I 
112TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 182 
To establish a National Commission on American Recovery and Reinvestment. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JANUARY 5, 2011 
Mr. WILSON of South Carolina introduced the following bill; which was 
referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce 
A BILL 
To establish a National Commission on American Recovery 
and Reinvestment. 
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 ‘‘National Commission 
on American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2011’’. 
SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF COMMISSION. 
There is established in the legislative branch the Na-
tional Commission on American Recovery and Reinvest-
ment (referred to in this Act as the ‘‘Commission’’). 
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SEC. 3. COMPOSITION AND PROCEEDINGS. 
(a) MEMBERS.—The Commission shall be composed 
of 10 members, of whom— 
(1) 1 member shall be appointed by the Presi-
dent; 
(2) 1 member shall be appointed by the minor-
ity leader of the Senate in consultation with the mi-
nority leader of the House of Representatives; 
(3) 2 members shall be appointed by the major-
ity leader of the Senate; 
(4) 2 members shall be appointed by the minor-
ity leader of the Senate; 
(5) 2 members shall be appointed by the major-
ity leader of the House of Representatives; and 
(6) 2 members shall be appointed by the minor-
ity leader of the House of Representatives. 
(b) POLITICAL AFFILIATION.—Not more than 5 
members of the Commission may be of the same political 
party. 
(c) NON-GOVERNMENTAL APPOINTEES.—An indi-
vidual is not eligible for appointment as a member of the 
Commission if the individual is an officer or employee of 
the Federal Government or any State or local government. 
(d) DEADLINE FOR APPOINTMENTS.—The members 
of the Commission shall be appointed before the end of 
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(1) The Commission shall begin by considering 
any relevant material published by the Government 
Accountability Office. 
(2) If the Commission finds that the material 
published by the Government Accountability Office 
is incomplete, out-of-date or otherwise inadequate 
the Commission may carry out further investigations 
or make further findings or recommendations. 
SEC. 5. HEARINGS AND EVIDENCE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Commission may, for the 
purposes of carrying out this Act, hold such hearings, sit 
and act at such times and places, take such testimony and 
receive such evidence as the Commission considers appro-
priate. The Commission shall hold its hearings in public 
to the extent that the Commission considers it appropriate 
to do so. 
(b) SUBPOENAS.— 
(1) ISSUANCE.—The Commission may issue 
subpoenas requiring the attendance and testimony of 
witnesses and the production of evidence relating to 
any matter that the Commission is required to inves-
tigate by section 4. 
(2) LOCATION.—The attendance of witnesses 
and the production of evidence may be required from 
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any place within the United States at any des-
ignated place of hearing within the United States. 
(c) DELEGATION.—The powers conferred on the 
Commission by subsections (a) and (b) may be exercised 
by— 
(1) any member of the Commission who is au-
thorized by the Commission for that purpose; or 
(2) any committee of the Commission which is 
authorized by the Commission for that purpose. 
(d) SUBPOENAS: PROCEDURE AND ENFORCEMENT.— 
(1) APPROVAL.—A subpoena may be issued 
under this section only if approved by— 
(A) the chairperson and the vice chair-
person; or 
(B) a majority of the members of the Com-
mission. 
(2) SIGNATURE.—A subpoena issued under this 
section shall be issued under the signature of— 
(A) the chairperson or the vice chair-
person; or 
(B) a member of the Commission author-
ized for that purpose by a majority of the mem-
bers of the Commission. 
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(3) SERVICE.—A subpoena issued under this 
section shall be served by a person authorized for 
that purpose by— 
(A) the chairperson or the vice chair-
person; or 
(B) a member of the Commission author-
ized for that purpose by a majority of the mem-
bers of the Commission. 
(4) ENFORCEMENT.— 
(A) COURT ORDER.—If a person refuses to 
obey a subpoena issued under this section, the 
Commission may apply to a United States dis-
trict court for an order requiring that person to 
appear before the Commission to give testi-
mony, produce evidence, or both, relating to the 
matter under investigation. 
(B) APPLICATION.—The application for 
the court order may be made within the judicial 
district where the hearing is conducted or where 
the person is found or resides. 
(C) FAILURE
TO
OBEY.—Any failure to 
obey the order of a court under this paragraph 
may be punished by the court as civil contempt. 
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SEC. 6. ASSISTANCE FROM FEDERAL AGENCIES, CON-
TRACTS, GIFTS AND POSTAL SERVICES. 
(a) INFORMATION FROM FEDERAL AGENCIES.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Commission may, for 
the purpose of carrying out this Act, request infor-
mation directly from any Federal department or 
agency. 
(2) DUTY TO COMPLY.—The head of a Federal 
department or agency who receives such a request 
shall provide the information requested. 
(b) GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION.—If re-
quested to do so by the Commission, the Administrator 
of General Services shall provide to the Commission, on 
a reimbursable basis, administrative support or other serv-
ices necessary for the Commission to carry out this Act. 
(c) OTHER DEPARTMENTS
AND AGENCIES.—The 
head of a Federal department or agency may provide to 
the Commission such financial or other assistance (includ-
ing services, facilities or staff) as the head may consider 
appropriate. 
(d) CONTRACTS.—The Commission may, to the ex-
tent and in the amounts provided in advance in the appro-
priation Acts, enter into contracts to enable the Commis-
sion to carry out this Act. 
(e) GIFTS.—The Commission may accept, use, and 
dispose of gifts or donations of services or property. 
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(f) POSTAL SERVICES.—The Commission may use 
the United States mails in the same manner and under 
the same conditions as Federal departments and agencies. 
SEC. 7. NON-APPLICABILITY OF FEDERAL ADVISORY COM-
MITTEE ACT. 
The Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.) 
shall not apply to the Commission. 
SEC. 8. DIRECTOR AND STAFF. 
(a) DIRECTOR.—The chairperson, in consultation 
with the vice chairperson, may appoint, and fix the pay 
of, a director of the Commission. 
(b) OTHER STAFF.—The chairperson, in consultation 
with the vice chairperson, may appoint, and fix the pay 
of, other staff of the Commission. 
(c) RULES.—Any appointment made or pay fixed 
under subsection (a) or (b) shall be subject to rules pre-
scribed by the Commission. 
(d) PAY.—No rate of pay fixed under subsection (a) 
or (b) may exceed the equivalent of that payable for a posi-
tion at level V of the Executive Schedule under section 
5316 of title 5, United States Code. 
(e) APPLICABILITY
OF CERTAIN CIVIL SERVICE 
LAWS.—The Director and staff of the Commission— 
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(1) may be appointed without regard to the 
provisions of title 5, United States Code, governing 
appointments in the competitive services; and 
(2) may be paid without regard to the provi-
sions of chapter 51 and subchapter III of chapter 53 
of that title relating to the classification and General 
Schedule pay rates (subject to subsection (d)). 
(f) CONSULTANT SERVICES.—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 rate paid to a person 
occupying a position at level IV of the Executive Schedule 
as specified in section 5315 of title 5, United States Code. 
SEC. 9. EXPENSES FOR MEMBERS. 
(a) COMPENSATION.—Each member of the Commis-
sion shall be compensated at a rate not to exceed the daily 
equivalent of the annual rate of basic pay in effect for 
a position at level IV of the Executive Schedule as speci-
fied in section 5315 of title 5, United States Code, for 
each day during which the member is engaged in carrying 
out functions of the Commission. 
(b) TRAVEL EXPENSES.—Each member shall receive 
travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, 
in accordance with applicable provisions under subchapter 
I of chapter 57 of title 5, United States Code. 
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SEC. 10. REPORTS. 
(a) FINAL REPORT.—Before the end of the relevant 
period, the Commission shall submit to the President and 
Congress a report containing the findings and rec-
ommendations described in section 4(a). 
(b) INTERIM REPORTS.—During the relevant period, 
the Commission may submit to the President and Con-
gress such interim reports as the Commission considers 
appropriate. 
(c) MAKING REPORTS AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC.— 
The Commission shall make available to the public any 
reports required by this Act. 
(d) RELEVANT PERIOD.—In this section, the term 
‘‘relevant period’’ means the period of 18 months begin-
ning with the day on which this Act is enacted. 
SEC. 11. TERMINATION OF COMMISSION. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Commission shall terminate 
at the end of the period of 60 days beginning with the 
day on which its final report is submitted under section 
11. 
(b) ADMINISTRATIVE ACTIVITIES BEFORE TERMI-
NATION.—The Commission may use the period specified 
in subsection (a) for the purpose of concluding its activi-
ties. 
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SEC. 12. FUNDING. 
There is authorized to be appropriated $5,000,000 to 
carry out this Act. 
Æ 
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