II 

109TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 1889 

To establish the Comprehensive Entitlement Reform Commission. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

OCTOBER 19, 2005 

Mr. HAGEL introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred 

to the Committee on Finance 

A BILL 

To establish the Comprehensive Entitlement Reform 

Commission. 

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 ‘‘Comprehensive Entitle5 ment Reform Commission Act of 2005’’. 

6 SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 

7 In this Act: 

8 (1) COMMISSION.—The term ‘‘Commission’’ 

9 means the Comprehensive Entitlement Reform Com10 mission established under section 3. 
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1 (2) MEDICAID.—The term ‘‘Medicaid’’ means 

2 the program established under title XIX of the So3 cial Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396 et seq.). 

4 (3) MEDICARE.—The term ‘‘Medicare’’ means 

5 the program established under title XVIII of the So6 cial Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395 et seq.). 

7 (4) SOCIAL SECURITY.—The term ‘‘Social Secu8 rity’’ means the program of old-age, survivors, and 

9 disability insurance benefits established under title 

10 II of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 401 et 

11 seq.). 

12 SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT OF COMMISSION. 

13 There is established a commission to be known as the 

14 ‘‘Comprehensive Entitlement Reform Commission’’. 

15 SEC. 4. PURPOSE. 

16 The Commission will review Social Security, Medi17 care, and Medicaid and make comprehensive recommenda18 tions to sustain the solvency and stability of these three 

19 programs for future generations. 

20 SEC. 5. DUTIES OF THE COMMISSION. 

21 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Commission shall conduct a 

22 comprehensive review of Social Security, Medicare, and 

23 Medicaid consistent with the purpose specified in section 

24 4 and shall submit the report required under subsection 

25 (b). 
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1 (b) REPORT.— 

2 (1) REPORT.—Not later than 1 year after the 

3 selection of the 2 Co-Chairpersons and the Executive 

4 Director of the Commission, the Commission shall 

5 prepare and submit a final report that contains a 

6 detailed statement of the recommendations, findings, 

7 and conclusions of the Commission to the appro8 priate Committees of Congress and the President. 

9 (2) PUBLIC AVAILABILITY.—The report sub10 mitted under this subsection shall be made available 

11 to the public. 

12 SEC. 6. MEMBERSHIP. 

13 (a) NUMBER AND APPOINTMENT.—The Commission 

14 shall be composed of 8 members, to be appointed as fol15 lows: 

16 (1) The majority leader of the Senate shall ap17 point 2 members. 

18 (2) The minority leader of the Senate shall ap19 point 2 members. 

20 (3) The Speaker of the House of Representa21 tives shall appoint 2 members. 

22 (4) The minority leader of the House of Rep23 resentatives shall appoint 2 members. 
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1 (b) PROHIBITED APPOINTMENTS.—Members of the 

2 Commission shall not include Members of Congress or 

3 other elected Federal, State, or local government officials. 

4 (c) PERIOD OF APPOINTMENT.—Each member shall 

5 be appointed for the life of the Commission. Any vacancies 

6 shall not affect the power and duties of the Commission 

7 but shall be filled in the same manner as the original ap8 pointment. 

9 (d) DATE.—Members of the Commission shall be ap10 pointed by not later than 30 days after the date of enact11 ment of this Act. 

12 (e) INITIAL ORGANIZATION PERIOD.—Not later than 

13 60 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Com14 mission shall develop and implement a schedule for com15 pletion of the review and report required under section 5. 

16 (f) CO-CHAIRPERSONS.—The Commission shall select 

17 2 Co-Chairpersons from among its members. 

18 (g) TERMINATION.—The Commission shall terminate 

19 on the date that is 30 days after the date on which the 

20 Commission submits the report required under section 

21 5(b)(1). 

22 SEC. 7. ADMINISTRATION. 

23 (a) QUORUM.—Five members of the Commission 

24 shall constitute a quorum for purposes of voting, but a 
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1 quorum is not required for members to meet and hold 

2 hearings. 

3 (b) MEETINGS.— 

4 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Commission shall meet 

5 at the call of the Co-Chairpersons or a majority of 

6 its members. 

7 (2) OPEN MEETINGS.—Each meeting of the 

8 Commission, other than meetings in which classified 

9 information is to be discussed, shall be open to the 

10 public. 

11 (c) HEARINGS.—The Commission may hold such 

12 hearings and undertake such other activities as the Com13 mission determines to be necessary to carry out its duties. 

14 (d) TRAVEL EXPENSES.—Members shall receive trav15 el expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, in 

16 accordance with sections 5702 and 5703 of title 5, United 

17 States Code, while away from their homes or regular 

18 places of business in performance of services for the Com19 mission. 

20 (e) STAFF.— 

21 (1) EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.—The Commission 

22 shall have a staff headed by an Executive Director. 

23 The Executive Director shall be paid at a rate equiv24 alent to a rate established for the Senior Executive 
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1 Service under section 5382 of title 5, United States 

2 Code. 

3 (2) STAFF APPOINTMENT.—With the approval 

4 of the Commission, the Executive Director may ap5 point such personnel as the Executive Director de6 termines to be appropriate. 

7 (3) ACTUARIAL EXPERTS AND CONSULTANTS.— 

8 With the approval of the Commission, the Executive 

9 Director may procure temporary and intermittent 

10 services under section 3109(b) of title 5, United 

11 States Code. 

12 (4) DETAIL OF GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES.— 

13 Upon the request of the Commission, the head of 

14 any Federal agency may detail, without reimburse15 ment, any of the personnel of such agency to the 

16 Commission to assist in carrying out the duties of 

17 the Commission. Any such detail shall not interrupt 

18 or otherwise affect the civil service status or privi19 leges of the Federal employee. 

20 (5) OTHER RESOURCES.—The Commission 

21 shall have reasonable access to materials, resources, 

22 statistical data, and other information such Commis23 sion determines to be necessary to carry out its du24 ties from the Library of Congress, the Chief Actuary 

25 of Social Security, the Congressional Budget Office, 
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1 and other agencies and elected representatives of the 

2 executive and legislative branches of the Federal 

3 Government. The Co-Chairpersons of the Commis4 sion shall make requests for such access in writing 

5 when necessary. 

6 SEC. 8. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 

7 (a) IN GENERAL.—There are authorized to be appro8 priated for fiscal year 2006, $1,500,000 to carry out the 

9 purposes of this Act. 

10 (b) AVAILABILITY.—Any sums appropriated under 

11 the subsection (a) shall remain available, without fiscal 

12 year limitation, until expended. 

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