IB 

Union Calendar No. 188 

111TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 1849 

[Report No. 111–329, Part I] 

To designate the Liberty Memorial at the National World War I Museum 

in Kansas City, Missouri, as the National World War I Memorial, to 

establish the World War I centennial commission to ensure a suitable 

observance of the centennial of World War I, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

APRIL 1, 2009 

Mr. CLEAVER (for himself, Mr. AKIN, Mr. BLUNT, Mr. CARNAHAN, Mr. CLAY, 

Mrs. EMERSON, Mr. GRAVES, Mr. LUETKEMEYER, and Mr. SKELTON) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and in addition to the Committee on Natural Resources, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 

NOVEMBER 5, 2009 

Additional sponsors: Mr. MOORE of Kansas, Mr. MEEKS of New York, Mr. 

ORTIZ, Mr. CALVERT, Mr. SMITH of Texas, Ms. JENKINS, Mr. 

HINOJOSA, Mr. HILL, Mr. ARCURI, Mr. WEXLER, Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia, Ms. RICHARDSON, Mr. BUTTERFIELD, Ms. CASTOR of Florida, Ms. 

FUDGE, Ms. KILPATRICK of Michigan, Ms. CLARKE, Mr. DAVIS of Illinois, Mrs. CAPPS, Ms. WOOLSEY, Mr. CHANDLER, Ms. WASSERMAN

SCHULTZ, Mr. COHEN, Mr. CAPUANO, Mr. SHULER, Mr. TANNER, Mr. 

MORAN of Kansas, Mr. MILLER of Florida, Mr. DAVIS of Tennessee, Mr. 

GRAYSON, Mr. MELANCON, Ms. ZOE LOFGREN of California, Ms. 

VELA ́ZQUEZ, Ms. BALDWIN, Mr. LANGEVIN, Mr. HIGGINS, Mr. 

CONNOLLY of Virginia, Mr. DRIEHAUS, Mrs. CAPITO, Mr. WAMP, Ms. 

FALLIN, Mr. BRALEY of Iowa, Mr. POMEROY, Ms. SCHAKOWSKY, Ms. 

MARKEY of Colorado, Ms. LINDA T. SA ́NCHEZ of California, Ms. 

SCHWARTZ, Mr. PERLMUTTER, Mr. RUSH, Mr. SCOTT of Georgia, Ms. 

JACKSON-LEE of Texas, Ms. BEAN, Mr. KENNEDY, Mr. MASSA, Mr. FOSTER, Mr. FATTAH, Mr. NEAL of Massachusetts, Ms. MOORE of Wisconsin, Mr. MILLER of North Carolina, Mr. AL GREEN of Texas, Mr. 


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ALTMIRE, Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas, Mr. HASTINGS of 

Florida, Mr. DREIER, Mr. HENSARLING, Mr. SERRANO, Mr. BARROW, 

Mr. BISHOP of Georgia, Ms. EDWARDS of Maryland, Mr. RODRIGUEZ, 

Mr. MCNERNEY, Mr. SCOTT of Virginia, Ms. CHU, Mr. PAUL, Mr. BARTLETT, Ms. KOSMAS, Mr. KISSELL, Mr. FRANKS of Arizona, Mr. WILSON

of Ohio, Mr. TAYLOR, Mr. BISHOP of New York, Mr. MCMAHON, Mrs. 

CHRISTENSEN, Mr. LINDER, Mr. WATT, Ms. DEGETTE, Mr. MCHENRY, 

Mr. LUJA ́N, Mrs. NAPOLITANO, Mr. ELLISON, Mrs. MCCARTHY of New 

York, Mr. BLUMENAUER, and Mr. GONZALEZ

NOVEMBER 5, 2009 

Reported from the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform with an 

amendment 

[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic] 

NOVEMBER 5, 2009 

Committee on Natural Resources discharged; committed to the Committee of 

the Whole House on the State of the Union and ordered to be printed 

[For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on April 1, 2009] 

A BILL 

To designate the Liberty Memorial at the National World 

War I Museum in Kansas City, Missouri, as the National 

World War I Memorial, to establish the World War I 

centennial commission to ensure a suitable observance 

of the centennial of World War I, and for other purposes. 


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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 ‘‘World War I Memorial 

5 and Centennial Act of 2009’’. 

6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

7 Congress finds the following: 

8 (1) More than 4,000,000 men and women from 

9 the United States served in uniform in the defense of 

10 liberty during World War I, among them two future 

11 presidents, Harry S. Truman and Dwight D. Eisen12 hower. 

13 (2) 2,000,000 individuals from the United States 

14 served overseas during World War I, including 

15 200,000 naval personnel who served on the seas. 

16 (3) The United States suffered 375,000 casualties 

17 during World War I. 

18 (4) The events of 1914 through 1918 shaped the 

19 world, our country, and the lives of millions of people 

20 in countless ways. 

21 (5) The centennial of World War I offers an op22 portunity for people in the United States to learn 

23 about the sacrifices of their predecessors. 

24 (6) Commemorative efforts allow people in the 

25 United States to gain a historical understanding of 


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1 the type of conflicts that cause countries to go to war 

2 and how those conflicts are resolved. 

3 (7) Kansas City is home to the Liberty Memorial 

4 and America’s National World War I Museum (as so 

5 recognized in the Ronald W. Reagan National Defense 

6 Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2005 (Public Law 

7 108–375)). 

8 (8) America’s National World War I Museum 

9 seeks— 

10 (A) to preserve the history of World War I; 

11 and 

12 (B) to educate and enlighten people about 

13 this significant event, the consequences of which 

14 are still with us. 

15 (9) Kansas City is home to the national head16 quarters for the Veterans of Foreign Wars. 

17 (10) Missouri is the home State of General John 

18 Joseph Pershing, who commanded the American Ex19 peditionary Forces in Europe during World War I. 

20 (11) The Kansas City area is the home of the 

21 Harry S. Truman Presidential Library and Museum. 

22 (12) The Dwight David Eisenhower Presidential 

23 Library and Museum is located close to Kansas City 

24 in the neighboring State of Kansas. 


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1 (13) There is no nationally recognized memorial 

2 honoring the service of Americans who served in 

3 World War I. 

4 (14) In 1919, the people of Kansas City, Mis5 souri, expressed an outpouring of support and raised 

6 more than $2,000,000 in two weeks for a memorial to 

7 the service of Americans in World War I. That fund8 raising was an accomplishment unparalleled by any 

9 other city in the United States irrespective of popu10 lation and reflected the passion of public opinion 

11 about World War I, which had so recently ended. 

12 (15) Following the drive, a national architec13 tural competition was held by the American Institute 

14 of Architects for designs for a memorial to the service 

15 of Americans in World War I, and the competition 

16 yielded a design by architect H. Van Buren 

17 Magonigle. 

18 (16) On November 1, 1921, more than 100,000 

19 people witnessed the dedication of the site for the Lib20 erty Memorial in Kansas City, Missouri. That dedi21 cation marked the only time in history that the five 

22 allied military leaders; Lieutenant General Baron 

23 Jacques of Belgium, General Armando Diaz of Italy, 

24 Marshal Ferdinand Foch of France, General John J. 

25 Pershing of the United States, and Admiral Lord 


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1 Earl Beatty of Great Britain, were together at one 

2 place. 

3 (17) General Pershing noted at the November 1, 

4 1921, dedication that ‘‘[t]he people of Kansas City, 

5 Missouri, are deeply proud of the beautiful memorial, 

6 erected in tribute to the patriotism, the gallant 

7 achievements, and the heroic sacrifices of their sons 

8 and daughters who served in our country’s armed 

9 forces during the World War. It symbolized their 

10 grateful appreciation of duty well done, an apprecia11 tion which I share, because I know so well how richly 

12 it is merited’’. 

13 (18) During an Armistice Day ceremony in 

14 1924, President Calvin Coolidge marked the begin15 ning of a three-year construction project for the Lib16 erty Memorial by the laying of the cornerstone of the 

17 memorial. 

18 (19) The 217-foot Liberty Memorial Tower has 

19 an inscription that reads ‘‘In Honor of Those Who 

20 Served in the World War in Defense of Liberty and 

21 Our Country’’ as well as four stone ‘‘Guardian Spir22 its’’ representing courage, honor, patriotism, and sac23 rifice, which rise above the observation deck, making 

24 the Liberty Memorial a noble tribute to all who served 

25 in World War I. 


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1 (20) During a rededication for the Liberty Me2 morial in 1961, World War I veterans and former 

3 Presidents Harry S. Truman and Dwight D. Eisen4 hower recognized the memorial as a constant re5 minder of the sacrifices during World War I and the 

6 progress that followed. 

7 (21) The 106th Congress recognized the Liberty 

8 Memorial as a national symbol of World War I. 

9 (22) The National World War I Museum is the 

10 only public museum in the United States specifically 

11 dedicated to the history of World War I. 

12 (23) The National World War I Museum is 

13 known throughout the world as a major center of 

14 World War I remembrance. 

15 SEC. 3. DESIGNATION OF THE LIBERTY MEMORIAL AT THE 

16 NATIONAL WORLD WAR I MUSEUM IN KANSAS 

17 CITY, MISSOURI, AS THE NATIONAL WORLD 

18 WAR I MEMORIAL. 

19 The Liberty Memorial at the National World War I 

20 Museum in Kansas City, Missouri, is hereby designated as 

21 the ‘‘National World War I Memorial’’. 


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1 SEC. 4. COMMISSION ON THE COMMEMORATION OF THE 

2 CENTENNIAL OF WORLD WAR I. 

3 (a) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is established a commis4 sion to be known as the World War I Centennial Commis5 sion (in this Act referred to as the ‘‘Commission’’). 

6 (b) PURPOSE.—The purpose of the Commission is to 

7 ensure a suitable observance of the centennial of World War 

8 I that promotes the values of honor, courage, patriotism, 

9 and sacrifice, in keeping with the representation of these 

10 values through the four Guardian Spirits sculpted on the 

11 Liberty Memorial Monument at America’s National World 

12 War I Museum. 

13 (c) DUTIES.—The Commission shall have the following 

14 duties: 

15 (1) To plan, develop, and execute programs, 

16 projects, and activities to commemorate the centennial 

17 of World War I. 

18 (2) To encourage private organizations and 

19 State and local governments to organize and partici20 pate in activities commemorating the centennial of 

21 World War I. 

22 (3) To facilitate and coordinate activities 

23 throughout the United States related to the centennial 

24 of World War I. 


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1 (4) To serve as a clearinghouse for the collection 

2 and dissemination of information about events and 

3 plans for the centennial of World War I. 

4 (d) MEMBERSHIP.— 

5 (1) NUMBER AND APPOINTMENT.—The Commis6 sion shall be composed of 24 members as follows: 

7 (A) Four members appointed by the Speak8 er of the House of Representatives. 

9 (B) Three members appointed by the minor10 ity leader of the House of Representatives. 

11 (C) Four members appointed by the Senate 

12 majority leader. 

13 (D) Three members appointed by the Senate 

14 minority leader. 

15 (E) Seven members who are broadly rep16 resentative of the people of the United States (in17 cluding members of the armed services and vet18 erans), appointed by the President. 

19 (F) The executive director of the Veterans of 

20 Foreign Wars of the United States (or the direc21 tor’s delegate). 

22 (G) The executive director of the American 

23 Legion (or the director’s delegate). 

24 (H) The president of the Liberty Memorial 

25 Association, the nonprofit entity responsible for 


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1 the management of America’s National World 

2 War I Museum (or the president’s delegate). 

3 (2) EX OFFICIO MEMBERS.—The Archivist of the 

4 United States and the Secretary of the Smithsonian 

5 Institution shall serve in an ex officio capacity on the 

6 Commission to provide advice and information to the 

7 Commission. 

8 (3) CONTINUATION OF MEMBERSHIP.—If a mem9 ber of the Commission under subparagraph (F), (G), 

10 or (H) of paragraph (1) ceases to hold a position 

11 named in such subparagraph, that member must re12 sign from the Commission as of the date that the 

13 member ceases to hold that position. 

14 (4) TERMS.—Each member shall be appointed 

15 for the life of the Commission. 

16 (5) DEADLINE FOR APPOINTMENT.—All members 

17 of the Commission shall be appointed not later than 

18 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act. 

19 (6) VACANCIES.—A vacancy on the Commission 

20 shall— 

21 (A) not affect the powers of the Commission; 

22 and 

23 (B) be filled in the manner in which the 

24 original appointment was made. 


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1 (7) PAY.—Members shall not receive compensa2 tion for the performance of their duties on behalf of 

3 the Commission. 

4 (8) TRAVEL EXPENSES.—Each member shall re5 ceive travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of 

6 subsistence, in accordance with the applicable provi7 sions under subchapter I of chapter 57 of title 5, 

8 United States Code. 

9 (9) QUORUM.—A majority of members of the 

10 Commission plus one shall constitute a quorum, but 

11 a lesser number may hold hearings. 

12 (10) CHAIRPERSON; VICE CHAIRPERSON.—The 

13 Commission shall elect the Chairperson and Vice 

14 Chairperson of the Commission by a majority vote of 

15 the members of the Commission. 

16 (11) MEETINGS.— 

17 (A) IN GENERAL.—The Commission shall 

18 meet at the call of the Chairperson, except that 

19 the first meeting shall be held before the end of 

20 the 120-day period beginning on the effective 

21 date of this Act. 

22 (B) LOCATION.—The Commission shall hold 

23 the first meeting at America’s National World 

24 War I Museum in Kansas City, Missouri, and 


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1 thereafter shall hold at least one meeting per 

2 year at such location. 

3 (e) DIRECTOR AND ADDITIONAL PERSONNEL OF THE

4 COMMISSION; EXPERTS AND CONSULTANTS.— 

5 (1) DIRECTOR AND STAFF.— 

6 (A) APPOINTMENT.—The Chairperson of the 

7 Commission shall, in consultation with the mem8 bers of the Commission, appoint an executive di9 rector and such other additional personnel as 

10 may be necessary to enable the Commission to 

11 perform its duties. 

12 (B) PAY.—The executive director and staff 

13 of the Commission may be appointed without re14 gard to the provisions of title 5, United States 

15 Code, governing appointments in the competitive 

16 service, and may be paid without regard to the 

17 provisions of chapter 51 and subchapter III of 

18 chapter 53 of such title relating to classification 

19 and General Schedule pay rates, except that the 

20 rate of pay for the executive director and other 

21 staff may not exceed the rate payable for level V 

22 of the Executive Schedule under section 5316 of 

23 such title. 

24 (C) WORK LOCATION.—If the city govern25 ment for Kansas City, Missouri, and the nonVerDate Nov 24 2008 21:02 Nov 05, 2009 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00012 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6203 E:\BILLS\H1849.RH H1849

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1 profit organization which administers America’s 

2 National World War I Museum make space 

3 available, the executive director and any addi4 tional personnel appointed under subparagraph 

5 (A) shall work in the building that houses that 

6 museum. 

7 (2) EXPERTS AND CONSULTANTS.—The Commis8 sion may procure temporary and intermittent services 

9 under section 3109(b) of title 5, United States Code. 

10 (3) STAFF OF FEDERAL AGENCIES.—Upon re11 quest of the Commission, the head of any Federal de12 partment or agency may detail, on a reimbursable 

13 basis, any personnel of that department or agency to 

14 the Commission to assist it in carrying out its duties 

15 under this Act. 

16 (f) POWERS OF THE COMMISSION.— 

17 (1) HEARINGS AND SESSIONS.—For the purpose 

18 of carrying out this Act, the Commission may hold 

19 hearings, sit and act at times and places, take testi20 mony, and receive evidence as the Commission con21 siders appropriate. 

22 (2) POWERS OF MEMBERS AND AGENTS.—If au23 thorized by the Commission, any member or agent of 

24 the Commission may take any action which the Com25 mission is authorized to take by this section. 


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1 (3) OBTAINING OFFICIAL DATA.—The Commis2 sion shall secure directly from any department or 

3 agency of the United States information necessary to 

4 enable it to carry out this Act. Upon the request of 

5 the Chairperson of the Commission, the head of that 

6 department or agency shall furnish that information 

7 to the Commission. 

8 (4) GIFTS, BEQUESTS, AND DEVISES.— 

9 (A) ACCEPTANCE BY COMMISSION.—The 

10 Commission may accept, use, and dispose of 

11 gifts, bequests, or devises of services or property, 

12 both real and personal, for the purpose of aiding 

13 or facilitating the work of the Commission. 

14 (B) DEPOSIT AND AVAILABILITY.—Gifts, be15 quests, or devises of money and proceeds from 

16 sales of other property received as gifts, bequests, 

17 or devises shall be deposited in the Treasury and 

18 shall be available for disbursement upon order of 

19 the Commission. 

20 (5) MAILS.—The Commission may use the 

21 United States mails in the same manner and under 

22 the same conditions as other departments and agen23 cies of the United States. 

24 (6) ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT SERVICES.—Upon 

25 the request of the Commission, the Administrator of 


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1 General Services shall provide to the Commission, on 

2 a reimbursable basis, the administrative support serv3 ices necessary for the Commission to carry out its re4 sponsibilities under this Act. 

5 (7) CONTRACT AUTHORITY.—The Commission is 

6 authorized to procure supplies, services, and property 

7 and to make or enter in contracts, leases, or other 

8 legal agreements; except that any contract, lease, or 

9 other legal agreement made or entered into by the 

10 Commission may not extend beyond the date of termi11 nation of the Commission. 

12 (g) REPORTS.— 

13 (1) PERIODIC REPORT.—Beginning not later 

14 than the last day of the 3-month period beginning on 

15 the effective date of this Act, and the last day of each 

16 3-month period thereafter, the Commission shall sub17 mit to Congress and the President a report on the ac18 tivities and plans of the Commission. 

19 (2) ANNUAL REPORTS.—The Commission shall 

20 submit to the President and Congress annual reports 

21 on the revenue and expenditures of the Commission, 

22 including a list of each gift, bequest, or devise to the 

23 Commission with a value of more than $250, together 

24 with the identity of the donor of each gift, bequest, or 

25 devise. 


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1 (3) RECOMMENDATIONS.—Not later than 2 years 

2 after the effective date of this Act, the Commission 

3 shall submit to Congress and the President a report 

4 containing specific recommendations for commemo5 rating the centennial of World War I and coordi6 nating related activities. 

7 (h) FEDERAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE ACT WAIVER.— 

8 Section 14 of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. 

9 App.), relating to the termination of advisory committees, 

10 shall not apply to the Commission. 

11 (i) AUTHORIZATION OF FUNDS.— 

12 (1) IN GENERAL.—There is authorized to be ap13 propriated to the Commission to carry out this Act 

14 $500,000 for each of fiscal years 2010 through 2019. 

15 (2) AVAILABILITY.—Amounts made available 

16 under this subsection shall remain available until the 

17 termination of the Commission as described in sub18 section (k). 

19 (j) ANNUAL AUDIT.—For any fiscal year for which the 

20 Commission receives an appropriation of funds, the Inspec21 tor General of the Department of the Interior shall perform 

22 an audit of the Commission, shall make the results of any 

23 audit performed available to the public, and shall transmit 

24 such results to the Committee on Oversight and Government 

25 Reform of the House of Representatives and the Committee 


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1 on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the 

2 Senate. 

3 (k) TERMINATION.—The Commission shall terminate 

4 on the earlier of the date that is 30 days after the activities 

5 honoring the centennial observation of World War I are car6 ried out, or July 28, 2019. 

7 (l) EFFECTIVE DATE.—This section shall take effect on 

8 January 1, 2010. 


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Union Calendar No. 188 

111TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 1849 

[Report No. 111–329, Part I] 

A BILL 

To designate the Liberty Memorial at the National 

World War I, and for other purposes. ensure a suitable observance of the centennial of lish the World War I centennial commission to as the National World War I Memorial, to estabWorld War I Museum in Kansas City, Missouri, 

NOVEMBER 5, 2009 

Reported from the Committee on Oversight and 

Government Reform with an amendment 

NOVEMBER 5, 2009 

Committee on Natural Resources discharged; committed 

the Union and ordered to be printed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of 


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