PUBLIC LAW 114–215—JULY 29, 2016 

JOHN F. KENNEDY CENTENNIAL 

COMMISSION ACT 


dkrause on DSKHT7XVN1PROD with PUBLAWS
130 STAT. 830 PUBLIC LAW 114–215—JULY 29, 2016 

Public Law 114–215 

114th Congress 

An Act 

To establish the John F. Kennedy Centennial Commission. 

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 

the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

This Act may be cited as the ‘‘John F. Kennedy Centennial 

Commission Act’’. 

SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT. 

There is established a commission to be known as the ‘‘John 

F. Kennedy Centennial Commission’’ (in this Act referred to as 

the ‘‘Commission’’). 

SEC. 3. DUTIES OF COMMISSION. 

The Commission shall— 

(1) plan, develop, and carry out such activities as the 

Commission considers fitting and proper to honor John F. Kennedy on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of his birth; 

(2) provide advice and assistance to Federal, State, and 

local governmental agencies, as well as civic groups to carry 

out activities to honor John F. Kennedy on the occasion of 

the 100th anniversary of his birth; 

(3) develop activities that may be carried out by the Federal 

Government that are fitting and proper to honor John F. Kennedy on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of his birth; 

and 

(4) submit to the President and Congress reports pursuant 

to section 7. 

SEC. 4. MEMBERSHIP. 

(a) NUMBER AND APPOINTMENT.—The Commission shall be composed of 11 members as follows: 

(1) The Secretary of the Interior. 

(2) Four members appointed by the President after considering the recommendations of the Board of Trustees of the 

John F. Kennedy Library Foundation. 

(3) Two Members of the House of Representatives appointed 

by the Speaker of the House of Representatives. 

(4) One Member of the House of Representatives appointed 

by the minority leader of the House of Representatives. 

(5) Two Members of the Senate appointed by the majority 

leader of the Senate. 

(6) One Member of the Senate appointed by the minority 

leader of the Senate. 

President. 

John F. Kennedy 

Centennial 

Commission Act. 

36 USC prec. 101 

note. 

July 29, 2016 

[H.R. 5722] 


dkrause on DSKHT7XVN1PROD with PUBLAWS
PUBLIC LAW 114–215—JULY 29, 2016 130 STAT. 831 

(b) EX OFFICIO MEMBER.—The Archivist of the United States 

shall serve in an ex officio capacity on the Commission to provide 

advice and information to the Commission. 

(c) TERMS.—Each member shall be appointed for the life of 

the Commission. 

(d) DEADLINE FOR APPOINTMENT.—All members of the Commission shall be appointed not later than 90 days after the date 

of the enactment of this Act. 

(e) VACANCIES.—A vacancy on the Commission shall— 

(1) not affect the powers of the Commission; and 

(2) be filled in the manner in which the original appointment was made. 

(f) RATES OF PAY.—Members shall not receive compensation 

for the performance of their duties on behalf of the Commission. 

(g) TRAVEL EXPENSES.—Each member of the Commission shall 

be reimbursed for travel and per diem in lieu of subsistence 

expenses during the performance of duties of the Commission while 

away from home or his or her regular place of business, in accordance with applicable provisions under subchapter I of chapter 57 

of title 5, United States Code. 

(h) QUORUM.—A majority of the members of the Commission 

shall constitute a quorum to conduct business, but two or more 

members may hold hearings. 

(i) CHAIRPERSON.—The chairperson of the Commission shall 

be elected by a majority vote of the members of the Commission. 

SEC. 5. DIRECTOR AND STAFF OF COMMISSION. 

(a) DIRECTOR AND STAFF.—The Commission shall appoint an 

executive director and such other additional employees as are necessary to enable the Commission to perform its duties. 

(b) APPLICABILITY OF CERTAIN CIVIL SERVICE LAWS.—The executive director and employees 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 such title relating to classification and General 

Schedule pay rates, except that the rate of pay for the executive 

director and other employees may not exceed the rate payable 

for level V of the Executive Schedule under section 5316 of such 

title. 

(c) DETAIL OF FEDERAL EMPLOYEES.—Upon request of the 

Commission, the Secretary of the Interior or the Archivist of the 

United States may detail, on a reimbursable basis, any of the 

employees of that department or agency to the Commission to 

assist it in carrying out its duties under this Act. 

(d) EXPERTS AND CONSULTANTS.—The Commission may procure 

such temporary and intermittent services as are necessary to enable 

the Commission to perform its duties. 

(e) VOLUNTEER AND UNCOMPENSATED SERVICES.—Notwithstanding section 1342 of title 31, United States Code, the Commission may accept and use voluntary and uncompensated services 

as the Commission determines necessary. 

SEC. 6. POWERS OF COMMISSION. 

(a) HEARINGS.—The Commission may, for the purpose of carrying out this Act, hold hearings, sit and act at times and places, 

take testimony, and receive evidence as the Commission considers 

appropriate. 

Appointments. 


dkrause on DSKHT7XVN1PROD with PUBLAWS
130 STAT. 832 PUBLIC LAW 114–215—JULY 29, 2016 

(b) 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. 

(c) OBTAINING OFFICIAL DATA.—The Commission may secure 

directly from any department or agency of the United States 

information necessary to enable it to carry out its duties under 

this Act. Upon request of the chairperson of the Commission, the 

head of that department or agency shall furnish that information 

to the Commission. 

(d) GIFTS, BEQUESTS, DEVISES.—The Commission may solicit, 

accept, use, and dispose of gifts, bequests, or devises of money, 

services, or property, both real and personal, for the purpose of 

aiding or facilitating its work. 

(e) AVAILABLE SPACE.—Upon the request of the Commission, 

the Administrator of General Services shall make available nationwide to the Commission, at a normal rental rate for Federal agencies, such assistance and facilities as may be necessary for the 

Commission to carry out its duties under this Act. 

(f) CONTRACT AUTHORITY.—The Commission may enter into 

contracts with and compensate government and private agencies 

or persons to enable the Commission to discharge its duties under 

this Act. 

SEC. 7. REPORTS. 

(a) ANNUAL REPORTS.—The Commission shall submit to the 

President and the Congress annual reports on the revenue and 

expenditures of the Commission, including a list of each gift, 

bequest, or devise to the Commission with a value of more than 

$250, together with the identity of the donor of each gift, bequest, 

or devise. 

(b) INTERIM REPORTS.—The Commission may submit to the 

President and Congress interim reports as the Commission considers appropriate. 

(c) FINAL REPORT.—Not later than August 31, 2017, the 

Commission shall submit a final report to the President and the 

Congress containing— 

(1) a summary of the activities of the Commission; 

(2) a final accounting of funds received and expended by 

the Commission; and 

(3) the findings, conclusions, and final recommendations 

of the Commission. 

SEC. 8. TERMINATION. 

The Commission may terminate on such date as the Commission may determine after it submits its final report pursuant to 

section 7(c), but not later than September 30, 2017. 

SEC. 9. ANNUAL AUDIT. 

The Inspector General of the Department of the Interior may 

perform an audit of the Commission, shall make the results of 

any audit performed available to the public, and shall transmit 

such results to the Committee on Oversight and Government 

Reform of the House of Representatives and the Committee on 

Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate. 

Public 

information. 

Summary. 

Recommendations. 


dkrause on DSKHT7XVN1PROD with PUBLAWS
PUBLIC LAW 114–215—JULY 29, 2016 130 STAT. 833 

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—H.R. 5722: 

CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 162 (2016): 

July 13, considered and passed House. 

July 14, considered and passed Senate. 

Æ 

SEC. 10. PROHIBITION ON OBLIGATION OF FEDERAL FUNDS. 

No Federal funds may be obligated to carry out this Act. 

Approved July 29, 2016. 


dkrause on DSKHT7XVN1PROD with PUBLAWS