A resolution establishing the Select Committee on the Climate Crisis.

III 116TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION S. RES. 97 Establishing the Select Committee on the Climate Crisis. IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES MARCH 6, 2019 Mr. SCHUMER submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Rules and Administration RESOLUTION Establishing the Select Committee on the Climate Crisis. Resolved, 1 SECTION 1. SELECT COMMITTEE ON THE CLIMATE CRISIS. 2 (a) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is established in the 3 Senate a Select Committee on the Climate Crisis (in this 4 resolution referred to as the ‘‘Select Committee’’). 5 (b) COMPOSITION.— 6 (1) MEMBERSHIP.—The Select Committee shall 7 be composed of 16 Senators, of whom— 8 (A) 8 shall be appointed by the majority 9 leader; and 10 (B) 8 shall be appointed by the minority 11 leader. 12 VerDate Sep 11 2014 21:29 Mar 06, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\SR97.IS SR97 pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS 2 •SRES 97 IS (2) CO-CHAIRPERSONS.—The majority leader 1 and the minority leader shall each designate 1 mem- 2 ber of the Select Committee to serve as a Co-Chair- 3 person of the Select Committee. 4 (3) DEADLINE.—Not later than 14 days after 5 the date of adoption of this resolution, the majority 6 leader and minority leader shall each appoint all 7 members and designate the Co-Chairpersons of the 8 Select Committee. 9 (4) PERIOD OF APPOINTMENT.—Members shall 10 be appointed for the life of the Select Committee. 11 (5) VACANCIES.—A vacancy in the membership 12 of the Select Committee— 13 (A) shall not affect its powers; and 14 (B) shall be filled not later than 14 days 15 after the date on which the vacancy occurs, in 16 the same manner as the original appointment 17 was made. 18 (6) DEPARTURE OF MEMBER.—If a member of 19 the Select Committee ceases to be a Member of the 20 Senate, the member is no longer a member of the 21 Select Committee and a vacancy shall exist. 22 (c) FUNDING.— 23 VerDate Sep 11 2014 21:29 Mar 06, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\SR97.IS SR97 pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS 3 •SRES 97 IS (1) IN GENERAL.—The expenses of the Select 1 Committee shall be paid from the Contingent Fund 2 of the Senate, in a total amount of— 3 (A) not more than $1,500,000 for the pe- 4 riod beginning on the date of adoption of this 5 resolution and ending on September 30, 2019; 6 and 7 (B) not more than $2,600,000 for the pe- 8 riod beginning on October 1, 2019 and ending 9 on September 30, 2020. 10 (2) APPROVAL.— 11 (A) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in 12 subparagraph (B), the expenses of the Select 13 Committee shall be paid upon vouchers ap- 14 proved by the Co-Chairpersons of the Select 15 Committee, in accordance with the rules and 16 regulations of the Senate. 17 (B) VOUCHERS NOT REQUIRED.—Vouchers 18 shall not be required for— 19 (i) the disbursement of salaries of em- 20 ployees paid at an annual rate; 21 (ii) the payment of telecommuni- 22 cations provided by the Office of the Ser- 23 geant at Arms and Doorkeeper; 24 VerDate Sep 11 2014 21:29 Mar 06, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\SR97.IS SR97 pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS 4 •SRES 97 IS (iii) the payment of stationery sup- 1 plies purchased through the Keeper of the 2 Stationery; 3 (iv) payments to the Postmaster of 4 the Senate; 5 (v) the payment of metered charges 6 on copying equipment provided by the Of- 7 fice of the Sergeant at Arms and Door- 8 keeper; 9 (vi) the payment of Senate Recording 10 and Photographic Services; or 11 (vii) the payment of franked and mass 12 mail costs by the Sergeant at Arms and 13 Doorkeeper. 14 (d) STAFFING.— 15 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Co-Chairpersons of the 16 Select Committee may jointly appoint and fix the 17 compensation of employees of the Select Committee 18 in accordance with the guidelines for employees of 19 the Senate and following all applicable rules and em- 20 ployment requirements of the Senate (including 21 those relating to employees of standing committees 22 of the Senate). 23 (2) AGENCY CONTRIBUTIONS.—There are au- 24 thorized to be paid from the appropriations account 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 21:29 Mar 06, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\SR97.IS SR97 pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS 5 •SRES 97 IS for ‘‘Inquiries and Investigations’’ of the Senate 1 such sums as may be necessary for agency contribu- 2 tions related to the compensation of employees of 3 the Select Committee. 4 (e) JURISDICTION; FUNCTIONS.— 5 (1) INVESTIGATIVE JURISDICTION.—The Select 6 Committee shall have the authority to investigate 7 and make findings regarding how inaction on the cli- 8 mate crisis is harming the economic and national se- 9 curity interests of the United States. 10 (2) MEETINGS.— 11 (A) IN GENERAL.—The Select Committee 12 shall— 13 (i) meet at the call of the Co-Chair- 14 persons; and 15 (ii) hold its first meeting to plan the 16 activities of the Select Committee not later 17 than 30 days after the date of adoption of 18 this resolution. 19 (B) AGENDA.—Not later than 48 hours be- 20 fore any meeting of the Select Committee, the 21 Co-Chairpersons shall provide an agenda to the 22 members of the Select Committee. 23 (3) HEARINGS.— 24 VerDate Sep 11 2014 21:29 Mar 06, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\SR97.IS SR97 pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS 6 •SRES 97 IS (A) IN GENERAL.—The Select Committee 1 may, for the purpose of carrying out this sec- 2 tion, hold such hearings, sit and act at such 3 times and places, require attendance of wit- 4 nesses and production of books, papers, and 5 documents, take such testimony, receive such 6 evidence, and administer such oaths as the Se- 7 lect Committee considers advisable. 8 (B) ALL HEARINGS PUBLIC.—The hearings 9 of the Select Committee in connection with any 10 aspect of its investigative functions shall be 11 public hearings. 12 (C) HEARING PROCEDURES AND RESPON- 13 SIBILITIES OF CO-CHAIRPERSONS.— 14 (i) ANNOUNCEMENT.—Not later than 15 7 days before any hearing of the Select 16 Committee, the Co-Chairpersons shall 17 make a public announcement of the date, 18 place, time, and subject matter of the 19 hearing, unless the Co-Chairpersons deter- 20 mine that there is good cause to hold the 21 hearing at an earlier date. 22 (ii) EQUAL REPRESENTATION OF WIT- 23 NESSES.—Each Co-Chairperson shall be 24 entitled to select an equal number of wit- 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 21:29 Mar 06, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00006 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\SR97.IS SR97 pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS 7 •SRES 97 IS nesses for each hearing held by the Select 1 Committee. 2 (iii) WRITTEN STATEMENT.—A wit- 3 ness appearing before the Select Com- 4 mittee shall file a written statement of pro- 5 posed testimony at least 2 days before the 6 appearance of the witness, unless the re- 7 quirement is waived by the Co-Chair- 8 persons, following a joint determination 9 that there is good cause for failure to com- 10 ply with the requirement. 11 (4) MINIMUM NUMBER OF PUBLIC MEETINGS 12 AND HEARINGS.—The Select Committee shall hold 13 not less than a total of 5 public meetings or public 14 hearings. 15 (5) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.—Upon written re- 16 quest of the Co-Chairpersons, a Federal agency, in- 17 cluding an agency in the legislative branch, shall 18 provide technical assistance to the Select Committee 19 in order for the Select Committee to carry out its 20 duties. 21 (6) COORDINATION WITH STANDING COMMIT- 22 TEES OF THE SENATE.—The Select Committee 23 shall, in conducting official business, coordinate with 24 standing committees with relevant jurisdiction. 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 21:29 Mar 06, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00007 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\SR97.IS SR97 pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS 8 •SRES 97 IS (7) NO LEGISLATIVE JURISDICTION.—The Se- 1 lect Committee shall not have legislative jurisdiction 2 and shall have no authority to take legislative action 3 on any bill or resolution. 4 (f) REPORTING.— 5 (1) IN GENERAL.—Subject to paragraph (2), 6 not later than July 31, 2020, the Select Committee 7 shall submit to the Senate and any relevant com- 8 mittee of the Senate a comprehensive report of the 9 results of its investigations and studies, together 10 with such detailed findings as it may determine ad- 11 visable. 12 (2) SEPARATE REPORTS.—If the Select Com- 13 mittee is not able to agree to a report described in 14 paragraph (1) by a majority vote, each Co-Chair- 15 person may submit to the Senate and any relevant 16 committee of the Senate a report on behalf of the 17 members of the Select Committee appointed by the 18 Senate leader that appointed such Co-Chairperson 19 regarding the results of the investigations and stud- 20 ies of the Select Committee. 21 (3) PUBLICATION.—Not later than 30 days 22 after the date on which a report under this sub- 23 section is submitted, the Select Committee shall 24 VerDate Sep 11 2014 21:29 Mar 06, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00008 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\SR97.IS SR97 pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS 9 •SRES 97 IS make the report publicly available in widely acces- 1 sible formats. 2 (g) TERMINATION.—The Select Committee shall ter- 3 minate on October 1, 2020. 4 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 21:29 Mar 06, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00009 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\SR97.IS SR97 pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS