To establish a national commission on presidential war powers and civil liberties.

H.R. 6501 proposed the creation of a national commission to investigate the executive branch’s national security and counterterrorism policies implemented following the September 11, 2001, attacks. The commission would have examined the legality and impact of various government actions, including domestic warrantless surveillance, "enhanced interrogation" techniques, and the use of state secrets to prevent judicial review of government programs. For the average citizen, this bill aimed to provide a transparent public accounting of how presidential war powers have affected individual civil liberties and the balance of power between the government and the public.