[Congressional Bills 107th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1420 Introduced in House (IH)]
107th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 1420
To establish the Bill Emerson and Mickey Leland memorial fellowship
programs, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
April 4, 2001
Mr. Hall of Ohio (for himself, Mr. Wolf, Mrs. Emerson, Mrs. Clayton,
and Mr. Goodlatte) introduced the following bill; which was referred to
the Committee on Agriculture, and in addition to the Committee on
International Relations, 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 Bill Emerson and Mickey Leland memorial fellowship
programs, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; FINDINGS.
(a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Congressional
Hunger Fellows Act of 2001''.
(b) Findings.--The Congress finds as follows:
(1) There is a critical need for compassionate individuals
who are committed to assisting people who suffer from hunger as
well as a need for such individuals to initiate and administer
solutions to the hunger problem.
(2) Bill Emerson, the distinguished late Representative
from the 8th District of Missouri, demonstrated his commitment
to solving the problem of hunger in a bipartisan manner, his
commitment to public service, and his great affection for the
institution and the ideals of the United States Congress.
(3) George T. (Mickey) Leland, the distinguished late
Representative from the 18th District of Texas, demonstrated
his compassion for those in need, his high regard for public
service, and his lively exercise of political talents.
(4) The special concern that Mr. Emerson and Mr. Leland
demonstrated during their lives for the hungry and poor was an
inspiration for others to work toward the goals of equality and
justice for all.
(5) These two outstanding leaders maintained a special bond
of friendship regardless of political affiliation and worked
together to encourage future leaders to recognize and provide
service to others, and therefore it is especially appropriate
to honor the memory of Mr. Emerson and Mr. Leland by creating a
fellowship program to develop and train the future leaders of
the United States to pursue careers in humanitarian service.
SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT; BOARD OF TRUSTEES.
(a) In General.--There is established as an independent entity of
the legislative branch of the United States Government the
Congressional Hunger Fellows Program (hereinafter in this Act referred
to as the ``Program'').
(b) Board of Trustees.--The Program shall be subject to the
supervision and direction of a Board of Trustees.
(1) Appointment.--The Board shall be composed of 6 voting
members appointed under subparagraph (A) and 1 nonvoting ex
officio member designated in subparagraph (B) as follows:
(A) Voting members.--(i) The Speaker of the House
of Representatives shall appoint 2 members.
(ii) The minority leader of the House of
Representatives shall appoint 1 member.
(iii) The majority leader of the Senate shall
appoint 2 members.
(iv) The minority leader of the Senate shall
appoint 1 member.
(B) Nonvoting member.--The Executive Director of
the Program shall serve as a nonvoting ex officio
member of the Board.
(2) Terms.--Members of the Board shall serve a term of 4
years.
(3) Vacancy.--
(A) Authority of board.--A vacancy in the
membership of the Board does not affect the power of
the remaining members to carry out this Act.
(B) Appointment of successors.--A vacancy in the
membership of the Board shall be filled in the manner
in which the original appointment was made.
(C) Incomplete term.--If a member of the Board does
not serve the full term applicable to the member, the
individual appointed to fill the resulting vacancy
shall be appointed for the remainder of the term of the
predecessor of the individual.
(4) Chairperson.--As the first order of business of the
first meeting of the Board, the members shall elect a
Chairperson.
(5) Compensation.--
(A) In general.--Subject to subparagraph (B),
members of the Board may not receive compensation for
service on the Board.
(B) Travel.--Members of the Board may be reimbursed
for travel, subsistence, and other necessary expenses
incurred in carrying out the duties of the Program.
SEC. 3. PURPOSES; AUTHORITY OF PROGRAM.
(a) Purposes.--The purposes of the Program are--
(1) to encourage future leaders of the United States to
pursue careers in humanitarian service, to recognize the needs
of people who are hungry and poor, and to provide assistance
and compassion for those in need;
(2) to increase awareness of the importance of public
service; and
(3) to provide training and development opportunities for
such leaders.
(b) Authority.--The Program is authorized to develop such
fellowships, activities, and services to carry out the purposes of this
Act, including the fellowships described in subsection (c).
(c) Fellowships.--
(1) In general.--The Program shall establish and carry out
the Bill Emerson Hunger Fellowship and the Mickey Leland Hunger
Fellowship.
(2) Curriculum.--
(A) In general.--The fellowships established under
paragraph (1) shall provide education and training to
develop the skills and understanding necessary to
improve the humanitarian conditions and the lives of
individuals who suffer from hunger, including--
(i) training in direct service to the
hungry in conjunction with community-based
organizations through a program of field
placement; and
(ii) experience in policy development
through placement in a governmental entity or
nonprofit organization.
(B) Focus of bill emerson hunger fellowship.--The
Bill Emerson Hunger Fellowship shall address hunger and
other humanitarian needs in the United States.
(C) Focus of mickey leland hunger fellowship.--The
Mickey Leland Hunger Fellowship shall address
international hunger and other humanitarian needs.
(3) Period of fellowship.--A fellowship awarded under this
subsection shall be for a period of not less than 12 months and
not more than 24 months.
(4) Selection of fellows.--
(A) In general.--A fellowship shall be awarded
pursuant to a nationwide competition established by the
Program.
(B) Qualification.--A successful applicant shall be
an individual who has demonstrated both a desire to
pursue a career in humanitarian service and outstanding
potential for such a career.
(C) Amount of award.--Each individual awarded a
fellowship under this subsection shall receive an
educational award and living allowance as determined by
the Program.
(D) Recognition of fellowship award.--
(i) Emerson fellow.--An individual awarded
a fellowship from the Bill Emerson Hunger
Fellowship shall be known as an ``Emerson
Fellow''.
(ii) Leland fellow.--An individual awarded
a fellowship from the Mickey Leland Hunger
Fellowship shall be known as a ``Leland
Fellow''.
(d) Evaluation.--The Program shall conduct periodic evaluations of
the Bill Emerson and Mickey Leland Hunger Fellowships.
SEC. 4. TRUST FUND.
(a) Establishment.--There is established the Congressional Hunger
Fellows Trust Fund (hereinafter in this Act referred to as the
``Fund'') in the Treasury of the United States, consisting of amounts
appropriated to the Fund under section 7(a), amounts credited to it
under subsection (c), and amounts received under section 6(c)(2).
(b) Investment of Funds.--The Secretary of the Treasury shall
invest the full amount of the Fund. Each investment shall be made in an
interest bearing obligation of the United States or an obligation
guaranteed as to principal and interest by the United States that, as
determined by the Secretary in consultation with the Board, has a
maturity suitable for the Fund.
(c) Return on Investment.--Except as provided in section 5(a), the
Secretary of the Treasury shall credit to the Fund the interest on, and
the proceeds from sale or redemption of, obligations held in the Fund.
SEC. 5. EXPENDITURES; AUDITS.
(a) In General.--The Secretary of the Treasury shall transfer to
the Program from the amounts described in section 4(c) and section
6(c)(2) such sums as the Board determines are necessary to enable the
Program to carry out the provisions of this Act.
(b) Limitation.--The Secretary may not transfer to the Program the
amounts appropriated to the Fund under section 7(a).
(c) Audit by GAO.--
(1) In general.--The Comptroller General of the United
States shall conduct an annual audit of the accounts of the
Program.
(2) Books.--The Program shall make available to the
Comptroller General all books, accounts, financial records,
reports, files, and all other papers, things, or property
belonging to or in use by the Program and necessary to
facilitate such audit.
(3) Report to congress.--The Comptroller General shall
submit a copy of the results of each such audit to the
Congress.
SEC. 6. STAFF; POWERS OF PROGRAM.
(a) Executive Director.--
(1) In general.--The Board shall appoint an Executive
Director of the Program who shall administer the Program. The
Executive Director shall carry out such other functions
consistent with the provisions of this Act as the Board shall
prescribe.
(2) Restriction.--The Executive Director may not serve as
Chairperson of the Board.
(3) Compensation.--The Executive Director shall be paid at
a rate not to exceed the rate of basic pay payable for level
III of the Executive Schedule under section 5314 of title 5,
United States Code.
(b) Staff.--
(1) In general.--With the approval of a majority of the
Board, the Executive Director may appoint and fix the pay of
additional personnel as the Executive Director considers
necessary and appropriate to carry out the functions of the
provisions of this Act.
(2) Compensation.--An individual appointed under paragraph
(1) shall be paid at a rate not to exceed the rate of basic pay
payable for level GS-15 of the General Schedule.
(c) Powers.--In order to carry out the provisions of this Act, the
Program may perform the following functions:
(1) Gifts.--The Program may accept, use, and dispose of
gifts, bequests, or devises of services or property, both real
and personal, for the purpose of aiding or facilitating the
work of the Program. Gifts, bequests, or devises of money and
proceeds from sales of other property received as gifts,
bequests, or devises shall be deposited in the Fund and shall
be available for disbursement upon order of the Board.
(2) Experts and consultants.--The Program may procure
temporary and intermittent services under section 3109 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 GS-15 of the General Schedule.
(3) Contract authority.--The Program may contract with and
compensate government and private agencies or persons without
regard to section 3709 of the Revised Statutes (41 U.S.C. 5).
(4) Other necessary expenditures.--The Program shall make
such other expenditures which the Program considers necessary
to carry out the provisions of this Act.
SEC. 7. REPORT.
Not later than December 31 of each year, the Board shall submit to
Secretary of Agriculture and to Congress a report on the activities of
the Program carried out during the previous fiscal year.
SEC. 8. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
There are authorized to be appropriated $18,000,000 to carry out
the provisions of this Act.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the Committee on Agriculture, and in addition to the Committee on International Relations, 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 Agriculture, and in addition to the Committee on International Relations, 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 Agriculture, and in addition to the Committee on International Relations, 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 Department Operations, Oversight, Nutrition and Forestry.
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