I
105TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 3031
To establish the Bill Emerson and Mickey Leland memorial fellowship
programs, and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
NOVEMBER 12, 1997
Mr. HALL of Ohio (for himself, Mrs. EMERSON, Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas,
and Mr. WOLF) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Agriculture, and in addition to the Committee on Inter-
national Relations, for a period to be subsequently determined by the
Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within
the jurisdiction of the committee concerned
A BILL
To establish the Bill Emerson and Mickey Leland memorial
fellowship programs, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; FINDINGS.
(a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the
‘‘Congressional Hunger Fellows Act of 1997’’.
(b) FINDINGS.—The Congress finds as follows:
(1) There is a critical need for compassionate
individuals who are committed to assisting people
who suffer from hunger as well as a need for such
individuals to initiate and administer solutions to the
hunger problem.
(2) Bill Emerson, the distinguished late Rep-
resentative from the 8th District of Missouri, dem-
onstrated his commitment to solving the problem of
hunger in a bipartisan manner, his commitment to
public service, and his great affection for the institu-
tion and the ideals of the United States Congress.
(3) George T. (Mickey) Leland, the distin-
guished late Representative from the 18th District
of Texas, demonstrated his compassion for those in
need, his high regard for public service, and his live-
ly exercise of political talents.
(4) The special concern that Mr. Emerson and
Mr. Leland demonstrated during their lives for the
hungry and poor was an inspiration for others to
work toward the goals of equality and justice for all.
(5) These two outstanding leaders maintained a
special bond of friendship regardless of political af-
filiation and worked together to encourage future
leaders to recognize and provide service to others,
and therefore it is especially appropriate to honor
the memory of Mr. Emerson and Mr. Leland by cre-
ating a fellowship program to develop and train the
future leaders of the United States to pursue careers
in humanitarian service.
SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT; BOARD OF TRUSTEES.
(a) IN GENERAL.—There is established as an inde-
pendent entity of the executive branch of the United
States Government, the Congressional Hunger Fellows
Program (hereinafter in this Act referred to as the ‘‘Pro-
gram’’).
(b) BOARD OF TRUSTEES.—The Program shall be
subject to the supervision and direction of a Board of
Trustees.
(1) APPOINTMENT.—The Board shall be com-
posed of 7 voting members appointed under sub-
paragraph (A) and 1 nonvoting ex officio member
designated in subparagraph (B) as follows:
(A) VOTING MEMBERS.—(i) The President
in consultation with the Speaker of the House
of Representatives and the minority leader,
shall appoint 4 members.
(ii) The President in consultation with the
majority leader and the minority leader of the
Senate shall appoint 2 members.
(iii) The President in consultation with the
Secretary of Agriculture shall appoint 1 mem-
ber.
(B) NONVOTING MEMBER.—The Executive
Director of the Program shall serve as a non-
voting ex officio member.
(2) TERMS.—Members of the Board shall serve
a term of 4 years.
(3) VACANCY.—
(A) AUTHORITY OF BOARD.—A vacancy in
the membership of the Board does not affect
the power of the remaining members to carry
out this Act.
(B) APPOINTMENT
OF
SUCCESSORS.—A
vacancy in the membership of the Board shall
be filled in the manner in which the original ap-
pointment was made.
(C) INCOMPLETE TERM.—If a member of
the Board does not serve the full term applica-
ble to the member, the individual appointed to
fill the resulting vacancy shall be appointed for
the remainder of the term of the predecessor of
the individual.
(4) CHAIRPERSON.—As the first order of busi-
ness of the first meeting of the Board, the members
shall elect a Chairperson.
(5) COMPENSATION.—
(A) IN
GENERAL.—Subject to subpara-
graph (B), members of the Board may not re-
ceive compensation for service on the Board.
(B) TRAVEL.—Members of the Board may
be reimbursed for travel, subsistence, and other
necessary expenses incurred in carrying out the
duties of the Program.
SEC. 3. PURPOSES; AUTHORITY OF PROGRAM.
(a) PURPOSES.—The purposes of the Program are—
(1) to encourage future leaders of the United
States—
(A) to pursue careers in humanitarian
service;
(B) to recognize the needs of people who
are hungry and poor; and
(C) to provide assistance and compassion
for those in need;
(2) to increase awareness of the importance of
public service; and
(3) to provide training and development oppor-
tunities for such leaders.
(b) AUTHORITY.—The Program is authorized to de-
velop such fellowships, activities, and services to carry out
the purposes of this Act, including the fellowships de-
scribed in subsection (c).
(c) FELLOWSHIPS.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Program shall establish
and develop the following fellowships:
(A) The Bill Emerson Hunger Fellowship
shall address domestic hunger and other hu-
manitarian needs.
(B) The Mickey Leland Hunger Fellowship
shall address international hunger and other
humanitarian needs.
(2) CURRICULUM.—The fellowships established
under paragraph (1) shall provide education and
training to develop the skills and understanding of
the fellows necessary to improve the humanitarian
conditions and the lives of individuals who suffer
from hunger, including—
(A) training in direct service to the hungry
in conjunction with community based organiza-
tions through a program of field placement; and
(B) experience in policy development
through placement in a governmental entity or
nonprofit organization.
(3) EVALUATION.—The Program shall from
time to time conduct an evaluation of the fellowships
under this Act.
SEC. 4. TERMS OF FELLOWSHIPS.
(a) PERIOD OF FELLOWSHIP.—An applicant selected
under subsection (b) shall be awarded a fellowship for a
period not to exceed 12 months.
(b) SELECTION OF FELLOWS.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—A fellowship shall be award-
ed pursuant to a nationwide competition established
by the Executive Director with the approval of a ma-
jority of the Board. The Executive Director shall es-
tablish the procedure for the competition process.
(2) QUALIFICATION.—A successful applicant
shall be an individual who has demonstrated—
(A) a desire to pursue a career in humani-
tarian service; and
(B) outstanding potential for such a ca-
reer.
(3) AMOUNT OF AWARD.—The Board shall de-
termine the amount of an educational award and liv-
ing allowance that a successful applicant will receive
under a fellowship.
(4) RECOGNITION OF FELLOWSHIP RECEIPT.—
(A) A recipient of a fellowship from the
Bill Emerson Hunger Fellowship shall be
known as an ‘‘Emerson Fellow’’.
(B) A recipient of a fellowship from the
Mickey Leland Hunger Fellowship shall be
known as a ‘‘Leland Fellow’’.
SEC. 5. TRUST FUND.
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is established the Con-
gressional Hunger Fellows Trust Fund (hereinafter in this
Act referred to as the ‘‘Fund’’) in the Treasury of the
United States, consisting of amounts appropriated to the
Fund under section 8(a), amounts credited to it under
subsection (c), and amounts received under section
7(c)(2).
(b) INVESTMENT OF FUNDS.—The Secretary of the
Treasury shall invest the full amount of the Fund. Each
investment shall be made in an interest bearing obligation
of the United States or an obligation guaranteed as to
principal and interest by the United States that, as deter-
mined by the Secretary in consultation with the Board,
has a maturity suitable for the Fund.
(c) RETURN ON INVESTMENT.—Except as provided
in section 6(a), the Secretary of the Treasury shall credit
to the Fund the interest on, and the proceeds from sale
or redemption of, obligations held in the Fund.
SEC. 6. EXPENDITURES; AUDIT.
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of the Treasury
shall transfer to the Program from the amounts described
in section 5(c) and section 7(c)(2) such sums as the Board
determines are necessary to enable the Program to carry
out the provisions of this Act.
(b) LIMITATION.—The Secretary may not transfer to
the Program the amounts appropriated to the Fund under
section 8(a).
(c) AUDIT BY GAO.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Comptroller General of
the United States shall conduct an annual audit of
the accounts of the Program.
(2) BOOKS.—The Program shall make available
to the Comptroller General all books, accounts, fi-
nancial records, reports, files, and all other papers,
things, or property belonging to or in use by the
Program and necessary to facilitate such audit.
(3) REPORT TO CONGRESS.—The Comptroller
General shall submit a copy of the results of each
such audit to the Congress.
SEC. 7. STAFF; POWERS OF PROGRAM.
(a) EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Board shall appoint an
Executive Director of the Program who shall be a
nonvoting member of the Board and who shall ad-
minister the Program. The Executive Director shall
carry out such other functions consistent with the
provisions of this Act as the Board shall prescribe.
(2) RESTRICTION.—The Executive Director
may not serve as Chairperson of the Board.
(3) COMPENSATION.—The Executive Director
shall be paid at a rate not to exceed the rate of basic
pay payable for level GS–15 of the General Sched-
ule.
(b) STAFF.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—With the approval of a ma-
jority of the Board, the Executive Director may ap-
point and fix the pay of additional personnel as the
Executive Director considers necessary and appro-
priate to carry out the functions of the provisions of
this Act.
(2) COMPENSATION.—An individual appointed
under paragraph (1) shall be paid at a rate not to
exceed the rate of basic pay payable for level GS–
15 of the General Schedule.
(c) POWERS.—In order to carry out the provisions
of this Act, the Program may perform the following func-
tions:
(1) GIFTS.—The Program may accept, use, and
dispose of gifts, bequests, or devises of services or
property, both real and personal, for the purpose of
aiding or facilitating the work of the Program. Gifts,
bequests, or devises of money and proceeds from
sales of other property received as gifts, bequests, or
devises shall be deposited in the Fund and shall be
available for disbursement upon order of the Board.
(2) EXPERTS
AND
CONSULTANTS.—The Pro-
gram may procure temporary and intermittent serv-
ices under section 3109 of title 5, United States
Code, but at rates for individuals not to exceed the
daily equivalent of the maximum annual rate of
basic pay payable for GS–15 of the General Sched-
ule.
(3) CONTRACT AUTHORITY.—The Program may
contract with and compensate government and pri-
vate agencies or persons without regard to section
3709 of the Revised Statutes (41 U.S.C. 5).
(4) OTHER NECESSARY EXPENDITURES.—The
Program shall make such other expenditures which
the Program considers necessary to carry out the
provisions of this Act.
SEC. 8. TRANSFER OF FUNDS; REPORT.
(a) TRANSFER OF FUNDS.—The Secretary of Agri-
culture shall transfer $20,000,000 from the surplus funds
available under section 32 of the Act of August 24, 1935
(7 U.S.C. 612c).