency, over5 sight, and public accountability; and 

6 (9) any such other action that would optimize 

7 the effectiveness of the Department or its programs. 

8 (c) REPORTS.— 

9 (1) INITIAL REPORT.—Not later than 9 months 

10 after the date of its initial meeting, the Commission 

11 may submit to the Congress an initial report con12 taining its analysis and preliminary recommenda13 tions under subsections (a) and (b). 

14 (2) FINAL REPORT.—Not later than 18 months 

15 after the date of its initial meeting and upon an af16 firmative vote of a majority of the members of the 

17 Commission, the Commission shall submit to the Con18 gress and make publicly available a final report con19 taining— 

20 (A) a detailed statement of the findings, 

21 conclusions, and recommendations of the Com22 mission under subsections (a) and (b); 

23 (B) a statement of the assumptions, sce24 narios, and alternatives considered in reaching 


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1 such findings, conclusions, and recommenda2 tions; 

3 (C) proposed legislative language for reau4 thorization, consolidation, expiration, termi5 nation, or elimination of programs consistent 

6 with the final report; 

7 (D) any additional views or recommenda8 tions of individual Commission members with 

9 attribution and in a separate section of the re10 port; 

11 (E) a summary of the Commission’s meet12 ings, hearings, and activities; 

13 (F) a final accounting of the funds the 

14 Commission received and expended; and 

15 (G) any other information that the Com16 mission considers to be appropriate. 

17 SEC. 4. STAFF AND OUTSIDE SERVICES. 

18 (a) APPOINTMENT AND COMPENSATION OF STAFF.— 

19 The Chairperson of the Commission may appoint and fix 

20 the compensation of a staff director and such other employ21 ees as may be necessary to enable the Commission to carry 

22 out its functions, without regard to the provisions of title 

23 5, United States Code, governing appointments in the com24 petitive service, but at rates not to exceed the annual rate 

25 of basic pay for level V of the Executive Schedule. 


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1 (b) AGENCY ASSISTANCE.—Upon the request of the 

2 Chairperson, the head of any agency may detail an em3 ployee of the agency to the Commission without reimburse4 ment, and such detail shall be without interruption or loss 

5 of civil service status or privilege. 

6 (c) CONSULTANT, TEMPORARY, AND INTERMITTENT

7 SERVICES.—The Chairperson may procure the services of 

8 experts and consultants and temporary and intermittent 

9 services in accordance with section 3109(b) of title 5, United 

10 States Code, but at rates for individuals not to exceed the 

11 daily equivalent of the annual rate paid of pay for a posi12 tion at level V of the Executive Schedule for each day during 

13 which such consultant or expert is engaged in the perform14 ance of the duties of the Commission. 

15 SEC. 5. POWERS. 

16 (a) HEARINGS.—The Commission may, for the pur17 pose of carrying out this Act— 

18 (1) hold such hearings, sit and act at such times 

19 and places, take testimony, receive evidence, and ad20 minister oaths as the Commission considers appro21 priate; and 

22 (2) require, by subpoena or otherwise, the attend23 ance and testimony of such witnesses and the produc24 tion of any evidence the Commission considers advis25 able to carry out its duties. 


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1 (b) INFORMATION FROM FEDERAL AGENCIES.—The 

2 Commission may request directly, or require by subpoena 

3 or otherwise, from any Federal agency such information as 

4 the Commission considers necessary to carry out its duties. 

5 Upon a request of the Chairperson of the Commission, the 

6 head of a Federal agency shall furnish such information 

7 to the Commission. 

8 (c) ISSUANCE AND ENFORCEMENT OF SUBPOENAS.— 

9 (1) ISSUANCE.—Subpoenas issued under sub10 section (a) or (b) shall bear the signature of the 

11 Chairperson of the Commission and shall be served by 

12 any person or class of persons designated by the 

13 Chairperson for that purpose. 

14 (2) ENFORCEMENT.—In the case of contumacy or 

15 failure to obey a subpoena issued under subsection (a) 

16 or (b), the United States district court for the judicial 

17 district in which the subpoenaed person resides, is 

18 served, or may be found may issue an order requiring 

19 such person to appear at any designated place to tes20 tify or to produce documentary or other evidence. Any 

21 failure to obey the order of the court may be punished 

22 by the court as a contempt of that court. 

23 (d) WITNESS ALLOWANCES AND FEES.—Section 1821 

24 of title 28, United States Code, shall apply to witnesses re25 quested or subpoenaed to appear at any hearing of the ComVerDate Sep 11 2014 20:23 Dec 27, 2024 Jkt 059200 PO 00000 Frm 00011 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6203 E:\BILLS\H8302.RH H8302

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1 mission. The per diem and mileage allowances for witnesses 

2 shall be paid from funds available to pay the expenses of 

3 the Commission. 

4 (e) INFORMATION FROM CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OF5 FICE AND OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET.—The 

6 Commission may secure directly from the Congressional 

7 Budget Office and Office of Management and Budget such 

8 information, including estimates and analysis, as the Com9 mission considers advisable to carry out its duties. Upon 

10 request of the Chairperson of the Commission, the Director 

11 of the Congressional Budget Office or Office of Management 

12 and Budget shall furnish such information, including esti13 mates and analysis, to the Commission. 

14 (f) SUPPORT FROM LIBRARY OF CONGRESS.—Upon 

15 the request of the Commission, the Librarian of Congress 

16 shall provide to the Commission, on a reimbursable basis, 

17 administrative support services, research services, and re18 search staff necessary for the Commission to carry out its 

19 responsibilities under this Act. 

20 SEC. 6. EXPEDITED CONSIDERATION OF PROPOSED LEGIS21 LATIVE LANGUAGE FROM FINAL REPORT. 

22 (a) INTRODUCTION.—Upon submission of the final re23 port required under section 3(c)(2), the proposed legislative 

24 language for reauthorization, expiration, termination, or 

25 elimination of programs required by section 3(c)(2)(C) shall 


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1 be introduced in the House of Representatives (by request) 

2 within the next 5 legislative days by the majority leader 

3 of the House or by a Member of the House designated by 

4 the majority leader of the House and shall be introduced 

5 in the Senate (by request) within the next 5 legislative days 

6 on which the Senate is in session by the majority leader 

7 of the Senate or by a Member of the Senate designated by 

8 the majority leader of the Senate. In this section such a 

9 bill is referred to as a ‘‘Commission bill’’. 

10 (b) CONSIDERATION IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTA11 TIVES.— 

12 (1) REFERRAL AND REPORTING.—The Committee 

13 on Financial Services and any other committee of the 

14 House of Representatives to which the Commission 

15 bill is referred shall report it to the House without 

16 amendment not later than 60 days after its introduc17 tion. If a committee fails to report the Commission 

18 bill within that period, it shall be in order to move 

19 that the House discharge the committee from further 

20 consideration of the bill. Such a motion shall not be 

21 in order after the last committee authorized to con22 sider the bill reports it to the House or after the 

23 House has disposed of a motion to discharge the bill. 

24 The previous question shall be considered as ordered 

25 on the motion to its adoption without intervening moVerDate Sep 11 2014 20:23 Dec 27, 2024 Jkt 059200 PO 00000 Frm 00013 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6203 E:\BILLS\H8302.RH H8302

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1 tion except 20 minutes of debate equally divided and 

2 controlled by the proponent and an opponent. If such 

3 a motion is adopted, the House shall proceed imme4 diately to consider the Commission bill in accordance 

5 with paragraphs (2) and (3). A motion to reconsider 

6 the vote by which the motion is disposed of shall not 

7 be in order. 

8 (2) PROCEEDING TO CONSIDERATION.—After the 

9 last committee authorized to consider a Commission 

10 bill reports it to the House or has been discharged 

11 (other than by motion) from its consideration, it shall 

12 be in order to move to proceed to consider the Com13 mission bill in the House. Such a motion shall not be 

14 in order after the House has disposed of a motion to 

15 proceed with respect to the Commission bill. The pre16 vious question shall be considered as ordered on the 

17 motion to its adoption without intervening motion. A 

18 motion to reconsider the vote by which the motion is 

19 disposed of shall not be in order. 

20 (3) CONSIDERATION.—The Commission bill shall 

21 be considered as read. All points of order against the 

22 Commission bill and against its consideration are 

23 waived. The previous question shall be considered as 

24 ordered on the Commission bill to its passage without 

25 intervening motion except 2 hours of debate equally 


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1 divided and controlled by the proponent and an oppo2 nent and one motion to limit debate on the Commis3 sion bill. A motion to reconsider the vote on passage 

4 of the Commission bill shall not be in order. 

5 (4) VOTE ON PASSAGE.—The vote on passage of 

6 the Commission bill shall occur not later than 12 

7 months after the final report required under section 

8 3(c)(2) is submitted to the Congress. 

9 (c) CONSIDERATION IN THE SENATE.— 

10 (1) COMMITTEE CONSIDERATION.—A Commis11 sion bill introduced in the Senate under subsection 

12 (a) shall be jointly referred to the committee or com13 mittees of jurisdiction, which committees shall report 

14 the bill without any revision and with a favorable 

15 recommendation, an unfavorable recommendation, or 

16 without recommendation, not later than 60 days after 

17 its introduction. If any committee fails to report the 

18 bill within that period, that committee shall be auto19 matically discharged from consideration of the bill, 

20 and the bill shall be placed on the appropriate cal21 endar. 

22 (2) MOTION TO PROCEED.—Notwithstanding 

23 Rule XXII of the Standing Rules of the Senate, it is 

24 in order, not later than 2 days of session after the 

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1 charged from all committees to which it was referred, 

2 for the majority leader of the Senate or the majority 

3 leader’s designee to move to proceed to the consider4 ation of the Commission bill. It shall also be in order 

5 for any Member of the Senate to move to proceed to 

6 the consideration of the Commission bill at any time 

7 after the conclusion of such 2-day period. A motion 

8 to proceed is in order even though a previous motion 

9 to the same effect has been disagreed to. All points of 

10 order against the motion to proceed to the Commis11 sion bill are waived. The motion to proceed is not de12 batable. The motion is not subject to a motion to post13 pone. A motion to reconsider the vote by which the 

14 motion is agreed to or disagreed to shall not be in 

15 order. If a motion to proceed to the consideration of 

16 the Commission bill is agreed to, the Commission bill 

17 shall remain the unfinished business until disposed of. 

18 (3) CONSIDERATION.—All points of order against 

19 the Commission bill and against consideration of the 

20 Commission bill are waived. Consideration of the 

21 Commission bill and of all debatable motions and ap22 peals in connection therewith shall not exceed a total 

23 of 30 hours which shall be divided equally between the 

24 Majority and Minority Leaders or their designees. A 

25 motion further to limit debate on the Commission bill 


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1 is in order, shall require an affirmative vote of a ma2 jority of the Members duly chosen and sworn, and is 

3 not debatable. Any debatable motion or appeal is de4 batable for not to exceed 1 hour, to be divided equally 

5 between those favoring and those opposing the motion 

6 or appeal. All time used for consideration of the Com7 mission bill, including time used for quorum calls 

8 and voting, shall be counted against the total 30 

9 hours of consideration. 

10 (4) NO AMENDMENTS.—An amendment to the 

11 Commission bill, or a motion to postpone, or a mo12 tion to proceed to the consideration of other business, 

13 or a motion to recommit the Commission bill, is not 

14 in order. 

15 (5) VOTE ON PASSAGE.—If the Senate has voted 

16 to proceed to the Commission bill, the vote on passage 

17 of the Commission bill shall occur immediately fol18 lowing the conclusion of the debate on a Commission 

19 bill, and a single quorum call at the conclusion of the 

20 debate if requested. The vote on passage of the Com21 mission bill shall occur not later than 12 months after 

22 the final report required under section 3(c)(2) is sub23 mitted to the Congress. 

24 (6) RULINGS OF THE CHAIR ON PROCEDURE.— 

25 Appeals from the decisions of the Chair relating to the 


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1 application of the rules of the Senate, as the case may 

2 be, to the procedure relating to a Commission bill 

3 shall be decided without debate. 

4 (d) AMENDMENT.—The Commission bill shall not be 

5 subject to amendment in either the House of Representatives 

6 or the Senate. 

7 (e) CONSIDERATION BY OTHER HOUSE.— 

8 (1) IN GENERAL.—If, before passing the Commis9 sion bill, one House receives from the other a Com10 mission bill— 

11 (A) the Commission bill of the other House 

12 shall not be referred to a committee; and 

13 (B) the procedure in the receiving House 

14 shall be the same as if no Commission bill had 

15 been received from the other House until the vote 

16 on passage, when the Commission bill received 

17 from the other House shall supplant the Commis18 sion bill of the receiving House. 

19 (2) REVENUE MEASURE.—This subsection shall 

20 not apply to the House of Representatives if the Com21 mission bill received from the Senate is a revenue 

22 measure. 

23 (f) RULES TO COORDINATE ACTION WITH OTHER

24 HOUSE.— 


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1 (1) TREATMENT OF COMMISSION BILL OF OTHER

2 HOUSE.—If the Senate fails to introduce or consider 

3 a Commission bill under this section, the Commission 

4 bill of the House shall be entitled to expedited floor 

5 procedures under this section. 

6 (2) TREATMENT OF COMPANION MEASURES IN

7 THE SENATE.—If following passage of the Commis8 sion bill in the Senate, the Senate then receives the 

9 Commission bill from the House of Representatives, 

10 the House-passed Commission bill shall not be debat11 able. The vote on passage of the Commission bill in 

12 the Senate shall be considered to be the vote on pas13 sage of the Commission bill received from the House 

14 of Representatives. 

15 (3) VETOES.—If the President vetoes the Com16 mission bill, debate on a veto message in the Senate 

17 under this section shall be 1 hour equally divided be18 tween the majority and minority leaders or their des19 ignees. 

20 (g) LOSS OF PRIVILEGE.—The provisions of this sec21 tion shall cease to apply to the Commission bill if— 

22 (1) the Commission fails to produce the final re23 port required under section 3(c)(2) within 20 months 

24 from the date of enactment of this Act; or 


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1 (2) the Commission bill does not pass either 

2 House. 

3 SEC. 7. TERMINATION. 

4 The Commission shall terminate 30 days after submit5 ting the final report pursuant to section 3(c)(2). 


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Union Calendar No. 771 

118TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 8302 

[Report No. 118–800, Part I] 

A BILL 

To establish a commission to review the programs 

tive reforms, and for other purposes. opment and make recommendations for legislaof the Department of Housing and Urban DevelDECEMBER 19, 2024 

Committee on Rules discharged; committed to the Comand ordered to be printed mittee of the Whole House on the State of the Union 


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