[Congressional Bills 105th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Printing Office]
[H.R. 99 Introduced in House (IH)]
105th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 99
To establish a temporary commission to recommend reforms in the laws
relating to elections for Federal office.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
January 7, 1997
Mr. White (for himself and Mr. Horn) 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 a temporary commission to recommend reforms in the laws
relating to elections for Federal office.
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 Commission on Campaign
Practices Act of 1997''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
The Congress finds that--
(1) for Congress to address the existing problems in the
Federal election laws, Congress must act in a nonpartisan
manner and engage in a debate based on academic studies and
empirical findings instead of partisan rhetoric;
(2) when addressing Federal election laws, Congress must be
cognizant of the freedoms of speech and association protected
under the Constitution; and
(3) the current Federal election laws unduly favor
incumbent Members of Congress, and, in previous years, Congress
has not been able to eliminate this bias when addressing the
reform of the Federal election laws.
SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT AND PURPOSE OF COMMISSION.
There is established a commission to be known as the ``Bipartisan
Commission on Campaign Practices'' (referred to in this Act as the
``Commission''). The purposes of the Commission are to study the laws
relating to elections for Federal office and to report and recommend
legislation to reform those laws.
SEC. 4. MEMBERSHIP OF COMMISSION.
(a) Appointment.--The Commission shall be composed of 12 members
appointed within 15 days after the date of the enactment of this Act by
the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, 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. In making appointments, the President shall
consult--
(1) the Speaker of the House of Representatives with
respect to the appointment of 3 members, one of whom is not
affiliated with either the Republican Party or the Democratic
Party;
(2) the majority leader of the Senate with respect to the
appointment of 3 members, one of whom is not affiliated with
either the Republican Party or the Democratic Party;
(3) the minority leader of the House of Representatives
with respect to the appointment of 2 members, one of whom is
not affiliated with either the Republican Party or the
Democratic Party; and
(4) the minority leader of the Senate with respect to the
appointment of 2 members, one of whom is not affiliated with
either the Republican Party or the Democratic Party.
(b) Chairman.--At the time of the appointment, the President shall
designate one member of the Commission as Chairman of the Commission.
The Chairman may not be affiliated with either the Republican Party or
the Democratic Party.
(c) Terms.--The members of the Commission shall serve for the life
of the Commission.
(d) Vacancies.--A vacancy in the Commission shall be filled in the
manner in which the original appointment was made.
(e) Political Affiliation.--Not more than 4 members of the
Commission may be of the same political party.
SEC. 5. 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.
(b) Quorum.--Seven members of the Commission shall constitute a
quorum, but a lesser number may hold hearings. A majority of the full
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. 6. ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS.
(a) Pay and Travel Expenses of Members.--(1) Each member of the
Commission, other than the Chairman, 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. The Chairman shall be paid for each day referred to in the
preceding sentence at a rate equal to the daily equivalent of the
annual rate of basic pay payable for level III of the Executive
Schedule under section 5314 of title 5, United States Code.
(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.--Subject to such rules as may be adopted by
the Commission, the Chair, 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 that
title relating to classifications and General Schedule pay rates, may
appoint such personnel as the chair considers necessary, 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) Temporary and intermittent services.--The Chair may
procure temporary and intermittent services to the same extent
as is authorized by section 3109(b) of title 5, United States
Code.
SEC. 7. REPORT AND RECOMMENDED LEGISLATION.
(a) Report.--Not later than 90 days after the selection of the
Chair of the Commission, the Commission shall submit to the Congress a
report of the activities of the Commission.
(b) Recommendations.--The report under subsection (a) shall include
any recommendations for changes in the laws (including regulations)
governing the conducting and financing of Federal campaigns, including
any changes in the rules of the Senate or the House of Representatives,
to which 7 or more members of the Commission may agree.
(c) Preparation of Legislation.--If 7 or more members concur on a
recommendation submitted under subsection (b), those members shall
prepare and submit with the report under subsection (a) legislation to
implement the recommendation.
(d) Expedited Congressional Consideration of Legislation.--
(1) In general.--If any legislation is introduced the
substance of which implements a recommendation of the
Commission submitted under subsection (b), subject to paragraph
(2), 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.
(2) Special rules.--For purposes of applying paragraph (1)
with respect to such provisions, the following rules shall
apply:
(A) 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.
(B) 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 subsection (b).
(C) Notwithstanding subsection (d)(2) of section
2908 of such Act--
(i) it shall be in order to consider an
amendment in the nature of a substitute to the
legislation offered by the majority leader of
the House of Representatives or the Senate (as
the case may be);
(ii) it shall be in order to consider an
amendment in the nature of a substitute to the
legislation offered by the minority leader of
the House of Representatives or the Senate (as
the case may be);
(iii) a separate vote shall be taken in
each House on adoption of each of the
amendments offered and on the legislation as
introduced; and
(iv) if more than one version of the
legislation is adopted by a House pursuant to
clause (iii), the version receiving the
greatest number of votes in favor of adoption
shall be deemed to be legislation passed by
that House.
SEC. 8. PRIMARY OBJECTIVES OF THE COMMISSION.
In formulating its draft of legislation under section 7, the
Commission shall consider the following to be its primary objectives:
(1) Encouraging fair and open Federal elections that
provide voters with meaningful information about candidates and
issues.
(2) Eliminating the disproportionate influence of special
interest financing of Federal elections.
(3) Creating a system in which incumbent Members of
Congress do not possess an inherent advantage over challengers.
SEC. 9. TERMINATION.
The Commission shall cease to exist 60 days after the date of the
submission of its report under section 7.
SEC. 10. 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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