I
106TH CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H. R. 5233
To establish the National Commission on Budget Concepts.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
SEPTEMBER 20, 2000
Mr. RADANOVICH introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on the Budget
A BILL
To establish the National Commission on Budget Concepts.
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
on Budget Concepts Act of 2000’’.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSE.
(a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds the following:
(1) The conceptual framework of the budget,
which is central to Federal planning and policy, has
not been comprehensively reviewed for over 30 years.
(2) Over those years, there has been a signifi-
cant change in the way that policy makers and
economists view the role of government in the econ-
omy.
(3) In addition, major changes have occurred in
the scope of Federal activity, in the economy, in the
use of the budget for fiscal policy purposes, and in
information technology.
(4) Because the Federal budget is inherently
complex, budget concepts may need to be modified
to increase public understanding of the operation of
the Federal Government and its impact on the econ-
omy.
(5) Federal budget concepts should be reviewed
and, if appropriate, revised in light of the best cur-
rent thinking in accounting, budgeting, and econom-
ics.
(b) PURPOSE.—The purpose of this Act is to estab-
lish the National Commission on Budget Concepts to re-
view the current structure, concepts, classifications, and
bases of accounting of the Federal budget and to report
recommendations to the President and Congress for modi-
fications that would enhance the usefulness of the budget
for public policy and financial planning.
SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT OF NATIONAL COMMISSION ON
BUDGET CONCEPTS.
There is established a commission to be known as the
National Commission on Budget Concepts (hereinafter re-
ferred to as the ‘‘Commission’’).
SEC. 4. MEMBERSHIP.
(a) MEMBERSHIP.—The Commission shall be com-
posed of 13 members, as follows:
(1) The chairman of the Committee on the
Budget of the Senate.
(2) The chairman of the Committee on the
Budget of the House of Representatives.
(3) The ranking member of the Committee on
the Budget of the Senate.
(4) The ranking member of the Committee on
the Budget of the House of Representatives.
(5) The Director of the Office of Management
and Budget.
(6) The Comptroller General of the United
States.
(7) The Director of the Congressional Budget
Office.
(8) The Secretary of the Treasury.
(9) One member appointed by the majority
leader of the Senate.
(10) One member appointed by the Speaker of
the House of Representatives.
(11) One member appointed by the minority
leader of the Senate.
(12) One member appointed by the minority
leader of the House of Representatives.
(13) One member appointed by the President of
the United States.
(b) QUALIFICATIONS AND TERM.—
(1) QUALIFICATIONS.—Members appointed to
the Commission pursuant to subsection (a) shall—
(A) have expertise and experience in the
fields or disciplines related to the subject areas
to be considered by the Commission; and
(B) not be Members of Congress, officers,
or employees of the Federal Government.
(2) TERM OF APPOINTMENT.—The term of an
appointment to the Commission shall be for the life
of the Commission.
(3) CHAIR
AND
VICE
CHAIR.—The appointee
under subsection (a)(13) shall be the Chair of the
Commission. A Vice Chair may be elected and shall
assume the duties of the Chair in the Chair’s ab-
sence.
(c) MEETINGS; QUORUM; VACANCIES; AND PROCE-
DURES.—
(1) MEETINGS.—The Commission shall meet at
least once a month on a day to be decided by the
Commission. The Commission may meet at such
other times at the call of the Chair or of a majority
of its members. The meetings of the Commission
shall be open to the public, unless by public vote, the
Commission shall determine to close a meeting or
any portion of a meeting to the public.
(2) QUORUM.—A simple majority of the full
membership shall constitute a quorum of the Com-
mission, except that five members may conduct hear-
ings.
(d) VACANCIES.—A vacancy on the Commission shall
be filled in the same manner in which the original appoint-
ment was filled under subsection (a).
(e) PROCEDURES.—The Commission shall adopt ad-
ministrative and procedural rules that are consistent with
this section, the Federal Advisory Committee Act, and the
General Service Administration guidelines thereunder.
(f) COMPENSATION
AND EXPENSES.—Members of
the Commission shall receive no additional pay, allowance,
or benefits by reason of their service on the Commission.
Each member appointed from outside of the Federal Gov-
ernment, while engaged in the performance of Commission
duties away from their homes, regular place of business,
or official duty station, may receive travel expenses, in-
cluding 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.
SEC. 5. STAFF AND SUPPORT SERVICES.
(a) STAFF.—With the advance approval of the Com-
mission, the executive director may appoint such personnel
as is appropriate. The staff of the Commission, including
any experts or consultants, shall be appointed without re-
gard to political affiliation and without regard to the pro-
visions of title 5, United States Code, governing appoint-
ments in the competitive service, the provision of chapter
51 and subchapter III of chapter 53 of such title, and
without regard to section 5 of title 41, United States Code
(relating to classifications and General Schedule).
(b) EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.—The Chairman shall ap-
point an executive director, who shall be paid the rate of
basic pay for level II of the Executive Schedule.
(c) EXPERTS AND CONSULTANTS.—With the advance
approval of the Commission, the executive director may
procure by contract the temporary and intermittent serv-
ices of experts and consultants without regard to the pro-
visions of title 5, United States Code, governing appoint-
ments in the competitive service.
(d) TECHNICAL
AND
ADMINISTRATIVE
ASSIST-
ANCE.—Upon the request of the Commission—
(1) the head of any agency, office, or establish-
ment within the Executive or Legislative Branches
of the United States Government shall provide, with-
out reimbursement, such technical assistance as the
Commission determines is necessary to carry out its
duties; and
(2) the Administrator of the General Services
Administration shall provide, on a reimbursable
basis, such administrative support services as the
Commission may require.
(e) DETAIL OF FEDERAL PERSONNEL.—Upon the
request of the Commission, the head of an agency, office,
or establishment in the Executive or Legislative branch
of the United States Government is authorized to detail,
without reimbursement, any of the personnel of that agen-
cy, office, or establishment to the Commission to assist
the Commission in carrying out its duties. Any such detail
shall not interrupt or otherwise affect the employment sta-
tus or privileges of that employee.
(f) FACILITIES AND SUPPORT.—The Administrator
of the General Services Administration shall locate suit-
able office space for the operation of the Commission and
such facilities shall be furnished with all necessary equip-
ment and incidentals required for the proper functioning
of the Commission.
SEC. 6. POWERS AND DUTIES OF COMMISSION.
(a) DUTIES OF THE COMMISSION.—The Commission
shall—
(1) review the 1967 Report of the President’s
Commission on Budget Concepts and assess the im-
plementation of the recommendations of that Re-
port;
(2) identify and evaluate structure, concepts,
classifications, and bases of accounting of the Fed-
eral budget;
(3) identify any applicable general accounting
principles and practices in the private sector and
evaluate their value to budget practices in the Fed-
eral sector; and
(4) report, in accordance with subsection (g),
recommendations for modifications to the structure,
concepts, classifications, and bases of accounting of
the Federal budget that would enhance the useful-
ness of the budget for public policy and financial
planning.
(b) POWERS OF THE COMMISSION.—
(1) CONDUCT OF BUSINESS.—The Commission
may hold hearings, take testimony, receive evidence,
undertake such other activities, as it determines nec-
essary to carry out its duties.
(2) ACCESS TO INFORMATION.—(A) The Com-
mission is authorized to obtain directly from any
Federal agency information that the Commission de-
termines is necessary to carry out its duties. The
Federal agency requested, shall provide the informa-
tion requested, but shall notify the Commission if
any of the information provided is protected from
disclosure under section 552 of title 5, United States
Code, or some similar statute.
(B) Subject to section 552 of title 5, United
States Code, the records, reports, transcripts, min-
utes, and other documents which were prepared by
the Commission shall be available for public inspec-
tion and copying in the office of the Commission.
Any documents made available to the Commission
from sources outside of the Commission, to which
were attached notices that the information is pro-
tected from disclosure, shall not be made available
by the Commission for inspection or copying.
(3) POSTAL
SERVICE.—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) PRINTING.—For purposes of cost relating
to the printing and binding, including the cost of
any personnel detailed from the Government Print-
ing Office, the Commission shall be deemed to be a
committee of the Congress.
SEC. 7. REPORT.
Not later than February 28, 2002, the Commission
shall submit a report to the President and the Congress
with recommendations for modifications to the current
structure, concepts, classifications, and bases of account-
ing of the Federal budget. A detailed explanation of the
basis of those recommendations and conclusions shall be
included in the report. At the request of any Commission
member, the report shall include that member’s dissenting
views or opinions.
SEC. 8. TERMINATION.
The Commission shall terminate 30 days after the
date of submission of the report required in section 7.
SEC. 9. FUNDING.
There are authorized to be appropriated such sums
as are necessary to carry out this Act. Sums so appro-
priated shall remain available until expended.