I

106TH CONGRESS

1ST SESSION H. R. 1670

To establish a commission to study the culture and glorification of violence

in America.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

MAY 4, 1999

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida introduced the following bill; which was referred to

the Committee on the Judiciary

A BILL

To establish a commission to study the culture and

glorification of violence in America.

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 ‘‘Presidential Commis5 sion to Study the Culture and Glorification of Violence in

6 America Act’’.

7 SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF COMMISSION.

8 There is established a commission to be known as the

9 Presidential Commission to Study the Culture and Glorifi-
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1 cation of Violence in America (hereinafter the ‘‘Commis2 sion’’).

3 SEC. 3. DUTIES OF COMMISSION.

4 The Commission shall—

5 (1) examine the glorification of violence in the

6 United States;

7 (2) examine the relationship between psycho8 logical stress and increased violence;

9 (3) examine the role of the media in the violent

10 atmosphere prevalent today;

11 (4) examine the correlation, if any, between

12 ease of access to firearms and increased violence;

13 (5) examine the role of the school system in

14 identifying potential perpetrators of violence; and

15 (6) make findings and conclusions, and rec16 ommend potential solutions (including recommenda17 tions for legislation and administrative action) to al18 leviate the problems of glorification of violence in the

19 United States.

20 SEC. 4. MEMBERSHIP OF COMMISSION.

21 (a) NUMBER AND APPOINTMENT.—The Commission

22 shall be composed of 22 members (hereinafter the ‘‘mem23 bers’’) who shall be appointed as follows:

24 (1) 10 members appointed by the President.
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1 (2) 3 members appointed by the majority leader

2 of the House of Representatives.

3 (3) 3 members appointed by the minority leader

4 of the House of Representatives.

5 (4) 3 members appointed by the majority leader

6 of the Senate.

7 (5) 3 members appointed by the minority leader

8 of the Senate.

9 (b) QUALIFICATIONS.—

10 (1) IN GENERAL.—Members shall have special

11 knowledge of or experience in the issue of violence

12 in America, and may include sociologists, psycholo13 gists, clergy, school counselors, law enforcement offi14 cials, victims of violence, and representatives from

15 the media and the entertainment and gun industries.

16 (2) POLITICAL AFFILIATION.—Political affili17 ation shall not be a determining factor in the ap18 pointment of members.

19 (c) DEADLINE FOR APPOINTMENT.—Every original

20 member shall be appointed to the Commission not later

21 than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act.

22 (d) TERMS AND VACANCIES.—Each member shall be

23 appointed for the life of the Commission. A vacancy in

24 the Commission shall be filled in the manner in which the

25 original appointment was made.
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1 (e) BASIC PAY.—Members shall not be paid by rea2 son of their service as members.

3 (f) TRAVEL EXPENSES.—Each member shall receive

4 travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence,

5 in accordance with section 5703 of title 5, United States

6 Code.

7 (g) QUORUM.—Nine members shall constitute a

8 quorum for conducting the business of the Commission,

9 but a lesser number may hold hearings.

10 (h) CHAIRPERSON.—The members shall elect one

11 member to act as the Chairperson of the Commission

12 (hereinafter the ‘‘Chairperson’’).

13 (i) MEETINGS.—The Commission shall meet at the

14 call of the Chairperson.

15 SEC. 5. STAFF OF COMMISSION.

16 (a) STAFF.—The Chairperson may appoint and fix

17 the pay of the Commission personnel as the Chairperson

18 considers appropriate.

19 (b) APPLICABILITY OF CERTAIN CIVIL SERVICE

20 LAWS.—The staff of the Commission shall be appointed

21 subject to the provisions of title 5, United States Code,

22 governing appointments in the competitive service, and

23 shall be paid in accordance with the provisions of chapter

24 51 and subchapter III of chapter 53 of such title relating

25 to classification and General Schedule pay rates.
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1 (c) STAFF OF FEDERAL AGENCIES.—Upon request

2 of the Chairperson, the head of any Federal department

3 or agency may detail, on a reimbursable basis, any of the

4 personnel of the department or agency to assist the Com5 mission in carrying out the duties of the Commission.

6 SEC. 6. POWERS OF COMMISSION.

7 (a) HEARINGS AND SESSIONS.—The Commission

8 may hold hearings, sit and act at times and places, take

9 testimony, and receive evidence as the Commission con10 siders appropriate to carry out this Act.

11 (b) POWERS OF MEMBERS AND AGENTS.—The Com12 mission may delegate to a member or agency any authority

13 of the Commission under subsection (c) or (e).

14 (c) OBTAINING OFFICIAL DATA.—The Commission

15 may secure directly from any department or agency of the

16 United States information necessary to enable the Com17 mission to carry out this Act. Upon request of the Chair18 person, the head of the department or agency shall furnish

19 the information to the Commission.

20 (d) ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT SERVICES.—Upon

21 the request of the Commission, the Administrator of Gen22 eral Services shall provide to the Commission, on a reim23 bursable basis, the administrative support services nec24 essary for the Commission to carry out its duties.
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1 (e) CONTRACT AUTHORITY.—The Commission may

2 contract with and compensate Government or private

3 agencies or persons for supplies or services, without regard

4 to section 3709 of the Revised Statutes (41 U.S.C. 5).

5 SEC. 7. REPORT OF COMMISSION.

6 The Commission shall transmit a report to the Presi7 dent and the Congress not later than one year after the

8 date that all original members have been appointed to the

9 Commission. The report shall contain a detailed statement

10 of the findings, conclusions, and recommendations of the

11 Commission.

12 SEC. 8. TERMINATION OF COMMISSION.

13 The Commission shall terminate 30 days after sub14 mitting the report required by section 7.

15 SEC. 9. BUDGET ACT COMPLIANCE.

16 Any spending authority (as defined in subparagraphs

17 (A) and (C) of section 401(c)(2) of the Congressional

18 Budget Act of 1974) authorized by this Act shall be effec19 tive only to such extent and in such amounts as are pro20 vided in appropriations Acts.

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