II

104TH CONGRESS

2D SESSION S. 1857

To establish a bipartisan commission on campaign practices and provide

that its recommendations be given expedited consideration.

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

JUNE 11, 1996

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

the Committee on Rules and Administration

A BILL

To establish a bipartisan commission on campaign practices

and provide that its recommendations be given expedited

consideration.

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 ‘‘Bipartisan Campaign

5 Practices Commission Act of 1996’’.

6 SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT.

7 There is established a commission to be known as the

8 ‘‘Bipartisan Commission on Campaign Practices’’ (re9 ferred to in this Act as the ‘‘Commission’’).
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1 SEC. 3. DUTIES OF THE COMMISSION.

2 The Commission shall study the laws and regulations

3 that affect how campaigns for Federal office are con4 ducted and may make recommendations for change. In

5 studying Federal campaign practices, the Commission

6 shall consider—

7 (1) whether too much or too little money is

8 spent trying to influence campaigns for Federal of9 fice and whether the funds that are spent are suffi10 ciently disclosed;

11 (2) whether the current laws (including regula12 tions) governing campaigns for Federal office en13 courage or discourage those most qualified to hold

14 office from seeking it;

15 (3) whether the existing system of financing

16 campaigns for Federal office promotes trust and

17 confidence in the political process among the elector18 ate;

19 (4) whether the rules governing access to media

20 ensure that the electorate has the greatest possible

21 opportunity to be informed of candidates’ positions

22 on the issues; and

23 (5) such other matters as the Commission con24 siders appropriate.
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1 SEC. 4. MEMBERSHIP.

2 (a) COMPOSITION.—The Commission shall be com3 posed of 9 members of the private sector, as follows:

4 (1) Two shall be appointed by the Majority

5 Leader of the Senate.

6 (2) Two shall be appointed by the Speaker of

7 the House of Representatives.

8 (3) Two shall be appointed by the President.

9 (4) One shall be appointed by the Minority

10 Leader of the Senate.

11 (5) One shall be appointed by the Minority

12 Leader of the House of Representatives.

13 (6) A chairperson shall be appointed in accord14 ance with subsection (b).

15 (b) CHAIRPERSON.—

16 (1) SELECTION.—Within 7 days after all the

17 members described in section 3(a) (1) through (5)

18 are appointed, those members shall meet and by ma19 jority vote select a chairperson.

20 (2) FAILURE TO MAKE SELECTION.—If, by the

21 date that is 30 days after the date of the meeting

22 described in subsection (b), the office of chairperson

23 is still vacant, all current members of the Commis24 sion shall be discharged from further service as

25 members of the Commission.
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1 (c) VACANCIES.—A vacancy in the Commission shall

2 be filled in the manner in which the original appointment

3 was made.

4 (d) COMPENSATION.—Each member of the Commis5 sion shall each be entitled to receive the daily equivalent

6 of the annual rate of basic pay in effect for level V of

7 the Executive Schedule under section 5316 of title 5, Unit8 ed States Code, for each day during which the member

9 is engaged in the actual performance of the duties of the

10 Commission.

11 (e) QUORUM.—Six members of the Commission shall

12 constitute a quorum, and any decision of the Commission

13 shall require the affirmative vote of 6 members.

14 (f) MEETINGS.—The Commission shall meet at the

15 call of the chairperson or at the request of 6 members

16 of the Commission.

17 SEC. 5. STAFF OF COMMISSION; SERVICES.

18 Subject to such rules as may be adopted by the Com19 mission, the chairperson, without regard to the provisions

20 of title 5, United States Code, governing appointments in

21 the competitive service and without regard to the provi22 sions of chapter 51 and subchapter III of chapter 53 of

23 that title relating to classifications and General Schedule

24 pay rates, may appoint such staff personnel as the chair25 person considers necessary and procure temporary and
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1 intermittent services to the same extent as is authorized

2 by section 3109(b) of title 5, United States Code.

3 SEC. 6. RECOMMENDATION; FAST TRACK PROCEDURES.

4 (a) REPORT.—Not later than 30 days after the con5 vening of the 105th Congress, the Commission shall sub6 mit to Congress a report describing the study conducted

7 under section 3.

8 (b) RECOMMENDATIONS.—The report under sub9 section (a) may include any recommendations for changes

10 in the laws (including regulations) governing the conduct

11 of Federal campaigns, including any changes in the rules

12 of the Senate or the House of Representatives, to which

13 6 or more members of the Commission may agree.

14 (c) PREPARATION OF BILLS.—If 7 or more members

15 concur on 1 or more recommendations for changes in the

16 way campaigns for Federal office are conducted, the mem17 bers agreeing on each such recommendation shall prepare

18 for each a bill that would implement the recommendation,

19 and the implementing bill shall be submitted with the re20 port under subsection (a).

21 (d) CONSIDERATION BY CONGRESS.—Each imple22 menting bill submitted with the report under subsection

23 (a) shall be given expedited consideration under the same

24 provisions and in the same way as an implementing bill
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1 for a trade agreement under section 151 of the Trade Act

2 of 1974 (19 U.S.C. 2191).

3 SEC. 7. TERMINATION.

4 The Commission shall cease to exist 30 days after

5 submission of the report under section 6.

6 SEC. 8. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

7 There is authorized to be appropriated $750,000 to

8 carry out this Act.

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