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104TH CONGRESS

1ST SESSION S. 704

To establish the Gambling Impact Study Commission.

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

APRIL 6 (legislative day, APRIL 5), 1995

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

to the Committee on Governmental Affairs

A BILL

To establish the Gambling Impact Study Commission.

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 ‘‘Gambling Impact Study

5 Commission Act’’.

6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

7 Congress finds that—

8 (1) many State and local governments and Na9 tive American tribal governments support develop10 ment of a gambling industry as a source of jobs and

11 additional revenue; and
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1 (2) the benefits to residents and communities of

2 revenue generated by gambling bring problems as

3 well as benefits.

4 SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT OF COMMISSION.

5 (a) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is established a com6 mission to be known as the Gambling Impact Study Com7 mission (hereafter in this Act referred to as the ‘‘Commis8 sion’’).

9 (b) MEMBERSHIP.—

10 (1) COMPOSITION.—The Commission shall be

11 composed of 9 members of whom—

12 (A) 3 shall be appointed by the President;

13 (B) 3 shall be appointed by the president

14 pro tempore of the Senate, upon the rec15 ommendation of the majority and minority lead16 ers of the Senate; and

17 (C) 3 shall be appointed by the Speaker of

18 the House of Representatives, in consultation

19 with the minority leader of the House of

20 Representatives.

21 (c) PERIOD OF APPOINTMENT; VACANCIES.—Mem22 bers shall be appointed for the life of the Commission. Any

23 vacancy in the Commission shall not affect its powers, but

24 shall be filled in the same manner as the original appoint25 ment.
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1 (d) INITIAL MEETING.—No later than 30 days after

2 the date on which all members of the Commission have

3 been appointed, the Commission shall hold its first meet4 ing as directed by the President.

5 (e) MEETINGS.—After the initial meeting, the Com6 mission shall meet at the call of the Chairman.

7 (f) QUORUM.—A majority of the members of the

8 Commission shall constitute a quorum, but a lesser num9 ber of members may hold hearings.

10 (g) CHAIRMAN AND VICE CHAIRMAN.—The Commis11 sion shall select a Chairman and Vice Chairman from

12 among its members.

13 SEC. 4. DUTIES OF THE COMMISSION.

14 (a) STUDY.—

15 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Commission shall con16 duct a thorough study of all matters relating to the

17 impact of gambling on States, political subdivisions

18 of States, and Native American tribes.

19 (2) MATTERS STUDIED.—The matters studied

20 by the Commission shall include—

21 (A) the impact of gambling on States, po22 litical subdivisions of States, and Native Amer23 ican tribes; and
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1 (B) possible alternative sources of revenue

2 for States, political subdivisions of States, and

3 Native American Indian tribes.

4 (b) REPORT.—No later than 18 months after the

5 date of the enactment of this Act, the Commission shall

6 submit a report to the President and the Congress which

7 shall contain a detailed statement of the findings and con8 clusions of the Commission, together with its rec9 ommendations for such legislation and administrative ac10 tions as it considers appropriate.

11 SEC. 5. POWERS OF THE COMMISSION.

12 (a) HEARINGS.—The Commission may hold such

13 hearings, sit and act at such times and places, take such

14 testimony, and receive such evidence as the Commission

15 considers advisable to carry out the purposes of this Act.

16 (b) INFORMATION FROM FEDERAL AGENCIES.—The

17 Commission may secure directly from any Federal depart18 ment or agency such information as the Commission con19 siders necessary to carry out the provisions of this Act.

20 Upon request of the Chairman of the Commission, the

21 head of such department or agency shall furnish such in22 formation to the Commission.

23 SEC. 6. COMMISSION PERSONNEL MATTERS.

24 (a) COMPENSATION OF MEMBERS.—Each member of

25 the Commission who is not an officer or employee of the
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1 Federal Government shall be compensated at a rate equal

2 to the daily equivalent of the annual rate of basic pay pre3 scribed for level IV of the Executive Schedule under sec4 tion 5315 of title 5, United States Code, for each day (in5 cluding travel time) during which such member is engaged

6 in the performance of the duties of the Commission. All

7 members of the Commission who are officers or employees

8 of the United States shall serve without compensation in

9 addition to that received for their services as officers or

10 employees of the United States.

11 (b) TRAVEL EXPENSES.—The members of the Com12 mission shall be allowed travel expenses, including per

13 diem in lieu of subsistence, at rates authorized for employ14 ees of agencies under subchapter I of chapter 57 of title

15 5, United States Code, while away from their homes or

16 regular places of business in the performance of services

17 for the Commission.

18 (c) STAFF.—

19 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Chairman of the Com20 mission may, without regard to the civil service laws

21 and regulations, appoint and terminate an executive

22 director and such other additional personnel as may

23 be necessary to enable the Commission to perform

24 its duties. The employment of an executive director

25 shall be subject to confirmation by the Commission.
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1 (2) COMPENSATION.—The executive director

2 shall be compensated at $75,000 annually. The

3 Chairman of the Commission may fix the compensa4 tion of other personnel without regard to the provi5 sions of chapter 51 and subchapter III of chapter 53

6 of title 5, United States Code, relating to classifica7 tion of positions and General Schedule pay rates, ex8 cept that the rate of pay for such personnel may not

9 exceed the rate payable for level V of the Executive

10 Schedule under section 5316 of such title.

11 (d) DETAIL OF GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES.—Any

12 Federal Government employee may be detailed to the

13 Commission without reimbursement, and such detail shall

14 be without interruption or loss of civil service status or

15 privilege.

16 (e) PROCUREMENT OF TEMPORARY AND INTERMIT17 TENT SERVICES.—The Chairman of the Commission may

18 procure temporary and intermittent services under section

19 3109(b) of title 5, United States Code, at rates for individ20 uals which do not exceed the daily equivalent of the annual

21 rate of basic pay prescribed for level V of the Executive

22 Schedule under section 5316 of such title.
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1 SEC. 7. TERMINATION OF THE COMMISSION.

2 The Commission shall terminate 90 days after the

3 date on which the Commission submits its report under

4 section 4.

5 SEC. 8. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

6 (a) IN GENERAL.—There is authorized to be appro7 priated $250,000 to the Commission to carry out the pur8 poses of this Act.

9 (b) AVAILABILITY.—Any sums appropriated under

10 the authorization contained in this section shall remain

11 available, without fiscal year limitation, until expended.

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