144
litical party and three members shall be mem-
bers of the Senate.
(C) Five members shall be appointed by
the Speaker of the House of Representatives, in
consultation with the Minority Leader of the
House of Representatives, from among mem-
bers of the House of Representatives, private
citizens of the United States, or both. Not more
than three of the members selected by the
Speaker shall be members of the same political
party and three members shall be members of
the House of Representatives.
(D) The appointments of the members of
the commission should be made no later than 3
months after the date of the enactment of this
Act.
(3) QUALIFICATIONS.—The members should
have a knowledge and expertise in matters to be
studied by the commission.
(4) CHAIRMAN.—The chairman of the commis-
sion shall be elected by the members of the commis-
sion.
(b) DUTIES.—
145
(1) IN GENERAL.—The commission shall con-
sider issues relating to international terrorism di-
rected at the United States as follows:
(A) Review the laws, regulations, policies,
directives,and 
practices 
relating 
to
counterterrorism in the prevention and punish-
ment of international terrorism directed to-
wards the United States.
(B) Assess the extent to which laws, regu-
lations, policies, directives, and practices relat-
ing to counterterrorism have been effective in
preventing or punishing international terrorism
directed towards the United States. At a mini-
mum, the assessment should include a review of
the following:
(i) Evidence that terrorist organiza-
tions have established an infrastructure in
the western hemisphere for the support
and conduct of terrorist activities.
(ii) Executive branch efforts to coordi-
nate counterterrorism activities among
Federal, State, and local agencies and with
other nations to determine the effective-
ness of such coordination efforts.
146
(iii) Executive branch efforts to pre-
vent the use of nuclear, biological, and
chemical weapons by terrorists.
(C) 
Recommend 
changes 
to
counterterrorism policy in preventing and pun-
ishing international terrorism directed toward
the United States.
(2) REPORT.—Not later than 6 months after
the date on which the Commission first meets, the
Commission shall submit to the President and the
Congress a final report of the findings and conclu-
sions of the commission, together with any rec-
ommendations.
(c) ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS.—
(1) MEETINGS.—
(A) The commission shall hold its first
meeting on a date designated by the Speaker of
the House which is not later than 30 days after
the date on which all members have been ap-
pointed.
(B) After the first meeting, the commis-
sion shall meet upon the call of the chairman.
(C) A majority of the members of the com-
mission shall constitute a quorum, but a lesser
number may hold meetings.
147
(2) AUTHORITY OF INDIVIDUALS TO ACT FOR
COMMISSION.—Any member or agent of the commis-
sion may, if authorized by the commission, take any
action which the commission is authorized to take
under this section.
(3) POWERS.—
(A) The commission may hold such hear-
ings, sit and act at such times and places, take
such testimony, and receive such evidence as
the commission considers advisable to carry out
its duties.
(B) The commission may secure directly
from any agency of the Federal Government
such information as the commission considers
necessary to carry out its duties. Upon the re-
quest of the chairman of the commission, the
head of a department or agency shall furnish
the requested information expeditiously to the
commission.
(C) The commission may use the United
States mails in the same manner and under the
same conditions as other departments and
agencies of the Federal Government.
(4) PAY AND EXPENSES OF COMMISSION MEM-
BERS.—
148
(A) Subject to appropriations, each mem-
ber of the commission who is not an employee
of the government shall be paid at a rate not
to exceed the daily equivalent of the annual rate
of basic pay prescribed for level IV of the Exec-
utive Schedule under section 5315 of title 5,
United States Code, for each day (including
travel time) during which such member is en-
gaged in performing the duties of the commis-
sion.
(B) Members and personnel for the com-
mission may travel on aircraft, vehicles, or
other conveyances of the Armed Forces of the
United States when travel is necessary in the
performance of a duty of the commission except
when the cost of commercial transportation is
less expensive.
(C) The members of the commission may
be allowed travel expenses, including per diem
in lieu of subsistence, at rates authorized for
employees of agencies under subchapter I of
chapter 57 of title 5, United States Code, while
away from their homes or regular places of
business in the performance of services for the
commission.
149
(D)(i) A member of the commission who is
an annuitant otherwise covered by section 8344
of 8468 of title 5, United States Code, by rea-
son of membership on the commission shall not
be subject to the provisions of such section with
respect to membership on the commission.
(ii) A member of the commission who is a
member or former member of a uniformed serv-
ice shall not be subject to the provisions of sub-
sections (b) and (c) of section 5532 of such title
with respect to membership on the commission.
(5) STAFF AND ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT.—
(A) The chairman of the commission may,
without regard to civil service laws and regula-
tions, appoint and terminate an executive direc-
tor and up to three additional staff members as
necessary to enable the commission to perform
its duties. The chairman of the commission may
fix the compensation of the executive director
and other personnel without regard to the pro-
visions of chapter 51, and subchapter III of
chapter 53, of title 5, United States Code, re-
lating to classification of positions and General
Schedule pay rates, except that the rate of pay
150
may not exceed the maximum rate of pay for
GS–15 under the General Schedule.
(B) Upon the request of the chairman of
the commission, the head of any department or
agency of the Federal Government may detail,
without reimbursement, any personnel of the
department or agency to the commission to as-
sist in carrying out its duties. The detail of an
employee shall be without interruption or loss of
civil service status or privilege.
(d) TERMINATION OF COMMISSION.—The commis-
sion shall terminate 30 days after the date on which the
commission submits a final report.
(e) FUNDING.—There are authorized to be appro-
priated such sums as may be necessary to carry out the
provisions of this section.
AMENDMENTS TO THE FOREIGN ASSISTANCE ACT OF 1961
SEC. 702. (a) REPEAL OF CONTINGENCIES PROVI-
SION.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 5 of part I of the
Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2261) is
hereby repealed.
(2) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.—(A) Section
634A(a) of such Act (22 U.S.C. 2394–1(a)) is
amended in the first sentence by striking ‘‘, chapter
5 of part I,’’.
151
(B) Section 653(a) of such Act (22 U.S.C.
2413(a)) is amended by striking ‘‘451 or’’.
(b) SPECIAL
AUTHORITIES
PROVISION.—Section
614(a)(4)(C) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22
U.S.C. 
2364(a)(4)(C)) 
is 
amended 
by 
striking
‘‘$50,000,000’’ and inserting ‘‘$35,000,000’’.
Titles I through V, the appropriations paragraphs of
title VI, and sections 601 through 604, of this Act may
be cited as the ‘‘Foreign Operations, Export Financing,
and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 1999’’.
Passed the House of Representatives September 17,
1998.
Attest:
Clerk.