H. R. 1668

One Hundred Seventh Congress

of the

United States of America

AT THE FIRST SESSION

Begun and held at the City of Washington on Wednesday,

the third day of January, two thousand and one

An Act

To authorize the Adams Memorial Foundation to establish a commemorative work

on Federal land in the District of Columbia and its environs to honor former

President John Adams and his legacy.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of

the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. COMMEMORATIVE WORK TO HONOR JOHN ADAMS AND

HIS LEGACY.

(a) FINDINGS.—The Congress finds the following:

(1) Few families have contributed as profoundly to the

United States as the family that gave the Nation its second

president, John Adams; its sixth president, John Quincy Adams;

first ladies Abigail Smith Adams and Louisa Catherine Johnson

Adams; and succeeding generations of statesmen, diplomats,

advocates, and authors.

(2) John Adams (1735–1826), a lawyer, a statesman, and

a patriot, was the author of the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts (the oldest written constitution still

in force), the leader of the Second Continental Congress, a

driving force for independence, a negotiator of the Treaty of

Paris (which brought the Revolutionary War to an end), the

first Vice President, the second President, and an unwavering

exponent of freedom of conscience and the rule of law.

(3) Abigail Smith Adams (1744–1818) was one of the most

remarkable women of her time. Wife of former President John

Adams and mother of former President John Quincy Adams,

she was an early advocate for the rights of women and served

the cause of liberty as a prolific writer, fierce patriot, and

staunch abolitionist.

(4) John Quincy Adams (1767–1848), the son of John and

Abigail Adams, was a distinguished lawyer, legislator, and

diplomat and a master of 7 languages, who served as Senator,

Minister to the Netherlands under President George Washington, Minister to Prussia under the first President Adams,

Minister to Great Britain under President James Madison,

chief negotiator of the Treaty of Ghent (which ended the War

of 1812), Secretary of State under President James Monroe,

author of the Monroe Doctrine (which declared the Western

Hemisphere off limits to European imperial expansion), sixth

President, and the only former President to be elected to the

House of Representatives, where he was known as ‘‘Old Man

Eloquent’’ and served with great distinction as a leader in

the fight against slavery and a champion of unpopular causes.
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(5) Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams (1775–1852), the wife

of former President John Quincy Adams, was an educated,

accomplished woman and the only first lady born outside the

United States. Like Abigail Adams, she wrote eloquently on

behalf of the rights of women and in opposition to slavery.

(6) Charles Francis Adams (1807–1886), the son of John

Quincy and Louisa Adams, served 6 years in the Massachusetts

legislature, was a steadfast abolitionist who received the Free

Soil Party’s vice-presidential nomination in 1848, was elected

to his father’s seat in the House of Representatives in 1856,

and served as ambassador to Great Britain during the Civil

War, where his efforts were decisive in preventing the British

Government from recognizing the independence of the Confederacy.

(7) Henry Adams (1838–1918), the son of Charles Francis

Adams, was an eminent writer, scholar, historian, and public

intellectual, and was the author of many celebrated works,

including ‘‘Democracy’’, ‘‘The Education of Henry Adams’’, and

his 9-volume ‘‘History of the United States during the Administrations of Jefferson and Madison’’.

(8) Both individually and collectively, the members of this

illustrious family have enriched the Nation through their profound civic consciousness, abiding belief in the perfectibility

of the Nation’s democracy, and commitment to service and

sacrifice for the common good.

(9) Although the Congress has authorized the establishment of commemorative works on Federal lands in the District

of Columbia honoring such celebrated former Presidents as

George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Abraham Lincoln,

the National Capital has no comparable memorial to former

President John Adams.

(10) In recognition of the 200th anniversary of the end

of the presidency of John Adams, the time has come to correct

this oversight so that future generations of Americans will

know and understand the preeminent historical and lasting

significance to the Nation of his contributions and those of

his family.

(b) AUTHORITY TO ESTABLISH COMMEMORATIVE WORK.—The

Adams Memorial Foundation may establish a commemorative work

on Federal land in the District of Columbia and its environs to

honor former President John Adams, along with his wife Abigail

Adams and former President John Quincy Adams, and the family’s

legacy of public service.

(c) COMPLIANCE WITH STANDARDS FOR COMMEMORATIVE

WORKS.—The establishment of the commemorative work shall be

in accordance with the Commemorative Works Act (40 U.S.C. 1001,

et seq.).

(d) USE OF FEDERAL FUNDS PROHIBITED.—Federal funds may

not be used to pay any expense of the establishment of the

commemorative work. The Adams Memorial Foundation shall be

solely responsible for acceptance of contributions for, and payment

of the expenses of, the establishment of the commemorative work.

(e) DEPOSIT OF EXCESS FUNDS.—If, upon payment of all

expenses of the establishment of the commemorative work

(including the maintenance and preservation amount provided for

in section 8(b) of the Commemorative Works Act (40 U.S.C. 1001,

et seq.)), or upon expiration of the authority for the commemorative
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work under section 10(b) of such Act, there remains a balance

of funds received for the establishment of the commemorative work,

the Adams Memorial Foundation shall transmit the amount of

the balance to the Secretary of the Treasury for deposit in the

account provided for in section 8(b)(1) of such Act.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

For purposes of this Act, the terms ‘‘commemorative work’’

and ‘‘the District of Columbia and its environs’’ have the meanings

given to such terms in section 2 of the Commemorative Works

Act (40 U.S.C. 1002).

Speaker of the House of Representatives.

Vice President of the United States and

President of the Senate.