| 1 | 1 | | III |
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| 2 | 2 | | 119THCONGRESS |
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| 3 | 3 | | 1 |
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| 4 | 4 | | STSESSION S. RES. 121 |
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| 5 | 5 | | Establishing the Senate Human Rights Commission. |
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| 6 | 6 | | IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES |
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| 7 | 7 | | MARCH10, 2025 |
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| 8 | 8 | | Mr. T |
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| 9 | 9 | | ILLIS(for himself and Mr. COONS) submitted the following resolution; |
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| 10 | 10 | | which was referred to the Committee on Rules and Administration |
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| 11 | 11 | | RESOLUTION |
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| 12 | 12 | | Establishing the Senate Human Rights Commission. |
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| 13 | 13 | | Whereas the Senate Human Rights Caucus, which was |
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| 14 | 14 | | founded in 2014, and is currently co-chaired by Senator |
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| 15 | 15 | | Tillis and Senator Coons, has created an outlet and op- |
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| 16 | 16 | | portunity to establish a formalized forum for human |
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| 17 | 17 | | rights discussion and engagement in the Senate; |
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| 18 | 18 | | Whereas the Senate Human Rights Caucus has brought to- |
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| 19 | 19 | | gether critical thinkers and first-hand experts on issues |
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| 20 | 20 | | affecting human rights throughout the world to better in- |
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| 21 | 21 | | form the actions of Congress; |
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| 22 | 22 | | Whereas, by establishing a commission in the Senate to put |
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| 23 | 23 | | testimony regarding human rights in the record, all of |
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| 24 | 24 | | the Federal Government and the public can access this |
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| 25 | 25 | | information and insight; and |
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| 28 | 28 | | •SRES 121 IS |
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| 29 | 29 | | Whereas the Senate Human Rights Commission would con- |
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| 30 | 30 | | tinue the work of the Senate Human Rights Caucus and |
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| 31 | 31 | | elevate the need to sustain and support the fundamental |
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| 32 | 32 | | access to human rights across the world: Now, therefore, |
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| 33 | 33 | | be it |
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| 34 | 34 | | Resolved, 1 |
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| 35 | 35 | | SECTION 1. SENATE HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION. 2 |
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| 36 | 36 | | (a) C |
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| 37 | 37 | | OMMISSIONESTABLISHMENT.— 3 |
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| 38 | 38 | | (1) I |
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| 39 | 39 | | N GENERAL.—There is established in the 4 |
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| 40 | 40 | | Senate the Senate Human Rights Commission (in 5 |
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| 41 | 41 | | this section referred to as the ‘‘Commission’’). 6 |
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| 42 | 42 | | (2) D |
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| 43 | 43 | | UTIES.—The Commission shall— 7 |
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| 44 | 44 | | (A) serve as a forum for bipartisan discus-8 |
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| 45 | 45 | | sion of international human rights issues and 9 |
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| 46 | 46 | | promotion of internationally recognized human 10 |
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| 47 | 47 | | rights as enshrined in the United Nations Uni-11 |
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| 48 | 48 | | versal Declaration of Human Rights; 12 |
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| 49 | 49 | | (B) monitor the state of human rights 13 |
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| 50 | 50 | | across the world and raise awareness on critical 14 |
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| 51 | 51 | | human rights violations through conducting 15 |
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| 52 | 52 | | regular briefings, hearings, and private 16 |
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| 53 | 53 | | roundtables; 17 |
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| 54 | 54 | | (C) maintain records of all meetings and 18 |
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| 55 | 55 | | activities; and 19 |
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| 56 | 56 | | (D) collaborate with congressional commit-20 |
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| 57 | 57 | | tees and other congressional entities (including 21 |
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| 60 | 60 | | •SRES 121 IS |
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| 61 | 61 | | the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission), 1 |
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| 62 | 62 | | the executive branch, human rights organiza-2 |
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| 63 | 63 | | tions, civil society organizations, nongovern-3 |
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| 64 | 64 | | mental organizations, and think tanks to pro-4 |
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| 65 | 65 | | mote human rights initiatives within the Sen-5 |
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| 66 | 66 | | ate. 6 |
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| 67 | 67 | | (3) L |
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| 68 | 68 | | IMITATIONS.—The Commission shall 7 |
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| 69 | 69 | | not— 8 |
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| 70 | 70 | | (A) have legislative jurisdiction; 9 |
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| 71 | 71 | | (B) have authority to take legislative ac-10 |
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| 72 | 72 | | tion on any bill or resolution; or 11 |
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| 73 | 73 | | (C) encroach upon the jurisdiction of any 12 |
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| 74 | 74 | | standing, select, or special committee of the 13 |
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| 75 | 75 | | Senate. 14 |
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| 76 | 76 | | (4) M |
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| 77 | 77 | | EMBERSHIP.— 15 |
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| 78 | 78 | | (A) I |
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| 79 | 79 | | N GENERAL.—The Commission shall 16 |
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| 80 | 80 | | be composed of 10 members of the Senate, who 17 |
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| 81 | 81 | | shall be appointed, and may be removed, by the 18 |
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| 82 | 82 | | President of the Senate. 19 |
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| 83 | 83 | | (B) S |
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| 84 | 84 | | ELECTION.—The President of the 20 |
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| 85 | 85 | | Senate shall— 21 |
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| 86 | 86 | | (i) after consultation with the major-22 |
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| 87 | 87 | | ity leader, select 5 members from the ma-23 |
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| 88 | 88 | | jority party of the Senate, 1 of whom shall 24 |
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| 91 | 91 | | •SRES 121 IS |
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| 92 | 92 | | be designated as a co-chairperson in ac-1 |
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| 93 | 93 | | cordance with paragraph (5)(A)(i); and 2 |
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| 94 | 94 | | (ii) after consultation with the minor-3 |
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| 95 | 95 | | ity leader, select 5 members from the mi-4 |
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| 96 | 96 | | nority party of the Senate, 1 of whom shall 5 |
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| 97 | 97 | | be designated as a co-chairperson in ac-6 |
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| 98 | 98 | | cordance with paragraph (5)(A)(ii). 7 |
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| 99 | 99 | | (C) T |
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| 100 | 100 | | ERM.—The term of a member shall 8 |
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| 101 | 101 | | end on the last day of the Congress during 9 |
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| 102 | 102 | | which the member is appointed by the Presi-10 |
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| 103 | 103 | | dent of the Senate, unless the member ceases 11 |
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| 104 | 104 | | being a member of the Senate, leaves the Com-12 |
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| 105 | 105 | | mission, or is removed. 13 |
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| 106 | 106 | | (D) V |
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| 107 | 107 | | ACANCY.— 14 |
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| 108 | 108 | | (i) I |
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| 109 | 109 | | N GENERAL.—A vacancy on the 15 |
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| 110 | 110 | | Commission shall be filled in the same 16 |
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| 111 | 111 | | manner in which the original appointment 17 |
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| 112 | 112 | | was made. 18 |
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| 113 | 113 | | (ii) R |
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| 114 | 114 | | ESIGNATION.—A member of the 19 |
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| 115 | 115 | | Commission wishing to resign from the 20 |
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| 116 | 116 | | Commission shall submit a written notifi-21 |
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| 117 | 117 | | cation to the President of the Senate. 22 |
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| 118 | 118 | | (5) C |
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| 119 | 119 | | O-CHAIRPERSONS OF THE COMMISSION .— 23 |
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| 122 | 122 | | •SRES 121 IS |
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| 123 | 123 | | (A) IN GENERAL.—Two members of the 1 |
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| 124 | 124 | | Commission shall be appointed to serve as co- 2 |
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| 125 | 125 | | chairpersons of the Commission, as follows: 3 |
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| 126 | 126 | | (i) One co-chairperson shall be ap-4 |
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| 127 | 127 | | pointed, and may be removed, by the ma-5 |
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| 128 | 128 | | jority leader of the Senate. 6 |
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| 129 | 129 | | (ii) One co-chairperson shall be ap-7 |
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| 130 | 130 | | pointed, and may be removed, by the mi-8 |
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| 131 | 131 | | nority leader of the Senate. 9 |
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| 132 | 132 | | (B) T |
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| 133 | 133 | | ERM.—The term of a member as a 10 |
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| 134 | 134 | | co-chairperson of the Commission shall end on 11 |
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| 135 | 135 | | the last day of the Congress during which the 12 |
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| 136 | 136 | | member is appointed as a co-chairperson, unless 13 |
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| 137 | 137 | | the member ceases being a member of the Sen-14 |
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| 138 | 138 | | ate, leaves the Commission, resigns from the 15 |
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| 139 | 139 | | position of co-chairperson, or is removed. 16 |
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| 140 | 140 | | (C) P |
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| 141 | 141 | | UBLICATION.—Appointments under 17 |
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| 142 | 142 | | this paragraph shall be printed in the Congres-18 |
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| 143 | 143 | | sional Record. 19 |
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| 144 | 144 | | (D) V |
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| 145 | 145 | | ACANCIES.—Any vacancy in the posi-20 |
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| 146 | 146 | | tion of co-chairperson of the Commission shall 21 |
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| 147 | 147 | | be filled in the same manner in which the origi-22 |
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| 148 | 148 | | nal appointment was made. 23 |
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| 149 | 149 | | (b) C |
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| 150 | 150 | | OMMISSIONSTAFF.— 24 |
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| 151 | 151 | | (1) C |
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| 152 | 152 | | OMPENSATION AND EXPENSES .— 25 |
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| 155 | 155 | | •SRES 121 IS |
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| 156 | 156 | | (A) IN GENERAL.—The Commission is au-1 |
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| 157 | 157 | | thorized, from funds made available under sub-2 |
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| 158 | 158 | | section (c), to— 3 |
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| 159 | 159 | | (i) employ such staff in the manner 4 |
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| 160 | 160 | | and at a rate not to exceed that allowed 5 |
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| 161 | 161 | | for employees of a committee of the Senate 6 |
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| 162 | 162 | | under section 105(e)(3) of the Legislative 7 |
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| 163 | 163 | | Branch Appropriation Act, 1968 (2 U.S.C. 8 |
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| 164 | 164 | | 4575(e)(3)); and 9 |
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| 165 | 165 | | (ii) incur such expenses as may be 10 |
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| 166 | 166 | | necessary or appropriate to carry out its 11 |
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| 167 | 167 | | duties and functions. 12 |
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| 168 | 168 | | (B) E |
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| 169 | 169 | | XPENSES.— 13 |
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| 170 | 170 | | (i) I |
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| 171 | 171 | | N GENERAL.—Payments made 14 |
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| 172 | 172 | | under this subsection for receptions, meals, 15 |
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| 173 | 173 | | and food-related expenses shall be author-16 |
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| 174 | 174 | | ized only for actual expenses incurred by 17 |
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| 175 | 175 | | the Commission in the course of con-18 |
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| 176 | 176 | | ducting its official duties and functions. 19 |
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| 177 | 177 | | (ii) T |
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| 178 | 178 | | REATMENT OF PAYMENTS .— 20 |
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| 179 | 179 | | Amounts received as reimbursement for ex-21 |
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| 180 | 180 | | penses described in clause (i) shall not be 22 |
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| 181 | 181 | | reported as income, and the expenses so 23 |
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| 182 | 182 | | reimbursed shall not be allowed as a de-24 |
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| 185 | 185 | | •SRES 121 IS |
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| 186 | 186 | | duction under the Internal Revenue Code 1 |
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| 187 | 187 | | of 1986. 2 |
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| 188 | 188 | | (2) D |
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| 189 | 189 | | ESIGNATION OF PROFESSIONAL STAFF .— 3 |
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| 190 | 190 | | (A) I |
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| 191 | 191 | | N GENERAL.—Each co-chairperson of 4 |
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| 192 | 192 | | the Commission may designate 1 professional 5 |
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| 193 | 193 | | staff member. 6 |
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| 194 | 194 | | (B) C |
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| 195 | 195 | | OMPENSATION OF SENATE EMPLOY -7 |
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| 196 | 196 | | EES.—In the case of the compensation of any 8 |
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| 197 | 197 | | professional staff member designated under 9 |
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| 198 | 198 | | subparagraph (A) who is an employee of a 10 |
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| 199 | 199 | | Member of the Senate or of a committee of the 11 |
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| 200 | 200 | | Senate and who has been designated to perform 12 |
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| 201 | 201 | | services for the Commission, the professional 13 |
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| 202 | 202 | | staff member shall continue to be paid by the 14 |
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| 203 | 203 | | Member or committee, as the case may be, but 15 |
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| 204 | 204 | | the account from which the professional staff 16 |
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| 205 | 205 | | member is paid shall be reimbursed for the 17 |
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| 206 | 206 | | services of the professional staff member (in-18 |
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| 207 | 207 | | cluding agency contributions when appropriate) 19 |
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| 208 | 208 | | out of funds made available under subsection 20 |
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| 209 | 209 | | (c). 21 |
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| 210 | 210 | | (C) D |
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| 211 | 211 | | UTIES.—Each professional staff 22 |
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| 212 | 212 | | member designated under subparagraph (A) 23 |
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| 213 | 213 | | shall— 24 |
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| 216 | 216 | | •SRES 121 IS |
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| 217 | 217 | | (i) serve all members of the Commis-1 |
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| 218 | 218 | | sion; and 2 |
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| 219 | 219 | | (ii) carry out such other functions as 3 |
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| 220 | 220 | | the co-chairperson designating the profes-4 |
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| 221 | 221 | | sional staff member may specify. 5 |
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| 222 | 222 | | (c) P |
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| 223 | 223 | | AYMENT OFEXPENSES.— 6 |
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| 224 | 224 | | (1) I |
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| 225 | 225 | | N GENERAL.—The expenses of the Com-7 |
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| 226 | 226 | | mission shall be paid from the Contingent Fund of 8 |
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| 227 | 227 | | the Senate, out of the account of Miscellaneous 9 |
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| 228 | 228 | | Items, upon vouchers approved jointly by the co- 10 |
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| 229 | 229 | | chairpersons (except that vouchers shall not be re-11 |
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| 230 | 230 | | quired for the disbursement of salaries of employees 12 |
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| 231 | 231 | | who are paid at an annual rate of pay). 13 |
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| 232 | 232 | | (2) A |
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| 233 | 233 | | MOUNTS AVAILABLE.—For any fiscal year, 14 |
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| 234 | 234 | | not more than $200,000 shall be expended for em-15 |
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| 235 | 235 | | ployees and expenses. 16 |
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| 236 | 236 | | (d) S |
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| 237 | 237 | | UNSET.—This section shall cease to have force 17 |
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| 238 | 238 | | or effect on January 1, 2029. 18 |
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| 239 | 239 | | Æ |
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