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[Congressional Bills 112th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1522 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

112th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 1522

 To establish a joint select committee of Congress to report findings 
   and propose legislation to restore the Nation's workforce to full 
   employment over the period of fiscal years 2012 and 2013, and to 
  provide for expedited consideration of such legislation by both the 
                House of Representatives and the Senate.

_______________________________________________________________________

                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           September 7, 2011

 Mr. Blumenthal (for himself, Mr. Schumer, Mr. Whitehouse, Mr. Begich, 
    Mr. Manchin, Mr. Brown of Ohio, and Mr. Franken) introduced the 
 following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on 
                        Rules and Administration

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

 
 To establish a joint select committee of Congress to report findings 
   and propose legislation to restore the Nation's workforce to full 
   employment over the period of fiscal years 2012 and 2013, and to 
  provide for expedited consideration of such legislation by both the 
                House of Representatives and the Senate.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Joint Select Committee on Job 
Creation Act of 2011''.

SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF JOINT SELECT COMMITTEE.

    (a) Definitions.--In this Act:
            (1) Joint committee.--The term ``joint committee'' means 
        the Joint Select Committee on Job Creation established under 
        subsection (b)(1).
            (2) Joint committee bill.--The term ``joint committee 
        bill'' means a bill consisting of the proposed legislative 
        language of the joint committee recommended under subsection 
        (b)(3)(B) and introduced under section 3(a).
    (b) Establishment of Joint Select Committee.--
            (1) Establishment.--There is established a joint select 
        committee of Congress to be known as the ``Joint Select 
        Committee on Job Creation''.
            (2) Goal.--The goal of the joint committee shall be to 
        restore the Nation's workforce to full employment, as defined 
        by the Secretary of Labor not later than 14 days after the date 
        of the enactment of this Act, over the period of fiscal years 
        2012 and 2013.
            (3) Duties.--
                    (A) In general.--
                            (i) Improving the short-term and long-term 
                        employment levels.--The joint committee shall 
                        provide recommendations and legislative 
                        language that will significantly improve the 
                        short-term and long-term employment levels in 
                        the United States.
                            (ii) Recommendations of committees.--Not 
                        later than October 14, 2011, each committee of 
                        the House of Representatives and the Senate may 
                        transmit to the joint committee its 
                        recommendations for changes in law to increase 
                        employment levels consistent with the goal 
                        described in paragraph (2) for the joint 
                        committee's consideration.
                    (B) Report, recommendations, and legislative 
                language.--
                            (i) In general.--Not later than November 
                        23, 2011, the joint committee shall vote on--
                                    (I) a report that contains a 
                                detailed statement of the findings, 
                                conclusions, and recommendations of the 
                                joint committee and the estimate of the 
                                Joint Economic Committee required by 
                                paragraph (5)(D)(ii); and
                                    (II) proposed legislative language 
                                to carry out such recommendations as 
                                described in subclause (I), which shall 
                                include a statement of the job creation 
                                achieved by the legislation over the 
                                period of fiscal years 2012 and 2013.
                        Any change to the Rules of the House of 
                        Representatives or the Standing Rules of the 
                        Senate included in the report or legislative 
                        language shall be considered to be merely 
                        advisory.
                            (ii) Approval of report and legislative 
                        language.--The report of the joint committee 
                        and the proposed legislative language described 
                        in clause (i) shall require the approval of a 
                        majority of the members of the joint committee.
                            (iii) Additional views.--A member of the 
                        joint committee who gives notice of an 
                        intention to file supplemental, minority, or 
                        additional views at the time of final joint 
                        committee vote on the approval of the report 
                        and legislative language under clause (ii) 
                        shall be entitled to 3 calendar days in which 
                        to file such views in writing with the staff 
                        director of the joint committee. Such views 
                        shall then be included in the joint committee 
                        report and printed in the same volume, or part 
                        thereof, and their inclusion shall be noted on 
                        the cover of the report. In the absence of 
                        timely notice, the joint committee report may 
                        be printed and transmitted immediately without 
                        such views.
                            (iv) Transmission of report and legislative 
                        language.--If the report and legislative 
                        language are approved by the joint committee 
                        pursuant to clause (ii), then not later than 
                        December 2, 2011, the joint committee shall 
                        submit the joint committee report and 
                        legislative language described in clause (i) to 
                        the President, the Vice President, the Speaker 
                        of the House of Representatives, and the 
                        majority and minority leaders of each House of 
                        Congress.
                            (v) Report and legislative language to be 
                        made public.--Upon the approval or disapproval 
                        of the joint committee report and legislative 
                        language pursuant to clause (ii), the joint 
                        committee shall promptly make the full report 
                        and legislative language, and a record of the 
                        vote, available to the public.
            (4) Membership.--
                    (A) In general.--The joint committee shall be 
                composed of 12 members appointed pursuant to 
                subparagraph (B).
                    (B) Appointment.--Members of the joint committee 
                shall be appointed as follows:
                            (i) The majority leader of the Senate shall 
                        appoint three members from among Members of the 
                        Senate.
                            (ii) The minority leader of the Senate 
                        shall appoint three members from among Members 
                        of the Senate.
                            (iii) The Speaker of the House of 
                        Representatives shall appoint three members 
                        from among Members of the House of 
                        Representatives.
                            (iv) The minority leader of the House of 
                        Representatives shall appoint three members 
                        from among Members of the House of 
                        Representatives.
                    (C) Co-chairs.--
                            (i) In general.--There shall be two Co-
                        Chairs of the joint committee. The majority 
                        leader of the Senate shall appoint one Co-Chair 
                        from among the members of the joint committee. 
                        The Speaker of the House of Representatives 
                        shall appoint the second Co-Chair from among 
                        the members of the joint committee. The Co-
                        Chairs shall be appointed not later than 14 
                        calendar days after the date of enactment of 
                        this Act.
                            (ii) Staff director.--The Co-Chairs, acting 
                        jointly, shall hire the staff director of the 
                        joint committee.
                    (D) Date.--Members of the joint committee shall be 
                appointed not later than 14 calendar days after the 
                date of enactment of this Act.
                    (E) Period of appointment.--Members shall be 
                appointed for the life of the joint committee. Any 
                vacancy in the joint committee shall not affect its 
                powers, but shall be filled not later than 14 calendar 
                days after the date on which the vacancy occurs, in the 
                same manner as the original designation was made. If a 
                member of the joint committee ceases to be a Member of 
                the House of Representatives or the Senate, as the case 
                may be, the member is no longer a member of the joint 
                committee and a vacancy shall exist.
            (5) Administration.--
                    (A) In general.--To enable the joint committee to 
                exercise its powers, functions, and duties, there are 
                authorized to be disbursed by the Senate the actual and 
                necessary expenses of the joint committee approved by 
                the Co-Chairs, subject to the rules and regulations of 
                the Senate.
                    (B) Expenses.--In carrying out its functions, the 
                joint committee is authorized to incur expenses in the 
                same manner and under the same conditions as the Joint 
                Economic Committee is authorized by section 11 of 
                Public Law 79-304 (15 U.S.C. 1024 (d)).
                    (C) Quorum.--Seven members of the joint committee 
                shall constitute a quorum for purposes of voting, 
                meeting, and holding hearings.
                    (D) Voting.--
                            (i) Proxy voting.--No proxy voting shall be 
                        allowed on behalf of the members of the joint 
                        committee.
                            (ii) Job creation estimates.--The Joint 
                        Economic Committee, authorized in 4(C)(iii) 
                        shall provide estimates of the legislation (as 
                        described in paragraph (3)(B)). The joint 
                        committee may not vote on any version of the 
                        report, recommendations, or legislative 
                        language unless such estimates are available 
                        for consideration by all members of the joint 
                        committee at least 48 hours prior to the vote 
                        as certified by the Co-Chairs.
                    (E) Meetings.--
                            (i) Initial meeting.--Not later than 45 
                        calendar days after the date of enactment of 
                        this Act, the joint committee shall hold its 
                        first meeting.
                            (ii) Agenda.--The Co-Chairs of the joint 
                        committee shall provide an agenda to the joint 
                        committee members not less than 48 hours in 
                        advance of any meeting.
                    (F) Hearings.--
                            (i) In general.--The joint committee may, 
                        for the purpose of carrying out this section, 
                        hold such hearings, sit and act at such times 
                        and places, require attendance of witnesses and 
                        production of books, papers, and documents, 
                        take such testimony, receive such evidence, and 
                        administer such oaths as the joint committee 
                        considers advisable.
                            (ii) Hearing procedures and 
                        responsibilities of co-chairs.--
                                    (I) Announcement.--The Co-Chairs of 
                                the joint committee shall make a public 
                                announcement of the date, place, time, 
                                and subject matter of any hearing to be 
                                conducted, not less than 7 days in 
                                advance of such hearing, unless the Co-
                                Chairs determine that there is good 
                                cause to begin such hearing at an 
                                earlier date.
                                    (II) Written statement.--A witness 
                                appearing before the joint committee 
                                shall file a written statement of 
                                proposed testimony at least 2 calendar 
                                days before the appearance of the 
                                witness, unless the requirement is 
                                waived by the Co-Chairs, following 
                                their determination that there is good 
                                cause for failure to comply with such 
                                requirement.
                    (G) Technical assistance.--Upon written request of 
                the Co-Chairs, a Federal agency shall provide technical 
                assistance to the joint committee in order for the 
                joint committee to carry out its duties.
    (c) Staff of Joint Committee.--
            (1) In general.--The Co-Chairs of the joint committee may 
        jointly appoint and fix the compensation of staff as they deem 
        necessary, within the guidelines for employees of the Senate 
        and following all applicable rules and employment requirements 
        of the Senate.
            (2) Ethical standards.--Members on the joint committee who 
        serve in the House of Representatives shall be governed by the 
        ethics rules and requirements of the House. Members of the 
        Senate who serve on the joint committee and staff of the joint 
        committee shall comply with the ethics rules of the Senate.
    (d) Termination.--The joint committee shall terminate on January 
31, 2012.

SEC. 3. EXPEDITED CONSIDERATION OF JOINT COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS.

    (a) Introduction.--
            (1) If approved.--If approved by the majority required by 
        section 2(b)(3)(B)(ii), the proposed legislative language 
        submitted pursuant to section 2(b)(3)(B)(iv) shall be 
        introduced in the Senate (by request) on the next day on which 
        the Senate is in session by the majority leader of the Senate 
        or by a Member of the Senate designated by the majority leader 
        of the Senate and shall be introduced in the House of 
        Representatives (by request) on the next legislative day by the 
        majority leader of the House or by a Member of the House 
        designated by the majority leader of the House.
            (2) If not approved.--If no legislative language is 
        approved by the vote required by section 2(b)(3)(B)(i), then 
        any legislative language that was brought to a vote under such 
        section shall be introduced in the Senate (by request) on the 
        next day on which the Senate is in session by the majority 
        leader of the Senate or by a Member of the Senate designated by 
        the majority leader of the Senate and shall be introduced in 
        the House of Representatives (by request) on the next 
        legislative day by the majority leader of the House or by a 
        Member of the House designated by the majority leader of the 
        House.
    (b) Consideration in the House of Representatives.--
            (1) Referral and reporting.--Any committee of the House of 
        Representatives to which the joint committee bill is referred 
        shall report it to the House without amendment not later than 
        December 9, 2011. If a committee fails to report the joint 
        committee bill within that period, it shall be in order to move 
        that the House discharge the committee from further 
        consideration of the bill. Such a motion shall not be in order 
        after the last committee authorized to consider the bill 
        reports it to the House or after the House has disposed of a 
        motion to discharge the bill. The previous question shall be 
        considered as ordered on the motion to its adoption without 
        intervening motion except 20 minutes of debate equally divided 
        and controlled by the proponent and an opponent. If such a 
        motion is adopted, the House shall proceed immediately to 
        consider the joint committee bill in accordance with paragraphs 
        (2) and (3). A motion to reconsider the vote by which the 
        motion is disposed of shall not be in order.
            (2) Proceeding to consideration.--After the last committee 
        authorized to consider a joint committee bill reports it to the 
        House or has been discharged (other than by motion) from its 
        consideration, it shall be in order to move to proceed to 
        consider the joint committee bill in the House. Such a motion 
        shall not be in order after the House has disposed of a motion 
        to proceed with respect to the joint committee bill. The 
        previous question shall be considered as ordered on the motion 
        to its adoption without intervening motion. A motion to 
        reconsider the vote by which the motion is disposed of shall 
        not be in order.
            (3) Consideration.--The joint committee bill shall be 
        considered as read. All points of order against the joint 
        committee bill and against its consideration are waived. The 
        previous question shall be considered as ordered on the joint 
        committee bill to its passage without intervening motion except 
        2 hours of debate equally divided and controlled by the 
        proponent and an opponent and one motion to limit debate on the 
        joint committee bill. A motion to reconsider the vote on 
        passage of the joint committee bill shall not be in order.
            (4) Vote on passage.--The vote on passage of the joint 
        committee bill shall occur not later than December 23, 2011.
    (c) Expedited Procedure in the Senate.--
            (1) Committee consideration.--A joint committee bill 
        introduced in the Senate under subsection (a) shall be jointly 
        referred to the committee or committees of jurisdiction, which 
        committees shall report the bill without any revision and with 
        a favorable recommendation, an unfavorable recommendation, or 
        without recommendation, not later than December 9, 2011. If any 
        committee fails to report the bill within that period, that 
        committee shall be automatically discharged from consideration 
        of the bill, and the bill shall be placed on the appropriate 
        calendar.
            (2) Motion to proceed.--Notwithstanding Rule XXII of the 
        Standing Rules of the Senate, it is in order, not later than 2 
        days of session after the date on which a joint committee bill 
        is reported or discharged from all committees to which it was 
        referred, for the majority leader of the Senate or the majority 
        leader's designee to move to proceed to the consideration of 
        the joint committee bill. It shall also be in order for any 
        Member of the Senate to move to proceed to the consideration of 
        the joint committee bill at any time after the conclusion of 
        such 2-day period. A motion to proceed is in order even though 
        a previous motion to the same effect has been disagreed to. All 
        points of order against the motion to proceed to the joint 
        committee bill are waived. The motion to proceed is not 
        debatable. The motion is not subject to a motion to postpone. A 
        motion to reconsider the vote by which the motion is agreed to 
        or disagreed to shall not be in order. If a motion to proceed 
        to the consideration of the joint committee bill is agreed to, 
        the joint committee bill shall remain the unfinished business 
        until disposed of.
            (3) Consideration.--All points of order against the joint 
        committee bill and against consideration of the joint committee 
        bill are waived. Consideration of the joint committee bill and 
        of all debatable motions and appeals in connection therewith 
        shall not exceed a total of 30 hours which shall be divided 
        equally between the majority and minority leaders or their 
        designees. A motion further to limit debate on the joint 
        committee bill is in order, shall require an affirmative vote 
        of three-fifths of the Members duly chosen and sworn, and is 
        not debatable. Any debatable motion or appeal is debatable for 
        not to exceed 1 hour, to be divided equally between those 
        favoring and those opposing the motion or appeal. All time used 
        for consideration of the joint committee bill, including time 
        used for quorum calls and voting, shall be counted against the 
        total 30 hours of consideration.
            (4) No amendments.--An amendment to the joint committee 
        bill, or a motion to postpone, or a motion to proceed to the 
        consideration of other business, or a motion to recommit the 
        joint committee bill, is not in order.
            (5) Vote on passage.--If the Senate has voted to proceed to 
        the joint committee bill, the vote on passage of the joint 
        committee bill shall occur immediately following the conclusion 
        of the debate on a joint committee bill, and a single quorum 
        call at the conclusion of the debate if requested. The vote on 
        passage of the joint committee bill shall occur not later than 
        December 23, 2011.
            (6) Rulings of the chair on procedure.--Appeals from the 
        decisions of the Chair relating to the application of the rules 
        of the Senate, as the case may be, to the procedure relating to 
        a joint committee bill shall be decided without debate.
    (d) Amendment.--The joint committee bill shall not be subject to 
amendment in either the House of Representatives or the Senate.
    (e) Consideration by the Other House.--
            (1) In general.--If, before passing the joint committee 
        bill, one House receives from the other a joint committee 
        bill--
                    (A) the joint committee bill of the other House 
                shall not be referred to a committee; and
                    (B) the procedure in the receiving House shall be 
                the same as if no joint committee bill had been 
                received from the other House until the vote on 
                passage, when the joint committee bill received from 
                the other House shall supplant the joint committee bill 
                of the receiving House.
            (2) Revenue measure.--This subsection shall not apply to 
        the House of Representatives if the joint committee bill 
        received from the Senate is a revenue measure.
    (f) Rules To Coordinate Action With Other House.--
            (1) Treatment of joint committee bill of other house.--If 
        the Senate fails to introduce or consider a joint committee 
        bill under this section, the joint committee bill of the House 
        shall be entitled to expedited floor procedures under this 
        section.
            (2) Treatment of companion measures in the senate.--If 
        following passage of the joint committee bill in the Senate, 
        the Senate then receives the joint committee bill from the 
        House of Representatives, the House-passed joint committee bill 
        shall not be debatable. The vote on passage of the joint 
        committee bill in the Senate shall be considered to be the vote 
        on passage of the joint committee bill received from the House 
        of Representatives.
            (3) Vetoes.--If the President vetoes the joint committee 
        bill, debate on a veto message in the Senate under this section 
        shall be 1 hour equally divided between the majority and 
        minority leaders or their designees.
    (g) Loss of Privilege.--The provisions of this section shall cease 
to apply to the joint committee bill if the joint committee bill does 
not pass both Houses not later than December 23, 2011.

SEC. 4. FUNDING.

    Funding for the joint committee shall be derived in equal portions 
from--
            (1) the applicable accounts of the House of 
        Representatives; and
            (2) the contingent fund of the Senate from the 
        appropriations account ``Miscellaneous Items'', subject to the 
        rules and regulations of the Senate.

SEC. 5. RULEMAKING.

    The provisions of this Act are enacted by Congress--
            (1) as an exercise of the rulemaking power of the House of 
        Representatives and the Senate, respectively, and as such they 
        shall be considered as part of the rules of each House, 
        respectively, or of that House to which they specifically 
        apply, and such rules shall supersede other rules only to the 
        extent that they are inconsistent therewith; and
            (2) with full recognition of the constitutional right of 
        either House to change such rules (so far as relating to such 
        House) at any time, in the same manner, and to the same extent 
        as in the case of any other rule of such House.
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