HR 3519 IHCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

To establish the United States Commission on an Open Society with Security.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

September 10, 2007

Ms. NORTON introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committee on Homeland Security, 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 concernedCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

To establish the United States Commission on an Open Society with Security.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the `United States Commission on an Open Society with Security Act'.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

Congress finds that--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) an open society which affords free access to public facilities and spaces and which protects the right to engage in open discussion is an essential premise of American governmental institutions and democratic values;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) the United States is currently facing a challenge to the safety and security of the public, public employees, and public facilities and spaces that is unique in the history of this Nation;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(3) to meet this challenge without eroding or harming any of the basic tenets of the Republic and of our democracy, this Nation needs to assemble the best thinking available; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(4) a commission of experts from a broad base of disciplines and backgrounds is necessary to examine all the factors that should be considered in securing public safety from terrorist attacks while maintaining the highest level of free and open access to the public.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT OF COMMISSION.

(a) Establishment- There is established a commission to be known as the `United States Commission on an Open Society with Security' (in this Act referred to as the `Commission').CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(b) Composition- The Commission shall be composed of 21 members appointed by the President from among individuals representing such fields or groups as the following: architecture, technology, civil libertarians, humanists, members of the armed forces, Federal Government employees, city planners, business leaders, lawyers, artists, public building security, engineers, philosophers, historians, sociologists, and psychologists. The President shall designate one of those members to be the Chairperson of the Commission.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(c) Terms; Quorum; Meetings; Vacancies- Members shall be appointed for the life of the Commission. Nine members of the Commission shall constitute a quorum, but a lesser number may hold hearings. After its initial meeting, the Commission shall meet at the call of the Chairperson of the Commission or a majority of its members. Any vacancy in the Commission shall not affect its powers and shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(d) Appointments; Initial Meeting-CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) APPOINTMENTS- It is the sense of Congress that the members of the Commission should be appointed by not later than 90 days after the date of enactment of this Act.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) INITIAL MEETING- If, after 90 days following the date of enactment of this Act, 9 or more members of the Commission have been appointed, the members who have been appointed may meet, and the Chairperson shall have the authority to begin the operations of the Commission, including the hiring of staff.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 4. FUNCTIONS OF COMMISSION.

(a) In General- The Commission shall study and make findings and recommendations relating to the question of how the Government of the United States may provide, in a balanced manner, for both security in and public access to Federal buildings and other Federal property and sites.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(b) Matters To Be Examined- In carrying out this Act, the Commission shall specifically examine matters that relate to the security of, and open access to, public facilities and spaces, including--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) Federal, other governmental, and private security practices and proposals, building design, public space management, counterterrorism needs, and refurbishment of existing Federal facilities;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) the effect of access to public facilities and spaces on--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(A) maintenance of security and safety;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(B) free speech, the right to petition the Government, and other constitutional rights and civil liberties;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(C) economies of affected jurisdictions or parts thereof;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(D) physical changes and architectural aesthetics of affected areas;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(E) traffic and congestion; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(F) job performance of employees within the affected facilities;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(3) current and potential uses of technology to augment or replace traditional modes of security;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(4) practices of and comparisons with other entities and nations; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(5) current and potential analytical methods of assessing the risks posed by the various forms of terrorism, balanced against the specific needs and values of open access.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(c) Coordination of Activities- The Commission shall take appropriate measures to avoid unnecessary duplication of efforts previously or currently being undertaken by any other person or entity.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 5. POWERS OF COMMISSION.

(a) In General- The Commission or, on the authorization of the Commission, any member or agent of 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 appropriate to carry out this Act.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(b) Obtaining Official Information- The Commission may secure directly from any department, agency, or other entity 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 such governmental entity shall furnish, to the extent authorized by law, such information to the Commission.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(c) Security-CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) SECURITY CLEARANCES- The members and staff of the Commission shall hold, as a condition of appointment to or employment with the Commission, appropriate security clearances for access to the classified briefing, records, and materials to be reviewed by the Commission or its staff and shall follow the guidance and practices on security under applicable Executive orders and agency directives.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) CONDITIONS TO GRANTING ACCESS- The head of an agency shall require, as a condition of granting access to a member of the Commission or a member of the staff of the Commission to classified records or materials of the agency under this Act, require the member to--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(A) execute an agreement regarding the security of such records or materials that is approved by the head of the agency; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(B) hold an appropriate security clearance granted or recognized under the standard procedures and eligibility criteria of the agency, including any special access approval required for access to such records or materials.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(3) RESTRICTION ON USE- The members of the Commission and the members of the staff of the Commission may not use any information acquired in the course of their official activities on the Commission for nonofficial purposes.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(4) NEED TO KNOW- For purposes of any law or regulation governing access to classified information that pertains to the national security of the United States and to facilitate the advisory functions of the Commission under this Act, a member of the Commission or a member of the staff of the Commission seeking access to a record or material under this Act shall be deemed for purposes of this subsection to have a need to know the contents of the record or material.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(5) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION- A reference in this subsection to the `staff of the Commission' includes individuals described in sections 6(d) and 6(e).CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(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.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(e) Gifts- The Commission may accept, use, and dispose of gifts or donations of services or property.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(f) Administrative Support Services- The Administrator of General Services shall provide to the Commission, on a reimbursable basis, such administrative support services as the Commission may request.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 6. PERSONNEL MATTERS.

(a) Compensation of Members- Members of the Commission shall not be compensated by reason of their service on the Commission.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(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.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(c) Staff- Subject to such rules as the Commission may prescribe, the Chairperson of the Commission, 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 such title (relating to classification and General Schedule pay rates), may appoint and fix the pay of a staff director and such other personnel as may be necessary to enable the Commission to carry out its functions; except that no rate of pay fixed under this subsection may exceed the maximum rate of basic pay payable for GS-15 of the General Schedule.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(d) Staff of Federal Agencies- Upon request of the Chairperson of the Commission, the head of any department or agency of the United States may detail, on a nonreimbursable basis, any of the personnel of that department or agency to the Commission to assist it in carrying out its functions under this Act.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(e) Experts and Consultants- With the approval of the Commission, the Chairperson of the Commission may procure temporary and intermittent services under section 3109(b) of title 5, United States Code, at rates for individuals not to exceed the daily equivalent of the maximum rate of basic pay payable for GS-15 of the General Schedule.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 7. REPORT.

(a) Submission to the President- The Commission shall transmit its final report to the President not later than 2 years after the initial meeting of the Commission. Such report shall contain a detailed statement of the findings and conclusions of the Commission, together with its recommendations for such legislative, administrative, or other action as the Commission considers appropriate.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(b) Submission to the Congress- Not later than 6 months after receiving the final report of the Commission under subsection (a), the President shall transmit such report to Congress, together with any comments or recommendations (including any proposed legislation) which the President considers appropriate.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 8. TERMINATION OF COMMISSION.

The Commission shall terminate on the 90th day after the date on which the Commission is required to submit its final report under section 7(a).CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 9. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this Act--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) $5,000,000 for fiscal year 2008; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) $5,000,000 for fiscal year 2010.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink