,,ii #aagth ,,congress #ast ,session ,s4 #bahh ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,june #bc1 #bjba,mr4 ,blumenthal 7for himself1 ,mr4 ,cardin1 ,mr4 ,merkley1 ,mr4 ,markey1 and ,mr4 ,whitehouse7 introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,armed ,services ,a ,,bill ,to establish the ,commission to ,study the ,stigmatization1 ,criminalization1 and ,ongoing ,exclusion and ,inequity for ,,lgbtq ,servicemembers and ,veterans4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,commission to ,study the ,stigmatization1 ,criminalization1 and ,ongoing ,exclusion and ,inequity for ,,lgbtq ,servicemembers and ,veterans ,act4 #b4 ,establishment and duties 7a7 ,establishment ,there is established the ,commission to ,study the ,stigmatization1 ,criminalization1 and ,ongoing ,exclusion and ,inequity for ,,lgbtq ,servicemembers and ,veterans 7in this ,act referred to as the ,commission74 7b7 ,duties ,the ,commission shall perform the following duties3 7#a7 ,identify and compile a corpus of information about the history of military policy regarding homosexuality1 from #aggh onward4 ,the ,commission's documentation shall include facts related to-- 7,a7 the history of military policy regarding ,,lgbtq sexual orientation and gender identity1 including-- 7i7 blue discharges and other forms of discharge based on sexual orientation that rendered former members of the ,armed ,forces ineligible for veterans' benefits2 7ii7 military documents published in #aidb that linked homosexuality to psychopathy2 7iii7 #aifc ,army ,regulation #dj-eja1 which banned gender transitioned or transitioning members of the ,armed ,forces under the reasoning that they were mentally unfit2 and 7iv7 the ,department of ,defense directive dated #aiha that unequivocally stated that homosexuality was incompatible with military service and banning all homosexual individuals from service2 and 7,b7 the arguments that led to the creation of the ,don't ,ask1 ,don't ,tell policy1 including the claims that openly homosexual members of the military inhibited combat-readiness and unit cohesion4 7#b7 ,hold public hearings in such cities of the ,united ,states as it finds appropriate1 and do community outreach and other public relations efforts in order to advertise such hearings and the opportunity to give testimony4 7#c7 ,gather testimonies1 written and oral1 from ,,lgbtq members of the ,armed ,forces and veterans about their experiences1 both anonymously and with names given4 7#d7 ,examine the impacts that discriminatory policy had on the physical and mental well-being of members of the ,armed ,forces4 7#e7 ,examine the lasting impacts1 including psychological1 financial1 and employment-related1 that military policy has had on veterans and members of the ,armed ,forces who were discharged due to their sexual orientation or gender identity4 7#f7 ,examine disparate impact that policies such as the ,don't ,ask1 ,don't ,tell policy and the ,transgender ,service ,ban had on minority groups in the ,armed ,forces1 particularly racial minorities and women4 7#g7 ,recommend appropriate ways to educate the ,american public about institutionalized and ,government-sanctioned discrimination4 7#h7 ,recommend appropriate remedies to address findings of the ,commission1 including how-- 7,a7 the ,government may offer an apology for enforcing discrimination that led to psychological1 emotional1 and physical harm of ,united ,states troops and their families2 7,b7 discharge upgrades and record amendment may be streamlined through the ,boards for ,correction of ,military ,records1 including improving the transparency and accessibility of records by the members of the ,armed ,forces to whom they pertain2 7,c7 the service of ,,lgbtq individuals in the ,armed ,forces may be made more visible in materials distributed by the ,secretaries of ,defense and ,veterans ,affairs2 7,d7 diversity and inclusion policies of the ,department of ,defense may be revised1 and how resources may be committed to diversity training2 and 7,e7 health care1 furnished by such ,secretaries to members of the ,armed ,forces and for veterans1 may include more resources to meeting the needs of ,,lgbtq patients1 including improved data collection on ,,lgbtq patients1 mental health counseling1 and other medical necessities4 7#i7 ,submit a written report of its findings to ,congress not later than one year after the date of the first meeting of the ,commission4 #c4 ,membership 7a7 ,in general ,the ,commission shall be composed of #af members1 appointed not later than #cj days after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 as follows3 7#a7 ,seven members appointed by the ,president1 at least four of whom shall represent historical societies1 nonprofits1 research institutions1 or advocacy organizations-- 7,a7 that represent veterans from a diversity of service populations1 across age range1 tour of service1 and era served2 and 7,b7 at least two of which represent organizations that focus on transgender veterans and members of the ,armed ,forces4 7#b7 ,three members appointed by the ,speaker of the ,house of ,representatives1 including one member each from-- 7,a7 the ,committee on ,armed ,services of the ,house of ,representatives2 7,b7 the ,committee on ,veterans' ,affairs of the ,house of ,representatives2 and 7,c7 the ,congressional ,,lgbtq ,equality ,caucus4 7#c7 ,two members appointed by the ,president pro tempore of the ,senate4 7#d7 ,two members appointed by the ,secretary of ,defense4 7#e7 ,two members appointed by the ,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs4 7b7 ,qualifications ,all members of the ,commission shall be persons who are exceptionally qualified to serve on the ,commission by virtue of their education1 training1 activism1 or experience1 particularly in the fields of advocating for ,,lgbtq members of the ,armed ,forces and veterans4 7c7 ,terms ,each member shall be appointed for the life of the ,commission4 ,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 ,first meeting ,the ,president shall call the first meeting of the ,commission not later than #abj days after the date of the enactment of this ,act or #cj days after the date of the enactment of legislation making appropriations to carry out this ,act1 whichever date is later4 7e7 ,quorum ,nine members of the ,commission shall constitute a quorum1 but a lesser number may hold hearings4 7f7 ,chair and ,vice ,chair ,the ,commission shall elect a ,chair and ,vice ,chair from among its members4 ,the term of office for each shall be for the life of the ,commission4 7g7 ,compensation 7#a7 ,in general ,except as provided in paragraph 7#b71 each member of the ,commission shall be compensated at a rate equal to the daily equivalent of the annual rate of basic pay established for a position at level ,v of the ,executive ,schedule under section #ecaf of title #e1 ,united ,states ,code1 for each day 7including travel time7 during which such member is engaged in the performance of duties vested in the ,commission4 7#b7 ,federal employees ,a member of the ,commission who is a full-time officer or employee of the ,united ,states or a ,member of ,congress shall receive no additional pay1 allowances1 or benefits by reason of the member's service to the ,commission4 7#c7 ,travel expenses ,all members of the ,commission shall be reimbursed for travel1 subsistence1 and other necessary expenses incurred by the members in the performance of their duties to the extent authorized by chapter #eg of title #e1 ,united ,states ,code4 #d4 ,powers of the ,commission 7a7 ,hearings and meetings ,the ,commission may1 for the purpose of carrying out the provisions of this ,act1 hold such hearings and meet and act at such times and at such places in the ,united ,states1 and request the attendance and testimony of such witnesses and the production of such books1 records1 correspondence1 memoranda1 papers1 and documents1 as the ,commission considers appropriate4 ,the ,commission may invoke the aid of an appropriate ,united ,states district court to require1 by subpoena or otherwise1 such attendance1 testimony1 or production4 7b7 ,powers of subcommittees and members ,any subcommittee or member of the ,commission may1 if authorized by the ,commission1 take any action which the ,commission is authorized to take under this section4 7c7 ,obtaining official data ,the ,commission may acquire directly from the head of any department1 agency1 or instrumentality of the executive branch of the ,federal ,government1 available information which the ,commission considers useful in the discharge of its duties4 ,all departments1 agencies1 and instrumentalities of the executive branch of the ,government shall cooperate with the ,commission with respect to such information and shall furnish all information requested by the ,commission to the extent permitted by law4 #e4 ,administrative provisions 7a7 ,staff ,the ,commission may1 without regard to the civil service laws and regulations1 appoint and fix the compensation of such personnel as the ,commission considers appropriate4 7b7 ,applicability of certain civil service laws ,the personnel of the ,commission may be appointed without regard to the provisions of title1 ,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 title1 relating to classification and ,general ,schedule pay rates1 except that the rate of basic pay of any employee of the ,commission may not exceed the rate of basic pay established for a position at level ,v of the ,executive ,schedule under section #ecaf of such title4 7c7 ,experts and consultants ,the ,commission may procure the services of experts and consultants in accordance with the provisions of section #caji7;b7 of title #e1 ,united ,states ,code1 but at rates for individuals not to exceed the daily equivalent of the annual rate of basic pay established for a position at level ,v of the ,executive ,schedule under section #ecaf of such title4 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 ,chairman of the ,commission and the ,administrator4 7e7 ,contracts ,the ,commission may-- 7#a7 procure supplies1 services1 and property by contract in accordance with applicable laws and regulations and to the extent or in such amounts as are provided in appropriations ,acts2 and 7#b7 enter into contracts with departments1 agencies1 and instrumentalities of the ,federal ,government1 ,state agencies1 and private firms1 institutions1 and agencies1 for the conduct of research or surveys1 the preparation of reports1 and other activities necessary for the discharge of the duties of the ,commission1 to the extent or in such amounts as are provided in appropriations ,acts4 #f4 ,termination ,the ,commission shall terminate #ij days after the date on which the ,commission submits its report to ,congress under section #b7;b77#i74