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tion of the economic benefits that would be derived from means and systems other than a new interocean canal for transit of cargo between the
Atlantic and Pacific Oceans;
(3) an estimation of the United States national security and foreign
policy benefits that would be derived from construction of such a canal
along such route; and
(4) an estimation of the engineering problems entailed in the construction of such a canal along such route.
SEC. 213. MEMBERSHIP.
(a) NUMBER AND APPOINTMENT.-The Council shall consist of five members, who are United States citizens, as follows:
(1) One member shall be appointed by the President pro tempore of the
Senate.
(2) One member shall be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
(3) Three members shall be appointed by the President.
A vacancy in the Council shall be filled in the manner in which the original apopintment was made.
(b) CHAIRMAN.-The Chairman of the Council shall be elected by the Council from among its members.
SEC. 214. POWERS.
(a) HEARING.-The Council or, if authorized by the Council, any committee of one or more members may, for the purpose of carrying out the provisions- of this part, hold such hearings and sit and act at such times and places as the Council or such committee deems advisable.
(b) OTHER POWERs.-The Council has such other powers as are set forth in section 231.
SEC. 215. REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF COUNCIL.
COUNCIL.-Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this title, the Council shall submit to the President and the Congress a document setting forth the results of the review and assessment carried out by it under section 212.
SEC. 216. TRANSITION.
The eCouncil shall cease to exist on whichever of the following days first occurs after the date of the submission of its report under section 215:
(1) The last day of the six-month period beginning on the date of such
submission.
(2) The day on which the Secretary of State notifies the Congress that the
host country in which is deemed to be located the most advantageous route for construction of an interoceanic canal has accepted participation in the
International Sea-Level Canal Study Commission. SEC. 217. TAKING EFFECT OF PART B.
Part B shall take effect if, and only if(1) the Council declares in its report submitted under section 215 that
the United States and the country in which the most advantageous route for construction is located both recognize that a sea-level canal may be important for international navigation in the future;
(2) the Senate and the House of Representatives have not, within sixty
days of receiving the report of the Council submitted under section 215, agreed to a joint resolution stating their disapproval of such report: Provided, That the sixty-day period referred to in this paragraph shall be computed by excluding (i) the days on which either House is not in session because of an adjournment of the Congress sine die, and (ii) any Saturday and "Sunday, not excluded under subparagraph (j), when either
House is not in session ; and
(3) the Congress is notified by the Secretary of State that the country in
which the most advantageous route for construction is deemed to be located has accepted participation in the International Sea-Level Canal
Study commission established in part B of this title.
The effective date of such part shall be the date on which (1), (2), and (3) of this paragraph shall have occurred.