I
103D CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H. R. 4725
To establish a Presidential Commission on Telemedicine.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
JULY 12, 1994
Mrs. SCHROEDER introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Energy and Commerce
A BILL
To establish a Presidential Commission on Telemedicine.
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 on Telemedicine Act’’.
SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT.
There is established a commission to be known as the
Presidential Commission on Telemedicine (in this Act re-
ferred to as the ‘‘Commission’’).
SEC. 3. DUTIES.
The Commission shall carry out the following duties:
technologies in the delivery of health care might be
improved.
(4) Analyze any obstacles that may impede such
technologies from being widely used and accepted by
health care providers in the United States.
(5) Develop a model definition of the term
‘‘telemedicine’’ that may be used by health care pro-
viders, persons that provide payment for health care
services, and other participants in the health care
system.
SEC. 4. MEMBERSHIP.
(a) NUMBER AND APPOINTMENT.—The Commission
shall be composed of 31 members. The Commission shall
consist of the following members:
(1) The Vice President of the United States or
such individual’s delegate.
(2) The Secretary of Defense or such individ-
ual’s delegate.
(3) The Secretary of Commerce or such individ-
ual’s delegate.
(4) The Secretary of Health and Human Serv-
ices or such individual’s delegate.
(5) The Secretary of Energy or such individ-
ual’s delegate.
(6) 26 individuals appointed by the President
from among individuals who are consumers of health
care services or are distinguished in the field of bio-
medical engineering, computer science, telecommuni-
cations, medicine, nursing, health care law, adminis-
tration of health care, health education, or business.
(b) TERMS.—Each member shall be appointed for the
life of the Commission.
(c) VACANCIES.—A vacancy in the Commission shall
be filled not later than 30 days after the date of the cre-
ation of the vacancy in the manner in which the original
appointment was made.
(d) COMPENSATION.—
(1) RATES
OF
PAY.—Except as provided in
paragraph (2), members of the Commission shall
serve without pay.
(2) TRAVEL EXPENSES.—Each member of the
Commission shall receive travel expenses, including
per diem in lieu of subsistence, in accordance with
sections 5702 and 5703 of title 5, United States
Code.
(e) QUORUM.—16 members of the Commission shall
constitute a quorum, but a lesser number may hold hear-
ings, take testimony, or receive evidence.
(f) CHAIRPERSON.—The Vice President (or such in-
dividual’s delegate) shall be the chairperson of the Com-
mission.
(g) MEETINGS.—The Commission shall meet at the
call of the chairperson of the Commission or a majority
of its members.
SEC. 5. STAFF AND SUPPORT SERVICES.
(a) DIRECTOR.—The Commission shall have a direc-
tor appointed by the Commission and paid at a rate not
to exceed the minimum rate of basic pay payable for GS–
13 of the General Schedule.
(b) STAFF.—The Commission may appoint and fix
the pay of additional personnel as it considers appropriate,
except that an individual so appointed may not receive pay
in excess of the maximum rate of basic pay payable for
GS–11 of the General Schedule.
(c) APPLICABILITY
OF CERTAIN CIVIL SERVICE
LAWS.—The director and staff of the Commission may be
appointed without regard to the provisions of title 5,
United States Code, governing appointments in the com-
petitive service, and may be paid without regard to the
provisions of chapter 51 and subchapter III of chapter 53
of that title relating to classification and General Schedule
pay rates, except as provided in subsections (a) and (b).
(d) STAFF OF FEDERAL AGENCIES.—Upon request
of the Commission, the head of any Federal agency may
detail, on a nonreimbursable basis, any of the personnel
of the agency to the Commission to assist it in carrying
out its duties under this Act.
(e) EXPERTS AND CONSULTANTS.—The Commission
may procure temporary and intermittent services under
section 3109(b) of title 5, United States Code, but at rates
for individuals not to exceed the daily equivalent of the
minimum annual rate of basic pay payable for GS–13 of
the General Schedule.
(f) ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT SERVICES.—The Ad-
ministrator of General Services shall provide to the Com-
mission on a reimbursable basis such administrative sup-
port services necessary for the Commission to carry out
its responsibilities under this Act.
SEC. 6. POWERS.
(a) HEARINGS
AND SESSIONS.—The Commission
may, for the purpose of carrying out this Act, hold hear-
ings, sit and act at times and places, take testimony, and
receive evidence as the Commission considers appropriate.
The Commission may administer oaths or affirmations to
witnesses appearing before it.
(b) DELEGATION OF AUTHORITY.—Any member or
agent of the Commission may, if authorized by the Com-
mission, take any action that the Commission is author-
ized to take by this section.
(c) INFORMATION.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Commission may secure
directly from any Federal agency information nec-
essary to enable it to carry out this Act. Upon re-
quest of the Commission, the head of the Federal
agency shall furnish the information to the Commis-
sion.
(2) EXCEPTION.—Paragraph (1) shall not
apply to any information that the Commission is
prohibited to secure or request by another law.
(d) MAILS.—The Commission may use the United
States mails in the same manner and under the same con-
ditions as other Federal agencies.
(e) CONTRACT AUTHORITY.—The Commission may
contract with and compensate government and private
agencies or persons for supplies or services without regard
to section 3709 of the Revised Statutes (41 U.S.C. 5).
SEC. 7. REPORT.
Not later than the expiration of the 1-year period be-
ginning on the date of the appointment of the last member
of the Commission to be appointed under section 4(a), the
Commission shall submit to the President and the Con-