Bipartisan Social Security Commission Act of 2019
This bill establishes a temporary commission within the legislative branch to address the solvency of the two Social Security trust funds.
The commission shall issue a report to Congress with recommendations and proposed legislation to ensure the solvency of the Old-Age and Survivors Insurance Trust Fund and the Disability Insurance Trust Fund for at least 75 years.
Congress shall consider the proposed legislation under expedited procedures provided for in the bill.
[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 289 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
116th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 289
To establish the Commission on Long Term Social Security Solvency, and
for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
January 8, 2019
Mr. Cole introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Rules,
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 Commission on Long Term Social Security Solvency, 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.
This Act may be cited as the ``Bipartisan Social Security
Commission Act of 2019''.
SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT.
There is established in the legislative branch a commission to be
known as the ``Commission on Long Term Social Security Solvency'' (in
this Act referred to as the ``Commission'').
SEC. 3. DUTY OF THE COMMISSION.
Not later than 1 year after the initial meeting of the Commission,
the Commission shall transmit to Congress a special message that
includes recommendations and proposed legislation for achieving
solvency in each of the Federal Old-Age and Survivors Insurance Trust
Fund and the Federal Disability Insurance Trust Fund for a period of at
least 75 years beginning on the date that is 1 year after the initial
meeting of the Commission. Such message shall be approved by at least 9
members of the Commission.
SEC. 4. MEMBERS.
(a) Number and Appointment.--The Commission shall be composed of 13
members. Of the members of the Commission--
(1) 1 shall be appointed by the President;
(2) 3 shall be appointed by the Speaker of the House of
Representatives;
(3) 3 shall be appointed by the Minority Leader of the
House of Representatives;
(4) 3 shall be appointed by the Majority Leader of the
Senate; and
(5) 3 shall be appointed by the Minority Leader of the
Senate.
(b) Qualifications for Congressional Appointees.--Of the members of
the Commission appointed by the Congress, at least 1 appointed by each
political party shall be an expert who is not an elected official or an
officer or employee of the Federal Government or of any State.
(c) Timing of Appointments.--Each of the appointments made under
subsection (a) shall be made not later than 45 days after the date of
the enactment of this Act.
(d) Terms; Vacancies.--Each member shall be appointed for the life
of the Commission, and a vacancy in the Commission shall be filled in
the manner in which the original appointment was made.
(e) Compensation.--
(1) In general.--Members of the Commission shall serve
without pay.
(2) Travel expenses.--Each member shall receive travel
expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, in
accordance with applicable provisions under subchapter I of
chapter 57 of title 5, United States Code.
SEC. 5. OPERATION AND POWERS OF THE COMMISSION.
(a) Chair and Co-Chair.--The member of the Commission appointed by
the President under section 4(a) shall serve as the chair of the
Commission. A co-chair of the Commission shall be designated by the
Speaker of the House of Representatives at the time of the appointment.
(b) Meetings.--The Commission shall meet not later than 30 days
after the members of the Commission have been appointed, and at such
times thereafter as the chair or co-chair shall determine.
(c) Rules of Procedure.--The chair and co-chair shall, with the
approval of a majority of the members of the Commission, establish
written rules of procedure for the Commission, which shall include a
quorum requirement to conduct the business of the Commission.
(d) Hearings.--The Commission shall, for the purpose of carrying
out this Act, hold at least one hearing that is open to the public and
allows for public comment and participation, and may hold such other
hearings, sit and act at times and places, take testimony, and receive
evidence as the Commission considers appropriate.
(e) Obtaining Official Data.--The Commission may secure directly
from any department or agency of the United States, including the
Congressional Budget Office and the Government Accountability Office,
any information or technical assistance necessary to enable it to carry
out this Act. Upon request of the chair or co-chair of the Commission,
the head of that department or agency shall furnish that information or
technical assistance to the Commission.
(f) Contract Authority.--The Commission may contract with and
compensate government and private agencies or persons for any purpose
necessary to enable it to carry out this Act.
(g) Mails.--The Commission may use the United States mails in the
same manner and under the same conditions as other departments and
agencies of the United States.
SEC. 6. PERSONNEL.
(a) Director.--The Commission shall have a Director who shall be
appointed by the Commission. The Director shall be paid at a rate of
pay equivalent to the annual rate of basic pay for a comparable
position paid under the Executive Schedule, subject to the approval of
the chair and the co-chair.
(b) Staff.--The Director may appoint and fix the pay of additional
staff as the Director considers appropriate.
(c) Experts and Consultants.--The Commission may procure temporary
and intermittent services under section 3109(b) of title 5, United
States Code, but at rates for individuals not to exceed the daily
equivalent of the annual rate of basic pay for a comparable position
paid under the Executive Schedule.
(d) Staff of Federal Agencies.--Upon request of the Commission, the
head of any Federal department or agency may detail, without
reimbursement, any of the personnel of that department or agency to the
Commission to assist it in carrying out its duties under this Act.
(e) Administrative Support Services.--Upon the request of the
Commission, 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 responsibilities
under this Act.
(f) Gifts, Bequests, and Devises.--The Commission 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 Commission. Gifts, bequests, or devises of money and
proceeds from sales of other property received as gifts, bequests, or
devises shall be deposited in the Treasury and shall be available for
disbursement upon order of the Commission.
SEC. 7. TERMINATION.
The Commission shall terminate not later than 60 days after the
submission of the report described in section 3.
SEC. 8. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
There is authorized to be appropriated not more than $2,000,000 to
carry out this Act.
SEC. 9. EXPEDITED CONSIDERATION OF COMMISSION RECOMMENDATIONS.
(a) Expedited Consideration.--
(1) Introduction of approval bill.--The majority leader of
each House or a designee shall (by request) introduce an
approval bill as described in subsection (c) not later than the
third day of session of that House after the date of receipt of
a special message transmitted to the Congress under section 3.
(2) Consideration in the house of representatives.--
(A) Referral and reporting.--Any committee of the
House of Representatives to which an approval bill is
referred shall report it to the House without amendment
not later than the third legislative day after the date
of its introduction. If a committee fails to report the
bill within that period or the House has adopted a
concurrent resolution providing for adjournment sine
die at the end of a Congress, such committee shall be
automatically discharged from further consideration of
the bill and it shall be placed on the appropriate
calendar.
(B) Proceeding to consideration.--Not later than 3
legislative days after the approval bill is reported or
a committee has been discharged from further
consideration thereof, it shall be in order to move to
proceed to consider the approval bill in the House.
Such a motion shall be in order only at a time
designated by the Speaker in the legislative schedule
within two legislative days after the day on which the
proponent announces an intention to the House to offer
the motion provided that such notice may not be given
until the approval bill is reported or a committee has
been discharged from further consideration thereof.
Such a motion shall not be in order after the House has
disposed of a motion to proceed with respect to that
special message. The previous question shall be
considered as ordered on the motion to its adoption
without intervening motion. A motion to reconsider the
vote by which the motion is disposed of shall not be in
order.
(C) Consideration.--If the motion to proceed is
agreed to, the House shall immediately proceed to
consider the approval bill in the House without
intervening motion. The approval bill shall be
considered as read. All points of order against the
approval bill and against its consideration are waived.
The previous question shall be considered as ordered on
the approval bill to its passage without intervening
motion except 4 hours of debate equally divided and
controlled by the proponent and an opponent and one
motion to limit debate on the bill. A motion to
reconsider the vote on passage of the approval bill
shall not be in order.
(3) Consideration in the senate.--
(A) Committee action.--The appropriate committee of
the Senate shall report without amendment the approval
bill not later than the third session day after
introduction. If a committee fails to report the
approval bill within that period or the Senate has
adopted a concurrent resolution providing for
adjournment sine die at the end of a Congress, the
committee shall be automatically discharged from
further consideration of the approval bill and it shall
be placed on the appropriate calendar.
(B) Motion to proceed.--Not later than 3 session
days after the approval bill is reported in the Senate
or the committee has been discharged thereof, it shall
be in order for any Senator to move to proceed to
consider the approval bill in the Senate. The motion
shall be decided without debate and the motion to
reconsider shall be deemed to have been laid on the
table. Such a motion shall not be in order after the
Senate has disposed of a prior motion to proceed with
respect to the approval bill.
(C) Consideration.--If a motion to proceed to the
consideration of the approval bill is agreed to, the
Senate shall immediately proceed to consideration of
the approval bill without intervening motion, order, or
other business, and the approval bill shall remain the
unfinished business of the Senate until disposed of.
Consideration on the bill in the Senate under this
subsection, and all debatable motions and appeals in
connection therewith, shall not exceed 30 hours equally
divided in the usual form. All points of order against
the approval bill or its consideration are waived.
Consideration in the Senate on any debatable motion or
appeal in connection with the approval bill shall be
limited to not more than 1 hour. A motion to postpone,
or a motion to proceed to the consideration of other
business, or a motion to recommit the approval bill is
not in order. A motion to reconsider the vote by which
the approval bill is agreed to or disagreed to is not
in order.
(4) Amendments prohibited.--No amendment to, or motion to
strike a provision from, an approval bill considered under this
section shall be in order in either the Senate or the House of
Representatives.
(5) Coordination with action by other house.--
(A) In general.--If, before passing the approval
bill, one House receives from the other a bill--
(i) the approval bill of the other House
shall not be referred to a committee; and
(ii) the procedure in the receiving House
shall be the same as if no approval bill had
been received from the other House until the
vote on passage, when the bill received from
the other House shall supplant the approval
bill of the receiving House.
(B) Exception.--This paragraph shall not apply to
the House of Representatives.
(b) Limitation.--Subsection (a) shall apply only to an approval
bill described in subsection (c) and introduced pursuant to subsection
(a)(1).
(c) Approval Bill Described.--For purposes of subsection (a), a
bill described in this paragraph is a bill--
(1) which consists of the proposed legislation which is
included in such report to carry out the recommendations made
by the Commission in the report; and
(2) the title of which is as follows: ``A bill to carry out
the recommendations of the Commission on Long Term Social
Security Solvency.''.
(d) Extended Time Period.--If Congress adjourns at the end of a
Congress and an approval bill was then pending in either House of
Congress or a committee thereof, or an approval bill had not yet been
introduced with respect to a special message, then within the first 3
days of session of the next Congress, the Commission shall transmit to
Congress an additional special message containing all of the
information in the previous, pending special message. An approval bill
may be introduced within the first five days of session of such next
Congress and shall be treated as an approval bill under this section,
and the time periods described in paragraphs (2) and (3) of subsection
(a) shall commence on the day of introduction of that approval bill.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Rules, 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 Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Rules, 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 Social Security.
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