who suffer from hunger as well as a need for such
individuals to initiate and administer solutions to the
hunger problem.
(2) Bill Emerson, the distinguished late Rep-
resentative from the 8th District of Missouri, dem-
onstrated his commitment to solving the problem of
hunger in a bipartisan manner, his commitment to
public service, and his great affection for the institu-
tion and the ideals of the United States Congress.
(3) George T. (Mickey) Leland, the distin-
guished late Representative from the 18th District
of Texas, demonstrated his compassion for those in
need, his high regard for public service, and his live-
ly exercise of political talents.
(4) The special concern that Mr. Emerson and
Mr. Leland demonstrated during their lives for the
hungry and poor was an inspiration for others to
work toward the goals of equality and justice for all.
(5) These two outstanding leaders maintained a
special bond of friendship regardless of political af-
filiation and worked together to encourage future
leaders to recognize and provide service to others,
and therefore it is especially appropriate to honor
the memory of Mr. Emerson and Mr. Leland by cre-
ating a fellowship program to develop and train the
future leaders of the United States to pursue careers
in humanitarian service.
SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT; BOARD OF TRUSTEES.
(a) IN GENERAL.—There is established as an inde-
pendent entity of the legislative branch of the United
States Government the Congressional Hunger Fellows
Program (hereinafter in this Act referred to as the ‘‘Pro-
gram’’).
(b) BOARD OF TRUSTEES.—The Program shall be
subject to the supervision and direction of a Board of
Trustees.
(1) APPOINTMENT.—The Board shall be com-
posed of 6 voting members appointed under sub-
paragraph (A) and 1 nonvoting ex officio member
designated in subparagraph (B) as follows:
(A) VOTING MEMBERS.—(i) The Speaker
of the House of Representatives shall appoint 2
members.
(ii) The minority leader of the House of
Representatives shall appoint 1 member.
(iii) The majority leader of the Senate
shall appoint 2 members.
(iv) The minority leader of the Senate shall
appoint 1 member.
(B) NONVOTING MEMBER.—The Executive
Director of the Program shall serve as a non-
voting ex officio member of the Board.
(2) TERMS.—Members of the Board shall serve
a term of 4 years.
(3) VACANCY.—
(A) AUTHORITY OF BOARD.—A vacancy in
the membership of the Board does not affect
the power of the remaining members to carry
out this Act.
(B) APPOINTMENT
OF
SUCCESSORS.—A
vacancy in the membership of the Board shall
be filled in the manner in which the original ap-
pointment was made.
(C) INCOMPLETE TERM.—If a member of
the Board does not serve the full term applica-
ble to the member, the individual appointed to
fill the resulting vacancy shall be appointed for
the remainder of the term of the predecessor of
the individual.
(4) CHAIRPERSON.—As the first order of busi-
ness of the first meeting of the Board, the members
shall elect a Chairperson.
(5) COMPENSATION.—
(A) IN
GENERAL.—Subject to subpara-
graph (B), members of the Board may not re-
ceive compensation for service on the Board.
(B) TRAVEL.—Members of the Board may
be reimbursed for travel, subsistence, and other
necessary expenses incurred in carrying out the
duties of the Program.
SEC. 3. PURPOSES; AUTHORITY OF PROGRAM.
(a) PURPOSES.—The purposes of the Program are—
(1) to encourage future leaders of the United
States to pursue careers in humanitarian service, to
recognize the needs of people who are hungry and
poor, and to provide assistance and compassion for
those in need;
(2) to increase awareness of the importance of
public service; and
(3) to provide training and development oppor-
tunities for such leaders.
(b) AUTHORITY.—The Program is authorized to de-
velop such fellowships, activities, and services to carry out
the purposes of this Act, including the fellowships de-
scribed in subsection (c).
(c) FELLOWSHIPS.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Program shall establish
and carry out the Bill Emerson Hunger Fellowship
and the Mickey Leland Hunger Fellowship.
(2) CURRICULUM.—
(A) IN GENERAL.—The fellowships estab-
lished under paragraph (1) shall provide edu-
cation and training to develop the skills and un-
derstanding necessary to improve the humani-
tarian conditions and the lives of individuals
who suffer from hunger, including—
(i) training in direct service to the
hungry in conjunction with community-
based organizations through a program of
field placement; and
(ii) experience in policy development
through placement in a governmental enti-
ty or nonprofit organization.
(B) FOCUS
OF
BILL
EMERSON
HUNGER
FELLOWSHIP.—The Bill Emerson Hunger Fel-
lowship shall address hunger and other humani-
tarian needs in the United States.
(C) FOCUS OF MICKEY LELAND HUNGER
FELLOWSHIP.—The Mickey Leland Hunger
Fellowship shall address international hunger
and other humanitarian needs.
(3) PERIOD
OF
FELLOWSHIP.—A fellowship
awarded under this subsection shall be for a period
of not less than 12 months and not more than 24
months.
(4) SELECTION OF FELLOWS.—
(A) IN GENERAL.—A fellowship shall be
awarded pursuant to a nationwide competition
established by the Program.
(B) QUALIFICATION.—A successful appli-
cant shall be an individual who has dem-
onstrated both a desire to pursue a career in
humanitarian service and outstanding potential
for such a career.
(C) AMOUNT OF AWARD.—Each individual
awarded a fellowship under this subsection shall
receive an educational award and living allow-
ance as determined by the Program.
(D) 
RECOGNITION
OF
FELLOWSHIP
AWARD.—
(i) EMERSON FELLOW.—An individual
awarded a fellowship from the Bill Emer-
son Hunger Fellowship shall be known as
an ‘‘Emerson Fellow’’.
(ii) LELAND FELLOW.—An individual
awarded a fellowship from the Mickey Le-
land Hunger Fellowship shall be known as
a ‘‘Leland Fellow’’.
(d) EVALUATION.—The Program shall conduct peri-
odic evaluations of the Bill Emerson and Mickey Leland
Hunger Fellowships.
SEC. 4. TRUST FUND.
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is established the Con-
gressional Hunger Fellows Trust Fund (hereinafter in this
Act referred to as the ‘‘Fund’’) in the Treasury of the
United States, consisting of amounts appropriated to the
Fund under section 7(a), amounts credited to it under
subsection (c), and amounts received under section
6(c)(2).
(b) INVESTMENT OF FUNDS.—The Secretary of the
Treasury shall invest the full amount of the Fund. Each
investment shall be made in an interest bearing obligation
of the United States or an obligation guaranteed as to
principal and interest by the United States that, as deter-
mined by the Secretary in consultation with the Board,
has a maturity suitable for the Fund.
(c) RETURN ON INVESTMENT.—Except as provided
in section 5(a), the Secretary of the Treasury shall credit
to the Fund the interest on, and the proceeds from sale
or redemption of, obligations held in the Fund.
SEC. 5. EXPENDITURES; AUDITS.
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of the Treasury
shall transfer to the Program from the amounts described
in section 4(c) and section 6(c)(2) such sums as the Board
determines are necessary to enable the Program to carry
out the provisions of this Act.
(b) LIMITATION.—The Secretary may not transfer to
the Program the amounts appropriated to the Fund under
section 7(a).
(c) AUDIT BY GAO.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Comptroller General of
the United States shall conduct an annual audit of
the accounts of the Program.
(2) BOOKS.—The Program shall make available
to the Comptroller General all books, accounts, fi-
nancial records, reports, files, and all other papers,
things, or property belonging to or in use by the
Program and necessary to facilitate such audit.
(3) REPORT TO CONGRESS.—The Comptroller
General shall submit a copy of the results of each
such audit to the Congress.
SEC. 6. STAFF; POWERS OF PROGRAM.
(a) EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Board shall appoint an
Executive Director of the Program who shall admin-
ister the Program. The Executive Director shall
carry out such other functions consistent with the
provisions of this Act as the Board shall prescribe.
(2) RESTRICTION.—The Executive Director
may not serve as Chairperson of the Board.
(3) COMPENSATION.—The Executive Director
shall be paid at a rate not to exceed the rate of basic
pay payable for level III of the Executive Schedule
under section 5314 of title 5, United States Code.
(b) STAFF.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—With the approval of a ma-
jority of the Board, the Executive Director may ap-
point and fix the pay of additional personnel as the
Executive Director considers necessary and appro-
priate to carry out the functions of the provisions of
this Act.
(2) COMPENSATION.—An individual appointed
under paragraph (1) shall be paid at a rate not to
exceed the rate of basic pay payable for level GS–
15 of the General Schedule.
(c) POWERS.—In order to carry out the provisions
of this Act, the Program may perform the following func-
tions:
(1) GIFTS.—The Program 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 Program. Gifts,
bequests, or devises of money and proceeds from
sales of other property received as gifts, bequests, or
devises shall be deposited in the Fund and shall be
available for disbursement upon order of the Board.
(2) EXPERTS
AND
CONSULTANTS.—The Pro-
gram may procure temporary and intermittent serv-
ices under section 3109 of title 5, United States
Code, but at rates for individuals not to exceed the
daily equivalent of the maximum annual rate of
basic pay payable for GS–15 of the General Sched-
ule.
(3) CONTRACT AUTHORITY.—The Program may
contract with and compensate government and pri-
vate agencies or persons without regard to section
3709 of the Revised Statutes (41 U.S.C. 5).
(4) OTHER NECESSARY EXPENDITURES.—The
Program shall make such other expenditures which
the Program considers necessary to carry out the
provisions of this Act.
SEC. 7. REPORT.
Not later than December 31 of each year, the Board
shall submit to Secretary of Agriculture and to Congress
a report on the activities of the Program carried out dur-
ing the previous fiscal year.
SEC. 8. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
There are authorized to be appropriated $18,000,000
to carry out the provisions of this Act.
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