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[Congressional Bills 103th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 358 Introduced in House (IH)]

103d CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 358

      To create a National Commission to support law enforcement.

_______________________________________________________________________

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            January 5, 1993

Ms. Slaughter introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                       Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

 
      To create a National Commission to support law enforcement.

    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 ``National Commission to Support Law 
Enforcement Act''.

SEC. 2. CONGRESSIONAL FINDINGS.

    The Congress finds that--
            (1) law enforcement officers risk their lives daily to 
        protect citizens, for modest rewards and too little 
        recognition;
            (2) a significant shift has occurred in the problems that 
        law enforcement officers face without a corresponding change in 
        the support from the Federal Government;
            (3) law enforcement officers are on the front line in the 
        war against drugs and crime;
            (4) the rate of violent crime continues to increase along 
        with the increase in drug use;
            (5) a large percentage of individuals arrested test 
        positive for drug usage;
            (6) the Presidential Commission on Law Enforcement and the 
        Administration of Justice of 1965 focused attention on many 
        issues affecting law enforcement, and a review twenty-five 
        years later would help to evaluate current problems, including 
        drug-related crime, violence, racial conflict, and decreased 
        funding; and
            (7) a comprehensive study of law enforcement issues, 
        including the role of the Federal Government in supporting law 
        enforcement officers, working conditions, and responsibility 
        for crime control would assist in redefining the relationships 
        between the Federal Government, the public, and law enforcement 
        officials.

SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT.

    There is established a national commission to be known as the 
``National Commission to Support Law Enforcement'' (referred to in this 
Act as the ``Commission'').

SEC. 4. DUTIES.

    (a) In General.--The Commission shall study and recommend changes 
regarding law enforcement agencies and law enforcement issues on the 
Federal, State, and local levels, including the following:
            (1) Funding.--The sufficiency of funding, including a 
        review of grant programs at the Federal level.
            (2) Employment.--The conditions of law enforcement 
        employment.
            (3) Information.--The effectiveness of information-sharing 
        systems, intelligence, infrastructure, and procedures among law 
        enforcement agencies of Federal, State, and local governments.
            (4) Research and training.--The status of law enforcement 
        research and education and training.
            (5) Equipment and resources.--The adequacy of equipment, 
        physical resources, and human resources.
            (6) Cooperation.--The cooperation among Federal, State, and 
        local law enforcement agencies.
            (7) Responsibility.--The responsibility of governments and 
        law enforcement agencies in solving the crime problem.
            (8) Impact.--The impact of the criminal justice system, 
        including court schedules and prison overcrowding, on law 
        enforcement.
    (b) Consultation.--The Commission shall conduct surveys and consult 
with focus groups of law enforcement officers, local officials, and 
community leaders across the Nation to obtain information and seek 
advice on important law enforcement issues.

SEC. 5. MEMBERSHIP.

    (a) Number and Appointment.--The Commission shall be composed of 25 
members as follows:
            (1) Seven individuals from national law enforcement 
        organizations representing law enforcement officers, of whom--
                    (A) Two shall be appointed by the Speaker of the 
                House of Representatives;
                    (B) Two shall be appointed by the majority leader 
                of the Senate;
                    (C) One shall be appointed by the minority leader 
                of the House of Representatives;
                    (D) One shall be appointed by the minority leader 
                of the Senate; and
                    (E) One shall be appointed by the President.
            (2) Seven individuals from national law enforcement 
        organizations representing law enforcement management, of 
        whom--
                    (A) Two shall be appointed by the Speaker of the 
                House of Representatives;
                    (B) Two shall be appointed by the majority leader 
                of the Senate;
                    (C) One shall be appointed by the minority leader 
                of the House of Representatives;
                    (D) One shall be appointed by the minority leader 
                of the Senate; and
                    (E) One shall be appointed by the President.
            (3) Two individuals with academic expertise regarding law 
        enforcement issues, of whom--
                    (A) One shall be appointed by the Speaker of the 
                House of Representatives and the majority leader of the 
                Senate.
                    (B) One shall be appointed by the minority leader 
                of the Senate and the minority leader of the House of 
                Representatives.
            (4) Two Members of the House of Representatives, appointed 
        by the Speaker and the minority leader of the House of 
        Representatives.
            (5) Two Members of the Senate, appointed by the majority 
        leader and the minority leader of the Senate.
            (6) One individual involved in Federal law enforcement from 
        the Department of the Treasury, appointed by the President.
            (7) One individual from the Department of Justice, 
        appointed by the President.
            (8) One individual representing a State or local 
        governmental entity, such as a Governor, mayor, or State 
        Attorney General, to be appointed by the Majority Leader of the 
        Senate.
            (9) One individual representing a State or local 
        governmental entity, such as a Governor, mayor, or State 
        Attorney General, to be appointed by the Speaker of the House 
        of Representatives.
            (10) One individual representing a State or local 
        governmental entity, such as a governor, mayor, or State 
        attorney general, to be appointed by the President.
    (b) Comptroller General.--The Comptroller General shall serve in an 
advisory capacity and shall oversee the methodology and approach of the 
Commission's study.
    (c) Chairperson.--Upon their appointment the members of the 
Commission shall select one of their number to act as chairperson.
    (d) Compensation.--
            (1) In general.--Members of the Commission shall receive no 
        additional pay, allowance, or benefit by reason of service on 
        the Commission.
            (2) Travel expenses.--Each member of the Commission shall 
        receive travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of 
        subsistence, in accordance with sections 5702 and 5703 of title 
        5, United States Code.
    (e) Appointment Dates.--Members of the Commission shall be 
appointed no later than 90 days after the enactment of this Act.

SEC. 6. EXPERTS AND CONSULTANTS.

    (a) Experts and Consultants.--The Commission may procure temporary 
and intermittent services under section 3109(b) of title 5, United 
States Code.
    (b) Staff of Federal Agencies.--Upon request of the Commission, the 
head of any Federal agency is authorized to detail, on a reimbursable 
basis, any of the personnel of that agency to the Commission to assist 
the Commission in carrying out its duties under this Act.
    (c) Administrative Support.--The Administrator of General Services 
shall provide to the Commission, on a reimbursable basis, 
administrative support services as the Commission may request.

SEC. 7. POWERS OF COMMISSION.

    (a) Hearings.--The Commission may, for purposes of this Act, hold 
hearings, sit and act at the times and places, take testimony, and 
receive evidence, as the Commission considers appropriate.
    (b) Delegation of Authority.--Any member or agent of the Commission 
may, if authorized by the Commission, take any action the Commission is 
authorized to take by this section.
    (c) Information.--The Commission may secure directly from any 
Federal agency information necessary to enable it to carry out this 
Act. Upon request of the chairperson of the Commission, the head of an 
agency shall furnish the information to the Commission to the extent 
permitted by law.
    (d) Gifts and Donations.--The Commission may accept, use, and 
dispose of gifts or donations of services or property.
    (e) Mails.--The Commission may use the United States mails in the 
same manner and under the same conditions as other Federal agencies.

SEC. 8. REPORT.

    Not later than the expiration of the eighteen-month period 
beginning on the date of the appointment of the members of the 
Commission, a report containing the findings of the Commission and 
specific proposals for legislation and administrative actions that the 
Commission has determined to be appropriate shall be submitted to 
Congress.

SEC. 9. TERMINATION.

    The Commission shall cease to exist upon the expiration of the 
sixty-day period beginning on the date on which the Commission submits 
its report under section 8.

SEC. 10. REPEALS.

    Title XXXIV of the Crime Control Act of 1990 (Public Law 101-647; 
104 Stat. 4918) and title II, section 211 B of the Departments of 
Commerce, Justice, and State, the Judiciary, and Related Agencies 
Appropriations Act, 1991 (Public Law 101-515; 104 Stat. 2122) are 
repealed.

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