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| Pew Commission | |
|---|---|
| Name | Pew Commission |
| Formation | 1990s |
| Founder | The Pew Charitable Trusts |
| Type | Independent commission |
| Purpose | Policy analysis and recommendations |
| Headquarters | Philadelphia |
Pew Commission The Pew Commission was an independent policy commission sponsored by The Pew Charitable Trusts in the late 20th and early 21st centuries that produced influential recommendations on public policy. It convened panels of experts from institutions such as Harvard University, Stanford University, Columbia University, Yale University and Princeton University to address complex issues, and its work intersected with agencies including the United States Congress, Department of Defense (Australia), and international bodies like the United Nations and North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Commissioners included leaders from Brookings Institution, American Enterprise Institute, RAND Corporation, World Bank, and International Committee of the Red Cross who engaged with stakeholders such as Governors of New Jersey, Senator John McCain, Representative Nancy Pelosi, and officials from The White House.
The commission was established by The Pew Charitable Trusts following precedent set by commissions like the 9/11 Commission, the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States, and the Commission on the Intelligence Capabilities of the United States Regarding Weapons of Mass Destruction to provide bipartisan analysis. Its formation drew on advisory models from the Kissinger Commission, the Gruber Commission, and the Commission on Presidential Debates, and it coordinated with think tanks including Center for Strategic and International Studies, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, Council on Foreign Relations, and Heritage Foundation. Founders referenced past commissions such as the Commission on Civil Rights and the Commission on the Bicentennial of the United States Constitution when designing governance structures.
Leadership featured prominent figures from academia, law, and public service, including former officials who served at U.S. Department of State, U.S. Department of Defense, and international posts like Ambassador Richard Holbrooke and diplomats with ties to Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Membership drew on leaders affiliated with University of Chicago, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Georgetown University, Johns Hopkins University, and London School of Economics, as well as executives from Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, General Electric, and non-profits such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch. Chairs and vice-chairs had experience on panels such as the National Academy of Sciences, National Academy of Public Administration, and advisory councils to presidents like Bill Clinton and George W. Bush.
Mandates mirrored commissions like the Commission on Wartime Relocation and Internment of Civilians and the Commission on the Intelligence Community. Objectives included producing policy recommendations for legislative bodies such as the United States Congress and regulatory agencies including the Federal Communications Commission and the Environmental Protection Agency. The commission sought to inform debates in forums like the World Economic Forum, the G8 summit, and conferences hosted by OECD and World Health Organization, and to influence legal frameworks exemplified by statutes like the Patriot Act and landmark rulings of the Supreme Court of the United States.
The commission issued major reports that echoed the scope of publications from Pew Research Center and analyses akin to reports by the Government Accountability Office and Congressional Budget Office. Reports addressed topics comparable to studies by the Truman Commission and recommendations reminiscent of the Jackson-Vanik Amendment debates, and included findings on governance models seen in the European Union and regulatory approaches observed in Japan and Germany. Major findings were cited by policymakers in hearings before committees such as the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and the House Homeland Security Committee, and referenced in media outlets like The New York Times, The Washington Post, and The Economist.
The commission influenced legislation, executive actions, and institutional reforms in ways similar to outcomes from the Commission on Wartime Contracting and the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform. Its recommendations were implemented by entities such as state governments in California, New York, and Texas, and informed administrative rules at agencies like the Department of Health and Human Services and Department of Education. Internationally, its work was discussed at European Parliament sessions and cited by policymakers in Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand.
Critics compared controversies to debates around the 9/11 Commission Report and scrutiny faced by the Iraq Study Group. Critics from organizations including Public Citizen, Center for Public Integrity, and Common Cause raised concerns about funding transparency from The Pew Charitable Trusts and potential conflicts of interest involving corporate partners such as ExxonMobil, Pfizer, and Microsoft. Academic critiques appeared in journals associated with Oxford University Press, Cambridge University Press, and university presses at University of California Press and MIT Press, questioning methodology and representation of minority voices from communities represented by groups like NAACP and National Urban League.
The commission’s legacy parallels that of the Kerner Commission and the Commission on the Future of the United States Aerospace Industry in shaping public debate and institutional practice. Subsequent initiatives inspired by its model include projects at Pew Research Center, panels convened by Brookings Institution, initiatives at RAND Corporation, and bipartisan efforts like the Bipartisan Policy Center. Its archives and documents have been referenced in academic work at Harvard Kennedy School, Georgetown Law, Columbia Law School, and doctoral research at University of Oxford and University of Cambridge.
Category:Commissions in the United States