III 

116TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. RES. 97 

Establishing the Select Committee on the Climate Crisis. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

MARCH 6, 2019 

Mr. SCHUMER submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 

Committee on Rules and Administration 

RESOLUTION 

Establishing the Select Committee on the Climate Crisis. 

1 Resolved, 

2 SECTION 1. SELECT COMMITTEE ON THE CLIMATE CRISIS. 

3 (a) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is established in the 

4 Senate a Select Committee on the Climate Crisis (in this 

5 resolution referred to as the ‘‘Select Committee’’). 

6 (b) COMPOSITION.— 

7 (1) MEMBERSHIP.—The Select Committee shall 

8 be composed of 16 Senators, of whom— 

9 (A) 8 shall be appointed by the majority 

10 leader; and 

11 (B) 8 shall be appointed by the minority 

12 leader. 


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1 (2) CO-CHAIRPERSONS.—The majority leader 

2 and the minority leader shall each designate 1 mem3 ber of the Select Committee to serve as a Co-Chair4 person of the Select Committee. 

5 (3) DEADLINE.—Not later than 14 days after 

6 the date of adoption of this resolution, the majority 

7 leader and minority leader shall each appoint all 

8 members and designate the Co-Chairpersons of the 

9 Select Committee. 

10 (4) PERIOD OF APPOINTMENT.—Members shall 

11 be appointed for the life of the Select Committee. 

12 (5) VACANCIES.—A vacancy in the membership 

13 of the Select Committee— 

14 (A) shall not affect its powers; and 

15 (B) shall be filled not later than 14 days 

16 after the date on which the vacancy occurs, in 

17 the same manner as the original appointment 

18 was made. 

19 (6) DEPARTURE OF MEMBER.—If a member of 

20 the Select Committee ceases to be a Member of the 

21 Senate, the member is no longer a member of the 

22 Select Committee and a vacancy shall exist. 

23 (c) FUNDING.— 


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1 (1) IN GENERAL.—The expenses of the Select 

2 Committee shall be paid from the Contingent Fund 

3 of the Senate, in a total amount of— 

4 (A) not more than $1,500,000 for the pe5 riod beginning on the date of adoption of this 

6 resolution and ending on September 30, 2019; 

7 and 

8 (B) not more than $2,600,000 for the pe9 riod beginning on October 1, 2019 and ending 

10 on September 30, 2020. 

11 (2) APPROVAL.— 

12 (A) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in 

13 subparagraph (B), the expenses of the Select 

14 Committee shall be paid upon vouchers ap15 proved by the Co-Chairpersons of the Select 

16 Committee, in accordance with the rules and 

17 regulations of the Senate. 

18 (B) VOUCHERS NOT REQUIRED.—Vouchers 

19 shall not be required for— 

20 (i) the disbursement of salaries of em21 ployees paid at an annual rate; 

22 (ii) the payment of telecommuni23 cations provided by the Office of the Ser24 geant at Arms and Doorkeeper; 


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1 (iii) the payment of stationery sup2 plies purchased through the Keeper of the 

3 Stationery; 

4 (iv) payments to the Postmaster of 

5 the Senate; 

6 (v) the payment of metered charges 

7 on copying equipment provided by the Of8 fice of the Sergeant at Arms and Door9 keeper; 

10 (vi) the payment of Senate Recording 

11 and Photographic Services; or 

12 (vii) the payment of franked and mass 

13 mail costs by the Sergeant at Arms and 

14 Doorkeeper. 

15 (d) STAFFING.— 

16 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Co-Chairpersons of the 

17 Select Committee may jointly appoint and fix the 

18 compensation of employees of the Select Committee 

19 in accordance with the guidelines for employees of 

20 the Senate and following all applicable rules and em21 ployment requirements of the Senate (including 

22 those relating to employees of standing committees 

23 of the Senate). 

24 (2) AGENCY CONTRIBUTIONS.—There are au25 thorized to be paid from the appropriations account 


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1 for ‘‘Inquiries and Investigations’’ of the Senate 

2 such sums as may be necessary for agency contribu3 tions related to the compensation of employees of 

4 the Select Committee. 

5 (e) JURISDICTION; FUNCTIONS.— 

6 (1) INVESTIGATIVE JURISDICTION.—The Select 

7 Committee shall have the authority to investigate 

8 and make findings regarding how inaction on the cli9 mate crisis is harming the economic and national se10 curity interests of the United States. 

11 (2) MEETINGS.— 

12 (A) IN GENERAL.—The Select Committee 

13 shall— 

14 (i) meet at the call of the Co-Chair15 persons; and 

16 (ii) hold its first meeting to plan the 

17 activities of the Select Committee not later 

18 than 30 days after the date of adoption of 

19 this resolution. 

20 (B) AGENDA.—Not later than 48 hours be21 fore any meeting of the Select Committee, the 

22 Co-Chairpersons shall provide an agenda to the 

23 members of the Select Committee. 

24 (3) HEARINGS.— 


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1 (A) IN GENERAL.—The Select Committee 

2 may, for the purpose of carrying out this sec3 tion, hold such hearings, sit and act at such 

4 times and places, require attendance of wit5 nesses and production of books, papers, and 

6 documents, take such testimony, receive such 

7 evidence, and administer such oaths as the Se8 lect Committee considers advisable. 

9 (B) ALL HEARINGS PUBLIC.—The hearings 

10 of the Select Committee in connection with any 

11 aspect of its investigative functions shall be 

12 public hearings. 

13 (C) HEARING PROCEDURES AND RESPON14 SIBILITIES OF CO-CHAIRPERSONS.— 

15 (i) ANNOUNCEMENT.—Not later than 

16 7 days before any hearing of the Select 

17 Committee, the Co-Chairpersons shall 

18 make a public announcement of the date, 

19 place, time, and subject matter of the 

20 hearing, unless the Co-Chairpersons deter21 mine that there is good cause to hold the 

22 hearing at an earlier date. 

23 (ii) EQUAL REPRESENTATION OF WIT24 NESSES.—Each Co-Chairperson shall be 

25 entitled to select an equal number of witVerDate Sep 11 2014 21:29 Mar 06, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00006 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\SR97.IS SR97

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1 nesses for each hearing held by the Select 

2 Committee. 

3 (iii) WRITTEN STATEMENT.—A wit4 ness appearing before the Select Com5 mittee shall file a written statement of pro6 posed testimony at least 2 days before the 

7 appearance of the witness, unless the re8 quirement is waived by the Co-Chair9 persons, following a joint determination 

10 that there is good cause for failure to com11 ply with the requirement. 

12 (4) MINIMUM NUMBER OF PUBLIC MEETINGS

13 AND HEARINGS.—The Select Committee shall hold 

14 not less than a total of 5 public meetings or public 

15 hearings. 

16 (5) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.—Upon written re17 quest of the Co-Chairpersons, a Federal agency, in18 cluding an agency in the legislative branch, shall 

19 provide technical assistance to the Select Committee 

20 in order for the Select Committee to carry out its 

21 duties. 

22 (6) COORDINATION WITH STANDING COMMIT23 TEES OF THE SENATE.—The Select Committee 

24 shall, in conducting official business, coordinate with 

25 standing committees with relevant jurisdiction. 


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1 (7) NO LEGISLATIVE JURISDICTION.—The Se2 lect Committee shall not have legislative jurisdiction 

3 and shall have no authority to take legislative action 

4 on any bill or resolution. 

5 (f) REPORTING.— 

6 (1) IN GENERAL.—Subject to paragraph (2), 

7 not later than July 31, 2020, the Select Committee 

8 shall submit to the Senate and any relevant com9 mittee of the Senate a comprehensive report of the 

10 results of its investigations and studies, together 

11 with such detailed findings as it may determine ad12 visable. 

13 (2) SEPARATE REPORTS.—If the Select Com14 mittee is not able to agree to a report described in 

15 paragraph (1) by a majority vote, each Co-Chair16 person may submit to the Senate and any relevant 

17 committee of the Senate a report on behalf of the 

18 members of the Select Committee appointed by the 

19 Senate leader that appointed such Co-Chairperson 

20 regarding the results of the investigations and stud21 ies of the Select Committee. 

22 (3) PUBLICATION.—Not later than 30 days 

23 after the date on which a report under this sub24 section is submitted, the Select Committee shall 


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1 make the report publicly available in widely acces2 sible formats. 

3 (g) TERMINATION.—The Select Committee shall ter4 minate on October 1, 2020. 

Æ 


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