I 

113TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 534 

To establish the National Commission on Intergovernmental Relations to 

facilitate the fullest cooperation and coordination between all levels of 

government. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

FEBRUARY 6, 2013 

Mr. CONNOLLY (for himself and Mr. CICILLINE) introduced the following bill; 

which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform 

A BILL 

To establish the National Commission on Intergovernmental 

Relations to facilitate the fullest cooperation and coordination between all levels of government. 

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 ‘‘Restore the Partner5 ship Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT. 

7 There is established a permanent bipartisan commis8 sion to be known as the ‘‘National Commission on InterVerDate Mar 15 2010 03:24 Feb 15, 2013 Jkt 029200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H534.IH H534

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1 governmental Relations’’ (in this Act referred to as the 

2 ‘‘Commission’’). 

3 SEC. 3. DECLARATION OF PURPOSE. 

4 In order to facilitate the fullest cooperation and co5 ordination between all levels of government in an increas6 ingly complex society, it is essential that a commission be 

7 established to give continuing attention to intergovern8 mental issues. It is intended that the Commission, in the 

9 performance of its duties, will— 

10 (1) bring together representatives of Federal, 

11 State, and local governments for the consideration of 

12 common problems; 

13 (2) provide a forum for discussing the adminis14 tration and coordination of Federal aid and other 

15 programs requiring intergovernmental cooperation; 

16 (3) give critical attention to the conditions, con17 trols, and oversight involved in the administration of 

18 such Federal programs; and 

19 (4) encourage discussion and study during the 

20 early stages of emerging public challenges that are 

21 likely to require intergovernmental cooperation. 

22 SEC. 4. MEMBERSHIP. 

23 (a) NUMBER AND APPOINTMENT.—The Commission 

24 shall be composed of 30 members, as follows: 


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1 (1) 6 appointed by the President of the United 

2 States, 3 of whom shall be officers of the executive 

3 branch of the government, and 3 private citizens, 

4 each of whom shall have experience or familiarity 

5 with relations between the levels of government. 

6 (2) 3 appointed by the President of the Senate, 

7 who shall be Members of the Senate. 

8 (3) 3 appointed by the Speaker of the House of 

9 Representatives, who shall be Members of the 

10 House. 

11 (4) 4 appointed by the President from a panel 

12 of at least 8 Governors submitted by the National 

13 Governors’ Association. 

14 (5) 4 appointed by the President from a panel 

15 of at least 8 members of State legislative bodies sub16 mitted by the National Conference of State Legisla17 tures. 

18 (6) 4 appointed by the President from a panel 

19 of at least 8 mayors submitted jointly by the Na20 tional League of Cities and the United States Con21 ference of Mayors. 

22 (7) 4 appointed by the President from a panel 

23 of at least 8 elected county officers submitted by the 

24 National Association of Counties. 


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1 (8) 2 tribal officials appointed by the Secretary 

2 of the Interior from a panel of at least 4 submitted 

3 by the National Congress of American Indians. 

4 (b) POLITICAL AND GEOGRAPHICAL COMPOSITION.— 

5 (1) The members appointed from private life 

6 under paragraph (1) of subsection (a) shall be ap7 pointed without regard to political affiliation. 

8 (2) Of each class of members enumerated in 

9 paragraphs (2) and (3) of subsection (a), 2 shall be 

10 from the majority party of the respective houses. 

11 (3) Of each class of members enumerated in 

12 paragraphs (4), (5), (6), and (7) of subsection (a), 

13 not more than 2 shall be from any 1 political party. 

14 (4) Of each class of members enumerated in 

15 paragraphs (5), (6) and (7) of subsection (a), not 

16 more than 1 shall be from any 1 State. 

17 (5) At least 2 of the appointees under para18 graph (6) of subsection (a) shall be from cities with 

19 a population of less than 500,000. 

20 (6) At least 2 of the appointees under para21 graph (7) of subsection (a) shall be from counties 

22 with a population of less than 50,000. 

23 (7) 1 of the appointees under paragraph (8) of 

24 subsection (a) shall be from a gaming tribe and 1 

25 shall be from a non-gaming tribe. 


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1 (c) TERMS.— 

2 (1) IN GENERAL.—The term of office of each 

3 member of the Commission shall be 2 years. Mem4 bers shall be eligible for reappointment. Except as 

5 provided in paragraph (2), members shall serve until 

6 their successors are appointed. 

7 (2) TERMINATION OF SERVICE IN OFFICIAL PO8 SITION FROM WHICH ORIGINALLY APPOINTED.— 

9 Where any member ceases to serve in the official po10 sition from which originally appointed under section 

11 3(a), his or her place on the Commission shall be 

12 deemed to be vacant. 

13 (3) VACANCIES IN MEMBERSHIP.—Any vacancy 

14 in the membership of the Commission shall be filled 

15 in the same manner in which the original appoint16 ment was made; except that where the number of 

17 vacancies is fewer than the number of members 

18 specified in paragraphs (4), (5), (6), and (7) of sec19 tion 3(a), each panel of names submitted in accord20 ance with the aforementioned paragraphs shall con21 tain at least 2 names for each vacancy. 

22 SEC. 5. ORGANIZATION OF COMMISSION. 

23 (a) INITIAL MEETING.—The President shall convene 

24 the Commission not later than 90 days after the date of 


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1 enactment of this Act at such time and place as the Presi2 dent may designate. 

3 (b) CHAIRMAN AND VICE CHAIRMAN.—The Commis4 sion shall designate a Chairman and a Vice Chairman 

5 from among members of the Commission. 

6 (c) QUORUM.—13 members of the Commission shall 

7 constitute a quorum, but 2 or more members, representing 

8 more than 1 of the class of members enumerated in sec9 tion 4(a), shall constitute a quorum for the purpose of 

10 conducting hearings. 

11 SEC. 6. DUTIES OF COMMISSION. 

12 The Commission shall— 

13 (1) engage in such activities and make such 

14 studies and investigations as are necessary or desir15 able in the accomplishment of the purposes set forth 

16 in section 2; 

17 (2) consider, on its own initiative, mechanisms 

18 for fostering better relations between the levels of 

19 government; 

20 (3) make available technical assistance to the 

21 executive and legislative branches of the Federal 

22 Government in the review of proposed legislation to 

23 determine its overall effect on all levels of govern24 ment; 


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1 (4) recommend, within the framework of the 

2 Constitution, the most desirable allocation of govern3 mental functions, responsibilities, and revenues 

4 among the levels of government; 

5 (5) recommend methods of coordinating and 

6 simplifying tax laws and administrative policies and 

7 practices to achieve a more orderly and less competi8 tive fiscal relationship between the levels of govern9 ment and to reduce the burden of compliance for 

10 taxpayers; and 

11 (6) submit an annual report to the President 

12 and the Congress on or before January 31 of each 

13 year. 

14 The Commission may also submit such additional reports 

15 to the President, to Congress or any committee of Con16 gress, and to any unit of government or organization as 

17 the Commission may deem appropriate. 

18 SEC. 7. POWERS AND ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS. 

19 (a) HEARINGS AND SESSIONS.—The Commission or, 

20 on the authorization of the Commission, any subcommittee 

21 or members thereof, may, for the purpose of carrying out 

22 the provisions of this Act, hold such hearings, take such 

23 testimony, and sit and act at such times and places as 

24 the Commission deems advisable. Any member authorized 

25 by the Commission may administer oaths or affirmations 


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1 to witnesses appearing before the Commission or any sub2 committee or members thereof. 

3 (b) COOPERATION BY FEDERAL AGENCIES.—Each 

4 department, agency, and instrumentality of the executive 

5 branch of the government, including independent agencies, 

6 is authorized and directed to furnish to the Commission, 

7 upon request made by the Chairman or Vice Chairman, 

8 such information as the Commission deems necessary to 

9 carry out its functions under this Act. 

10 (c) EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.—The Commission shall 

11 have power to appoint and remove an Executive Director. 

12 The Executive Director shall be paid at the rate of basic 

13 pay for level III of the Executive Schedule. Such appoint14 ment shall be made solely on the basis of fitness to per15 form the duties of the position and without regard to polit16 ical affiliation. 

17 (d) STAFF.—Subject to such rules and regulations as 

18 may be adopted by the Commission, the Executive Direc19 tor shall have the power— 

20 (1) to appoint, fix the compensation of, and re21 move such other personnel as he deems necessary; 

22 and 

23 (2) to procure temporary and intermittent serv24 ices to the same extent as is authorized by law. 


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1 (e) APPLICABILITY OF OTHER LAWS TO EMPLOY2 EES.—Except as otherwise provided in this Act, persons 

3 in the employ of the Commission under subsections (c) 

4 and (d)(1) shall be considered Federal employees for all 

5 purposes. 

6 (f) MAXIMUM COMPENSATION OF EMPLOYEES.—No 

7 individual in the employ of the Commission under sub8 section (d)(1) shall be paid compensation for such employ9 ment at a rate in excess of the highest rate provided for 

10 under the General Schedule. 

11 SEC. 8. REIMBURSEMENT. 

12 Members of the Commission shall be entitled to reim13 bursement for travel, subsistence, and other necessary ex14 penses incurred by them in the performance of their duties 

15 as members of the Commission. 

16 SEC. 9. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 

17 There are authorized to be appropriated such sums 

18 as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of this 

19 Act. 

20 SEC. 10. RECEIPT OF FUNDS; CONSIDERATION BY CON21 GRESS. 

22 The Commission is authorized to receive funds 

23 through grants, contracts, and contributions from State 

24 and local governments and organizations thereof, and 

25 from nonprofit organizations. Such funds may be received 


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1 and expended by the Commission only for purposes of this 

2 Act. In making appropriations to the Commission, Con3 gress shall consider the amount of any funds received by 

4 the Commission in addition to those funds appropriated 

5 to it by Congress. 

Æ 


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