•HRES 135 IH 
Representatives from among the members appointed by 
the Speaker of the House of Representatives under sub-
section (a). 
SEC. 5. DUTIES OF COMMISSION. 
(a) ACTIVITIES.—The Commission shall work with 
the parliaments of selected countries, as determined pur-
suant to subsection (b)(4), on a frequent and regular basis 
in order to— 
(1) enable Members, officers, and staff of the 
House of Representatives and congressional support 
agencies to provide expert advice to members and 
staff of the parliaments of selected countries; 
(2) enable members and staff of parliaments of 
selected countries to visit the House of Representa-
tives and its support agencies to learn about their 
operations first-hand; and 
(3) provide recommendations to the Adminis-
trator of the United States Agency for International 
Development regarding the provision of material as-
sistance, such as modern automation and office sys-
tems, information technology, and library supplies, 
that the Commission determines is needed by the 
parliament of a selected country in order to improve 
the efficiency and transparency of its work, and to 
oversee the provision of such assistance.
•HRES 135 IH 
(b) STUDY.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—In order to carry out the ac-
tivities described in subsection (a), the Commission 
shall conduct on an annual basis (or more frequently 
if necessary) a study on the feasibility of programs 
of assistance for parliaments of countries described 
in paragraph (2) for the purpose of strengthening 
the parliamentary infrastructure of such countries. 
The Commission shall designate those countries de-
scribed in paragraph (2) with respect to which a 
study will be conducted under this subsection. The 
study shall assess— 
(A) the independent and substantive role 
that each parliament plays, or could reasonably 
be expected to play, in the legislative process 
and government oversight; 
(B) the potential benefit to each par-
liament of expert advice from Members and 
staff of the House of Representatives in areas 
such as the development of research services 
and legislative information systems, parliamen-
tary procedure, committee operations, budget 
process, government oversight, and constituent 
services; and
•HRES 135 IH 
(C) the need in each parliament for mate-
rial assistance, such as modern automation and 
office systems, information technology, and re-
search materials, in order to improve efficiency 
and transparency. 
(2) COUNTRIES DESCRIBED.—The countries re-
ferred to in paragraph (1) are countries that have 
established or are developing democratic parliaments 
which would benefit from assistance described in this 
resolution. 
(3) SENSE OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTA-
TIVES.—It is the sense of the House of Representa-
tives that the countries described in paragraph (2) 
with respect to which studies will be conducted 
under this subsection should reflect a geographic di-
versity and over time should include countries from 
each of the following regions: Africa, Asia and the 
Pacific, Europe, the Middle East and Central Asia, 
and the Western Hemisphere. 
(4) SELECTED
COUNTRIES.—From the coun-
tries studied, the Commission shall select one or 
more parliaments that it recommends should receive 
assistance under the provisions of this resolution, 
based on the criteria in paragraph (1). Assistance 
may be provided under the provisions of this resolu-