,,ii #aaith ,,congress #b;d ,session ,s4 #dfhf ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,june #d1 #bjbf,mr4 ,mc,cormick 7for himself1 ,mr4 ,hickenlooper1 ,mr4 ,young1 and ,mr4 ,heinrich7 introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,commerce1 ,science1 and ,transportation ,a ,,bill ,to establish a commission on robotics1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,national ,commission on ,robotics ,act4 #b4 ,national commission on robotics 7a7 ,establishment 7#a7 ,in general ,not later than #cj days after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 the ,secretary shall establish an independent commission to be known as the ,commission on ,american ,leadership in ,robotics 7in this section referred to as the ,commission74 7#b7 ,purpose ,the ,commission shall-- 7,a7 examine robotics as it pertains to interstate and foreign commerce1 economic competitiveness1 and national security2 and 7,b7 make recommendations relating thereto to the appropriate congressional committees4 7b7 ,membership 7#a7 ,number and appointment ,the ,commission shall be composed of #ah members appointed as follows3 7,a7 ,three members appointed by the ,speaker of the ,house of ,representatives4 7,b7 ,three members appointed by the ,minority ,leader of the ,house of ,representatives4 7,c7 ,three members appointed by the ,majority ,leader of the ,senate4 7,d7 ,three members appointed by the ,minority ,leader of the ,senate4 7,e7 ,six members appointed by the ,president of the ,united ,states4 7#b7 ,deadline for appointment ,members shall be appointed to the ,commission by not later than #de days after the date on which the ,commission is established under subsection 7a74 7#c7 ,effect of lack of appointment by appointment date ,if one or more appointments under paragraph 7#a7 are not made by the appointment date specified in paragraph 7#b71 the authority to make such appointment or appointments shall expire1 and the number of members of the ,commission shall be reduced to the number of appointments made to the ,commission as of that date4 7#d7 ,qualifications ,members of the ,commission shall be individuals who are recognized experts and have appropriate professional experience in matters relating to any of the following3 7,a7 ,robotics4 7,b7 ,applications1 or potential applications1 of robotics by the private sector or public sector4 7,c7 ,impacts of robotics on economic competitiveness1 including economics1 international trade1 or supply chain analysis4 7c7 ,chair and vice chair 7#a7 ,chair ,the ,majority ,leader of the ,senate and the ,speaker of the ,house of ,representatives shall jointly designate one member of the ,commission to serve as ,chair of the ,commission4 7#b7 ,vice chair ,the ,minority ,leader of the ,senate and the ,minority ,leader of the ,house of ,representatives shall jointly designate one member of the ,commission to serve as ,vice ,chair of the ,commission4 7d7 ,period of appointment and vacancies 7#a7 ,period of appointment ,members shall be appointed for the life of the ,commission4 7#b7 ,vacancies ,a vacancy in the ,commission shall not affect its powers and shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment was made4 7e7 ,scope and duties 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,commission shall carry out a review of advances in robotics4 7#b7 ,considerations ,in carrying out the review under paragraph 7#a71 the ,commission shall consider the methods1 means1 and policies necessary to advance the development of robotics by the ,united ,states to comprehensively address the economic competitiveness and national security needs of the ,united ,states4 7#c7 ,scope of the review ,in conducting the review under paragraph 7#a71 the ,commission shall consider the following3 7,a7 ,the competitiveness of the ,united ,states in robotics1 including matters related to the domestic marketplace for robotics and private sector and public sector applications of robotics in the ,united ,states4 7,b7 ,means and methods for the ,united ,states to assert and maintain a technological advantage in robotics1 specifically in the deployment of robotics in industrial1 retail1 and commercial sectors in the ,united ,states4 7,c7 ,international developments and trends1 including foreign actions and policies to advance robotics4 7,d7 ,means by which to foster greater emphasis and investments in robotics to stimulate strategic partnerships in robotics with industry1 the public1 and academic institutions1 to the extent that such efforts have material application related to economic competitiveness and manufacturing4 7,e7 ,workforce incentives and programs to attract and recruit leading talent in robotics1 including in associated science1 technology1 engineering1 and mathematics fields1 to the extent that such efforts relate to economic competitiveness in robotics4 7,f7 ,the global and domestic supply chain for robotics1 including any supply chain risks or dependencies1 and policies to increase the manufacturing of robotics in the ,united ,states4 7,g7 ,any other matters the ,commission determines appropriate related to robotics4 7f7 ,commission report and recommendations 7#a7 ,interim report ,not later than one year after the date on which the ,commission is established under subsection 7a71 the ,commission shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees and the ,president an interim report on the status of the review by the ,commission under subsection 7e71 including a discussion of any interim recommendations4 7#b7 ,final report ,not later than two years after the date on which the ,commission is established under subsection 7a71 the ,commission shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees and the ,president a final report on the findings of the ,commission and such recommendations as the ,commission may have for action by ,congress and the ,federal ,government4 7g7 ,government cooperation 7#a7 ,cooperation ,in carrying out its duties under this section1 the ,commission shall receive the full and timely cooperation of the ,secretary and the heads of other relevant ,federal departments and agencies in providing the ,commission with analysis1 briefings1 and other information necessary for the fulfillment of such duties4 7#b7 ,liaison ,the ,secretary shall designate at least one officer or employee of the ,department to serve as a liaison officer between the ,secretary and the ,commission4 7#c7 ,detailees authorized ,the ,secretary and the heads of other relevant ,federal departments and agencies may provide1 and the ,commission may accept and employ1 personnel detailed from the ,department and such other ,federal departments and agencies1 as the case may be1 without reimbursement4 7#d7 ,facilitation of certain services 7,a7 ,independent1 nongovernmental institute ,not later than #de days after the date on which the ,commission is established under subsection 7a71 the ,secretary may make available to the ,commission the services of an independent1 nongovernmental institute described in section #eja7;c77#c7 of the ,internal ,revenue ,code of #aihf1 and exempt from tax under section #eja7;a7 of such ,code1 that has recognized credentials and expertise in economic competitiveness and technology in order to facilitate the discharge of the duties of the ,commission under this section4 7,b7 ,federally funded research and development center ,on request of the ,commission1 the ,secretary shall make available to the ,commission the services of a federally funded research and development center that is covered by a sponsoring agreement of the ,department in order to enhance the efforts of the ,commission to discharge its duties under this section4 7#e7 ,other services 7,a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary may provide to the ,commission1 on a nonreimbursable basis1 such administrative services1 funds1 staff1 facilities1 and other support services as are necessary for the discharge of the duties of the ,commission under this section4 7,b7 ,other agencies ,in addition to any support provided under subparagraph 7,a71 the heads of other relevant ,federal departments and agencies may provide to the ,commission such services1 funds1 facilities1 staff1 and other support as such heads determine advisable and as may be authorized by law4 7h7 ,staff 7#a7 ,status as ,federal employees ,notwithstanding the requirements of section #baje of title #e1 ,united ,states ,code1 including the required supervision under subsection 7a77#c7 of such section1 a member of the ,commission shall be considered to be a ,federal employee4 7#b7 ,executive director ,the ,commission shall appoint and fix the rate of basic pay for an ,executive ,director in accordance with section #cafa7;d7 of title #e1 ,united ,states ,code4 7#c7 ,pay ,the ,executive ,director1 with the approval of the ,commission1 may appoint and fix the rate of basic pay for additional personnel as staff of the ,commission in accordance with section #cafa7;d7 of title #e1 ,united ,states ,code4 7i7 ,personal services 7#a7 ,authority to procure ,the ,commission may-- 7,a7 procure the services of experts or consultants 7or of organizations of experts or consultants7 in accordance with the provisions of section #caji of title #e1 ,united ,states ,code2 and 7,b7 pay in connection with such services travel expenses of individuals1 including transportation and per diem in lieu of subsistence1 while such individuals are traveling from their homes or places of business to duty stations4 7#b7 ,maximum daily pay rates ,the daily rate paid an expert or consultant procured pursuant to paragraph 7#a7 may not 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 ,authority ,to accept gifts 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,commission may accept1 use1 and dispose of gifts or donations of services1 goods1 and property from non-,federal entities for the purposes of aiding and facilitating the work of the ,commission4 7#b7 ,exclusion of money ,the authority under paragraph 7#a7 does not extend to gifts of money4 7#c7 ,documentation and conflicts ,gifts accepted under the authority under paragraph 7#a7 shall be documented1 and conflicts of interest or the appearance of conflicts of interest shall be avoided4 7#d7 ,application of rules ,subject to the authority in this section1 members of the ,commission shall otherwise comply with rules set forth by the ,select ,committee on ,ethics of the ,senate and the ,committee on ,ethics of the ,house of ,representatives governing employees of the ,senate and the ,house of ,representatives1 respectively4 7k7 ,legislative advisory committee ,the ,commission shall operate as a legislative advisory committee4 7l7 ,contracting authority ,the ,commission may acquire such administrative supplies and equipment as necessary for ,commission use to the extent funds are available4 7m7 ,use of ,federal ,government information ,the ,commission may secure directly from any ,federal department or agency such information as the ,commission considers necessary to discharge its duties4 ,upon such request of the ,chair of the ,commission1 the head of such ,federal department or agency shall furnish such information to the ,commission4 7n7 ,postal services ,the ,commission may use the ,united ,states mail in the same manner and under the same conditions as ,federal departments and agencies4 7o7 ,space for use of ,commission 7#a7 ,in general ,not later than #cj days after the date on which the ,commission is established under subsection 7a71 the ,administrator of ,general ,services1 in consultation with the ,commission1 shall identify and make available suitable excess space within the ,federal space inventory to house the operations of the ,commission4 7#b7 ,lease ,if the ,administrator is not able to make suitable excess space available within the #cj-;day period under paragraph 7#a71 the ,commission may lease space to the extent funds are available4 7p7 ,removal of members 7#a7 ,in general ,a member may be removed from the ,commission for cause by the individual serving in the position responsible for the original appointment of such member under subsection 7b77#a71 if notice has first been provided to such member of the cause for such removal and such removal is voted and agreed upon by #c_/d of the members serving4 7#b7 ,vacancy ,a vacancy created by removal under paragraph 7#a7 shall not affect the powers of the ,commission1 and shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment was made4 7q7 ,termination ,the ,commission shall terminate #ah months after the date on which the ,commission submits the final report required under subsection 7f77#b74 7r7 ,definitions ,in this section3 7#a7 ,appropriate congressional committees ,the term appropriate congressional committees means the ,committee on ,commerce1 ,science1 and ,transportation of the ,senate and the ,committee on ,energy and ,commerce of the ,house of ,representatives4 7#b7 ,department ,the term ,department means the ,department of ,commerce4 7#c7 ,robotics ,the term robotics includes each of the following3 7,a7 ,programmable multifunctional mechanical devices designed to move material1 parts1 tools1 or specialized devices through variable programmed motions to perform a variety of tasks4 7,b7 ,programmed actuated mechanisms with a degree of autonomy to perform locomotion1 manipulation1 or positioning4 7,c7 ,automatically controlled1 reprogrammable1 multipurpose manipulators1 programmable in three or more axes1 which can be either fixed in place or fixed to a mobile platform for use in automation applications in an industrial environment4 7,d7 ,machines that-- 7i7 can sense their environment2 7ii7 have the capacity to process the information they sense2 and 7iii7 are organized to act directly upon their environment4 7,e7 ,mechanical devices that are capable of locomotion1 navigation1 or movement on the ground1 and operate at a distance from one or more operators or supervisors based on commands or in response to sensor data1 or through any combination thereof1 and that may also be referred to as unmanned ground vehicle systems4 7#d7 ,secretary ,the term ,secretary means the ,secretary of ,commerce4