Terminates the Commission six months after submission of its final report.
Authorizes appropriations.
[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4738 Introduced in House (IH)]
106th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 4738
To establish the High Level Commission on Immigrant Labor Policy.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
June 23, 2000
Mr. Kolbe introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on
Education and the Workforce, 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
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To establish the High Level Commission on Immigrant Labor Policy.
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 ``Immigrant Labor Policy Review Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
The Congress finds the following:
(1) The unemployment rate in the United States is at a
record low.
(2) Many industries in the United States, including
agriculture, tourism, construction, nursing, information
technology, and other portions of the service sector, are
experiencing labor shortages.
(3) The inability to secure sufficient workers is having a
detrimental impact on the economy of the United States and the
standard of living for all people in the United States.
SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT.
There is established a commission to be known as the High Level
Commission on Immigrant Labor Policy (hereinafter in this Act referred
to as the ``Commission'').
SEC. 4. DUTIES.
(a) In General.--The Commission shall study the interactions
between Federal immigration policy and the labor markets for aliens in
the United States, including the following subjects:
(1) The adequacy of the supply of labor in the United
States and whether this supply needs to be further supplemented
with alien workers.
(2) The extent to which employers in the United States rely
upon the employment of a temporary workforce.
(3) The economic impact and desirability of maintaining
statutory caps on nonimmigrant workers.
(4) The extent to which employers in the United States rely
upon the employment of a workforce that includes or consists of
aliens who unlawfully enter or remain in the United States.
(5) The extent of unemployment and underemployment of
workers who are United States citizens or aliens lawfully
admitted to the United States for permanent residence.
(6) The effectiveness of United States labor policies in
stopping the flow into the United States of illegal immigrants.
(7) Any other subject necessary to permit the Commission to
prepare the reports required under section 8.
(b) Consultation.--In conducting the study, the Commission shall
consult with migrant labor groups, nonprofit organizations, labor
unions, pertinent business and agriculture associations and
organizations, State Governors, law enforcement associations and
organizations, and relevant executive branch agencies and congressional
committees.
SEC. 5. MEMBERSHIP.
(a) Number and Appointment.--The Commission shall consist of 12
members, to be appointed as follows:
(1) 6 to be appointed by the President.
(2) 3 to be appointed by the Speaker of the House of
Representatives.
(3) 3 to be appointed by the President pro tempore of the
Senate.
(b) Consultations.--In making appointments under subsection (a)(1),
the President shall consult with--
(1) the Attorney General in appointing 1 member;
(2) the Chairman of the Federal Reserve Board in appointing
1 member;
(3) the Secretary of Commerce in appointing 2 members; and
(4) the Secretary of Agriculture in appointing 2 members.
(c) Terms.--Each member of the Commission shall be appointed for
the life of the Commission.
(d) Vacancies.--A vacancy in the Commission shall be filled in the
manner in which the original appointment was made.
(e) Chairperson.--The Chairman of the Federal Reserve Board (or the
Chairman of the Federal Reserve Board's designee) shall serve as the
chairperson of the Commission until such time as the members of the
Commission can elect a chairperson.
(f) Basic Pay.--Each member shall serve without pay. Each member
shall receive travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of
subsistence, in accordance with sections 5702 and 5703 of title 5,
United States Code.
(g) Quorum.--A majority of the members shall constitute a quorum
for the transaction of business.
(h) Meetings.--The Commission shall meet at the call of the
chairperson.
SEC. 6. DIRECTOR AND STAFF; EXPERTS AND CONSULTANTS.
(a) Director.--The Commission shall have a director who shall be
appointed by the chairperson subject to rules prescribed by the
Commission.
(b) Staff.--Subject to rules prescribed by the Commission, the
chairperson may appoint and fix the pay of such additional personnel as
the chairperson considers appropriate.
(c) Applicability of Certain Civil Service Laws.--The director and
staff of the Commission may be appointed without regard to title 5,
United States Code, governing appointments in the competitive service,
and may be paid without regard to the requirements of chapter 51 and
subchapter III of chapter 53 of such 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 GS-15 of the General Schedule.
(d) Experts and Consultants.--The chairperson may procure temporary
and intermittent services under section 3109(b) of title 5, United
States Code, 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 Schedule.
(e) Staff of Federal Agencies.--Upon request of the chairperson,
the head of any Federal agency may detail, on a reimbursable basis, any
of the personnel of the agency to the Commission to assist the
Commission in carrying out its duties.
SEC. 7. POWERS.
(a) Obtaining Official Data.--The chairperson may secure directly
from any Federal agency information necessary to enable the Commission
to carry out its duties. Upon request of the chairperson, the head of
the agency shall furnish such information to the Commission to the
extent such information is not prohibited from disclosure by law.
(b) Mails.--The Commission may use the United States mails in the
same manner and under the same conditions as other Federal agencies.
(c) Administrative Support Services.--Upon the request of the
chairperson, 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 duties.
(d) Contract Authority.--The chairperson may contract with and
compensate government and private agencies or persons for the purpose
of conducting research, surveys, and other services necessary to enable
the Commission to carry out its duties.
SEC. 8. REPORTS.
(a) Interim Report.--Not later than 6 months after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Commission shall prepare and submit to the
President and the Congress an interim report on the following:
(1) The overall effectiveness of Federal immigration and
labor laws and policies in--
(A) protecting jobs held by citizens and nationals
of the United States, aliens who are lawfully admitted
to the United States for permanent residence, aliens
who are admitted as refugees or are granted asylum, and
other immigrants otherwise authorized to be employed in
the United States;
(B) preventing exploitation of alien immigrant and
nonimmigrant workers;
(C) reducing the number of illegal border crossings
into the United States; and
(D) reducing the numbers of aliens unlawfully
employed in the United States.
(2) The impact of statutory numerical limitations on the
entry of immigrants and nonimmigrants into the United States on
the achievement of the goals described in subparagraphs (A)
through (D) of paragraph (1).
(3) The impact of recent measures undertaken in border
areas to deter illegal border crossings on the achievement of
such goals.
(4) The impact of Federal alien labor laws and policies on
the overall economic performance within the United States and
economic performance within the following sectors:
(A) Agriculture.
(B) Tourism and service.
(C) Construction.
(D) Nursing and health care.
(E) Apparel.
(F) Information technology.
(b) Final Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Commission shall prepare and submit to the
President and the Congress a final report that contains at least the
following:
(1) Information that updates the findings reported in the
interim report on each of the issues described in paragraphs
(1) through (4) of subsection (a).
(2) Recommendations for actions that the Commission
considers necessary--
(A) to curb illegal border crossings into the
United States;
(B) to curb unlawful employment of aliens in the
United States;
(C) to ensure adequate protection of the workers
described in subsection (a)(1)(A); and
(D) to ensure a stable and steady workforce for
industry in the United States.
(3) The viability of expanding the agricultural guest
worker program established under section 101(a)(15)(H)(ii)(a)
of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C.
1101(a)(15)(H)(ii)(a)) and section 218 of such Act (8 U.S.C.
1188) to any or all of the following United States industries:
(A) Tourism and service.
(B) Construction.
(C) Nursing and health care.
(D) Apparel.
(E) Information technology.
(4) Recommendations for any additional actions that the
Commission determines would improve Federal immigration or
labor laws or policies.
(5) Any other related information that the Commission
considers to be appropriate.
SEC. 9. TERMINATION.
The Commission shall terminate 6 months after the date on which the
Commission submits its final report under section 8(b).
SEC. 10. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be
necessary to carry out this Act, which sums shall remain available
until expended.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on Education and the Workforce, 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.
Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on Education and the Workforce, 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.
Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on Education and the Workforce, 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.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Immigration and Claims.
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