COMMISSION ON CHILDHOOD DISABILITY.

SEC. 202. COMMISSION ON CHILDHOOD DISABILITY. (a) Establishment of Commission.— The Secretary of Health and Human Services (in this section referred to as the “Secretary”) shall appoint a Commission on the Evaluation of Disability in Children (in this section referred to as the “Commission”). (b) Appointment of Members.— (1) The Secretary shall appoint not less than 9 but not more than 15 members to the Commission, including— (A) recognized experts in the field of medicine, whose work involves— (i) the evaluation and treatment of disability in children; (ii) the study of congenital, genetic, or perinatal disorders in children; or (iii) the measurement of developmental milestones and developmental deficits in children; and (B) recognized experts in the fields of— (i) psychology; (ii) education and rehabilitation; (iii) law; 108 STAT. 1507 (iv) the administration of disability programs; and (v) social insurance (including health insurance); and (C) other fields of expertise that the Secretary determines to be appropriate. (2) Members shall be appointed by January 1, 1995, without regard to the provisions of title 5, United States Code, governing appointments to competitive service. (3) Members appointed under this subsection shall serve for a term equivalent to the duration of the Commission. (4) The Secretary shall designate a member of the Commission to serve as Chair of the Commission for a term equivalent to the duration of the Commission. (c) Administrative Provisions.— (1) Service as a member of the Commission by an individual who is not otherwise a Federal employee shall not be considered service in an appointive or elective position in the Federal Government for the purposes of title 5, United States Code. (2) Each member of the Commission who is not a full-time Federal employee shall be paid compensation at a rate equal to the daily equivalent of the rate of basic pay in effect for Level IV of the Executive Schedule for each day (including travel time) the member attends meetings or otherwise performs the duties of the Commission. (3) While away from their homes or regular places of business on the business of the Commission, each member who is not a full-time Federal employee may be allowed travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, as authorized by section 5703 of title 5, United States Code, for persons employed intermittently in the Government service. (d) Assistance to Commission.— The Commission may engage individuals skilled in medical and other aspects of childhood disability to provide such technical assistance as may be necessary to carry out the functions of the Commission. The Secretary shall make available to the Commission such secretarial, clerical, and other assistance as the Commission may require to carry out the functions of the Commission. (e) Study by the Commission.— (1) The Commission shall conduct a study, in consultation with the National Academy of Sciences, of the effects of the definition of “disability” under title XVI of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1382 et seq.) in effect on the date of enactment of this Act, as such definition applies to determining whether a child under the age of 18 is eligible to receive benefits under such title, the appropriateness of such definition, and the advantages and disadvantages of using any alternative definition of disability in determining whether a child under age 18 is eligible to receive benefits under such title. (2) The study described in paragraph (1) shall include issues of— (A) whether the need by families for assistance in meeting high costs of medical care for children with serious physical or mental impairments, whether or not they are eligible for disability benefits under title XVI of the Social Security Act, might appropriately be met through expansion of Federal health assistance programs; (B) the feasibility of providing benefits to children through noncash means, including but not limited to vouchers, debit cards, and electronic benefit transfer systems; 108 STAT. 1508 (C) the extent to which the Social Security Administration can involve private organizations in an effort to increase the provision of social services, education, and vocational instruction with the aim of promoting independence and the ability to engage in substantial gainful activity; (D) alternative ways and providing retroactive supplemental security income benefits to disabled children, including the desirability and feasibility of conserving some portion of such benefits to promote the long-term well-being of such children; (E) the desirability and methods of increasing the extent to which benefits are used in the effort to assist disabled children in achieving independence and engaging in substantial gainful activity; (F) the effects of the supplemental security income program on disabled children and their families; and (G) such other issues that the Secretary determines to be appropriate. (f) Report.— Not later than November 30, 1995, the Commission shall prepare a report and submit such report to the Committee on Ways and Means of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Finance of the Senate which shall summarize the results of the study described in subsection (e) and include any recommendations that the Commission determines to be appropriate.