I 

111TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 1444 

To establish the Congressional Commission on Civic Service to study methods 

of improving and promoting volunteerism and national service, and for 

other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MARCH 11, 2009 

Mr. MCDERMOTT (for himself, Mr. MORAN of Virginia, Mr. RUPPERSBERGER, 

Mr. KENNEDY, and Mr. VAN HOLLEN) introduced the following bill; 

which was referred to the Committee on Education and Labor 

A BILL 

To establish the Congressional Commission on Civic Service 

to study methods of improving and promoting volunteerism and national service, and for other purposes. 

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 ‘‘Congressional Commis5 sion on Civic Service Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

7 Congress finds the following: 

8 (1) The social fabric of the United States is 

9 stronger if individuals in the United States are comVerDate Nov 24 2008 01:45 Mar 12, 2009 Jkt 079200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1444.IH H1444

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1 mitted to protecting and serving our Nation by uti2 lizing national service and volunteerism to overcome 

3 our civic challenges. 

4 (2) A more engaged civic society will strengthen 

5 the Nation by bringing together people from diverse 

6 backgrounds and experiences to work on solutions to 

7 some of our Nation’s major challenges. 

8 (3) Despite declines in civic health in the past 

9 30 years, national service and volunteerism among 

10 the Nation’s youth are increasing, and existing na11 tional service and volunteer programs greatly en12 hance opportunities for youth to engage in civic ac13 tivity. 

14 (4) In addition to the benefits received by non15 profit organizations and society as a whole, volun16 teering and national service provide a variety of per17 sonal benefits and satisfaction and can lead to new 

18 paths of civic engagement, responsibility, and up19 ward mobility. 

20 SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT. 

21 There is established in the legislative branch a com22 mission to be known as the ‘‘Congressional Commission 

23 on Civic Service’’ (in this Act referred to as the ‘‘Commis24 sion’’). 


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1 SEC. 4. DUTIES. 

2 (a) GENERAL PURPOSE.—The purpose of the Com3 mission is to gather and analyze information in order to 

4 make recommendations to Congress to— 

5 (1) improve the ability of individuals in the 

6 United States to serve others and, by doing so, to 

7 enhance our Nation and the global community; 

8 (2) train leaders in public service organizations 

9 to better utilize individuals committed to national 

10 service and volunteerism as they manage human and 

11 fiscal resources; 

12 (3) identify and offer solutions to the barriers 

13 that make it difficult for some individuals in the 

14 United States to volunteer or perform national serv15 ice; and 

16 (4) build on the foundation of service and vol17 unteer opportunities that are currently available. 

18 (b) SPECIFIC TOPICS.—In carrying out its general 

19 purpose under subsection (a), the Commission shall ad20 dress and analyze the following specific topics: 

21 (1) The level of understanding about the cur22 rent Federal, State, and local volunteer programs 

23 and opportunities for service among individuals in 

24 the United States. 


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1 (2) The issues that deter volunteerism and na2 tional service, particularly among young people, and 

3 how the identified issues can be overcome. 

4 (3) Whether there is an appropriate role for 

5 Federal, State, and local governments in overcoming 

6 the issues that deter volunteerism and national serv7 ice and, if appropriate, how to expand the relation8 ships and partnerships between different levels of 

9 government in promoting volunteerism and national 

10 service. 

11 (4) Whether existing databases are effective in 

12 matching community needs to would-be volunteers 

13 and service providers. 

14 (5) The effect on the Nation, on those who 

15 serve, and on the families of those who serve, if all 

16 individuals in the United States were expected to 

17 perform national service or were required to perform 

18 a certain amount of national service. 

19 (6) Whether a workable, fair, and reasonable 

20 mandatory service requirement for all able young 

21 people could be developed, and how such a require22 ment could be implemented in a manner that would 

23 strengthen the social fabric of the Nation and over24 come civic challenges by bringing together people 


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1 from diverse economic, ethnic, and educational back2 grounds. 

3 (7) The need for a public service academy, a 4- 

4 year institution that offers a federally funded under5 graduate education with a focus on training future 

6 public sector leaders. 

7 (8) The means to develop awareness of national 

8 service and volunteer opportunities at a young age 

9 by creating, expanding, and promoting service op10 tions for primary and secondary school students and 

11 by raising awareness of existing incentives. 

12 (9) The effectiveness of establishing a training 

13 program on college campuses to recruit and educate 

14 college students for national service. 

15 (10) The effect on United States diplomacy and 

16 foreign policy interests of expanding service opportu17 nities abroad, such as the Peace Corps, and the de18 gree of need and capacity abroad for an expansion. 

19 (11) The constraints that service providers, 

20 nonprofit organizations, and State and local agencies 

21 face in utilizing federally funded volunteer programs, 

22 and how these constraints can be overcome. 

23 (12) Whether current Federal volunteer pro24 grams are suited to address the special skills and 

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1 grams can be improved such that the Federal gov2 ernment can effectively promote service among the 

3 ‘‘baby boomer’’ generation. 

4 (c) METHODOLOGY.— 

5 (1) PUBLIC HEARINGS.—The Commission shall 

6 conduct public hearings in various locations around 

7 the United States. 

8 (2) REGULAR AND FREQUENT CONSULTA9 TION.—The Commission shall regularly and fre10 quently consult with an advisory panel of members 

11 of Congress appointed for such purpose by the 

12 Speaker of the House of Representatives and the 

13 majority leader of the Senate. 

14 SEC. 5. MEMBERSHIP. 

15 (a) NUMBER AND APPOINTMENT.— 

16 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Commission shall be 

17 composed of 8 members appointed as follows: 

18 (A) 2 members appointed by the Speaker 

19 of the House of Representatives. 

20 (B) 2 members appointed by the minority 

21 leader of the House of Representatives. 

22 (C) 2 members appointed by the majority 

23 leader of the Senate. 

24 (D) 2 members appointed by the minority 

25 leader of the Senate. 


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1 (2) QUALIFICATIONS.—The members of the 

2 Commission shall consist of individuals who are of 

3 recognized standing and distinction in the areas of 

4 international public service, national public service, 

5 service-learning, local service, business, or academia. 

6 (3) DEADLINE FOR APPOINTMENT.—The mem7 bers of the Commission shall be appointed not later 

8 than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this 

9 Act. 

10 (4) CHAIRPERSON.—The Chairperson of the 

11 Commission shall be designated by the Speaker of 

12 the House of Representatives at the time of the ap13 pointment. 

14 (b) TERMS.— 

15 (1) IN GENERAL.—The members of the Com16 mission shall serve for the life of the Commission. 

17 (2) VACANCIES.—A vacancy in the Commission 

18 shall not affect the power of the remaining members 

19 to execute the duties of the Commission but any 

20 such vacancy shall be filled in the same manner in 

21 which the original appointment was made. 

22 (c) COMPENSATION.— 

23 (1) RATES OF PAY; TRAVEL EXPENSES.—Each 

24 member shall serve without pay, except that each 

25 member shall receive travel expenses, including per 


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1 diem in lieu of subsistence, in accordance with appli2 cable provisions under subchapter I of chapter 57 of 

3 title 5, United States Code. 

4 (2) PROHIBITION OF COMPENSATION OF FED5 ERAL EMPLOYEES.—Notwithstanding paragraph (1), 

6 any member of the Commission who is a full-time of7 ficer or employee of the United States may not re8 ceive additional pay, allowances, or benefits because 

9 of service on the Commission. 

10 (d) MEETING REQUIREMENTS.— 

11 (1) FREQUENCY.— 

12 (A) QUARTERLY MEETINGS.—The Com13 mission shall meet at least quarterly. 

14 (B) ADDITIONAL MEETINGS.—In addition 

15 to quarterly meetings, the Commission shall 

16 meet at the call of the Chairperson or a major17 ity of its members. 

18 (2) QUORUM.—5 members of the Commission 

19 shall constitute a quorum but a lesser number may 

20 hold hearings. 

21 (3) MEETING BY TELEPHONE OR OTHER AP22 PROPRIATE TECHNOLOGY.—Members of the Com23 mission are permitted to meet using telephones or 

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1 vided that all members of the Commission can fully 

2 communicate with all other members simultaneously. 

3 SEC. 6. DIRECTOR AND STAFF OF COMMISSION; EXPERTS 

4 AND CONSULTANTS. 

5 (a) DIRECTOR.— 

6 (1) APPOINTMENT.—The Commission shall 

7 have a Director who shall be appointed by the Chair8 person with the approval of the Commission. 

9 (2) CREDENTIALS.—The Director shall have 

10 credentials related to international public service, 

11 national public service, service-learning, or local 

12 service. 

13 (3) SALARY.—The Director shall be paid at a 

14 rate determined by the Chairperson with the ap15 proval of the Commission, except that the rate may 

16 not exceed the rate of basic pay for GS–15 of the 

17 General Schedule. 

18 (b) STAFF.—With the approval of the Chairperson, 

19 the Director may appoint and fix the pay of additional 

20 qualified personnel as the Director considers appropriate. 

21 (c) EXPERTS AND CONSULTANTS.—With the ap22 proval of the Commission, the Director may procure tem23 porary and intermittent services under section 3109(b) of 

24 title 5, United States Code, but at rates for individuals 


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1 not to exceed the daily equivalent of the maximum annual 

2 rate of basic pay for GS–15 of the General Schedule. 

3 (d) STAFF OF FEDERAL AGENCIES.—Upon request 

4 of the Commission, Chairperson, or Director, the head of 

5 any Federal department or agency may detail, on a reim6 bursable basis, any of the personnel of that department 

7 or agency to the Commission to assist it in carrying out 

8 its duties under this Act. 

9 SEC. 7. POWERS OF COMMISSION. 

10 (a) HEARINGS AND SESSIONS.—The Commission 

11 may, for the purpose of carrying out this Act, hold public 

12 hearings, sit and act at times and places, take testimony, 

13 and receive evidence as the Commission considers appro14 priate. 

15 (b) POWERS OF MEMBERS AND AGENTS.—Any mem16 ber or agent of the Commission may, if authorized by the 

17 Commission, take any action which the Commission is au18 thorized to take by this section. 

19 (c) OBTAINING OFFICIAL DATA.—Upon request of 

20 the Chairperson, the head of any department or agency 

21 shall furnish information to the Commission that the Com22 mission deems necessary to enable it to carry out this Act. 

23 (d) PHYSICAL FACILITIES AND EQUIPMENT.—The 

24 Architect of the Capitol, in consultation with the appro25 priate entities in the legislative branch, shall locate and 


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1 provide suitable facilities and equipment for the operation 

2 of the Commission on a nonreimbursable basis. 

3 (e) ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT SERVICES.—Upon 

4 the request of the Commission, the Architect of the Cap5 itol and the Administrator of General Services shall pro6 vide to the Commission on a nonreimbursable basis such 

7 administrative support services as the Commission may re8 quest in order for the Commission to carry out its respon9 sibilities under this Act. 

10 SEC. 8. REPORTS. 

11 (a) INTERIM REPORT.—The Commission shall sub12 mit an interim report on its activities to Congress not later 

13 than 20 months after the date of the enactment of this 

14 Act. 

15 (b) FINAL REPORT.— 

16 (1) DEADLINE.—The Commission shall submit 

17 a final report on its activities to Congress not later 

18 than 120 days after the submission of the interim 

19 report under subsection (a). 

20 (2) CONTENTS.—The final report shall contain 

21 a detailed statement of the findings and conclusions 

22 of the Commission, together with its recommenda23 tions for proposed legislation. 


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1 SEC. 9. TERMINATION. 

2 The Commission shall terminate not later than 30 

3 days after submitting its final report under section 

4 8(b)(1). 

Æ 


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