•HRES 1451 IH 
nonpartisan manner, both within and outside of Congress, 
internationally recognized human rights norms as en-
shrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights 
and other relevant international human rights instruments 
by carrying out the following activities: 
(1) Developing congressional strategies to pro-
mote, defend, and advocate internationally recog-
nized human rights norms reflecting the role and re-
sponsibilities of the Congress. 
(2) Raising greater awareness among Members 
of the House of Representatives, their staffs, and 
the public regarding international human rights vio-
lations and developments. 
(3) Providing Members and staff with expert 
human rights advice and information and by sup-
porting entities of Congress in their work on human 
rights issues. 
(4) Advocating on behalf of individuals and en-
tities whose internationally recognized human rights 
have been violated or are in danger of being violated. 
(5) Collaborating closely with other professional 
staff members of the Committee on Foreign Affairs. 
(6) Collaborating closely with the President, 
other officials of the executive branch, and recog-
nized national and international human rights enti-
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
03:16 Sep 18, 2008
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\HR1451.IH
HR1451
jbell on PROD1PC69 with BILLS
•HRES 1451 IH 
ties and nongovernmental organizations in pro-
moting human rights initiatives within Congress. 
(7) Encouraging and supporting Members, es-
pecially Members who have been recently elected to 
the House, to become active in supporting human 
rights issues so that the United States will continue 
to be recognized throughout the world as a leader in 
the defense of internationally recognized human 
rights norms. 
(b) ELIGIBILITY.—Any Member of the House of Rep-
resentatives may join the Commission by submitting a 
written statement to that effect to the co-chairs of the 
Commission. 
(c) RELATIONSHIP WITH SENATE.—In carrying out 
its activities, the Commission is encouraged to establish 
a cooperative working relationship with Members and 
other entities of the Senate, and to invite Members and 
other entities of the Senate to work cooperatively with the 
Commission to promote human rights. 
(d) DEFINITION.—In this resolution, the term ‘‘Mem-
ber of the House of Representatives’’ includes a Delegate 
or Resident Commissioner to the Congress. 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
03:16 Sep 18, 2008
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\HR1451.IH
HR1451
jbell on PROD1PC69 with BILLS
•HRES 1451 IH 
SEC. 3. CO-CHAIRS OF THE COMMISSION. 
(a) APPOINTMENT.—Two members of the Commis-
sion shall be appointed to serve as co-chairs of the Com-
mission as follows: 
(1) One member shall be appointed by the 
Speaker of the House of Representatives after con-
sultation with the Chairman of the Committee on 
Foreign Affairs. 
(2) One member shall be appointed by the mi-
nority leader of the House of Representatives after 
consultation with the ranking minority member of 
the Committee on Foreign Affairs. 
(b) TERM OF SERVICE.—A member’s term as co- 
chair of the Commission shall continue throughout the 
Congress during which the member is appointed as a co- 
chair under this section until the member leaves the Com-
mission, resigns from the position of co-chair, or is re-
moved pursuant to subsection (c). 
(c) REMOVAL.—The co-chair appointed pursuant to 
subsection (a)(1) may be removed by the Speaker after 
consultation with the Chairman of the Committee on For-
eign Affairs, and the co-chair appointed pursuant to sub-
section (a)(2) may be removed by the minority leader after 
consultation with the ranking minority member of the 
Committee on Foreign Affairs. 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
03:16 Sep 18, 2008
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\HR1451.IH
HR1451
jbell on PROD1PC69 with BILLS
•HRES 1451 IH 
(d) VACANCY.—A vacancy in the position of any of 
the co-chairs of the Commission shall be filled in the same 
manner in which the original appointment was made. 
(e) DUTIES.—The co-chairs shall be responsible for 
setting the general agenda of the Commission. 
SEC. 4. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Commission shall have an 
Executive Committee which shall consist of 8 members of 
the Commission equally divided between members of the 
majority and minority parties selected jointly by the co- 
chairs of the Commission with the approval of the Speaker 
of the House of Representatives and the minority leader 
of the House of Representatives. 
(b) VACANCY.—A vacancy in the membership of the 
Executive Committee shall be filled in the same manner 
in which the original selection was made. 
SEC. 5. ROLE OF THE COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS. 
(a) USE OF COMMITTEE STAFF AND RESOURCES.— 
Subject to subsection (b), the Commission shall carry out 
its duties using the staff and resources of the Committee 
on Foreign Affairs, including the use of consultants or 
temporary employees, such as individuals with expertise 
in human rights issues, related legislative matters, and 
technology systems management, as appropriate. 
(b) REQUIREMENTS FOR STAFF.— 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
03:16 Sep 18, 2008
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00005
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\HR1451.IH
HR1451
jbell on PROD1PC69 with BILLS
•HRES 1451 IH 
(1) APPOINTMENT.—The staff of the Com-
mittee on Foreign Affairs who may be used by the 
Commission under subsection (a) to carry out its du-
ties shall be professional staff members of the 
Committtee who are appointed for this purpose by 
the Chairman of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, 
of whom half of the full-time equivalent positions 
shall be appointed from among a list of individuals 
presented to the Chairman of the Committee by the 
co-chair appointed pursuant to section 3(a)(1) and 
half of the full-time equivalent positions shall be ap-
pointed from among a list of individuals presented to 
the Chairman of the Committee by the co-chair ap-
pointed pursuant to section 3(a)(2). 
(2) SPECIAL
RULE
FOR
DETERMINATION
OF 
NUMBER
OF
COMMITTEE
STAFF
MEMBERS.—Any 
professional staff member of the Committee on For-
eign Affairs who is used by the Commission to carry 
out its duties on a full-time basis shall not be in-
cluded in determining the number of professional 
staff members of the Committee under subpara-
graphs (1) and (2) of clause 9(a) of rule X of the 
Rules of the House of Representatives. 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
03:16 Sep 18, 2008
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00006
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\HR1451.IH
HR1451
jbell on PROD1PC69 with BILLS
•HRES 1451 IH 
SEC. 6. OTHER POWERS AND DUTIES. 
(a) BYLAWS.—The Commission shall adopt and pub-
lish such bylaws to govern its organization and operation 
(including the duties of the Executive Committee) as it 
considers appropriate, subject to the applicable Rules of 
the House of Representatives. 
(b) NO LEGISLATIVE AUTHORITY.—The Commission 
shall not have legislative jurisdiction and shall have no au-
thority to take legislative action on any bill or resolution. 
SEC. 7. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 
In addition to any other amounts made available for 
salaries and expenses of the Committee on Foreign Affairs 
of the House of Representatives during a Congress, there 
are authorized to be appropriated from the applicable ac-
counts of the House of Representatives such sums as may 
be necessary for the Committee to provide staff and re-
sources for the Commission pursuant to section 5. 
SEC. 8. TRANSITION FOR CURRENT MEMBERS OF CON-
GRESSIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS CAUCUS. 
For purposes of this resolution— 
(1) each Member of the House of Representa-
tives who is a member of the Congressional Human 
Rights Caucus as of the date of the adoption of this 
resolution shall be deemed to have joined the Com-
mission; and 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
03:16 Sep 18, 2008
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00007
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\HR1451.IH
HR1451
jbell on PROD1PC69 with BILLS