I 
118TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 5639 
To establish the American Workforce Commission, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
SEPTEMBER 21, 2023 
Mr. JOYCE of Ohio (for himself and Ms. BROWN) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce 
A BILL 
To establish the American Workforce Commission, 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 ‘‘Commission on the 
American Workforce Act’’. 
SEC. 2. AMERICAN WORKFORCE COMMISSION. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is established a com-
mission to be known as the ‘‘American Workforce Com-
mission’’ (in this section referred to as the ‘‘Commis-
sion’’). 
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(b) DUTIES.—The duties of the Commission shall be 
to conduct an examination of the following: 
(1) The possible causes of workforce changes 
during the 10-year period beginning on the date that 
is 10 years prior to the date of the enactment of this 
section, including— 
(A) the COVID–19 pandemic, including— 
(i) related public health and economic 
policy responses to such pandemic; and 
(ii) psychological implications of such 
pandemic that may have altered the career 
trajectories or aspirations of individuals; 
(B) issues predating such pandemic, in-
cluding issues stemming from the financial cri-
sis of 2008–2009; 
(C) changes in— 
(i) the highest level of education that 
individuals attain; and 
(ii) the use of workforce development 
programs offered by employers to develop 
the skills of employees; 
(D) availability of work-from-home policies; 
(E) the rise of the gig economy; 
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(F) the manufacturing industries and labor 
policies of the United States and the People’s 
Republic of China; 
(G) changes in the social value of profes-
sions that do not require an associate or bacca-
laureate degree; 
(H) the impact of globalization and job 
out-sourcing; 
(I) changes in family structures, including 
changes relating to the number of two parent 
households, the number of households in which 
both parents are employed, and the number of 
children per household; and 
(J) any additional changes the Commission 
deems appropriate to examine. 
(2) The impact of workforce changes identified 
pursuant to paragraph (1), including— 
(A) areas within the United States that 
were most impacted by such changes; 
(B) whether any population or group be-
came more vulnerable due to such changes; 
(C) a comparison of the impact of such 
changes on— 
(i) businesses based on size; and 
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(ii) working parents and parents who 
are homemakers; 
(D) changes in the rates of mental illness 
and drug use, including opioid use during the 
10-year period beginning on the date that is 10 
years prior to the date of the enactment of this 
section; and 
(E) the impact on— 
(i) supply chains; 
(ii) quality of products and services; 
(iii) Federal, State, and local tax rev-
enue; 
(iv) formation or closure of busi-
nesses; 
(v) family and individual income and 
wealth; 
(vi) Federal, State, and local work-
force size; 
(vii) readiness of the armed services; 
(viii) economic productivity; 
(ix) manufacturing output; and 
(x) changes to workplace and occupa-
tional safety standards. 
(c) POWERS OF COMMISSION.— 
(1) HEARINGS AND SESSIONS.— 
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(A) IN GENERAL.—The Commission may, 
for the purpose of carrying out this section, 
hold hearings, sit and act at times and places, 
take testimony, and receive evidence as the 
Commission considers appropriate. 
(B) SCHEDULING OF SESSIONS.— 
(i) IN GENERAL.—Hearings and ses-
sions of the Commission shall be scheduled 
by the Chairperson or by a vote of the ma-
jority of members. 
(ii) INITIAL HEARING OR SESSION.— 
The Chairperson shall schedule the initial 
hearing or session to occur not later than 
90 days after the date on which the Chair-
person is appointed pursuant to subsection 
(d)(5)(A). 
(C) CIRCUMSTANCES
OF
HEARINGS
AND 
SESSIONS.— 
(i) IN PERSON HEARINGS AND SES-
SIONS.—Unless 
prohibited 
by 
Federal 
guidelines, hearings and sessions shall be 
conducted by the Commission in person. 
(ii) WITNESS TESTIMONY.—The Com-
mission may request witness testimony in 
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any format the Commission determines ap-
propriate. 
(2) POWERS OF MEMBERS AND AGENTS.—Any 
member or agent of the Commission may, if author-
ized by the Commission, take any action which the 
Commission is authorized to take by this section. 
(3) OBTAINING OFFICIAL DATA.—The Commis-
sion may secure directly from any department or 
agency of the United States information, including 
privacy-protected information, necessary to enable it 
to carry out this Act. Upon request of the Chair-
person or Vice Chairperson of the Commission, the 
head of such department or agency shall furnish 
such information to the Commission. 
(4) GIFTS, BEQUESTS, AND
DEVISES.—The 
Commission may accept, use, and dispose of gifts, 
bequests, or devises of services or property, both real 
and personal, for the purpose of aiding or facili-
tating the work of the Commission. Gifts, bequests, 
or devises of money and proceeds from sales of other 
property received as gifts, bequests, or devises shall 
be deposited in the Treasury and shall be available 
for disbursement upon order of the Chairperson. 
(5) MAILS.—The Commission may use the 
United States mails in the same manner and under 
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the same conditions as other departments and agen-
cies of the United States. 
(6) ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT SERVICES.— 
(A) GENERAL
SERVICES.—Upon the re-
quest of the Commission, the Administrator of 
General Services shall provide to the Commis-
sion, on a reimbursable basis, the administra-
tive support services necessary for the Commis-
sion to carry out its responsibilities under this 
Act. 
(B) ADDITIONAL SUPPORT.—The Commis-
sion may accept additional assistance from any 
department or agency of the United States. 
(7) SUBPOENA POWER.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—The Commission may 
issue subpoenas requiring the attendance and 
testimony of witnesses and the production of 
any evidence relating to any matter which the 
Commission is empowered to investigate by sub-
section (b). 
(B) ISSUANCE
OF
SUBPOENA.—A sub-
poena of a witness or evidence shall be issued 
only upon if agreement is reached that such 
subpoena should be issued by— 
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(i) the Chairperson and Vice Chair-
person; or 
(ii) an affirmative vote of the majority 
of members present and voting. 
(C) FAILURE TO OBEY A SUBPOENA.—If a 
person refuses to obey a subpoena issued under 
subparagraph (A), the Commission may apply 
to a United States district court for an order 
requiring that person to appear before the Com-
mission to give testimony, produce evidence, or 
both, relating to the matter under investigation. 
The application may be made within the judicial 
district where the hearing is conducted or where 
that person is found, resides, or transacts busi-
ness. Any failure to obey the order of the court 
may be punished by the court as civil contempt. 
(D) SERVICE OF SUBPOENAS.—The sub-
poenas of the Commission shall be served in the 
manner provided for subpoenas issued by a 
United States district court under the Federal 
Rules of Civil Procedure for the United States 
district courts. 
(E) SERVICE OF PROCESS.—All process of 
any court to which application is made under 
paragraph (2) may be served in the judicial dis-
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trict in which the person required to be served 
resides or may be found. 
(8) IMMUNITY.—The Commission is an agency 
of the United States for the purpose of part V of 
title 18, United States Code (relating to immunity 
of witnesses). 
(9) CONTRACT AUTHORITY.—The Commission 
may contract with and compensate government and 
private agencies or persons for goods and other serv-
ices. 
(d) MEMBERSHIP.— 
(1) NUMBER AND APPOINTMENT.—The Com-
mission shall be composed of 12 members, of 
whom— 
(A) three members shall be appointed by 
the majority leader of the House of Representa-
tives; 
(B) three members shall be appointed by 
the minority leader of the House of Representa-
tives; 
(C) three members shall be appointed by 
the majority leader of the Senate; and 
(D) three members shall be appointed by 
the minority leader of the Senate. 
(2) QUALIFICATIONS.— 
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(A) 
LIMITATION
ON
CONGRESSIONAL 
SERVICE.—An individual appointed to the Com-
mission may not be a former or current Mem-
ber of Congress. 
(B) OTHER
QUALIFICATIONS.—It is the 
sense of Congress that individuals appointed to 
the Commission should have national recogni-
tion and significant depth of experience in at 
least one of the following areas: 
(i) Economics. 
(ii) Human resources. 
(iii) Industry. 
(iv) Labor organization. 
(v) Political science. 
(vi) Public policy. 
(vii) Any other area related to the na-
tional workforce. 
(3) TERMS.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—Each member shall be 
appointed not later than 60 days after the date 
of the enactment of this section and for the life 
of the Commission. 
(B) VACANCIES.—A vacancy on the Com-
mission shall be filled in the same manner in 
which the original appointment was made. 
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(4) BASIC PAY.— 
(A) RATES OF PAY.—Members shall each 
be paid at a rate equal to the rate of basic pay 
for level IV of the Executive Schedule for each 
day (including travel time) during which they 
are engaged in the actual performance of duties 
vested in the Commission. 
(B) PROHIBITION ON COMPENSATION OF 
FEDERAL EMPLOYEES.—Members of the Com-
mission who are full-time officers or employees 
of the United States may not receive additional 
pay, allowances, or benefits by reason of their 
service on the Commission. 
(C) TRAVEL
EXPENSES.—Each member 
shall receive travel expenses, including per diem 
in lieu of subsistence, in accordance with appli-
cable provisions under subchapter I of chapter 
57 of title 5, United States Code. 
(5) CHAIRPERSON; VICE
CHAIRPERSON.—Not 
later than 30 days after the date on which the final 
member of the Commission is appointed the— 
(A) Chairperson shall be designated by the 
majority leader of the House of Representa-
tives; and 
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(B) Vice Chairperson shall be designated 
by the leader of the party within the Senate 
that is different from the majority leader of the 
House of Representatives. 
(e) QUORUM.—Seven members of the Commission 
shall constitute a quorum. 
(f) STAFF OF COMMISSION.— 
(1) DIRECTOR.—The Commission shall have a 
Director who shall be appointed by the Chairperson 
and Vice Chairperson. 
(2) STAFF.—The Chairperson and the Vice 
Chairperson may appoint additional staff as the 
Chairperson and Vice Chairperson consider appro-
priate. 
(3) 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 appoint-
ments in the competitive 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 
that an individual so appointed may not receive pay 
in excess of the annual rate of basic pay for level V 
of the Executive Schedule. 
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(4) EXPERTS AND CONSULTANTS.—The Com-
mission may procure temporary and intermittent 
services under section 3109(b) of title 5, United 
States Code, but at rates for individuals not to ex-
ceed the daily equivalent of the maximum annual 
rate of basic pay for IV of the Executive Schedule. 
(g) NONAPPLICABILITY
OF
FEDERAL
ADVISORY 
COMMISSION ACT.—The Federal Advisory Committee Act 
(5 U.S.C. App.) shall not apply to the Commission. 
(h) REPORTS; BRIEFING; TERMINATION.— 
(1) REPORTS.— 
(A) INTERIM REPORT.—Not later than 4 
months after the date of the initial meeting of 
the Commission, the Chairperson shall submit 
to the President and the Congress an interim 
report that includes a detailed summary of the 
work of the Commission and any preliminary 
findings. 
(B) FINAL
REPORT.—Not later than 1 
year after the date of the initial meeting of the 
Commission, the Chairperson shall submit to 
the President and the Congress a final report 
that includes— 
(i) a detailed statement of the find-
ings and conclusions of the Commission; 
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(ii) dissenting opinions of any member 
who does not support the findings and con-
clusions referred to in clause (i); and 
(iii) any recommendations for legisla-
tive and administrative actions to address 
workforce shortages. 
(C) PUBLICATION.— 
(i) IN GENERAL.—Not more than 7 
days after the date on which a report 
under this section is submitted to Con-
gress, the Chairperson shall publish such 
report on the website of the Commission 
and the Federal Register. 
(ii) 
PRIVACY-PROTECTED
DATA.— 
When publishing the final report required 
under clause (i), the Chairperson shall re-
move any personally identifiable informa-
tion included in such report. 
(2) BRIEFING.—Not later than 120 days after 
the date on which the Chairperson submits the final 
report pursuant to subsection (b), the Chairperson 
shall brief Congress on such report. 
(3) TERMINATION.—The Commission, and all 
the authorities of this section, shall terminate upon 
the expiration of the 60-day period which begins on 
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the date on which the Commission submits the final 
report under paragraph (1)(B). 
Æ 
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