Authorizing Legislation - Public Law 106-31

Authorizing Legislation - Public Law 106-31

One Hundred Sixth Congress of the United States of America
AT THE FIRST SESSION

Begun and held at the City of Washington on Wednesday, the sixth day of January, one thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine

An Act

Making emergency supplemental appropriations for the fiscal year ending September 30, 1999, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the following sums are appropriated, out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, for the fiscal year ending September 30, 1999, and for other purposes, namely:

TITLE III--SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS
CHAPTER 6
CONGRESSIONAL OPERATIONS
ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS--THIS CHAPTER

SEC. 3011. RUSSIAN LEADERSHIP PROGRAM.

PURPOSE- It is the purpose of this section to establish, in accordance with the provisions of this section--

a pilot program within the Library of Congress for fiscal year 1999;

and
a permanent program within the Executive agency designated by the President of the United States for fiscal years 2000 and thereafter, to enable emerging political leaders of Russia at all levels of government to gain significant, firsthand exposure to the American free market economic system and the operation of American democratic institutions through visits to governments and communities at comparable levels in the United States.

GRANTS -

IN GENERAL- The head of the administering agency shall annually award grants to government or community organizations in the United States that seek to establish programs under which those organizations will host eligible Russians for the purpose described in subsection (a).

DURATION- The period of stay in the United States for any eligible Russian supported with grant funds under this section shall not exceed 30 days.

LIMITATION- The number of eligible Russians supported with grant funds under this section shall not exceed 3,000 in any fiscal year.

ADMINISTRATION-

IN GENERAL- Subject to the availability of appropriations, the head of the administering agency-- (i) may contract with nongovernmental organizations having expertise in carrying out the activities described in subsection (a) for the purpose of carrying out the administrative functions of the program (other than the awarding of grants); and (ii) may, without regard to the civil service laws and regulations (or, in the case of the Librarian of Congress, any requirement for competition in hiring), appoint and terminate an executive director and such other additional personnel as may be necessary to enable the administering agency to perform its duties under this section.

WAIVER OF COMPETITIVE BIDDING- The Librarian of Congress, after consultation with the Joint Committee on the Library of Congress, may enter into contracts under subparagraph (A)(i) to carry out the pilot program during fiscal year 1999 without regard to section 3709 of the Revised Statutes or any other requirement for competitive contracting or the providing of notice of contracting opportunities.

 

USE OF FUNDS- Grants awarded under subsection (b) shall be used to pay--

the costs and expenses incurred by each program participant in traveling between Russia and the United States and in traveling within the United States;

the costs of providing lodging in the United States to each program participant, whether in public accommodations or in private homes; and

such additional administrative expenses incurred by organizations in carrying out the program as the head of the administering agency may prescribe.

APPLICATION-

IN GENERAL- Each organization in the United States desiring a grant under this section shall submit an application to the head of the administering agency at such time, in such manner, and accompanied by such information as such head may reasonably require.

CONTENTS- Each application submitted pursuant to paragraph (1) shall--

describe the activities for which assistance under this section is sought;

include the number of program participants to be supported;

describe the qualifications of the individuals who will be participating in the program; and

provide such additional assurances as the head of the administering agency determines to be essential to ensure compliance with the requirements of this section.

WAIVER- The Librarian of Congress may waive the requirement of this subsection in carrying out the pilot program during fiscal year 1999.

ADVISORY BOARD -

IN GENERAL- There is established a Russian Leadership Program Advisory Board which shall advise the head of the administering agency as to the carrying out of the permanent program during fiscal years 2000 and thereafter.

MEMBERSHIP- The Advisory Board under paragraph (1) shall consist of--

two members appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, of whom one shall be designated by the Majority Leader of the House of Representatives and one shall be designated by the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives;

two members appointed by the President pro tempore of the Senate, of whom one shall be designated by the Majority Leader of the Senate and one shall be designated by the Minority Leader of the Senate;

the Librarian of Congress;

a private individual with expertise in international exchange programs, designated by the Librarian of Congress; and

an officer or employee of the administering agency, designated
by the head of the administering agency.

TERMS- Each member appointed under paragraph (2) shall serve for a term of 3 years. Any vacancy shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment and the individual so appointed shall serve for the remainder of the term.

REPORTING - The head of the administering agency shall, not later than 3 months following the close of each fiscal year for which such agency administered the program, report to Congress with respect to the conduct of such program during such fiscal year. Such report shall include information with respect to the number of participants in the program and the cost of the program, and any recommendations on improvements necessary to enable the program to carry out the purposes of this section.

FUNDING-

FISCAL YEAR 1999-

IN GENERAL- Of funds made available under the heading `SENATE' under title I of the Legislative Appropriations Act, 1999 (Public Law 105-275; 112 Stat. 2430 et seq.), $10,000,000 shall be made available, subject to the approval of the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate, to the administering agency to carry out the program.

USE OF FUNDS AT CLOSE OF FISCAL YEAR- Funds made available under this paragraph which are unexpended and unobligated as of the close of fiscal year 1999 shall no longer be available for such purpose and shall be available for the purpose originally appropriated.

(2) FISCAL YEAR 2000 AND SUBSEQUENT FISCAL YEARS-

AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS- There are authorized to be appropriated to the administering agency for fiscal years 2000 and thereafter such sums as may be necessary to carry out the program.

AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS- Amounts appropriated pursuant to subparagraph (A) are authorized to remain available until expended.

 

DEFINITIONS- In this section:

ADMINISTERING AGENCY- The term `administering agency' means--

for fiscal year 1999, the Library of Congress; and

for fiscal year 2000, and subsequent fiscal years, the Executive agency designated by the President of the United States under subsection (a)(2).

ELIGIBLE RUSSIAN- The term `eligible Russian' means a Russian national who is an emerging political leader at any level of government.

PROGRAM- The term `program' means the grant program established under this section.

PROGRAM PARTICIPANT- The term `program participant' means an eligible Russian selected for participation in the program.