political party and 3 members shall be members of
the House of Representatives.
(4) 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.
(c) QUALIFICATIONS.—The members should have a
knowledge and expertise in matters to be studied by the
Commission.
(d) CHAIRMAN.—The chairman of the Commission
shall be elected by the members of the Commission.
SEC. 2. DUTIES.
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Commission shall consider
issues relating to international terrorism directed at the
United States as follows:
(1) Review the laws, regulations, policies, direc-
tives, and practices relating to counterterrorism in
the prevention and punishment of international ter-
rorism directed towards the United States.
(2) Assess the extent to which laws, regulations,
policies, 
directives, 
and 
practices 
relating 
to
counterterrorism have been effective in preventing or
punishing international terrorism directed towards
the United States. At a minimum, the assessment
should include a review of the following:
(A) Evidence that terrorist organizations
have established an infrastructure in the west-
ern hemisphere for the support and conduct of
terrorist activities.
(B) Executive branch efforts to coordinate
counterterrorism 
activities 
among 
Federal,
State, and local agencies and with other nations
to determine the effectiveness of such coordina-
tion efforts.
(C) Executive branch efforts to prevent the
use of nuclear, biological, and chemical weapons
by terrorists.
(3) Recommend changes to counterterrorism
policy in preventing and punishing international ter-
rorism directed toward the United States.
(b) 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 re-
port of the findings and conclusions of the Commission,
together with any recommendations.
SEC. 3. ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS.
(a) MEETINGS.—
(1) 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 appointed.
(2) After the first meeting, the Commission
shall meet upon the call of the chairman.
(3) A majority of the members of the Commis-
sion shall constitute a quorum, but a lesser number
may hold meetings.
(b) AUTHORITY OF INDIVIDUALS TO ACT FOR COM-
MISSION.—Any member or agent of the Commission may,
if authorized by the Commission, take any action which
the Commission is authorized to take under this Act.
(c) POWERS.—
(1) The Commission may hold such hearings,
sit and act at such times and places, take such testi-
mony, and receive such evidence as the Commission
considers advisable to carry out its duties.
(2) The Commission may secure directly from
any agency of the Federal Government such infor-
mation as the Commission considers necessary to
carry out its duties. Upon the request of the chair-
man of the Commission, the head of a department
or agency shall furnish the requested information ex-
peditiously to the commission.
(3) 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
Federal Government.
(d) PAY
AND EXPENSES
OF COMMISSION MEM-
BERS.—
(1) Each member of the Commission who is not
an employee of the government shall be paid at a
rate equal for the daily equivalent of the annual rate
of basic pay prescribed for level IV of the Executive
Schedule under section 5315 of title 5, United
States Code, for each day (including travel time)
during which such member is engaged in performing
the duties of the Commission.
(2) Members and personnel for the Commission
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.
(3) The members of the Commission may be al-
lowed 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.
(4)(A) A member of the Commission who is an
annuitant otherwise covered by section 8344 or 8468
of title 5, United States Code, by reason of member-
ship on the Commission shall not be subject to the
provisions of such section with respect to member-
ship on the Commission.
(B) A member of the Commission who is a
member or former member of a uniformed service
shall not be subject to the provisions of subsections
(b) and (c) of section 5532 of such title with respect
to membership on the commission.
(e) STAFF AND ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT.—
(1) The chairman of the Commission may,
without regard to civil service laws and regulations,
appoint and terminate an executive director and up
to 3 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 re-
gard to the provisions 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 may
not exceed the maximum rate of pay for GS–15
under the General Schedule.
(2) Upon the request of the Chairman of the
Commission, the head of any department or agency
of the Federal Government may detail, without reim-
bursement, any personnel of the department or
agency to the Commission to assist in carrying out
its duties. The detail of an employee shall be without
interruption or loss of civil service status or privi-
lege.
SEC. 4. TERMINATION OF COMMISSION.
The Commission shall terminate 30 days after the
date on which the Commission submits a final report.
SEC. 5. FUNDING.
There are authorized to be appropriated such sums
as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of this
Act.
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