From: Kelly Pierce 
Subject: ticket to work proposal introduced
                  receive services under the outcome-milestone payment 
ystem;
                  and
 
                      (IX) measures of satisfaction among beneficiaries in
                  receipt of tickets under the Program.
 
              (C) Periodic evaluation reports.--Following the close of the
          third and fifth fiscal years ending after the effective date under
          subsection (c), and prior to the close of the seventh fiscal year
          ending after such date, the Commissioner shall transmit to the
          Committee on Ways and Means of the House of Representatives and the
          Committee on Finance of the Senate a report containing the
          Commissioner's evaluation of the progress of activities conducted
          under the provisions of this section and the amendments made 
thereby.
          Each such report shall set forth the Commissioner's evaluation of 
the
          extent to which the Program has been successful and the
          Commissioner's conclusions on whether or how the Program should be
          modified. Each such report shall include such data, findings,
          materials, and recommendations as the Commissioner may consider
          appropriate.
 
      (e) The Ticket to Work and Self-Sufficiency Advisory Panel.--
 
          (1) Establishment.--There is established in the Social Security
      Administration a panel to be known as the "Ticket to Work and Self-
      Sufficiency Advisory Panel" (in this subsection referred to as the
      "Panel").
 
          (2) Duties of panel.--It shall be the duty of the Panel to--
 
              (A) advise the Commissioner of Social Security on establishing
          phase-in sites for the Ticket to Work and Self-Sufficiency Program
          and on fully implementing the Program thereafter,
 
              (B) advise the Commissioner with respect to the refinement of
          access of disabled beneficiaries to employment networks, payment
          systems, and management information systems and advise the
          Commissioner whether such measures are being taken to the extent
          necessary to ensure the success of the Program,
 
              (C) advise the Commissioner regarding the most effective 
esigns
          for research and demonstration projects associated with the Program
          or conducted pursuant to subsection (h), and
 
              (D) furnish progress reports on the Program to the President 
nd
          each House of the Congress.
 
          (3) Membership.--
 
              (A) Number and appointment.--The Panel shall be composed of 6
          members as follows:
 
                  (i) 1 member appointed by the Chairman of the Committee on
              Ways and Means of the House of Representatives;
 
                  (ii) 1 member appointed by the ranking minority member of 
the
              Committee on Ways and Means of the House of Representatives;
 
                  (iii) 1 member appointed by the Chairman of the Committee 
n
              Finance of the Senate;
 
                  (iv) 1 member appointed by the ranking minority member of 
the
              Committee on Finance of the Senate; and
 
                  (v) 2 members appointed by the President, not more than 1 
f
              whom may be of the same political party.
 
              (B) Representation.--Of the members appointed under 
ubparagraph
          (A)--
 
                  (i) at least one shall represent the interests of 
ecipients
              of employment services, vocational rehabilitation services, and
              other support services,
 
                  (ii) at least one shall represent the interests of 
roviders
              of employment services, vocational rehabilitation services, and
              other support services, and
 
                  (iii) at least one shall represent the interests of private
              employers.
 
              (C) Terms.--
 
                  (i) In general.--Each member shall be appointed for a term 
of
              4 years (or, if less, for the remaining life of the Panel),
              except as provided in clauses (ii) and (iii).
 
                  (ii) Terms of initial appointees.--As designated by the
              President at the time of appointment, of the members first
              appointed--
 
                      (I) 3 of the members appointed under subparagraph (A)
                  shall be appointed for a term of 2 years, and
 
                      (II) 3 of the members appointed under subparagraph (A)
                  shall be appointed for a term of 4 years.
 
                  (iii) Vacancies.--Any member appointed to fill a vacancy
              occurring before the expiration of the term for which the
              member's predecessor was appointed shall be appointed only for
              the remainder of that term. A member may serve after the
              expiration of that member's term until a successor has taken
              office. A vacancy in the Panel shall be filled in the manner in
              which the original appointment was made.
 
              (D) Basic pay.--Members shall each be paid at a rate equal to 
the
          daily equivalent of the rate of basic pay for level 4 of the Senior
          Executive Service, as in effect from time to time under section 
382
          of title 5, United States Code, for each day (including travel 
ime)
          during which they are engaged in the actual performance of duties
          vested in the Panel.
 
              (E) Travel expenses.--Each member shall receive travel 
xpenses,
          including per diem in lieu of subsistence, in accordance with
          sections 5702 and 5703 of title 5, United States Code.
 
              (F) Quorum.--4 members of the Panel shall constitute a quorum 
but
          a lesser number may hold hearings.
 
              (G) Chairperson.--The Chairperson of the Panel shall be
          designated by the President. The term of office of the Chairperson
          shall be 4 years.
 
              (H) Meetings.--The Panel shall meet at least quarterly and at
          other times at the call of the Chairperson or a majority of its
          members.
 
          (4) Director and staff of panel; experts and consultants.--
 
              (A) Director.--The Panel shall have a Director who shall be
          appointed by the Panel. The Director shall be paid at a rate not to
          exceed the maximum rate of pay payable for GS-15 of the General
          Schedule.
 
              (B) Staff.--Subject to rules prescribed by the Panel, the
          Director may appoint and fix the pay of additional personnel as the
          Director considers appropriate.
 
              (C) Experts and consultants.--Subject to rules prescribed by 
he
          Panel, the Director may procure temporary and intermittent services
          under section 3109(b) of title 5, United States Code.
 
              (D) Staff of federal agencies.--Upon request of the Panel, 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 Panel to assist it in carrying out its duties under this 
ct.
 
          (5) Powers of panel.--
 
              (A) Hearings and sessions.--The Panel may, for the purpose of
          carrying out its duties under this subsection, hold such hearings,
          sit and act at such times and places, and take such testimony and
          evidence as the Panel considers appropriate.
 
              (B) Powers of members and agents.--Any member or agent of the
          Panel may, if authorized by the Panel, take any action which the
          Panel is authorized to take by this section.
 
              (C) Mails.--The Panel may use the United States mails in the 
same
          manner and under the same conditions as other departments and
          agencies of the United States.
 
              (D) Administrative support services.--Upon the request of the
          Panel, the Administrator of General Services shall provide to the
          Panel, on a reimbursable basis, the administrative support services
          necessary for the Panel to carry out its duties under this
          subsection.
 
          (6) Reports.--
 
              (A) Interim reports.--The Panel shall submit to the President 
and
          the Congress interim reports at least annually.
 
              (B) Final report.--The Panel shall transmit a final report to 
the
          President and the Congress not later than eight years after the 
ate
          of the enactment of this Act. The final report shall contain a
          detailed statement of the findings and conclusions of the Panel,
          together with its recommendations for legislation and 
dministrative
          actions which the Panel considers appropriate.
 
          (7) Termination.--The Panel shall terminate 30 days after the date 
of
      the submission of its final report under paragraph (6)(B).
 
          (8) Authorization of appropriations.--There are authorized to be
      appropriated from the Federal Old-Age and Survivors Insurance Trust 
Fund,
      the Federal Disability Insurance Trust Fund, and the general fund of 
he
      Treasury, as appropriate, such sums as are necessary to carry out this
      subsection.
 
      (f) Specific Regulations Required.--
 
          (1) In general.--The Commissioner of Social Security shall 
rescribe
      such regulations as are necessary to implement the amendments made by
      this section.
 
          (2) Specific matters to be included in regulations.--The matters
      which shall be addressed in such regulations shall include (but are not
      limited to)--
 
              (A) the form and manner in which tickets to work and self-
          sufficiency may be distributed to existing beneficiaries pursuant 
o
          section 1147(b)(1) of such Act;
 
              (B) the format and wording of such tickets, which shall
          incorporate by reference any contractual terms governing service by
          employment networks under the Program;
 
              (C) the form and manner in which State agencies may elect
          participation in the Ticket to Work and Self-Sufficiency Program 
(and
          revoke such an election) pursuant to section 1147(c)(1) of such Act
          and provision for periodic opportunities for exercising such
          elections (and revocations);
 
              (D) the status of State agencies under section 1147(c)(2) at 
he
          time that State agencies exercise elections (and revocations) under
          such section 1147(c)(1);
 
              (E) the terms of agreements to be entered into with program
          managers pursuant to section 1147(d) of such Act, including (but 
ot
          limited to)--
 
                  (i) the terms by which program managers are precluded from
              direct participation in the delivery of services pursuant to
              section 1147(d)(3) of such Act,
 
                  (ii) standards which must be met by quality assurance
              measures referred to in paragraph (6) of section 1147(d) and
              methods of recruitment of employment networks utilized pursuant
              to paragraph (2) of section 1147(e), and
 
                  (iii) the format under which dispute resolution will 
perate
              under section 1147(d)(7).
 
              (F) the terms of agreements to be entered into with employment
          networks pursuant to section 1147(d)(4) of such Act, including (but
          not limited to)--
 
                  (i) the manner in which service areas are specified 
ursuant
              to section 1147(f)(2)(A) of such Act,
 
                  (ii) the general selection criteria and the specific
              selection criteria which are applicable to employment networks
              under section 1147(f)(2)(B) of such Act in selecting service
              providers,
 
                  (iii) specific requirements relating to annual financial
              reporting by employment networks pursuant to section 1147(f)(3)
              of such Act, and
 
                  (iv) the national model to which periodic outcomes 
eporting
              by employment networks must conform under section 1147(f)(4) of
              such Act;
 
              (G) standards which must be met by individual employment plans
          pursuant to section 1147(g) of such Act;
 
              (H) standards which must be met by payment systems required 
under
          section 1147(h) of such Act, including (but not limited to)--
 
                  (i) the form and manner in which elections by employment
              networks of payment systems are to be exercised pursuant to
              section 1147(h)(1)(A),
 
                  (ii) the terms which must be met by an outcome payment 
system
              under section 1147(h)(2);
 
                  (iii) the terms which must be met by an outcome-milestone
              payment system under section 1147(h)(3);
 
                  (iv) any revision of the percentage specified in paragraph
              (2)(C) of section 1147(h) of such Act or the period of time
              specified in paragraph (4)(B) of such section 1147(h); and
 
                  (v) annual oversight procedures for such systems; and
 
              (I) procedures for effective oversight of the Program by the
          Commissioner of Social Security, including periodic reviews and
          reporting requirements.
 
      (g) Work Incentive Specialists.--The Commissioner shall establish a 
corps
  of trained, accessible, and responsive work incentive specialists to
  specialize in title II and title XVI disability work incentives for the
  purpose of disseminating accurate information to disabled beneficiaries (as
  defined in section 1147(j)(1) of the Social Security Act as amended by this
  Act) with respect to inquiries and issues relating to work incentives.
 
      (h) Demonstration Projects Providing for Reductions in Disability
  Insurance Benefits Based on Earnings. --
 
          (1) Authority.--The Commissioner shall conduct demonstration 
projects
      for the purpose of evaluating, through the collection of data, a 
rogram
      for title II disability beneficiaries (as defined in section 1147(j)(2)
      of the Social Security Act, as amended by this Act) under which each $1
      of benefits payable under section 223, or under section 202 based on 
he
      beneficiary's disability, is reduced for each $2 of such beneficiary's
      earnings that is above a level to be determined by the Commissioner. 
Such
      projects shall be conducted at a number of localities which the
      Commissioner shall determine is sufficient to adequately evaluate the
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