I

103D CONGRESS

1ST SESSION H. R. 2106

To establish a Blue Ribbon Commission to Eliminate Duplicative and

Noncompetitive Federal Regulations.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

MAY 12, 1993

Mr. LIGHTFOOT (for himself, Mr. ALLARD, Mr. BATEMAN, Mr. BUYER, Mr.

CLINGER, Mr. FIELDS of Texas, Mr. HOBSON, Mr. LEACH, Mr. LIVINGSTON, Mr. PETRI, Mr. RAMSTAD, Mr. ROGERS, Mr. SCHIFF, Mr. SUNDQUIST, Mr. THOMAS of Wyoming, and Mr. WELDON) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Government

Operations

A BILL

To establish a Blue Ribbon Commission to Eliminate

Duplicative and Noncompetitive Federal Regulations.

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 ‘‘Blue Ribbon Commis5 sion to Eliminate Duplicative and Noncompetitive Federal

6 Regulations Act’’.
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1 SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT.

2 There is established a commission known as the Blue

3 Ribbon Commission to Eliminate Duplicative and Non4 competitive Federal Regulations (hereinafter in this Act

5 referred to as the ‘‘Commission’’).

6 SEC. 3. DUTIES.

7 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Commission shall—

8 (1) conduct a survey of the private sector to de9 termine which Federal regulations are duplicative or

10 impede competition;

11 (2) conduct in-depth reviews of regulations pro12 mulgated by the executive agencies;

13 (3)(A) review existing Government Accounting

14 Office reports, Congressional Budget Office reports,

15 Inspector General reports, and other existing govern16 mental and nongovernmental recommendations for

17 reducing duplicative or noncompetitive Federal regu18 lations; and

19 (B) based on the review conducted pursuant to

20 subparagraph (A), periodically submit to the Presi21 dent and the Congress a report on those rec22 ommendations, with estimated savings, that the

23 Commission determines are most significant, and in24 clude in the report a determination of whether such

25 recommendations can be implemented by Executive

26 order or whether it requires legislative action; and
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1 (4) submit to the President and the Congress

2 recommendations for streamlining Federal regula3 tions and reducing costs and unnecessary paperwork

4 that result from such regulations for both the

5 Federal Government and the private sector.

6 (b) PARTICULAR AREAS TO BE EXAMINED.—In ful7 filling the duties required by (a), the Commission shall

8 identify and address—

9 (1) opportunities for increased efficiency and

10 reduced costs in regulations promulgated by the

11 Federal Government that can be realized by execu12 tive action or legislation without jeopardizing safety

13 or environmental quality;

14 (2) specific reforms of the regulatory process

15 that would yield savings, increase accountability and

16 efficiency, and enhance public confidence in the reg17 ulatory process; and

18 (3) specific areas in the Federal Government

19 where potential savings would justify further study.

20 SEC. 4. MEMBERSHIP.

21 (a) NUMBER AND APPOINTMENT.—The membership

22 of the Commission shall be as follows:

23 (1) Thirteen members shall be appointed by the

24 President from among individuals who are not offi25 cers or employees of a Federal, State, of local gov-
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1 ernment and who are especially qualified to serve on

2 the Commission by virtue of their education, train3 ing or experience.

4 (2) The majority leader and minority leader of

5 the Senate and the Speaker and minority leader of

6 the House of Representatives may submit rec7 ommendations to the President concerning appoint8 ments to the Commission.

9 (3) Not more than seven members of the Com10 mission shall be of the same political party.

11 (b) CONTINUATION OF MEMBERSHIP.—If a member

12 of the Commission becomes an officer or employee of a

13 Federal, State, or local government, such individual may

14 continue as a member of the Commission for not longer

15 than the thirty-day period beginning on the date such indi16 vidual becomes such an officer or employee.

17 (c) APPOINTMENT OF ORIGINAL MEMBERS.—Ap18 pointments shall be made within thirty days of enactment

19 of this Act.

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

21 life of the Commission.

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

23 be filled within thirty days in the manner in which the

24 original appointment was made.

25 (f) COMPENSATION.—
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1 (1) RATES OF PAY.—Except as provided in

2 paragraph (2), members of the Commission shall

3 serve without pay.

4 (2) TRAVEL EXPENSES.—Each member of the

5 Commission shall receive travel expenses, including

6 per diem in lieu of subsidence, in accordance with

7 sections 5702 and 5703 of title 5, United States

8 Code.

9 (g) QUORUM.—Five members of the Commission

10 shall constitute a quorum, but a lesser number may hold

11 hearings.

12 (h) CHAIRPERSON.—The Chairperson of the Com13 mission shall be elected by the members of the Commis14 sion from among the members.

15 (i) MEETINGS.—The Commission shall meet at least

16 once each month at the call of the Chairperson of the

17 Commission.

18 SEC. 5. STAFF AND SUPPORT SERVICES.

19 (a) DIRECTOR.—The Commission shall have a Direc20 tor appointed by the Chairperson of the Commission and

21 paid at a rate determined by the Commission.

22 (b) STAFF.—With the approval of the Commission,

23 the Director of the Commission may appoint such person24 nel as the Director considers appropriate.
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1 SEC. 6. POWERS.

2 (a) HEARINGS AND SESSIONS.—The Commission

3 may, for the purpose of carrying out this Act, hold hear4 ings, sit and act at times and places, take testimony, and

5 receive evidence as the Commission considers appropriate.

6 (b) DELEGATION OF AUTHORITY.—Any member or

7 agent of the Commission may, if authorized by the Com8 mission, take any action which the Commission is author9 ized to take by this section.

10 (c) INFORMATION.—The Commission may secure di11 rectly from any Federal agency information necessary to

12 enable it to carry out this Act. Upon request of the Chair13 person of the Commission, the head of the Federal agency

14 shall furnish the information to the Commission.

15 (d) CONTRACTUAL AUTHORITY.—The Commission

16 may contract with and compensate government and pri17 vate agencies or persons for supplies or services without

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

19 5).

20 (e) GIFTS.—The Commission may accept, use, and

21 dispose of gifts or donations of services or property.

22 SEC. 7. REPORTS.

23 (a) PERIODIC REPORTS.—Pursuant to section

24 3(a)(3), the Commission shall issue periodic reports to the

25 President and the Congress.
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1 (b) FINAL REPORT.—Not later than two years after

2 the date of enactment of this Act, the Commission shall

3 submit to the President and the Congress a final report

4 setting forth the findings and conclusions of the Commis5 sion and specific recommendations for legislative and ad6 ministrative actions that the Commission determines to be

7 appropriate.

8 SEC. 8. FUNDING.

9 The Commission shall be funded, staffed and

10 equipped, to the extent practicable and permitted by law,

11 by the private sector without cost to the Federal Govern12 ment. To accomplish this objective, it is expected that the

13 Secretary of Commerce will engage in a joint project with

14 a nonprofit organization, pursuant to the first section of

15 Public Law 91–412 (15 U.S.C. 1525) for the purpose of

16 aiding the Commission in exercising its power and per17 forming its duties under this Act.

18 SEC. 9. TERMINATION.

19 (a) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in subsection

20 (b), the Commission shall terminate not later than the ex21 piration of the thirty-day period beginning on the date on

22 which the Commission submits its final report under sec23 tion 7(b).

24 (b) EXTENSION OF LIFE OF COMMISSION.—The

25 President may extend the life of the Commission for a six
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1 month period beginning on the date on which the Commis2 sion terminates under subsection (a), and for successive

3 six month periods thereafter.

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