ADVISORY COUNCIL ON UNEMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION

Sec. 908. [42 U.S.C. 1108] (a) Establishment.—Not later than February 1, 1992, and every 4th year thereafter, the Secretary of Labor shall establish an advisory council to be known as the Advisory Council on Unemployment Compensation (referred to in this section as the “Council”).

(b) Function.—It shall be the function of each Council to evaluate the unemployment compensation program, including the purpose, goals, countercyclical effectiveness, coverage, benefit adequacy, trust fund solvency, funding of State administrative costs, administrative efficiency, and any other aspects of the program and to make recommendations for improvement.

(c) Members.—

(1) In general.—Each Council shall consist of 11 members as follows:

(A) 5 members appointed by the President, to include representatives of business, labor, State government, and the public.

(B) 3 members appointed by the President pro tempore of the Senate, in consultation with the Chairman and ranking member of the Committee on Finance of the Senate.

(C) 3 members appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representative, in consultation with the Chairman and ranking member of the Committee on Ways and Means of the House of Representatives.

(2) Qualifications.—In appointing members under subparagraphs (B) and (C) of paragraph (1), the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives shall each appoint—

(A) 1 representative of the interests of business,

(B) 1 representative of the interests of labor, and

(C) 1 representative of the interests of State governments.

(3) Vacancies.—A vacancy in any Council shall be filled in the manner in which the original appointment was made.

(4) Chairman.—The President shall appoint the Chairman of the Council from among its members.

(d) Staff and other assistance.—

(1) In general.—Each council may engage any technical assistance (including actuarial services) required by the Council to carry out its functions under this section.

(2) Assistance from secretary of labor.—The Secretary of Labor shall provide each Council with any staff, office facilities, and other assistance, and any data prepared by the Department of Labor, required by the Council to carry out its functions under this section.

(e) Compensation.—Each member of any Council—

(1) shall be entitled to receive compensation at the rate of pay for level V of the Executive Schedule under section 5316 of title 5, United States Code, for each day (including travel time) during which such member is engaged in the actual performance of duties vested in the Council, and

(2) while engaged in the performance of such duties away from such member’s home or regular place of business, shall be allowed travel expenses (including per diem in lieu of subsistence) as authorized by section 5703 of title 5, United States Code, for persons in the Government employed intermittently.

(f) Report.—

(1) In general.—Not later than February 1 of the third year following the year in which any Council is required to be established under subsection (a), the Council shall submit to the President and the Congress a report setting forth the findings and recommendations of the Council as a result of its evaluation of the unemployment compensation program under this section.

(2) Report of first council.—The Council shall include in its report required to be submitted by February 1, 1995, the Council’s findings and recommendations with respect to determining eligibility for extended unemployment benefits on the basis of unemployment statistics for regions, States, or subdivisions of States.