I
104TH CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H. R. 3726
To establish the Commission on the Advancement of Women in the Science
and Engineering Work Forces.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
JUNE 26, 1996
Mrs. MORELLA (for herself and Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas) in-
troduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Eco-
nomic and Educational Opportunities
A BILL
To establish the Commission on the Advancement of Women
in the Science and Engineering Work Forces.
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 ‘‘Commission on the
Advancement of Women in the Science and Engineering
Work Forces Act’’.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
The Congress finds that—
(1) despite a consistently high presence of
women in the professional and total work forces of
the United States, women continue to be underrep-
resented in the science and engineering work forces;
(2) women scientists and engineers have higher
rates of unemployment and underemployment than
their male counterparts, although the number of
women receiving degrees in scientific and engineer-
ing disciplines has increased since 1981;
(3) artificial barriers exist in the recruitment,
retention, and advancement of women in the science
and engineering work forces;
(4) academia, industry, and government are in-
creasingly aware of the necessity of and the advan-
tages derived from diverse science and engineering
work forces;
(5) initiatives of the White House Task Force
on Women, Minorities, and the Handicapped in
Science and Technology and of the Federal Coordi-
nating Council on Science, Engineering, and Tech-
nology have been instrumental in raising public
awareness of—
(A) the underrepresentation of women in
the science and engineering work forces; and
(B) the desirability of eliminating artificial
barriers to the recruitment, retention, and ad-
vancement of women in such work forces; and
(6) the establishment of a commission to exam-
ine issues raised by these initiatives would help to—
(A) focus greater attention on the impor-
tance of eliminating artificial barriers to the re-
cruitment, retention, and advancement of
women in the science and engineering work
forces and in all employment sectors of the
United States;
(B) promote work force diversity; and
(C) encourage the replication of successful
recruitment and retention programs by univer-
sities, corporations, and Federal agencies hav-
ing difficulties in employing women scientists
and engineers.
SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT.
There is established a commission to be known as the
‘‘Commission on the Advancement of Women in the
Science and Engineering Work Forces’’ (hereinafter in
this Act referred to as the ‘‘Commission’’).
SEC. 4. DUTY OF COMMISSION.
The Commission shall conduct a study to—
(1) identify the number of women in the United
States in the science and engineering work forces,
and the specific types of occupations in such
workforces in which women scientists and engineers
are underrepresented;
(2) examine the preparedness of women to—
(A) pursue careers in the science and engi-
neering work forces; and
(B) advance to positions of greater respon-
sibility within academia, industry, and govern-
ment;
(3) describe the practices and policies of em-
ployers and labor unions relating to the recruitment,
retention, and advancement of women scientists and
engineers;
(4) identify the opportunities for, and artificial
barriers to, the recruitment, retention, and advance-
ment of women scientists and engineers in academia,
industry, and government;
(5) describe the employment situations in which
the recruitment, retention, and advancement of
women scientists and engineers are comparable to
their male counterparts, and identify those situa-
tions in which such comparability does not exist;
(6) compile a synthesis of available research on
practices, policies, and programs that have success-
fully led to the recruitment, retention, and advance-
ment of women in the science and engineering work
(c) POLITICAL AFFILIATION.—Not more than 1⁄2 of
the members may be of the same political party.
(d) CONTINUATION OF MEMBERSHIP.—If a member
was appointed to the Commission because the member was
an officer or employee of any government and later ceases
to be such an officer or employee, that member may con-
tinue as a member of the Commission for not longer than
the 60-day period beginning on the date the member
ceases to be such an officer or employee.
(e) TERMS.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—Each Member shall be ap-
pointed for the life of the Commission.
(2) VACANCIES.—A vacancy in the Commission
shall be filled in the manner in which the original
appointment was made.
(f) BASIC PAY.—
(1) RATES
OF
PAY.—Except as provided in
paragraph (2), each member of the Commission
shall receive compensation at the daily equivalent of
the maximum rate of pay payable under section
5376 of title 5, United States Code, for each day the
member is engaged in the performance of duties for
the Commission, including attendance at meetings
and conferences of the Commission, and travel to
conduct the duties of the Commission.
(2) PROHIBITION OF COMPENSATION OF FED-
ERAL
EMPLOYEES.—Members of the Commission
who are full-time officers or employees of the United
States or Members of Congress may not receive ad-
ditional pay, allowances, or benefits by reason of
their service on the Commission.
(g) TRAVEL EXPENSES.—Each member shall receive
travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence,
in accordance with sections 5702 and 5703 of title 5,
United States Code.
(h) QUORUM.—A majority of the members of the
Commission shall constitute a quorum for the transaction
of business.
(i) CHAIRPERSON.—The Director of the Office of
Science and Technology Policy shall serve as the Chair-
person of the Commission.
(j) MEETINGS.—
(1) MEETINGS PRIOR TO COMPLETION OF RE-
PORT.—The Commission shall meet not fewer than
5 times in connection with and pending the comple-
tion of the reports described in subsections (a) and
(b) of section 8. The Commission shall hold addi-
tional meetings for such purpose if the Chairperson
or a majority of the members of the Commission re-
quests the additional meetings in writing.
(2) MEETINGS
AFTER
COMPLETION
OF
RE-
PORT.—The Commission shall meet at least once,
but not more than twice after the completion of the
report described in section 8(b), in connection with
and pending completion of the report required by
section 8(c).
(k) EMPLOYMENT STATUS.—A member of the Com-
mission, who is not otherwise an officer or employee of
the Federal Government, shall not be deemed to be an
employee of the Federal Government except for the pur-
poses of—
(1) the tort claims provisions of chapter 171 of
title 28, United States Code; and
(2) subchapter I of chapter 81 of title 5, United
States Code, relating to compensation for work inju-
ries.
SEC. 6. DIRECTOR AND STAFF OF COMMISSION; EXPERTS
AND CONSULTANTS.
(a) DIRECTOR.—The Commission shall have a Direc-
tor who shall be appointed by the Chairperson. The Direc-
tor shall be paid at a rate not to exceed the maximum
annual rate of basic pay payable under section 5376 of
title 5, United States Code.
(b) STAFF.—Subject to rules prescribed by the Com-
mission, the Chairperson may appoint and fix the pay of
additional personnel as the Chairperson considers appro-
priate.
(c) APPLICABILITY
OF CERTAIN CIVIL SERVICE
LAWS.—The Director and staff of the Commission may
be appointed without regard to the provisions of title 5,
United States Code, governing appointments in the com-
petitive service, and may be paid without regard to the
provisions of chapter 51 and subchapter III of chapter 53
of that title relating to classification and General Schedule
pay rates, except that an individual so appointed may not
receive pay in excess of the maximum annual rate of basic
pay payable under section 5376 of title 5, United States
Code.
(d) EXPERTS AND CONSULTANTS.—The Commission
may procure temporary and intermittent services under
section 3109(b) of title 5, United States Code, at rates
for individuals not to exceed the maximum annual rate
of basic pay payable under section 5376 of title 5, United
States Code.
(e) STAFF OF FEDERAL AGENCIES.—Upon request
of the Commission, the head of any Federal department
or agency may detail, on a reimbursable basis, any of the
personnel of that department or agency to the Commission
to assist it in carrying out its duties under this Act.
SEC. 7. POWERS OF COMMISSION.
(a) HEARINGS
AND SESSIONS.—The Commission
may, for the purpose of carrying out this Act, hold hear-
ings, sit and act at times and places, take testimony, and
receive evidence as the Commission considers appropriate.
The Commission may administer oaths or affirmations to
witnesses appearing before it.
(b) POWERS OF MEMBERS AND AGENTS.—Any mem-
ber or agent of the Commission may, if authorized by the
Commission, take any action which the Commission is au-
thorized to take by this section.
(c) OBTAINING OFFICIAL DATA.—The Commission
may secure directly from any department or agency of the
United States information necessary to enable it to carry
out this Act. Upon request of the Chairperson of the Com-
mission, the head of that department or agency shall fur-
nish that information to the Commission.
(d) GIFTS, BEQUESTS, AND DEVISES.—The Commis-
sion may accept, use, and dispose of gifts, bequests, or
devises of services or property, both real and personal, for
the purpose of aiding or facilitating the work of the Com-
mission. Gifts, bequests, or devises of money and proceeds
from sales of other property received as gifts, bequests,
or devises shall be deposited in the Treasury and shall be
available for disbursement upon order of the Commission.
(e) MAILS.—The Commission may use the United
States mails in the same manner and under the same con-
ditions as other departments and agencies of the United
States.
(f) ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT SERVICES.—Upon the
request of the Commission, the Administrator of General
Services shall provide to the Commission, on a reimburs-
able basis, the administrative support services necessary
for the Commission to carry out its responsibilities under
this Act.
(g) CONTRACT AUTHORITY.—To the extent provided
in advance in appropriations Acts, the Commission may
contract with and compensate government and private
agencies or persons for the purpose of conducting research
or surveys necessary to enable the Commission to carry
out its duties under this Act.
SEC. 8. REPORTS.
(a) STATUS REPORT.—Not later than 1 year after
the date on which the initial appointments under section
5(a) are completed, the Commission shall submit to the
President and the Congress a written report describing the
current activities and findings of the Commission and the
direction of the Commission.
(b) RECOMMENDATION REPORT.—Not later than 18
months after the date on which the initial appointments