text: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
  
      This Act may be cited as the ``Independent Bipartisan Commission on 
  Campaign Finance Reform Act of 1997''.
  
  SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT AND DUTIES OF COMMISSION.
  
      (a) Establishment.--There is established a commission to be known 
  as the ``Independent Bipartisan Commission on Campaign Finance Reform'' 
  (referred to in this Act as the ``Commission'').
      (b) Duties.--The duties of the Commission are to study the law 
  relating to elections for Federal office and to report and recommend 
  legislation to reform that law.
  
  SEC. 3. MEMBERSHIP OF COMMISSION.
  
      (a) Composition.--
              (1) Number.--The Commission shall be composed of 12 members 
          appointed by the President not later than the date that is 15 
          days after the date of enactment of this Act.
              (2) Requirements.--The members shall be appointed from 
          among individuals who--
                      (A) are not incumbent Members of Congress; and
                      (B) are specially qualified to serve on the 
                  Commission by reason of education, training, or 
                  experience.
      (b) Appointment.--
              (1) In general.--Members shall be appointed as follows:
                      (A) 3 members (one of whom is a political 
                  independent (as defined in paragraph (3))) shall be 
                  appointed from among a list of nominees submitted by 
                  the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
                      (B) 3 members (one of whom is a political 
                  independent) shall be appointed from among a list of 
                  nominees submitted by the Majority Leader of the 
                  Senate.
                      (C) 3 members (one of whom is a political 
                  independent) shall be appointed from among a list of 
                  nominees submitted by the Minority Leader of the House 
                  of Representatives.
                      (D) 3 members (one of whom is a political 
                  independent) shall be appointed from among a list of 
                  nominees submitted by the Minority Leader of the 
                  Senate.
              (2) Failure to submit list of nominees.--If an official 
          described in subparagraph (A), (B), (C), or (D) of paragraph 
          (1) fails to submit a list of nominees to the President during 
          the 15-day period that begins on the date of enactment of this 
          Act--
                      (A) the applicable subparagraph shall no longer 
                  apply; and
                      (B) the President shall appoint 3 members (one of 
                  whom is a political independent) who meet the 
                  requirements described in subsection (a) and such other 
                  criteria as the President may determine to apply.
              (3) Political independent.--In this subsection, the term 
          ``political independent'' means an individual who at no time on 
          or after January 1, 1992--
                      (A) has held elective office as a member of the 
                  Democratic or Republican party;
                      (B) has received any compensation from the 
                  Democratic or Republican party or from a Democratic or 
                  Republican party officeholder or candidate; or
                      (C) has provided substantial volunteer services or 
                  made any substantial contribution to the Democratic or 
                  Republican party or to a Democratic or Republican party 
                  officeholder or candidate.
      (c) Chairperson.--At the time of the appointment, the President 
  shall designate 1 member of the Commission as the chairperson of the 
  Commission.
      (d) Period of Appointment.--A member of the Commission shall be 
  appointed for the life of the Commission.
      (e) Vacancy.--A vacancy in the Commission shall be filled in the 
  manner in which the original appointment was made.
      (f) Political Affiliation.--Not more than 4 members of the 
  Commission may be of the same political party (as defined in section 
  301 of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (2 U.S.C. 431)).
  
  SEC. 4. POWERS OF COMMISSION.
  
      (a) Hearings.--
              (1) In general.--The Commission may, for the purpose of 
          carrying out this Act, hold hearings, sit and act at such times 
          and places, take such testimony, and receive such evidence as 
          the Commission considers appropriate.
              (2) Open meetings.--In carrying out the preceding 
          paragraph, the Commission shall ensure that a substantial 
          number of its meetings are open meetings, with significant 
          opportunities for testimony from members of the general public.
      (b) Quorum.--7 members of the Commission shall constitute a quorum, 
  but a lesser number may hold hearings.
      (c) Voting.--The approval of at least 9 members of the Commission 
  is required when approving all or a portion of the recommended 
  legislation.
      (d) Power of Member.--A member of the Commission may, if authorized 
  by the Commission, take an action that the Commission is authorized to 
  take under this section.
  
  SEC. 5. ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS.
  
      (a) Pay and Travel Expenses of Members.--
              (1) Pay rate.--Each member of the Commission shall be paid 
          at a rate equal to the daily equivalent of the annual rate of 
          basic pay prescribed for level IV of the Executive Schedule 
          under section 5315 of title 5, United States Code, for each day 
          (including travel time) during which the member is engaged in 
          the actual performance of duties vested in the Commission.
              (2) Travel expenses.--Members of the Commission shall 
          receive travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of 
          subsistence, in accordance with sections 5702 and 5703 of title 
          5, United States Code.
      (b) Staff Director.--The Commission shall, without regard to 
  section 5311(b) of title 5, United States Code, appoint a staff 
  director, who shall be paid at the rate of basic pay payable for level 
  IV of the Executive Schedule under section 5315 of title 5, United 
  States Code.
      (c) Staff of Commission; Services.--
              (1) In general.--With the approval of the Commission, the 
          staff director of the Commission may appoint additional 
          personnel, without regard to the provisions of title 5, United 
          States Code, governing appointments in the competitive service, 
          and may fix the pay of additional personnel, without regard to 
          the provisions of chapter 51 and subchapter III of chapter 53 
          of that title relating to classification and General Schedule 
          pay rates.
              (2) Maximum rate of pay.--An an individual appointed under 
          paragraph (1) may not receive pay in excess of the maximum 
          annual rate of basic pay payable for grade GS-15 of the General 
          Schedule under section 5332 of title 5, United States Code.
              (3) Experts and consultants.--The Commission may procure by 
          contract the temporary or intermittent services of experts or 
          consultants pursuant to section 3109 of title 5, United States 
          Code.
  
  SEC. 6. REPORT AND RECOMMENDED LEGISLATION.
  
      (a) Report.--Not later than July 1, 1998, or the date that is 240 
  days after the date on which the last of the members of the Commission 
  is appointed under section 3 (whichever occurs earlier), the Commission 
  shall submit to the President, the Speaker and Minority Leader of the 
  House of Representatives, and the Majority and Minority Leaders of the 
  Senate a report of the activities of the Commission.
      (b) Recommendations; Draft of Legislation.--The report under 
  subsection (a) shall include--
              (1) any recommendations for changes in the law (including 
          regulations) relating to elections for Federal office 
          (including any changes in the rules of the Senate or the House 
          of Representatives) to which 9 or more members of the 
          Commission agree; and
              (2) at least 1 bill (including technical and conforming 
          provisions) approved by the members of the Commission to 
          implement the recommendations.
      (c) Goals of Recommendations and Legislation.--In making 
  recommendations and preparing legislation under this section, the 
  Commission shall consider the following primary goals:
              (1) Encouraging fair and open Federal elections that 
          provide voters with meaningful information about candidates and 
          issues.
              (2) Eliminating the disproportionate influence of special 
          interest financing of Federal elections.
              (3) Creating a more equitable electoral system for 
          challenger and incumbent candidates.
  
  SEC. 7. EXPEDITED CONGRESSIONAL CONSIDERATION OF LEGISLATION.
  
      (a) In General.--Each bill submitted under section 6(b) shall--
              (1) not later than 3 days after the Commission submits the 
          bill under section 6(a), be introduced (by request) in the 
          House of Representatives by the Majority Leader of the House 
          and shall be introduced (by request) in the Senate by the 
          Majority Leader of the Senate; and
              (2) be given expedited consideration under the same 
          provisions and in the same way, subject to subsection (b), as a 
          joint resolution under section 2908 of the Defense Base Closure 
          and Realignment Act of 1990 (10 U.S.C. 2678 note).
      (b) Special Rules.--For purposes of applying subsection (a) with 
  respect to such provisions, the following rules shall apply:
              (1) Section 2908(a) of the Defense Base Closure and 
          Realignment Act of 1990 (10 U.S.C. 2678 note) shall not apply.
              (2) Any reference to the resolution described in subsection 
          (a) shall be deemed to be a reference to the bill submitted 
          under section 6(b) of this Act.
              (3) Any reference to the Committee on National Security of 
          the House of Representatives shall be deemed to be a reference 
          to the Committee on House Oversight of the House of 
          Representatives and any reference to the Committee on Armed 
          Services of the Senate shall be deemed to be a reference to the 
          Committee on Rules and Administration of the Senate.
              (4) Any reference to the date on which the President 
          transmits a report shall be deemed to be a reference to the 
          date on which the recommendation of the Commission is submitted 
          under section 6(b).
              (5) Notwithstanding section 2908(d)(2) of the Act--
                      (A) debate on the bill in the House of 
                  Representatives, and on all debatable motions and 
                  appeals in connection with the bill, shall be limited 
                  to not more than 10 hours, divided equally between 
                  those favoring and those opposing the bill;
                      (B) debate on the bill in the Senate, and on all 
                  debatable motions and appeals in connection with the 
                  bill, shall be limited to not more than 10 hours, 
                  divided equally between those favoring and those 
                  opposing the bill; and
                      (C) debate in the Senate on any single debatable 
                  motion and appeal in connection with the bill shall be 
                  limited to not more than 1 hour, divided equally 
                  between the proponent of the motion and the manager of 
                  the bill, except that if the manager of the bill is in 
                  favor of the motion or appeal, the time in opposition 
                  to the motion or appeal shall be controlled by the 
                  Minority Leader or the Leader's designee, and the 
                  Majority and Minority Leader may each allot additional 
                  time from time under such Leader's control to any 
                  Senator during the consideration of any debatable 
                  motion or appeal.
  
  SEC. 8. TERMINATION.
  
      The Commission shall cease to exist on the date that is 90 days 
  after the date of the submission of its report under section 6.
  
  SEC. 9. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
  
      There are authorized to be appropriated to the Commission such sums 
  as are necessary to carry out its duties under this Act.
target: Independent Bipartisan Commission on Campaign Finance Reform Act of 1997 - Establishes the Independent Bipartisan Commission on Campaign Finance Reform to study the law relating to elections for Federal office and to report and recommend legislation to reform that law. 
  Provides for expedited congressional consideration of legislation submitted under this Act. 
  Terminates the Commission 90 days after submission of its report. 
  Authorizes appropriations.
feat_title: Independent Bipartisan Commission on Campaign Finance Reform Act of 1997