III

106TH CONGRESS

1ST SESSION S. RES. 172

To establish a special committee of the Senate to address the cultural crisis

facing America.

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

AUGUST 4, 1999

Mr. BROWNBACK (for himself, Mr. MOYNIHAN, Mr. LOTT, Mr. DORGAN, Mr.

ALLARD, Mr. CONRAD, Mr. ABRAHAM, Mr. COVERDELL, Mr. SESSIONS,

and Mr. CRAIG) submitted the following resolution; which was referred

to the Committee on Rules and Administration

RESOLUTION

To establish a special committee of the Senate to address

the cultural crisis facing America.

1 Resolved,

2 SECTION 1. ESTABLISHMENT OF THE SPECIAL COMMITTEE.

3 (a) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is established a special

4 committee of the Senate to be known as the Special Com5 mittee on American Culture (hereafter in this resolution

6 referred to as the ‘‘special committee’’).

7 (b) PURPOSE.—The purpose of the special committee

8 is—
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•SRES 172 IS

1 (1) to study the causes and reasons for social

2 and cultural regression;

3 (2) to make such findings of fact as are war4 ranted and appropriate, including the impact that

5 such negative cultural trends and developments have

6 on the broader society, particularly in regards to

7 child well-being; and

8 (3) to explore means of cultural renewal.

9 No proposed legislation shall be referred to the special

10 committee, and the committee shall not have power to re11 port by bill, or otherwise have legislative jurisdiction.

12 (c) TREATMENT AS STANDING COMMITTEE.—For

13 purposes of paragraphs 1, 2, 7(a) (1) and (2), and 10(a)

14 of rule XXVI and rule XXVII of the Standing Rules of

15 the Senate, and section 202 (i) and (j) of the Legislative

16 Reorganization Act of 1946, the special committee shall

17 be treated as a standing committee of the Senate.

18 SEC. 2. MEMBERSHIP AND ORGANIZATION OF THE SPECIAL

19 COMMITTEE.

20 (a) MEMBERSHIP.—

21 (1) IN GENERAL.—The special committee shall

22 consist of 7 members of the Senate—

23 (A) 4 of whom shall be appointed by the

24 President pro tempore of the Senate from the

25 majority party of the Senate upon the rec-
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•SRES 172 IS

1 ommendation of the Majority Leader of the

2 Senate; and

3 (B) 3 of whom shall be appointed by the

4 President pro tempore of the Senate from the

5 minority party of the Senate upon the rec6 ommendation of the Minority Leader of the

7 Senate.

8 (2) VACANCIES.—Vacancies in the membership

9 of the special committee shall not affect the author10 ity of the remaining members to execute the func11 tions of the special committee and shall be filled in

12 the same manner as original appointments to it are

13 made.

14 (3) SERVICE.—For the purpose of paragraph 4

15 of rule XXV of the Standing Rules of the Senate,

16 service of a Senator as a member, chairman, or vice

17 chairman of the special committee shall not be taken

18 into account.

19 (b) CHAIRMAN.—The chairman of the special com20 mittee shall be selected by the Majority Leader of the Sen21 ate and the vice chairman of the special committee shall

22 be selected by the Minority Leader of the Senate. The vice

23 chairman shall discharge such responsibilities as the spe24 cial committee or the chairman may assign.
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1 SEC. 3. AUTHORITY OF SPECIAL COMMITTEE.

2 (a) IN GENERAL.—For the purposes of this resolu3 tion, the special committee is authorized, in its

4 discretion—

5 (1) to make expenditures from the contingent

6 fund of the Senate;

7 (2) to employ personnel;

8 (3) to hold hearings;

9 (4) to sit and act at any time or place during

10 the sessions, recesses, and adjourned periods of the

11 Senate;

12 (5) to require, by subpoena or otherwise, the at13 tendance of witnesses and the production of cor14 respondence, books, papers, and documents;

15 (6) to take depositions and other testimony;

16 (7) to procure the services of individual con17 sultations or organizations thereof, in accordance

18 with the provisions of section 202(i) of the Legisla19 tive Reorganization Act of 1946; and

20 (8) with the prior consent of the Government

21 department or agency concerned and the Committee

22 on Rules and Administration, to use on a non23 reimbursable basis the services of personnel of any

24 such department or agency.
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1 (b) OATHS FOR WITNESSES.—The chairman of the

2 special committee or any member thereof may administer

3 oaths to witnesses.

4 (c) SUBPOENAS.—Subpoenas authorized by the spe5 cial committee may be—

6 (1) issued over the signature of the chairman

7 after consultation with the vice chairman, or any

8 member of the special committee designated by the

9 chairman after consultation with the vice chairman;

10 and

11 (2) served by any person designated by the

12 chairman or the member signing the subpoena.

13 (d) OTHER COMMITTEE STAFF.—The special com14 mittee may use, with the prior consent of the chairman

15 of any other Senate committee or the chairman of any

16 subcommittee of any committee of the Senate and on a

17 nonreimburseable basis, the facilities or services of any

18 members of the staff of such other Senate committee

19 whenever the special committee or its chairman, following

20 consultation with the vice chairman, considers that such

21 action is necessary or appropriate to enable the special

22 committee to make the investigation and study provided

23 for in this resolution.
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1 (e) USE OF OFFICE SPACE.—The staff of the special

2 committee may be located in the personal office of a Mem3 ber of the special committee.

4 SEC. 4. REPORT AND TERMINATION.

5 The special committee shall report its findings, to6 gether with such recommendations as it deems advisable,

7 to the Senate prior to December 31, 2000.

8 SEC. 5. FUNDING.

9 (a) IN GENERAL.—From the date this resolution is

10 agreed to through December 31, 2000, the expenses of

11 the special committee incurred under this resolution—

12 (1) shall be paid out of the miscellaneous items

13 account of the contingent fund of the Senate;

14 (2) shall not exceed $500,000, of which amount

15 not to exceed $150,000 shall be available for the

16 procurement of the services of individual consult17 ants, or organizations thereof, as authorized by sec18 tion 202(i) of the Legislative Reorganization Act of

19 1946 (2 U.S.C. 72a(i)); and

20 (3) shall include sums in addition to expenses

21 described under paragraph (2), as may be necessary

22 for agency contributions related to compensation of

23 employees of the special committee.

24 (b) PAYMENT OF EXPENSES.—Payment of expenses

25 of the special committee shall be disbursed upon vouchers
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1 approved by the chairman, except that vouchers shall not

2 be required for disbursements of salaries (and related

3 agency contributions) paid at an annual rate.

Æ