,i #aafth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,h4 ,r4 #fdee ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,april #c1 #bjbj,mr4 ,thompson of ,mississippi 7for himself1 ,ms4 ,jackson ,lee1 ,mr4 ,langevin1 ,mr4 ,richmond1 ,mr4 ,payne1 ,miss ,rice of ,new ,york1 ,mr4 ,correa1 ,ms4 ,slotkin1 ,mr4 ,cleaver1 ,mr4 ,green of ,texas1 ,ms4 ,clarke of ,new ,york1 ,ms4 ,titus1 ,mrs4 ,watson ,coleman1 ,ms4 ,barragn1 ,mrs4 ,demings1 ,mr4 ,khanna1 ,mr4 ,cicilline1 ,mr4 ,sherman1 and ,mr4 ,clay7 introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,energy and ,commerce ,a ,,bill ,to establish the ,national ,commission ,regarding the #bjai ,novel ,coronavirus ,,covid-#ai ,pandemic1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,national ,commission ,regarding the #bjai ,novel ,coronavirus 7,,covid-#ai7 ,pandemic ,act or the ,,covid-#ai ,commission ,act4 #b4 ,national ,commission ,regarding the #bjai ,novel ,coronavirus ,,covid-#ai ,pandemic 7a7 ,establishment ,there is established in the legislative branch a ,national ,commission ,regarding the #bjai ,novel ,coronavirus ,,covid-#ai ,pandemic 7referred to in this section as the ,commission74 7b7 ,purposes ,the ,commission shall-- 7#a7 make a full and complete accounting of the circumstances surrounding the emergence of the #bjai novel coronavirus1 the ,nation's preparedness for the #bjai novel coronavirus pandemic1 and the actions taken by ,federal1 ,state1 local1 ,tribal1 and territorial governments at critical junctures before and after the ,world ,health ,organization designated the #bjai novel coronavirus as a public health emergency of international concern on ,january #cj1 #bjbj2 7#b7 identify and examine lessons learned regarding preparedness1 response1 and recovery efforts at the ,federal1 ,state1 local1 ,tribal1 territorial1 and international levels relating to the #bjai novel coronavirus2 7#c7 review and evaluate recommendations and pandemic plans issued by the ,bipartisan ,commission on ,biodefense and other nonpartisan entities regarding health security1 pandemic preparedness1 response1 or recovery2 and 7#d7 not later than #ah months after the initial meeting of the ,commission pursuant to subsection 7e71 publish a public report that includes recommendations for the development of a national plan to improve preparedness1 response1 and recovery efforts based on the lessons learned under paragraph 7#a7 that addresses policies1 programs1 and1 as appropriate1 changes in law to minimize negative public health1 economic1 and social impacts of future wide-scale public health emergencies4 7c7 ,membership 7#a7 ,members ,the ,commission shall be composed of #be members1 of whom-- 7,a7 two members shall be appointed by the ,committee on ,oversight and ,reform of the ,house of ,representatives1 of whom one member shall be selected by the ,chair and one member shall be selected by the ,ranking ,member2 7,b7 two members shall be appointed by the ,committee on ,homeland ,security of the ,house of ,representatives1 of whom one member shall be selected by the ,chair and one member shall be selected by the ,ranking ,member2 7,c7 two members shall be appointed by the ,permanent ,select ,committee on ,intelligence of the ,house of ,representatives1 of whom one member shall be selected by the ,chair and one member shall be selected by the ,ranking ,member2 7,d7 two members shall be appointed by the ,committee on ,energy and ,commerce of the ,house of ,representatives1 of whom one member shall be selected by the ,chair and one member shall be selected by the ,ranking ,member2 7,e7 two members shall be appointed by the ,committee on ,foreign ,affairs of the ,house of ,representatives1 of whom one member shall be selected by the ,chair and one member shall be selected by the ,ranking ,member2 7,f7 two members shall be appointed by the ,committee on ,transportation and ,infrastructure of the ,house of ,representatives1 of whom one member shall be selected by the ,chair and one member shall be selected by the ,ranking ,member2 7,g7 two members shall be appointed by the ,committee on ,education and ,labor of the ,house of ,representatives1 of whom one member shall be selected by the ,chair and one member shall be selected by the ,ranking ,member2 7,h7 two members shall be appointed by the ,committee on ,homeland ,security and ,governmental ,affairs of the ,senate1 of whom one member shall be selected by the ,chair and one member shall be selected by the ,ranking ,member2 7,i7 two members shall be appointed by the ,committee on ,commerce1 ,science1 and ,transportation of the ,senate1 of whom one member shall be selected by the ,chair and one member shall be selected by the ,ranking ,member2 7,j7 two members shall be appointed by the ,select ,committee on ,intelligence of the ,senate1 of whom one member shall be selected by the ,chair and one member shall be selected by the ,ranking ,member2 7,k7 two members shall be appointed by the ,committee on ,health1 ,education1 ,labor1 and ,pensions of the ,senate1 of whom one member shall be selected by the ,chair and one member shall be selected by the ,ranking ,member2 7,l7 two members shall be appointed by the ,committee on ,foreign ,relations of the ,senate1 of whom one member shall be selected by the ,chair and one member shall be selected by the ,ranking ,member2 and 7,m7 one member shall be appointed by the ,joint ,economic ,committee of ,congress selected by the ,chairman and ,vice ,chair4 7#b7 ,qualifications 7,a7 ,areas of expertise ,each individual appointed to the ,commission shall be a ,united ,states persons with significant expertise in one or more of the following areas3 7i7 ,public health preparedness1 response1 and recovery operations4 7ii7 ,administration of emergency preparedness1 response1 and recovery operations4 7iii7 ,transportation4 7iv7 ,education4 7v7 ,economics4 7vi7 ,healthcare1 with a focus on biotechnology and biomedical sciences4 7vii7 ,foreign policy4 7viii7 ,logistics and supply chain4 7ix7 ,intelligence4 7x7 ,election security and administration4 7,b7 ,political party affiliation ,not more than #ac members of the ,commission may be from the same political party4 7,c7 ,composition ,at least one member of the ,commission shall be an individual with significant expertise in each of the areas specified in subparagraph 7,a74 ,not fewer than #ah members of the ,commission1 in an equally divided manner1 shall be individuals with significant expertise in the areas specified clauses 7i7 and 7ii7 of such subparagraph4 7,d7 ,nongovernment appointees ,an individual appointed to the ,commission may not be an officer or employee of the ,federal ,government4 7#c7 ,deadline for appointment ,members of the ,commission shall be appointed not later than #de days after the date of the enactment of this ,act4 7d7 ,chair and ,vice ,chair ,the ,chair and ,vice ,chair of the ,commission shall be members with significant expertise in the areas specified in clauses 7i7 and 7ii7 of subsection 7c77#b77;,a71 and shall be chosen from among the members through a vote taken by a majority of the members4 ,the ,chair and ,vice ,chair shall be of different political parties4 7e7 ,initial meeting ,the ,commission shall meet and begin operating not later than #de days after the date of the appointment of its final member4 7f7 ,quorum2 vacancies ,after its initial meeting1 the ,commission shall meet upon the call of the ,chair or a majority of its members4 ,eighteen members of the ,commission shall constitute a quorum1 and members shall have the option to vote by proxy4 ,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 7g7 ,powers of ,commission 7#a7 ,in general 7,a7 ,hearings and evidence ,the ,commission or1 on the authority of the ,commission1 may1 for the purpose of carrying out this section-- 7i7 hold such hearings and sit and act at such times and places1 take such testimony1 receive such evidence1 administer such oaths2 and 7ii7 subject to subparagraph 7,b71 require1 by subpoena or otherwise1 the attendance and testimony of such witnesses and the production of such books1 records1 correspondence1 memoranda1 papers1 and documents4 7,b7 ,subpoenas 7i7 ,issuance 7,i7 ,in general ,a subpoena may be issued under this subsection only-- 7aa7 by the agreement of the ,chair and the ,vice ,chair2 or 7bb7 by the affirmative vote of #ah members of the ,commission4 7,,ii7 ,signature ,subject to subclause 7,i71 subpoenas issued under this subsection may be issued under the signature of the ,chair and ,vice ,chair or any member designated by a majority of the ,commission1 and may be served by any person designated by the ,chair and ,vice ,chair or by a member designated by a majority of the ,commission4 7ii7 ,enforcement 7,i7 ,in general ,in the case of contumacy or failure to obey a subpoena issued under this subsection1 the ,united ,states district court for the judicial district in which the subpoenaed person resides1 is served1 or may be found1 or where the subpoena is returnable1 may issue an order requiring such person to appear at any designated place to testify or to produce documentary or other evidence4 ,any failure to obey the order of the court may be punished by the court as a contempt of that court4 7,,ii7 ,additional enforcement ,in the case of any failure of any witness to comply with any subpoena or to testify when summoned under authority of this subsection1 the ,commission may1 by majority vote1 certify a statement of fact constituting such failure to the appropriate ,united ,states attorney1 who may bring the matter before the grand jury for its action1 under the same statutory authority and procedures as if the ,united ,states attorney had received a certification under sections #ajb through #ajd of the ,revised ,statutes of the ,united ,states 7#b ,u4,s4,c4 #aib through #aid74 7#b7 ,information from ,federal1 ,state1 local1 ,tribal1 or territorial agencies 7,a7 ,in general ,the ,commission is authorized to secure directly from any executive department1 bureau1 agency1 board1 commission1 office1 independent establishment1 or other instrumentality of government at the ,federal1 ,state1 local ,tribal1 or territorial level1 information1 suggestions1 estimates1 and statistics for the purposes of carrying out this section4 ,each such department1 bureau1 agency1 board1 commission1 office1 independent establishment1 or instrumentality shall1 to the extent authorized by law1 furnish such information1 suggestions1 estimates1 and statistics directly to the ,commission1 upon request made by the ,chair and ,vice ,chair or any member designated by a majority of the ,commission4 7,b7 ,receipt1 handling1 storage1 and dissemination ,information shall only be received1 handled1 stored1 and disseminated by members of the ,commission and its staff consistent with all applicable statutes1 regulations1 and ,executive orders4 7#c7 ,assistance from ,federal agencies 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 functions4 7,b7 ,other departments and agencies ,in addition to the assistance prescribed in subparagraph 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 7h7 ,public meetings 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,commission shall hold public hearings and meetings to the extent appropriate4 7#b7 ,protection of certain information ,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 7i7 ,staff of ,commission 7#a7 ,in general 7,a7 ,appointment and compensation ,the ,chair1 in consultation with ,vice ,chair1 and in accordance with rules agreed upon by the ,commission1 may appoint and fix the compensation of an executive director and such other personnel as may be necessary to enable the ,commission to carry out its functions1 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 no rate of pay fixed under this subsection may exceed the equivalent of that payable for a position at level ,v of the ,executive ,schedule under section #ecaf of title #e1 ,united ,states ,code4 7,b7 ,personnel as ,federal employees 7i7 ,in general ,the executive director and any other personnel of the ,commission in accordance with subparagraph 7,a7 shall be treated as employees under section #baje of title #e1 ,united ,states ,code1 for purposes of chapters #fc1 #ha1 #hc1 #hd1 #he1 #hg1 #hi1 and #ij of that title4 7ii7 ,members of commission ,clause 7i7 shall not be construed to apply to members of the ,commission4 7#b7 ,detailees ,any ,federal ,government employee may be detailed to the ,commission without reimbursement from the ,commission1 and such detailee shall retain the rights1 status1 and privileges of his or her regular employment without interruption4 7#c7 ,consultant services ,the ,commission is authorized to procure the services of experts and consultants in accordance with section #caji of title #e1 ,united ,states ,code1 but at rates not to exceed the daily rate paid a person occupying a position at level ,,iv of the ,executive ,schedule under section #ecae of title #e1 ,united ,states ,code4 7j7 ,compensation and travel expenses ,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 7k7 ,security clearances for commission members and staff ,the appropriate ,federal agencies or departments shall cooperate with the ,commission in expeditiously providing to the ,commission members and staff appropriate security clearances to the extent possible pursuant to existing procedures and requirements1 except that no person may be provided with access to classified information under this subsection without the appropriate security clearances4 7l7 ,termination 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,commission1 and all the authorities of this section1 shall terminate #fj days after the date on which the report is published under subsection 7b77#d74 7#b7 ,administrative activities before termination ,the ,commission may use the #fj-;day period referred to in paragraph 7#a7 for the purpose of concluding its activities1 including providing testimony to committees of ,congress concerning its reports and disseminating the public report4 7m7 ,funding 7#a7 ,in general ,there is authorized to be appropriated to the ,commission #d1jjj1jjj to carry out this section4 7#b7 ,duration of availability ,amounts made available to the ,commission under paragraph 7#a7 are authorized to remain available until the termination of the ,commission4