Human Rights Commission Act of 2007 [sic] - Establishes the Human Rights Commission which shall monitor U.S. compliance with all international human rights treaties to which the United States is a party (including treaties to which the United States becomes a party after the date of the enactment of this Act).
[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Printing Office]
[H.R. 6054 Introduced in House (IH)]
110th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 6054
To establish a United States Human Rights Commission to monitor
compliance by the United States with international human rights treaty
obligations.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
May 14, 2008
Mr. Delahunt introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Foreign Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To establish a United States Human Rights Commission to monitor
compliance by the United States with international human rights treaty
obligations.
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 ``Human Rights Commission Act of
2007''.
SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION.
There is established a commission to be known as the ``Human Rights
Commission'' (in this Act referred to as the ``Commission'').
SEC. 3. DUTY OF HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION.
The Commission shall monitor the compliance by the United States
with all international human rights treaties to which the United States
is a party (including all such treaties to which the United States
becomes a party at any time after the date of the enactment of this
Act), including the following:
(1) The Convention to Suppress the Slave Trade and Slavery
(September 25, 1926, as amended by the Protocol of December 7,
1953).
(2) The Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the
Crime of Genocide (December 9, 1948).
(3) The Convention relative to the Treatment of Prisoners
of War (August 12, 1949).
(4) The Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian
Persons in Time of War (August 12, 1949).
(5) The Convention on the Political Rights of Women
(December 20, 1952).
(6) The Supplementary Convention on the Abolition of
Slavery, the Slave Trade, and Institutions and Practices
Similar to Slavery (September 7, 1956).
(7) The Abolition of Forced Labour Convention of June 25,
1957 (ILO Convention 105).
(8) The International Convention on the Elimination of All
Forms of Racial Discrimination (December 21, 1965).
(9) The International Covenant on Civil and Political
Rights (December 16, 1966).
(10) The Protocol Relating to the Status of Refugees
(January 31, 1967).
(11) The Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel,
Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (December 10,
1984).
(12) The Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention (June 17,
1999) (ILO Convention 182).
(13) The Supplementary Convention on the Abolition of
Slavery, the Slave Trade, and Institutions and Practices
Similar to Slavery (September 7, 1956).
(14) The Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights
of the Child on the involvement of children in armed conflicts
(May 25, 2000).
(15) The Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights
of the Child on the sale of children, child prostitution and
child pornography (May 25, 2000).
(16) The Convention for the Amelioration of the Condition
of the Wounded and Sick in the Armed Forces in the Field
(August 12, 1949).
(17) The Convention for the Amelioration of the Condition
of Wounded, Sick and Shipwrecked Members of Armed Forces at Sea
(August 12, 1949).
(18) The Inter-American Convention on the Granting of
Political Rights to Women (May 2, 1948).
(19) The Inter-American Convention on the Nationality of
Women (December 26, 1933).
SEC. 4. COMMISSION MEMBERSHIP.
(a) Selection and Appointment of Members.--The Commission shall be
composed of 18 members, as follows:
(1) Nine Members of the House of Representatives appointed
by the Speaker of the House of Representatives. Five Members
shall be selected from the majority party and four Members
shall be selected, after consultation with the minority leader
of the House of Representatives, from the minority party. The
nine Members shall include the Chairman and Ranking Minority
Member of the Subcommittee on International Organizations,
Human Rights, and Oversight of the Committee on Foreign Affairs
and the Chairman and Ranking Minority Member of the
Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, Refugees, Border
Security, and International Law of the Committee on the
Judiciary.
(2) Nine Members of the Senate appointed by the President
of the Senate. Five Members shall be selected from the majority
party of the Senate, after consultation with the majority
leader, and four Members shall be selected, after consultation
with the minority leader of the Senate, from the minority
party. The nine Members shall include the Chairman and Ranking
Minority Member of the Subcommittee on International Operations
and Organizations, Democracy and Human Rights of the Committee
on Foreign Relations and the Chairman and Ranking Minority
Member of the Subcommittee on Human Rights and the Law of the
Committee on the Judiciary.
(b) Commission Chairman and Co-Chairman.--
(1) In general.--The Commission shall have a Chairman and a
Co-Chairman.
(2) Designation of chairman.--
(A) House of representatives.--Not later than 30
days after the convening of each even-numbered
Congress, the Speaker of the House of Representatives
shall designate one of the House Members who is a
member of the Commission as Chairman of the Commission.
(B) Senate.--Not later than 30 days after the
convening of each odd-numbered Congress, the President
of the Senate, on the recommendation of the majority
leader, shall designate one of the Senate Members who
is a member of the Commission as Chairman of the
Commission.
(3) Designation of co-chairman.--
(A) House of representatives.--Not later than 30
days after the convening of each odd-numbered Congress,
the Speaker of the House of Representatives shall
designate one of the House Members who is a member of
the Commission as Co-Chairman of the Commission.
(B) Senate.--Not later than 30 days after the
convening of each even-numbered Congress, the President
of the Senate, on the recommendation of the majority
leader, shall designate one of the Senate Members who
is a member of the Commission as Co-Chairman of the
Commission.
(4) Term of office.--The term of office of a Chairman and
Co-Chairman shall terminate on the date that a Congress
adjourns sine die.
SEC. 5. TESTIMONY OF WITNESSES; PRODUCTION OF EVIDENCE; ISSUANCE OF
SUBPOENAS; ADMINISTRATION OF OATHS.
In carrying out its duty under section 3, the Commission may
require, by subpoena or otherwise, the attendance and testimony of such
witnesses and the production of such evidence, including books,
records, correspondence, memorandums, papers, and documents, as it
determines necessary. Subpoenas may be issued only pursuant to a two-
thirds vote of the members of the Commission who are present and
voting. Upon such a vote, subpoenas may be issued by the Chairman of
the Commission or by any member designated by the Chairman, and may be
served by any person designated by the Chairman or such member. The
Chairman of the Commission, or any member designated by the Chairman,
may administer oaths to any witnesses.
SEC. 6. REPORT BY SECRETARY OF STATE TO COMMISSION.
(a) Annual Report.--In order to assist the Commission in carrying
out its duty under section 3, the Secretary of State shall annually
submit to the Commission a report that explains how the United States
has complied with its international human rights treaty obligations
over the preceding calendar year.
(b) Contents of Report.--The report required under subsection (a)
shall include a discussion of any concerns raised regarding the United
States in international organizations charged with monitoring
compliance with international human rights treaties.
(c) Time for Submission of Report.--The Secretary shall submit the
report not later than March 31 of each year.
(d) Public Dissemination.--The Secretary shall ensure that each
annual report, excluding any classified annexes, is posted on the
website of the Department of State not later than April 1 of each year.
SEC. 7. REPORTS BY COMMISSION TO CONGRESS.
(a) In General.--Not later than January 31 of each year, the
Commission shall submit to the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the
Committee on the Judiciary of the House of Representatives and
Committee on Foreign Relations and the Committee on the Judiciary of
the Senate a report regarding the compliance by the United States of
its obligations under international human rights treaties.
(b) Request for Additional Information.--The Commission shall, upon
request by any Member of the House of Representatives or any Member of
the Senate, provide such Member with any additional information so
requested pertaining to the compliance by the United States of its
obligations under international human rights treaties.
(c) Expenditure of Appropriations.--Not later than January 15 of
each fiscal year for which an appropriation is made to the Commission
to carry out its duty under section 3, the Commission shall submit to
Congress a report on its expenditures under such appropriation.
SEC. 8. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
(a) In General.--There are authorized to be appropriated to the
Commission for each fiscal year such sums as may be necessary to enable
it to carry out its duty under section 3.
(b) Availability.--Amounts appropriated pursuant to the
authorization of appropriations under paragraph (1) are authorized to
remain available until expended.
(c) Disbursement.--Amounts appropriated to the Commission shall be
disbursed on vouchers approved--
(1) jointly by the Chairman and the Co-Chairman; or
(2) by a majority of the members of the personnel and
administration committee established under section 9.
SEC. 9. COMMISSION STAFF.
(a) Staff Director; Senior Staff Person.--The Chairman shall be
entitled to appoint and fix the pay of a staff director, and the Co-
Chairman shall be entitled to appoint and fix the pay of the senior
staff person of the Co-Chairman.
(b) Professional Staff Members.--The Chairman and Co-Chairman each
shall have the authority to appoint and fix the pay of at least four
professional staff members who shall be responsible to the Chairman or
the Co-Chairman, as the case may be, who appointed them. Such authority
may be delegated to the staff director or senior staff person, as the
case may be.
(c) Staff Appointments.--All staff appointments shall be made
without regard to the provisions of title 5, United States Code,
governing appointments in the competitive service, and without regard
to the provisions of chapter 51 and subchapter III of chapter 53 of
such title relating to classification and General Schedule pay rates,
except that the rate of pay may not exceed the maximum rate of pay for
GS-15 under the General Schedule.
(d) Commission Employees as Congressional Employees.--For purposes
of pay and other employment benefits, rights, and privileges, and for
all other purposes, any employee of the Commission shall be considered
to be a congressional employee as defined in section 2107 of title 5,
United States Code.
(e) Qualifications of Professional Staff.--The personnel and
administration committee shall ensure that the professional staff of
the Commission consists of persons with expertise in civil rights,
prisoner rights, labor rights, law, international law, and human
rights.
SEC. 10. PRINTING AND BINDING COSTS.
For purposes of costs relating to printing and binding, including
the costs of personnel detailed from the Government Printing Office,
the Commission shall be deemed to be a committee of Congress.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.
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