organizations representing employers, employees, and the general public;

(9) review of the present method of collecting and analyzing present and prospective national and local employment and unemployment information and statistics;

(10) identification of any weaknesses in such method and any problem which results from the operation of such method;

(11) formulation of any necessary or appropriate new techniques for the collection and analysis of such information and statistics; and

(12) examination of the feasibility and advisability of developing or not developing Federal minimum benefit standards for State unemployment insurance program.

(c) POWERS OF THE COMMISSION.—

(1) HEARINGS.-The Commission, or, on the authorization of the Commission, any subcommittee or members thereof, may, for the purpose of carrying out the provisions of this section, hold such hearing, take such testimony, receive such evidence, take such oaths and sit and act at such times and places as the Commission may deem appropriate and may administer oaths or affirmations to witnesses appearing before the Commission or any subcommittee or members thereof.

(2) STAFF. Subject to such rules and regulations as may be adopted by the Commission, the Chairman shall have the power to

(A) appoint and fix the compensation of an executive director, and such additional personnel as he deems advisable, without regard to the provisions of title 5, United States Code, governing appointments in the competitive service, and without regard to the provisions of chapter 51 and subchapter III of chapter 53 of such title relating to classification and General Schedule pay rates, except that the executive director may not receive pay in excess of the maximum annual rate of basic pay in effect for grade GS-18 of the General Schedule under section 5332 of such title and any additional personnel may not receive pay in excess of the maximum annual rate of basic pay in effect for grade GS-15 of such General Schedule, and

(B) obtain temporary and intermittent services of experts and consultants in accordance with the provisions of section 3109 of title 5, United States Code.

(3) CONTRACTS.-The Commission is authorized to negotiate and enter into contracts with organizations, institutions, and

individuals to carry out such studies, surveys, or research and prepare such reports as the Commission determines are necessary in order to carry out its duties.

(d) COOPERATION OF OTHER FEDERAL AGENCIES.

(1) INFORMATION.-Each department, agency, and instrumentality of the Federal Government is authorized and directed to furnish to the Commission, upon request made by the Chairman, and to the extent permitted by law, such data, reports, and other information as the Commission deems necessary to carry out its functions under this section.

(2) SERVICES.-The head of each department or agency of the Federal Government is authorized to provide to the Commission such services as the Commission requests on such basis, reimbursable and otherwise, as may be agreed between the department or agency and the Chairman of the Commission. All such requests shall be made by the Chairman of the Commission.

(3) DEPARTMENT OF LABOR.-The Department of Labor shall provide support for the Commission and shall perform such other functions with respect to the Commission as may be required by the provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act. (e) PAY AND TRAVEL EXPENSES.

(1) MEMBERS SERVE WITHOUT PAY.-Except as provided in paragraph (2), members of the Commission shall serve without pay.

(2) TRAVEL EXPENSES.-While away from their homes or regular places of business in the performance of services for the Commission, members of the Commission shall be allowed travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, in the same manner as persons employed intermittently in the Government service are allowed expenses under section 5703 (b) of title 5 of the United States Code.

(f) INTERIM REPORT.-The Commission shall transmit to the Congress not later than March 31, 1978, an interim report.

(g) FINAL REPORT.-The Commission shall transmit to the President and the Congress not later than January 1, 1979, a final report containing a detailed statement of the findings and conclusions of the Commission, together with such recommendations as it deems advisable.

(h) TERMINATION.-On the ninetieth day after the date of submission of its final report to the President, the Commission shall cease to exist.

(i) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.-There are hereby authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of this section.

TITLE V-MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

SEC. 501. REFERRAL OF BLIND AND DISABLED INDIVIDUALS UNDER AGE 16, WHO ARE RECEIVING BENEFITS UNDER THE SUPPLEMENTAL SECURITY INCOME PROGRAM, FOR APPROPRIATE REHABILITATION SERVICES.

(b) PUBLICATION OF CRITERIA.-The Secretary shall, within 120 days after the enactment of this subsection, publish criteria to be employed to determine disability (as defined in section 1614(a)(3) of the Social Security Act) in the case of persons who have not attained the age of 18.

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SEC. 503. PRESERVATION OF MEDICAID ELIGIBILITY FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO CEASE TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR SUPPLEMENTAL SECURITY INCOME BENEFITS ON ACCOUNT OF COST-OFLIVING INCREASES IN SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS.

In addition to other requirements imposed by law as a condition for the approval of any State plan under title XIX of the Social Security Act, there is hereby imposed the requirement (and each such State plan shall be deemed to require) that medical assistance under such plan shall be provided to any individual, for any month after June 1977 for which such individual is entitled to a monthly insurance benefit under title II of such Act but is not eligible for benefits under title XVI of such Act, in like manner and subject to the same terms and conditions as are applicable under such State plan in the case of individuals who are eligible for and receiving benefits under such title XVI for such month, if for such month such individual would be (or could become) eligible for benefits under such title XVI except for amounts of income received by such individual and his spouse (if any) which are attributable to increases in the level of monthly insurance benefits payable under title II of such Act which have occurred pursuant to section 215 (i) of such Act, in the case of such individual, since the last month after April 1977 for which such individual was both eligible for (and received) benefits under such title XVI and was entitled to a monthly insurance benefit under such title II, and, in the case of such individual's spouse (if any), since the last such month for which such spouse was both eligible for (and received) benefits under such title XVI and was entitled to a monthly insurance benefit under such title II. Solely for purposes of this section, payments of the type described in section 1616(a) of the Social Security Act or of the type described in section 212 (a) of Public Law 93-66 shall be deemed to be benefits under title XVI of the Social Security Act.

SEC. 508. STATE EMPLOYMENT OFFICES TO SUPPLY DATA IN AID OF ADMINISTRATION OF AFDC AND CHILD SUPPORT

PROGRAMS.

(a) IN GENERAL.-Section 3 (a) of the Act entitled "An Act to provide for the establishment of a national employment system and for cooperation with the States in the promotion of such system, and for other purposes", approved June 6, 1933 (29 U.S.C. 49b (a)), is amended by adding at the end thereof the following new sentence: "It shall be the further duty of the bureau to assure that such employment offices in each State, upon request of a public agency administering or supervising the administration of a State plan approved under part A of title IV of the Social Security Act or of a public agency charged with any duty or responsibility under any program or activity authorized or required under part D of title IV of such Act, shall (and, notwithstanding any other provision of law, is hereby authorized to) furnish to such agency making the request, from any data contained in the files of any such employment office, information with respect to any individual specified in the request as to (A) whether such individual is receiving, has received, or has made application for, unemployment compensation, and the amount of any such compensation being received by such individual, (B) the current (or most recent) home address of such individual, and (C) whether such individual has refused an offer of employment and, if so, a description of the employment so offered and terms, conditions, and rate of pay therefor.".

(b) PROVISION FOR REIMBURSEMENT OF EXPENSES.-For purposes of section 403 of the Social Security Act, expenses incurred to reimburse State employment offices for furnishing information requested of such offices pursuant to the third sentence of section 3 (a) of the Act entitled "An Act to provide for the establishment of a national employment system and for cooperation with the States in the promotion of such system, and for other purposes", approved June 6, 1933 (29) U.S.C. 49b (a), by a State or local agency administering a State plan approved under part A of title IV of the Social Security Act shall be considered to constitute expenses incurred in the administration of such State plan; and for purposes of section 455 of the Social Security Act, expenses incurred to reimburse State employment offices for furnishing information so requested by a State or local agency charged with the duty of carrying out a State plan for child support approved under part D of title IV of the Social Security Act shall be considered to constitute expenses incurred in the administration of such State plan.

Excerpts From Public Law 94-585

Sec. 1. (a) ***

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(b) Administrative costs incurred by a State plan for aid and services to needy families with children, approved under Part A of title IV of the Social Security Act, in conducting procedures (described in section 410 of such Act, as added by subsection (a) of this section) in connection with the food stamp program shall be paid from funds appropriated to carry out the Food Stamp Act of 1964, as amended. Sec. 2. (a) ***