I
105TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 344
To establish the Bipartisan Commission on the Future of Medicare to make
findings and issue recommendations on the future of the Medicare program.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
JANUARY 7, 1997
Mr. STEARNS (for himself, Mr. MCHUGH, Mr. ROHRABACHER, and Mr.
WOLF) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee
on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Commerce,
for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case
for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the
committee concerned
A BILL
To establish the Bipartisan Commission on the Future of
Medicare to make findings and issue recommendations
on the future of the Medicare program.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. ESTABLISHMENT OF BIPARTISAN COMMISSION
ON THE FUTURE OF MEDICARE.
There is established a commission to be known as the
Bipartisan Commission on the Future of Medicare (here-
inafter in this Act referred to as the ‘‘Commission’’).
(b) RECOMMENDATIONS.—The Commission shall
make specific recommendations to the Congress regarding
its findings under subsection (a).
SEC. 3. MEMBERSHIP.
(a) APPOINTMENT.—
(1) IN
GENERAL.—The Commission shall be
composed of 15 members appointed as follows:
(A) The President shall appoint 5 mem-
bers, of whom not more than 3 may be of the
same political party and at least one shall be
under 35 years of age at the time of appoint-
ment.
(B) The majority leader of the Senate shall
appoint, after consultation with the minority
leader of the Senate, 5 members of the Senate,
of whom not more than 3 may be of the same
political party and at least one shall be under
35 years of age at the time of appointment.
(C) The Speaker of the House of Rep-
resentatives shall appoint, after consultation
with the minority leader of the House of Rep-
resentatives, 5 members of the House, of whom
not more than 3 may be of the same political
party and at least one shall be under 35 years
of age at the time of appointment.
(2) DEADLINE FOR APPOINTMENT.—The mem-
bers of the Commission shall be appointed not later
than 30 days after the date of the enactment of this
Act.
(b) CHAIRMAN.—As the first item of business at the
first meeting of the Commission, the members of the Com-
mission shall elect a chairman of the Commission from
among its members.
(c) VACANCIES.—Any vacancy in the membership of
the Commission shall be filled in the manner in which the
original appointment was made and shall not affect the
power of the remaining members to execute the duties of
the Commission.
(d) QUORUM.—A quorum shall consist of 8 members
of the Commission, except that 4 members may conduct
a hearing under section 5(a).
(e) MEETINGS.—The Commission shall meet at the
call of its chairman or a majority of its members.
(f) COMPENSATION AND REIMBURSEMENT OF EX-
PENSES.—Members of the Commission are not entitled to
receive compensation for service on the Commission. Mem-
bers may be reimbursed for travel, subsistence, and other
necessary expenses incurred in carrying out the duties of
the Commission.
SEC. 4. STAFF AND CONSULTANTS.
(a) STAFF.—The Commission may appoint and de-
termine the compensation of such staff as may be nec-
essary to carry out the duties of the Commission. Such
appointments and compensation may be made without re-
gard to the provisions of title 5, United States Code, that
govern appointments in the competitive services, and the
provisions of chapter 51 and subchapter III of chapter 53
of such title that relate to classifications and the General
Schedule pay rates.
(b) CONSULTANTS.—The Commission may procure
such temporary and intermittent services of consultants
under section 3109(b) of title 5, United States Code, as
the Commission determines to be necessary to carry out
the duties of the Commission.
SEC. 5. POWERS.
(a) HEARINGS AND OTHER ACTIVITIES.—For the
purpose of carrying out its duties, the Commission may
hold such hearings and undertake such other activities as
the Commission determines to be necessary to carry out
its duties.
(b) STUDIES BY GENERAL ACCOUNTING OFFICE.—
Upon the request of the Commission, the Comptroller
General shall conduct such studies or investigations as the
Commission determines to be necessary to carry out its
duties.
(c) COST ESTIMATES BY CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET
OFFICE.—
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Upon the request of the
Commission, the Director of the Congressional
Budget Office shall provide to the Commission such
cost estimates as the Commission determines to be
necessary to carry out its duties.
(2) REIMBURSEMENT.—The Commission shall
reimburse the Director of the Congressional Budget
Office for expenses relating to the employment in
the office of the Director of such additional staff as
may be necessary for the Director to comply with re-
quests by the Commission under paragraph (1).
(d) DETAIL OF FEDERAL EMPLOYEES.—Upon the
request of the Commission, the head of any Federal agen-
cy is authorized to detail, without reimbursement, any of
the personnel of such agency to the Commission to assist
the Commission in carrying out its duties. Any such detail
shall not interrupt or otherwise affect the civil service sta-
tus or privileges of the Federal employee.
(e) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.—Upon the request of
the Commission, the head of a Federal agency shall pro-
vide such technical assistance to the Commission as the
Commission determines to be necessary to carry out its
duties.
(f) USE OF MAILS.—The Commission may use the
United States mails in the same manner and under the
same conditions as Federal agencies, and shall, for pur-
poses of the frank, be considered a commission of Con-
gress as described in section 3215 of title 39, United
States Code.
(g) OBTAINING
INFORMATION.—The Commission
may secure directly from any Federal agency information
necessary to enable it to carry out its duties, if the infor-
mation may be disclosed under section 552 of title 5,
United States Code. Upon request of the Chairman of the
Commission, the head of such agency shall furnish such
information to the Commission.
(h) ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT SERVICES.—Upon
the request of the Commission, the Administrator of Gen-
eral Services shall provide to the Commission on a reim-
bursable basis such administrative support services as the
Commission may request.
(i) ACCEPTANCE OF DONATIONS.—The Commission
may accept, use, and dispose of gifts or donations of serv-
ices or property.
(j) PRINTING.—For purposes of costs relating to
printing and binding, including the costs of personnel de-
tailed from the Government Printing Office, the Commis-
sion shall be deemed to be a committee of the Congress.
SEC. 6. REPORT.
Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment
of this Act, the Commission shall submit to Congress a
report containing its findings and recommendations under
section 2, and shall include in the report recommendations
for appropriate legislative initiatives to carry out its rec-
ommendations.
SEC. 7. TERMINATION.
The Commission shall terminate 30 days after the
date of submission of the report required in section 6.
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