Labor Statistics Improvement Act

Labor Statistics Improvement Act - Establishes an independent Commission to Improve Labor Statistics.

Directs the Commission to: (1) examine and make an assessment of the process by which the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) collects, processes, analyzes, and disseminates statistical data relating to unemployment rates, including the methods used for determining that an individual is considered to be looking for work; (2) formulate recommendations for any improvement to such process and methods, including proposals for any alternative measures of labor force participation, taking into account evidence that the official unemployment rate doesn't always accurately reflect labor market strength; and (3) develop a new method for determining and reporting underemployment that takes into consideration workers who are not in jobs that match their skill set or education and who are earning less than other workers in similar occupations or with similar skill sets and education.

Directs the Commission to transmit a report to the President and Congress within 180 days after all of its original members have been appointed. Terminates the Commission 60 days after it submits such report.

[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4171 Introduced in House (IH)]

113th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 4171

 To establish a commission to examine the processes used by the Bureau 
     of Labor Statistics to provide unemployment rates and to make 
     recommendations to Congress for any changes in methodology or 
                    improvements to such processes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 6, 2014

Mr. Fitzpatrick (for himself, Mr. Westmoreland, Mr. Burgess, Mr. Young 
 of Indiana, Mr. McIntyre, and Mr. Matheson) introduced the following 
    bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and the 
                               Workforce

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To establish a commission to examine the processes used by the Bureau 
     of Labor Statistics to provide unemployment rates and to make 
     recommendations to Congress for any changes in methodology or 
                    improvements to such processes.

    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 ``Labor Statistics Improvement Act''.

SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF COMMISSION.

    There is established an independent commission to be known as the 
``Commission to Improve Labor Statistics''.

SEC. 3. DUTIES OF COMMISSION.

    The Commission shall--
            (1) examine and make an assessment of the process by which 
        the Bureau of Labor Statistics collects, processes, analyzes, 
        and disseminates statistical data relating to unemployment 
        rates, including--
                    (A) the methods used for determining that an 
                individual is or is not considered to be looking for 
                work, including what constitutes actively looking 
                versus passively looking or ``discouraged''; and
                    (B) the utility of the six measures used by the 
                Bureau for reporting labor underutilization;
            (2) formulate recommendations for any improvement to such 
        process and methods, including proposals for any alternative 
        measures of labor force participation, taking into account--
                    (A) evidence that the official unemployment rate 
                doesn't always accurately reflect labor market 
                strength; and
                    (B) that unemployment rates may vary over a 
                business cycle due to changes in labor force 
                participation rather than from factors affecting labor 
                market strength; and
            (3) develop a new method or methods for determining and 
        reporting underemployment that takes into consideration 
        workers--
                    (A) who are not in jobs that match their skill set 
                or education; and
                    (B) who are earning less than other workers in 
                similar occupations or with similar skill sets and 
                education.

SEC. 4. MEMBERSHIP OF COMMISSION.

    (a) Appointment.--The Commission shall be composed of four members 
appointed from among individuals with experience in the private sector, 
academia, or the Federal civil service, each having expertise in 
economic analysis, understanding labor markets, or statistical 
analysis. Members shall be appointed as follows:
            (1) Two members appointed by the President.
            (2) One member appointed by the President pro tempore of 
        the Senate.
            (3) One member appointed by the Speaker of the House of 
        Representatives.
    (b) Deadline for Appointment.--Each member shall be appointed to 
the Commission not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of 
this Act.
    (c) Terms and Vacancies.--Each member shall be appointed for the 
life of the Commission. A vacancy in the Commission shall be filled in 
the manner in which the original appointment was made.
    (d) Basic Pay and Travel Expenses.--Members 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.
    (e) Quorum.--Three members of the Commission shall constitute a 
quorum but a lesser number may hold hearings.
    (f) Chairperson.--The Chairperson of the Commission shall be 
elected by the members.
    (g) Meetings.--The Commission shall meet at the call of the 
Chairperson.

SEC. 5. STAFF OF COMMISSION.

    (a) Staff.--The Chairperson may appoint and fix the pay of the 
personnel of the Commission as the Chairperson considers appropriate.
    (b) Applicability of Certain Civil Service Laws.--The staff of the 
Commission shall be appointed subject to the provisions of title 5, 
United States Code, governing appointments in the competitive service, 
and shall be paid in accordance with the provisions of chapter 51 and 
subchapter III of chapter 53 of that title relating to classification 
and General Schedule pay rates.
    (c) Staff of Federal Agencies.--Upon request of the Chairperson, 
the head of any Federal department or agency may detail, on a 
reimbursable basis, any of the personnel of that department or agency 
to the Commission to assist it in carrying out its duties under this 
Act.

SEC. 6. REPORT OF COMMISSION.

    Not later than 180 days after the date on which all original 
members have been appointed to the Commission, the Commission shall 
transmit to the President and Congress a report that contains a 
detailed statement of the findings and recommendations of the 
Commission developed pursuant to section 3.

SEC. 7. TERMINATION OF COMMISSION.

    (a) Termination.--The Commission shall terminate 60 days after the 
date of submission of the report pursuant to section 7.
    (b) Administrative Activities Before Termination.--The Commission 
may use the 60-day period referred to in subsection (a) for the purpose 
of concluding its activities, including providing testimony to 
committees of Congress concerning its reports and disseminating the 
second report.
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