La Comisión de las Ocupaciónes Americanos Act
Sponsored By: Representative Espaillat
Introduced
Summary
A commission to study and propose reconciliation for U.S. military interventions across the Western Hemisphere. This bill would create a Commission on the United States Occupations in the Americas to document 20th-century interventions, recommend remedies, and consider formal apologies and programs to repair harms.
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- People in the nations studied would see a formal documentation process targeting at least nine listed conflicts and any additional interventions the Commission finds to be misguided. The Commission could recommend remedies, projects, and even formal apologies.
- Scholars, educators, and the U.S. public would get a compiled record and education recommendations designed to explain the causes, consequences, and lingering effects of those interventions.
- Federal agencies and Congress would receive a set of policy recommendations and must cooperate with the Commission, which can hold public hearings, subpoena testimony, and obtain official data; the Commission must report to Congress within four years.
*Would authorize $20.0 million in federal funding to operate the commission, increasing federal outlays by that amount.*
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
4 provisions identified: 4 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Commission members and public meetings
This bill would set who serves on the commission and when they are named. Members would include U.S. ambassadors and the State Department’s Western Hemisphere lead; foreign counterparts would be sought. One Presidential appointee, two House appointees, and two Senate appointees would be named within 90 days. The first meeting would happen within 365 days, and the commission would elect a Chair and Vice Chair. All meetings would be public, at least four each year; a majority makes a quorum, though fewer may hold hearings.
Commission subpoena and records powers
The commission would be able to ask federal agencies for information, to the extent allowed by law. It could hold hearings, call witnesses, and request documents. If needed, it could ask a U.S. district court to enforce subpoenas.
Commission to review U.S. interventions
This bill would create a commission to study past U.S. interventions in the Americas. It would review nine named conflicts and others the commission, by vote, adds. It could suggest public education, formal apologies, and programs to repair harms. The commission would report to Congress within four years of enactment. It would end 90 days after sending that report, and get $20 million until then.
Pay and travel for commissioners
If enacted, non-federal members would be paid a daily rate for commission work. The daily rate equals one-365th of Executive Schedule level IV annual pay. Federal employees would not get extra pay for this service. Reasonable travel costs and per diem would be reimbursed at federal rates.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Espaillat
NY • D
Cosponsors
There are no cosponsors for this bill.
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
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