[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 743 Introduced in House (IH)]

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116th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 743

 To establish a Commission on Securing Our Nation's Children, and for 
                            other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            January 24, 2019

Mr. Katko (for himself and Mr. Cuellar) introduced the following bill; 
 which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition 
      to the Committee on Education and Labor, for a period to be 
subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration 
  of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee 
                               concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To establish a Commission on Securing Our Nation's Children, and for 
                            other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Securing Our Children Act of 2019''.

SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT.

    There is established a commission to be known as the ``Presidential 
Commission on Securing Our Nation's Children'' (in this Act referred to 
as the ``Commission'').

SEC. 3. DUTIES.

    (a) Recommendations.--The Commission shall develop recommendations 
after a review and analysis of the following issues related to the 
safety and security of children living in the United States:
            (1) The correlation or noncorrelation between mental 
        illness and random acts of violence.
            (2) The accessibility of those who have exhibited a history 
        of violent behavior or have demonstrated increased risk for 
        violent behavior by ideation of committing violence or stated 
        intent to commit violence to purchase or possess a firearm 
        either by legal or illegal means, including--
                    (A) proven methods that assist in identification of 
                individuals at heightened risk of committing violence 
                against themselves or others;
                    (B) the ability for Federal, State, local, or 
                Tribal law enforcement to prevent or revoke possession 
                of a firearm from individuals who have been identified 
                as having a heightened risk of committing violence 
                against themselves or others; and
                    (C) the ability of family members and friends to 
                assist an individual who has demonstrated increased 
                risk for violent behavior.
            (3) Submission of individuals to the National Instant 
        Criminal Background Check System, including State and Federal 
        compliance with data submission to such system.
            (4) Safety protocols and provisions on school property, 
        including--
                    (A) the feasibility, efficacy, and potential risks 
                of commissioning armed security guards on school 
                grounds;
                    (B) the feasibility, efficacy, and potential risks 
                of training and issuing licenses to teachers and school 
                officials to use and possess a firearm on campus;
                    (C) the impact of gun-free school zone laws on the 
                rates of gun violence in those areas; and
                    (D) the feasibility and efficacy of implementing 
                evidence-based threat assessment procedures in all 
                schools.
            (5) Current State and Federal firearm, firearm ammunition, 
        or firearm accessory regulations including--
                    (A) any age restriction on the possession or 
                purchase of handgun, handgun ammunition, long gun, and 
                long gun ammunition; and
                    (B) the correlation between certain regulations and 
                its effect on illegal firearm possession.
            (6) The behavioral health support resources available to 
        students in schools and their communities.
            (7) Any other issues the Commission considers relevant to 
        understanding the state of violence in the country.
    (b) Report.--Not later than the date that is 1 year after the date 
of the first meeting of the Commission, the Commission shall submit to 
the President and the Congress a written report of the findings and 
recommendations based on the review and analysis required by subsection 
(a).

SEC. 4. MEMBERSHIP.

    (a) In General.--The Commission shall be composed of 17 members 
appointed as follows:
            (1) Five members appointed by the President, in 
        consultation with the Secretary of Education, the Secretary of 
        Health and Human Services, and the Attorney General.
            (2) Three members appointed by the Speaker of the House of 
        Representatives, including--
                    (A) one Member of the House of Representatives; and
                    (B) two individuals who are not Members of 
                Congress.
            (3) Three members appointed by the minority leader of the 
        House of Representatives, including--
                    (A) one Member of the House of Representatives; and
                    (B) two individuals who are not Members of 
                Congress.
            (4) Three members appointed by the majority leader of the 
        Senate, including--
                    (A) one Member of the Senate; and
                    (B) two individuals who are not Members of 
                Congress.
            (5) Three members appointed by the minority leader of the 
        Senate, including--
                    (A) one Member of the Senate; and
                    (B) two individuals who are not Members of 
                Congress.
    (b) Qualifications.--Appointments shall be made from individuals 
who are specially qualified to serve on the Commission by virtue of 
their education, training, or experience.
    (c) Vacancy.--Any vacancy on the Commission shall not affect the 
powers of the Commission, but shall be filled in the manner in which 
the original appointment was made.
    (d) Chair.--The Chair of the Commission shall be elected by the 
members.
    (e) Reimbursement; Service Without Pay.--Members of the Commission 
shall serve without pay, except that members of the Commission shall be 
entitled to reimbursement for travel, subsistence, and other necessary 
expenses incurred by them in carrying out the functions of the 
Commission, in the same manner as persons employed intermittently by 
the Federal Government are allowed expenses under section 5703 of title 
5, United States Code.

SEC. 5. STAFF.

    The Commission may appoint and fix the compensation of a staff 
director and such other personnel as may be necessary to enable the 
Commission to carry out its functions, without regard to the provisions 
of title 5, United States Code, 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, except that no rate of 
pay fixed under this section may exceed the equivalent of that payable 
for a position at level V of the Executive Schedule under section 5316 
of title 5, United States Code.

SEC. 6. MEETINGS.

    (a) In General.--The Commission shall meet at the call of the Chair 
or of a majority of its members.
    (b) First Meeting.--The first such meeting shall occur not later 
than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act.

SEC. 7. POWERS.

    (a) In General.--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.
    (b) Delegation.--Any member or agent of the Commission may, if 
authorized by the Commission, take any action which the Commission is 
authorized to take by this section.
    (c) Access to Information.--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 Commission, the 
head of such department or agency shall furnish such information to the 
Commission.
    (d) Use of 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.
    (e) Administrative Support.--The Administrator of General Services 
shall provide to the Commission on a reimbursable basis such 
administrative support services as the Commission may request that are 
necessary for the Commission to carry out its responsibilities under 
this Act.

SEC. 8. STATE DEFINED.

    In this Act, the term ``State'' means each of the several States, 
the District of Columbia, each commonwealth, territory, or possession 
of the United States, and each federally recognized Indian tribe.

SEC. 9. TERMINATION.

    The Commission shall terminate on the date that is 30 days after 
the date on which the Commission submits the report required by section 
3(b).
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