Government Executive Analysis and Reform (GEAR) Commission Act of 1979
Latest action. Referred to House Committee on Government Operations.
Government Executive Analysis and Reform (GEAR) Commission Act of 1979 - Establishes the Government Executive Analysis and Reform (GEAR) Commission as an independent instrumentality of the United States. Directs the Commission to study all executive departments and independent agencies and other authorities of the Federal Government: (1) to determine whether regulatory activities have limited competition within segments of the economy and whether such regulators have contributed to current economic difficulties; and (2) to analyze the purposes, structure and jurisdiction, statutory framework, and procedures of such agencies. Directs the Commission to assess the costs and benefits of Federal programs and to make recommendations concerning the restructure of the Government to improve the efficiency of Federal programs. Requires the Commission to submit its recommendations to the President and Congress within 33 months after it first meets. Requires the President to submit to Congress his findings and specific proposals for legislation within 90 days of receipt of the Commission's report. Sets forth the membership of the Commission. Directs: (1) the President to appoint six members, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate; and (2) the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the President pro tempore of the Senate, and the Chief Justice of the United States each to appoint four members. Establishes the Task Force on American Federalism composed of 20 members appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. Directs the Task Force to study the appropriate levels of responsibility shared among units of local, State and Federal Governments, the means for each level to finance such responsibilities, and the extent of intergovernmental assistance required to achieve the proper balance and division of respective Federal, State and local roles and authorities. Directs the Task Force to submit its final report to Congress within 15 months after it first meets stating its findings and proposals for constitutional amendments, legislation, or administrative action necessary to carry out its recommendations. Terminates the Task Force and the Commission 90 days after submission of their final reports. Authorizes to be appropriated $12,000,000 to carry out the provisions of this Act.
Written by analysts at the Congressional Research Service and published on Congress.gov, not by Civibrief. Summarized at the "Introduced in House" stage on July 20, 1979. It describes the bill, it is not the legal text.
Where is it in the process, and what happens next?
4 steps remain before this bill could become law.
The record's latest action, on July 20, 1979: Referred to House Committee on Government Operations.
- Clearing the committees it was referred to, and being scheduled for a floor vote
- Passage by the House
- Passage by the Senate
- The President's signature. If the President vetoes it, two-thirds of both chambers must vote to override.
How likely is it to become law?
Civibrief does not forecast outcomes and this page has no opinion about this one. What the record supports is a base rate, which is a fact about the whole pile, not a prediction about this measure.
In the 96th Congress (1979-80), 613 of the 12,581 bills and joint resolutions introduced became law, about 4.9 percent. That count covers every measure at every stage, including the many that never left committee.
This one is not there yet: 4 steps are still outstanding, listed above.
Has anyone actually voted on it?
No. No roll call in this Congress cites this measure. That is the ordinary outcome: most measures never reach a recorded floor vote, and a committee ends most of them simply by not acting.
A vote is not the only thing that happens to a measure. Hearings, markups, and referrals are all recorded actions, and none of them is a vote of the full chamber.
Who is behind it?
GEORGE HANSEN (R-ID) introduced it on July 20, 1979. No cosponsors are recorded.
Cosponsoring is a formal signature on the text. It is not a commitment to vote for the measure, it does not bind anyone's party, and a long list of cosponsors is a measure of attention rather than of prospects.
How long has it been in play?
It was introduced on July 20, 1979, 17219 days ago. The most recent recorded action was 17219 days ago, on July 20, 1979.
Measures do not carry over. Anything the 96th Congress has not finished by January 3, 1981 dies when the term ends, and has to be introduced again from the start in the next Congress.
Every answer above is assembled from this measure's own record on Congress.gov and from published counts of what Congress has passed before. Civibrief does not predict outcomes and takes no position on any measure.
Vote history
- HouseIn committee, no floor vote yet
- SenateAwaits House passage
- PresidentAwaits both chambers