H. Res. 24
In the House of Representatives, U. S., 
January 30, 2007.
Resolved, 
SECTION 1. ESTABLISHMENT OF COMMISSION. 
There is established in the House of Representatives a 
commission to be known as the House Democracy Assistance 
Commission (hereafter in this resolution referred to as the 
‘‘Commission’’). 
SEC. 2. MEMBERSHIP OF COMMISSION. 
(a) NUMBER
AND
APPOINTMENT.—The Commission 
shall be composed of 20 Members of the House of Represent-
atives, of whom 11 shall represent the majority party and be 
appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives 
and 9 shall represent the minority party and be appointed by 
the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives. 
(b) TERMS
OF MEMBERS
OF
THE HOUSE
OF REP-
RESENTATIVES.—Each member of the Commission shall be 
appointed for a term that is concurrent with the Congress in 
which the appointment is made. Such a member may be re-
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appointed for one or more subsequent terms in accordance 
with the preceding sentence. 
(c) CHAIRPERSON.—The Chairperson of the Commission 
shall be designated by the Speaker of the House of Rep-
resentatives from among the members appointed by the 
Speaker of the House of Representatives under subsection 
(a). 
SEC. 3. DUTIES. 
(a) ACTIVITIES.—The Commission shall work with the 
legislatures of partner countries, as determined pursuant to 
paragraphs (2) and (3) of subsection (b), on a frequent and 
regular basis in order to—
(1) enable Members, officers, and staff of the 
House of Representatives and congressional support 
agencies to provide expert advice and consultation to 
members and staff of the legislatures of partner coun-
tries; 
(2) enable members and staff of legislatures of 
partner countries to study the operations of the House 
of Representatives and its support agencies; and 
(3) provide recommendations to the Administrator 
of the United States Agency for International Develop-
ment regarding the provision of material assistance, such 
as modern automation and office systems, information 
technology, and library supplies, as the Commission de-
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termines to be needed by a legislature of a partner coun-
try in order to improve the efficiency and transparency 
of its work, and to oversee the provision of such assist-
ance. 
(b) SELECTION OF PARTNER LEGISLATURES.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—In order to carry out the activi-
ties described in subsection (a), the Commission may 
conduct, as needed, studies on the feasibility of pro-
grams of assistance for legislatures of countries de-
scribed in paragraph (2) for the purpose of strength-
ening the legislative infrastructure of such countries. 
Such studies shall assess—
(A) the independent and substantive role that 
each legislature plays, or could reasonably be ex-
pected to play, in the legislative process and govern-
ment oversight; 
(B) the potential benefit to each legislature of 
expert advice from and consultation with Members 
and staff of the House of Representatives in areas 
such as the development of research services and 
legislative information systems, legislative proce-
dure, committee operations, budget process, govern-
ment oversight, and constituent services; and 
(C) the need in each legislature for material 
assistance, such as modern automation and office
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systems, information technology, and research ma-
terials, in order to improve efficiency and trans-
parency. 
(2) COUNTRIES
DESCRIBED.—The countries re-
ferred to in paragraph (1) are countries that have estab-
lished, have re-established, or are developing democratic 
legislatures which would benefit from the assistance de-
scribed in this resolution. 
(3) ADDITIONAL PARTNER LEGISLATURES.—From 
any countries studied in accordance with paragraph (1), 
the Commission may select one or more legislatures to 
receive assistance under the provisions of this resolution, 
subject to a written expression of interest from the high-
est ranking office within the legislature of a selected 
country. 
(c) REPORTS.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than December 31, 
2007, and each December 31 thereafter, the Commission 
shall prepare and submit to the Speaker of the House 
of Representatives, the Minority Leader of the House of 
Representatives, appropriate House committees, the Of-
fice of Interparliamentary Affairs of the House of Rep-
resentatives, and the Administrator of the United States 
Agency for International Development, an annual report 
on the Commission’s activities, including a review of the
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activities of the Commission in the current year and a 
proposal for the activities of the Commission in the up-
coming year, as described in subsection (a). 
(2) DEFINITION.—In this subsection, the term ‘‘ap-
propriate House committees’’ means the following com-
mittees of the House of Representatives: 
(A) The Committee on Foreign Affairs. 
(B) The Committee on Appropriations. 
(C) The Committee on House Administration. 
(D) The Committee on Rules. 
SEC. 4. ROLE OF THE COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Commission shall carry out the 
duties described in section 3 using the staff and resources of 
the Committee on Foreign Affairs, including the use of con-
sultants or temporary employees, such as individuals with ex-
pertise in development of democratic parliaments, legislative 
systems management, legislative research, parliamentary pro-
cedure, related legislative matters, and technology systems 
management, as appropriate. 
(b) PARTICIPATION OF LEGISLATIVE BRANCH EMPLOY-
EES.—At the request of the Commission, the head of any of-
fice of the House of Representatives or any congressional 
support agency may assist the work of the Commission by—
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(1) detailing personnel to the staff of the Com-
mittee on Foreign Affairs or another standing committee 
of the House of Representatives; or 
(2) authorizing personnel to participate in activities 
of the Commission. 
SEC. 5. TRANSITION FROM FORMER COMMISSION. 
(a) CONTINUATION
OF
EXISTING
PROGRAMS.—The 
Commission may continue programs of assistance with legis-
latures of partner countries which were initiated by the 
former Commission. 
(b) TRANSFER OF AUTHORITIES AND RESOURCES.—Any 
authorities and resources of the former Commission which re-
main available as of the day before the date of the adoption 
of this resolution, including unobligated funds, shall be trans-
ferred and made available to the Commission. 
(c) DEFINITION.—In this section, the ‘‘former Commis-
sion’’ means the House Democracy Assistance Commission 
established under the House Democracy Assistance Commis-
sion Resolution (House Resolution 135, One Hundred Ninth 
Congress, agreed to March 14, 2005). 
Attest:
Clerk.