SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Commission on Afford-
able Health Care Act of 2008’’. 
SEC. 2. COMMISSION ON AFFORDABLE HEALTH CARE. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT OF COMMISSION.— 
(1) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is established in 
the legislative branch a commission to be known as 
the ‘‘Commission on Affordable Health Care’’ (in 
this section referred to as the ‘‘Commission’’). 
(2) DUTIES.—The Commission shall conduct a 
comprehensive study of potential models for a health 
care system to provide affordable (as determined by 
the Commission) and quality health care to all citi-
zens of the United States and based on such study 
shall make recommendations for implementing such 
a system, including recommendations for the role of 
and relationships between the Federal government, 
State governments, health care providers, and other 
appropriate health care industry entities in providing 
such health care under such a system. 
(3) APPLICABILITY OF CERTAIN ADMINISTRA-
TIVE LAWS.— 
(A) FOIA.—The provisions of section 552 
of title 5, United States Code (commonly re-
ferred to as the ‘‘Freedom of Information 
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Act’’), shall apply to the activities of the Com-
mission under this section. 
(B) FEDERAL RECORDS ACT.—The provi-
sions of title 44, United States Code, shall 
apply to the records, documents, and other pa-
pers of the Commission under this section. 
(b) STRUCTURE AND MEMBERSHIP OF THE COMMIS-
SION.— 
(1) NUMBER AND APPOINTMENT.—The Com-
mission shall be composed of not more than 19 
members and shall include at least the following: 
(A) The Chairman of the Committee on 
Energy and Commerce of the House of Rep-
resentatives. 
(B) The Chairman of the Committee on 
Ways and Means of the House of Representa-
tives. 
(C) The Chairman of the Committee on 
Finance of the Senate. 
(D) The Chairman of the Committee on 
Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the 
Senate. 
(E) One representative for each of the fol-
lowing interested entities: 
(i) Patient advocates. 
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(ii) Hospitals. 
(iii) Physicians. 
(iv) Medical devices. 
(v) Pharmaceutical companies. 
(vi) Nurses. 
(vii) The National Governors Associa-
tion. 
(viii) The Department of Health and 
Human Services. 
(ix) The White House. 
(x) Labor unions. 
(xi) The Chamber of Commerce. 
(xii) Any other appropriate interested 
entity identified by the co-chairmen of the 
Commission. 
(2) CO-CHAIRMEN OF THE COMMISSION.—The 
co-chairmen of the Commission shall include only 
each chairman described in each of subparagraphs 
(A) through (D) of paragraph (1). 
(3) CONTINUATION
OF
MEMBERSHIP.—If a 
member was appointed to the Commission as a 
Member of Congress and the member ceases to be 
a Member of Congress, or was appointed to the 
Commission because the member was not an officer 
or employee of any government and later becomes an 
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officer or employee of a government, that member 
may continue as a member for not longer than the 
60-day period beginning on the date that member 
ceases to be a Member of Congress, or becomes such 
an officer or employee, as the case may be. 
(4) VACANCIES.—Any vacancy in the Commis-
sion shall not affect its powers, and shall be filled 
in the same manner in which the original appoint-
ment was made. 
(5) BASIC PAY.— 
(A) RATES OF PAY.—Except as provided 
in subparagraph (B), members shall serve with-
out pay. 
(B) 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. 
(6) QUORUM.—Seven members of the Commis-
sion shall constitute a quorum. 
(c) MEETINGS.— 
(1) INITIAL
MEETING
OF
CO-CHAIRMEN
OF 
COMMISSION.—Not later than the date that is 60 
days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the 
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co-chairmen of the Commission shall initially meet 
to— 
(A) identify any appropriate interested 
party 
to 
be 
included 
under 
subsection 
(b)(1)(E)(ix); and 
(B) establish appropriate rules and proce-
dures for the Commission, including a rule re-
quiring that each member of the Commission 
who represents an entity described in subsection 
(b)(1)(E) prepare for the Commission a written 
proposal that describes the proposed role of the 
entity involved in a health system to ensure the 
provision of affordable health care under such 
system to all citizens of the United States. 
(2) GENERAL
MEETINGS.—The Commission 
shall meet at the call of a majority of the co-chair-
men of the Commission. 
(d) STAFF.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—The Commission may ap-
point any employee pursuant to section 3161(b) of 
title 5, United States Code. The rate of basic pay 
for such an employee shall be established pursuant 
to section 3161(d)(1) of that title. 
(2) EXPERTS AND CONSULTANTS.—The Com-
mission may procure temporary and intermittent 
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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 GS–3 of the General Schedule. 
(3) STAFF OF FEDERAL AGENCIES.—Upon re-
quest of the Commission, the head of any Federal 
department or agency may detail any of the per-
sonnel of that department or agency to the Commis-
sion to assist it in carrying out its duties under this 
section. 
(e) POWERS OF THE COMMISSION.— 
(1) HEARINGS AND SESSION.—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. 
(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 necessary 
to enable it to carry out this section. Upon request 
of the Commission, the head of that department or 
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agency shall furnish that information to the Com-
mission. 
(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 Commission. 
(5) MAILS.—The Commission may use the 
United States mails in the same manner and under 
the same conditions as other departments and agen-
cies of the United States. 
(6) ADMINISTRATIVE
SUPPORT
SERVICES.— 
Upon the request of the Commission, the Adminis-
trator of General Services shall provide to the Com-
mission, on a reimbursable basis, the administrative 
support services necessary for the Commission to 
carry out its responsibilities under this section. 
(f) REPORT; LEGISLATIVE PROPOSAL.—Not later 
than two years after the date of the initial meeting of the 
co-chairmen of the Commission described in subsection 
(c)(1), the Commission shall submit to Congress a report 
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on the study described in subsection (a)(2) that con-
tains— 
(1) a detailed statement of the findings, conclu-
sions, and recommendations of the Commission, in-
cluding such recommendations described in such 
paragraph; and 
(2) a legislative proposal that provides for a 
health care system based on the recommendations of 
the Commission. 
(g) TERMINATION.—The Commission, and all the au-
thorities of this Act, shall terminate 30 days after the date 
on which the report is submitted under subsection (f). 
(h) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 
authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be nec-
essary to carry out this section. 
SEC. 3. EXPEDITED CONGRESSIONAL CONSIDERATION OF 
LEGISLATIVE PROPOSAL FOR HEALTH CARE 
SYSTEM. 
(a) INTRODUCTION
AND
EXPEDITED
CONSIDER-
ATION IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.— 
(1) INTRODUCTION IN HOUSE OF REPRESENTA-
TIVES.—The legislative proposal submitted pursuant 
to section 2(f)(2) shall be in the form of a joint reso-
lution (in this subsection referred to as the ‘‘resolu-
tion’’). Such resolution shall be introduced in the 
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House of Representatives by the Speaker imme-
diately upon receipt of the language and shall be re-
ferred non-sequentially to the appropriate committee 
(or committees) of the House of Representatives. If 
the resolution is not introduced in accordance with 
the preceding sentence, the resolution may be intro-
duced by any member of the House of Representa-
tives. 
(2) COMMITTEE
CONSIDERATION.—Not later 
than 15 calendar days after the introduction of the 
resolution described in paragraph (1), each com-
mittee of the House of Representatives to which the 
resolution was referred shall report the resolution. 
The report may include, at the committee’s discre-
tion, a recommendation for action by the House. If 
a committee has not reported such resolution (or an 
identical resolution) at the end of 15 calendar days 
after its introduction or at the end of the first day 
after there has been reported to the House a resolu-
tion, whichever is earlier, such committee shall be 
deemed to be discharged from further consideration 
of such resolution and such resolution shall be 
placed on the appropriate calendar of the House of 
Representatives. 
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(3) EXPEDITED PROCEDURE IN HOUSE.—Not 
later than 5 legislative days after the date on which 
all committees have been discharged from consider-
ation of a resolution, the Speaker of the House of 
Representatives, or the Speaker’s designee, shall 
move to proceed to the consideration of the resolu-
tion. It shall also be in order for any member of the 
House of Representatives to move to proceed to the 
consideration of the resolution at any time after the 
conclusion of such 5-day period. All points of order 
against the resolution (and against consideration of 
the resolution) are waived. A motion to proceed to 
the consideration of the resolution is highly privi-
leged in the House of Representatives and is not de-
batable. The motion is not subject to amendment, to 
a motion to postpone consideration of the resolution, 
or to a motion to proceed to the consideration of 
other business. A motion to reconsider the vote by 
which the motion to proceed is agreed to or not 
agreed to shall not be in order. If the motion to pro-
ceed is agreed to, the House of Representatives shall 
immediately proceed to consideration of the resolu-
tion without intervening motion, order, or other 
business, and the resolution shall remain the unfin-
ished business of the House of Representatives until 
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disposed of. A motion to recommit the resolution 
shall not be in order. Upon its passage in the House, 
the clerk of the House shall provide for its imme-
diate transmittal to the Senate. 
(b) EXPEDITED CONSIDERATION IN THE SENATE.— 
(1) REFERRAL TO COMMITTEE.—If the resolu-
tion is agreed to by the House of Representatives, 
upon its receipt in the Senate the Majority Leader 
of the Senate, or the Leader’s designee, the resolu-
tion shall be referred to the appropriate committee 
(or committees) of the Senate. 
(2) COMMITTEE
CONSIDERATION.—Not later 
than 15 calendar days after the referral of the reso-
lution under paragraph (1), each committee of the 
Senate to which the resolution was referred shall re-
port the resolution. The report may include, at each 
such committee’s discretion, a recommendation for 
action by the Senate. If a committee has not re-
ported such resolution (or an identical resolution) at 
the end of 15 calendar days after its referral or at 
the end of the first day after there has been reported 
to the Senate a resolution, whichever is earlier, such 
committee shall be deemed to be discharged from 
further consideration of such resolution and such 
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resolution shall be placed on the appropriate cal-
endar of the Senate. 
(3) EXPEDITED FLOOR CONSIDERATION.—Not 
later than 5 legislative days after the date on which 
all committees have been discharged from consider-
ation of a resolution, the Majority Leader of the 
Senate, or the Majority Leader’s designee, shall 
move to proceed to the consideration of the resolu-
tion. It shall also be in order for any member of the 
Senate to move to proceed to the consideration of 
the resolution at any time after the conclusion of 
such 5-day period. All points of order against the 
resolution (and against consideration of the resolu-
tion) are waived. A motion to proceed to the consid-
eration of the resolution in the Senate is privileged 
and is not debatable. The motion is not subject to 
amendment, to a motion to postpone consideration 
of the resolution, or to a motion to proceed to the 
consideration of other business. A motion to recon-
sider the vote by which the motion to proceed is 
agreed to or not agreed to shall not be in order. If 
the motion to proceed is agreed to, the Senate shall 
immediately proceed to consideration of the resolu-
tion without intervening motion, order, or other 
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