National Commemorative Events Advisory Act

Summary: National Commemorative Events Advisory Act - Establishes the President's Advisory Commission on National Commemorative Events to: (1) establish criteria for recommending to the President that a proposed commemorative event be approved or disapproved; (2) review proposals for national commemorative events submitted in accordance with procedures published by the Commission; and (3) issue recommendations to the President concerning each proposal reviewed.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``National Commemorative Events 
Advisory Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    The Congress finds that--
            (1) the preparation and consideration of the multitude of 
        bills proposing particular days, weeks, months, or years for 
        recognition through Presidential proclamation unduly burdens 
        the Congress and consumes an inordinate amount of time;
            (2) such proposals could be more efficiently considered by 
        a commission whose sole function would be to review proposals 
        for national commemorative events and to make positive or 
        negative recommendations thereon to the President;
            (3) such a commission would streamline the process by which 
        such proposals are currently considered and save the Congress 
        considerable time and resources which could be devoted to 
        matters of more pressing national concern; and
            (4) such a commission would better ensure the impartial 
        review of proposals for national commemorative events generated 
        by a wide variety of constituent groups.

SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT AND MEMBERSHIP.

    (a) In General.--There shall be established a commission to be 
known as the ``President's Advisory Commission on National 
Commemorative Events'' (hereinafter in this Act referred to as the 
``Commission'').
    (b) Members.--The Commission shall be composed of 11 members, as 
follows:
            (1) 2 members shall be appointed by the Speaker of the 
        House of Representatives.
            (2) 2 members shall be appointed by the President pro 
        tempore of the Senate.
            (3) 7 members shall be appointed by the President. Members 
        under this paragraph shall represent, insofar as possible, a 
        wide range of educational, geographical, and professional 
        backgrounds. A Member of Congress may not be appointed under 
        this paragraph.
All members must be citizens of the United States.
    (c) Terms.--(1) Each member shall be appointed for a term of 2 
years, except as provided in paragraph (2).
    (2) Of the members first appointed under subsection (b)(3)--
            (A) 3 shall be appointed for 1 year, and
            (B) 4 shall be appointed for 2 years,
as designated by the President.
    (3) If a member was appointed to the Commission as a Member of 
Congress and the member ceases to be a Member of Congress, that member 
may continue as a member for not longer than the 30-day period 
beginning on the date that member ceases to be a Member of Congress.
    (d) Vacancies.--A vacancy shall be filled in the manner in which 
the original appointment was made. A vacancy in the Commission shall 
not affect its powers. 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 such term.
    (e) Chairman.--The Chairman of the Commission shall be designated 
by the President from among the members under subsection (b)(3). The 
term of office of the Chairman shall be 2 years.
    (f) Quorum.--6 members of the Commission shall constitute a quorum. 
Action by a quorum shall be necessary for the Commission to issue a 
recommendation under section 6(d).
    (g) Meetings.--The Commission shall meet on at least a quarterly 
basis. Meetings shall be held in the District of Columbia.
    (h) Pay.--(1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), each member of 
the Commission shall be paid the daily equivalent of the maximum rate 
of basic pay payable for grade GS-15 of the General Schedule for each 
day, including traveltime, during which such member is performing 
duties of the Commission.
    (2) Members of the Commission who are full-time officers or 
employees of the United States or Members of Congress may not receive 
additional pay by reason of their service on the Commission.
    (i) Travel Expenses.--While away from their homes or regular places 
of business in the performance of services for the Commission, members 
of the Commission shall be allowed travel expenses, including a per 
diem allowance in lieu of subsistence, in the same manner as persons 
employed intermittently in the Government service are allowed travel 
expenses under section 5703 of title 5 of the United States Code.

SEC. 4. DIRECTOR; STAFF.

    (a) Authority.--The Commission may appoint and fix the pay of a 
Director and such staff as the Commission considers appropriate.
    (b) Inapplicability of Certain Civil Service Laws.--The Director 
and staff of the Commission may be appointed without regard to the 
provisions of title 5, United States Code, governing appointments in 
the competitive service, and may be paid without regard to the 
provisions of chapter 51 and subchapter III of chapter 53 of that title 
relating to classification and General Schedule pay rates, except that 
an individual so appointed may not receive pay in excess of the maximum 
rate of basic pay payable for grade GS-15 of the General Schedule.
    (c) Staff of Federal Agencies.--Upon request of the Chairman, 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 
Commission to assist it in carrying out its duties under this Act.

SEC. 5. POWERS OF THE COMMISSION.

    (a) Hearings.--The Commission may, for the purpose of carrying out 
this Act, hold such hearings, take such testimony, and receive such 
evidence, as it considers appropriate.
    (b) Gifts.--The Commission may accept, use, and dispose of gifts or 
donations of services or property, but not from a source having a 
direct interest in any matter before the Commission.
    (c) Mails.--The Commission 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.--The Administrator of General 
Services shall provide to the Commission, on a reimbursable basis, such 
administrative support services as the Commission may request.

SEC. 6. DUTIES OF THE COMMISSION.

    (a) Criteria.--The Commission shall establish criteria for 
recommending to the President that a proposed commemorative event be 
approved or disapproved.
    (b) Submission of Proposals.--The Commission shall establish and 
publish in the Federal Register procedures for submitting proposals for 
national commemorative events to the Commission.
    (c) Review of Proposals.--The Commission shall review all proposals 
submitted to it in accordance with subsection (b).
    (d) Recommendation to the President.--The Commission shall issue a 
recommendation to the President for approval or disapproval of each 
proposal submitted to it in accordance with subsection (b). Each 
recommendation shall be accompanied by a brief explanation of the 
reasons why such recommendation was made.

SEC. 7. EFFECTIVE DATE; COMMENCEMENT AND TERMINATION PROVISIONS.

    (a) Effective Date.--This Act shall take effect at the beginning of 
the One Hundred Third Congress.
    (b) Commencement; Termination.--(1) Members of the Commission shall 
be appointed, and the Commission shall first meet, within 90 days after 
the effective date of this Act.
    (2) The Commission shall terminate 5 years after the date on which 
it first meets.