I 

114TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 4543 

To establish the Frederick Douglass Bicentennial Commission. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

FEBRUARY 11, 2016 

Ms. NORTON introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 

Committee on Oversight and Government Reform 

A BILL 

To establish the Frederick Douglass Bicentennial 

Commission. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Frederick Douglass 

5 Bicentennial Commission Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

7 Congress makes the following findings: 

8 (1) Born into slavery on the Eastern Shore of 

9 Maryland in 1818 and given the name Frederick 

10 Augustus Washington Bailey after his mother HarVerDate Sep 11 2014 01:31 Feb 13, 2016 Jkt 059200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H4543.IH H4543

SSpencer on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
2 

•HR 4543 IH

1 riet Bailey, Frederick Douglass has been called the 

2 father of the civil rights movement. 

3 (2) Douglass rose through determination, bril4 liance, and eloquence to shape the American Nation. 

5 He was an abolitionist, human rights and women’s 

6 rights activist, orator, author, journalist, publisher, 

7 and social reformer. 

8 (3) Taught basic reading skills by his mistress 

9 until she was forced to stop, Douglass continued to 

10 teach himself to read and write and taught other 

11 slaves to read despite risks including death. 

12 (4) During the course of his remarkable life 

13 Frederick Douglass escaped from slavery, became 

14 internationally renowned for his eloquence in the 

15 cause of liberty, and went on to serve the national 

16 government in several official capacities. 

17 (5) Forced to leave the country to avoid arrest 

18 as an escaped slave, he returned to become a 

19 staunch advocate of the Union cause and helped re20 cruit African-American troops for the Union Army, 

21 including two of his sons, Charles and Lewis Doug22 lass. His personal relationship with Abraham Lin23 coln helped persuade the President to make emanci24 pation a cause of the Civil War. 


SSpencer on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
3 

•HR 4543 IH

1 (6) With the abolition of slavery at the close of 

2 the Civil War, Douglass then turned his attention to 

3 the full integration of African-Americans into the 

4 political and economic life of the United States. 

5 Committed to freedom, Douglass dedicated his life 

6 to achieving justice for all Americans, in particular 

7 African-Americans, women, and minority groups. He 

8 envisioned America as an inclusive Nation strength9 ened by diversity and free of discrimination. 

10 (7) Douglass served as an advisor to Presi11 dents. Abraham Lincoln referred to him as the most 

12 meritorious man of the nineteenth century. Douglass 

13 was appointed to several offices. He served as the 

14 United States Marshal of the District of Columbia 

15 under Rutherford B. Hayes’ administration; Presi16 dent James Garfield appointed Douglass the District 

17 of Columbia Recorder of Deeds. In 1889, President 

18 Benjamin Harrison appointed Frederick Douglass to 

19 be the United States minister to Haiti. He was also 

20 appointed by President Grant to serve as Assistant 

21 Secretary of the Commission of Inquiry to Santo 

22 Domingo. 

23 (8) Douglass lived in the District of Columbia 

24 for 23 of his 57 years as a free man, and in recogni25 tion of his leadership and continuous fight for jusVerDate Sep 11 2014 01:31 Feb 13, 2016 Jkt 059200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H4543.IH H4543

SSpencer on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
4 

•HR 4543 IH

1 tice and freedom, his home, Cedar Hill, was estab2 lished as a National Historic Site in Anacostia, in 

3 Southeast Washington, DC. 

4 (9) Frederick Douglass was deeply committed 

5 to obtaining equal congressional voting and self-gov6 ernment rights for District of Columbia residents 

7 and his statue in the United States Capitol is a gift 

8 from the almost 650,000 American citizens of the 

9 District of Columbia. 

10 (10) All Americans could benefit from studying 

11 the life of Frederick Douglass, for Douglass dedi12 cated his own life to ensuring freedom and equality 

13 for future generations of Americans. This Nation 

14 should ensure that his tireless struggle, trans15 formative words, and inclusive vision of humanity 

16 continue to inspire and sustain us. 

17 (11) The year 2018 marks the bicentennial an18 niversary of the birth of Frederick Douglass, and a 

19 commission should be established to study and rec20 ommend to Congress activities that are fitting and 

21 proper to celebrate that anniversary in a manner 

22 that appropriately honors Frederick Douglass. 


SSpencer on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
5 

•HR 4543 IH

1 SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT. 

2 There is established a commission to be known as the 

3 Frederick Douglass Bicentennial Commission (referred to 

4 in this Act as the ‘‘Commission’’). 

5 SEC. 4. DUTIES. 

6 The Commission shall have the following duties: 

7 (1) To study activities that may be carried out 

8 by the Federal Government to determine whether 

9 the activities are fitting and proper to honor Fred10 erick Douglass on the occasion of the bicentennial 

11 anniversary of Douglass’ birth, including— 

12 (A) the issuance of a Frederick Douglass 

13 bicentennial postage stamp; 

14 (B) the convening of a joint meeting or 

15 joint session of Congress for ceremonies and ac16 tivities relating to Frederick Douglass; 

17 (C) a rededication of the Frederick Doug18 lass National Historic Site, or other activity 

19 with respect to the Site; and 

20 (D) the acquisition and preservation of ar21 tifacts associated with Frederick Douglass. 

22 (2) To recommend to Congress the activities 

23 that the Commission considers most fitting and 

24 proper to honor Frederick Douglass on such occa25 sion, and the entity or entities in the Federal GovVerDate Sep 11 2014 01:31 Feb 13, 2016 Jkt 059200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H4543.IH H4543

SSpencer on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
6 

•HR 4543 IH

1 ernment that the Commission considers most appro2 priate to carry out such activities. 

3 SEC. 5. MEMBERSHIP. 

4 (a) NUMBER AND APPOINTMENT.—The Commission 

5 shall be composed of 16 members appointed as follows: 

6 (1) Two members, each of whom shall be a 

7 qualified citizen described in subsection (b), ap8 pointed by the President. 

9 (2) One member, who shall be a qualified cit10 izen described in subsection (b), appointed by the 

11 President on the recommendation of the Governor of 

12 Maryland. 

13 (3) One member, who shall be a qualified cit14 izen described in subsection (b), appointed by the 

15 President on the recommendation of the Governor of 

16 Massachusetts. 

17 (4) One member, who shall be a qualified cit18 izen described in subsection (b), appointed by the 

19 President on the recommendation of the Governor of 

20 New York. 

21 (5) One member, who shall be a qualified cit22 izen described in subsection (b), appointed by the 

23 President on the recommendation of the Mayor of 

24 the District of Columbia. 


SSpencer on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
7 

•HR 4543 IH

1 (6) Three members, at least one of whom shall 

2 be a Member of the House of Representatives, ap3 pointed by the Speaker of the House of Representa4 tives. 

5 (7) Three members, at least one of whom shall 

6 be a Senator, appointed by the majority leader of 

7 the Senate. 

8 (8) Two members, at least one of whom shall 

9 be a Member of the House of Representatives, ap10 pointed by the minority leader of the House of Rep11 resentatives. 

12 (9) Two members, at least one of whom shall 

13 be a Senator, appointed by the minority leader of 

14 the Senate. 

15 (b) QUALIFIED CITIZEN.—A qualified citizen de16 scribed in this subsection is a private citizen of the United 

17 States with— 

18 (1) a demonstrated dedication to educating oth19 ers about the importance of historical figures and 

20 events; and 

21 (2) substantial knowledge and appreciation of 

22 Frederick Douglass. 

23 (c) TIME OF APPOINTMENT.—Each initial appoint24 ment of a member of the Commission shall be made before 


SSpencer on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
8 

•HR 4543 IH

1 the expiration of the 120-day period beginning on the date 

2 of the enactment of this Act. 

3 (d) CONTINUATION OF MEMBERSHIP.—If a member 

4 of the Commission was appointed to the Commission as 

5 a Member of Congress, and ceases to be a Member of Con6 gress, that member may continue to serve on the Commis7 sion for not longer than the 30-day period beginning on 

8 the date that member ceases to be a Member of Congress. 

9 (e) TERMS.—Each member shall be appointed for the 

10 life of the Commission. 

11 (f) VACANCIES.—A vacancy in the Commission shall 

12 not affect the powers of the Commission but shall be filled 

13 in the manner in which the original appointment was 

14 made. 

15 (g) BASIC PAY.—Members shall serve on the Com16 mission without pay. 

17 (h) TRAVEL EXPENSES.—Each member shall receive 

18 travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, 

19 in accordance with sections 5702 and 5703 of title 5, 

20 United States Code. 

21 (i) QUORUM.—Six members of the Commission shall 

22 constitute a quorum but a lesser number may hold hear23 ings. 

24 (j) CHAIR.—The Commission shall select a Chair 

25 from among the members of the Commission. 


SSpencer on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
9 

•HR 4543 IH

1 (k) MEETINGS.—The Commission shall meet at the 

2 call of the Chair. Periodically, the Commission shall hold 

3 a meeting in Rochester, New York. 

4 SEC. 6. DIRECTOR AND STAFF. 

5 (a) DIRECTOR.—The Commission may appoint and 

6 fix the pay of a Director and such additional personnel 

7 as the Commission considers to be appropriate. 

8 (b) APPLICABILITY OF CERTAIN CIVIL SERVICE

9 LAWS.— 

10 (1) DIRECTOR.—The Director of the Commis11 sion may be appointed without regard to the provi12 sions of title 5, United States Code, governing ap13 pointments in the competitive service, and may be 

14 paid without regard to the provisions of chapter 51 

15 and subchapter III of chapter 53 of that title relat16 ing to classification and General Schedule pay rates. 

17 (2) STAFF.—The staff of the Commission shall 

18 be appointed subject to the provisions of title 5, 

19 United States Code, governing appointments in the 

20 competitive service, and shall be paid in accordance 

21 with the provisions of chapter 51 and subchapter III 

22 of chapter 53 of that title relating to classification 

23 and General Schedule pay rates. 


SSpencer on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
10 

•HR 4543 IH

1 (c) DONATIONS.—The Commission may accept dona2 tions of supplies, money, and services to carry out its re3 sponsibilities. 

4 SEC. 7. POWERS. 

5 (a) HEARINGS AND SESSIONS.—The Commission 

6 may, for the purpose of carrying out this Act, hold such 

7 hearings, sit and act at such times and places, take such 

8 testimony, and receive such evidence as the Commission 

9 considers to be appropriate. 

10 (b) POWERS OF MEMBERS AND AGENTS.—Any mem11 ber or agent of the Commission may, if authorized by the 

12 Commission, take any action that the Commission is au13 thorized to take by this Act. 

14 (c) OBTAINING OFFICIAL DATA.—The Commission 

15 may secure directly from any department or agency of the 

16 United States information necessary to enable the Com17 mission to carry out this Act. Upon request of the Chair 

18 of the Commission, the head of that department or agency 

19 shall furnish that information to the Commission. 

20 (d) MAILS.—The Commission may use the United 

21 States mails in the same manner and under the same con22 ditions as other departments and agencies of the United 

23 States. 

24 (e) ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT SERVICES.—Upon 

25 the request of the Commission, the Administrator of GenVerDate Sep 11 2014 01:31 Feb 13, 2016 Jkt 059200 PO 00000 Frm 00010 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H4543.IH H4543

SSpencer on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
11 

•HR 4543 IH

1 eral Services shall provide to the Commission, on a reim2 bursable basis, the administrative support services nec3 essary for the Commission to carry out its responsibilities 

4 under this Act. 

5 SEC. 8. REPORTS. 

6 (a) INTERIM REPORTS.—The Commission may sub7 mit to Congress such interim reports as the Commission 

8 considers to be appropriate. 

9 (b) FINAL REPORT.—The Commission shall submit 

10 a final report to Congress no later than December 1, 

11 2017. The final report shall contain— 

12 (1) a detailed statement of the findings and 

13 conclusions of the Commission; 

14 (2) the recommendations of the Commission; 

15 and 

16 (3) any other information that the Commission 

17 considers to be appropriate. 

18 SEC. 9. TERMINATION. 

19 The Commission shall terminate 120 days after sub20 mitting the final report of the Commission pursuant to 

21 section 8. 

22 SEC. 10. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 

23 There are authorized to be appropriated such sums 

24 as may be necessary to carry out this Act. 

Æ 


SSpencer on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with BILLS