,i #aafth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,h4 ,r4 #fddj ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,april #c1 #bjbj,mr4 ,rodney ,davis of ,illinois 7for himself1 ,mr4 ,trone1 ,mr4 ,van ,drew1 ,mr4 ,upton1 ,mr4 ,king of ,new ,york1 ,mr4 ,fortenberry1 ,mr4 ,wilson of ,south ,carolina1 ,mr4 ,simpson1 ,mr4 ,young1 ,mr4 ,lucas1 ,mr4 ,joyce of ,ohio1 ,mr4 ,johnson of ,south ,dakota1 and ,mr4 ,moolenaar7 introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,energy and ,commerce ,a ,,bill ,to establish the ,national ,commission on the ,,covid-#ai ,pandemic4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,pandemic ,rapid ,response ,act4 #b4 ,establishment of ,commission ,there is established in the legislative branch the ,national ,commission on the ,,covid-#ai ,pandemic 7in this ,act referred to as the ,commission74 #c4 ,membership 7a7 ,in general ,the ,commission shall be composed of #aj members as follows3 7#a7 ,one member1 who shall serve as the ,chair of the ,commission1 shall be appointed by the ,speaker of the ,house of ,representatives in consultation with the majority leader of the ,senate and the minority leader of the ,house4 7#b7 ,one member1 who shall serve as ,vice ,chair of the ,commission1 shall be appointed by the majority leader of the ,senate in consultation with the ,speaker and the minority leader of the ,senate4 7#c7 ,two members shall be appointed by the majority leader of the ,senate4 7#d7 ,two members shall be appointed by the minority leader of the ,senate4 7#e7 ,two members shall be appointed by the ,speaker of the ,house of ,representatives4 7#f7 ,one member shall be appointed by the minority leader of the ,house of ,representatives4 7#g7 ,one member shall be appointed by the ,president4 7b7 ,qualifications2 initial meeting 7#a7 ,political party affiliation ,not more than #e members of the ,commission shall be from the same political party4 7#b7 ,nongovernmental appointees ,an individual appointed to the ,commission may not be an officer or employee of the ,federal ,government or any ,state or local government4 7#c7 ,other qualifications ,it is the sense of ,congress that individuals appointed to the ,commission should be prominent citizens of the ,united ,states1 with national recognition and significant depth of experience in such professions as governmental service1 biological science1 and higher education1 and that members should include individuals with expertise in the medical community1 including hospital experts and administrators4 7#d7 ,deadline for appointment ,all members of the ,commission shall be appointed on or before ,december #ae1 #bjbj4 7#e7 ,initial meeting ,the ,commission shall hold its initial meeting and begin to carry out its duties as soon as practicable after the appointment of its members4 7c7 ,quorum2 vacancies ,after its initial meeting1 the ,commission shall meet upon the call of the ,chair or a majority of its members4 ,six members of the ,commission shall constitute a quorum4 ,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 7d7 ,compensation ,each member of the ,commission may be compensated at not to exceed the daily equivalent of the annual rate of basic pay in effect for a position at level ,,iv of the ,executive ,schedule under section #ecae of title #e1 ,united ,states ,code1 for each day during which that member is engaged in the actual performance of the duties of the ,commission4 7e7 ,establishment of subcommittees ,with the approval of a majority of its members1 the ,commission may establish and assign duties to a subcommittee within the ,commission4 #d4 ,duties 7a7 ,in general ,the duties of the ,commission are to-- 7#a7 conduct an investigation on the relevant facts and circumstances relating to the ,,covid-#ai pandemic2 7#b7 compile a comprehensive national plan to respond to future global and national viral outbreaks and medical emergencies in light of the ,,covid-#ai pandemic2 7#c7 ascertain1 evaluate1 and report on the evidence developed by all relevant governmental agencies regarding the facts and circumstances surrounding the ,,covid-#ai pandemic1 including the cause and location of the original virus outbreak as well as the documented testing shortages and testing failures associated with the virus2 7#d7 make a full and complete accounting of the circumstances surrounding the pandemic1 and the extent of the ,nation's preparedness for1 and immediate response to1 the pandemic2 7#e7 examine the preparedness and adequacy of the ,strategic ,national ,stockpile of medical equipment1 and develop and make recommendations for implementing a national plan in partnership with ,federal1 ,state1 and local governments and private industry to adequately respond in the event of a future global or national pandemic2 7#f7 identify1 review1 and evaluate the lessons learned from the ,,covid-#ai pandemic regarding the structure1 coordination1 management policies1 and procedures of the ,federal ,government1 and1 if appropriate1 ,state and local governments and nongovernmental entities1 with respect to detecting1 preventing1 and responding to the spread of infectious disease2 and 7#g7 submit to the ,president and ,congress such reports as are required by this ,act on its findings1 conclusions1 and recommendations for corrective measures that can be taken to prevent a similar outbreak from occurring in the future1 including appropriate organization1 coordination1 planning1 management arrangements1 procedures1 rules1 and regulations4 7b7 ,avoiding unnecessary duplication of work ,in carrying out its duties1 the ,commission shall avoid unnecessary duplication of work by-- 7#a7 building upon and reviewing the findings1 conclusions1 and recommendations resulting from investigations of the ,,covid-#ai pandemic by other government entities1 including-- 7,a7 investigations made by the ,government ,accountability ,office under the ,coronavirus ,aid1 ,relief1 and ,economic ,security ,act2 7,b7 investigations made by committees of ,congress with jurisdiction over issues relating to the pandemic2 and 7,c7 investigations made by other executive branch offices1 including independent commissions2 7#b7 including in its reports relevant facts and circumstances relating to any reports or investigations that have already been conducted by ,federal agencies such as the ,department of ,health and ,human ,services1 the ,centers for ,disease ,control and ,prevention1 the ,food and ,drug ,administration1 and any other ,federal agencies that may have compiled relevant information on the pandemic2 and 7#c7 giving priority to pursuing areas of inquiry on the pandemic that the ,commission determines are based on newly available information or that otherwise have not yet been investigated by the relevant ,federal agencies and committees of ,congress4 #e4 ,powers of ,commission 7a7 ,hearings and evidence ,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 may administer oaths or affirmations to witnesses appearing before it4 7b7 ,information from ,federal agencies 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,commission is authorized to secure directly from any department1 agency1 or office of the ,united ,states such information as the ,commission determines to be necessary to carry out this ,act4 ,the head of each such department1 agency1 or office shall furnish such information to the ,commission upon request made by the chair of the ,commission1 the chair of any subcommittee established by the ,commission1 or any member designated to by a majority of the ,commission to receive such information4 7#b7 ,treatment of information received ,any information obtained by the ,commission under this subsection shall be received1 handled1 stored1 and disseminated by members of the ,commission and its staff consistent with all applicable statutes1 regulations1 and ,executive orders4 7c7 ,assistance from other sources 7#a7 ,general ,services ,administration ,the ,administrator of ,general ,services shall provide to the ,commission on a reimbursable basis administrative support and other services for the performance of the ,commission's duties4 7#b7 ,other departments and agencies ,in addition to the assistance prescribed in paragraph 7#a71 departments and agencies of the ,united ,states may provide to the ,commission such services1 funds1 facilities1 staff1 and other support services as they may determine advisable and as may be authorized by law4 7#c7 ,consultation with other organizations ,in addition to assistance from ,federal agencies1 departments1 and congressional committees of jurisdiction1 the ,commission shall consult the ,world ,health ,organization and other global health experts outside the ,united ,states4 7d7 ,public availability of hearings and reports 7#a7 ,in general ,to the extent appropriate1 the ,commission shall-- 7,a7 hold public hearings and meetings2 and 7,b7 release public versions of its reports4 7#b7 ,requirements for public hearings ,any public hearings of the ,commission shall be conducted in a manner consistent with the protection of information provided to or developed for or by the ,commission as required by any applicable statute1 regulation1 or ,executive order4 7e7 ,application of ,congressional ,accountability ,act of #aiie ,for purposes of the ,congressional ,accountability ,act of #aiie 7#b ,u4,s4,c4 #acja et seq47-- 7#a7 the ,commission shall be considered an employing office2 and 7#b7 the employees of the ,commission shall be considered covered employees4 #f4 ,staff of ,commission 7a7 ,authorizing appointment of staff ,the ,chair of the ,commission1 in consultation with the ,vice ,chair of the ,commission and in accordance with rules adopted by the ,commission1 may appoint and fix the compensation of a staff director and such other personnel as may be necessary to enable the ,commission to carry out its duties4 7b7 ,experts and consultants ,subject to rules prescribed by the ,commission1 the ,commission may procure temporary and intermittent services under section #caji7;b7 of title #e1 ,united ,states ,code4 7c7 ,staff of ,federal agencies ,upon request of the ,commission1 the head of any ,federal department or agency may detail1 on a reimbursable basis1 any of the personnel of that department or agency to the ,commission to assist it in carrying out its duties under this ,act4 #g4 ,reports2 termination 7a7 ,reports 7#a7 ,interim reports ,the ,commission may submit to the ,president and ,congress interim reports containing such findings1 conclusions1 and recommendations for corrective measures as have been agreed to by a majority of ,commission members4 7#b7 ,final report ,not later than #ah months after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 the ,commission shall submit to the ,president and ,congress a final report containing such findings1 conclusions1 and recommendations for corrective measures as have been agreed to by a majority of ,commission members4 7b7 ,termination ,the ,commission shall terminate #fj days after the date on which the final report is submitted under this section4 #h4 ,funding ,there are authorized to be appropriated to the ,commission such sums as may be necessary for the ,commission to carry out its duties under this ,act1 of which-- 7#a7 #ej percent shall be derived from the contingent fund of the ,senate2 and 7#b7 #ej percent shall be derived from the applicable accounts of the ,house of ,representatives4