[Congressional Bills 105th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Printing Office]
[H.R. 1614 Introduced in House (IH)]
105th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 1614
To establish the Independent Commission on Campaign Finance Reform to
recommend reforms in the laws relating to the financing of political
activity.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
May 14, 1997
Mr. White (for himself, Mrs. Maloney of New York, Mr. Franks of New
Jersey, Mr. Dingell, Mr. Horn, Mr. Andrews, Mr. Barcia, Mr. Barrett of
Wisconsin, Mr. Bentsen, Mr. Blumenauer, Mr. Brown of California, Mr.
Castle, Mr. Conyers, Mr. Dellums, Mr. Dixon, Mr. Doolittle, Mr. English
of Pennsylvania, Mr. Etheridge, Ms. Eshoo, Mr. Fattah, Mr.
Frelinghuysen, Mr. Gilchrest, Mr. Gonzalez, Mr. Greenwood, Mr.
Hamilton, Mr. Hastings of Florida, Mr. Hinchey, Mr. Houghton, Mr.
Kennedy of Rhode Island, Ms. Kilpatrick, Mr. Kleczka, Mr. Klink, Mr.
Kucinich, Mr. Lipinski, Ms. Lofgren, Mrs. Lowey, Ms. McCarthy of
Missouri, Mr. McDermott, Mr. McHale, Mr. Metcalf, Ms. Millender-
McDonald, Mr. Miller of California, Mr. Minge, Mrs. Mink of Hawaii,
Mrs. Morella, Mr. Nadler, Mr. Owens, Mr. Petri, Mr. Poshard, Mr.
Rahall, Mr. Ramstad, Ms. Rivers, Mr. Sawyer, Mr. Smith of Michigan, Mr.
Strickland, Mr. Stupak, Mr. Taylor of Mississippi, Mrs. Thurman, Mr.
Torres, Mr. Wise, and Ms. Woolsey) introduced the following bill; which
was referred to the Committee on House Oversight, 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 Independent Commission on Campaign Finance Reform to
recommend reforms in the laws relating to the financing of political
activity.
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 ``Independent Commission on Campaign
Finance Reform Act of 1997''.
SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT AND PURPOSE OF COMMISSION.
There is established a commission to be known as the ``Independent
Commission on Campaign Finance Reform'' (referred to in this Act as the
``Commission''). The purposes of the Commission are to study the laws
relating to the financing of political activity and to report and
recommend legislation to reform those laws.
SEC. 3. MEMBERSHIP OF COMMISSION.
(a) Composition.--The Commission shall be composed of 12 members
appointed within 15 days after the date of the enactment of this Act by
the President from among individuals who are not incumbent Members of
Congress and who are specially qualified to serve on the Commission by
reason of education, training, or experience.
(b) Appointment.--
(1) In general.--Members shall be appointed as follows:
(A) 3 members (one of whom shall be a political
independent) shall be appointed from among a list of
nominees submitted by the Speaker of the House of
Representatives.
(B) 3 members (one of whom shall be a political
independent) shall be appointed from among a list of
nominees submitted by the majority leader of the
Senate.
(C) 3 members (one of whom shall be a political
independent) shall be appointed from among a list of
nominees submitted by the minority leader of the House
of Representatives.
(D) 3 members (one of whom shall be a political
independent) shall be appointed from among a list of
nominees submitted by the minority leader of the
Senate.
(2) Failure to submit list of nominees.--If an official
described in any of the subparagraphs of paragraph (1) fails to
submit a list of nominees to the President during the 15-day
period which begins on the date of the enactment of this Act--
(A) such subparagraph shall no longer apply; and
(B) the President shall appoint 3 members (one of
whom shall be a political independent) who meet the
requirements described in subsection (a) and such other
criteria as the President may apply.
(3) Political independent defined.--In this subsection, the
term ``political independent'' means an individual who at no
time after January 1992--
(A) has held elective office as a member of the
Democratic or Republican party;
(B) has received any wages or salary from the
Democratic or Republican party or from a Democratic or
Republican party office-holder or candidate; or
(C) has provided substantial volunteer services or
made any substantial contribution to the Democratic or
Republican party or to a Democratic or Republican party
office-holder or candidate.
(c) Chairman.--At the time of the appointment, the President shall
designate one member of the Commission as Chairman of the Commission.
(d) Terms.--The members of the Commission shall serve for the life
of the Commission.
(e) Vacancies.--A vacancy in the Commission shall be filled in the
manner in which the original appointment was made.
(f) Political Affiliation.--Not more than 4 members of the
Commission may be of the same political party.
SEC. 4. POWERS OF COMMISSION.
(a) Hearings.--The Commission may, for the purpose of carrying out
this Act, hold hearings, sit and act at times and places, take
testimony, and receive evidence as the Commission considers
appropriate. In carrying out the preceding sentence, the Commission
shall ensure that a substantial number of its meetings are open
meetings, with significant opportunities for testimony from members of
the general public.
(b) Quorum.--Seven members of the Commission shall constitute a
quorum, but a lesser number may hold hearings. The approval of at least
9 members of the Commission is required when approving all or a portion
of the recommended legislation. Any member of the Commission may, if
authorized by the Commission, take any action which the Commission is
authorized to take under this section.
SEC. 5. ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS.
(a) Pay and Travel Expenses of Members.--(1) Each member of the
Commission shall be paid at a rate equal to the daily equivalent of the
annual rate of basic pay payable for level IV of the Executive Schedule
under section 5315 of title 5, United States Code, for each day
(including travel time) during which the member is engaged in the
actual performance of duties vested in the Commission.
(2) Members of the Commission shall receive travel expenses,
including per diem in lieu of subsistence, in accordance with sections
5702 and 5703 of title 5, United States Code.
(b) Staff Director.--The Commission shall, without regard to
section 5311(b) of title 5, United States Code, appoint a staff
director, who shall be paid at the rate of basic pay payable for level
IV of the Executive Schedule under section 5315 of title 5, United
States Code.
(c) Staff of Commission; Services.--
(1) In general.--With the approval of the Commission, the
staff director of the Commission may appoint and fix the pay of
additional personnel. The Director may make such appointments
without regard to the provisions of title 5, United States
Code, governing appointments in the competitive service, and
any personnel so appointed may be paid without regard to the
provisions of chapter 51 and subchapter III of chapter 53 of
that title relating to classification and General Schedule pay
rates, except that an individual so appointed may not receive
pay in excess of the maximum annual rate of basic pay payable
for grade GS-15 of the General Schedule under section 5332 of
title 5, United States Code.
(2) Experts and consultants.--The Commission may procure by
contract the temporary or intermittent services of experts or
consultants pursuant to section 3109 of title 5, United States
Code.
SEC. 6. REPORT AND RECOMMENDED LEGISLATION.
(a) Report.--Not later than July 1, 1998, or 240 days after the
appointment of its members (whichever occurs earlier), the Commission
shall submit to the President, the Speaker and minority leader of the
House of Representatives, and the majority and minority leaders of the
Senate a report of the activities of the Commission.
(b) Recommendations; Draft of Legislation.--The report under
subsection (a) shall include any recommendations for changes in the
laws (including regulations) governing the financing of political
activity, including any changes in the rules of the Senate or the House
of Representatives, to which 9 or more members of the Commission may
agree, together with drafts of--
(1) any legislation (including technical and conforming
provisions) recommended by the Commission to implement such
recommendations; and
(2) any proposed amendment to the Constitution recommended
by the Commission as necessary to implement such
recommendations, except that if the Commission includes such a
proposed amendment in its report, it shall also include
recommendations (and drafts) for legislation which may be
implemented prior to the adoption of such proposed amendment.
(c) Goals of Recommendations and Legislation.--In making
recommendations and preparing drafts of legislation under this section,
the Commission shall consider the following to be its primary goals:
(1) Encouraging fair and open Federal elections which
provide voters with meaningful information about candidates and
issues.
(2) Eliminating the disproportionate influence of special
interest financing of Federal elections.
(3) Creating a more equitable electoral system for
challengers and incumbents.
SEC. 7. EXPEDITED CONGRESSIONAL CONSIDERATION OF LEGISLATION.
(a) In General.--If any legislation is introduced the substance of
which implements a recommendation of the Commission submitted under
section 6(b) (including a joint resolution proposing an amendment to
the Constitution), subject to subsection (b), the provisions of section
2908 (other than subsection (a)) of the Defense Base Closure and
Realignment Act of 1990 shall apply to the consideration of the
legislation in the same manner as such provisions apply to a joint
resolution described in section 2908(a) of such Act.
(b) Special Rules.--For purposes of applying subsection (a) with
respect to such provisions, the following rules shall apply:
(1) Any reference to the Committee on Armed Services of the
House of Representatives shall be deemed a reference to the
Committee on House Oversight of the House of Representatives
and any reference to the Committee on Armed Services of the
Senate shall be deemed a reference to the Committee on Rules
and Administration of the Senate.
(2) Any reference to the date on which the President
transmits a report shall be deemed a reference to the date on
which the recommendation involved is submitted under section
6(b).
(3) Notwithstanding subsection (d)(2) of section 2908 of
such Act--
(A) debate on the legislation in the House of
Representatives, and on all debatable motions and
appeals in connection with the legislation, shall be
limited to not more than 10 hours, divided equally
between those favoring and those opposing the
legislation;
(B) debate on the legislation in the Senate, and on
all debatable motions and appeals in connection with
the legislation, shall be limited to not more than 10
hours, divided equally between those favoring and those
opposing the legislation; and
(C) debate in the Senate on any single debatable
motion and appeal in connection with the legislation
shall be limited to not more than 1 hour, divided
equally between the mover and the manager of the bill
(except that in the event the manager of the bill is in
favor of any such motion or appeal, the time in
opposition thereto shall be controlled by the minority
leader or his designee), and the majority and minority
leader may each allot additional time from time under
such leader's control to any Senator during the
consideration of any debatable motion or appeal.
SEC. 8. TERMINATION.
The Commission shall cease to exist 90 days after the date of the
submission of its report under section 6.
SEC. 9. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
There are authorized to be appropriated to the Commission such sums
as are necessary to carry out its duties under this Act.
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