[Congressional Bills 107th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2307 Introduced in House (IH)]
107th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 2307
To establish the National Commission on Budget Concepts.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
June 25, 2001
Mr. Radanovich introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on the Budget
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To establish the National Commission on Budget Concepts.
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 ``National Commission on Budget
Concepts Act of 2002''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSE.
(a) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
(1) The conceptual framework of the budget, which is
central to Federal planning and policy, has not been
comprehensively reviewed for over 30 years.
(2) Over those years, there has been a significant change
in the way that policy makers and economists view the role of
government in the economy.
(3) In addition, major changes have occurred in the scope
of Federal activity, in the economy, in the use of the budget
for fiscal policy purposes, and in information technology.
(4) Because the Federal budget is inherently complex,
budget concepts may need to be modified to increase public
understanding of the operation of the Federal Government and
its impact on the economy.
(5) Federal budget concepts should be reviewed and, if
appropriate, revised in light of the best current thinking in
accounting, budgeting, and economics.
(b) Purpose.--The purpose of this Act is to establish the National
Commission on Budget Concepts to review the current structure,
concepts, classifications, and bases of accounting of the Federal
budget and to report recommendations to the President and Congress for
modifications that would enhance the usefulness of the budget for
public policy and financial planning.
SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT OF NATIONAL COMMISSION ON BUDGET CONCEPTS.
There is established a commission to be known as the National
Commission on Budget Concepts (hereinafter referred to as the
``Commission'').
SEC. 4. MEMBERSHIP.
(a) Membership.--The Commission shall be composed of 13 members, as
follows:
(1) The chairman of the Committee on the Budget of the
Senate.
(2) The chairman of the Committee on the Budget of the
House of Representatives.
(3) The ranking member of the Committee on the Budget of
the Senate.
(4) The ranking member of the Committee on the Budget of
the House of Representatives.
(5) The Director of the Office of Management and Budget.
(6) The Comptroller General of the United States.
(7) The Director of the Congressional Budget Office.
(8) The Secretary of the Treasury.
(9) One member appointed by the majority leader of the
Senate.
(10) One member appointed by the Speaker of the House of
Representatives.
(11) One member appointed by the minority leader of the
Senate.
(12) One member appointed by the minority leader of the
House of Representatives.
(13) One member appointed by the President of the United
States.
(b) Qualifications and Term.--
(1) Qualifications.--Members appointed to the Commission
pursuant to subsection (a) shall--
(A) have expertise and experience in the fields or
disciplines related to the subject areas to be
considered by the Commission; and
(B) not be Members of Congress, officers, or
employees of the Federal Government.
(2) Term of appointment.--The term of an appointment to the
Commission shall be for the life of the Commission.
(3) Chair and vice chair.--The appointee under subsection
(a)(13) shall be the Chair of the Commission. A Vice Chair may
be elected and shall assume the duties of the Chair in the
Chair's absence.
(c) Meetings; Quorum; Vacancies; and Procedures.--
(1) Meetings.--The Commission shall meet at least once a
month on a day to be decided by the Commission. The Commission
may meet at such other times at the call of the Chair or of a
majority of its members. The meetings of the Commission shall
be open to the public, unless by public vote, the Commission
shall determine to close a meeting or any portion of a meeting
to the public.
(2) Quorum.--A simple majority of the full membership shall
constitute a quorum of the Commission, except that five members
may conduct hearings.
(d) Vacancies.--A vacancy on the Commission shall be filled in the
same manner in which the original appointment was filled under
subsection (a).
(e) Procedures.--The Commission shall adopt administrative and
procedural rules that are consistent with this section, the Federal
Advisory Committee Act, and the General Service Administration
guidelines thereunder.
(f) Compensation and Expenses.--Members of the Commission shall
receive no additional pay, allowance, or benefits by reason of their
service on the Commission. Each member appointed from outside of the
Federal Government, while engaged in the performance of Commission
duties away from their homes, regular place of business, or official
duty station, may receive travel expenses, including per diem in lieu
of subsistence, at rates authorized for employees of agencies under
subchapter I of chapter 57 of title 5, United States Code.
SEC. 5. STAFF AND SUPPORT SERVICES.
(a) Staff.--With the advance approval of the Commission, the
executive director may appoint such personnel as is appropriate. The
staff of the Commission, including any experts or consultants, shall be
appointed without regard to political affiliation and without regard to
the provisions of title 5, United States Code, governing appointments
in the competitive service, the provision of chapter 51 and subchapter
III of chapter 53 of such title, and without regard to section 5 of
title 41, United States Code (relating to classifications and General
Schedule).
(b) Executive Director.--The Chairman shall appoint an executive
director, who shall be paid the rate of basic pay for level II of the
Executive Schedule.
(c) Experts and Consultants.--With the advance approval of the
Commission, the executive director may procure by contract the
temporary and intermittent services of experts and consultants without
regard to the provisions of title 5, United States Code, governing
appointments in the competitive service.
(d) Technical and Administrative Assistance.--Upon the request of
the Commission--
(1) the head of any agency, office, or establishment within
the Executive or Legislative Branches of the United States
Government shall provide, without reimbursement, such technical
assistance as the Commission determines is necessary to carry
out its duties; and
(2) the Administrator of the General Services
Administration shall provide, on a reimbursable basis, such
administrative support services as the Commission may require.
(e) Detail of Federal Personnel.--Upon the request of the
Commission, the head of an agency, office, or establishment in the
Executive or Legislative branch of the United States Government is
authorized to detail, without reimbursement, any of the personnel of
that agency, office, or establishment to the Commission to assist the
Commission in carrying out its duties. Any such detail shall not
interrupt or otherwise affect the employment status or privileges of
that employee.
(f) Facilities and Support.--The Administrator of the General
Services Administration shall locate suitable office space for the
operation of the Commission and such facilities shall be furnished with
all necessary equipment and incidentals required for the proper
functioning of the Commission.
SEC. 6. POWERS AND DUTIES OF COMMISSION.
(a) Duties of the Commission.--The Commission shall--
(1) review the 1967 Report of the President's Commission on
Budget Concepts and assess the implementation of the
recommendations of that Report;
(2) identify and evaluate structure, concepts,
classifications, and bases of accounting of the Federal budget;
(3) identify any applicable general accounting principles
and practices in the private sector and evaluate their value to
budget practices in the Federal sector; and
(4) report, in accordance with subsection (g),
recommendations for modifications to the structure, concepts,
classifications, and bases of accounting of the Federal budget
that would enhance the usefulness of the budget for public
policy and financial planning.
(b) Powers of the Commission.--
(1) Conduct of business.--The Commission may hold hearings,
take testimony, receive evidence, undertake such other
activities, as it determines necessary to carry out its duties.
(2) Access to information.--(A) The Commission is
authorized to obtain directly from any Federal agency
information that the Commission determines is necessary to
carry out its duties. The Federal agency requested, shall
provide the information requested, but shall notify the
Commission if any of the information provided is protected from
disclosure under section 552 of title 5, United States Code, or
some similar statute.
(B) Subject to section 552 of title 5, United States Code,
the records, reports, transcripts, minutes, and other documents
which were prepared by the Commission shall be available for
public inspection and copying in the office of the Commission.
Any documents made available to the Commission from sources
outside of the Commission, to which were attached notices that
the information is protected from disclosure, shall not be made
available by the Commission for inspection or copying.
(3) Postal service.--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.
(4) Printing.--For purposes of cost relating to the
printing and binding, including the cost of any personnel
detailed from the Government Printing Office, the Commission
shall be deemed to be a committee of the Congress.
SEC. 7. REPORT.
Not later than February 28, 2003, the Commission shall submit a
report to the President and the Congress with recommendations for
modifications to the current structure, concepts, classifications, and
bases of accounting of the Federal budget. A detailed explanation of
the basis of those recommendations and conclusions shall be included in
the report. At the request of any Commission member, the report shall
include that member's dissenting views or opinions.
SEC. 8. TERMINATION.
The Commission shall terminate 30 days after the date of submission
of the report required in section 7.
SEC. 9. FUNDING.
There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as are necessary
to carry out this Act. Sums so appropriated shall remain available
until expended.
SEC. 10. EFFECTIVE DATE.
The Commission shall not be considered constituted to conduct
business until the earlier of the appointment of all appointed members
or two months after the date of enactment of this Act.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on the Budget.
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