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Union Calendar No. 159 

114TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 1831 

[Report No. 114–211] 

To establish the Commission on Evidence-Based Policymaking, and for other 

purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

APRIL 16, 2015 

Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin introduced the following bill; which was referred to 

the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform 

JULY 16, 2015 

Additional sponsor: Mr. YOUNG of Indiana 

JULY 16, 2015 

Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole 

House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed 

[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic] 

[For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on April 16, 2015] 


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A BILL 

To establish the Commission on Evidence-Based 

Policymaking, and for other purposes. 


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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 ‘‘Evidence-Based Policy5 making Commission Act of 2015’’. 

6 SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT. 

7 There is established in the executive branch a commis8 sion to be known as the ‘‘Commission on Evidence-Based 

9 Policymaking’’ (in this Act referred to as the ‘‘Commis10 sion’’). 

11 SEC. 3. MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION. 

12 (a) NUMBER AND APPOINTMENT.—The Commission 

13 shall be comprised of 15 members as follows: 

14 (1) Three shall be appointed by the President, of 

15 whom— 

16 (A) one shall be an academic researcher, 

17 data expert, or have experience in administering 

18 programs; 

19 (B) one shall have expertise in database 

20 management, confidentiality, and privacy mat21 ters; and 

22 (C) one shall be the Director of the Office of 

23 Management and Budget (or the Director’s des24 ignee). 


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1 (2) Three shall be appointed by the Speaker of 

2 the House of Representatives, of whom— 

3 (A) two shall be academic researchers, data 

4 experts, or have experience in administering pro5 grams; and 

6 (B) one shall have expertise in database 

7 management, confidentiality, and privacy mat8 ters. 

9 (3) Three shall be appointed by the Minority 

10 Leader of the House of Representatives, of whom— 

11 (A) two shall be academic researchers, data 

12 experts, or have experience in administering pro13 grams; and 

14 (B) one shall have expertise in database 

15 management, confidentiality, and privacy mat16 ters. 

17 (4) Three shall be appointed by the Majority 

18 Leader of the Senate, of whom— 

19 (A) two shall be academic researchers, data 

20 experts, or have experience in administering pro21 grams; and 

22 (B) one shall have expertise in database 

23 management, confidentiality, and privacy mat24 ters. 


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1 (5) Three shall be appointed by the Minority 

2 Leader of the Senate, of whom— 

3 (A) two shall be academic researchers, data 

4 experts, or have experience in administering pro5 grams; and 

6 (B) one shall have expertise in database 

7 management, confidentiality, and privacy mat8 ters. 

9 (b) EXPERTISE.—In making appointments under this 

10 section, consideration should be given to individuals with 

11 expertise in economics, statistics, program evaluation, data 

12 security, confidentiality, or database management. 

13 (c) CHAIRPERSON AND CO-CHAIRPERSON.—The Presi14 dent shall select the chairperson of the Commission and the 

15 Speaker of the House of Representatives shall select the co16 chairperson. 

17 (d) TIMING OF APPOINTMENTS.—Appointments to the 

18 Commission shall be made not later than 45 days after the 

19 date of enactment of this Act. 

20 (e) TERMS; VACANCIES.—Each member shall be ap21 pointed for the duration of the Commission. Any vacancy 

22 in the Commission shall not affect its powers, and shall be 

23 filled in the manner in which the original appointment was 

24 made. 


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1 (f) COMPENSATION.—Members of the Commission shall 

2 serve without pay. 

3 (g) TRAVEL EXPENSES.—Each member of the Com4 mission shall be allowed travel expenses, including per diem 

5 in lieu of subsistence, at rates authorized for employees of 

6 agencies under subchapter I of chapter 57 of title 5, United 

7 States Code, while away from their homes or regular places 

8 of business in the performance of services for the Commis9 sion. 

10 SEC. 4. DUTIES OF THE COMMISSION. 

11 (a) STUDY OF DATA.—The Commission shall conduct 

12 a comprehensive study of the data inventory, data infra13 structure, and statistical protocols related to Federal policy14 making and the agencies responsible for maintaining that 

15 data to— 

16 (1) determine the optimal arrangement for which 

17 administrative data on Federal programs and tax ex18 penditures and related data series may be integrated 

19 and made available to facilitate program evaluation, 

20 continuous improvement, policy-relevant research, 

21 and cost-benefit analyses by qualified researchers and 

22 institutions; 

23 (2) make recommendations on how data infra24 structure and protocols should be modified to best ful25 fill the objectives identified in paragraph (1); and 


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1 (3) make recommendations on how best to incor2 porate outcomes measurement, institutionalize ran3 domized controlled trials, and rigorous impact anal4 ysis into program design. 

5 (b) CLEARINGHOUSE.—In undertaking the study re6 quired by subsection (a), the Commission shall consider 

7 whether a clearinghouse for program and survey data 

8 should be established and how to create such a clearing9 house. The Commission shall evaluate— 

10 (1) what administrative data are relevant for 

11 program evaluation and Federal policy-making and 

12 should be included in a potential clearinghouse; 

13 (2) which survey data the administrative data 

14 identified in paragraph (1) may be linked to, in ad15 dition to linkages across administrative data series; 

16 (3) what are the legal and administrative bar17 riers to including or linking these data series; 

18 (4) what data-sharing infrastructure should be 

19 used to facilitate data merging and access for research 

20 purposes; 

21 (5) how a clearinghouse could be self-funded; 

22 (6) which types of researchers, officials, and in23 stitutions should have access to data and what their 

24 qualifications should be; 


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1 (7) what limitations should be placed on the use 

2 of data provided; 

3 (8) how to protect information and ensure indi4 vidual privacy and confidentiality; 

5 (9) how data and results of research can be used 

6 to inform program administrators and policymakers 

7 to improve program design; and 

8 (10) what incentives may facilitate interagency 

9 sharing of information to improve programmatic ef10 fectiveness and enhance data accuracy and com11 prehensiveness. 

12 (c) REPORT.—Upon the affirmative vote of at least 

13 three-quarters of the members of the Commission, the Com14 mission shall submit to the President and Congress a de15 tailed statement of its findings and conclusions as a result 

16 of the activities required by subsections (a) and (b), together 

17 with its recommendations for such legislation or adminis18 trative actions as the Commission considers appropriate in 

19 light of the results of the study. 

20 (d) DEADLINE.—The report under subsection (c) shall 

21 be submitted not later than the date that is 15 months after 

22 the date a majority of the members of the Commission are 

23 appointed pursuant to section 3. 

24 (e) DEFINITION.—In this section, the term ‘‘adminis25 trative data’’ means data— 


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1 (1) held by an agency or a contractor or grantee 

2 of an agency (including a State or unit of local gov3 ernment); and 

4 (2) collected for other than statistical purposes. 

5 SEC. 5. OPERATION AND POWERS OF THE COMMISSION. 

6 (a) EXECUTIVE BRANCH ASSISTANCE.—The heads of 

7 the following agencies shall advise and consult with the 

8 Commission on matters within their respective areas of re9 sponsibility: 

10 (1) The Bureau of the Census. 

11 (2) The Internal Revenue Service. 

12 (3) The Department of Health and Human Serv13 ices. 

14 (4) The Department of Agriculture. 

15 (5) The Department of Housing and Urban De16 velopment. 

17 (6) The Social Security Administration. 

18 (7) The Department of Education. 

19 (8) The Department of Justice. 

20 (9) The Office of Management and Budget. 

21 (10) The Bureau of Economic Analysis. 

22 (11) The Bureau of Labor Statistics. 

23 (12) Any other agency, as determined by the 

24 Commission. 


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1 (b) MEETINGS.—The Commission shall meet not later 

2 than 30 days after the date upon which a majority of its 

3 members have been appointed and at such times thereafter 

4 as the chairperson or co-chairperson shall determine. 

5 (c) RULES OF PROCEDURE.—The chairperson and co6 chairperson shall, with the approval of a majority of the 

7 members of the Commission, establish written rules of proce8 dure for the Commission, which shall include a quorum re9 quirement to conduct the business of the Commission. 

10 (d) HEARINGS.—The Commission may, for the pur11 pose of carrying out this Act, hold hearings, sit and act 

12 at times and places, take testimony, and receive evidence 

13 as the Commission considers appropriate. 

14 (e) CONTRACTS.—The Commission may contract with 

15 and compensate government and private agencies or per16 sons for any purpose necessary to enable it to carry out 

17 this Act. 

18 (f) MAILS.—The Commission may use the United 

19 States mails in the same manner and under the same condi20 tions as other agencies of the Federal Government. 

21 (g) GIFTS.—The Commission may accept, use, and 

22 dispose of gifts or donations of services or property. 

23 SEC. 6. FUNDING. 

24 Subject to the availability of appropriations— 


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1 (1) at the request of the Director of the Census, 

2 the agencies identified as ‘‘Principal Statistical Agen3 cies’’ in the report, published by the Office of Manage4 ment and Budget, entitled ‘‘Statistical Programs of 

5 the United States Government, Fiscal Year 2015’’ 

6 shall provide funds, in a total amount not to exceed 

7 $3,000,000, to the Director for purposes of carrying 

8 out the activities of the Commission as provided in 

9 this Act; and 

10 (2) the Bureau of the Census shall provide ad11 ministrative support to the Commission, which may 

12 include providing physical space at, and access to, the 

13 headquarters of the Bureau of the Census, located in 

14 Suitland, Maryland. 

15 SEC. 7. PERSONNEL. 

16 (a) DIRECTOR.—The Commission shall have a Direc17 tor who shall be appointed by the chairperson with the con18 currence of the co-chairperson. The Director shall be paid 

19 at a rate of pay established by the chairperson and co-chair20 person, not to exceed the annual rate of basic pay payable 

21 for level V of the Executive Schedule (section 5316 of title 

22 5, United States Code). 

23 (b) STAFF.—The Director may appoint and fix the 

24 pay of additional staff as the Director considers appro25 priate. 


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1 (c) EXPERTS AND CONSULTANTS.—The Commission 

2 may procure temporary and intermittent services under 

3 section 3109(b) of title 5, United States Code, at rates for 

4 individuals which do not to exceed the daily equivalent of 

5 the annual rate of basic pay for a comparable position paid 

6 under the General Schedule. 

7 SEC. 8. TERMINATION. 

8 The Commission shall terminate not later than 18 

9 months after the date of enactment of this Act. 


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srobinson on DSK5SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
Union Calendar No. 159 

114TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 1831 

[Report No. 114–211] 

A BILL 

To establish the Commission on Evidence-Based 

Policymaking, and for other purposes. 

JULY 16, 2015 

Reported with an amendment, committed to the Comand ordered to be printed mittee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, 


srobinson on DSK5SPTVN1PROD with BILLS