,i #aacth ,,congress #ast ,session ,h4 ,r4 #afce ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,april #ah1 #bjac ,mr4 ,cohen 7for himself1 ,mr4 ,polis1 ,mr4 ,blumenauer1 ,mr4 ,farr1 and ,mr4 ,moran7 introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on the ,judiciary1 and in addition to the ,committees on ,energy and ,commerce1 ,ways and ,means1 ,financial ,services1 and ,foreign ,affairs1 for a period to be subsequently determined by the ,speaker1 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 ,federal ,marijuana ,policy4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,national ,commission on ,federal ,marijuana ,policy ,act of #bjac4 #b4 ,findings ,congress finds the following3 7#a7 ,in #aiga1 ,congress created the ,national ,commission on ,marihuana and ,drug ,abuse1 led by ,governor ,raymond ,p4 ,shafer1 known as the ,shafer ,commission4 7#b7 ,the ,shafer ,commission undertook a comprehensive review of the nature and scope of marijuana use1 its effects1 the relationship of marijuana use to other behavior1 and the efficacy of existing law4 7#c7 ,the final report of the ,shafer ,commission recommended that marijuana be decriminalized4 7#d7 ,since the ,shafer ,commission1 the ,federal ,government has expanded its ,war on ,drugs and continued to prohibit the use of marijuana4 7#e7 ,the ,district of ,columbia and #ah ,states have legalized and regulated the use of marijuana for medicinal purposes4 7#f7 ,since #aigc1 #ae ,states have decriminalized marijuana for personal use1 in some cases based on the ,shafer ,commission recommendations4 7#g7 ,since #aigc1 #b ,states have legalized and regulated marijuana for personal use4 7#h7 ,since the ,shafer ,commission1 the ,federal ,government has not undertaken a similar review of its policy toward marijuana4 7#i7 ,the ,federal ,government must reconcile its prohibition of marijuana with the laws of the ,states where marijuana is legal for some purposes and the likelihood that more ,states will follow in this path4 #c4 ,establishment ,there is established a commission to be known as the ,national ,commission on ,federal ,marijuana ,policy 7in this ,act referred to as the ,commission74 #d4 ,duties ,the ,commission shall undertake a comprehensive review of the state and efficacy of current policies of the ,federal ,government toward marijuana in light of the growing number of ,states in which marijuana is legal for medicinal or personal use1 including-- 7#a7 how ,federal policy should interact with ,state laws that make marijuana legal for medicinal or personal use2 7#b7 the cost of marijuana prohibition and potential ,state and ,federal regulation of marijuana1 as well as the potential revenue generated by taxation of marijuana2 7#c7 the impact of ,federal banking and tax laws on businesses operating in compliance with ,state laws related to marijuana2 7#d7 the health impacts1 both benefits and risks1 related to marijuana use1 and in comparison to alcohol and tobacco use2 7#e7 the domestic and international public safety effects of marijuana prohibition and the impact that regulation and control of marijuana has on public safety2 7#f7 the impact of marijuana prohibition on criminal justice1 including any racial disparities1 and the collateral consequences of prosecution for marijuana possession1 including lack of access to housing1 education1 and employment2 7#g7 recommending the appropriate placement of marijuana in the schedule of the ,controlled ,substances ,act 7#ba ,u4,s4,c4 #hja et seq472 and 7#h7 the effects of marijuana prohibition or future regulation and control of marijuana on international relationships and treaty obligations4 #e4 ,membership 7a7 ,number and appointment ,the ,commission shall be composed of #ac members appointed as follows3 7#a7 ,five individuals appointed by the ,president1 one of whom the ,president shall designate as a co-chair of the ,commission4 7#b7 ,two individuals appointed by the ,speaker of the ,house of ,representatives1 one of whom the ,speaker shall designate as a co-chair of the ,commission only if the ,speaker is not of the same political party of the ,president4 7#c7 ,two individuals appointed by the minority leader of the ,house of ,representatives1 one of whom the minority leader shall designate as a co-chair of the ,commission only if the minority leader is not of the same political party of the ,president4 7#d7 ,two individuals appointed by the majority leader of the ,senate4 7#e7 ,two individuals appointed by the minority leader of the ,senate4 7b7 ,qualifications ,the members of the ,commission shall be individuals with distinguished reputations for integrity and nonpartisanship who are nationally recognized for expertise1 knowledge1 or experience in one or more of the following areas3 7#a7 ,criminal justice4 7#b7 ,public health4 7#c7 ,social policy4 7#d7 ,economics4 7#e7 ,international law4 7c7 ,disqualification ,an individual may not be appointed as a member of the ,commission if-- 7#a7 the individual possesses a personal financial interest in the discharge of the duties of the ,commission2 or 7#b7 the individual holds public office1 serves as an employee of a political party1 is a public official or candidate for office1 or has filed and is running as a candidate for election for public office4 7d7 ,terms ,members shall be appointed for the life of the ,commission4 7e7 ,appointment ,members of the ,commission shall be appointed not later than #de days after the date of the enactment of this ,act4 7f7 ,vacancies ,any vacancy in the ,commission shall not affect its powers1 but shall be filled in the same manner in which the original appointment was made4 ,if vacancies in the ,commission occur on any day after #de days after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 a quorum shall consist of a majority of the members of the ,commission4 7g7 ,basic pay 7#a7 ,in general ,members shall each be entitled to receive the daily equivalent of level ,v of the ,executive ,schedule for each day 7including travel time7 during which they are engaged in the actual performance of duties vested in the ,commission4 7#b7 ,travel expenses ,each member shall receive travel expenses1 including per diem in lieu of subsistence1 in accordance with applicable provisions under subchapter ,i of chapter #eg of title #e1 ,united ,states ,code4 #f4 ,powers 7a7 ,meetings 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,commission shall meet at the call of either of the co-chairs or a majority of its members4 7#b7 ,first meeting ,the ,commission shall hold its first meeting on the date that is #fj days after the date of enactment of this ,act1 or not later than #cj days after the date on which funds are made available for the ,commission1 whichever is later4 7#c7 ,quorum ,seven members of the ,commission shall constitute a quorum for purposes of conducting business1 except that #b members of the ,commission shall constitute a quorum for purposes of receiving testimony4 7#d7 ,open to the public ,meetings of the ,commission shall be open to the public4 ,interested persons shall be permitted to appear at meetings and present oral or written statements on the subject matter of the meeting4 ,the ,commission may administer oaths or affirmations to any person appearing before it4 7#e7 ,notice ,meetings of the ,commission shall be preceded by timely public notice in the ,federal ,register of the time1 place1 and subject of the meeting4 7b7 ,public hearings ,the ,commission may1 for the purpose of carrying out this ,act1 hold hearings1 sit and act at times and places1 take testimony1 and receive evidence as the ,commission considers appropriate4 ,the ,commission shall hold hearings in-- 7#a7 at least #b ,states in which marijuana is legal for medicinal purposes2 7#b7 at least #b ,states in which marijuana is legal for personal use2 and 7#c7 at least #b ,states in which marijuana is not legal for any purpose4 7c7 ,commission panels ,the ,commission may establish panels composed of less than the full membership of the ,commission1 but any findings or determinations of such panels are not considered findings and determinations of the ,commission unless approved by the ,commission4 7d7 ,delegation ,any member1 agent1 or staff of the ,commission may1 if authorized by the co-chairs of the ,commission1 take any action which the ,commission is authorized to take pursuant to this ,act4 7e7 ,federal ,advisory ,committee ,act ,the ,federal ,advisory ,committee ,act 7#e ,u4,s4,c4 ,app47 shall not apply to the ,commission4 #g4 ,administration 7a7 ,director ,the ,commission may appoint a ,director to be paid the rate of basic pay for level ,v of the ,executive ,schedule4 7b7 ,staff appointment and compensation ,with the approval of the ,commission1 the ,director may appoint and fix the pay of additional personnel as the ,director considers appropriate4 ,such personnel may be appointed without regard to the provisions of title #e1 ,united ,states ,code1 governing appointments in the competitive service1 and may be paid without regard to the provisions of chapter #ea and subchapter ,,iii of chapter #ec of that title relating to classification and ,general ,schedule pay rates1 except that an individual so appointed may not receive pay in excess of level ,v of the ,executive ,schedule4 7c7 ,experts and consultants ,with the approval of the ,commission1 the ,director may procure temporary and intermittent services under section #caji7;b7 of title #e1 ,united ,states ,code4 7d7 ,detail of government employees ,upon the request of the ,commission1 the head of any ,federal agency may detail1 without reimbursement1 any of the personnel of such agency to the ,commission to assist in carrying out the duties of the ,commission4 ,any such detail shall not interrupt or otherwise affect the civil service status or privileges of the ,federal employee4 7e7 ,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 ,act4 ,upon the request of a co-chair of the ,commission1 the head of that department or agency shall furnish that information to the ,commission4 7f7 ,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 ,states4 7g7 ,contracts ,the ,commission is authorized to enter into contracts with ,federal and ,state agencies1 private firms1 institutions1 and individuals for the conduct of activities necessary to the discharge of its duties and responsibilities4 ,a contract1 lease1 or other legal agreement entered into by the ,commission may not extend beyond the date of the termination of the ,commission4 7h7 ,gifts ,subject to existing law1 the ,commission may accept1 use1 and dispose of gifts or donations of services or property4 7i7 ,administrative assistance ,the ,administrator of ,general ,services shall provide to the ,commission1 on a reimbursable basis1 the administrative support services necessary for the ,commission to carry out its responsibilities under this ,act4 ,these administrative services may include human resource management1 budget1 leasing1 accounting1 and payroll services4 #h4 ,report ,not later than #a year after the date on which funds first become available to carry out this ,act1 the ,commission shall submit to the ,president and ,congress1 and make available to the public1 a report containing the findings1 conclusions1 and recommendations of the ,commission4 #i4 ,termination ,the ,commission shall terminate #fj days after the date of the submission of the report required under section #h4 #aj4 ,authorization of appropriations 7a7 ,in general ,there are authorized to be appropriated #aj1jjj1jjj to carry out the purposes of this ,act4 7b7 ,limitation on use ,funds appropriated under this ,act may not be used for international travel4