2000
[DOCID: f:h3378ih.txt]
107th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 3378
To establish the Commission on Homeland Security.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
November 29, 2001
Mr. Horn introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Government Reform
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To establish the Commission on Homeland Security.
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 ``Commission on Homeland Security
Act''.
SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT.
There is established the ``Commission on Homeland Security'' (in
this Act referred to as the ``Commission'').
SEC. 3. DUTY OF COMMISSION.
The Commission shall study procedures to protect the security of
the United States, including, but not limited to--
(1) the efficiency and effectiveness with which Federal
departments and agencies perform their security missions;
(2) the adequacy of Federal personnel resources to perform
security missions;
(3) the adequacy and effectiveness of Federal controls over
financial and information systems;
(4) the accuracy, reliability, and security of personal
identification information and systems used by the Federal
Government under existing law;
(5) how effectively Federal departments and agencies are
organized to perform security missions; and
(6) the effectiveness of relationships among, and
activities of, the Federal Government, the States, and
municipalities to protect security.
SEC. 4. MEMBERSHIP.
(a) Number and Appointment.--The Commission shall be composed of 21
members appointed as follows:
(1) Five members appointed by the President, one of whom
shall be the Assistant to the President for Homeland Security.
(2) Four members appointed by the Speaker of the House of
Representatives.
(3) Four members appointed by the minority leader of the
House of Representatives.
(4) Four members appointed by the majority leader of the
Senate.
(5) Four members appointed by the minority leader of the
Senate.
(b) Qualifications.--Members of the Commission shall include
individuals with expertise in information technology and security,
civil liberties issues, and law enforcement issues.
(c) Deadline for Appointment.--Members shall be appointed not later
than 60 days after the date of the enactment of this Act.
(d) Terms.--Each member shall be appointed for the life of the
Commission.
(e) Pay.--Members shall serve without pay, but 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.
(f) Chairperson.--The Assistant to the President for Homeland
Security shall be the Chairperson of the Commission.
SEC. 5. EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND STAFF OF COMMISSION; EXPERTS AND
CONSULTANTS.
(a) Executive Director.--The Commission shall have an Executive
Director who shall be appointed by the Commission. The Executive
Director shall be paid at the rate of basic pay for level IV of the
Executive Schedule.
(b) Staff.--The Commission may appoint and fix the pay of
additional personnel as it considers appropriate.
(c) Applicability of Certain Civil Service Laws.--The Executive
Director and staff of the Commission may be appointed without regard to
the provisions of title 5, United States Code, governing appointments
in the competitive service, and 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 annual
rate of basic pay for GS-15 of the General Schedule.
(d) Experts and Consultants.--The Commission may procure temporary
and intermittent services under section 3109(b) of title 5, United
States Code.
(e) Staff of Federal Agencies.--Upon request of the Commission, the
head of any Federal department or agency may detail, on a reimbursable
basis, any of the personnel of that department or agency to the
Commission to assist it in carrying out its duties under this Act.
SEC. 6. HEARINGS AND SESSIONS.
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. The Commission shall
hold a minimum of eight hearings, including hearings in California, New
York, Texas, Illinois, and Florida.
SEC. 7. ADDITIONAL POWERS OF COMMISSION.
(a) Powers of Members and Agents.--Any member or agent of the
Commission may, if authorized by the Commission, take any action that
the Commission is authorized to take by this section.
(b) Obtaining Official Data.--The Commission may secure directly
from any department or agency of the United States information
necessary to enable it to carry out this Act. Upon request of the
Chairperson of the Commission, the head of that department or agency
shall furnish that information to the Commission.
(c) 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.
(d) 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.
(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) Subpoena Power.--
(1) In general.--The Commission may issue subpoenas
requiring the attendance and testimony of witnesses and the
production of any evidence relating to any matter under
investigation by the Commission. The attendance of witnesses
and the production of evidence may be required from any place
within the United States at any designated place of hearing
within the United States.
(2) Failure to obey a subpoena.--If a person refuses to
obey a subpoena issued under paragraph (1), the Commission may
apply to a United States district court for an order requiring
that person to appear before the Commission to give testimony,
produce evidence, or both, relating to the matter under
investigation. The application may be made within the judicial
district where the hearing is conducted or where that person is
found, resides, or transacts business. Any failure to obey the
order of the court may be punished by the court as civil
contempt.
(3) Service of subpoenas.--The subpoenas of the Commission
shall be served in the manner provided for subpoenas issued by
a United States district court under the Federal Rules of Civil
Procedure for the United States district courts.
(4) Service of process.--All process of any court to which
application is made under paragraph (2) may be served in the
judicial district in wh
602
ich the person required to be served
resides or may be found.
(g) Immunity.--The Commission is an agency of the United States for
the purpose of part V of title 18, United States Code (relating to
immunity of witnesses). Except as provided in this subsection, a person
may not be excused from testifying or from producing evidence pursuant
to a subpoena on the ground that the testimony or evidence required by
the subpoena may tend to incriminate or subject that person to criminal
prosecution. A person, after having claimed the privilege against self-
incrimination, may not be criminally prosecuted by reason of any
transaction, matter, or thing which that person is compelled to testify
about or produce evidence relating to, except that the person may be
prosecuted for perjury committed during the testimony or made in the
evidence.
SEC. 8. REPORT.
The Commission shall transmit a report to the President and
Congress not later than 14 months after the date of the enactment of
this Act containing a detailed statement of the findings and
conclusions of the Commission, together with recommendations for
legislation and administrative actions that the Commission considers
appropriate.
SEC. 9. TERMINATION.
The Commission shall terminate 30 days after submitting its final
report pursuant to section 8.
SEC. 10. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be
necessary to carry out this Act.
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