I
105TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 185
To establish a commission to study employment and economic insecurity
in the workforce in the United States.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
JANUARY 7, 1997
Mr. HASTINGS of Florida introduced the following bill; which was referred to
the Committee on Education and the Workforce
A BILL
To establish a commission to study employment and
economic insecurity in the workforce in the United States.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Presidential Commis-
sion to Study Employment and Economic Insecurity in the
American Workforce Act’’.
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SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF COMMISSION.
There is established a commission to be known as the
Presidential Commission to Study Employment and Eco-
nomic Insecurity in the American Workforce (in this Act
referred to as the ‘‘Commission’’).
SEC. 3. DUTIES OF COMMISSION.
The Commission shall—
(1) examine the issues of economic and psycho-
logical insecurity of members of the workforce in the
United States caused by employment dislocation;
(2) examine the relationship between psycho-
logical stress caused by employment insecurity and
economic insecurity, and increased violence by em-
ployees and former employees in the workplace;
(3) examine the economic and psychological ef-
fects of the decreasing number of well-paid jobs on
members of the workforce in the United States; and
(4) recommend potential solutions, including
recommendations for legislation and administrative
action, to alleviate the problems of economic and
psychological insecurity of members of the workforce
in the United States.
SEC. 4. MEMBERSHIP OF COMMISSION.
(a) NUMBER AND APPOINTMENT.—The Commission
shall be composed of 17 members (in this Act referred to
as the ‘‘members’’) who shall be appointed as follows:
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(1) 9 individuals appointed by the President.
(2) 2 individuals appointed by the Majority
Leader of the House of Representatives.
(3) 2 individuals appointed by the Minority
Leader of the House of Representatives.
(4) 2 individuals appointed by the Majority
Leader of the Senate.
(5) 2 individuals appointed by the Minority
Leader of the Senate.
(b) QUALIFICATIONS.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—Members shall be experts in
the subjects of labor and employment.
(2) POLITICAL
AFFILIATION.—Political affili-
ation shall not be a determining factor in the ap-
pointment of members.
(c) DEADLINE FOR APPOINTMENT.—Every original
member shall be appointed to the Commission within 3
months after the date of the enactment of this Act.
(d) TERMS.—Each member shall be appointed for the
life of the Commission.
(e) BASIC PAY.—Members shall not be paid by rea-
son of their service as members.
(f) TRAVEL EXPENSES.—Each member shall receive
travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence,
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in accordance with sections 5702 and 5703 of title 5,
United States Code.
(g) QUORUM.—9 members shall constitute a quorum
for conducting the business of the Commission, but a less-
er number may hold hearings.
(h) CHAIRPERSON.—The members shall elect 1 mem-
ber to act as the Chairperson of the Commission (in this
Act referred to as the ‘‘Chairperson’’).
(i) MEETINGS.—The Commission shall meet at the
call of the Chairperson.
SEC. 5. STAFF OF COMMISSION.
(a) STAFF.—The Chairperson may appoint and fix
the pay of Commission personnel as the Chairperson con-
siders appropriate.
(b) APPLICABILITY
OF CERTAIN CIVIL SERVICE
LAWS.—The staff of the Commission shall be appointed
subject to the provisions of title 5, United States Code,
governing appointments in the competitive service, and
shall be paid in accordance with the provisions of chapter
51 and subchapter III of chapter 53 of such title relating
to classification and General Schedule pay rates.
(c) STAFF OF FEDERAL AGENCIES.—Upon request
of the Chairperson, the head of any Federal department
or agency may detail, on a reimbursable basis, any of the
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personnel of the department or agency to assist the Com-
mission in carrying out the duties of the Commission.
SEC. 6. POWERS OF COMMISSION.
(a) HEARINGS
AND SESSIONS.—The Commission
may hold hearings, sit and act at times and places, take
testimony, and receive evidence as the Commission consid-
ers appropriate to carry out this Act. The Commission
may administer oaths or affirmations to witnesses appear-
ing before the Commission.
(b) POWERS OF MEMBERS AND AGENTS.—The Com-
mission may delegate to a member or agency any authority
of the Commission under this subsection or subsection (e)
or (h).
(c) OBTAINING OFFICIAL DATA.—The Commission
may secure directly from any department or agency of the
United States information necessary to enable the Com-
mission to carry out this Act. Upon request of the Chair-
person, the head of the department or agency shall furnish
the information to the Commission.
(d) MAILS.—The Commission may use the United
States mails in the same manner and under the same con-
ditions as other departments and agencies of the United
States.
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(e) ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT SERVICES.—Upon
the request of the Commission, the Administrator of Gen-
eral Services shall provide to the Commission, on a reim-
bursable basis, the administrative support services nec-
essary for the Commission to carry out its duties.
(f) IMMUNITY.—The Commission is an agency of the
United States for purposes of part V of title 18, United
States Code (relating to immunity of witnesses).
(g) SUBPOENA POWER.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Commission may issue
a subpoena to require the attendance and testimony
of witnesses and the production of evidence relating
to any matter described in section 3.
(2) FAILURE
TO
OBEY
AN
ORDER
OR
SUB-
POENA.—If a person refuses to obey an order or
subpoena of the Commission that is issued in con-
nection with a Commission hearing, the Commission
may apply to the United States district court in the
judicial district in which the hearing is held for an
order requiring the person to comply with the sub-
poena or order.
(h) CONTRACT AUTHORITY.—The Commission may
contract with and compensate government or private agen-
cies or persons for supplies or services, without regard to
section 3709 of the Revised Statutes (41 U.S.C. 5).
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SEC. 7. REPORT OF COMMISSION.
The Commission shall transmit a report to the Presi-
dent and the Congress not later than 1 year after the date
that all original members have been appointed to the Com-
mission. The report shall contain a detailed statement of
the findings, conclusions, and recommendations of the
Commission.
SEC. 8. TERMINATION OF COMMISSION.
The Commission shall terminate 30 days after sub-
mitting the report required by section 7.
SEC. 9. BUDGET ACT COMPLIANCE.
Any spending authority (as defined in subparagraphs
(A) and (C) of section 401(c)(2) of the Congressional
Budget Act of 1974) authorized by this Act shall be effec-
tive only to such extent and in such amounts as are pro-
vided in appropriations Acts.
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