Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 114 Part 5.djvu/910

This page needs to be proofread.

114 STAT. 2924 PUBLIC LAW 106-568—DEC. 27, 2000 Services of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs of the Senate. (b) MEMBERSHIP.— (1) APPOINTMENT.— The Commission shall be composed of 12 members, appointed not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act as follows: (A) Four members shall be appointed by the President. (B) Four members shall be appointed by the chairperson of the Committee on Banking and Financial Services of the House of Representatives. (C) Four members shall be appointed by the chairperson of the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs of the Senate. (2) QUALIFICATIONS.— (A) MEMBERS OF TRIBES.— At all times, not less than eight of the members of the Commission shall be members of federally recognized Indian tribes. (B) EXPERIENCE IN LAND TITLE MATTERS. -~ A11 members of the Commission shall have experience in and knowledge of land title matters relating to Indian trust lands. (3) CHAIRPERSON,—The Chairperson of the Commission shall be one of the members of the Commission appointed under paragraph (1)(C), as elected by the members of the Commission. (4) VACANCIES.— Any vacancy on the Commission shall not affect its powers, but shall be filled in the manner in which the original appointment was made. (5) TRAVEL EXPENSES.— Members of the Commission shall serve without pay, but each member shall receive travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, in accordance with sections 5702 and 5703 of title 5, United States Code. (c) INITIAL MEETING.— The Chairperson of the Commission shall call the initial meeting of the Commission. Such meeting shall be held within 30 days after the Chairperson of the Commission determines that sums sufficient for the Commission to carry out its duties under this Act have been appropriated for such purpose. (d) DUTIES. —The Commission shall analyze the system of the Bureau of Indian Affairs of the Department of the Interior for maintaining land ownership records and title documents and issuing certified title status reports relating to Indian trust lands and, pursuant to such analysis, determine how best to improve or replace the system— (1) to ensure prompt and accurate responses to requests for title status reports; (2) to eliminate any backlog of requests for title status reports; and (3) to ensure that the administration of the system will not in any way impair or restrict the ability of Native Americ£ms to obtain conventional loans for purchase of residences located on Indian trust lands, including any actions necessary to ensure that the system will promptly be able to meet future demands for certified title status reports, taking into account the anticipated complexity and volume of such requests. Deadline. (e) REPORT.—Not later than the date of the termination of the Commission under subsection (h), the Commission shall submit a report to the Committee on Banking and Financial Services