,i #aacth ,,congress #ast ,session ,h4 ,r4 #eig ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,february #h1 #bjac ,mrs4 ,carolyn ,b4 ,maloney of ,new ,york 7for herself and ,mr4 ,honda7 introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,oversight and ,government ,reform1 and in addition to the ,committees on ,financial ,services1 ,ways and ,means1 the ,judiciary1 ,house ,administration1 ,energy and ,commerce1 and ,education and the ,workforce1 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 a commission to study how ,federal laws and policies affect ,united ,states citizens living in foreign countries4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,commission on ,americans ,living ,abroad ,act4 #b4 ,establishment ,there is established a commission to be known as the ,commission on ,americans ,living ,abroad 7in this ,act referred to as the ,commission74 #c4 ,membership 7a7 ,number and appointment ,the ,commission shall be composed of #ae members appointed by the ,president1 of whom-- 7#a7 two members shall be appointed from among individuals recommended by the ,speaker of the ,house of ,representatives2 7#b7 two members shall be appointed from among individuals recommended by the majority leader of the ,house of ,representatives2 7#c7 two members shall be appointed from among individuals recommended by the minority leader of the ,house of ,representatives2 7#d7 two members shall be appointed from among individuals recommended by the majority leader of the ,senate2 7#e7 two members shall be appointed from among individuals recommended by the minority leader of the ,senate2 and 7#f7 two members shall be appointed from among individuals recommended by the ,president pro tempore of the ,senate4 7b7 ,qualifications 7#a7 ,limit on officers or employees of the ,united ,states ,not more than #aj members shall be officers or employees of the ,united ,states4 7#b7 ,political party affiliation ,not more than #h members of the ,commission may be of the same political party4 7#c7 ,expertise 7,a7 ,officers or ,employees of the ,united ,states ,members of the ,commission who are officers or employees of the ,united ,states shall be appointed from among individuals whose employment is directly related to the matters to be studied by the ,commission under section #d7;a77#b74 7,b7 ,other members ,members of the ,commission who are not officers or employees of the ,united ,states shall be appointed from among individuals who-- 7i7 have lived in a foreign country for not less than one year2 7ii7 are members of organizations that represent ,united ,states citizens living in foreign countries2 or 7iii7 have other experience that is relevant to the matters to be studied by the ,commission under section #d7;a77#b74 7c7 ,period of ,appointment2 vacancies ,members shall be appointed for the life of the ,commission4 ,any vacancy in the ,commission shall be filled in the same manner in which the original appointment was made4 ,any vacancy in the ,commission shall not affect its powers4 7d7 ,first ,meeting ,not later than #fj days after the date on which all members of the ,commission have been appointed1 the ,commission shall hold its first meeting4 7e7 ,meetings ,the ,commission shall meet at the call of the ,chairperson4 7f7 ,quorum ,a majority of the members of the ,commission shall constitute a quorum1 but a lesser number of members may hold hearings4 7g7 ,chairperson ,the ,president shall select a ,chairperson for the ,commission from among its members4 #d4 ,duties 7a7 ,study 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,commission shall conduct a study on how ,federal laws and policies affect ,united ,states citizens living in foreign countries1 including civilians and members of the ,armed ,forces4 7#b7 ,matters studies ,the matters studied shall include the following3 7,a7 ,federal financial reporting requirements for a ,united ,states citizen living in a foreign country1 including the requirements under section #ecad of title #ca1 ,united ,states ,code4 7,b7 ,federal policies and requirements that affect the ability of a ,united ,states citizen living in a foreign country to access foreign and domestic financial institutions1 including requirements under chapter #d of the ,internal ,revenue ,code of #aihf 7commonly known as the ,foreign ,account ,tax ,compliance ,act7 and requirements affecting financial institutions imposed by the ,uniting and ,strengthening ,america by ,providing ,appropriate ,tools ,required to ,intercept and ,obstruct ,terrorism ,act of #bjja 7,,usa ,patriot ,act7 7,public ,law #ajg-ef74 7,c7 ,federal requirements for a spouse1 child1 or another family member of a ,united ,states citizen living in a foreign country who is not a ,united ,states citizen to become a ,united ,states citizen4 7,d7 ,the ability of a ,united ,states citizen living in a foreign country to vote in ,federal1 ,state1 and local elections in the ,united ,states1 and the process for such a citizen to vote in such elections4 7,e7 ,the processes by which a ,united ,states citizen living in a foreign country interacts with ,federal programs such as ,social ,security and ,medicare4 7,f7 ,the process for a ,united ,states citizen living in a foreign country to get a ,federal education loan for such citizen or for such citizen's child who is a ,united ,states citizen4 7,g7 ,which ,federal agencies have jurisdiction over each ,federal program that serves ,united ,states citizens who live in foreign countries and possible methods to improve the collaboration of and coordination between such ,federal agencies4 7b7 ,consultation with outside organizations ,in conducting the study under subsection 7a71 the ,commission shall consult organizations that represent ,united ,states citizens living in foreign countries4 7c7 ,reports 7#a7 ,initial ,report ,not later than one year after the date of enactment of this ,act1 the ,commission shall submit a report to the ,president1 ,congress1 and the head of any ,federal agency identified in subsection 7a77#b77;,g71 which shall contain a detailed statement of the findings and conclusions of the ,commission1 together with its recommendations for such legislative and administrative actions as it considers appropriate4 7#b7 ,update ,not later than one year after the date on which the ,commission submits the report under paragraph 7#a71 the ,commission shall submit an update to the ,president1 ,congress1 and the head of any ,federal agency identified in subsection 7a77#b77;,g71 which shall describe any administrative actions taken by the head of any ,federal agency pursuant to the recommendations in such report4 #e4 ,powers of the commission 7a7 ,hearings and sessions ,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 7b7 ,powers of ,members and ,agents ,any member or agent of the ,commission may1 if authorized by the ,commission1 take any action which the ,commission is authorized to take by this section4 7c7 ,obtaining official data ,subject to section #fajc of the ,internal ,revenue ,code of #aihf1 the ,commission may secure directly from any ,federal department or agency such information as the ,commission considers necessary to carry out this ,act4 ,upon request of the ,chairperson of the ,commission1 the head of such department or agency shall furnish such information to the ,commission4 7d7 ,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 #f4 ,commission personnel matters 7a7 ,compensation of members ,each member of the ,commission who is not an officer or employee of the ,united ,states shall be compensated at a rate equal to the daily equivalent of the annual rate of basic pay prescribed for level ,,iv of the ,executive ,schedule under section #ecae of title #e1 ,united ,states ,code1 for each day 7including travel time7 during which such member is engaged in the performance of the duties of the ,commission4 ,all members of the ,commission who are officers or employees of the ,united ,states shall serve without compensation in addition to that received for their services as officers or employees of the ,united ,states4 7b7 ,travel expenses ,the members of the ,commission shall be allowed travel expenses1 including per diem in lieu of subsistence1 at rates authorized for employees of agencies under subchapter ,i of chapter #eg of title #e1 ,united ,states ,code1 while away from their homes or regular places of business in the performance of services for the ,commission4 7c7 ,staff 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,chairperson of the ,commission may1 without regard to the civil service laws and regulations1 appoint and terminate an executive director and such other additional personnel as may be necessary to enable the ,commission to perform its duties4 ,the employment of an executive director shall be subject to confirmation by the ,commission4 7#b7 ,compensation ,the ,chairperson of the ,commission may fix the compensation of the executive director and other personnel without regard to chapter #ea and subchapter ,,iii of chapter #ec of title #e1 ,united ,states ,code1 relating to classification of positions and ,general ,schedule pay rates1 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 #ecaf of such title4 7d7 ,detail of government employees ,any ,united ,states employee may be detailed to the ,commission without reimbursement1 and such detail shall be without interruption or loss of civil service status or privilege4 7e7 ,procurement of temporary and intermittent services ,the ,chairperson of the ,commission may procure temporary and intermittent services under section #caji7;b7 of title #e1 ,united ,states ,code1 at rates for individuals that do not exceed the daily equivalent of the annual rate of basic pay prescribed for level ,v of the ,executive ,schedule under section #ecaf of such title4 #g4 ,federal agency response ,not later than #ahj days after the date on which the ,commission submits the report under section #d7;c77#a71 the head of any ,federal agency that is affected by a recommendation in such report shall submit to the ,president1 ,congress1 and the ,commission a response to such recommendation1 including any plans to take administrative action pursuant to such recommendation4 #h4 ,termination ,the ,commission shall terminate on the date on which it submits its update under section #d7;c77#b74 #i4 ,authorization of appropriations ,there is authorized to be appropriated #c1jjj1jjj for each of fiscal years #bjad and #bjae to the ,commission to carry out this ,act to remain available until the termination of the ,commission4