I
103D CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 252
To establish a cabinet-level interagency task force to develop a comprehensive
legislative proposal that coordinates and reforms all Federal programs
that provide assistance to individuals with limited incomes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
JANUARY 5, 1993
Mr. NEAL of North Carolina introduced the following bill; which was referred
to the Committee on Government Operations
A BILL
To establish a cabinet-level interagency task force to develop
a comprehensive legislative proposal that coordinates and
reforms all Federal programs that provide assistance to
individuals with limited incomes.
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 ‘‘Cabinet-Level Inter-
agency Task Force on Welfare Reform Act of 1993’’.
SEC. 2. PURPOSE.
The purpose of this Act is to establish a cabinet-level
interagency task force to develop a comprehensive legisla-
tive proposal that coordinates and reforms all Federal pro-
grams that provide assistance to individuals with limited
incomes in order to help such individuals achieve self-suffi-
ciency within a reasonable period of time.
SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT.
There is established a cabinet-level interagency task
force to be known as the ‘‘Cabinet-Level Interagency Task
Force on Welfare Reform’’ (in this Act referred to as the
‘‘Task Force’’).
SEC. 4. DUTIES.
The Task Force shall—
(1) review all Federal programs that provide as-
sistance to individuals with limited incomes;
(2) in consultation with appropriate State and
local officials, develop a comprehensive legislative
proposal that coordinates and reforms such pro-
grams by—
(A) providing assistance under such pro-
grams according to a coordinated plan under
which services are designed to meet the needs
of each such individual;
(B) establishing eligibility standards for
such programs to allow maximum flexibility for
such individuals;
(C) establishing a single application form
and process for assistance under such pro-
grams, including a single location at which an
individual can apply for and receive such assist-
ance; and
(D) establishing as the clear purpose of all
assistance to individuals with limited incomes
the goal of self-sufficiency and independence for
such individuals; and
(3) not later than 6 months after the date of
the enactment of this Act, submit a report to the
Congress which contains the legislative proposal de-
veloped under paragraph (2).
SEC. 5. MEMBERSHIP.
(a) NUMBER.—The Task Force shall be composed of
6 members as follows:
(1) The Secretary of Agriculture.
(2) The Secretary of Education.
(3) The Secretary of Health and Human Serv-
ices.
(4) The Secretary of Housing and Urban Devel-
opment.
(5) The Secretary of Labor.
(6) The Secretary of the Treasury.
(b) TERMS.—Each member shall be appointed for the
life of the Task Force.
(c) CHAIRPERSON.—The Task Force shall elect a
chairperson from among its members.
(d) BASIC PAY.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in para-
graph (2), each member shall serve without pay.
(2) TRAVEL
EXPENSES.—Each member 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) MEETINGS.—The Task Force shall meet at the
call of the chairperson.
(f) QUORUM.—A majority of the members shall con-
stitute a quorum for the transaction of business.
SEC. 6. DIRECTOR AND STAFF.
(a) DIRECTOR.—The Task Force shall have a direc-
tor who shall be appointed by the chairperson subject to
rules prescribed by the Task Force.
(b) STAFF OF FEDERAL AGENCIES.—Upon request
of the chairperson, the head of any Federal agency may
detail, on a reimbursable basis, any of the personnel of
the agency to the Task Force to assist the Task Force
in carrying out its duties.
(c) APPLICABILITY
OF CERTAIN CIVIL SERVICE
LAWS.—The director and staff of the Task Force may be
appointed without regard to title 5, United States Code,
governing appointments in the competitive service, and
may be paid without regard to the requirements of chapter
51 and subchapter III of chapter 53 of such title relating
to classification and General Schedule pay rates, except
that an individual so appointed may not receive pay in
excess of the maximum annual rate of basic pay payable
for GS–13 of the General Schedule.
SEC. 7. POWERS.
(a) OBTAINING OFFICIAL DATA.—The chairperson
may secure directly from any Federal agency information
necessary to enable the Task Force to carry out its duties.
Upon request of the chairperson, the head of the agency
shall furnish such information to the Task Force to the
extent such information is not prohibited from disclosure
by law.
(b) MAILS.—The Task Force may use the United
States mails in the same manner and under the same con-
ditions as other Federal agencies.
(c) ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT SERVICES.—Upon the
request of the chairperson, the Administrator of General
Services shall provide to the Task Force, on a reimburs-
able basis, the administrative support services necessary
for the Task Force to carry out its duties.
(d) CONTRACT AUTHORITY.—The chairperson may
contract with and compensate government and private
agencies or persons for the purpose of conducting re-
search, surveys, and other services necessary to enable the
Task Force to carry out its duties.
SEC. 8. TERMINATION.
The Task Force shall terminate 3 months after the
date on which the Commission submits to the Congress
the report under section 4(3).
Æ