I
105TH CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H. R. 3095
To establish the Bipartisan Panel to Design Long-Range Social Security
Reform.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
JANUARY 27, 1998
Mr. ARCHER (for himself and Mr. KASICH) introduced the following bill; which
was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means
A BILL
To establish the Bipartisan Panel to Design Long-Range
Social Security Reform.
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 ‘‘Bipartisan Panel to
Design Long-Range Social Security Reform Act of 1998’’.
SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF PANEL.
There is established a panel to be known as the Bi-
partisan Panel to Design Long-Range Social Security Re-
form (in this Act referred to as the ‘‘Panel’’).
SEC. 3. DUTIES OF PANEL.
The Panel shall design a single set of legislative
and administrative recommendations for long-range re-
forms for restoring the solvency of the social security sys-
tem and maintaining retirement income security in the
United States.
SEC. 4. MEMBERSHIP OF THE PANEL.
(a) NUMBER AND APPOINTMENT.—The Panel shall
be composed of eight members, of whom—
(1) two shall be appointed by the President,
(2) four shall be appointed jointly by the
Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Minor-
ity Leader of the House of Representatives, the Ma-
jority Leader of the Senate, and the Minority Lead-
er of the Senate,
(3) one shall be appointed jointly by the Chair-
man of the Committee on Ways and Means of the
House of Representatives and the Chairman of the
Committee on Finance of the Senate, and
(4) one shall be appointed jointly by the Rank-
ing Minority Member of the Committee on Ways and
Means of the House of Representatives and the
Ranking Minority Member of the Committee on Fi-
nance of the Senate.
The members of the Panel shall consist of individuals who
are of recognized standing and distinction, who can rep-
resent the multiple generations who have a stake in the
viability of the system, and who possess the demonstrated
capacity to discharge the duties imposed on the Panel. At
least one of the members shall be appointed from individ-
uals representing the interests of employees, and at least
one of the members shall be appointed from individuals
representing the interests of employers.
(b) CO-CHAIRS.—The officials referred to in para-
graphs (1) through (4) of subsection (a) shall designate
two of the members of the Panel to serve as Co-Chairs
of the Panel, who shall jointly chair the Panel, determine
its duties, and supervise its staff.
(c) TERMS OF APPOINTMENT.—The members of the
Panel shall serve for the life of the Panel.
(d) VACANCIES.—A vacancy in the Panel shall not
affect the power of the remaining members to execute the
duties of the Panel, but any such vacancy shall be filled
in the same manner in which the original appointment was
made.
SEC. 5. PROCEDURES.
(a) MEETINGS.—The Panel shall meet at the call of
its Co-Chairs or a majority of its members.
(b) QUORUM.—A quorum shall consist of 4 members
of the Panel, except that a lesser number may conduct
a hearing under subsection (c).
(c) HEARINGS AND OTHER ACTIVITIES.—For the
purpose of carrying out its duties, the Panel may hold
such hearings and undertake such other activities as the
Panel determines to be necessary to carry out its duties.
Meetings held in order to conduct fact finding, as deter-
mined by the Co-Chairs, shall be open to the public. Meet-
ings held in order to develop policy, as determined by the
Co-Chairs, may be held in executive session, notwithstand-
ing the Federal Advisory Committee Act and any other
provision of law.
(d) OBTAINING INFORMATION.—Upon request of the
Panel, the Commissioner of Social Security and the head
of any other agency or instrumentality of the Federal Gov-
ernment shall furnish information deemed necessary by
the Panel to enable it to carry out its duties.
SEC. 6. ADMINISTRATION.
(a) COMPENSATION.—Except as provided in sub-
section (b), members of the Panel shall receive no addi-
tional pay, allowances, or benefits by reason of their serv-
ice on the Panel.
(b) TRAVEL EXPENSES AND PER DIEM.—Each mem-
ber of the Panel who is not a present Member of the Con-
gress and who is not otherwise an officer or employee of
the Federal Government shall receive travel expenses and
per diem in lieu of subsistence in accordance with sections
5702 and 5703 of title 5, United States Code.
(c) STAFF AND SUPPORT SERVICES.—
(1) STAFF DIRECTOR.—
(A) APPOINTMENT.—The Panel shall ap-
point a staff director of the Panel.
(B) COMPENSATION.—The staff director
shall be paid at a rate not to exceed the rate
established for level V of the Executive Sched-
ule.
(2) STAFF.—The Panel shall appoint such addi-
tional personnel as the Panel determines to be nec-
essary.
(3) APPLICABILITY OF CIVIL SERVICE LAWS.—
The staff director and other members of the staff of
the Panel shall be appointed without regard to the
provisions of title 5, United States Code, governing
appointments in the competitive service, and shall be
paid without regard to the provisions of chapter 51
and subchapter III of chapter 53 of such title relat-
ing to classification and General Schedule pay rates.
(4) EXPERTS
AND
CONSULTANTS.—With the
approval of the Panel, the staff director may procure
temporary and intermittent services under section
3109(b) of title 5, United States Code.
(d) CONTRACT AUTHORITY.—The Panel may con-
tract with and compensate government and private agen-
cies or persons for items and services, without regard to
section 3709 of the Revised Statutes (41 U.S.C. 5).
(e) PHYSICAL FACILITIES.—The Architect of the
Capitol, in consultation with the appropriate entities in the
legislative branch, shall locate and provide suitable office
space for the operation of the Panel on a reimbursable
basis. The facilities shall serve as the headquarters of the
Panel and shall include all necessary equipment and
incidentals required for the proper functioning of the
Panel.
(f) DETAIL OF FEDERAL EMPLOYEES.—Upon the re-
quest of the Panel, the head of any Federal agency may
detail, on a reimbursable basis, any of the personnel of
such agency to the Panel to assist the Panel in carrying
out its duties.
(g) USE OF MAILS.—The Panel may use the United
States mails in the same manner and under the same con-
ditions as Federal agencies and shall, for purposes of the
frank, be considered a commission of Congress as de-
scribed in section 3215 of title 39, United States Code.
(h) ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT SERVICES.—Upon
the request of the Panel, the Architect of the Capitol shall
provide to the Panel on a reimbursable basis such adminis-
trative support services as the Panel may request.
(i) PRINTING.—For purposes of costs relating to
printing and binding, including the cost of personnel de-
tailed from the Government Printing Office, the Panel
shall be deemed to be a committee of the Congress.
SEC. 7. REPORT.
Not later than February 1, 1999, the Panel shall sub-
mit to the President, the Committee on Ways and Means
of the House of Representatives, and the Committee on
Finance of the Senate a report which shall contain a de-
tailed statement of the findings and conclusions of the
Panel, including the set of recommendations required
under section 3. The report shall include only those rec-
ommendations of the Panel that receive the approval of
at least 6 members of the Panel, including both Co-Chairs.
SEC. 8. TERMINATION.
The Panel shall terminate March 31, 1999.
SEC. 9. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
There are authorized to be appropriated to the Panel,
from the Federal Old-Age and Survivors Insurance Trust
Fund, such sums as are necessary to carry out the provi-
sions of this Act, but not to exceed $2,000,000.
Æ