I 

109TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 1977

To establish a commission to investigate the expulsion of African-American 

residents of the Missouri cities of Aurora, Monett, Newburg, Pierce 

City, Cassville, and Webb City from their homes that occurred between 

August 1894 and August 1901, and make recommendations regarding 

the feasibility and appropriateness of providing reparations to such residents. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

APRIL 28, 2005

Mr. CLAY (for himself, Mrs. CHRISTENSEN, Mr. OWENS, Mr. PAYNE, Ms. 

KILPATRICK of Michigan, Ms. MCKINNEY, Mr. HASTINGS of Florida, Ms. 

LEE, Mr. LEWIS of Georgia, Mr. CLEAVER, Mr. RANGEL, Mr. CONYERS, 

Mr. JACKSON of Illinois, and Mr. CUMMINGS) introduced the following 

bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary 

A BILL

To establish a commission to investigate the expulsion of 

African-American residents of the Missouri cities of Aurora, Monett, Newburg, Pierce City, Cassville, and Webb 

City from their homes that occurred between August 

1894 and August 1901, and make recommendations regarding the feasibility and appropriateness of providing 

reparations to such residents.

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

2 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘1901 Missouri African 

3 American Expulsion Commission Act’’. 

4 SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT. 

5 There is established a commission to be known as the 

6 ‘‘1901 Missouri African American Expulsion Commission’’ 

7 (in this Act referred to as the ‘‘Commission’’). 

8 SEC. 3. DUTIES OF COMMISSION. 

9 The Commission shall—

10 (1) investigate the expulsion of any African11 American resident in or around the Missouri cities 

12 of Aurora, Monett, Newburg, Pierce City, Cassville, 

13 or Webb City from the home or farm of such resi14 dent occurring between August 1894 and August 

15 1901, including—

16 (A) any cause for the expulsion; 

17 (B) any burning or vandalism of the home 

18 of such resident; 

19 (C) any tortuous or criminal conduct com20 mitted against such resident; and 

21 (D) any mob activity directed against such 

22 resident; 

23 (2) identify any person—

24 (A) who is a relative of a resident de25 scribed in paragraph (1); or 
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1 (B) whom the Commission determines sus2 tained an identifiable loss, including a loss to 

3 the personal relations, real property, or per4 sonal property of such person, because of con5 duct described in paragraph (1), whether or not 

6 such conduct has previously been the subject of 

7 a legal proceeding; 

8 (3) research and develop a historical record of 

9 the expulsion described in paragraph (1); and 

10 (4) make recommendations regarding—

11 (A) the feasibility of providing reparations 

12 to any person identified under paragraph (2); 

13 and 

14 (B) the appropriate method to provide 

15 such reparations. 

16 SEC. 4. MEMBERSHIP. 

17 (a) NUMBER AND APPOINTMENT.—

18 (1) The Commission shall be composed of seven 

19 members as follows: 

20 (A) Four members appointed by the House 

21 of Representatives, in the manner prescribed by 

22 the House of Representatives. 

23 (B) Three members appointed by the Sen24 ate, in the manner prescribed by the Senate. 
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1 (2) Of the three members appointed under 

2 paragraph (1)(B), one shall be a member of the Mis3 souri Historical Society. 

4 (b) QUALIFICATIONS.—In making appointments 

5 under this section, the appointing authorities shall make 

6 a special effort to appoint individuals who are particularly 

7 qualified to perform the functions of the Commission, by 

8 reason of either practical experience or academic expertise 

9 in politics or government. 

10 (c) TERMS AND VACANCIES.—Each member shall be 

11 appointed for the life of the Commission. A vacancy in 

12 the Commission shall be filled in the manner in which the 

13 original appointment was made. Any member appointed 

14 to fill a vacancy occurring before the expiration of the 

15 term for which the member’s predecessor was appointed 

16 shall be appointed only for the remainder of that term. 

17 A member may serve after the expiration of that member’s 

18 term until a successor has taken office. 

19 (d) BASIC PAY.—

20 (1) RATES OF PAY.—To the extent or in the 

21 amounts provided in advance in appropriation Acts, 

22 except as provided in paragraph (2), each member of 

23 the Commission shall be paid the daily equivalent of 

24 the annual rate of basic pay payable for level V of 

25 the Executive Schedule for each day (including trav-
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1 el time) during which the member is engaged in the 

2 actual performance of duties of the Commission. 

3 (2) PROHIBITION OF COMPENSATION OF FED4 ERAL EMPLOYEES.—Members of the Commission 

5 who are full-time officers or employees of the United 

6 States or Members of Congress may not receive ad7 ditional pay, allowances, or benefits by reason of 

8 their service on the Commission. 

9 (e) TRAVEL EXPENSES.—Each member shall receive 

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

11 in accordance with applicable provisions under subchapter 

12 I of chapter 57 of title 5, United States Code. 

13 (f) QUORUM.—A majority of the members of the 

14 Commission shall constitute a quorum for the transaction 

15 of business. 

16 (g) CHAIRMAN.—The Chairman of the Commission 

17 shall be elected by the members. 

18 (h) MEETINGS.—

19 (1) FREQUENCY OF MEETINGS.—The Commis20 sion shall meet as often as the Chairman determines 

21 is necessary to perform the duties of the Commis22 sion. 

23 (2) INITIAL MEETING.—Not later than 90 days 

24 after the date of the enactment of this Act, the 
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1 Commission shall hold the initial meeting of the 

2 Commission. 

3 SEC. 5. STAFF OF COMMISSION AND EXPERTS AND CON4 SULTANTS. 

5 (a) STAFF.—Subject to rules prescribed by the Com6 mission, the Chairman may appoint and fix the pay of per7 sonnel as the Chairman considers appropriate. 

8 (b) EXPERTS AND CONSULTANTS.—With the ap9 proval of the Commission, the Chairman may procure tem10 porary and intermittent services in the manner prescribed 

11 in section 3109(b) of title 5, United States Code, but at 

12 rates for individuals not to exceed the daily equivalent of 

13 the maximum annual rate of basic pay payable for grade 

14 GS–15 of the General Schedule under section 5332 of 

15 such title. 

16 (c) STAFF OF FEDERAL AGENCIES.—Upon the re17 quest of the Commission, the head of any Federal depart18 ment or agency may detail, on a reimbursable basis, any 

19 of the personnel of that department or agency to the Com20 mission to assist it in performing its duties under this Act. 

21 SEC. 6. POWERS OF COMMISSION. 

22 (a) HEARINGS.—The Commission may, for the pur23 pose of carrying out this Act, hold hearings, sit and act 

24 at times and places, take testimony, and receive evidence 

25 as the Commission considers appropriate. The Commis-
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1 sion may administer oaths or affirmations to witnesses ap2 pearing before it. 

3 (b) MEMBERS AND AGENTS.—Any member or agent 

4 of the Commission may, if authorized by the Commission, 

5 take any action that the Commission is authorized to take 

6 by this section. 

7 (c) OBTAINING OFFICIAL DATA.—Subject to sections 

8 552, 552a, and 552b of title 5, United States Code, the 

9 Commission may secure directly from any department or 

10 agency of the United States information necessary to en11 able it to carry out this Act. Upon request of the Chair12 man of the Commission, the head of that department or 

13 agency shall furnish the information to the Commission. 

14 (d) GIFTS, BEQUESTS, AND DEVISES.—To the extent 

15 or in the amounts provided in advance in appropriation 

16 Acts, the Commission may accept, use, and dispose of 

17 gifts, bequests, or devises of services or property, both real 

18 and personal, for the purposes of aiding or facilitating the 

19 work of the Commission. Gifts, bequests, or devises of 

20 money and proceeds from sales of other property received 

21 as gifts, bequests, or devises shall be deposited in the 

22 Treasury and shall be available for disbursement upon 

23 order of the Commission. 
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1 (e) MAILS.—The Commission may use the United 

2 States mails in the same manner and under the same con3 ditions as departments and agencies of the United States. 

4 (f) ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT SERVICES.—Upon the 

5 request of the Commission, the Administrator of General 

6 Services shall provide to the Commission, on a reimburs7 able basis, the administrative support services necessary 

8 for the Commission to carry out its responsibilities under 

9 this Act. 

10 SEC. 7. REPORT. 

11 The Commission shall submit to Congress a report 

12 not later than 18 months after the date of the first meet13 ing of the Commission. The report shall contain a detailed 

14 statement of the findings and conclusions of the Commis15 sion, together with such recommendations as the Commis16 sion considers appropriate. 

17 SEC. 8. TERMINATION. 

18 The Commission shall terminate 10 days after sub19 mitting its report under section 7. 

20 SEC. 9. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 

21 There are authorized to be appropriated such sums 

22 as may be necessary to carry out this Act.

Æ