I

107TH CONGRESS

1ST SESSION H. R. 1625

To establish the Samuel Kelner Commission on Youth.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

APRIL 26, 2001

Mr. RAMSTAD introduced the following bill; which was referred to the

Committee on Education and the Workforce

A BILL

To establish the Samuel Kelner Commission on Youth.

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 ‘‘Samuel Kelner Com5 mission on Youth Authorization Act’’.

6 SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT.

7 There is established a commission to be known as the

8 ‘‘Samuel Kelner Commission on Youth’’ (in this Act re9 ferred to as the ‘‘Commission’’).

10 SEC. 3. DUTIES OF COMMISSION.

11 The Commission shall seek to reduce apathy among

12 American youth regarding the Nation’s system of govern-
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1 ment by discussing and making policy recommendations

2 on issues affecting American youth, including issues in the

3 following subject areas:

4 (1) Public education.

5 (2) Youth employment and wages.

6 (3) Higher education financing.

7 (4) Youth drug abuse and violence.

8 SEC. 4. MEMBERSHIP.

9 (a) NUMBER AND APPOINTMENT.—The Commission

10 shall be composed of 8 members, appointed as follows:

11 (1) 4 members appointed by the President.

12 (2) 1 member appointed by the Speaker of the

13 House of Representatives.

14 (3) 1 member appointed by the minority leader

15 of the House or Representatives.

16 (4) 1 member appointed by the majority leader

17 of the Senate.

18 (5) 1 member appointed by the minority leader

19 of the Senate.

20 (b) AGE LIMIT.—An individual may not be appointed

21 under subsection (a) if that individual will attain 18 years

22 of age by the date of the Commission’s first meeting or

23 conference that occurs after that individual’s appointment

24 in the term for which the individual is appointed.

25 (c) TERMS.—
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1 (1) IN GENERAL.—Each member shall be ap2 pointed for a term of 1 year beginning on August 1

3 and may be reappointed.

4 (2) INITIAL TERM.—The first 8 members shall

5 be appointed for the 1-year period that begins on

6 August 1 of the calendar year that follows the cal7 endar year of the date of the enactment of this Act.

8 (d) VACANCIES.—Any member appointed to fill a va9 cancy before the expiration of the term for which the mem10 ber’s predecessor was appointed shall be appointed only

11 for the remainder of that term. A vacancy in the Commis12 sion shall be filled in the manner in which the original

13 appointment was made.

14 (e) PAY.—Members shall serve without pay.

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

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

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

18 United States Code.

19 (g) QUORUM.—A majority of the members shall con20 stitute a quorum, except that a lesser number may hold

21 hearings.

22 (h) CHAIRPERSON.—The Chairperson of the Com23 mission shall be elected by the members.

24 (i) MEETINGS.—
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1 (1) IN GENERAL.—In each 1 year period begin2 ning August 1 the Commission—

3 (A) shall conduct 4 meetings each span4 ning a period of not more than 3 days; and

5 (B) shall conduct 1 conference spanning a

6 period of not more than 1 week.

7 (2) SCHEDULING.—

8 (A) INITIAL MEETING.—The initial meet9 ing of the Commission each year under para10 graph (1)(A) shall begin on the first Thursday

11 in August.

12 (B) REMAINING MEETINGS.—The Commis13 sion, by majority vote at the initial meeting

14 each year, shall determine the dates of the re15 maining meetings and the conference under

16 paragraph (1) for that year.

17 (3) EMERGENCY MEETING.—In addition to the

18 meetings required under paragraph (1), the Com19 mission shall, at the call of the President, conduct

20 1 emergency meeting spanning a period of not more

21 than 3 days.

22 SEC. 5. DIRECTOR; STAFF; EXPERTS AND CONSULTANTS.

23 (a) DIRECTOR.—
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1 (1) APPOINTMENT.—The Commission shall

2 have a Director who shall be appointed by the Presi3 dent.

4 (2) PAY.—The Director shall be paid at the

5 rate of basic pay for GS-12 of the General Schedule.

6 (b) STAFF.—The Commission may appoint additional

7 personnel as it considers appropriate.

8 (c) APPLICABILITY OF CERTAIN CIVIL SERVICE

9 LAWS.—The Director and staff of the Commission shall

10 be appointed subject to the provisions of title 5, United

11 States Code, governing appointments in the competitive

12 service.

13 (d) EXPERTS AND CONSULTANTS.—The Commission

14 may procure temporary and intermittent services under

15 section 3109(b) of title 5, United States Code.

16 (e) STAFF OF FEDERAL AGENCIES.—Upon request

17 of the Commission, the head of any Federal department

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

19 personnel of that department or agency to the Commission

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

21 SEC. 6. POWERS OF COMMISSION.

22 (a) HEARINGS AND SESSIONS.—The Commission

23 may, for the purpose of carrying out this Act, hold hear24 ings, sit and act at times and places, take testimony, and

25 receive evidence as the Commission considers appropriate.
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1 (b) POWERS OF MEMBERS AND AGENTS.—Any mem2 ber or agent of the Commission may, if authorized by the

3 Commission, take any action that the Commission is au4 thorized to take by this section.

5 (c) OBTAINING OFFICIAL DATA.—The Commission

6 may secure directly from any department or agency of the

7 United States information necessary to enable it to carry

8 out this Act. The Chairperson may request such informa9 tion if such request is authorized by a majority vote of

10 the Commission. Upon request of the Chairperson, the

11 head of that department or agency shall furnish that infor12 mation to the Commission.

13 (d) MAILS.—The Commission may use the United

14 States mails in the same manner and under the same con15 ditions as other departments and agencies of the United

16 States.

17 (e) ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT SERVICES.—Upon

18 the request of the Commission, the Administrator of Gen19 eral Services shall provide to the Commission, on a reim20 bursable basis, the administrative support services nec21 essary for the Commission to carry out its responsibilities

22 under this Act.

23 (f) CONTRACT AUTHORITY.—To the extent and in

24 the amounts provided in advance in appropriations Acts,

25 the Director may contract with and compensate govern-
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1 ment and private agencies or person for supplies and other

2 services.

3 SEC. 7. ANNUAL REPORTS.

4 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Commission shall submit to

5 the President and the Congress a report not later than

6 July 1 each year.

7 (b) CONTENTS.—Each report shall include policy rec8 ommendations on issues affecting youth, including issues

9 in the following subject areas:

10 (1) Public education.

11 (2) Youth employment and wages.

12 (3) Higher education financing.

13 (4) Youth drug abuse and violence.

14 SEC. 8. TERMINATION.

15 The Commission shall terminate 5 years after the be16 ginning of the terms of its first members.

17 SEC. 9. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

18 There is authorized to be appropriated to the Com19 mission to carry out this Act $100,000 for each of fiscal

20 years 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, and 2006. Such sums may

21 remain available until expended.

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