I 

113TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 3642 

To establish a commission to study employment and economic insecurity 

in the United States workforce. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

DECEMBER 3, 2013 

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida (for himself, Mr. CONYERS, and Ms. LEE of California) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee 

on Education and the Workforce 

A BILL 

To establish a commission to study employment and 

economic insecurity in the United States workforce. 

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 ‘‘National Commission 

5 on Employment and Economic Security Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

7 Congress finds the following: 

8 (1) Americans’ commitment to economic par9 ticipation has been a defining feature of the cultural 

10 fabric of the United States, helping individuals feel 


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1 positive about themselves, develop independence, and 

2 maintain hope for the future. 

3 (2) During the recession that began in Decem4 ber 2007, more than 8.7 million jobs were lost. The 

5 scope of the economic downturn was so large that its 

6 impact was felt almost everywhere along the eco7 nomic spectrum, and continues to be felt in many 

8 communities across the Nation. 

9 (3) As Americans lose their jobs and their in10 comes shrink, too often, they also face the loss of 

11 their family’s health insurance and, subsequent to 

12 the loss of income, even their housing. 

13 (4) Research has shown that people who have 

14 experienced home-foreclosure are at risk for severe 

15 depressive symptoms and increased risk for mental 

16 illness. In a 2009 study from the American Journal 

17 of Public Health, more than 37 percent of people 

18 going through foreclosure met criteria for ‘‘major 

19 depression’’. 

20 (5) The loss of a job and the subsequent loss 

21 of income, insurance, and other benefits from that 

22 job have been proven to not only lead to increased 

23 stress but also be substantial triggers for mental 

24 health disorders including depression and anxiety. 


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1 (6) Calls to the National Suicide Prevention 

2 Lifeline increased by more than 72 percent from 

3 2007 to 2010. 

4 (7) According to the Bureau of Labor Statis5 tics, the unemployment rate hovered between 8.9 

6 and 10 percent from April 2009 to October 2011, 

7 peaking at 10.0 percent in October 2009. By Octo8 ber 2009, the number of unemployed persons had 

9 reached nearly 15.4 million, and has yet to fall below 

10 11 million. 

11 (8) The number of long-term unemployed work12 ers (those jobless for 27 weeks or more) was 6.2 mil13 lion in September 2011, an increase of 426 percent 

14 since the beginning of the recession in 2007. In Au15 gust 2013, 4.3 million Americans were classified as 

16 long-term unemployed. 

17 (9) According to an American Psychological As18 sociation September 2010 report, money (76 per19 cent), work (70 percent) and the economy (65 per20 cent) remained the most frequently cited sources of 

21 stress for Americans at the height of the recession. 

22 A recent report from February 2013 found that even 

23 as the economy improves, these factors are relatively 

24 unchanged. Money (69 percent), work (65 percent), 


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1 and the economy (61 percent) remain high sources 

2 of stress for Americans. 

3 (10) According to the same 2010 American 

4 Psychological Association report, job stability rose as 

5 a source of stress. Nearly half (49 percent) of adults 

6 reported that job stability was a source of stress in 

7 2010, compared to 44 percent in 2009. During the 

8 same time period, fewer Americans were satisfied 

9 with the ways their employer helped them balance 

10 work and non-work demands (36 percent compared 

11 to 42 percent in 2009). 

12 (11) Research shows that time flexible work 

13 policies are associated with less stress, fewer ab14 sences from work, and more employer loyalty. 

15 (12) Since March 2010, 7.5 million private-sec16 tor jobs have been created in 42 straight months of 

17 job growth. During the same time period, the unem18 ployment rate has fallen from 9.9 percent to 7.2 per19 cent. The Congressional Budget Office projects that 

20 the unemployment rate will not fall below 6 percent 

21 until the end of 2016, and will remain above 5 per22 cent through 2023. 


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1 SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT OF COMMISSION. 

2 There is established a commission to be known as the 

3 ‘‘National Commission on Employment and Economic Se4 curity’’. 

5 SEC. 4. DUTIES OF COMMISSION. 

6 The Commission shall— 

7 (1) examine the issues of economic and psycho8 logical insecurity of members of the United States 

9 workforce caused by employment displacement; 

10 (2) gather data on the relationship between 

11 psychological stress caused by employment insecurity 

12 and economic insecurity, the increase in mental 

13 health disorders including clinical depression and 

14 anxiety in the United States, and increased violence 

15 by employees and former employees in the workplace 

16 and in their private lives; 

17 (3) analyze the psychological impact of in18 creased workplace responsibilities and stress on cur19 rent workers due to downsizing, and the role of 

20 workplace flexibility policies in alleviating stress on 

21 these remaining workers; 

22 (4) examine the economic and psychological ef23 fects of the decreasing number of well-paid jobs on 

24 members of the United States workforce and their 

25 families; 


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1 (5) analyze whether measures may be taken to 

2 reduce said economic and psychological effects; and 

3 (6) recommend potential solutions, including 

4 recommendations for legislative and administrative 

5 action, to alleviate the problems of economic and 

6 psychological insecurity of members of the United 

7 States workforce. 

8 SEC. 5. MEMBERSHIP OF COMMISSION. 

9 (a) NUMBER AND APPOINTMENT.—The Commission 

10 shall be composed of 17 members, with expertise in re11 search methods or statistics, who shall be appointed as 

12 follows: 

13 (1) Nine individuals appointed by the President, 

14 of which— 

15 (A) 2 members shall be individuals who 

16 represent labor organizations, as defined by sec17 tion 2(5) of the National Labor Relations Act 

18 (29 U.S.C. 152(5)); 

19 (B) 2 members shall be individuals who 

20 represent business interests; 

21 (C) 2 members shall be individuals who 

22 represent mental health interests; and 

23 (D) 3 members shall be individuals who 

24 represent relevant Federal agencies. 


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1 (2) Two individuals appointed by the Speaker 

2 of the House of Representatives. 

3 (3) Two individuals appointed by the minority 

4 leader of the House of Representatives. 

5 (4) Two individuals appointed by the majority 

6 leader of the Senate. 

7 (5) Two individuals appointed by the minority 

8 leader of the Senate. 

9 (b) QUALIFICATIONS.— 

10 (1) IN GENERAL.—Members shall be experts in 

11 the fields of labor, employment, economics, and psy12 chology. 

13 (2) POLITICAL AFFILIATION.—Political affili14 ation shall not be a factor in the appointment of 

15 members. 

16 (c) DEADLINE FOR APPOINTMENT.—Each member 

17 shall be appointed to the Commission not later than 90 

18 days after the date of enactment of this Act. 

19 (d) TERMS.—Each member shall be appointed for the 

20 life of the Commission. 

21 (e) VACANCIES.—A vacancy in the Commission shall 

22 be filled in the manner in which the original appointment 

23 was made. 

24 (f) BASIC PAY.—Members shall serve without pay. 


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1 (g) TRAVEL EXPENSES.—Each member shall receive 

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

3 in accordance with sections 5702 and 5703 of title 5, 

4 United States Code. 

5 (h) QUORUM.—Eight members of the Commission 

6 shall constitute a quorum but a lesser number may hold 

7 hearings. 

8 (i) CHAIRPERSON.— 

9 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Chairperson of the 

10 Commission shall be elected by the members not 

11 later than 30 days after the date on which all of the 

12 original members of the Commission have been ap13 pointed. 

14 (2) PRESIDENTIAL APPOINTMENT.—If the 

15 members of the Commission are unable to elect the 

16 Chairperson in accordance with paragraph (1), the 

17 President shall appoint a member of the Commission 

18 to be the Chairperson. 

19 (j) MEETINGS.—The Commission shall meet at the 

20 call of the Chairperson. 

21 SEC. 6. STAFF OF COMMISSION. 

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

23 the pay of the personnel of the Commission as the Chair24 person considers appropriate. 


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1 (b) APPLICABILITY OF CERTAIN CIVIL SERVICE

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

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

4 governing appointments in the competitive service, and 

5 shall be paid in accordance with the provisions of chapter 

6 51 and subchapter III of chapter 53 of that title relating 

7 to classification and General Schedule pay rates. 

8 (c) STAFF OF FEDERAL AGENCIES.—Upon request 

9 of the Chairperson, the head of any Federal department 

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

11 personnel of that department or agency to the Commission 

12 to assist it in carrying out its duties under this Act. 

13 SEC. 7. POWERS OF COMMISSION. 

14 (a) HEARINGS AND SESSIONS.—The Commission 

15 may, for the purpose of carrying out this Act, hold hear16 ings, sit and act at times and places, take testimony, and 

17 receive evidence as the Commission considers appropriate. 

18 The Commission may administer oaths or affirmations to 

19 witnesses appearing before it. 

20 (b) POWERS OF MEMBERS AND AGENTS.—Any mem21 ber or agent of the Commission may, if authorized by the 

22 Commission, take any action which the Commission is au23 thorized to take by this section. 

24 (c) OBTAINING OFFICIAL DATA.—The Commission 

25 may secure directly from any Federal department or agenVerDate Mar 15 2010 03:42 Dec 04, 2013 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00009 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H3642.IH H3642

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1 cy information necessary to enable it to carry out this Act. 

2 Upon request of the Chairperson of the Commission, the 

3 head of that department or agency shall provide that in4 formation to the Commission. 

5 (d) MAIL.—The Commission may use the United 

6 States mail in the same manner and under the same con7 ditions as other Federal departments and agencies. 

8 (e) ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT SERVICES.—Upon 

9 the request of the Commission, the Administrator of Gen10 eral Services shall provide to the Commission, on a reim11 bursable basis, the administrative support services nec12 essary for the Commission to carry out its responsibilities 

13 under this Act. 

14 (f) IMMUNITY.—The Commission is an agency of the 

15 United States for purpose of part V of title 18, United 

16 States Code (relating to immunity of witnesses). 

17 (g) SUBPOENA POWER.— 

18 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Commission may issue 

19 a subpoena to require the attendance and testimony 

20 of witnesses and the production of evidence relating 

21 to any matter described in paragraphs (1) through 

22 (3) of section 4. 

23 (2) FAILURE TO OBEY AN ORDER OR SUB24 POENA.—If a person refuses to obey a subpoena 

25 issued under paragraph (1), the Commission may 


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1 apply to a United States district court for an order 

2 requiring that person to appear before the Commis3 sion to give testimony, produce evidence, or both, re4 lating to the matter under investigation. The appli5 cation may be made within the judicial district 

6 where the hearing is conducted or where that person 

7 is found, resides, or transacts business. Any failure 

8 to obey the order of the court may be punished by 

9 the court as civil contempt. 

10 (3) SERVICE OF SUBPOENAS.—The subpoenas 

11 of the Commission shall be served in the manner 

12 provided for subpoenas issued by a United States 

13 district court under the Federal Rules of Civil Pro14 cedure for the United States district courts. 

15 (h) CONTRACT AUTHORITY.—The Commission may 

16 contract with and compensate government and private 

17 agencies or persons for supplies or services, without regard 

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

19 SEC. 8. REPORT OF COMMISSION. 

20 Not later than 1 year after the date on which all 

21 original members have been appointed to the Commission, 

22 the Commission shall transmit to the President and Con23 gress a report that contains a detailed statement of the 

24 findings and recommendations of the Commission made 

25 pursuant to section 4. 


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1 SEC. 9. TERMINATION OF COMMISSION. 

2 (a) TERMINATION.—The Commission shall terminate 

3 60 days after the date of submission of the report pursu4 ant to section 8. 

5 (b) ADMINISTRATIVE ACTIVITIES BEFORE TERMI6 NATION.—The Commission may use the 60-day period re7 ferred to in subsection (a) for the purpose of concluding 

8 its activities, including providing testimony to committees 

9 of Congress concerning its reports and disseminating the 

10 second report. 

11 SEC. 10. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 

12 (a) IN GENERAL.—There are authorized to be appro13 priated $2,000,000 for fiscal year 2012 for use in the de14 velopment and implementation of plans under this Act. 

15 (b) AVAILABILITY.—Amounts authorized to be appro16 priated by subsection (a) are authorized to remain avail17 able until expended. 

Æ 


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