To establish a Congressional Commission on Expanding Social Service Delivery Options.

July 29, 2005

Mr. SANTORUM introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

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').

(b) Membership-

(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.

(a) Study-

(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.

(c) Staff-

(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