Washington, D.C. Admission Act (H.R. 51; 117th Congress)/Title IV

by Eleanor Holmes Norton

SEC. 401. GENERAL DEFINITIONS.

In this Act, the following definitions shall apply:

(1) The term “Capital” means the area serving as the seat of the Government of the United States, as described in section 112.

(2) The term “Council” means the Council of the District of Columbia.

(3) The term “Mayor” means the Mayor of the District of Columbia.

(4) Except as otherwise provided, the term “State” means the State of Washington, Douglass Commonwealth.

(5) The term “State Constitution” means the proposed Constitution of the State of Washington, D.C., as approved by the Council on October 18, 2016, pursuant to the Constitution and Boundaries for the State of Washington, D.C. Approval Resolution of 2016 (D.C. Resolution R21–621), ratified by District of Columbia voters in Advisory Referendum B approved on November 8, 2016, and certified by the District of Columbia Board of Elections on November 18, 2016.

SEC. 402. STATEHOOD TRANSITION COMMISSION.

(a) Establishment.—There is established the Statehood Transition Commission (hereafter in this section referred to as the “Commission”).

(b) Composition.—

(1) IN GENERAL.—The Commission shall be composed of 18 members as follows:

(A) Three members appointed by the President.

(B) Two members appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

(C) Two members appointed by the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives.

(D) Two members appointed by the Majority Leader of the Senate.

(E) Two members appointed by the Minority Leader of the Senate.

(F) Three members appointed by the Mayor.

(G) Three members appointed by the Council.

(H) The Chief Financial Officer of the District of Columbia.

(2) APPOINTMENT DATE.—

(A) IN GENERAL.—The appointments of the members of the Commission shall be made not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act.

(B) EFFECT OF LACK OF APPOINTMENT BY APPOINTMENT DATE.—If one or more appointments under any of the subparagraphs of paragraph (1) is not made by the appointment date specified in subparagraph (A), the authority to make such appointment or appointments shall expire, and the number of members of the Commission shall be reduced by the number equal to the number of appointments so not made.

(3) TERM OF SERVICE.—Each member shall be appointed for the life of the Commission.

(4) VACANCY.—A vacancy in the Commission shall be filled in the manner in which the original appointment was made.

(5) NO COMPENSATION.—Members shall serve without pay, but shall receive travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, in accordance with applicable provisions under subchapter I of chapter 57 of title 5, United States Code.

(6) CHAIR AND VICE CHAIR.—The Chair and Vice Chair of the Commission shall be elected by the members of the Commission—

(A) with respect to the Chair, from among the members described in subparagraphs (A) through (E) of paragraph (1); and

(B) with respect to the Vice Chair, from among the members described in subparagraphs (F) and (G) of paragraph (1).

(c) Staff.—

(1) DIRECTOR.—The Commission shall have a Director, who shall be appointed by the Chair.

(2) OTHER STAFF.—The Director may appoint and fix the pay of such additional personnel as the Director considers appropriate.

(3) NON-APPLICABILITY OF CERTAIN CIVIL SERVICE LAWS.—The Director and staff of the Commission may be appointed without regard to the provisions of title 5, United States Code, governing appointments in the competitive service, and may be paid 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, except that an individual so appointed may not receive pay in excess of the rate payable for level V of the Executive Schedule under section 5316 of such title.

(4) EXPERTS AND CONSULTANTS.—The Commission may procure temporary and intermittent services under section 3109(b) of title 5, United States Code, at rates for individuals not to exceed the daily equivalent of the rate payable for level V of the Executive Schedule under section 5316 of such title.

(d) Duties.—The Commission shall advise the President, Congress, the Mayor (or, upon the admission of the State into the Union, the chief executive officer of the State), and the Council (or, upon the admission of the State into the Union, the legislature of the State) concerning an orderly transition to statehood for the District of Columbia or the State (as the case may be) and to a reduced geographical size of the seat of the Government of the United States, including with respect to property, funding, programs, projects, and activities.

(e) Powers.—

(1) HEARINGS AND SESSIONS.—The Commission may, for the purpose of carrying out this Act, hold hearings, sit and act at times and places, take testimony, and receive evidence as the Commission considers appropriate.

(2) OBTAINING OFFICIAL DATA.—The Commission may secure directly from any department or agency of the United States information necessary to enable it to carry out this Act. Upon request of the Chair of the Commission, the head of that department or agency shall furnish that information to the Commission.

(3) MAILS.—The Commission may use the United States mails in the same manner and under the same conditions as other departments and agencies of the United States.

(4) ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT SERVICES.—Upon the request of the Commission, the Administrator of General Services shall provide to the Commission the administrative support services necessary for the Commission to carry out its responsibilities under this Act.

(f) Meetings.—

(1) IN GENERAL.—The Commission shall meet at the call of the Chair.

(2) INITIAL MEETING.—The Commission shall hold its first meeting not later than the earlier of—

(A) 30 days after the date on which all members of the Commission have been appointed; or

(B) if the number of members of the Commission is reduced under subsection (b)(2)(B), 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act.

(3) QUORUM.—A majority of the members of the Commission shall constitute a quorum, but a lesser number of members may hold hearings.

(g) Reports.—The Commission shall submit such reports as the Commission considers appropriate or as may be requested by the President, Congress, or the District of Columbia (or, upon the admission of the State into the Union, the State).

(h) Termination.—The Commission shall cease to exist 2 years after the date of the admission of the State into the Union.

SEC. 403. CERTIFICATION OF ENACTMENT BY PRESIDENT.

Not more than 60 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the President shall provide written certification of such enactment to the Mayor.

SEC. 404. SEVERABILITY.

Except as provided in section 101(c), if any provision of this Act or amendment made by this Act, or the application thereof to any person or circumstance, is held to be invalid, the remaining provisions of this Act and any amendments made by this Act shall not be affected by the holding.