II 

114TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 991 

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

purposes. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

APRIL 16, 2015 

Mrs. MURRAY introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred 

to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs 

A BILL 

To establish the Commission on Evidence-Based 

Policymaking, and for other purposes. 

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 com8 mission to be known as the ‘‘Commission on Evidence9 Based Policymaking’’ (in this Act referred to as the ‘‘Com10 mission’’). 


SSpencer on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
2 

•S 991 IS

1 SEC. 3. MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION. 

2 (a) NUMBER AND APPOINTMENT.—The Commission 

3 shall be comprised of 15 members as follows: 

4 (1) Three shall be appointed by the President, 

5 of whom— 

6 (A) 1 shall be an academic researcher, 

7 data expert, or have experience in administering 

8 programs; 

9 (B) 1 shall have expertise in database 

10 management, confidentiality, and privacy mat11 ters; and 

12 (C) 1 shall be the Director of the Office of 

13 Management and Budget (or the Director’s des14 ignee). 

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

16 the House of Representatives, of whom— 

17 (A) 2 shall be academic researchers, data 

18 experts, or have experience in administering 

19 programs; and 

20 (B) 1 shall have expertise in database 

21 management, confidentiality, and privacy mat22 ters. 

23 (3) Three shall be appointed by the Minority 

24 Leader of the House of Representatives, of whom— 


SSpencer on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
3 

•S 991 IS

1 (A) 2 shall be academic researchers, data 

2 experts, or have experience in administering 

3 programs; and 

4 (B) 1 shall have expertise in database 

5 management, confidentiality, and privacy mat6 ters. 

7 (4) Three shall be appointed by the Majority 

8 Leader of the Senate, of whom— 

9 (A) 2 shall be academic researchers, data 

10 experts, or have experience in administering 

11 programs; and 

12 (B) 1 shall have expertise in database 

13 management, confidentiality, and privacy mat14 ters. 

15 (5) Three shall be appointed by the Minority 

16 Leader of the Senate, of whom— 

17 (A) 2 shall be academic researchers, data 

18 experts, or have experience in administering 

19 programs; and 

20 (B) 1 shall have expertise in database 

21 management, confidentiality, and privacy mat22 ters. 

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

24 section, consideration should be given to individuals with 


SSpencer on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
4 

•S 991 IS

1 expertise in economics, statistics, program evaluation, 

2 data security, confidentiality, or database management. 

3 (c) CHAIRPERSON AND CO-CHAIRPERSON.—The 

4 President shall select the chairperson of the Commission 

5 and the Speaker of the House of Representatives shall se6 lect the co-chairperson. 

7 (d) TIMING OF APPOINTMENTS.—Appointments to 

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

9 the date of enactment of this Act. 

10 (e) TERMS; VACANCIES.—Each member shall be ap11 pointed for the duration of the Commission. Any vacancy 

12 in the Commission shall not affect its powers, and shall 

13 be filled in the manner in which the original appointment 

14 was made. 

15 (f) COMPENSATION.—Members of the Commission 

16 shall serve without pay. 

17 (g) TRAVEL EXPENSES.—Each member of the Com18 mission shall be allowed travel expenses, including per 

19 diem in lieu of subsistence, at rates authorized for employ20 ees of agencies under subchapter I of chapter 57 of title 

21 5, United States Code, while away from their homes or 

22 regular places of business in the performance of services 

23 for the Commission. 


SSpencer on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
5 

•S 991 IS

1 SEC. 4. DUTIES OF THE COMMISSION. 

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

3 a comprehensive study of the data inventory, data infra4 structure, and statistical protocols related to Federal pol5 icymaking and the statistical and programmatic agencies 

6 responsible for maintaining that data to— 

7 (1) determine the optimal arrangement for 

8 which administrative data on Federal programs and 

9 tax expenditures and related data series may be in10 tegrated and made available to facilitate program 

11 evaluation, continuous improvement, policy-relevant 

12 research, and cost-benefit analyses by qualified re13 searchers and institutions; 

14 (2) make recommendations on how data infra15 structure and protocols should be modified to best 

16 fulfill the objectives identified in paragraph (1); and 

17 (3) make recommendations on how best to in18 corporate outcomes measurement, institutionalize 

19 randomized controlled trials, and rigorous impact 

20 analysis into program design. 

21 (b) CLEARINGHOUSE.—In undertaking the study re22 quired by subsection (a), the Commission shall consider 

23 if and how to create a clearinghouse for program and sur24 vey data, which shall include evaluation of— 


SSpencer on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
6 

•S 991 IS

1 (1) what administrative data that are relevant 

2 for program evaluation and Federal policymaking 

3 should be included in a potential clearinghouse; 

4 (2) which survey data the administrative data 

5 identified in paragraph (1) may be linked to, in ad6 dition to linkages across administrative data series; 

7 (3) what are the legal and administrative bar8 riers to including or linking these data series; 

9 (4) what data-sharing infrastructure should be 

10 used to facilitate data merging and access for re11 search purposes; 

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

13 (6) which types of qualified researchers, offi14 cials, and institutions should have access to data; 

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

16 of data provided; 

17 (8) how to protect information and ensure indi18 vidual privacy and confidentiality; 

19 (9) how the data and results of research can be 

20 used to inform program administrators and policy21 makers to improve program design; and 

22 (10) what incentives may facilitate interagency 

23 sharing of information to improve programmatic ef24 fectiveness and enhance data accuracy and com25 prehensiveness. 


SSpencer on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
7 

•S 991 IS

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

2 three-quarters of the members of the Commission, the 

3 Commission shall submit to the President and Congress 

4 a detailed statement of its findings and conclusions as a 

5 result of the study required by subsection (a), together 

6 with its recommendations for such legislation or adminis7 trative actions as the Commission considers appropriate 

8 in light of the results of the study. 

9 (d) DEADLINE.—The report under subsection (c) 

10 shall be submitted not later than the date that is 15 

11 months after the date a majority of the members of the 

12 Commission are appointed pursuant to section 3. 

13 (e) DEFINITION.—In this section, the term ‘‘adminis14 trative data’’ means data— 

15 (1) held by an agency or a contractor or grant16 ee of an agency (including a State or unit of local 

17 government); and 

18 (2) collected for other than statistical purposes. 

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

20 (a) ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANCE.—The heads of 

21 the following agencies shall advise and consult with the 

22 Commission on matters within their respective areas of re23 sponsibility: 

24 (1) The Bureau of the Census. 

25 (2) The Internal Revenue Service. 


SSpencer on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
8 

•S 991 IS

1 (3) The Department of Health and Human 

2 Services. 

3 (4) The Department of Agriculture. 

4 (5) The Department of Housing and Urban De5 velopment. 

6 (6) The Social Security Administration. 

7 (7) The Department of Education. 

8 (8) The Department of Justice. 

9 (9) The Office of Management and Budget. 

10 (10) The Bureau of Economic Analysis. 

11 (11) The Bureau of Labor Statistics. 

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

13 Commission. 

14 (b) MEETINGS.—The Commission shall meet not 

15 later than 30 days after the date upon which a majority 

16 of its members have been appointed and at such times 

17 thereafter as the chairperson or co-chairperson shall deter18 mine. 

19 (c) RULES OF PROCEDURE.—The chairperson and 

20 co-chairperson shall, with the approval of a majority of 

21 the members of the Commission, establish written rules 

22 of procedure for the Commission, which shall include a 

23 quorum requirement to conduct the business of the Com24 mission. 


SSpencer on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
9 

•S 991 IS

1 (d) HEARINGS.—The Commission may, for the pur2 pose of carrying out this Act, hold hearings, sit and act 

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

4 as the Commission considers appropriate. 

5 (e) CONTRACTS.—The Commission may contract 

6 with and compensate government and private agencies or 

7 persons for any purpose necessary to enable it to carry 

8 out this Act. 

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

10 States mails in the same manner and under the same con11 ditions as other agencies of the Federal Government. 

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

13 dispose of gifts or donations of services or property. 

14 SEC. 6. FUNDING. 

15 Subject to the availability of appropriations— 

16 (1) at the request of the Director of the Cen17 sus, the agencies identified as ‘‘Principal Statistical 

18 Agencies’’ in the report, published by the Office of 

19 Management and Budget, entitled ‘‘Statistical Pro20 grams of the United States Government, Fiscal Year 

21 2015’’ shall provide funds, in a total amount not to 

22 exceed $3,000,000, to the Director for purposes of 

23 carrying out the activities of the Commission as pro24 vided in this Act; and 


SSpencer on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
10 

•S 991 IS

1 (2) the Bureau of the Census shall provide ad2 ministrative support to the Commission, which may 

3 include providing physical space at, and access to, 

4 the headquarters of the Bureau of the Census, lo5 cated in Suitland, Maryland. 

6 SEC. 7. PERSONNEL. 

7 (a) DIRECTOR.—The Commission shall have a Direc8 tor who shall be appointed by the chairperson with the 

9 concurrence of the co-chairperson. The Director shall be 

10 paid at a rate of pay established by the chairperson and 

11 co-chairperson, not to exceed the annual rate of basic pay 

12 payable for level V of the Executive Schedule (section 

13 5316 of title 5, United States Code). 

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

15 pay of additional staff as the Director considers appro16 priate. 

17 (c) EXPERTS AND CONSULTANTS.—The Commission 

18 may procure temporary and intermittent services under 

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

20 for individuals which do not exceed the daily equivalent 

21 of the annual rate of basic pay for a comparable position 

22 paid under the General Schedule. 


SSpencer on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
11 

•S 991 IS

1 SEC. 8. TERMINATION. 

2 The Commission shall terminate not later than 18 

3 months after the date of enactment of this Act. 

Æ 


SSpencer on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with BILLS