NATIONAL COMMISSION ON CHILDREN.

SEC. 9136. NATIONAL COMMISSION ON CHILDREN. Part A of title XI of the Social Security Act is amended by adding at the end the following new section: “national commission on children “Sec. 1139. (a) (1) There is hereby established a commission to be known as the National Commission on Children (in this section referred to as the ‘Commission’). “(b) (1) The Commission shall consist of— “(A) 12 members to be appointed by the President, “(B) 12 members to be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and “(C) 12 members to be appointed by the President pro tempore of the Senate. “(2) The President, the Speaker, and the President pro tempore shall each appoint as members of the Commission— “(A) 4 individuals who— “(i) are representatives of organizations providing services to children, “(ii) are involved in activities on behalf of children, or “(iii) have engaged in academic research with respect to the problems and needs of children, “(B) 4 individuals who are elected or appointed public officials (at the Federal, State, or local level) involved in issues and programs relating to children, and “(C) 4 individuals who are parents or representatives of parents or parents' organizations. “(3) The appointments made pursuant to subparagraphs (B) and (C) of paragraph (1) shall be made in consultation with the chairmen of committees of the House of Representatives and the Senate, respectively, having jurisdiction over relevant Federal programs. “(c) (1) It shall be the duty and function of the Commission to serve as a forum on behalf of the children of the Nation and to conduct the studies and issue the report required by subsection (d). “(2) The Commission (and any committees that it may form) shall conduct public hearings in different geographic areas of the country, both urban and rural, in order to receive the views of a broad spectrum of the public on the status of the Nation's children and on ways to safeguard and enhance the physical, mental, and emotional well-being of all of the children of the Nation, including those with physical or mental disabilities, and others whose circumstances deny them a full share of the opportunities that parents of the Nation may rightfully expect for their children. “(3) The Commission shall receive testimony from individuals, and from representatives of public and private organizations and institutions with an interest in the welfare of children, including educators, health care professionals, religious leaders, providers of social services, representatives of organizations with children as members, elected and appointed public officials, and from parents and children speaking in their own behalf. “(d) The Commission shall submit to the President, and to the Committees on Finance and Labor and Human Resources of the Senate and the Committees on Ways and Means, Education and Labor, and Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives, an interim report no later than September 30, 1988, and a final101 STAT. 1330–317 report no later than March 31, 1989, setting forth recommendations with respect to the following subjects: “(1) Questions relating to the health of children that the Commission shall address include— “(A) how to reduce infant mortality, “(B) how to reduce the number of low-birth-weight babies, “(C) how to reduce the number of children with chronic illnesses and disabilities, “(D) how to improve the nutrition of children, “(E) how to promote the physical fitness of children, “(F) how to ensure that pregnant women receive adequate prenatal care, “(G) how to ensure that all children have access to both preventive and acute care health services, and “(H) how to improve the quality and availability of health care for children. “(2) Questions relating to social and support services for children and their parents that the Commission shall address include— “(A) how to prevent and treat child neglect and abuse, “(B) how to provide help to parents who seek assistance in meeting the problems of their children, “(C) how to provide counseling services for children, “(D) how to strengthen the family unit, “(E) how children can be assured of adequate care while their parents are working or participating in education or training programs, “(F) how to improve foster care and adoption services, “(G) how to reduce drug and alcohol abuse by children and youths, and “(H) how to reduce the incidence of teenage pregnancy. “(3) Questions relating to education that the Commission shall address include— “(A) how to encourage academic excellence for all children at all levels of education, “(B) how to use preschool experiences to enhance educational achievement, “(C) how to improve the qualifications of teachers, “(D) how schools can better prepare the Nation's youth to compete in the labor market, “(E) how parents and schools can work together to help children achieve success at each step of the academic ladder, “(F) how to encourage teenagers to complete high school and remain in school to fulfill their academic potential, “(G) how to address the problems of drug and alcohol abuse by young people, “(H) how schools might lend support to efforts aimed at reducing the incidence of teenage pregnancy, and “(I) how schools might better meet the special needs of children who have physical or mental handicaps. “(4) Questions relating to income security that the Commission shall address include— “(A) how to reduce poverty among children, “(B) how to ensure that parents support their children to the fullest extent possible through improved child support101 STAT. 1330–318 collection services, including services on behalf of children whose parents are unmarried, and “(C) how to ensure that cash assistance to needy children is adequate. “(5) Questions relating to tax policy that the Commission shall address include— “(A) how to assure the equitable tax treatment of families with children, “(B) the effect of existing tax provisions, including the dependent care tax credit, the earned income tax credit, and the targeted jobs tax credit, on children living in poverty, “(C) whether the dependent care tax credit should be refundable and the effect of such a policy, “(D) whether the earned income tax credit should be adjusted for family size and the effect of such a policy, and “(E) whether there are other tax-related policies which would reduce poverty among children. “(6) In addition to addressing the questions specified in paragraphs (1) through (5), the Commission shall— “(A) seek to identify ways in which public and private organizations and institutions can work together at the community level to identify deficiencies in existing services for families and children and to develop recommendations to ensure that the needs of families and children are met, using all available resources, in a coordinated and comprehensive manner, and “(B) assess the existing capacities of agencies to collect and analyze data on the status of children and on relevant programs, identify gaps in the data collection system, and recommend ways to improve the collection of data and the coordination among agencies in the collection and utilization of data. The reports required by this subsection shall be based upon the testimony received in the hearings conducted pursuant to subsection (c), and upon other data and findings developed by the Commission. “(e) (1) (A) Members of the Commission shall first be appointed not later than 60 days after the date of the enactment of this section, for terms ending on March 31, 1989. “(B) A vacancy in the Commission shall not affect its powers, but shall be filled in the same manner as the vacant position was first filled. “(2) The Commission shall elect one of its members to serve as Chairman of the Commission. The Chairman shall be a nonvoting member of the Commission. “(3) A majority of the members of the Commission shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. “(4) (A) The Commission shall meet at the call of the Chairman, or at the call of a majority of the members of the Commission. “(B) The Commission shall meet not less than 4 times during the period beginning with the date of the enactment of this section and ending with March 31, 1989. “(5) Decisions of the Commission shall be according to the vote of a simple majority of those present and voting at a properly called meeting, “(6) Members of the Commission shall serve without compensation, but shall be reimbursed for travel, subsistence, and other101 STAT. 1330–319 necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties as members of the Commission. “(f) (1) The Commission shall appoint an Executive Director of the Commission who shall be compensated at a rate fixed by the Commission, but which shall not exceed the rate established for level V of the Executive Schedule under title 5, United States Code. “(2) In addition to the Executive Director, the Commission may appoint and fix the compensation of such personnel as it deems advisable, in accordance with the provisions of title 5, United States Code, governing appointments to the competitive service, and the provisions of chapter 51 and subchapter III of chapter 53 of such title, relating to classification and General Schedule pay rates. “(g) In carrying out its duties, the Commission, or any duly organized committee thereof, is authorized to hold such hearings, sit and act at such times and places, and take such testimony, with respect to matters for which it has a responsibility under this section, as the Commission or committee may deem advisable. “(h) (1) The Commission may secure directly from any department or agency of the United States such data and information as may be necessary to carry out its responsibilities. “(2) Upon request of the Commission, any such department or agency shall furnish any such data or information. “(i) The General Services Administration shall provide to the Commission, on a reimbursable basis, such administrative support services as the Commission may request. “(j) There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary to carry out this section.”.