Title: Reclaiming Congress’s Constitutional Mandate in Trade Resolution
Policy area: Congress

Summary:
Reclaiming Congress's Constitutional Mandate in Trade Resolution
This concurrent resolution establishes (1) a Joint Ad Hoc Committee on Trade Responsibilities to develop a plan under which the functions and responsibilities of the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) shall be moved to the legislative branch, and (2) a Congressional Advisory Board on Trade Responsibilities to advise the committee in its development of the plan.
The USTR and the other heads of executive branch offices must make available to the committee and the board such information and assistance as the entities may reasonably require to carry out their activities.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 2 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>






116th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. CON. RES. 2

 Establishing the Joint Ad Hoc Committee on Trade Responsibilities to 
 develop a plan under which the functions and responsibilities of the 
Office of the United States Trade Representative shall be moved to the 
   legislative branch in accordance with article I, section 8 of the 
       Constitution of the United States, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            January 3, 2019

 Mr. Griffith submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was 
referred to the Committee on Rules, and in addition to the Committee on 
   Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the 
  Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall 
           within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
 Establishing the Joint Ad Hoc Committee on Trade Responsibilities to 
 develop a plan under which the functions and responsibilities of the 
Office of the United States Trade Representative shall be moved to the 
   legislative branch in accordance with article I, section 8 of the 
       Constitution of the United States, and for other purposes.

    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring),

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This resolution may be cited as the ``Reclaiming Congress's 
Constitutional Mandate in Trade Resolution''.

SEC. 2. JOINT AD HOC COMMITTEE ON TRADE RESPONSIBILITIES.

    (a) Establishment.--There is established a Joint Ad Hoc Committee 
on Trade Responsibilities (referred to as the ``Joint Ad Hoc 
Committee'').
    (b) Membership.--The Joint Ad Hoc Committee shall consist of 14 
members, who shall be appointed not later than 60 days after the date 
of the adoption of this resolution, as follows:
            (1) Nine Members of the House of Representatives who shall 
        be members of the Committee on Ways and Means or the Committee 
        on Energy and Commerce, of whom--
                    (A) six shall be appointed by the Speaker of the 
                House of Representatives, one of whom (as designated by 
                the Speaker at the time of appointment) shall serve as 
                the Chair of the Joint Ad Hoc Committee; and
                    (B) three shall be appointed by the minority leader 
                of the House of Representatives.
            (2) Five Senators who shall be members of the Committee on 
        Finance, of whom--
                    (A) three shall be appointed by the majority leader 
                of the Senate, one of whom (as designated by the 
                majority leader at the time of appointment) shall serve 
                as the Vice Chair of the Joint Ad Hoc Committee; and
                    (B) two shall be appointed by the minority leader 
                of the Senate.
    (c) Duties.--
            (1) Plan for transfer of ustr functions to legislative 
        branch.--The Joint Ad Hoc Committee shall develop a plan under 
        which the functions and responsibilities of the Office of the 
        United States Trade Representative shall be moved to the 
        legislative branch in accordance with article I, section 8 of 
        the Constitution of the United States.
            (2) Consultation with advisory board.--In developing the 
        plan under paragraph (1), the Joint Ad Hoc Committee shall 
        consult regularly with the Congressional Advisory Board on 
        Trade Responsibilities established under section 3.
            (3) Deadline for transfer under plan.--Under the plan 
        developed by the Joint Ad Hoc Committee under paragraph (1), 
        the functions and responsibilities of the Office of the United 
        States Trade Representative shall be moved to the legislative 
        branch--
                    (A) upon the expiration of the 4-year period which 
                begins on the date the Joint Ad Hoc Committee submits 
                the report described in subsection (e); or
                    (B) on July 1, 2023,
        whichever is later.
    (d) Authorities; Employment and Compensation of Staff.--
            (1) Authority of committee.--
                    (A) In general.--The Joint Ad Hoc Committee may--
                            (i) subject to subparagraph (B), sit and 
                        act at such places and times as the Joint Ad 
                        Hoc Committee determines are appropriate during 
                        the sessions, recesses, and adjourned periods 
                        of Congress; and
                            (ii) require the attendance of witnesses 
                        and the production of books, papers, and 
                        documents, administer oaths, take testimony, 
                        and procure printing and binding.
                    (B) Meetings.--Beginning on the date that is 90 
                days after the date of the adoption of this resolution, 
                the Joint Ad Hoc Committee may meet at the call of the 
                Chair or a majority of its members that are appointed 
                as of such date.
            (2) Appointment and compensation of staff.--(A) The Joint 
        Ad Hoc Committee may appoint and fix the compensation of such 
        experts, consultants, technicians, and clerical personnel as it 
        deems necessary, but shall utilize existing staff to the extent 
        possible. Staff shall be compensated and reimbursed in 
        accordance with current rules, statutes, practices, and 
        procedures under which congressional staff are currently 
        compensated and reimbursed for their official expenses.
            (B) The Joint Ad Hoc Committee may utilize such voluntary 
        and uncompensated services as it deems necessary and may 
        utilize the services, information, facilities, and personnel of 
        other agencies of the legislative branch.
            (3) Witnesses.--Witnesses requested to appear before the 
        Joint Ad Hoc Committee shall be reimbursed for travel, 
        subsistence, and other necessary expenses incurred in traveling 
        to and from Joint Ad Hoc Committee proceedings.
            (4) Expenses.--
                    (A) House of representatives.--There shall be paid 
                out of the applicable accounts of the House of 
                Representatives such sums as may be necessary for the 
                portion of the expenses of the Joint Ad Hoc Committee 
                which are allocable to the House. Such payments shall 
                be made on vouchers signed by the Chair of the Joint Ad 
                Hoc Committee and approved in the manner directed by 
                the Committee on House Administration of the House of 
                Representatives. Amounts made available under this 
                paragraph shall be expended in accordance with 
                regulations prescribed by the Committee on House 
                Administration of the House of Representatives.
                    (B) Senate.--There shall be paid out of the 
                contingent fund of the Senate such sums as may be 
                necessary for the portion of the expenses of the Joint 
                Ad Hoc Committee which are allocable to the Senate. 
                Such payments shall be made on vouchers signed by the 
                Vice Chair of the Joint Ad Hoc Committee.
    (e) Report.--Not later than 16 months after the date on which all 
members of the Joint Ad Hoc Committee are appointed under subsection 
(b), the Committee shall submit to Congress a report that contains the 
plan described in subsection (c).
    (f) Termination.--The Joint Ad Hoc Committee shall terminate upon 
the expiration of the 1-year period which begins on the date the Joint 
Ad Hoc Committee submits the report required under subsection (e).

SEC. 3. CONGRESSIONAL ADVISORY BOARD.

    (a) Establishment.--There is established a Congressional Advisory 
Board on Trade Responsibilities (referred to as the ``Advisory 
Board'').
    (b) Membership.--The Advisory Board shall consist of 21 members, 
who shall be appointed not later than 60 days after the date of the 
adoption of this resolution, as follows:
            (1) Four members appointed by the Speaker of the House of 
        Representatives, of whom--
                    (A) one member shall be appointed from among the 
                individuals described in subsection (c)(1); and
                    (B) three members shall be appointed from among the 
                individuals described in subsection (c)(2).
            (2) Four members appointed by the majority leader of the 
        Senate, of whom--
                    (A) one member shall be appointed from among the 
                individuals described in subsection (c)(1); and
                    (B) three members shall be appointed from among the 
                individuals described in subsection (c)(2).
            (3) Three members appointed by the minority leader of the 
        House of Representatives, of whom--
                    (A) one member shall be appointed from among the 
                individuals described in subsection (c)(1); and
                    (B) two members shall be appointed from among the 
                individuals described in subsection (c)(2).
            (4) Three members appointed by the minority leader of the 
        Senate, of whom--
                    (A) one member shall be appointed from among the 
                individuals described in subsection (c)(1); and
                    (B) two members shall be appointed from among the 
                individuals described in subsection (c)(2).
            (5) Six members appointed by the United States Trade 
        Representative, of whom--
                    (A) three members shall be appointed from among the 
                individuals described in subsection (c)(1); and
                    (B) three members shall be appointed from among the 
                individuals described in subsection (c)(2).
            (6) The United States Trade Representative (or the Trade 
        Representative's designee).
    (c) Individuals Eligible for Appointment.--The individuals eligible 
for appointment to the Advisory Board under subsection (b) are the 
following:
            (1) Individuals with expertise on the constitutional roles 
        of the President and Congress regarding United States trade 
        policy and the development, negotiation, implementation, and 
        administration of bilateral and multilateral trade agreements.
            (2) Individuals who are representatives of non-Federal 
        governments, labor, industry, agriculture, small business, 
        service industries, retailers, nongovernmental environmental 
        and conservation organization, and consumer interests.
    (d) Duties.--The Advisory Board shall advise the Joint Ad Hoc 
Committee on Trade Responsibilities established under section 2 in its 
development of the plan described in section 2(c).
    (e) Expenses.--Members of the Advisory Board shall serve without 
pay, but each member who does not reside in the Washington Metropolitan 
Area 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. In this subsection, the 
term ``Washington Metropolitan Area'' means the District of Columbia, 
the counties of Montgomery and Prince Georges in Maryland, and the 
counties of Arlington, Fairfax, Loudon, and Prince William and the 
cities of Alexandria and Falls Church in Virginia.
    (f) Availability of Staff of Joint Ad Hoc Committee.--The Advisory 
Board may not appoint staff, but upon request of the Advisory Board, 
the Joint Ad Hoc Committee on Trade Responsibilities may detail any of 
its personnel to assist the Advisory Board in carrying out the Advisory 
Board's duties under this Act.
    (g) Termination.--The Advisory Board shall terminate upon the 
expiration of the 1-year period which begins on the date the Joint Ad 
Hoc Committee on Trade Responsibilities submits the report required 
under section 2(e).

SEC. 4. ASSISTANCE OF UNITED STATES TRADE REPRESENTATIVE.

    The United States Trade Representative and other heads of offices 
in the executive branch, shall make available to the Joint Ad Hoc 
Committee on Trade Responsibilities established under section 2 and the 
Congressional Advisory Board on Trade Responsibilities established 
under section 3 such information and assistance the Joint Ad Hoc 
Committee and the Advisory Board may reasonably require to carry out 
their activities.
                                 <all>