Congress Commission Act
Bill: H.R.996 | Sponsor: Rep. Hastings, Alcee L. (D-FL)
Policy area: Congress

Summary:
Congress Commission Act
This bill establishes the Congressional Commission to Strengthen Representative Democracy, which must examine and make recommendations relating to changing the membership size of the House of Representatives and the method of electing Representatives.

To establish a commission to make recommendations on the appropriate 
 size of membership of the House of Representatives and the method by 
                       which Members are elected.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Congress Commission Act''.

SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT.

    There is established a commission to be known as the 
``Congressional Commission to Strengthen Representative Democracy'' 
(hereafter in this Act referred to as the ``Commission'').

SEC. 3. DUTIES OF COMMISSION.

    The Commission shall--
            (1) analyze the current size of the membership of the House 
        of Representatives considering the requirement for the 
        institution to carry out its responsibilities in an effective 
        manner;
            (2) examine alternatives to the current method by which 
        Representatives are elected (including ranked choice voting, 
        cumulative voting, and other forms of proportional 
        representation) to determine if such alternatives would make 
        the House of Representatives a more representative body and 
        include more citizens in the electoral process;
            (3) examine the use of gerrymandering in the creation of 
        single-member districts;
            (4) to the extent necessary, formulate proposals for 
        changes in the size of the membership of, and the method of 
        electing Representatives to, the House of Representatives; and
            (5) not later than the end of the One Hundred Seventeenth 
        Congress, submit to the President and the Congress a report of 
        the work of the Commission, together with a draft of 
        legislation (including technical and conforming provisions) to 
        implement the proposals referred to in paragraph (5).

SEC. 4. MEMBERSHIP.

    (a) Number and Appointment.--The Commission shall be composed of 15 
members as follows:
            (1) Five members appointed by the Speaker of the House of 
        Representatives.
            (2) Five members appointed by the minority leader of the 
        House of Representatives.
            (3) Two members appointed by the majority leader of the 
        Senate.
            (4) Two members appointed by the minority leader of the 
        Senate.
            (5) One member appointed by the other 14 members to serve 
        as Chairman of the Commission, by a vote in which at least 9 
        members approve of the appointment, including at least 1 member 
        appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, 1 
        member appointed by the minority leader of the House of 
        Representatives, 1 member appointed by the majority leader of 
        the Senate, and 1 member appointed by the minority leader of 
        the Senate.
    (b) Qualifications.--In making appointments under this section, the 
appointing authorities shall make a special effort to appoint 
individuals who are particularly qualified to perform the functions of 
the Commission, by reason of either practical experience or academic 
expertise in politics or government.
    (c) Terms and Vacancies.--Each member shall be appointed for the 
life of the Commission. A vacancy in the Commission shall be filled in 
the manner in which the original appointment was made.
    (d) Pay and Travel.--Each member of the Commission, other than a 
full-time officer or employee of the United States--
            (1) shall be paid the daily equivalent of the annual rate 
        of basic pay payable for level V of the Executive Schedule for 
        each day (including travel time) during which the member is 
        engaged in the actual performance of duties vested in the 
        Commission; and
            (2) shall receive travel expenses, including per diem in 
        lieu of subsistence, in accordance with applicable provisions 
        under subchapter I of chapter 57 of title 5, United States 
        Code.
    (e) Quorum.--Eight members of the Commission shall constitute a 
quorum, but a lesser number may hold hearings.
    (f) Meetings.--The Commission shall meet at the call of the 
Chairman or a majority of its members.

SEC. 5. STAFF.

    (a) In General.--With the approval of the Commission, the Chairman 
may appoint and fix the pay of not more than six individuals for the 
staff of the Commission. Such individuals may be appointed without 
regard to the provisions of title 5, United States Code, 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 
that title relating to classification and General Schedule pay rates, 
except that an individual so appointed may not receive pay in excess of 
the maximum annual rate of basic pay payable for grade GS-15 of the 
General Schedule under section 5332 of title 5, United States Code.
    (b) Experts and Consultants.--With the approval of the Commission, 
the Chairman may procure temporary and intermittent services in the 
manner prescribed in section 3109(b) 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 grade GS-15 of the General 
Schedule under section 5332 of title 5, United States Code.
    (c) Staff of Federal Agencies.--Upon request of the Commission, the 
head of any Federal department or agency may detail, on a reimbursable 
basis, any of the personnel of that department or agency to the 
Commission to assist it in carrying out its duties under this Act.

SEC. 6. POWERS OF COMMISSION.

    (a) Hearings.--The Commission may, for the purpose of carrying out 
this Act, hold hearings, sit and act at times and places, take 
testimony, and receive evidence as the Commission considers 
appropriate.
    (b) Subpoena Power.--
            (1) In general.--The Commission may issue subpoenas 
        requiring the attendance and testimony of witnesses and the 
        production of any evidence relating to any matter considered by 
        the Commission in carrying out this Act. The attendance of 
        witnesses and the production of evidence may be required from 
        any place within the United States at any designated place of 
        hearing within the United States.
            (2) Failure to obey a subpoena.--If a person refuses to 
        obey a subpoena issued under paragraph (1), the Commission may 
        apply to a United States district court for an order requiring 
        that person to appear before the Commission to give testimony, 
        produce evidence, or both, relating to the matter involved. The 
        application may be made within the judicial district where the 
        hearing is conducted or where that person is found, resides, or 
        transacts business. Any failure to obey the order of the court 
        may be punished by the court as civil contempt.
            (3) Service of subpoenas.--The subpoenas of the Commission 
        shall be served in the manner provided for subpoenas issued by 
        a United States district court under the Federal Rules of Civil 
        Procedure for the United States district courts.
            (4) Service of process.--All process of any court to which 
        application is made under paragraph (2) may be served in the 
        judicial district in which the person required to be served 
        resides or may be found.
    (c) Members and Agents.--Any member or agent of the Commission may, 
if authorized by the Commission, take any action which the Commission 
is authorized to take by this section.
    (d) Mails.--The Commission may use the United States mails in the 
same manner and under the same conditions as departments and agencies 
of the United States.
    (e) Administrative Support Services.--Upon the request of the 
Commission, the Administrator of General Services shall provide to the 
Commission, on a reimbursable basis, the administrative support 
services necessary for the Commission to carry out its responsibilities 
under this Act.

SEC. 7. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this Act 
$5,000,000, to remain available until expended.

SEC. 8. TERMINATION.

    The Commission shall terminate on the last day of the month in 
which the Commission submits the report required under section 3.
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