,i #aacth ,,congress #ast ,session ,h4 ,r4 #fad ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,february #ab1 #bjac ,mr4 ,fattah introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,science1 ,space1 and ,technology ,a ,,bill ,to establish the ,commission on ,american ,discoveries and ,american ,jobs to study and recommend improvements to the ,federal funding of research4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,american ,discoveries and ,american ,jobs ,commission ,act of #bjac4 #b4 ,establishment ,there is established a commission to be known as the ,commission on ,american ,discoveries and ,american ,jobs 7in this ,act referred to as the ,commission74 #c4 ,findings ,congress finds the following3 7#a7 ,the ,federal ,government is estimated to have spent #adg1djj1jjj1jjj in fiscal year #bjaj on research and development 7not including funds allocated under the ,american ,recovery and ,reinvestment ,act 7,public ,law #aaa-e77 to meet the mission requirements of the ,federal departments and agencies4 7#b7 ,federal ,government research and development has led to new products and processes for the commercial marketplace1 including antibiotics1 plastics1 airplanes1 computers1 microwaves1 and bioengineered drugs4 7#c7 ,there are many other technologies and techniques generated in the ,federal laboratory system that could have market value if further developed by the industrial community1 and the knowledge base created by the research and development activities of such system can serve as a foundation for additional commercially relevant efforts in the private sector4 7#d7 ,technological progress is responsible for up to half the growth of the ,united ,states economy and is the principal driving force behind long-term economic growth and increases in our standard of living4 7#e7 ,it is only through commercialization1 a function of the business sector1 that a significant stimulus to economic growth occurs4 ,thus1 there is congressional interest in accelerating development and commercialization activities in the private sector through legislation4 7#f7 ,royalties derived from intellectual property rights provide the academic community a way to support further research and the business sector a means to obtain a return on their financial contributions to such research4 #d4 ,duties of ,commission 7a7 ,study ,the ,commission shall conduct a study to examine-- 7#a7 the state of technology transfer from federally funded research to the private sector2 7#b7 the possibilities for the ,federal ,government to collect royalties from early research that leads to the commercialization of a profitable product or technology2 7#c7 the potential adverse consequences of such royalties on technology transfer1 commercialization1 and economic growth2 and 7#d7 the potential benefits of reinvesting revenues from ,federal royalties into science1 technology1 engineering1 and math education1 and seeding future federally funded research2 7b7 ,report ,not later than one year after the first meeting of the ,commission1 the ,commission shall submit to ,congress a written report of the results of the study conducted under subsection 7a7 and recommendations of regulatory and statutory changes that would enable the ,federal ,government to-- 7#a7 claim royalties from the investment of the ,federal ,government in early research2 7#b7 reinvest such royalties in science1 technology1 engineering1 and math education and future ,federal research2 7#c7 ensure products resulting from ,federal research are manufactured in the ,united ,states2 and 7#d7 affix a symbol1 marker1 or insignia on commercialized products to show that they had originated from federally supported research4 #e4 ,staff of ,commission2 experts and consultants 7a7 ,staff ,the ,commission may1 without regard to section #ecaa7;b7 of title #e1 ,united ,states ,code1 appoint and fix the compensation of such personnel as the ,commission considers appropriate4 7b7 ,applicability of ,certain ,civil ,service ,laws ,the staff of the ,commission may be appointed without regard to the provisions of title #e1 ,united ,states ,code1 governing appointments in the competitive service1 and without regard to the provisions of chapter #ea and subchapter ,,iii of chapter #ec of such title relating to classification and ,general ,schedule pay rates1 except that the compensation of any employee of the ,commission may not exceed a rate equal to the annual rate of basic pay payable for ,,gs-#ae of the ,general ,schedule under section #eccb of title #e1 ,united ,states ,code4 7c7 ,experts and ,consultants ,the ,commission may procure temporary and intermittent services of experts and consultants under section #caji7;b7 of title #e1 ,united ,states ,code1 but at rates for individuals not to exceed the daily equivalent of the maximum annual rate of basic pay under section #eccb of such title4 #f4 ,membership 7a7 ,number and appointment 7#a7 ,appointment ,the ,commission shall be composed of nine members appointed1 not later than #ij days after the date of enactment of this ,act1 as follows3 7,a7 ,three members shall be appointed by the ,president4 7,b7 ,two members shall be appointed by the ,speaker of the ,house of ,representatives4 7,c7 ,one member shall be appointed by the minority leader of the ,house of ,representatives4 7,d7 ,two members shall be appointed by the ,president pro tempore of the ,senate4 7,e7 ,one member shall be appointed by the minority leader of the ,senate4 7#b7 ,qualifications ,all members of the ,commission shall be persons who are especially qualified to serve on the ,commission by virtue of their education1 training1 or experience1 particularly in the fields of scientific research and commercialization4 7b7 ,terms ,each member shall be appointed for the life of the ,commission4 7c7 ,vacancies ,a vacancy in the ,commission shall not affect the powers of the ,commission and shall be filled in the same manner in which the original appointment was made4 7d7 ,compensation ,members of the ,commission shall be awarded compensation as follows3 7#a7 ,rates of pay ,except as provided in paragraph 7#b71 members shall each be paid at a rate equal to the daily equivalent of the annual rate of basic pay for grade ,,gs-#ae of the ,general ,schedule for each day 7including travel time7 during which they are engaged in the actual performance of duties vested in the ,commission4 7#b7 ,prohibition of compensation of ,federal employees ,members of the ,commission who are full-time officers or employees of the ,united ,states or ,members of ,congress may not receive additional pay1 allowances1 or benefits by reason of their service on the ,commission4 7#c7 ,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 7e7 ,quorum ,four members of the ,commission shall constitute a quorum but a lesser number may hold hearings4 7f7 ,chair2 ,vice ,chair ,the ,commission shall elect a ,chair and ,vice ,chair from among its members4 ,the term of office of the ,chair and ,vice ,chair shall be for the life of the ,commission4 7g7 ,meetings ,the ,commission shall meet at the call of the ,president not later than #abj days after the date of the enactment of this ,act or not later than #cj days after the date on which legislation is enacted making appropriations available to carry out this ,act1 whichever date is later4 #g4 ,powers of ,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 relating to any matter under investigation by the ,commission4 ,the ,commission may refer requests for testimony or evidence that are not fulfilled to the ,committee on ,oversight and ,government ,reform of the ,house of ,representatives or the ,committee on ,homeland ,security and ,governmental ,affairs of the ,senate4 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 ,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 request of the ,chair or ,vice ,chair of the ,commission1 the head of that department or agency shall furnish that information to the ,commission4 7d7 ,administrative ,support ,services ,the ,commission may enter into agreements with the ,administrator of ,general ,services for procurement of financial and administrative services necessary for the discharge of the duties of the ,commission4 ,payment for such services shall be made by reimbursement from funds of the ,commission in such amounts as may be agreed upon by the ,chair of the ,commission and the ,administrator4 7e7 ,contract authority ,to the extent or in the amounts provided in advance in appropriation ,acts1 the ,commission may contract with and compensate government and private agencies or persons for supplies1 services1 and property4 #h4 ,termination ,the ,commission shall terminate on the date that is #ij days after the date on which the ,commission submits the report required under section #d7;b74 #i4 ,authorization of ,appropriations ,there is authorized to be appropriated #b1ejj1jjj to carry out this ,act4