IV 
110TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. CON. RES. 443 
To establish the Joint Select Committee on Reorganization and Reform of 
Foreign Assistance Agencies and Programs. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
DECEMBER 10, 2008 
Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN (for herself, Mr. BURTON of Indiana, Mr. BOOZMAN, Mr. 
FORTENBERRY, and Mr. FORTUN˜O) submitted the following concurrent 
resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Rules 
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 
To establish the Joint Select Committee on Reorganization 
and Reform of Foreign Assistance Agencies and Programs. 
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 
concurring), 
SECTION 1. ESTABLISHMENT. 
There is hereby established in the Senate and the 
House of Representatives a joint select committee to be 
known as the ‘‘Joint Select Committee on Reorganization 
and Reform of Foreign Assistance Agencies and Pro-
grams’’ (hereinafter referred to as the ‘‘Joint Select Com-
mittee’’). 
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SEC. 2. FUNCTIONS. 
The Joint Select Committee is authorized and di-
rected to conduct a full and complete investigation of— 
(1) the organization of the various Federal 
agencies and departments that oversee and imple-
ment United States foreign assistance programs, 
and the interaction and coordination of such agen-
cies and departments with respect to such programs; 
(2) the objectives of United States foreign as-
sistance programs, including the relationship be-
tween development goals and United States national 
security goals; 
(3) the staffing levels and funding levels of 
United States foreign assistance programs; 
(4) the performance of United States foreign 
assistance programs in meeting United States na-
tional interests; and 
(5) legislative procedures, practices, and organi-
zation related to the authorization and appropriation 
of funding for and oversight of United States foreign 
assistance programs and agencies and departments 
which implement such programs. 
SEC. 3. REPORT. 
(a) REPORT ON RESULTS OF INVESTIGATION.—The 
Joint Select Committee shall submit a report to the Sen-
ate and House as soon as practicable, but not later than 
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January 20, 2010, on the results of its investigation under 
section 2, and may include in the report such rec-
ommendations, including proposed legislation to carry out 
such recommendations, as it deems advisable. 
(b) EXPEDITED CONSIDERATION OF PROPOSED LEG-
ISLATION.— 
(1) EXPEDITED CONSIDERATION.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—The provisions of sec-
tion 2908 (other than subsection (a)) of the De-
fense Base Closure and Realignment Act of 
1990 shall apply to the consideration of a bill 
described in paragraph (2) in the same manner 
as such provisions apply to a joint resolution 
described in section 2908(a) of such Act. 
(B) SPECIAL RULES.—For purposes of ap-
plying subparagraph (A) with respect to such 
provisions, the following rules shall apply: 
(i) Any reference to the Committee on 
Armed Services of the House of Represent-
atives shall be deemed a reference to the 
Committee on Foreign Affairs of the 
House of Representatives and any ref-
erence to the Committee on Armed Serv-
ices of the Senate shall be deemed a ref-
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erence to the Committee on Foreign Rela-
tions of the Senate. 
(ii) Any reference to the date on 
which the President transmits a report 
shall be deemed a reference to the date on 
which a bill described in paragraph (2) is 
introduced in the House of Representatives 
or Senate (as the case may be). 
(2) BILL DESCRIBED.—For purposes of para-
graph (1), a bill described in this paragraph is a 
bill— 
(A) which is introduced in the House of 
Representatives by the designated House mem-
ber described in paragraph (3)(A) or which is 
introduced in the Senate by the designated Sen-
ate member described in paragraph (3)(B); 
(B) which is introduced during the 30-day 
period which begins on the date the Joint Select 
Committee submits the report required under 
subsection (a); 
(C) which consists solely of the proposed 
legislation which is included in such report to 
carry out the recommendations made by the 
Joint Select Committee in the report; and 
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(D) the title of which is as follows: ‘‘A bill 
to carry out the recommendations of the Joint 
Select Committee on Reorganization and Re-
form of Foreign Assistance Agencies and Pro-
grams.’’. 
(3) DESIGNATED MEMBERS DESCRIBED.—For 
purposes of paragraph (2)(A), the ‘‘designated 
House member’’ and ‘‘designated Senate member’’ 
shall be determined as follows: 
(A) If the chair of the Joint Select Com-
mittee is a Member of the House of Represent-
atives, the chair shall be the designated House 
member. If the vice chair of the Joint Select 
Committee is a Member of the House of Rep-
resentatives and the chair is not a Member of 
the House of Representatives, the vice chair 
shall be the designated House member. If nei-
ther the chair or vice chair is a Member of the 
House of Representatives, a member of the 
Joint Select Committee who is a Member of the 
House of Representatives shall be selected joint-
ly by the chair and vice chair as the designated 
House member. 
(B) If the chair of the Joint Select Com-
mittee is a Member of the Senate, the chair 
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shall be the designated Senate member. If the 
vice chair of the Joint Select Committee is a 
Member of the Senate and the chair is not a 
Member of the Senate, the vice chair shall be 
the designated Senate member. If neither the 
chair or vice chair is a Member of the Senate, 
a member of the Joint Select Committee who is 
a Member of the Senate shall be selected jointly 
by the chair and vice chair as the designated 
Senate member. 
SEC. 4. MEMBERSHIP. 
(a) COMPOSITION AND APPOINTMENT.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Subject to subsection (b), 
the Joint Select Committee shall be composed of 60 
Members of the House of Representatives and Sen-
ate, of whom— 
(A) 30 shall be Members of the House of 
Representatives (of whom 15 shall represent the 
majority political party and 15 shall represent 
the minority political party) and shall be ap-
pointed by the Speaker of the House of Rep-
resentatives with the concurrence of the minor-
ity leader of the House of Representatives; and 
(B) 30 shall be Members of the Senate (of 
whom 15 shall represent the majority political 
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party and 15 shall represent the minority polit-
ical party) and shall be appointed by the major-
ity leader of the Senate with the concurrence of 
the minority leader of the Senate. 
(2) TREATMENT OF DELEGATE AND RESIDENT 
COMMISSIONER.—For purposes of this subsection, a 
‘‘Member’’ of the House of Representatives includes 
a Delegate or Resident Commissioner to the Con-
gress. 
(b) PRIORITY OF APPOINTMENT.—Each of the fol-
lowing individuals shall be appointed by the Speaker or 
the President pro Tempore (as the case may be) to serve 
as one of the 60 Members of the Joint Select Committee: 
(1) The Speaker of the House of Representa-
tives (or the Speaker’s designee). 
(2) The majority leader and minority leader of 
the House of Representatives (or their designees). 
(3) The majority leader and minority leader of 
the Senate (or their designees). 
(4) The chairman and ranking minority mem-
ber of the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the 
House of Representatives (or their designees). 
(5) The chairman and ranking minority mem-
ber of the Committee on Armed Services of the 
House of Representatives (or their designees). 
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(6) The chairman and ranking minority mem-
ber of the Committee on Rules of the House of Rep-
resentatives (or their designees). 
(7) The chairman and ranking minority mem-
ber of the Committee on Appropriations of the 
House of Representatives (or their designees). 
(8) The chairman and ranking minority mem-
ber of the Subcommittee on State, Foreign Oper-
ations and Related Programs of the Committee on 
Appropriations of the House of Representatives (or 
their designees). 
(9) The chairman and ranking minority mem-
ber of the Committee on Agriculture of the House 
of Representatives (or their designees). 
(10) The chairman and ranking minority mem-
ber of the Committee on Financial Services of the 
House of Representatives (or their designees). 
(11) The chairman and ranking minority mem-
ber of the Committee on Foreign Relations of the 
Senate (or their designees). 
(12) The chairman and ranking minority mem-
ber of the Committee on Armed Services of the Sen-
ate (or their designees). 
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(13) The chairman and ranking minority mem-
ber of the Committee on Rules and Administration 
of the Senate (or their designees). 
(14) The chairman and ranking minority mem-
ber of the Committee on Appropriations of the Sen-
ate (or their designees). 
(15) The chairman and ranking minority mem-
ber of the Subcommittee on State, Foreign Oper-
ations and Related Programs of the Committee on 
Appropriations of the Senate (or their designees). 
(16) The chairman and ranking minority mem-
ber of the Committee on Agriculture of the Senate 
(or their designees). 
(17) The chairman and ranking minority mem-
ber of the Committee on Banking, Housing, and 
Urban Affairs of the Senate. 
(c) LEADERSHIP.— 
(1) CHAIR.—The members of the Joint Select 
Committee who represent the majority political party 
shall designate one of those members to serve as 
chair of the Joint Select Committee. 
(2) VICE CHAIR.—The members of the Joint 
Select Committee who represent the minority polit-
ical party shall designate one of those members to 
serve as vice-chair of the Joint Select Committee. 
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(d) VACANCIES.—A vacancy in the membership of the 
Joint Select Committee shall not affect the power of the 
remaining members to execute the functions of the Joint 
Select Committee, and shall be filled in the same manner 
as in the case of the original appointment. 
SEC. 5. POWERS. 
(a) HEARINGS AND OTHER ACTIVITIES.—For the 
purpose of carrying out its duties, the Joint Select Com-
mittee may hold such hearings and undertake such other 
activities as the Joint Select Committee determines to be 
necessary to carry out its duties, whether the Congress 
is in session, has recessed, or has adjourned. 
(b) OBTAINING INFORMATION.— 
(1) AUTHORITY
TO
USE
SUBPOENAS.—The 
Joint Select Committee may require by subpoena the 
attendance of such witnesses and the production of 
such books, papers, and documents, as it considers 
appropriate. 
(2) PROCEDURES.—Subpoenas may be issued 
over the signature of the chair of the Joint Select 
Committee or of any member designated by the 
chair or by the Joint Select Committee to the extent 
the chairman or such member is authorized by a 
majority of the joint committee to issue such sub-
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poenas, and may be served by any person designated 
by such chairman or member. 
(c) ACCESS TO LEGISLATIVE BRANCH SERVICES.— 
The Joint Select Committee shall have access to the serv-
ices of the Government Accountability Office, the Congres-
sional Budget Office, and the Congressional Research 
Service in the same manner and under the same terms 
and conditions as any standing committee of the House 
of Representatives or Senate. 
(d) ADOPTION OF RULES.—Not later than 30 days 
after all of its members have been appointed, the Joint 
Select Committee shall adopt rules governing its oper-
ations and shall submit such rules to the Clerk of the 
House of Representatives and Secretary of the Senate for 
publication in the Congressional Record. 
SEC. 6. STAFF; TRAVEL. 
(a) APPOINTMENT OF STAFF.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Joint Select Committee 
may appoint, prescribe the duties and responsibil-
ities of, and fix the pay of such personnel as the 
chair and vice chair consider appropriate to assist 
the Joint Select Committee in carrying out its du-
ties, except that no individual appointed under this 
authority may receive pay at a rate greater than the 
highest annual rate of pay which may be paid under 
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level V of the Executive Schedule under section 5316 
of title 5, United States Code. 
(2) ALLOCATION OF APPOINTMENTS.—Of the 
full-time equivalent personnel positions appointed 
under this subsection— 
(A) 50 percent shall be appointed by the 
chair (with the concurrence of the vice chair); 
and 
(B) 50 percent shall be appointed by the 
vice chair (with the concurrence of the chair). 
(3) DETAIL OF FEDERAL EMPLOYEES.—Upon 
the joint request of the chair and vice chair, the 
head of any Federal agency or of any office in the 
legislative branch is authorized to detail, without re-
imbursement, any of the personnel of such agency or 
office to the Joint Select Committee to assist the 
Joint Select Committee in carrying out its duties. 
(b) REIMBURSEMENT OF TRAVEL EXPENSES.—Sub-
ject to the rules adopted by the Joint Select Committee 
pursuant to section 5(d), the chair and vice chair may re-
imburse members and staff of the Joint Select Committee 
for travel, subsistence, and other necessary expenses in-
curred in the performance of their duties and responsibil-
ities for the Joint Select Committee, other than expenses 
in connection with any meeting of the Joint Select Com-
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mittee, or any subcommittee thereof, held in the District 
of Columbia. 
SEC. 7. FUNDING. 
(a) VOUCHERS.—Payments for expenses of the Joint 
Select Committee shall be made using vouchers authorized 
by the Joint Select Committee, signed by the chair and 
vice chair of the Joint Select Committee, and approved 
in a manner directed by the Committee on Rules and Ad-
ministration of the Senate and the Committee on House 
Administration of the House of Representatives. 
(b) SOURCE OF FUNDS.—There are authorized to be 
appropriated not more than $7,000,000 for the operation 
of the Joint Select Committee, of which— 
(1) 50 percent shall be derived from the appli-
cable accounts of the House of Representatives; and 
(2) 50 percent shall be derived from the contin-
gent fund of the Senate. 
SEC. 8. TERMINATION. 
(a) TERMINATION DATE.—The Joint Select Com-
mittee shall terminate 30 days after filing the report re-
quired under section 3 or upon the expiration of the 1- 
year period which begins on the date of the adoption of 
this resolution, whichever occurs earlier. 
(b) TRANSFER OF RECORDS.—Upon termination of 
the Joint Select Committee, the records of the Joint Select 
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Committee shall be transferred jointly to, and held jointly 
by, the Clerk of the House of Representatives and Sec-
retary of the Senate. 
Æ 
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