Permanent authorization of United States Interagency Council on Homelessness and establishment of racial equity commission

Title II of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 11311 et seq.) is amended— (1) in section 208 (42 U.S.C. 11318), by striking the first sentence and inserting the following: There is authorized to be appropriated for each fiscal year $10,000,000 to carry out this title.; and (2) by striking section 209 (42 U.S.C. 11319) and inserting the following: 209. Racial equity commission (a) Establishment of commission (1) In general There is established a commission to be known as the Commission on Racial Equity in Housing (in this section referred to as the Commission) to support the Council with efforts to conduct research into, collect, analyze, and make publicly available data on, and provide leadership and coordination for furthering racial equity in housing, examining the impacts of structural racism on housing and homelessness, and the effectiveness of intervention strategies to address these impacts. (2) Reporting The Commission shall report to the Executive Director of the Council and work in partnership with employees of the Council. (b) Membership (1) Composition The Commission shall be composed of 14 members, who shall be— (A) appointed by the Executive Director of the Council not later than January 1, 2026; and (B) fairly balanced in terms of points of view represented and background experience. (2) Qualifications Each member of the Commission shall have— (A) proven expertise in directing, assembling, or applying capital resources from a variety of sources to the successful development of affordable housing, assisted living facilities, or health care facilities; (B) lived experience with homelessness; or (C) demonstrated experience in— (i) homeless services, affordable housing, or housing law; and (ii) racial equity work. (3) Co-chairpersons The Executive Director shall appoint 2 co-chairpersons of the Commission from among the members of the Commission. (4) Vacancies Any vacancy on the Commission shall not affect its powers and shall be filled in the manner in which the original appointment was made. (5) Prohibition of pay Members of the Commission shall serve without pay. (6) Travel expenses Each member of the Commission shall receive travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, in accordance with sections 5702 and 5703 of title 5, United States Code. (7) Quorum A majority of the members of the Commission shall constitute a quorum but a lesser number may hold hearings. (8) Meetings The Commission shall meet at the call of the co-chairpersons of the Commission. (c) Director and staff (1) Director The Commission shall have a Director who shall be— (A) appointed by the co-chairpersons of the Commission; and (B) paid at a rate not to exceed the rate of basic pay payable for level V of the Executive Schedule under section 5316 of title 5, United States Code. (2) Staff The Commission may appoint personnel as appropriate subject to the provisions of title 5, United States Code, governing appointments in the competitive service, and who shall be paid in accordance with the provisions of chapter 51 and subchapter III of chapter 53 of that title relating to classification and General Schedule pay rates. (3) Experts and consultants The Council may procure temporary and intermittent services to support the work of the Commission under section 3109(b) of title 5, United States Code, but at rates for individuals not to exceed the daily equivalent of the maximum annual rate of basic pay payable for the General Schedule. (4) Staff of Federal agencies Upon request of the Council and the Commission, the head of any Federal department or agency may detail, on a reimbursable basis, any of the personnel of that department or agency to the Commission to assist it in carrying out its duties under this section. (d) Duties The Commission shall— (1) work with the Council to make recommendations, inform, and participate in efforts to conduct research into, collect, analyze, and make publicly available data on, and provide leadership and coordination for furthering racial equity in housing, examining the impacts of structural racism on housing and homelessness, and the effectiveness of intervention strategies to address these impacts; and (2) work with the Council to implement the Federal Strategic Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness. (e) Reports The Council shall submit to Congress, the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, the Secretary of Transportation, the Secretary of Education, the Secretary of Labor, the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of Agriculture, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, the Secretary of the Treasury, the Attorney General, the Secretary of the Interior, the Chair of the Federal Reserve, the Comptroller of the Currency, the Director of the Office of Thrift Supervision, the Chair of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, and such other individuals as the Commission determines relevant an annual report on research findings with recommendations to improve racial equity in housing and to disrupt processes that preserve and reinforce racism and racial disparities in housing and homelessness services. (f) Termination Section 1013 of title 5, United States Code, shall not apply to the Commission. (g) Authorization of appropriations There is authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary to carry out this section..