I 
116TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 3385 
To provide for the establishment of a Commission on the Advancement of 
Social Enterprise, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JUNE 20, 2019 
Mr. CICILLINE introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Oversight and Reform 
A BILL 
To provide for the establishment of a Commission on the 
Advancement of Social Enterprise, 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. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Social Enterprise Eco-
system and Economic Development Commission Act of 
2019’’ or as the ‘‘SEEED Commission Act of 2019’’. 
SEC. 2. COMMISSION ON THE ADVANCEMENT OF SOCIAL 
ENTERPRISE. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is established a com-
mission to be known as the Commission on the Advance-
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ment of Social Enterprise (referred to in this section as 
the ‘‘Commission’’). The purpose of the Commission is to 
examine and make recommendations with respect to ways 
the Federal Government can support and utilize the trans-
formative power of social enterprises. 
(b) FEDERAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE ACT.—The 
Federal Advisory Committee Act does not apply to the 
Commission established under this section. 
(c) MEMBERSHIP.—The membership of the Commis-
sion shall be composed of the following or their designees: 
(1) The Administrator of the Small Business 
Administration. 
(2) The Administrator of the Economic Devel-
opment Administration. 
(3) The Assistant to the President for Domestic 
Policy. 
(4) The Commissioner of Internal Revenue. 
(5) The Secretary of Labor. 
(6) The Director of the National Economic 
Council. 
(7) The Chair of the Council of Economic Advi-
sors. 
(8) The Secretary of the Treasury. 
(9) The Secretary of Commerce. 
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(10) The Secretary of Housing and Urban De-
velopment. 
(d) OPERATION.— 
(1) CHAIRPERSON.—The Director of the Do-
mestic Policy Council shall serve as the Chairperson 
of the Commission. 
(2) MEETINGS.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—The Commission shall 
meet at the call of the Chairperson. 
(B) INITIAL MEETING.—The initial meet-
ing shall take place not later than 30 days after 
the date of enactment of this Act. 
(3) QUORUM.—A majority of the members of 
the Commission shall constitute a quorum, but a 
lesser number of members may hold hearings. 
(4) RULES.—The Commission may establish, by 
majority vote, any rules for the conduct of Commis-
sion business, in accordance with this Act and other 
applicable law. 
(e) DUTIES.— 
(1) DEFINING SOCIAL ENTERPRISE.—Not later 
than 1 year after the initial meeting of the Commis-
sion, the Commission shall establish criteria for 
identifying social enterprises for purposes of Federal 
programs. The Commission will draw upon existing 
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leading research and scholarship in this area as well 
as the input of practitioners and policy experts with-
in the social enterprise field. 
(2) STUDY ACTIVITIES.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—The Commission shall 
identify opportunities for the Federal Govern-
ment to more effectively engage social enter-
prises in creating jobs and strengthening local 
economies while achieving optimal outcomes in 
addressing policy challenges at the national, 
State, and local level. The Commission shall re-
ceive and consider reports and testimony from 
individuals, government departments, State and 
local elected officials, community-based organi-
zations, nonprofit organizations, faith-based or-
ganizations, foundations, and other public and 
private organizations statewide and of national 
significance on the following: 
(i) How social enterprise can accel-
erate progress on social issues. 
(ii) How social enterprises work in a 
cross-sector manner. 
(iii) How social enterprise can ad-
vance social and economic development 
goals. 
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(vii) How to reform the Internal Rev-
enue Code to reduce obstacles that social 
enterprises face when addressing social 
issues and creating economic value through 
innovative methods. 
(viii) How to reform Federal securi-
ties laws to encourage impact investing. 
(ix) How the Federal Government can 
leverage existing Community Development 
Financial Institutions programs. 
(x) How various sectors (including but 
not limited to philanthropic, for-profit, and 
nonprofit sectors) and levels of government 
currently interact with social enterprises. 
(xi) Review of the current process 
through which social enterprises—both for- 
profit and nonprofit organizations—can 
obtain Federal loans, grants, and contracts 
and offer recommendations for improving 
these processes in light of the special needs 
and contributions of social enterprises. 
(xii) Review of the current process, 
policies, and procedures through which so-
cial enterprises—both for-profit and non-
profit organizations—can access Federal 
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contracting opportunities and offer rec-
ommendations for improving the access of 
social enterprises to Federal procurement 
opportunities. 
(xiii) How the Federal Government 
can play a role in developing a purchasing 
directory of social enterprises within the 
United States that can be supported by 
citizens, businesses, and government. 
(xiv) Opportunities for the Federal 
Government to develop and expand re-
search and the collection and analysis of 
longitudinal data on social enterprises. 
(xv) Barriers to social enterprise 
growth. 
(xvi) Opportunities for the develop-
ment of an entity or initiative to support 
intermediaries that will promote and invest 
in social enterprise. 
(xvii) Identification of the appropriate 
entity within the Federal Government that 
shall be charged with the responsibility of 
preparing an annual report to Congress on 
the impact of social enterprises in the 
United States and the extent to which the 
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Federal Government interacts with, sup-
ports, and invests in social enterprises. 
And, where appropriate, this entity shall 
monitor and update the areas of study list-
ed in this subparagraph. 
(f) POWERS OF THE COMMISSION.— 
(1) HEARINGS.—The Commission may hold 
such hearings and collect such information as appro-
priate for carrying out this section. 
(2) INFORMATION.—Except as otherwise pro-
hibited by law, the Commission may secure directly 
from any Federal department or agency information 
the Commission considers necessary to carry out this 
section. Upon the request of the Commission, the 
head of the any Federal agency shall furnish infor-
mation requested under this paragraph to the Com-
mission. 
(3) CONTRACT AUTHORITY.—The Commission 
may enter into contracts for research to inform the 
deliberations of the Commission. 
(4) MAILS.—The Commission may use the 
United States mails in the same manner and under 
the same conditions as other agencies of the Federal 
Government. 
(g) COMMISSION PERSONNEL MATTERS.— 
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(1) DETAIL OF FEDERAL EMPLOYEES.—On the 
affirmative vote of 2⁄3 of the members of the Com-
mission and the approval of the appropriate Federal 
agency head, an employee of the Federal Govern-
ment at GS–13 level or higher may be detailed to 
the Commission without reimbursement, and such 
detail shall be without interruption or loss of civil 
service status, benefits, or privileges. 
(2) STAFF.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.— 
(i) APPOINTMENT
AND
COMPENSA-
TION.—The chairperson, in accordance 
with rules agreed upon by the Commission, 
may appoint and fix the compensation of a 
staff director and such other personnel as 
may be necessary to enable the Commis-
sion to carry out its functions, without re-
gard to the provisions of title 5, United 
States Code, governing appointments in 
the competitive service, and without regard 
to the provisions of chapter 51 and sub-
chapter III of chapter 53 of such title re-
lating to classification and General Sched-
ule pay rates, except that no rate of pay 
fixed under this subsection may exceed the 
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equivalent of that payable for a position at 
Level V of the Executive Schedule under 
section 5316 of title 5, United States 
Code. 
(ii) PERSONNEL
AS
FEDERAL
EM-
PLOYEES.— 
(I) IN GENERAL.—Any personnel 
of the Commission who are employees 
shall be employees under section 2105 
of title 5, United States Code, for 
purposes of chapters 63, 81, 83, 84, 
85, 87, 89, and 90 of that title. 
(II) MEMBERS OF THE COMMIS-
SION.—Subparagraph (I) shall not be 
construed to apply to members of the 
Commission. 
(B) 
VOLUNTEER
SERVICES.—Notwith-
standing section 1342 of title 31, United States 
Code, the Commission may accept and use vol-
untary and uncompensated services as the Com-
mission determines necessary. 
(h) CONTRACTS FOR RESEARCH.— 
(1) RESEARCHERS AND EXPERTS.—On an af-
firmative vote of 2⁄3 of the members of the Commis-
sion, the Commission may select nongovernmental 
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researchers and experts to assist the Commission in 
carrying out the duties of the Commission under this 
section. 
(2) OTHER ORGANIZATIONS.—Nothing in this 
subsection limits the ability of the Commission to 
enter into contracts with any other entity or organi-
zation to carry out research necessary to carry out 
the duties of the Commission under this section. 
(i) REPORT.—Not later than 1 year after the Com-
mission establishes criteria by which to identify social en-
terprise, the Commission shall submit to the President and 
Congress a report on the Commission’s findings, conclu-
sions, and recommendations. The report shall identify the 
Federal programs recommended and shall include— 
(1) reports on all matters studied as described 
in subsection (e); and 
(2) how existing Federal Government programs 
can be expanded to take advantage of the social and 
economic benefits of social enterprises. 
(j) TERMINATION.—The Commission shall terminate 
90 days after the date on which the Commission submits 
the report of the Commission under subsection (i). 
Æ 
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