IV 
110TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. RES. 24 
Establishing the House Democracy Assistance Commission for the One 
Hundred Tenth Congress. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JANUARY 4, 2007 
Mr. PRICE of North Carolina (for himself, Mr. DREIER, Mrs. CAPPS, Mr. 
HOLT, Mr. BURTON of Indiana, Mr. WEXLER, Mr. BOOZMAN, Mr. 
REYES, Mr. FORTENBERRY, Mr. SNYDER, Mr. BLUMENAUER, Mr. LAN-
TOS, Ms. WATSON, Ms. WOOLSEY, Mr. ACKERMAN, Mr. HONDA, Mr. 
SCHIFF, Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN, Mr. WILSON of South Carolina, Mr. 
PAYNE, Mr. COLE of Oklahoma, Mr. HOYER, Mr. KIRK, Mr. POMEROY, 
Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas, Ms. BORDALLO, and Mr. DAVIS of Alabama) 
submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee 
on Foreign Affairs 
RESOLUTION 
Establishing the House Democracy Assistance Commission 
for the One Hundred Tenth Congress. 
Resolved, 
SECTION 1. ESTABLISHMENT OF COMMISSION. 
There is established in the House of Representatives 
a commission to be known as the House Democracy As-
sistance Commission (hereafter in this resolution referred 
to as the ‘‘Commission’’). 
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•HRES 24 IH 
agencies to provide expert advice and consultation to 
members and staff of the legislatures of partner 
countries; 
(2) enable members and staff of legislatures of 
partner countries to study the operations of the 
House of Representatives and its support agencies; 
and 
(3) provide recommendations to the Adminis-
trator of the United States Agency for International 
Development regarding the provision of material as-
sistance, such as modern automation and office sys-
tems, information technology, and library supplies, 
as the Commission determines to be needed by a leg-
islature of a partner country in order to improve the 
efficiency and transparency of its work, and to over-
see the provision of such assistance. 
(b) SELECTION OF PARTNER LEGISLATURES.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—In order to carry out the ac-
tivities described in subsection (a), the Commission 
may conduct, as needed, studies on the feasibility of 
programs of assistance for legislatures of countries 
described in paragraph (2) for the purpose of 
strengthening the legislative infrastructure of such 
countries. Such studies shall assess— 
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•HRES 24 IH 
(A) the independent and substantive role 
that each legislature plays, or could reasonably 
be expected to play, in the legislative process 
and government oversight; 
(B) the potential benefit to each legislature 
of expert advice from and consultation with 
Members and staff of the House of Representa-
tives in areas such as the development of re-
search services and legislative information sys-
tems, legislative procedure, committee oper-
ations, budget process, government oversight, 
and constituent services; and 
(C) the need in each legislature for mate-
rial assistance, such as modern automation and 
office systems, information technology, and re-
search materials, in order to improve efficiency 
and transparency. 
(2) COUNTRIES DESCRIBED.—The countries re-
ferred to in paragraph (1) are countries that have 
established, have re-established, or are developing 
democratic legislatures which would benefit from the 
assistance described in this resolution. 
(3) ADDITIONAL
PARTNER
LEGISLATURES.— 
From any countries studied in accordance with para-
graph (1), the Commission may select one or more 
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•HRES 24 IH 
legislatures to receive assistance under the provi-
sions of this resolution, subject to a written expres-
sion of interest from the highest ranking office with-
in the legislature of a selected country. 
(c) REPORTS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than December 31, 
2007, and each December 31 thereafter, the Com-
mission shall prepare and submit to the Speaker of 
the House of Representatives, the Minority Leader 
of the House of Representatives, appropriate House 
committees, the Office of Interparliamentary Affairs 
of the House of Representatives, and the Adminis-
trator of the United States Agency for International 
Development, an annual report on the Commission’s 
activities, including a review of the activities of the 
Commission in the current year and a proposal for 
the activities of the Commission in the upcoming 
year, as described in subsection (a). 
(2) DEFINITION.—In this subsection, the term 
‘‘appropriate House committees’’ means the fol-
lowing committees of the House of Representatives: 
(A) The Committee on International Rela-
tions. 
(B) The Committee on Appropriations. 
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•HRES 24 IH 
(C) The Committee on House Administra-
tion. 
(D) The Committee on Rules. 
SEC. 4. ROLE OF THE COMMITTEE ON INTERNATIONAL RE-
LATIONS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Commission shall carry out 
the duties described in section 3 using the staff and re-
sources of the Committee on International Relations, in-
cluding the use of consultants or temporary employees, 
such as individuals with expertise in development of demo-
cratic parliaments, legislative systems management, legis-
lative research, parliamentary procedure, related legisla-
tive matters, and technology systems management, as ap-
propriate. 
(b) PARTICIPATION OF LEGISLATIVE BRANCH EM-
PLOYEES.—At the request of the Commission, the head 
of any office of the House of Representatives or any con-
gressional support agency may assist the work of the Com-
mission by— 
(1) detailing personnel to the staff of the Com-
mittee on International Relations or another stand-
ing committee of the House of Representatives; or 
(2) authorizing personnel to participate in ac-
tivities of the Commission. 
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•HRES 24 IH 
SEC. 5. TRANSITION FROM FORMER COMMISSION. 
(a) CONTINUATION OF EXISTING PROGRAMS.—The 
Commission may continue programs of assistance with 
legislatures of partner countries which were initiated by 
the former Commission. 
(b) TRANSFER OF AUTHORITIES AND RESOURCES.— 
Any authorities and resources of the former Commission 
which remain available as of the day before the date of 
the adoption of this resolution, including unobligated 
funds, shall be transferred and made available to the Com-
mission. 
(c) DEFINITION.—In this section, the ‘‘former Com-
mission’’ means the House Democracy Assistance Com-
mission established under the House Democracy Assist-
ance Commission Resolution (House Resolution 135, One 
Hundred Ninth Congress, agreed to March 14, 2005). 
Æ 
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