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(3) Paying for a college education now ranks as one
of the most costly investments for American families.
SEC. 202. ESTABLISHMENT OF NATIONAL COMMISSION ON THE
COST OF HIGHER EDUCATION.
There is established a Commission to be known as the
‘‘National Commission on the Cost of Higher Education’’
(hereafter in this Act referred to as the ‘‘Commission’’).
SEC. 203. MEMBERSHIP OF COMMISSION.
(a) APPOINTMENT.—The Commission shall be composed
of 7 members as follows:
(1) Two individuals shall be appointed by the
Speaker of the House.
(2) One individual shall be appointed by the Minor-
ity Leader of the House.
(3) Two individuals shall be appointed by the Ma-
jority Leader of the Senate.
(4) One individual shall be appointed by the Minor-
ity Leader of the Senate.
(5) One individual shall be appointed by the Sec-
retary of Education.
(b) ADDITIONAL QUALIFICATIONS.—Each of the individ-
uals appointed under subsection (a) shall be an individual
with expertise and experience in higher education finance (in-
cluding the financing of State institutions of higher edu-
cation), Federal financial aid programs, education economics
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research, public or private higher education administration,
or business executives who have managed successful cost re-
duction programs.
(c) CHAIRPERSON AND VICE CHAIRPERSON.—The mem-
bers of the Commission shall elect a Chairperson and a Vice
Chairperson. In the absence of the Chairperson, the Vice
Chairperson will assume the duties of the Chairperson.
(d) QUORUM.—A majority of the members of the Com-
mission shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of busi-
ness.
(e) APPOINTMENTS.—All appointments under subsection
(a) shall be made within 30 days after the date of enactment
of this Act. In the event that an officer authorized to make
an appointment under subsection (a) has not made such ap-
pointment within such 30 days, the appointment may be
made for such officer as follows:
(1) The Chairman of the Committee on Education
and the Workforce may act under such subsection for
the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
(2) The Ranking Minority Member of the Commit-
tee on Education and the Workforce may act under such
subsection for the Minority Leader of the House of Rep-
resentatives.
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(3) The Chairman of the Committee on Labor and
Human Resources may act under such subsection for the
Majority Leader of the Senate.
(4) The Ranking Minority Member of the Commit-
tee on Labor and Human Resources may act under such
subsection for the Minority Leader of the Senate.
(f) VOTING.—Each member of the Commission shall be
entitled to one vote, which shall be equal to the vote of every
other member of the Commission.
(g) VACANCIES.—Any vacancy on the Commission shall
not affect its powers, but shall be filled in the manner in
which the original appointment was made.
(h) PROHIBITION
OF ADDITIONAL PAY.—Members of
the Commission shall receive no additional pay, allowances, or
benefits by reason of their service on the Commission. Mem-
bers appointed from among private citizens of the United
States may be allowed travel expenses, including per diem, in
lieu of subsistence, as authorized by law for persons serving
intermittently in the government service to the extent funds
are available for such expenses.
(i) INITIAL MEETING.—The initial meeting of the Com-
mission shall occur within 40 days after the date of enact-
ment of this Act.
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SEC. 204. FUNCTIONS OF COMMISSION.
(a) SPECIFIC FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS.—The
Commission shall study and make findings and specific rec-
ommendations regarding the following:
(1) The increase in tuition compared with other
commodities and services.
(2) Innovative methods of reducing or stabilizing
tuition.
(3) Trends in college and university administrative
costs, including administrative staffing, ratio of adminis-
trative staff to instructors, ratio of administrative staff
to students, remuneration of administrative staff, and
remuneration of college and university presidents or
chancellors.
(4) Trends in (A) faculty workload and remunera-
tion (including the use of adjunct faculty), (B) faculty-
to-student ratios, (C) number of hours spent in the
classroom by faculty, and (D) tenure practices, and the
impact of such trends on tuition.
(5) Trends in (A) the construction and renovation
of academic and other collegiate facilities, and (B) the
modernization of facilities to access and utilize new tech-
nologies, and the impact of such trends on tuition.
(6) The extent to which increases in institutional fi-
nancial aid and tuition discounting have affected tuition
increases, including the demographics of students receiv-
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ing such aid, the extent to which such aid is provided
to students with limited need in order to attract such
students to particular institutions or major fields of
study, and the extent to which Federal financial aid, in-
cluding loan aid, has been used to offset such increases.
(7) The extent to which Federal, State, and local
laws, regulations, or other mandates contribute to in-
creasing tuition, and recommendations on reducing those
mandates.
(8) The establishment of a mechanism for a more
timely and widespread distribution of data on tuition
trends and other costs of operating colleges and univer-
sities.
(9) The extent to which student financial aid pro-
grams have contributed to changes in tuition.
(10) Trends in State fiscal policies that have af-
fected college costs.
(11) The adequacy of existing Federal and State fi-
nancial aid programs in meeting the costs of attending
colleges and universities.
(12) Other related topics determined to be appro-
priate by the Commission.
(b) FINAL REPORT.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—Subject to paragraph (2), the
Commission shall submit to the President and to the
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Congress, not later than 120 days after the date of the
first meeting of the Commission, a report which shall
contain a detailed statement of the findings and conclu-
sions of the Commission, including the Commission’s
recommendations for administrative and legislative ac-
tion that the Commission considers advisable.
(2) MAJORITY VOTE REQUIRED FOR RECOMMENDA-
TIONS.—Any recommendation described in paragraph
(1) shall be made by the Commission to the President
and to the Congress only if such recommendation is
adopted by a majority vote of the members of the Com-
mission who are present and voting.
(3) 
EVALUATION
OF
DIFFERENT
CIR-
CUMSTANCES.—In making any findings under subsection
(a) of this section, the Commission shall take into ac-
count differences between public and private colleges and
universities, the length of the academic program, the size
of the institution’s student population, and the availabil-
ity of the institution’s resources, including the size of the
institution’s endowment.
SEC. 205. POWERS OF COMMISSION.
(a) HEARINGS.—The Commission may, for the purpose
of carrying out this Act, hold such hearings and sit and act
at such times and places, as the Commission may find advis-
able.
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(b) RULES AND REGULATIONS.—The Commission may
adopt such rules and regulations as may be necessary to es-
tablish the Commission’s procedures and to govern the man-
ner of the Commission’s operations, organization, and person-
nel.
(c) ASSISTANCE FROM FEDERAL AGENCIES.—
(1) INFORMATION.—The Commission may request
from the head of any Federal agency or instrumentality
such information as the Commission may require for the
purpose of this Act. Each such agency or instrumentality
shall, to the extent permitted by law and subject to the
exceptions set forth in section 552 of title 5, United
States Code (commonly referred to as the Freedom of
Information Act), furnish such information to the Com-
mission, upon request made by the Chairperson of the
Commission.
(2) FACILITIES AND SERVICES, PERSONNEL DETAIL
AUTHORIZED.—Upon request of the Chairperson of the
Commission, the head of any Federal agency or instru-
mentality shall, to the extent possible and subject to the
discretion of such head—
(A) make any of the facilities and services of
such agency or instrumentality available to the
Commission; and
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(B) detail any of the personnel of such agency
or instrumentality to the Commission, on a non-
reimbursable basis, to assist the Commission in car-
rying out the Commission’s duties under this Act.
(d) MAILS.—The Commission may use the United States
mails in the same manner and under the same conditions as
other Federal agencies.
(e) CONTRACTING.—The Commission, to such extent
and in such amounts as are provided in appropriation Acts,
may enter into contracts with State agencies, private firms,
institutions, and individuals for the purpose of conducting re-
search or surveys necessary to enable the Commission to dis-
charge the Commission’s duties under this Act.
(f) STAFF.—Subject to such rules and regulations as
may be adopted by the Commission, and to such extent and
in such amounts as are provided in appropriation Acts, the
Chairperson of the Commission shall have the power to ap-
point, terminate, and fix the compensation (without regard to
the provisions of title 5, United States Code, governing ap-
pointments in the competitive service, and without regard to
the provisions of chapter 51 and subchapter III of chapter 53
of such title, or of any other provision, or of any other provi-
sion of law, relating to the number, classification, and Gen-
eral Schedule rates) of an Executive Director, and of such
additional staff as the Chairperson deems advisable to assist
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the Commission, at rates not to exceed a rate equal to the
maximum rate for level IV of the Executive Schedule under
section 5332 of such title.
SEC. 206. EXPENSES OF COMMISSION.
There are authorized to be appropriated to pay any ex-
penses of the Commission such sums as may be necessary not
to exceed $650,000. Any sums appropriated for such pur-
poses are authorized to remain available until expended, or
until one year after the termination of the Commission pursu-
ant to section 207, whichever occurs first.
SEC. 207. TERMINATION OF COMMISSION.
The Commission shall cease to exist on the date that is
60 days after the date on which the Commission is required
to submit its final report in accordance with section 204(b).
Attest:
Clerk.