109th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 1560
To establish a Congressional Commission on Expanding Social Service
Delivery Options.
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
July 29, 2005
Mr. SANTORUM introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred
to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
A BILL
To establish a Congressional Commission on Expanding Social Service
Delivery Options.
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 `Congressional Commission on Expanding Social
Service Delivery Options Act'.
SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF COMMISSION.
(a) Establishment- There is established a Congressional Commission on Expanding
Social Service Delivery Options (referred to in this Act as the `Commission').
(1) COMPOSITION- The Commission shall be composed of 10 members, of whom--
(A) 3 shall be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives;
(B) 3 shall be appointed by the majority leader of the Senate;
(C) 2 shall be appointed by the minority leader of the House of Representatives;
and
(D) 2 shall be appointed by the minority leader of the Senate.
(2) QUALIFICATIONS- Members of the Commission shall be appointed from among
individuals with demonstrated expertise and experience in social service
delivery, including, to the extent practicable, in the area of reform of
such delivery.
(3) DATE- The appointments of the members of the Commission shall be made
not later than 30 days after the date of enactment of this Act.
(c) Period of Appointment; Vacancies- Members shall be appointed for the life
of the Commission. Any vacancy in the Commission shall not affect its powers,
but shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment.
(d) Co-Chairpersons- The Speaker of the House of Representatives shall designate
1 of the members appointed under subsection (b)(1)(A) as a co-Chairperson
of the Commission. The majority leader of the Senate shall designate 1 of
the members appointed under subsection (b)(1)(B) as a co-Chairperson of the
Commission.
(e) Initial Meeting- Not later than 60 days after the date of enactment of
this Act, the Commission shall hold its first meeting.
(f) Meetings- The Commission shall meet at the call of either co-Chairperson.
(g) Quorum- A majority of the members of the Commission shall constitute a
quorum, but a lesser number of members may hold hearings.
SEC. 3. DUTIES OF THE COMMISSION.
(1) IN GENERAL- The Commission shall conduct a thorough and thoughtful study
of all matters relating to increasing beneficiary-selected or beneficiary-directed
options for social service delivery in Federal social service programs,
including certificate, scholarship, voucher, or other forms of indirect
delivery. The Commission shall review all relevant Federal social service
programs in existence on the date of the beginning of the study, including
the initiatives of the Corporation for National and Community Service. The
Commission shall determine program areas, among the Federal programs, for
which it is appropriate and feasible to implement full or partial beneficiary-selected
or beneficiary-directed options for the delivery of the social services.
(2) GOALS- In making determinations under paragraph (1), the Commission
shall seek to promote goals of--
(A) expanding consumer and beneficiary choice in Federal social service
programs;
(B) maximizing the use of governmental resources in the Federal programs;
and
(C) minimizing concerns relating to any precedent under the Constitution
regarding the participation of faith-based providers in the Federal programs.
(b) Recommendations- The Commission shall develop recommendations on program
areas, among the Federal social service programs, for which it is appropriate
and feasible to implement full or partial beneficiary-selected or beneficiary-directed
options for the delivery of the social services.
(c) Report- Not later than 11 months after the date of enactment of this Act,
the Commission shall submit a report to the Speaker and minority leader of
the House of Representatives and the majority leader and minority leader of
the Senate, which shall contain a detailed statement of the findings and conclusions
of the Commission, together with its recommendations for such legislation
and administrative actions as it considers appropriate.
SEC. 4. POWERS OF THE COMMISSION.
(a) Hearings- The Commission may hold such hearings, sit and act at such times
and places, take such testimony, and receive such evidence as the Commission
considers necessary to carry out this Act.
(b) Information From Federal Agencies- The Commission may secure directly
from any Federal department or agency such information as the Commission considers
necessary to carry out this Act. Upon request of either co-Chairperson of
the Commission, the head of such department or agency shall furnish such information
to the Commission.
(c) Postal Services- The Commission may use the United States mails in the
same manner and under the same conditions as other departments and agencies
of the Federal Government.
SEC. 5. COMMISSION PERSONNEL MATTERS.
(a) Compensation of Members- Each member of the Commission who is not an officer
or employee of the Federal Government shall be compensated at a rate equal
to the daily equivalent of the annual rate of basic pay prescribed for level
IV of the Executive Schedule under section 5315 of title 5, United States
Code, for each day (including travel time) during which such member is engaged
in the performance of the duties of the Commission. All members of the Commission
who are officers or employees of the United States shall serve without compensation
in addition to that received for their services as officers or employees of
the United States.
(b) Travel Expenses- The members of the Commission shall be allowed travel
expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, at rates authorized for
employees of agencies under subchapter I of chapter 57 of title 5, United
States Code, while away from their homes or regular places of business in
the performance of services for the Commission.
(1) IN GENERAL- The co-Chairpersons of the Commission, acting jointly, may,
without regard to the civil service laws and regulations, appoint and terminate
an executive director and such other additional personnel as may be necessary
to enable the Commission to perform its duties. The employment of an executive
director shall be subject to confirmation by the Commission.
(2) COMPENSATION- The co-Chairpersons of the Commission, acting jointly,
may fix the compensation of the executive director and other personnel without
regard to chapter 51 and subchapter III of chapter 53 of title 5, United
States Code, relating to classification of positions and General Schedule
pay rates, except that the rate of pay for the executive director and other
personnel may not exceed the rate payable for level V of the Executive Schedule
under section 5316 of such title.
(d) Detail of Government Employees- Any Federal Government employee may be
detailed to the Commission without reimbursement, and such detail shall be
without interruption or loss of civil service status or privilege.
(e) Procurement of Temporary and Intermittent Services- The co-Chairpersons
of the Commission, acting jointly, may procure temporary and intermittent
services under section 3109(b) of title 5, United States Code, at rates for
individuals which do not exceed the daily equivalent of the annual rate of
basic pay prescribed for level V of the Executive Schedule under section 5316
of such title.
SEC. 6. TERMINATION OF THE COMMISSION.
The Commission shall terminate 90 days after the date on which the Commission
submits its report under section 3.
SEC. 7. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
(a) In General- There are authorized to be appropriated to the Commission
for fiscal year 2006 such sums as may be necessary to carry out this Act.
(b) Availability- Any sums appropriated under the authorization contained
in this section shall remain available, without fiscal year limitation, until
expended.
END