106TH CONGRESS

1ST SESSION H. R. 1451

AN ACT

To establish the Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial

Commission.
106TH CONGRESS

1ST SESSION H. R. 1451

AN ACT

To establish the Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission.

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 ‘‘Abraham Lincoln Bi3 centennial Commission Act’’.

4 SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

5 The Congress makes the following findings:

6 (1) Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President, was

7 one of the Nation’s most prominent leaders, dem8 onstrating true courage during the Civil War, one of

9 the greatest crises in the Nation’s history.

10 (2) Born of humble roots in Hardin County,

11 Kentucky, on February 12, 1809, Abraham Lincoln

12 rose to the Presidency through a legacy of honesty,

13 integrity, intelligence, and commitment to the

14 United States.

15 (3) With the belief that all men were created

16 equal, Abraham Lincoln led the effort to free all

17 slaves in the United States.

18 (4) Abraham Lincoln had a generous heart,

19 with malice toward none and with charity for all.

20 (5) Abraham Lincoln gave the ultimate sacrifice

21 for the country he loved, dying from an assassin’s

22 bullet on April 15, 1865.

23 (6) All Americans could benefit from studying

24 the life of Abraham Lincoln, for his life is a model

25 for accomplishing the ‘‘American Dream’’ through
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1 honesty, integrity, loyalty, and a lifetime of edu2 cation.

3 (7) The Year 2009 will be the bicentennial an4 niversary of the birth of Abraham Lincoln, and a

5 commission should be established to study and rec6 ommend to the Congress activities that are fitting

7 and proper to celebrate that anniversary in a man8 ner that appropriately honors Abraham Lincoln.

9 SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT.

10 There is established a commission to be known as the

11 Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission (in this Act

12 referred to as the ‘‘Commission’’).

13 SEC. 4. DUTIES.

14 The Commission shall have the following duties:

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

16 by the Federal Government to determine whether

17 they are fitting and proper to honor Abraham Lin18 coln on the occasion of the bicentennial anniversary

19 of his birth, including—

20 (A) the minting of an Abraham Lincoln bi21 centennial penny;

22 (B) the issuance of an Abraham Lincoln

23 bicentennial postage stamp;
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1 (C) the convening of a joint meeting or

2 joint session of the Congress for ceremonies and

3 activities relating to Abraham Lincoln;

4 (D) a redesignation of the Lincoln Memo5 rial, or other activity with respect to the Memo6 rial; and

7 (E) the acquisition and preservation of ar8 tifacts associated with Abraham Lincoln.

9 (2) To recommend to the Congress the activi10 ties that the Commission considers most fitting and

11 proper to honor Abraham Lincoln on such occasion,

12 and the entity or entities in the Federal Government

13 that the Commission considers most appropriate to

14 carry out such activities.

15 SEC. 5. MEMBERSHIP.

16 (a) NUMBER AND APPOINTMENT.—The Commission

17 shall be composed of 15 members appointed as follows:

18 (1) Three members, each of whom shall be a

19 qualified citizen described in subsection (b), ap20 pointed by the President.

21 (2) Two members, each of whom shall be a

22 qualified citizen described in subsection (b), ap23 pointed by the President on the recommendation of

24 the Governor of Illinois.
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1 (3) Two members, each of whom shall be a

2 qualified citizen described in subsection (b), ap3 pointed by the President on the recommendation of

4 the Governor of Indiana.

5 (4) Two members, each of whom shall be a

6 qualified citizen described in subsection (b), ap7 pointed by the President on the recommendation of

8 the Governor of Kentucky.

9 (5) Two members, each of whom shall be Mem10 bers of the House of Representatives from the State

11 of Illinois, appointed by the Speaker of the House of

12 Representatives.

13 (6) One member, who shall be a Senator from

14 the State of Illinois, appointed by the Majority

15 Leader of the Senate.

16 (7) One member, who shall be a Senator, ap17 pointed by the Majority Leader of the Senate.

18 (8) One member, who shall be a Member of the

19 House of Representatives, appointed by the Minority

20 Leader of the House of Representatives.

21 (9) One member, who shall be a Senator, ap22 pointed by the Minority Leader of the Senate.

23 (b) QUALIFIED CITIZEN.—A qualified citizen de24 scribed in this subsection is a private citizen of the United

25 States with—
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1 (1) a demonstrated dedication to educating oth2 ers about the importance of historical figures and

3 events; and

4 (2) substantial knowledge and appreciation of

5 Abraham Lincoln.

6 (c) TIME OF APPOINTMENT.—Each initial appoint7 ment of a member of the Commission shall be made before

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

9 of the enactment of this Act.

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

11 was appointed to the Commission as a Member of Con12 gress and the member ceases to be a Member of Congress,

13 that member may continue as a member for not longer

14 than the 30-day period beginning on the date that member

15 ceases to be a Member of Congress.

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

17 life of the Commission.

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

19 be filled in the manner in which the original appointment

20 was made.

21 (g) BASIC PAY.—Members shall serve without pay.

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

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

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

25 United States Code.
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1 (i) QUORUM.—Five members of the Commission shall

2 constitute a quorum but a lesser number may hold hear3 ings.

4 (j) CHAIRPERSON.—The Chairperson shall be des5 ignated by the President from among the members of the

6 Commission appointed under section 5(a)(1). The term of

7 office of the Chairperson shall be for the life of the Com8 mission.

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

10 call of the Chairperson. Periodically, the Commission shall

11 hold its meeting in Springfield, Illinois.

12 SEC. 6. DIRECTOR AND STAFF.

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

14 fix the pay of a Director and any additional personnel as

15 the Commission considers appropriate.

16 (b) APPLICABILITY OF CERTAIN CIVIL SERVICE

17 LAWS.—

18 (1) DIRECTOR.—The Director of the Commis19 sion may be appointed without regard to the provi20 sions of title 5, United States Code, governing ap21 pointments in the competitive service, and may be

22 paid without regard to the provisions of chapter 51

23 and subchapter III of chapter 53 of that title relat24 ing to classification and General Schedule pay rates.
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1 (2) STAFF.—The staff of the Commission shall

2 be appointed subject to the provisions of title 5,

3 United States Code, governing appointments in the

4 competitive service, and shall be paid in accordance

5 with the provisions of chapter 51 and subchapter III

6 of chapter 53 of that title relating to classification

7 and General Schedule pay rates.

8 SEC. 7. POWERS.

9 (a) HEARINGS AND SESSIONS.—The Commission

10 may, for the purpose of carrying out this Act, hold hear11 ings, sit and act at times and places, take testimony, and

12 receive evidence as the Commission considers appropriate.

13 (b) POWERS OF MEMBERS AND AGENTS.—Any mem14 ber or agent of the Commission may, if authorized by the

15 Commission, take any action which the Commission is au16 thorized to take by this section.

17 (c) OBTAINING OFFICIAL DATA.—The Commission

18 may secure directly from any department or agency of the

19 United States information necessary to enable it to carry

20 out this Act. Upon request of the Chairperson of the Com21 mission, the head of that department or agency shall fur22 nish that information to the Commission.

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

24 States mails in the same manner and under the same con-
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1 ditions as other departments and agencies of the United

2 States.

3 (e) ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT SERVICES.—Upon

4 the request of the Commission, the Administrator of Gen5 eral Services shall provide to the Commission, on a reim6 bursable basis, the administrative support services nec7 essary for the Commission to carry out its responsibilities

8 under this Act.

9 SEC. 8. REPORTS.

10 (a) INTERIM REPORTS.—The Commission may sub11 mit to the Congress interim reports as the Commission

12 considers appropriate.

13 (b) FINAL REPORT.—The Commission shall transmit

14 a final report to the Congress not later than the expiration

15 of the 4-year period beginning on the date of the formation

16 of the Commission. The final report shall contain—

17 (1) a detailed statement of the findings and

18 conclusions of the Commission;

19 (2) the recommendations of the Commission;

20 and

21 (3) any other information the Commission con22 siders appropriate.

23 SEC. 9. TERMINATION.

24 The Commission shall terminate 120 days after sub25 mitting its final report pursuant to section 8.
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1 SEC. 10. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

2 There are authorized to be appropriated such sums

3 as may be necessary to carry out this Act.

4 SEC. 11. BUDGET ACT COMPLIANCE.

5 Any spending authority (as defined in subparagraphs

6 (A) and (C) of section 401(c)(2) of the Congressional

7 Budget Act of 1974 (2 U.S.C. 651(c)(2)(A) and (C)))

8 under this Act shall be effective only to such extent and

9 in such amounts as are provided in appropriation Acts.

Passed the House of Representatives October 4,

1999.

Attest:

Clerk.