IV 
112TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. CON. RES. 2 
Establishing the Congressional Commission on the European Union, and 
for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JANUARY 5, 2011 
Mr. ISSA submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to 
the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on 
Rules, 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 
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 
Establishing the Congressional Commission on the European 
Union, and for other purposes. 
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 
concurring), 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This resolution may be cited as the ‘‘Congressional 
Commission on the European Union Resolution’’. 
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
22:36 Jan 06, 2011
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\HC2.IH
HC2
srobinson on DSKHWCL6B1PROD with BILLS
•HCON 2 IH 
SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF CONGRESSIONAL COMMISSION 
ON THE EUROPEAN UNION. 
There is established in the legislative branch the Con-
gressional Commission on the European Union (hereafter 
in this resolution referred to as the ‘‘Commission’’). 
SEC. 3. MEMBERSHIP OF COMMISSION. 
(a) SELECTION AND APPOINTMENT OF MEMBERS.— 
The Commission shall be composed of 18 members as fol-
lows: 
(1) Nine Members of the House of Representa-
tives who shall be appointed by the Speaker of the 
House of Representatives, of whom 5 shall be se-
lected from the majority party, after consultation 
with the Chairman of the Committee on Foreign Af-
fairs, and 4 shall be selected from the minority 
party, after consultation with the minority leader of 
the House and the ranking minority member of the 
Committee on Foreign Affairs. For purposes of this 
paragraph, a Delegate or Resident Commissioner to 
the Congress shall be considered a Member of the 
House of Representatives. 
(2) Nine Members of the Senate who shall be 
appointed by the President pro tempore of the Sen-
ate, of whom 5 shall be selected from the majority 
party of the Senate, after consultation with the ma-
jority leader and the Chairman of the Committee on 
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
22:36 Jan 06, 2011
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\HC2.IH
HC2
srobinson on DSKHWCL6B1PROD with BILLS
•HCON 2 IH 
Foreign Affairs, and 4 shall be selected from the mi-
nority party, after consultation with the minority 
leader of the Senate and the ranking minority mem-
ber of the Committee on Foreign Affairs. 
(b) CHAIRMAN AND VICE CHAIRMAN.— 
(1) ODD-NUMBERED CONGRESS.—At the begin-
ning of each odd-numbered Congress— 
(A) the President pro tempore of the Sen-
ate, on the recommendation of the majority 
leader, shall designate one of the Senate Mem-
bers of the Commission to serve as Chairman of 
the Commission during that Congress; and 
(B) the Speaker of the House of Rep-
resentatives shall designate one of the House 
Members of the Commission to serve as Vice 
Chairman of the Commission during that Con-
gress. 
(2) EVEN-NUMBERED CONGRESS.—At the be-
ginning of each even-numbered Congress— 
(A) the Speaker of the House of Rep-
resentatives shall designate one of the House 
Members of the Commission to serve as Chair-
man of the Commission during that Congress; 
and 
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
22:40 Jan 06, 2011
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\HC2.IH
HC2
srobinson on DSKHWCL6B1PROD with BILLS
•HCON 2 IH 
(3) provide information and recommendations 
to committees of the House of Representatives and 
Senate regarding legislation, regulatory standards, 
and activities being proposed by the European Par-
liament and European Commission. 
(b) STUDIES.—In order to carry out the activities de-
scribed in subsection (a), the Commission shall conduct 
on an annual basis (or more frequently if necessary) a 
study on the impact on United States interests of legisla-
tion recently passed by the European Parliament and reg-
ulations issued by the European Commission. The Com-
mission shall conduct on an annual basis a study on the 
impact on the European Union of legislation recently 
passed by Congress and regulations issued by the execu-
tive branch. The studies required under this subsection 
shall also assess the following: 
(1) The potential benefit to the European Par-
liament and European Commission of expert advice 
from Members, staff, and committees of Congress in 
areas including, but not limited to, regulatory re-
form, trade, defense, monetary policy, homeland se-
curity, human rights, science and technology, gov-
ernment oversight, education, agriculture, and 
health. 
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
21:28 Jan 06, 2011
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00005
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\HC2.IH
HC2
srobinson on DSKHWCL6B1PROD with BILLS
•HCON 2 IH 
(2) The potential benefit to Congress of expert 
advice from members, staff, and committees of the 
European Union and European Commission in areas 
including, but not limited to, regulatory reform, 
trade, defense, monetary policy, homeland security, 
human rights, science and technology, government 
oversight, education, agriculture, and health. 
(c) REPORT.—Not later than 180 days after the es-
tablishment of the Commission and annually thereafter, 
the Commission shall submit to Congress a report on the 
following: 
(1) The results of the studies conducted pursu-
ant to subsection (b). 
(2) In accordance with the results of such stud-
ies, a review of the activities of the Commission in 
the immediately preceding year and a proposal for 
the activities of the Commission in the subsequent 
year, as described in subsection (a). 
(d) OFFICIAL MEETINGS OF THE COMMISSION.—The 
Commission may hold hearings or meetings at the discre-
tion of the Chairman on matters of mutual interest to 
Congress and the European Parliament and European 
Commission. 
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
21:28 Jan 06, 2011
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00006
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\HC2.IH
HC2
srobinson on DSKHWCL6B1PROD with BILLS
•HCON 2 IH 
(e) ADMINISTRATION OF OATHS.—The Chairman of 
the Commission or any member designated by the Chair-
man may administer oaths to any witness. 
SEC. 5. PARTICIPATION OF CERTAIN LEGISLATIVE BRANCH 
EMPLOYEES. 
At the request of the Commission, the head of any 
office or committee of the House of Representatives or the 
Senate, or the Congressional Budget Office, the Congres-
sional Research Service, and the Government Account-
ability Office may assist the work of the Commission by 
authorizing personnel of such office, committee, or agency, 
as the case may be, to participate in activities of the Com-
mission. 
SEC. 6. FUNDING FOR COMMISSION. 
(a) FUNDING; DISBURSEMENTS.— 
(1) SOURCE OF FUNDING.—There are author-
ized to be appropriated for each fiscal year such 
sums as may be necessary to enable the Commission 
to carry out its duties and functions, to be derived— 
(A) in the case of a fiscal year which ends 
during a Congress during which the Chairman 
of the Commission is a Member of the House 
of Representatives, from the applicable accounts 
of the House of Representatives; and 
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
21:28 Jan 06, 2011
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00007
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\HC2.IH
HC2
srobinson on DSKHWCL6B1PROD with BILLS
•HCON 2 IH 
(B) in the case of a fiscal year which ends 
during a Congress during which the Chairman 
of the Commission is a Member of the Senate, 
from the contingent fund of the Senate. 
(2) DISBURSEMENTS.—Funds provided to the 
Commission shall be disbursed on vouchers approved 
jointly by the Chairman and Vice Chairman. 
(b) OFFICIAL RECEPTION AND REPRESENTATIONAL 
EXPENSES.—Not to exceed $15,000 of the funds provided 
to the Commission for any fiscal year may be used for 
official reception and representational expenses during 
such fiscal year. 
(c) AUTHORIZATION OF FOREIGN TRAVEL FOR OFFI-
CIAL PURPOSES.—Foreign travel for official purposes by 
Commission members and staff may be authorized by ei-
ther the Chairman or the Vice Chairman, subject to the 
Rules of the House of Representatives (other than in the 
case of travel by a Member of the Commission who is a 
Member of the Senate). 
(d) USE OF FOREIGN CURRENCIES.—For purposes 
of this section, the Commission shall be deemed to be a 
standing committee of Congress and shall be entitled to 
use funds in accordance with section 502(b) of the Mutual 
Security Act of 1954 (22 U.S.C. 1754(b)). 
(e) OFFICE FACILITIES.— 
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
21:28 Jan 06, 2011
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00008
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\HC2.IH
HC2
srobinson on DSKHWCL6B1PROD with BILLS
•HCON 2 IH 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Funds may be provided for 
the lease of office space at or near the headquarters 
of the European Parliament and European Commis-
sion in Brussels, Belgium. 
(2) LIMITATIONS
ON
FUNDING
FOR
OFFICE 
SPACE.—Funds for the lease of office space are sub-
ject to approval by the Chairman and Vice Chair-
man of the Commission, in consultation with the 
Speaker of the House of Representatives and Presi-
dent pro tempore of the Senate. 
SEC. 7. COMMISSION STAFF. 
(a) STAFF.— 
(1) STAFF DIRECTOR.—The Commission shall 
have a staff director, who shall be appointed by the 
Chairman of the Commission and whose pay shall be 
fixed by the Chairman of the Commission. 
(2) OTHER STAFF.—The Chairman of the Com-
mission shall appoint and fix the pay of other per-
sonnel of the Commission, subject to the approval of 
at least 2 of the following Members of the Commis-
sion: 
(A) The Vice Chairman. 
(B) The senior Member from the minority 
party of the House of Representatives. 
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
21:28 Jan 06, 2011
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00009
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\HC2.IH
HC2
srobinson on DSKHWCL6B1PROD with BILLS