I 
113TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 3874 
To provide for the periodic review of the efficiency and public need for 
Federal agencies, to establish a commission for the purpose of reviewing 
the efficiency and public need of such agencies, and to provide for 
the abolishment of agencies for which a public need does not exist. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JANUARY 14, 2014 
Mr. HUDSON introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform 
A BILL 
To provide for the periodic review of the efficiency and 
public need for Federal agencies, to establish a commis-
sion for the purpose of reviewing the efficiency and pub-
lic need of such agencies, and to provide for the abolish-
ment of agencies for which a public need does not exist. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
(a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the 
‘‘Federal Sunset Act of 2014’’. 
(b) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—The table of contents for 
this Act is as follows: 
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Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents. 
Sec. 2. Review and abolishment of Federal agencies. 
Sec. 3. Establishment of Commission. 
Sec. 4. Review of efficiency and need for Federal agencies. 
Sec. 5. Criteria for review. 
Sec. 6. Commission oversight. 
Sec. 7. Rulemaking authority. 
Sec. 8. Relocation of Federal employees. 
Sec. 9. Program inventory. 
Sec. 10. Definition of agency. 
Sec. 11. Offset of amounts appropriated. 
SEC. 2. REVIEW AND ABOLISHMENT OF FEDERAL AGEN-
CIES. 
(a) SCHEDULE FOR REVIEW.—Not later than one 
year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Fed-
eral Agency Sunset Commission established under section 
3 (in this Act referred to as the ‘‘Commission’’) shall sub-
mit to Congress a schedule for review by the Commission, 
at least once every 12 years (or less, if determined appro-
priate by Congress), of the abolishment or reorganization 
of each agency. 
(b) REVIEW OF AGENCIES PERFORMING RELATED 
FUNCTIONS.—In determining the schedule for review of 
agencies under subsection (a), the Commission shall pro-
vide that agencies that perform similar or related func-
tions be reviewed concurrently to promote efficiency and 
consolidation. 
(c) ABOLISHMENT OF AGENCIES.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Each agency shall— 
(A) be reviewed according to the schedule 
created pursuant to this section; and 
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(B) be abolished not later than one year 
after the date that the Commission completes 
its review of the agency pursuant to such sched-
ule, unless the agency is reauthorized by the 
Congress. 
(2) EXTENSION.—The deadline for abolishing 
an agency may be extended for an additional two 
years after the date described in paragraph (1)(B) 
if the Congress enacts legislation extending such 
deadline by a vote of a super majority of the House 
of Representatives and the Senate. 
SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT OF COMMISSION. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is established a com-
mission to be known as the ‘‘Federal Agency Sunset Com-
mission’’. 
(b) COMPOSITION.—The Commission shall be com-
posed of 12 members (in this Act referred to as the ‘‘mem-
bers’’) who shall be appointed as follows: 
(1) Six members shall be appointed by the 
Speaker of the House of Representatives, one of 
whom may include the Speaker of the House of Rep-
resentatives, with minority members appointed with 
the consent of the minority leader of the House of 
Representatives. 
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(2) Six members shall be appointed by the ma-
jority leader of the Senate, one of whom may include 
the majority leader of the Senate, with minority 
members appointed with the consent of the minority 
leader of the Senate. 
(c) QUALIFICATIONS OF MEMBERS.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—(A) Of the members ap-
pointed under subsection (b)(1), four shall be mem-
bers of the House of Representatives (not more than 
two of whom may be of the same political party), 
and two shall be an individual described in subpara-
graph (C). 
(B) Of the members appointed under subsection 
(b)(2), four shall be members of the Senate (not 
more than two of whom may be of the same political 
party) and two shall be an individual described in 
subparagraph (C). 
(C) An individual under this subparagraph is 
an individual— 
(i) who is not a member of Congress; and 
(ii) with expertise in the operation and ad-
ministration of Government programs. 
(2) CONTINUATION
OF
MEMBERSHIP.—If a 
member was appointed to the Commission as a 
Member of Congress and the member ceases to be 
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a Member of Congress, that member shall cease to 
be a member of the Commission. The validity of any 
action of the Commission shall not be affected as a 
result of a member becoming ineligible to serve as 
a member for the reasons described in this para-
graph. 
(d) INITIAL APPOINTMENTS.—All initial appoint-
ments to the Commission shall be made not later than 90 
days after the date of the enactment of this Act. 
(e) CHAIRMAN; VICE CHAIRMAN.— 
(1) INITIAL CHAIRMAN.—An individual shall be 
designated by the Speaker of the House of Rep-
resentatives from among the members initially ap-
pointed under subsection (b)(1) to serve as chairman 
of the Commission for a period of 2 years. 
(2) INITIAL
VICE-CHAIRMAN.—An individual 
shall be designated by the majority leader of the 
Senate from among the individuals initially ap-
pointed under subsection (b)(2) to serve as vice- 
chairman of the Commission for a period of two 
years. 
(3) ALTERNATE APPOINTMENTS OF CHAIRMEN 
AND VICE-CHAIRMEN.—Following the termination of 
the two-year period described in paragraphs (1) and 
(2), the Speaker and the majority leader shall alter-
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nate every two years in appointing the chairman and 
vice-chairman of the Commission. 
(f) TERMS OF MEMBERS.— 
(1) MEMBERS
OF
CONGRESS.—Each member 
appointed to the Commission who is a member of 
Congress shall serve for a term of six years, except 
that, of the members first appointed under para-
graphs (1) and (2) of subsection (b), 2 members 
shall be appointed to serve a term of three years 
under each such paragraph. 
(2) OTHER MEMBERS.—Each member of the 
Commission who is not a member of Congress shall 
serve for a term of three years. 
(3) TERM LIMIT.—(A) A member of the Com-
mission who is a member of Congress and who 
serves more than three years of a term may not be 
appointed to another term as a member. 
(B) A member of the Commission who is not a 
member of Congress and who serves as a member of 
the Commission for more than 56 months may not 
be appointed to another term as a member. 
(g) POWERS OF COMMISSION.— 
(1) HEARINGS AND SESSIONS.—The Commis-
sion may, for the purpose of carrying out this Act, 
hold such hearings, sit and act at such times and 
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places, take such testimony, and receive such evi-
dence as the Commission considers appropriate. The 
Commission may administer oaths to witnesses ap-
pearing before it. 
(2) OBTAINING
INFORMATION.—The Commis-
sion may secure directly from any department or 
agency of the United States information necessary 
to enable it to carry out its duties under this Act. 
Upon request of the Chairman, the head of that de-
partment or agency shall furnish that information to 
the Commission in a full and timely manner. 
(3) SUBPOENA POWER.—(A) The Commission 
may issue a subpoena to require the attendance and 
testimony of witnesses and the production of evi-
dence relating to any matter under investigation by 
the Commission. 
(B) If a person refuses to obey an order or sub-
poena of the Commission that is issued in connection 
with a Commission proceeding, the Commission may 
apply to the United States district court in the judi-
cial district in which the proceeding is held for an 
order requiring the person to comply with the sub-
poena or order. 
(4) IMMUNITY.—The Commission is an agency 
of the United States for purposes of part V of title 
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