Medicare Commission Act of 1997 - Establishes the National Commission on the Long-Term Solvency of the Medicare Program to provide analyses of and recommendations with respect to the current and long-term financial condition of the Medicare trust funds for a report to the President, the Congress, and the Secretary of Health and Human Services. Outlines steps for the development and consideration of legislation with regard to such recommendations that provides for the long-term solvency of the Medicare trust funds.
[Congressional Bills 105th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Printing Office]
[H.R. 75 Introduced in House (IH)]
105th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 75
To establish the National Commission on the Long-Term Solvency of the
Medicare Program.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
January 7, 1997
Ms. McCarthy of Missouri (for herself, Mr. Fazio of California, Mr.
Frost, Mr. Luther, Ms. Lofgren, Mr. Mascara, Ms. Rivers, Ms. Kaptur,
Mr. Pallone, Mr. Cummings, Mr. Doyle, Mrs. Kennelly of Connecticut, Mr.
Blumenauer, Mr. Kennedy of Rhode Island, Mr. Dooley of California, Mr.
Fattah, Mr. Jackson of Illinois, Ms. Millender-McDonald, Mr. Boswell,
and Ms. Jackson-Lee of Texas) introduced the following bill; which was
referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the
Committees on Commerce, and 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 National Commission on the Long-Term Solvency of the
Medicare Program.
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 ``Medicare Commission Act of 1997''.
SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT.
(a) Establishment.--There is established a commission to be known
as the National Commission on the Long-Term Solvency of the Medicare
Program (in this Act referred to as the ``Commission'').
(b) Membership.--The Commission shall be composed of 15 members
appointed as follows:
(1) Five members shall be appointed by the President from
among officers or employees of the executive branch, private
citizens of the United States, or both. Not more than 3 members
selected by the President shall be members of the same
political party.
(2) Five members shall be appointed by the Majority Leader
of the Senate, in consultation with the Minority Leader of the
Senate, from among members of the Senate, private citizens of
the United States, or both. Not more than 3 of the members
selected by the Majority Leader shall be members of the same
political party and not more than 2 of such members may be
members of Congress.
(3) Five members shall be appointed by the Speaker of the
House of Representatives, in consultation with the Minority
Leader of the House of Representatives, from among members of
the House of Representatives, private citizens of the United
States, or both. Not more than 3 of the members selected by the
Speaker shall be members of the same political party and not
more than 2 of such members may be members of Congress.
(4) Date.--The appointments of the members of the
Commission shall be made no later than 3 months after the date
of the 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) Initial Meeting.--No later than 30 days after the date on which
all members of the Commission have been appointed, the Commission shall
hold its first meeting.
(e) Meetings.--The Commission shall meet at the call of the
Chairman.
(f) Quorum.--A majority of the members of the Commission shall
constitute a quorum, but a lesser number of members may hold hearings.
(g) Chairman.--The Commission shall select a Chairman from among
its members.
SEC. 3. DUTIES OF THE COMMISSION.
(a) Analyses and Recommendations.--
(1) In general.--The Commission shall--
(A) review relevant analyses of the current and
long-term financial condition of the medicare trust
funds;
(B) identify problems that may threaten the long-
term solvency of such trust funds;
(C) analyze potential solutions to such problems
that will both assure the financial integrity of the
medicare program under title XVIII of the Social
Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395 et seq.) and the provision
of appropriate health benefits; and
(D) provide appropriate recommendations to the
Secretary of Health and Human Services, the President,
and the Congress regarding preserving the long-term
solvency of the medicare trust funds.
(2) Definition of medicare trust funds.--For purposes of
this subsection, the term ``medicare trust funds'' means the
Federal Hospital Insurance Trust Fund established under section
1817 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395i) and the
Federal Supplementary Medical Insurance Trust Fund established
under section 1841 of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1395t).
(b) Report.--The Commission shall submit its report to the
President and the Congress not later than 12 months after the date of
the first meeting of the Commission.
(c) Congressional Consideration of Legislation.--
(1) Development and consideration of legislation.--
(A) Introduction of legislation.--The Majority
Leader of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of
Representatives, in consultation with the Minority
Leaders of the Senate and House of Representatives and
taking into consideration the recommendations contained
in such report, shall provide for the development,
drafting, and introduction, by not later than 3 months
after the date of submission of the report, of
legislation in the Senate and House of Representatives
that provides for the long-term solvency of the
medicare trust funds.
(B) Privileged consideration if not voted upon
within 3 months.--
(i) House of representatives.--If
legislation introduced under subparagraph (A)
in the House of Representatives is not voted upon in the House by not
later than 3 months after the date of its introduction in the House--
(I) any committee in the House to
which such legislation has been
referred shall be treated as having
been discharged from consideration, and
(II) a motion to proceed to the
consideration of any such legislation
in the House shall be treated as highly
privileged.
(ii) Senate.--If legislation introduced
under subparagraph (A) in the Senate is not
voted upon in the Senate by not later than 3
months after the date of its introduction in
the Senate--
(I) any committee in the Senate to
which such legislation has been
referred shall be treated as having
been discharged from consideration, and
(II) a motion to proceed to the
consideration of any such legislation
in the Senate shall be treated as
privileged.
(2) Vote on endorsing commission recommendations if no vote
on legislation within 3 months.--If legislation introduced
under paragraph (1)(A) is not considered and approved or
disapproved--
(A) in the Senate within 3 months after the date of
its introduction in the Senate, it shall be privileged
in the Senate, or
(B) in the House of Representatives within 3 months
after the date of its introduction in the House, it
shall be highly privileged in the House of
Representatives,
to move to consider a joint resolution the substance of which
endorses the recommendations contained in the report under
subsection (b) and provides legislative authority to carryout
such recommendations.
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 advisable to carry out the
purposes of 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 the provisions of this Act.
Upon request of the Chairman 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.--
(1) Officers and employees of the federal government.--All
members of the Commission who are officers or employees of the
Federal Government shall serve without compensation in addition
to that received for their services as officers or employees of
the United States.
(2) Private citizens of the united states.--
(A) In general.--Subject to subparagraph (B), all
members of the Commission who are not officers or
employees of the Federal Government shall serve without
compensation for their work on the Commission.
(B) Travel expenses.--The members of the Commission
who are not officers or employees of the Federal
Government 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, to the
extent funds are available therefore.
(b) Staff.--
(1) In general.--The Chairman of the Commission 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. At the request of the
Chairman, the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall
provide the Commission with any necessary administrative and
support services. The employment of an executive director shall
be subject to confirmation by the Commission.
(2) Compensation.--The Chairman of the Commission may fix
the compensation of the executive director and other personnel
without regard to the provisions of 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.
(c) 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.
(d) Procurement of Temporary and Intermittent Services.--The
Chairman of the Commission 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 30 days after the date on which the
Commission submits its report under section 2(b).
SEC. 7. FUNDING FOR THE COMMISSION.
Any expenses of the Commission shall be paid from such funds as may
be otherwise available to the Secretary of Health and Human Services.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to House Ways and Means
Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committees on Commerce, and 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.
Referred to House Commerce
Referred to House Rules
Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Health and Environment, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Chairman.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Rules and Organization of the House.
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