Establishment and duties

(a) Establishment There is established a Commission to Study and Develop Reconciliation Proposals for Misguided Interventions in the Americas (in this Act referred to as the Commission). (b) Duties The Commission shall be responsible for the following duties: (1) Identifying, documenting, examining, compiling, and synthesizing the relevant body of evidentiary documentation relating to the United States interest in intervening in— (A) the 9 conflicts in Nicaragua, Mexico, the Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Grenada, and Panama discussed in section 2 of this Act; and (B) any additional United States military involvement in nations in the Caribbean, Latin America, or South America that the Commission, via a majority vote at any meeting of the Commission containing a quorum, identifies as misguided and believes merits investigation and action by the Commission. (2) Identifying, documenting, examining, compiling, and synthesizing the relevant corpus of evidentiary documentation relating to the United States military occupations identified in paragraph (1) of this subsection, as it pertains to— (A) the United States involvement in these nations internal affairs and its financial and military support to different rebellions and regime changes in these nations; (B) the treatment of the native persons by both the United States military and under the regimes ushered in a result of United States military action, including any repressions of basic rights and freedoms by United States-supported governments; and (C) the lingering negative effects of these United States-supported regimes on each individual nation’s citizens, collective psyche, and society. (3) Recommending appropriate ways to educate the United States public on the Commission’s findings. (4) Recommending appropriate remedies in consideration of the Commission’s findings on the different United States military occupations described in paragraphs (1) and (2) of this subsection. In making such recommendations, the Commission shall address among other issues, the following questions: (A) How such recommendations comport with international standards of remedy for wrongs and injuries caused by the United States Government, including repair and reconciliation efforts, as understood by various relevant international protocols, laws, and findings. (B) How the United States Government may offer a formal apology on behalf of the people of the United States for the invasions and occupations studied by the Commission for those occupations which the Commission deems worthy of an apology. (C) How the repercussions resulting from matters described in paragraphs (1) and (2) of this subsection may be reversed and provide appropriate policies, programs, projects, and recommendations for the purpose of reversing the effects of the invasions and occupations. (c) Report to congress Not later than 4 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the Commission shall submit to Congress a written report of its findings and recommendations under this section. (d) Membership (1) In general (A) Stated members The following shall be members of the Commission: (i) The Under Secretary for Western Hemisphere Affairs of the Department of State. (ii) The current United States Ambassadors to each of the sovereign nations studied by the Commission. (B) Appointed members Not later than 90 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the following shall be members of the Commission, appointed as follows: (i) One member shall be appointed by the President of the United States. (ii) Two members shall be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, in consultation with the minority leader. (iii) Two members shall be appointed by the majority leader of the Senate, in consultation with the minority leader. (C) Members under international cooperation The President shall seek to negotiate with the governments of previously occupied nations to seek, to the extent practicable, the following as members of the Commission: (i) The Ambassador to the United States for each sovereign nation being studied by the Commission pursuant to subsection (b)(1). (ii) The Ambassador, Permanent Representative to the Organization of American States for each sovereign nation being studied by the Commission pursuant to subsection (b)(1). (2) Qualifications All members of the Commission shall be persons who are especially qualified to serve on the Commission by virtue of their education, training, activism, or experience, particularly in the fields of Western Hemisphere relations or reparatory justice. (3) Terms The term of office for members shall be for the life of the Commission. A vacancy in the Commission shall not affect the powers of the Commission and shall be filled in the same manner in which the original appointment was made. (4) Meetings The Commission shall conduct its initial meeting not later than 365 days after the date of enactment of this Act. The Commission shall establish rules of procedure at such meeting. All meetings of the Commission shall be public. The Commission should meet not less often than 4 times per year, including virtual meetings called to order by either the entire Commission or any member thereof. (5) Quorum More than half of the total members of the Commission shall constitute a quorum for the purposes of holding a meeting in compliance with subsection (d)(4), but a lesser number may hold hearings. (6) Chair and vice chair The Commission shall elect a Chair and Vice Chair from among its members. The term of office of each shall be for the life of the Commission. (7) Compensation Each member of the Commission who is not an officer or employee of the Federal Government shall be compensated at a rate equal to the daily equivalent of the annual rate of basic pay prescribed for level IV of the Executive Schedule under section 5315 of title 5, United States Code, for each day (including travel time) during which such member is engaged in the performance of the duties of the Commission. All members of the Commission who are officers or employees of the United States shall serve without compensation in addition to that received for their services as officers or employees of the United States. (8) Travel expenses The members of the Commission shall be allowed travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, at rates authorized for employees of agencies under subchapter I of chapter 57 of title 5, United States Code, while away from their homes or regular places of business in the performance of the duties of the Commission. (e) Powers of the commission (1) Hearings and sessions The Commission may, for the purpose of carrying out the provisions of this section, hold such hearings and sit and act at such times and at such places in the United States, and request the attendance and testimony of such witnesses and the production of such books, records, correspondence, memoranda, papers, and documents, as the Commission considers appropriate. The Commission may invoke the aid of an appropriate United States district court to require, by subpoena or otherwise, such attendance, testimony, or production. (2) Powers of members Any member of the Commission may, if authorized by the Commission, take any action which the Commission is authorized to take by this subsection. (3) Obtaining official data The Commission may acquire directly from the head of any department, agency, or instrumentality of the executive branch of the United States Government, available information which the Commission considers useful in the discharge of its duties. All departments, agencies, and instrumentalities of the executive branch of the United States Government shall cooperate with the Commission with respect to such information and shall furnish all information requested by the Commission to the extent permitted by law. (f) Termination The Commission shall terminate 90 days after the date on which the Commission submits its report to Congress under subsection (c). (g) Authorization of appropriations (1) In general There is authorized to be appropriated $20,000,000 to carry out this Act. (2) Availability Amounts appropriated pursuant to the authorization under paragraph (1) are authorized to remain available until the termination of the Commission in accordance with subsection (f).