To establish the Commission on Women's Business Ownership.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Women's Business Ownership Act of 
2008''.

SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT.

    There is established a commission to be known as the ``National 
Commission on Women's Business Ownership'' (hereinafter in this Act 
referred to as the ``Commission'').

SEC. 3. DUTIES OF THE COMMISSION.

    (a) Review Required.--The Commission shall--
            (1) review the status of women business owners nationwide, 
        and the progress made since the 1980 White House Conference on 
        Small Business;
            (2) review the role of the Federal Government in aid to, 
        and the promotion of, women business owners; and
            (3) review data collection procedures with regard to women-
        owned business and Federal initiatives and procurement, with a 
        view toward recommending improvements.
    (b) Recommendations Required.--Based on its review, the Commission 
shall--
            (1) recommend new private-sector initiatives regarding 
        management and technical assistance to women business owners;
            (2) recommend ways to create greater access to credit for 
        women in business; and
            (3) recommend ways to enhance procurement opportunities for 
        women business owners.
    (c) Definition.--For purposes of this Act, a business is owned by a 
woman if the sole owner is a woman, or if one-half or more of the 
partners are women, or if it is a corporation, where 50 percent or more 
of the stock is owned by women.

SEC. 4. MEMBERSHIP.

    (a) In General.--The Commission shall be composed of nine members 
appointed as follows:
            (1) Three members appointed by the President.
            (2) Three members appointed by the Speaker of the House of 
        Representatives from a list of fifteen individuals nominated 
        for such appointment by the chairman of the Committee on Small 
        Business of the House of Representatives.
            (3) Three members appointed by the majority leader of the 
        Senate from a list of fifteen individuals nominated for such 
        appointment by the chairman of the Committee on Small Business 
        and Entrepreneurship of the Senate.
    (b) Qualifications.--(1) Appointments under subsection (a) shall be 
made from individuals whip are specially qualified to serve on the 
Commission by virtue of their education, training, or experience, and 
who are not officers or employees of the Federal Government or Members 
of Congress.
    (2) Of the three individuals appointed under each of paragraphs 
(1), (2), and (3) of subsection (a)--
            (A) no more than two members appointed under each paragraph 
        shall be of the same political party;
            (B) at least one member appointed under each paragraph 
        shall be a woman; and
            (C) at least one member appointed under each paragraph 
        shall be an individual who is a small business owner.
    (3) In making the appointments under subsection (a), the appointing 
authorities should give consideration to achieving a geographical 
balance.
    (c) Term.--Members shall be appointed for the life of the 
Commission, except that, if any member of the Commission becomes an 
officer or employee of the Federal Government or a Member of Congress, 
such individual may continue as a member of the Commission for not 
longer than the thirty-day period beginning on the date such individual 
becomes such an officer or employee or Member of Congress.
    (d) Vacancies.--A vacancy in the Commission shall be filled in the 
manner in which the original appointment was made.
    (e) Pay.--Members of the Commission shall serve without pay, except 
members of the Commission shall be entitled to reimbursement for 
travel, subsistence, and other necessary expenses incurred by them in 
carrying out the functions of the Commission, in the same manner as 
persons employed intermittently in the Federal Government are allowed 
expenses under section 5703 of title 5, United States Code.
    (f) Quorum.--Five members of the Commission shall constitute a 
quorum but a lesser number may hold hearings.
    (g) Chairperson and Vice Chairperson.--The Chairperson and Vice 
Chairperson of the Commission shall be designated by the President. The 
term of office of the Chairperson and Vice Chairperson shall be the 
life of the Commission.
    (h) Meetings.--The Commission shall meet not less than four times 
nor more than six times each year. Meetings shall be at the call of a 
majority of its members.

SEC. 5. DIRECTOR AND STAFF OF THE COMMISSION.

    (a) Director and Staff.--(1) The Commission shall have a Director 
who shall be appointed by the Commission. The Commission, with the 
recommendation of the Director, may appoint and fix the pay of four 
additional personnel.
    (2) The Director and staff of the Commission may be appointed 
without regard to section 5311(b) of title 5, United States Code, and 
without regard to the provisions of such title governing appointments 
in the competitive service, and may be paid without regard to the 
provisions of chapter 51 and subchapter III of chapter 53 of such title 
relating to classification and General Schedule pay rates, except that 
no individual so appointed may receive pay in excess of the annual rate 
of basic pay payable for GS-18 of the General Schedule.
    (b) Services.--The Commission may procure temporary and 
intermittent services under section 3109(b) of title 5 of the Unites 
States Code, but at rates for individuals not to exceed the daily 
equivalent of the maximum annual rate of basic pay payable for GS-18 of 
the General Schedule.
    (c) Details.--Upon request of the Commission, the head of any 
department or agency may detail, on a reimbursable basis, any of the 
personnel of such agency to the Commission to assist the Commission in 
carrying out its duties under this Act.

SEC. 6. POWERS OF THE COMMISSION.

    (a) In General.--The Commission may, for the purpose of carrying 
out this Act, hold such hearings, sit and act at such times and places, 
take such testimony, and receive such evidence, as the Commission 
considers appropriate.
    (b) Delegation.--Any member or agent of the Commission may, if so 
authorized by the Commission, take any action which the Commission is 
authorized to take by this section.
    (c) Access to Information.--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 
Commission, the head of such department or agency shall furnish such 
information to the Commission.
    (d) Use of Mails.--The Commission may use the United States mails 
in the same manner and under the same conditions as other departments 
and agencies of the United States.
    (e) Administrative Support.--The Administrator of General Services 
shall provide to the Commission on a reimbursable basis such 
administrative support services as the Commission may request.

SEC. 7. REPORTS.

    The Commission shall transmit to the President and to each House of 
the Congress such interim reports as it considers appropriate and shall 
transmit a final report to the President no later than twenty-six 
months after the date of the Commission's first meeting. The final 
report shall contain a detailed statement of the findings and 
conclusions of the Commission, together with its recommendations for 
such legislation and administrative actions as it considers 
appropriate.

SEC. 8. TERMINATION.

    The Commission shall cease to exist on the date that it transmits 
its final report to the President and to each House of the Congress.

SEC. 9. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be 
necessary to carry out this Act.

Summary: Women's Business Ownership Act of 2008 - Establishes the Commission on Women's Business Ownership to review and make recommendations concerning: (1) the status of women business owners nationwide, and the progress made since the 1980 White House Conference on Small Business; (2) the role of the federal government in aid to and promotion of women business owners; and (3) data collection procedures with regard to women-owned businesses and federal initiatives and procurement.