been appointed, the Commission shall hold its first meet-
ing.
(h) QUORUM.—
(1) COMMISSION.—A majority of the members
of the Commission shall constitute a quorum, but a
lesser number may hold hearings.
(2) PANELS.—A majority of the members of a
panel shall constitute a quorum, but a lesser number
may hold hearings.
(i) MEETINGS.—
(1) COMMISSION.—The Commission shall meet
at the call of the chairman of the Commission.
(2) PANELS.—A panel shall meet at the call of
the chairman of such panel.
(j) MAJORITY VOTE.—
(1) COMMISSION.—The Commission shall make
no recommendation unless approved by the affirma-
tive vote of a majority of the members of the Com-
mission.
(2) PANELS.—(A) Except as provided in sub-
paragraph (B), a panel shall make no recommenda-
tion, report, or legislative proposal unless approved
by the affirmative vote of a majority of the members
of the Panel.
(B) In the case of a report described in section
5(d)(3) or section 6(e)(2), no vote shall be required
to submit such report.
(k) 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.
SEC. 4. DUTIES OF THE CHAIRMAN OF THE COMMISSION.
The chairman of the Commission shall oversee the
progress of each panel, review weekly progress reports
from each panel, and allocate the Commission’s resources
to enable each panel to carry out its duties.
SEC. 5. DUTIES OF OPPORTUNITIES PANEL.
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Opportunities Panel shall—
(1) review the efficacy and appropriateness of
veterans transition and assistance programs in pro-
viding assistance to members of the Armed Forces
in making the transition and adjustment to civilian
life upon their separation from the Armed Forces
and in providing assistance to veterans in adjusting
to civilian life;
(2) evaluate proposals for improving such pro-
grams, including proposals to consolidate, stream-
line, and enhance the provision of such assistance
and proposals for alternative means of providing
such assistance; and
(3) make recommendations to Congress regard-
ing means of ensuring the continuing utility of such
programs and assistance and of otherwise improving
such programs and the provision of such assistance.
(b) REVIEW OF PROGRAMS TO ASSIST MEMBERS OF
THE ARMED FORCES AT SEPARATION.—(1) While carry-
ing out the general duties specified in subsection (a), the
members of the Opportunities Panel appointed under
clauses (iii) and (iv) of section 3(a)(3)(A) shall review pri-
marily the programs intended to assist members of the
Armed Forces at the time of their separation from service
in the Armed Forces, including programs designed to as-
sist families of such members in preparing for the transi-
tion of such members from military life to civilian life and
to facilitate that transition.
(2) In carrying out the review, such members of the
Opportunities Panel shall determine the following:
(A) The adequacy of the programs referred to
in paragraph (1) for their purposes.
(B) The adequacy of the support of the Armed
Forces for such programs.
(C) The effect, if any, of the existence of such
programs on military readiness.
(D) The extent to which such programs provide
members of the Armed Forces with job-search skills.
(E) The extent to which such programs prepare
such members for employment in the private sector
and in the public sector.
(F) The effectiveness of such programs in as-
sisting such members in finding employment in the
public sector upon their separation from service.
(G) The ways in which such programs could be
improved in order to assist such members in secur-
ing meaningful employment in the private sector
upon their separation from service.
(c) REVIEW OF PROGRAMS TO ASSIST VETERANS.—
(1) While carrying out the general duties specified in sub-
section (a), the members of the Opportunities Panel ap-
pointed under clauses (i) and (ii) of section 3(a)(3)(A)
shall review primarily the adequacy of programs intended
to assist veterans (including disabled veterans, homeless
veterans, and economically disadvantaged veterans) in ad-
justing to civilian life, including the programs referred to
in paragraph (2).
(2) The programs referred to in paragraph (1) are
the following:
(A) Educational assistance programs.
(B) Job counseling, job training, and job place-
ment services programs.
(C) Rehabilitation and training programs.
(D) Housing loan programs.
(E) Small business loan and small business as-
sistance programs.
(F) Employment and employment training pro-
grams for employment in the public sector and the
private sector, including employer training programs
and union apprenticeship programs.
(G) Federal Government personnel policies (in-
cluding veterans’ preference policies) and the en-
forcement of such policies.
(H) Programs that prepare the families of
members of the Armed Forces for their transition
from military life to civilian life and facilitate that
transition.
(d) REPORTS.—(1) Not later than 90 days after the
date on which all members of the Opportunities Panel
have been appointed, the Opportunities Panel shall submit
to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs and Armed Serv-
ices of the Senate and the Committees on Veterans’ Af-
fairs and National Security of the House of Representa-
tives a report setting forth a plan for the work of the Op-
portunities Panel. The Opportunities Panel shall develop
the plan in consultation with the Secretary of Defense, the
Secretary of Veterans Affairs, and the heads of other ap-
propriate departments and agencies of the Federal Gov-
ernment.
(2)(A) Not later than one year after the date of the
first meeting of the Opportunities Panel, the Opportuni-
ties Panel shall submit to the committees referred to in
paragraph (1), and to the Secretary of Defense, the Sec-
retary of Veterans Affairs, the Secretary of Labor, and
the Secretary of Education, a report setting forth the ac-
tivities, findings, and recommendations of the Opportuni-
ties Panel, including any recommendations for legislative
action and administrative action as the Opportunities
Panel considers appropriate.
(B) Not later than 90 days after receiving the report
referred to in subparagraph (A), the Secretary of Defense
and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall jointly trans-
mit the report to Congress, together with the Secretaries’
comments on the report.
(3) The chairman of the Opportunities Panel shall
submit to the chairman of the Commission a weekly report
setting forth the activities of the Opportunities Panel for
the preceding week.