Sec. 4. Composition

512 words·~2 min read·/bill/116/hr/6429/ih/section-4

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The Commission shall consist of 10 members as follows: One member appointed by the President, who shall serve as chairperson of the Commission. One member appointed by the leader of the House of Representatives from the party opposite the President (majority or minority leader, as the case may be), in consultation with the leader of the Senate from the party opposite the President (majority or minority leader, as the case may be), who shall serve as vice chairperson of the Commission.

Two members appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives. Two members appointed by the minority leader of the House of Representatives. Two members appointed by the majority leader of the Senate. Two members appointed by the minority leader of the Senate. Not more than 5 members of the Commission shall be from the same political party. An individual appointed to the Commission may not be an officer or employee of the Federal Government or any State or local government.

It is the sense of Congress that individuals appointed to the Commission should be prominent United States citizens, with national recognition and significant experience and expertise in such professions as governmental service, public health, medicine, emergency management or response, public administration, logistics, and organizational management. All members of the Commission shall be appointed on or between January 21, 2021, and February 19, 2021. If the determination that a public health emergency exists as a result of COVID-19, as issued by the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services on January 31, 2020, is not in effect as of August 31, 2020, all members of the Commission shall be appointed on or between September 1, 2020, and October 1, 2020.

Members of the Commission shall serve for the life of the Commission. The Commission shall hold its initial meeting and begin the operations of the Commission as soon as practicable, but in no event later than March 15, 2021, if appointed pursuant to subsection (c)(1), or October 31, 2020, if appointed pursuant to subsection (c)(2). After its initial meeting, the Commission shall meet upon the call of the chairperson or a majority of its members. Six members of the Commission shall constitute a quorum.

Any vacancy in the Commission shall not affect its powers, but shall be filled in the same manner in which the original appointment was made. Each member of the Commission may be compensated at not to exceed the daily equivalent of the annual rate of basic pay in effect for a position at level IV of the Executive Schedule under section 5315 of title 5, United States Code, for each day during which that member is engaged in the actual performance of the duties of the Commission.

While away from their homes or regular places of business in the performance of services for the Commission, members of the Commission shall be allowed travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, in the same manner as persons employed intermittently in the Government service are allowed expenses under section 5703 of title 5, United States Code.