In this task, you are given text for US Congressional and California state bills, your task is to generate a summary for this bill.

Ex Input:
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Health Empowerment Zone Act of 
2009''.

SEC. 2. TABLE OF CONTENTS.

    The table of contents for this Act is as follows:

Sec. 1. Short title.
Sec. 2. Table of contents.
Sec. 3. Findings.
Sec. 4. Designation of health empowerment zones.
Sec. 5. Assistance to those seeking designation.
Sec. 6. Benefits of designation.
Sec. 7. Definition.
Sec. 8. Authorization of appropriations.

SEC. 3. FINDINGS.

    (a) Findings.--The Congress finds the following:
            (1) Numerous studies and reports, including the National 
        Healthcare Disparities Report and Unequal Treatment, the 2002 
        Institute of Medicine Report, document the extensiveness to 
        which health disparities exist across the country.
            (2) These studies have found that, on average, racial and 
        ethnic minorities are disproportionately afflicted with chronic 
        and acute conditions--such as cancer, diabetes, and 
        hypertension--and suffer worse health outcomes, worse health 
        status, and higher mortality rates than their White 
        counterparts.
            (3) Several recent studies also show that health 
        disparities are a function of not only access to health care, 
        but also the social determinants of health--including the 
        environment, the physical structure of communities, nutrition 
        and food options, educational attainment, employment, race, 
        ethnicity, geography, and language preference--that directly 
        and indirectly affect the health, health care, and wellness of 
        individuals and communities.
            (4) Integrally involving and fully supporting the 
        communities most affected by health inequities in the 
        assessment, planning, launch, and evaluation of health 
        disparity elimination efforts is among the leading 
        recommendations made to adequately address and ultimately 
        reduce health disparities.
            (5) Recommendations also include supporting the efforts of 
        community stakeholders from a broad cross section--including, 
        but not limited to local businesses, local departments of 
        commerce, education, labor, urban planning, and transportation, 
        and community-based and other nonprofit organizations--to find 
        areas of common ground around health disparity elimination and 
        collaborate to improve the overall health and wellness of a 
        community and its residents.

SEC. 4. DESIGNATION OF HEALTH EMPOWERMENT ZONES.

    (a) In General.--At the request of an eligible community 
partnership, the Secretary may designate an eligible area as a health 
empowerment zone.
    (b) Eligibility Criteria.--
            (1) Eligible community partnership.--A community 
        partnership is eligible to submit a request under this section 
        if the partnership--
                    (A) demonstrates widespread public support from key 
                individuals and entities in the eligible area, 
                including State and local governments, nonprofit 
                organizations, and community and industry leaders, for 
                designation of the eligible area as a health 
                empowerment zone; and
                    (B) includes representatives of--
                            (i) a broad cross section of stakeholders 
                        and residents from communities in the eligible 
                        area experiencing disproportionate disparities 
                        in health status and health care; and
                            (ii) organizations, facilities, and 
                        institutions that have a history of working 
                        within and serving such communities.
            (2) Eligible area.--An area is eligible to be designated as 
        a health empowerment zone under this section if one or more 
        communities in the area experience disproportionate disparities 
        in health status and health care. In determining whether a 
        community experiences such disparities, the Secretary shall 
        consider the data collected by the Department of Health and 
        Human Services focusing on the following areas:
                    (A) Access to high-quality health services.
                    (B) Arthritis, osteoporosis, and chronic back 
                conditions.
                    (C) Cancer.
                    (D) Chronic kidney disease.
                    (E) Diabetes.
                    (F) Injury and violence prevention.
                    (G) Maternal, infant, and child health.
                    (H) Medical product safety.
                    (I) Mental health and mental disorders.
                    (J) Nutrition and overweight.
                    (K) Disability and secondary conditions.
                    (L) Educational and community-based health 
                programs.
                    (M) Environmental health.
                    (N) Family planning.
                    (O) Food safety.
                    (P) Health communication.
                    (Q) Health disease and stroke.
                    (R) HIV/AIDS.
                    (S) Immunization and infectious diseases.
                    (T) Occupational safety and health.
                    (U) Oral health.
                    (V) Physical activity and fitness.
                    (W) Public health infrastructure.
                    (X) Respiratory diseases.
                    (Y) Sexually transmitted diseases.
                    (Z) Substance abuse.
                    (AA) Tobacco use.
                    (BB) Vision and hearing.
    (c) Procedure.--
            (1) Request.--A request under subsection (a) shall--
                    (A) describe the bounds of the area to be 
                designated as a health empowerment zone and the process 
                used to select those bounds;
                    (B) demonstrate that the partnership submitting the 
                request is an eligible community partnership described 
                in subsection (b)(1);
                    (C) demonstrate that the area is an eligible area 
                described in subsection (b)(2);
                    (D) include a comprehensive assessment of 
                disparities in health status and health care experience 
                by one or more communities in the area;
                    (E) set forth--
                            (i) a vision and a set of values for the 
                        area; and
                            (ii) a comprehensive and holistic set of 
                        goals to be achieved in the area through 
                        designation as a health empowerment zone; and
                    (F) include a strategic plan for achieving the 
                goals described in subparagraph (E)(ii).
            (2) Approval.--Not later than 60 days after the receipt of 
        a request for designation of an area as a health empowerment 
        zone under this section, the Secretary shall approve or 
        disapprove the request.
    (d) Minimum Number.--The Secretary--
            (1) shall designate not more than 110 health empowerment 
        zones under this section; and
            (2) shall designate at least one health empowerment zone in 
        each of the several States, the District of Columbia, and each 
        territory or possession of the United States.

SEC. 5. ASSISTANCE TO THOSE SEEKING DESIGNATION.

    At the request of any organization or entity seeking to submit a 
request under section 4(a), the Secretary shall provide technical 
assistance, and may award a grant, to assist such organization or 
entity--
            (1) to form an eligible community partnership described in 
        subsection (b)(1);
            (2) to complete a health assessment, including an 
        assessment of health disparities under subsection (c)(1)(D); or
            (3) to prepare and submit a request, including a strategic 
        plan, in accordance with section 4.

SEC. 6. BENEFITS OF DESIGNATION.

    (a) Priority.--In awarding any competitive grant, a Federal 
official shall give priority to any applicant that--
            (1) meets the eligibility criteria for the grant;
            (2) proposes to use the grant for activities in a health 
        empowerment zone; and
            (3) demonstrates that such activities will directly and 
        significantly further the goals of the strategic plan approved 
        for such zone under section 4.
    (b) Grants for Initial Implementation of Strategic Plan.--
            (1) In general.--Upon designating an eligible area as a 
        health empowerment zone at the request of an eligible community 
        partnership, the Secretary shall, subject to the availability 
        of appropriations, make a grant to the community partnership 
        for implementation of the strategic plan for such zone.
            (2) Grant period.--A grant under paragraph (1) for a health 
        empowerment zone shall be for a period of 2 years and may be 
        renewed, except that the total period of grants under paragraph 
        (1) for such zone may not exceed 10 years.
            (3) Limitation.--In awarding grants under this subsection, 
        the Secretary shall not give less priority to an applicant or 
        reduce the amount of a grant because the Secretary rendered 
        technical assistance or made a grant to the same applicant 
        under section 5.
            (4) Reporting.--The Secretary shall require each recipient 
        of a grant under this subsection to report to the Secretary not 
        less than every 6 months on the progress in implementing the 
        strategic plan for the health empowerment zone.

SEC. 7. DEFINITION.

    In this Act, the term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary of Health 
and Human Services, acting through the Administrator of the Health 
Resources and Services Administration and the Director of the Office of 
Minority Health, and in cooperation with the Director of the Office of 
Community Services and the Director of the National Center for Minority 
Health and Health Disparities.

SEC. 8. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    To carry out this Act, there is authorized to be appropriated 
$100,000,000 for fiscal year 2010.

Ex Output:
Health Empowerment Zone Act of 2009 - Authorizes the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), at the request of a broad-based community partnership, to designate a community that experiences disproportionate disparities in health status and health care as a health empowerment zone. Requires federal officials to give priority in awarding competitive grants to grants used in or benefiting a health empowerment zone.

Directs the Secretary to provide: (1) technical assistance (or grants) to entities seeking to form a community partnership or obtain a health empowerment zone designation for a community; and (2) grants to community partnerships for implementation of the strategic plan for a health empowerment zone.


Ex Input:
SECTION 1. PERMANENT EXTENSION OF ESTATE TAX AS IN EFFECT IN 2009.

    (a) Restoration of Unified Credit Against Gift Tax.--Paragraph (1) 
of section 2505(a) (relating to general rule for unified credit against 
gift tax), after the application of subsection (f), is amended by 
striking ``(determined as if the applicable exclusion amount were 
$1,000,000)''.
    (b) Exclusion Equivalent of Unified Credit Equal to $3,500,000.--
Subsection (c) of section 2010 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 
(relating to unified credit against estate tax) is amended to read as 
follows:
    ``(c) Applicable Credit Amount.--
            ``(1) In general.--For purposes of this section, the 
        applicable credit amount is the amount of the tentative tax 
        which would be determined under section 2001(c) if the amount 
        with respect to which such tentative tax is to be computed were 
        equal to the applicable exclusion amount.
            ``(2) Applicable exclusion amount.--
                    ``(A) In general.--For purposes of this subsection, 
                the applicable exclusion amount is $3,500,000.
                    ``(B) Inflation adjustment.--In the case of any 
                decedent dying in a calendar year after 2010, the 
                dollar amount in subparagraph (A) shall be increased by 
                an amount equal to--
                            ``(i) such dollar amount, multiplied by
                            ``(ii) the cost-of-living adjustment 
                        determined under section 1(f)(3) for such 
                        calendar year by substituting `calendar year 
                        2009' for `calendar year 1992' in subparagraph 
                        (B) thereof.
                If any amount as adjusted under the preceding sentence 
                is not a multiple of $10,000, such amount shall be 
                rounded to the nearest multiple of $10,000.''.
    (c) Maximum Estate Tax Rate Equal to 45 Percent.--
            (1) In general.--Subsection (c) of section 2001 of the 
        Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (relating to imposition and rate 
        of tax) is amended--
                    (A) by striking ``but not over $2,000,000'' in the 
                table contained in paragraph (1),
                    (B) by striking the last 2 items in such table,
                    (C) by striking ``(1) in general.--'', and
                    (D) by striking paragraph (2).
            (2) Conforming amendment.--Paragraphs (1) and (2) of 
        section 2102(b) of such Code are amended to read as follows:
            ``(1) In general.--A credit in an amount that would be 
        determined under section 2010 as the applicable credit amount 
        if the applicable exclusion amount were $60,000 shall be 
        allowed against the tax imposed by section 2101.
            ``(2) Residents of possessions of the united states.--In 
        the case of a decedent who is considered to be a `nonresident 
        not a citizen of the United States' under section 2209, the 
        credit allowed under this subsection shall not be less than the 
        proportion of the amount that would be determined under section 
        2010 as the applicable credit amount if the applicable 
        exclusion amount were $175,000 which the value of that part of 
        the decedent's gross estate which at the time of the decedent's 
        death is situated in the United States bears to the value of 
        the decedent's entire gross estate, wherever situated.''.
    (d) Modifications of Estate and Gift Taxes To Reflect Differences 
in Unified Credit Resulting From Different Tax Rates.--
            (1) Estate tax.--
                    (A) In general.--Section 2001(b)(2) of the Internal 
                Revenue Code of 1986 (relating to computation of tax) 
                is amended by striking ``if the provisions of 
                subsection (c) (as in effect at the decedent's death)'' 
                and inserting ``if the modifications described in 
                subsection (g)''.
                    (B) Modifications.--Section 2001 of such Code is 
                amended by adding at the end the following new 
                subsection:
    ``(g) Modifications to Gift Tax Payable To Reflect Different Tax 
Rates.--For purposes of applying subsection (b)(2) with respect to 1 or 
more gifts, the rates of tax under subsection (c) in effect at the 
decedent's death shall, in lieu of the rates of tax in effect at the 
time of such gifts, be used both to compute--
            ``(1) the tax imposed by chapter 12 with respect to such 
        gifts, and
            ``(2) the credit allowed against such tax under section 
        2505, including in computing--
                    ``(A) the applicable credit amount under section 
                2505(a)(1), and
                    ``(B) the sum of the amounts allowed as a credit 
                for all preceding periods under section 2505(a)(2).
        For purposes of paragraph (2)(A), the applicable credit amount 
        for any calendar year before 1998 is the amount which would be 
        determined under section 2010(c) if the applicable exclusion 
        amount were the dollar amount under section 6018(a)(1) for such 
        year.''.
            (2) Gift tax.--Section 2505(a) of such Code (relating to 
        unified credit against gift tax) is amended by adding at the 
        end the following new flush sentence:
``For purposes of applying paragraph (2) for any calendar year, the 
rates of tax in effect under section 2502(a)(2) for such calendar year 
shall, in lieu of the rates of tax in effect for preceding calendar 
periods, be used in determining the amounts allowable as a credit under 
this section for all preceding calendar periods.''.
    (e) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall 
apply to estates of decedents dying, generation-skipping transfers, and 
gifts made, after December 31, 2009.
    (f) Additional Modifications to Estate Tax.--
            (1) In general.--The following provisions of the Economic 
        Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001, and the 
        amendments made by such provisions, are hereby repealed:
                    (A) Subtitles A and E of title V.
                    (B) Subsection (d), and so much of subsection 
                (f)(3) as relates to subsection (d), of section 511.
                    (C) Paragraph (2) of subsection (b), and paragraph 
                (2) of subsection (e), of section 521.
        The Internal Revenue Code of 1986 shall be applied as if such 
        provisions and amendments had never been enacted.
            (2) Sunset not to apply.--
                    (A) Subsection (a) of section 901 of the Economic 
                Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001 is 
                amended by striking ``this Act'' and all that follows 
                and inserting ``this Act (other than title V) shall not 
                apply to taxable, plan, or limitation years beginning 
                after December 31, 2010.''.
                    (B) Subsection (b) of such section 901 is amended 
                by striking ``, estates, gifts, and transfers''.
            (3) Repeal of deadwood.--
                    (A) Sections 2011, 2057, and 2604 of the Internal 
                Revenue Code of 1986 are hereby repealed.
                    (B) The table of sections for part II of subchapter 
                A of chapter 11 of such Code is amended by striking the 
                item relating to section 2011.
                    (C) The table of sections for part IV of subchapter 
                A of chapter 11 of such Code is amended by striking the 
                item relating to section 2057.
                    (D) The table of sections for subchapter A of 
                chapter 13 of such Code is amended by striking the item 
                relating to section 2604.

SEC. 2. UNIFIED CREDIT INCREASED BY UNUSED UNIFIED CREDIT OF DECEASED 
              SPOUSE.

    (a) In General.--Section 2010(c) of the Internal Revenue Code of 
1986, as amended by section 1(b), is amended by striking paragraph (2) 
and inserting the following new paragraphs:
            ``(2) Applicable exclusion amount.--For purposes of this 
        subsection, the applicable exclusion amount is the sum of--
                    ``(A) the basic exclusion amount, and
                    ``(B) in the case of a surviving spouse, the 
                aggregate deceased spousal unused exclusion amount.
            ``(3) Basic exclusion amount.--
                    ``(A) In general.--For purposes of this subsection, 
                the basic exclusion amount is $3,500,000.
                    ``(B) Inflation adjustment.--In the case of any 
                decedent dying in a calendar year after 2010, the 
                dollar amount in subparagraph (A) shall be increased by 
                an amount equal to--
                            ``(i) such dollar amount, multiplied by
                            ``(ii) the cost-of-living adjustment 
                        determined under section 1(f)(3) for such 
                        calendar year by substituting `calendar year 
                        2009' for `calendar year 1992' in subparagraph 
                        (B) thereof.
                If any amount as adjusted under the preceding sentence 
                is not a multiple of $10,000, such amount shall be 
                rounded to the nearest multiple of $10,000.
            ``(4) Aggregate deceased spousal unused exclusion amount.--
        For purposes of this subsection, the term `aggregate deceased 
        spousal unused exclusion amount' means the lesser of--
                    ``(A) the basic exclusion amount, or
                    ``(B) the sum of the deceased spousal unused 
                exclusion amounts computed with respect to each 
                deceased spouse of the surviving spouse.
            ``(5) Deceased spousal unused exclusion amount.--For 
        purposes of this subsection, the term `deceased spousal unused 
        exclusion amount' means, with respect to the surviving spouse 
        of any deceased spouse dying after December 31, 2009, the 
        excess (if any) of--
                    ``(A) the basic exclusion amount of the deceased 
                spouse, over
                    ``(B) the amount with respect to which the 
                tentative tax is determined under section 2001(b)(1) on 
                the estate of such deceased spouse.
            ``(6) Special rules.--
                    ``(A) Election required.--A deceased spousal unused 
                exclusion amount may not be taken into account by a 
                surviving spouse under paragraph (5) unless the 
                executor of the estate of the deceased spouse files an 
                estate tax return on which such amount is computed and 
                makes an election on such return that such amount may 
                be so taken into account. Such election, once made, 
                shall be irrevocable. No election may be made under 
                this subparagraph if such return is filed after the 
                time prescribed by law (including extensions) for 
                filing such return.
                    ``(B) Examination of prior returns after expiration 
                of period of limitations with respect to deceased 
                spousal unused exclusion amount.--Notwithstanding any 
                period of limitation in section 6501, after the time 
                has expired under section 6501 within which a tax may 
                be assessed under chapter 11 or 12 with respect to a 
                deceased spousal unused exclusion amount, the Secretary 
                may examine a return of the deceased spouse to make 
                determinations with respect to such amount for purposes 
                of carrying out this subsection.
            ``(7) Regulations.--The Secretary shall prescribe such 
        regulations as may be necessary or appropriate to carry out 
        this subsection.''.
    (b) Conforming Amendments.--
            (1) Paragraph (1) of section 2505(a) of the Internal 
        Revenue Code of 1986, as amended by section 1(a), is amended to 
        read as follows:
            ``(1) the applicable credit amount in effect under section 
        2010(c) which would apply if the donor died as of the end of 
        the calendar year, reduced by''.
            (2) Section 2631(c) of such Code is amended by striking 
        ``the applicable exclusion amount'' and inserting ``the basic 
        exclusion amount''.
            (3) Section 6018(a)(1) of such Code is amended by striking 
        ``applicable exclusion amount'' and inserting ``basic exclusion 
        amount''.
    (c) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall 
apply to estates of decedents dying, generation-skipping transfers, and 
gifts made, after December 31, 2009.

SEC. 3. SENSE OF THE SENATE REGARDING REVENUE NEUTRALITY.

    It is the sense of the Senate that any reduction in Federal 
revenues resulting from the provisions of, and amendments made by, this 
Act should be fully offset.

Ex Output:
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) establish a permanent estate tax exclusion of $3.5 million ($7 million for married couples filing joint tax returns) and a maximum 45% tax rate for decedents dying, generation-skipping transfers, and gifts made, after December 31, 2009; (2) allow an annual inflation adjustment to the exclusion amount after 2010; and (3) allow a surviving spouse an increase in the estate tax exclusion by the unused exclusion amount of a deceased spouse.

Expresses the sense of the Senate that any reduction in federal revenues resulting from this Act should be fully offset.


Ex Input:
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Federal Election Standards Act of 
2001''.

   TITLE I--ESTABLISHMENT OF NATIONAL ADVISORY COMMISSION ON FEDERAL 
                          ELECTION STANDARDS.

SEC. 101. ESTABLISHMENT OF COMMISSION; MEMBERSHIP.

    (a) Establishment of Commission.--There is established a commission 
to be known as the National Advisory Commission on Federal Election 
Standards (hereafter in this Act referred to as the ``Commission'').
    (b) Membership.--The Commission shall be composed of 24 voting and 
2 nonvoting members, who shall serve for the life of the Commission and 
shall be appointed as follows:
            (1) 3 members appointed by the Majority Leader of the 
        Senate.
            (2) 3 members appointed by the Minority Leader of the 
        Senate.
            (3) 3 members appointed by the Speaker of the House of 
        Representatives.
            (4) 3 members appointed by the Minority Leader of the House 
        of Representatives.
            (5) 3 members appointed by the National Association of 
        Secretaries of State, of whom no more than 2 shall represent 
        States with large populations, no more than 2 shall represent 
        States with small populations, and no more than 2 shall be from 
        the same political party or geographic region.
            (6) 3 members appointed by the National Association of 
        State Election Directors, of whom no more than 2 shall 
        represent States with large populations, no more than 2 shall 
        represent States with small populations, and no more than 2 
        shall be from the same political party or geographic region.
            (7) 6 members who shall be local election officials and who 
        shall be appointed as follows:
                    (A) 2 shall be appointed by the Election Center.
                    (B) 2 shall be appointed by the International 
                Association of Clerks, Recorders, Election Officials 
                and Treasurers.
                    (C) 2 shall be appointed by the National 
                Association of County Recorders, Election Officials and 
                Clerks.
            (8) The Attorney General and the Chair of the Federal 
        Election Commission (or their respective designees), who shall 
        be nonvoting members of the Commission.
    (b) Appointments; Initial Meeting.--Appointments to the Commission 
shall be made not later than 45 days after the date of the enactment of 
this Act. The Commission shall hold its initial meeting not later than 
30 days after the date on which all members of the Commission have been 
appointed, and at such meeting shall select a chair from among the 
members of the Commission.
    (c) Vacancies.--Any vacancy in the Commission shall not affect its 
powers, but shall be filled in the same manner as the original 
appointment.
    (d) Rules of the Commission.--
            (1) Quorum.--A majority of the members of the Commission 
        shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.
            (2) Meetings.--Meetings shall be held at the call of the 
        chair upon at least 14 days written notice. All meetings shall 
        be open to the public.
            (3) Voting.--All actions of the Commission shall be by 
        majority vote of those present and voting.
            (4) Testimony.--The Commission shall provide opportunities 
        for representatives of the general public, civic groups, 
        consumer groups, and State and local government officials to 
        testify.
            (5) Additional rules.--The Commission may adopt additional 
        rules as needed.

SEC. 102. DUTIES OF THE COMMISSION.

    (a) In General.--The Commission shall--
            (1) examine and report to the President, the Congress, and 
        the chief election official of each State regarding the 
        accuracy, integrity, and efficiency of Federal election 
        procedures in the States;
            (2) develop standards for the conduct of Federal elections 
        and make recommendations with respect to the periodic review 
        and updating of such standards; and
            (3) make additional recommendations to Congress with 
        respect to procedural and administrative aspects of Federal 
        elections over which Congress may exercise legislative 
        authority under the Constitution of the United States.
    (b) Specific Consideration of Certain Issues in Development of 
Standards.--In developing standards under subsection (a)(2) for the 
conduct of Federal elections, the Commission shall give specific 
consideration to the following:
            (1) Procedures for voter registration and maintenance of 
        lists of registered voters.
            (2) Ballot design, voting equipment, the methods employed 
        in counting and recounting votes, and the procedures for 
        challenging the results.
            (3) Factors which affect access to and the efficient and 
        orderly operation of polling places, including hours of voting 
        (which may include standards for a uniform national poll 
        closing time for presidential elections), number and 
        accessibility of polling stations, training of poll workers, 
        methods of reducing delay, and steps to ensure that all voters 
        who report to the polls have an opportunity to cast votes.
            (4) Procedures for mail-in and absentee voting (including 
        deadlines for receipt of mail-in and absentee ballots).
    (c) Specific Consideration of Certain Issues in Additional 
Recommendations.--In preparing additional recommendations for Congress 
under subsection (a)(3), the Commission shall make recommendations as 
to whether Federal law should be amended to authorize Federal elections 
to be conducted--
            (1) on dates other than those prescribed by current Federal 
        law so as to permit weekend elections, voting on multiple days, 
        or expanded early voting options; and
            (2) by means of the Internet.

SEC. 103. REPORTS.

    (a) Report on Current Procedures and Recommended Standards.--Not 
later than 12 months after the date of the initial meeting of the 
Commission, the Commission shall submit to the President, the Congress, 
the chair of the Federal Election Commission, and the chief election 
official of each State a report which includes--
            (1) the findings and conclusions of the Commission on the 
        accuracy, integrity, and efficiency of Federal election 
        procedures in the States made under section 102(a)(1), together 
        with other findings and conclusions of the Commission; and
            (2) the recommended standards for the conduct of Federal 
        elections developed under section 102(a)(2).
    (b) Report on Additional Recommendations.--Not later than 12 months 
after the date of the initial meeting of the Commission, the Commission 
shall submit to Congress the additional recommendations prepared under 
section 102(a)(3).
    (c) Separate Views.--Any member of the Commission may submit 
additional findings and recommendations to be made a part of the 
reports submitted under this section.

SEC. 104. POWERS.

    (a) Hearings.--The Commission may hold such hearings, sit and act 
at such places and times, take such testimony, and receive such 
evidence as the Commission deems necessary to carry out the provisions 
of this Act, except that in holding hearings the Commission shall 
select locations for the hearings in a manner which reflects a balance 
among various geographic regions of the United States.
    (b) Access to Federal 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 chair 
of the Commission, the head of that department or agency shall furnish 
that information to the Commission.
    (c) 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 Federal Government.

SEC. 105. COMPENSATION AND PERSONNEL.

    (a) Compensation of Members.--Members of the Commission shall serve 
without pay, but shall receive travel expenses, including per diem in 
lieu of subsistence, as authorized by law for persons serving 
intermittently in Government service under subchapter I of chapter 57 
of title 5, United States Code, while away from their homes and places 
of business in the performance of services for the Commission.
    (b) Personnel.--The chair of the Commission may appoint staff of 
the Commission, request the detail of Federal employees, and accept 
temporary and intermittent services in accordance with section 3161 of 
title 5, United States Code, except that the rate of pay of any staff 
may not exceed the annual rate payable for level V of the Executive 
Schedule under section 5316 of title 5, United States Code.

SEC. 106. SUPPORT SERVICES.

    The Administrator of General Services shall provide to the 
Commission on a reimbursable basis such administrative support services 
as the Commission may request.

SEC. 107. TERMINATION.

    The Commission shall terminate not later than the date that is 30 
days after the date the Commission submits the reports required under 
section 103.

SEC. 108. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There are authorized to be appropriated $10,000,000 to the 
Commission to carry out this title.

       TITLE II--FEDERAL ELECTION STANDARDS IMPLEMENTATION GRANTS

SEC. 201. GRANT AUTHORIZATION.

    (a) In General.--
            (1) Establishment of program.--Not later than 60 days after 
        the National Advisory Commission on Federal Election Standards 
        submits the report containing its recommended standards for the 
        conduct of Federal elections under section 103(a), the Federal 
        Election Commission shall establish a program to make grants to 
        qualifying States to improve the accuracy, integrity, and 
        efficiency of Federal election procedures by carrying out 
        programs, projects, and other activities to bring the conduct 
        of Federal elections into conformity with such standards.
            (2) Solicitation of applications.--Not later than 30 days 
        after establishing the program under this section, the Federal 
        Election Commission shall begin soliciting applications from 
        States for grants under the program.
    (b) Qualifying State Defined.--In this section, a ``qualifying 
State'' is a State which has submitted an application for a grant under 
the program under this section (at such time and in such form and 
manner as the Federal Election Commission may require) containing such 
information and assurances as the Federal Election Commission may 
require.
    (c) Permitted Uses.--Grants made under the program under this 
section may be used by States, either directly or through units of 
local government, Indian tribal governments, other public and private 
entities, and multi-jurisdictional or regional consortia, for 
activities which may include the following:
            (1) The hiring of employees or consultants to design and 
        implement systems and procedures which meet the standards 
        referred to in subsection (a).
            (2) The procurement of equipment, technology, and 
        administrative and managerial support systems which meet such 
        standards.
            (3) The provision of training or retraining to election 
        officials, employees, and volunteers in the proper use and 
        maintenance of new systems and procedures which meet such 
        standards.
            (4) Activities to enhance public confidence and 
        participation in the electoral process by increasing knowledge 
        and awareness of new systems and procedures which meet such 
        standards.
            (5) The evaluation of the effectiveness of new systems and 
        procedures put in place using funds provided under this title.
    (d) Matching Funds.--The portion of the costs of a program, 
project, or activity provided by a grant under the program under this 
section may not exceed 75 percent of the total costs of the program, 
project, or activity, except that the Federal Election Commission may 
waive this requirement in whole or in part under such terms and 
conditions as the Federal Election Commission considers appropriate.
    (e) Minimum Amount.--Unless all applications submitted by all 
qualifying States for grants under the program under this section have 
been funded, the amount received under this section for any fiscal year 
by each qualifying State, together with grantees within the State, may 
not be less than 0.5 percent of the total amount appropriated for such 
grants for the fiscal year.

SEC. 202. TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.

    (a) In General.--The Federal Election Commission may provide 
technical assistance to States, units of local government, Indian 
tribal governments, and other public and private entities, in 
furtherance of the purposes of this title.
    (b) Training Centers and Facilities.--The technical assistance 
provided by the Federal Election Commission under this section may 
include the establishment and operation of training centers or 
facilities, either directly or by contracting or cooperative 
arrangements. The functions of such centers or facilities may include 
instruction and seminars for election officials, employees, trainers, 
and such others as the Federal Election Commission considers 
appropriate to meet the objectives of this title.

SEC. 203. REPORTS TO CONGRESS.

    Not later than 60 days after each fiscal year for which grants are 
made under this title, the Federal Election Commission shall submit a 
report to Congress on the programs carried out under this title during 
the year, and may include in the report any recommendations of the 
Federal Election Commission for amendments to this title and related 
provisions of law.

SEC. 204. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this title 
$250,000,000 for each of the first 3 fiscal years beginning after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, and such sums as may be necessary 
for each succeeding fiscal year.

                        TITLE III--STATE DEFINED

SEC. 301. STATE DEFINED.

    In this Act, the term ``State'' means a State of the United States, 
the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, the 
Virgin Islands, and American Samoa.

Ex Output:

Federal Election Standards Act of 2001- Establishes the National Advisory Commission on Federal Election Standards to: (1) examine and report to the President, the Congress, and the chief election official of each State regarding the accuracy, integrity, and efficiency of Federal election procedures in the States; (2) develop standards for the conduct of Federal elections and make recommendations with respect to the periodic review and updating of such standards; and (3) make additional recommendations to Congress with respect to procedural and administrative aspects of Federal elections over which Congress may exercise legislative authority under the Constitution.Directs the Federal Election Commission (FEC) to establish a program to make grants to qualifying States to improve the accuracy, integrity, and efficiency of Federal election procedures by carrying out programs, projects, and other activities to bring the conduct of Federal elections into conformity with such standards.