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103D CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 358
To create a National Commission to support law enforcement.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
JANUARY 5, 1993
Ms. SLAUGHTER introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on the Judiciary
A BILL
To create a National Commission to support law
enforcement.
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 ‘‘National Commission
to Support Law Enforcement Act’’.
SEC. 2. CONGRESSIONAL FINDINGS.
The Congress finds that—
(1) law enforcement officers risk their lives
daily to protect citizens, for modest rewards and too
little recognition;
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(2) a significant shift has occurred in the prob-
lems that law enforcement officers face without a
corresponding change in the support from the Fed-
eral Government;
(3) law enforcement officers are on the front
line in the war against drugs and crime;
(4) the rate of violent crime continues to in-
crease along with the increase in drug use;
(5) a large percentage of individuals arrested
test positive for drug usage;
(6) the Presidential Commission on Law En-
forcement and the Administration of Justice of 1965
focused attention on many issues affecting law en-
forcement, and a review twenty-five years later
would help to evaluate current problems, including
drug-related crime, violence, racial conflict, and de-
creased funding; and
(7) a comprehensive study of law enforcement
issues, including the role of the Federal Government
in supporting law enforcement officers, working con-
ditions, and responsibility for crime control would
assist in redefining the relationships between the
Federal Government, the public, and law enforce-
ment officials.
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SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT.
There is established a national commission to be
known as the ‘‘National Commission to Support Law En-
forcement’’ (referred to in this Act as the ‘‘Commission’’).
SEC. 4. DUTIES.
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Commission shall study and
recommend changes regarding law enforcement agencies
and law enforcement issues on the Federal, State, and
local levels, including the following:
(1) FUNDING.—The sufficiency of funding, in-
cluding a review of grant programs at the Federal
level.
(2) EMPLOYMENT.—The conditions of law en-
forcement employment.
(3) INFORMATION.—The effectiveness of infor-
mation-sharing systems, intelligence, infrastructure,
and procedures among law enforcement agencies of
Federal, State, and local governments.
(4) RESEARCH AND TRAINING.—The status of
law enforcement research and education and train-
ing.
(5) EQUIPMENT
AND
RESOURCES.—The ade-
quacy of equipment, physical resources, and human
resources.
(6) COOPERATION.—The cooperation among
Federal, State, and local law enforcement agencies.
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(7) RESPONSIBILITY.—The responsibility of
governments and law enforcement agencies in solv-
ing the crime problem.
(8) IMPACT.—The impact of the criminal jus-
tice system, including court schedules and prison
overcrowding, on law enforcement.
(b) CONSULTATION.—The Commission shall conduct
surveys and consult with focus groups of law enforcement
officers, local officials, and community leaders across the
Nation to obtain information and seek advice on important
law enforcement issues.
SEC. 5. MEMBERSHIP.
(a) NUMBER AND APPOINTMENT.—The Commission
shall be composed of 25 members as follows:
(1) Seven individuals from national law enforce-
ment organizations representing law enforcement of-
ficers, of whom—
(A) Two shall be appointed by the Speaker
of the House of Representatives;
(B) Two shall be appointed by the majority
leader of the Senate;
(C) One shall be appointed by the minority
leader of the House of Representatives;
(D) One shall be appointed by the minority
leader of the Senate; and
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(E) One shall be appointed by the Presi-
dent.
(2) Seven individuals from national law enforce-
ment organizations representing law enforcement
management, of whom—
(A) Two shall be appointed by the Speaker
of the House of Representatives;
(B) Two shall be appointed by the majority
leader of the Senate;
(C) One shall be appointed by the minority
leader of the House of Representatives;
(D) One shall be appointed by the minority
leader of the Senate; and
(E) One shall be appointed by the Presi-
dent.
(3) Two individuals with academic expertise re-
garding law enforcement issues, of whom—
(A) One shall be appointed by the Speaker
of the House of Representatives and the major-
ity leader of the Senate.
(B) One shall be appointed by the minority
leader of the Senate and the minority leader of
the House of Representatives.
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(4) Two Members of the House of Representa-
tives, appointed by the Speaker and the minority
leader of the House of Representatives.
(5) Two Members of the Senate, appointed by
the majority leader and the minority leader of the
Senate.
(6) One individual involved in Federal law en-
forcement from the Department of the Treasury, ap-
pointed by the President.
(7) One individual from the Department of Jus-
tice, appointed by the President.
(8) One individual representing a State or local
governmental entity, such as a Governor, mayor, or
State Attorney General, to be appointed by the Ma-
jority Leader of the Senate.
(9) One individual representing a State or local
governmental entity, such as a Governor, mayor, or
State Attorney General, to be appointed by the
Speaker of the House of Representatives.
(10) One individual representing a State or
local governmental entity, such as a governor,
mayor, or State attorney general, to be appointed by
the President.
(b) COMPTROLLER
GENERAL.—The Comptroller
General shall serve in an advisory capacity and shall over-
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see the methodology and approach of the Commission’s
study.
(c) CHAIRPERSON.—Upon their appointment the
members of the Commission shall select one of their num-
ber to act as chairperson.
(d) COMPENSATION.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—Members of the Commission
shall receive no additional pay, allowance, or benefit
by reason of service on the Commission.
(2) TRAVEL EXPENSES.—Each member of the
Commission shall receive travel expenses, including
per diem in lieu of subsistence, in accordance with
sections 5702 and 5703 of title 5, United States
Code.
(e) APPOINTMENT DATES.—Members of the Com-
mission shall be appointed no later than 90 days after the
enactment of this Act.
SEC. 6. EXPERTS AND CONSULTANTS.
(a) EXPERTS AND CONSULTANTS.—The Commission
may procure temporary and intermittent services under
section 3109(b) of title 5, United States Code.
(b) STAFF OF FEDERAL AGENCIES.—Upon request
of the Commission, the head of any Federal agency is au-
thorized to detail, on a reimbursable basis, any of the per-
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sonnel of that agency to the Commission to assist the
Commission in carrying out its duties under this Act.
(c) ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT.—The Administrator
of General Services shall provide to the Commission, on
a reimbursable basis, administrative support services as
the Commission may request.
SEC. 7. POWERS OF COMMISSION.
(a) HEARINGS.—The Commission may, for purposes
of this Act, hold hearings, sit and act at the times and
places, take testimony, and receive evidence, as the Com-
mission considers appropriate.
(b) DELEGATION OF AUTHORITY.—Any member or
agent of the Commission may, if authorized by the Com-
mission, take any action the Commission is authorized to
take by this section.
(c) INFORMATION.—The Commission may secure di-
rectly from any Federal agency information necessary to
enable it to carry out this Act. Upon request of the chair-
person of the Commission, the head of an agency shall
furnish the information to the Commission to the extent
permitted by law.
(d) GIFTS AND DONATIONS.—The Commission may
accept, use, and dispose of gifts or donations of services
or property.
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(e) MAILS.—The Commission may use the United
States mails in the same manner and under the same con-
ditions as other Federal agencies.
SEC. 8. REPORT.
Not later than the expiration of the eighteen-month
period beginning on the date of the appointment of the
members of the Commission, a report containing the find-
ings of the Commission and specific proposals for legisla-
tion and administrative actions that the Commission has
determined to be appropriate shall be submitted to Con-
gress.
SEC. 9. TERMINATION.
The Commission shall cease to exist upon the expira-
tion of the sixty-day period beginning on the date on which
the Commission submits its report under section 8.
SEC. 10. REPEALS.
Title XXXIV of the Crime Control Act of 1990 (Pub-
lic Law 101–647; 104 Stat. 4918) and title II, section 211
B of the Departments of Commerce, Justice, and State,
the Judiciary, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act,
1991 (Public Law 101–515; 104 Stat. 2122) are repealed.
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