(1) IN GENERAL.—The Commission shall con-
duct a thorough study of all matters relating to com-
bat operations, reconstruction and security force as-
sistance activities, intelligence operations, and diplo-
matic activities of the United States pertaining to 
the Afghanistan during the period beginning Sep-
tember 1, 1996, and ending August 30, 2021. 
(2) MATTERS STUDIED.—The matters studied 
by the Commission shall include— 
(A) for the time period specified under 
paragraph (1)— 
(i) the policy objectives of the United 
States Government, including— 
(I) military objectives; 
(II) diplomatic objectives; 
(III) development objectives; and 
(IV) intelligence objectives; 
(ii) significant decisions made by the 
United States, including the development 
of options presented to policymakers; 
(iii) the efficacy of efforts by the 
United States Government in meeting the 
objectives described in subsection (A), in-
cluding an analysis of— 
(I) military efforts; 
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(II) diplomatic efforts; 
(III) development efforts; and 
(IV) intelligence efforts; and 
(iv) the efficacy of counterterrorism 
efforts against al Qaeda, the Islamic State 
Khorasan Province, and other foreign ter-
rorist organizations in degrading the will 
and capabilities of such organizations— 
(I) to mount external attacks 
against the United States mainland or 
its allies and partners; or 
(II) to threaten regional stability 
in Afghanistan and neighboring coun-
tries; 
(B) the efficacy of metrics, measures of ef-
fectiveness, and milestones used to assess 
progress of diplomatic, military, and intelligence 
efforts; 
(C) the efficacy of interagency planning 
and execution process by the United States 
Government; 
(D) factors that led to the collapse of the 
Afghan National Defense Security Forces in 
2021, including— 
(i) training; 
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(ii) assessment methodologies; 
(iii) building indigenous forces on 
western models; 
(iv) reliance on technology and logis-
tics support; and 
(v) reliance on warfighting enablers 
provided by the United States; 
(E) the efficacy of counter-corruption ef-
forts to include linkages to diplomatic lines of 
effort, linkages to foreign and security assist-
ance, and assessment methodologies; 
(F) the efficacy of counter-narcotic efforts 
to include alternative livelihoods, eradication, 
interdiction, and education efforts; 
(G) the role of countries neighboring Af-
ghanistan in contributing to the instability of 
Afghanistan; and 
(H) varying diplomatic approaches between 
Presidential administrations. 
(b) REPORT REQUIRED.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.— 
(A) ANNUAL REPORT.— 
(i) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 1 
year after the date of the initial meeting of 
the Commission, and annually thereafter, 
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the Commission shall submit to the appro-
priate congressional committees a report 
describing the progress of the activities of 
the Commission as of the date of such re-
port, including any findings, recommenda-
tions, or lessons learned endorsed by the 
Commission. 
(ii) ADDENDA.—Any member of the 
Commission may submit an addendum to a 
report required under clause (i) setting 
forth the separate views of such member 
with respect to any matter considered by 
the Commission. 
(iii) BRIEFING.—On the date of the 
submission of the first annual report, the 
Commission shall brief Congress. 
(B) FINAL REPORT.— 
(i) SUBMISSION.—Not later than 3 
years after the date of the initial meeting 
of the Commission, the Commission shall 
submit to Congress a report that contains 
a detailed statement of the findings, rec-
ommendations, and lessons learned en-
dorsed by the Commission. 
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(ii) ADDENDA.—Any member of the 
Commission may submit an addendum to 
the report required under clause (i) setting 
forth the separate views of such member 
with respect to any matter considered by 
the Commission. 
(iii) EXTENSION.—The Commission 
may submit the report required under 
clause (i) at a date that is not more than 
1 year later than the date specified in such 
clause if agreed to by the chairperson and 
ranking member of each of the appropriate 
congressional committees. 
(2) FORM.—The report required by subsection 
(a)(2) shall be submitted and publicly released on a 
Government website in unclassified form but may 
contain a classified annex. 
(3) SUBSEQUENT REPORTS ON DECLASSIFICA-
TION.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 4 years 
after the date that the report required by para-
graph (1)(B) is submitted, each relevant agency 
of jurisdiction shall submit to the committee of 
jurisdiction a report on the efforts of such 
agency to declassify such annex. 
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(B) CONTENTS.—Each report required by 
subparagraph (A) shall include— 
(i) a list of the items in the classified 
annex that the agency is working to declas-
sify at the time of the report and an esti-
mate of the timeline for declassification of 
such items; 
(ii) a broad description of items in the 
annex that the agency is declining to de-
classify at the time of the report; and 
(iii) any justification for withholding 
declassification of certain items in the 
annex and an estimate of the timeline for 
declassification of such items. 
SEC. 6. POWERS OF COMMISSION. 
(a) HEARINGS.—The Commission may hold such 
hearings, take such testimony, and receive such evidence 
as the Commission considers necessary to carry out its 
purpose and functions under this Act. 
(b) ASSISTANCE FROM FEDERAL AGENCIES.— 
(1) INFORMATION.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—The Commission may 
secure directly from a Federal department or 
agency such information as the Commission 
considers necessary to carry out this Act. 
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(B) FURNISHING
INFORMATION.—Upon 
receipt of a written request by the Co-Chair-
persons of the Commission, the head of the de-
partment or agency shall expeditiously furnish 
the information to the Commission. 
(2) SPACE FOR COMMISSION.—Not later than 
30 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, 
the Administrator of General Services, in consulta-
tion with the Commission, shall identify and make 
available suitable excess space within the Federal 
space inventory to house the operations of the Com-
mission. If the Administrator of General Services is 
not able to make such suitable excess space available 
within such 30-day period, the Commission may 
lease space to the extent that funds are available for 
such purpose. 
(c) POSTAL SERVICES.—The Commission may use 
the United States mails in the same manner and under 
the same conditions as other departments and agencies of 
the Federal Government. 
(d) GIFTS.—The Commission may accept, use, and 
dispose of gifts or donations of services, goods, and prop-
erty from non-Federal entities for the purposes of aiding 
and facilitating the work of the Commission. The author-
ity in this section does not extend to gifts of money. Gifts 
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accepted under this authority shall be documented, and 
conflicts of interest or the appearance of conflicts of inter-
est shall be avoided. Subject to the authority in this Act, 
commissioners shall otherwise comply with rules set forth 
by the Select Committee on Ethics of the Senate and the 
Committee on Ethics of the House of Representatives gov-
erning employees of the Senate and the House of Rep-
resentatives. 
(e) LEGISLATIVE ADVISORY COMMITTEE.—The Com-
mission shall operate as a legislative advisory committee 
and shall not be subject to the provisions of the Federal 
Advisory Committee Act (Public Law 92–463; 5 U.S.C. 
App) or section 552b, United States Code (commonly 
known as the Government in the Sunshine Act). 
SEC. 7. COMMISSION PERSONNEL MATTERS. 
(a) COMPENSATION OF MEMBERS.—A member of the 
Commission who is not an officer or employee of the Fed-
eral Government shall be compensated at a rate equal to 
the daily equivalent of the annual rate of basic pay pre-
scribed for level IV of the Executive Schedule under sec-
tion 5315 of title 5, United States Code, for each day (in-
cluding travel time) during which the member is engaged 
in the performance of the duties of the Commission. 
(b) TRAVEL EXPENSES.—A member of the Commis-
sion shall be allowed travel expenses, including per diem 
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in lieu of subsistence, at rates authorized for employees 
of agencies under subchapter I of chapter 57 of title 5, 
United States Code, while away from their homes or reg-
ular places of business in the performance of services for 
the Commission. 
(c) STAFF.— 
(1) STATUS
AS
FEDERAL
EMPLOYEES.—Not-
withstanding the requirements of section 2105 of 
title 5, United States Code, including the required 
supervision under subsection (a)(3) of such section, 
the members of the commission shall be deemed to 
be Federal employees. 
(2) EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR.—The Commission 
shall appoint and fix the rate of basic pay for an Ex-
ecutive Director in accordance with section 3161(d) 
of title 5, United States Code. 
(3) PAY.—The Executive Director, with the ap-
proval of the Commission, may appoint and fix the 
rate of basic pay for additional personnel as staff of 
the Commission in accordance with section 3161(d) 
of title 5, United States Code. 
(d) DETAIL OF GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES.—A Fed-
eral Government employee may be detailed to the Commis-
sion without reimbursement, and such detail shall be with-
out interruption or loss of civil service status or privilege. 
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(e) PROCUREMENT OF TEMPORARY AND INTERMIT-
TENT SERVICES.—The Co-Chairpersons of the Commis-
sion may procure temporary and intermittent services 
under section 3109(b) of title 5, United States Code, at 
rates for individuals that do not exceed the daily equiva-
lent of the annual rate of basic pay prescribed for level 
V of the Executive Schedule under section 5316 of that 
title. 
SEC. 8. TERMINATION OF COMMISSION. 
The Commission shall terminate 90 days after the 
date on which the Commission submits the report required 
under section 5(b)(1)(B). 
SEC. 9. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Of the funds appropriated to the 
legislative branch, $3,000,000 from the Afghanistan Secu-
rity Forces Fund may be made available to carry out the 
activities of the Commission. 
(b) AVAILABILITY.—Any sums appropriated under 
the authorization contained in this Act shall remain avail-
able, without fiscal year limitation, until the date of the 
termination of the Commission under section 8. 
Æ 
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