- § 6911. Establishment of Congressional-Executive Commission on the People’s Republic of China
- § 6912. Functions of the Commission
- § 6913. Membership of the Commission
- § 6914. Votes of the Commission
- § 6915. Expenditure of appropriations
- § 6916. Testimony of witnesses, production of evidence; issuance of subpoenas; administration of oaths
- § 6917. Appropriations for the Commission
- § 6918. Staff of the Commission
- § 6919. Printing and binding costs
There is established a Congressional-Executive Commission on the People’s Republic of China (in this subchapter referred to as the “Commission”).
The Commission shall compile and maintain lists of persons believed to be imprisoned, detained, or placed under house arrest, tortured, or otherwise persecuted by the Government of the People’s Republic of China due to their pursuit of the rights described in subsection (a). In compiling such lists, the Commission shall exercise appropriate discretion, including concerns regarding the safety and security of, and benefit to, the persons who may be included on the lists and their families.
In performing the functions described in subsections (a) through (d), the Commission shall, as appropriate, seek out and maintain contacts with nongovernmental organizations, including receiving reports and updates from such organizations and evaluating such reports.
In performing the functions described in subsections (a) through (d), the Commission shall cooperate with the Special Coordinator for Tibetan Issues in the Department of State.
The Commission shall issue a report to the President and the Congress not later than 12 months after October 10, 2000, and not later than the end of each 12-month period thereafter, setting forth the findings of the Commission during the preceding 12-month period, in carrying out subsections (a) through (c). The Commission’s report may contain recommendations for legislative or executive action.
The Commission may submit to the President and the Congress reports that supplement the reports described in subsection (g), as appropriate, in carrying out subsections (a) through (c).
At the beginning of each odd-numbered Congress, the President of the Senate, on the recommendation of the majority leader, shall designate one of the members of the Commission from the Senate as Chairman of the Commission. At the beginning of each even-numbered Congress, the Speaker of the House of Representatives shall designate one of the members of the Commission from the House as Chairman of the Commission.
At the beginning of each odd-numbered Congress, the Speaker of the House of Representatives shall designate one of the members of the Commission from the House as Cochairman of the Commission. At the beginning of each even-numbered Congress, the President of the Senate, on the recommendation of the majority leader, shall designate one of the members of the Commission from the Senate as Cochairman of the Commission.
Decisions of the Commission, including adoption of reports and recommendations to the executive branch or to the Congress, shall be made by a majority vote of the members of the Commission present and voting. Two-thirds of the Members 1
For each fiscal year for which an appropriation is made to the Commission, the Commission shall issue a report to the Congress on its expenditures under that appropriation.
In carrying out this subchapter, the Commission may require, by subpoena or otherwise, the attendance and testimony of such witnesses and the production of such books, records, correspondence, memoranda, papers, documents, and electronically recorded data as it considers necessary. Subpoenas may be issued only pursuant to a two-thirds vote of members of the Commission present and voting. Subpoenas may be issued over the signature of the Chairman of the Commission or any member designated by the Chairman, and may be served by any person designated by the Chairman or such member. The Chairman of the Commission, or any member designated by the Chairman, may administer oaths to any witness.
There are authorized to be appropriated to the Commission for fiscal year 2001, and each fiscal year thereafter, such sums as may be necessary to enable it to carry out its functions. Appropriations to the Commission are authorized to remain available until expended.
Foreign travel for official purposes by members and staff of the Commission may be authorized by either the Chairman or the Cochairman.
The Commission shall have a personnel and administration committee composed of the Chairman, the Cochairman, the senior member of the Commission from the minority party of the House of Representatives, and the senior member of the Commission from the minority party of the Senate.
All staff appointments shall be made without regard to the provisions of title 5 governing appointments in the competitive service, and without regard to the provisions of chapter 51 and subchapter III of chapter 53 of such title relating to classification and general schedule pay rates.
The personnel and administration committee shall ensure that the professional staff of the Commission consists of persons with expertise in areas including human rights, internationally recognized worker rights, international economics, law (including international law), rule of law and other foreign assistance programming, Chinese politics, economy and culture, and the Chinese language.
For purposes of pay and other employment benefits, rights, and privileges, and for all other purposes, any employee of the Commission shall be considered to be a congressional employee as defined in section 2107 of title 5.
For purposes of section 3304(c)(1) 1
For purposes of costs relating to printing and binding, including the costs of personnel detailed from the Government Publishing Office, the Commission shall be deemed to be a committee of the Congress.