IB 
Union Calendar No. 267 
110TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 3495 
[Report No. 110–425] 
To establish a National Commission on Children and Disasters, a National 
Resource Center on Children and Disasters, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
SEPTEMBER 7, 2007 
Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida introduced the following bill; which was 
referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure 
NOVEMBER 5, 2007 
Additional sponsors: Ms. NORTON, Mr. HASTINGS of Florida, Ms. JACKSON- 
LEE of Texas, Mr. MCDERMOTT, Mrs. NAPOLITANO, Mr. STARK, Mr. 
HARE, Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas, Mr. GRIJALVA, Mr. 
NADLER, Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania, Mr. PAYNE, Mr. HONDA, Mr. 
CLEAVER, Mr. CUMMINGS, Ms. CLARKE, Ms. RICHARDSON, Ms. WATSON, 
Mrs. CHRISTENSEN, Mr. JEFFERSON, Ms. WOOLSEY, Mr. GENE GREEN 
of Texas, Mr. COSTELLO, Mr. KUCINICH, Mr. COHEN, Mrs. LOWEY, Mrs. 
MALONEY of New York, Mr. MELANCON, and Mr. DUNCAN 
NOVEMBER 5, 2007 
Reported with amendments, committed to the Committee of the Whole House 
on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed 
[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic] 
[For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on September 7, 2007] 
A BILL 
To establish a National Commission on Children and Disas-
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ters, a National Resource Center on Children and Disas-
ters, and for other purposes. 
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 ‘‘Kids in Disasters Well- 
being, Safety, and Health Act of 2007’’. 
SEC. 2. DEFINITION. 
In this Act, the terms ‘‘child’’ and ‘‘children’’ mean 
an individual or individuals, respectively, who have not at-
tained 18 years of age. 
SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT OF COMMISSION. 
There is established a commission to be known as the 
‘‘National Commission on Children and Disasters’’ (re-
ferred to in this Act as the ‘‘Commission’’). 
SEC. 4. PURPOSES OF COMMISSION. 
The purposes of the Commission are to— 
(1) conduct a comprehensive study to examine 
and assess the needs of children as they relate to prep-
aration for, response to, and recovery from all haz-
ards, including major disasters and emergencies; 
(2) build upon the investigations of other entities 
and avoid unnecessary duplication, by reviewing the 
findings, conclusions, and recommendations of other 
commissions, Federal, State, and local governments, 
or nongovernmental entities, relating to the needs of 
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children as they relate to preparation for, response to, 
and recovery from all hazards, including major disas-
ters and emergencies; and 
(3) submit a report to the President and Con-
gress on specific findings, conclusions, and rec-
ommendations to address the needs of children as they 
relate to preparation for, response to, and recovery 
from all hazards, including major disasters and emer-
gencies. 
SEC. 5. COMPOSITION OF COMMISSION. 
(a) MEMBERS.—The Commission shall be composed of 
10 members, of whom— 
(1) 1 member shall be appointed by the Presi-
dent; 
(2) 1 member, who is of a different political 
party than that of the member appointed under para-
graph (1), shall be appointed by the President; 
(3) 2 members shall be appointed by the major-
ity leader of the Senate; 
(4) 2 members shall be appointed by the minor-
ity leader of the Senate; 
(5) 2 members shall be appointed by the Speaker 
of the House of Representatives; and 
(6) 2 members shall be appointed by the minor-
ity leader of the House of Representatives. 
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(b) CHAIRPERSON
AND VICE-CHAIRPERSON SELEC-
TION.—The Chairperson and Vice Chairperson shall be 
elected from among members of the Commission. 
(c) GOVERNMENTAL APPOINTEES.—An individual ap-
pointed to the Commission may not be an official or em-
ployee of the Federal Government. 
(d) COMMISSION REPRESENTATION.—The Commission 
shall include— 
(1) representatives from private nonprofit enti-
ties with demonstrated expertise in addressing the 
needs of children as they relate to preparation for, re-
sponse to, and recovery from all hazards, including 
major disasters and emergencies; and 
(2) State emergency managers and local emer-
gency managers. 
(e) QUALIFICATIONS.—Members appointed under sub-
section (a) shall include— 
(1) individuals involved with providing services 
to children, including health, education, housing, and 
other social services, including grant and entitlement 
programs; 
(2) individuals with experience in emergency 
management, including coordination of resources and 
services among State and local governments, the Fed-
eral Government, and nongovernmental entities; 
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(3) individuals with philanthropic experience fo-
cused on the needs of children; 
(4) individuals with experience in providing do-
nated goods and services, including personnel services, 
to meet the needs of children and families as they re-
late to preparation for, response to, and recovery from 
all hazards, including major disasters and emer-
gencies; and 
(5) individuals who have conducted academic re-
search into related issues. 
(f) APPOINTMENTS.—All members of the Commission 
shall be appointed not later than 90 days after the date 
of enactment of this Act. 
(g) INITIAL MEETING.—The Commission shall meet 
and begin the operations of the Commission not later than 
120 days after the date of enactment of this Act. 
(h) QUORUM AND VACANCY.— 
(1) QUORUM.—A majority of the members of the 
Commission shall constitute a quorum, but a lesser 
number of members may hold hearings. 
(2) VACANCY.—Any vacancy in the Commission 
shall not affect its powers and shall be filled in the 
same manner in which the original appointment was 
made. 
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SEC. 6. DUTIES OF COMMISSION. 
The Commission shall— 
(1) conduct a comprehensive study that examines 
and assesses the needs of children as they relate to 
preparation for, response to, and recovery from all 
hazards, including major disasters and emergencies, 
including specific findings relating to— 
(A) children’s physical and mental health; 
(B) child care, including in private for- 
profit and nonprofit settings; 
(C) child welfare; 
(D) elementary and secondary education; 
(E) sheltering, temporary housing, and af-
fordable housing; 
(F) transportation; 
(G) entitlement and grant programs; 
(H) juvenile justice; 
(I) evacuation; and 
(J) relevant activities in emergency man-
agement; 
(2) identify, review, and evaluate existing law 
relevant to the needs of children as they relate to 
preparation for, response to, and recovery from all 
hazards, including major disasters and emergencies; 
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(3) identify, review, and evaluate the lessons 
learned from past disasters and emergencies relative 
to addressing the needs of children; and 
(4) submit a report to the President and Con-
gress on the Commission’s specific findings, conclu-
sions, and recommendations to address the needs of 
children as they relate to preparation for, response to, 
and recovery from all hazards, including major disas-
ters and emergencies, including specific recommenda-
tions on the need for planning and establishing a na-
tional resource center on children and disasters, co-
ordination of resources and services, administrative 
actions, policies, regulations, financing, and legisla-
tive changes as the Commission considers appro-
priate. 
SEC. 7. POWERS OF COMMISSION. 
(a) HEARINGS.—The Commission may hold such hear-
ings, meet and act at such times and places, and receive 
such evidence as may be necessary to carry out the functions 
of the Commission. 
(b) INFORMATION FROM FEDERAL AGENCIES.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Commission may secure 
directly from any executive department, bureau, agen-
cy, board, commission, office, independent establish-
ment, or instrumentality of the Federal Government 
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such information, suggestions, estimates, and statis-
tics as the Commission considers necessary to carry 
out this Act. 
(2) PROVISION OF INFORMATION.—On request of 
the Chairperson of the Commission, each department, 
bureau, agency, board, commission, office, inde-
pendent establishment, or instrumentality shall, to the 
extent authorized by law, provide the requested infor-
mation to the Commission 
(3) RECEIPT, HANDLING, STORAGE, AND
DIS-
SEMINATION.—Information shall only be received, 
handled, stored, and disseminated by members of the 
Commission and its staff consistent with all applica-
ble statutes, regulations, and Executive orders. 
(c) ASSISTANCE FROM FEDERAL AGENCIES.— 
(1) GENERAL
SERVICES
ADMINISTRATION.—On 
request of the Chairperson of the Commission, the Ad-
ministrator of General Services shall provide to the 
Commission, on a reimbursable basis, administrative 
support and other services necessary for the Commis-
sion to carry out its duties. 
(2) OTHER DEPARTMENTS AND AGENCIES.—In 
addition to the assistance provided for under para-
graph (1), departments and agencies of the United 
States may provide to the Commission such services 
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as they may determine advisable and as authorized 
by law. 
(d) CONTRACTING.—The Commission may enter into 
contracts to enable the Commission to discharge its duties 
under this Act. 
(e) DONATIONS.—The Commission may accept, use, 
and dispose of donations of services or property. 
(f) POSTAL SERVICES.—The Commission may use the 
United States mails in the same manner and under the 
same conditions as a department or agency of the United 
States. 
SEC. 8. STAFF OF COMMISSION. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Chairperson of the Commis-
sion, in consultation with the Vice Chairperson, in accord-
ance with rules agreed upon by the Commission, may ap-
point and fix the compensation of a staff director and such 
other personnel as may be necessary to enable the Commis-
sion to carry out its functions, in accordance with the pro-
visions of title 5, United States Code, except that no rate 
of pay fixed under this subsection may exceed the equivalent 
of that payable for a position at level V of the Executive 
Schedule under section 5316 of title 5, United States Code. 
(b) STAFF OF FEDERAL AGENCIES.—Upon request of 
the Chairperson of the Commission, the head of any execu-
tive department, bureau, agency, board, commission, office, 
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independent establishment, or instrumentality of the Fed-
eral Government may detail, without reimbursement, any 
of its personnel to the Commission to assist it in carrying 
out its duties under this Act. Any detail of an employee 
shall be without interruption or loss of civil service status 
or privilege. 
(c) CONSULTANT SERVICES.—The Commission is au-
thorized to procure the services of experts and consultants 
in accordance with section 3109 of title 5, United States 
Code, but at rates not to exceed the daily rate paid a person 
occupying a position at level IV of the Executive Schedule 
under section 5315 of title 5, United States Code. 
SEC. 9. TRAVEL EXPENSES. 
Each member of the Commission shall serve without 
compensation, but shall receive travel expenses, including 
per diem in lieu of subsistence, in accordance with applica-
ble provisions in the same manner as persons employed 
intermittently in the Government service are allowed ex-
penses under section 5703 of title 5, United States Code. 
SEC. 10. FEDERAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE ACT APPLICA-
BILITY. 
The provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act 
shall apply to the Commission, including the staff of the 
Commission. 
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SEC. 11. REPORTS OF COMMISSION; TERMINATION. 
(a) INTERIM REPORT.—Not later than December 31, 
2008, the Commission shall submit to the President and 
Congress an interim report containing specific findings, 
conclusions, and recommendations required under this Act 
as have been agreed to by a majority of Commission mem-
bers. 
(b) FINAL REPORT.—Not later than 24 months after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Commission shall 
submit to the President and Congress a final report con-
taining specific findings, conclusions, and recommenda-
tions required under this Act as have been agreed to by a 
majority of Commission members. 
(c) TERMINATION.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Commission, and all the 
authorities of this Act, shall terminate 180 days after 
the date on which the final report is submitted under 
subsection (b). 
(2) RECORDS.—Not later than the date of termi-
nation of the Commission under paragraph (1), all 
records and papers of the Commission shall be deliv-
ered to the Archivist of the United States for deposit 
in the National Archives. 
SEC. 12. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 
There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out 
this Act, $2,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2008 and 2009. 
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Amend the title so as to read: ‘‘A bill to establish 
a National Commission on Children and Disasters, and 
for other purposes.’’. 
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Union Calendar No. 267 
110TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 3495 
[Report No. 110–425] 
A BILL 
To establish a National Commission on Children 
and Disasters, a National Resource Center on 
Children and Disasters, and for other purposes. 
NOVEMBER 5, 2007 
Reported with amendments, committed to the Committee 
of the Whole House on the State of the Union, and or-
dered to be printed 
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