I 
114TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2615 
To establish the Virgin Islands of the United States Centennial Commission. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JUNE 2, 2015 
Ms. PLASKETT introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform 
A BILL 
To establish the Virgin Islands of the United States 
Centennial Commission. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Virgin Islands of the 
United States Centennial Commission Act’’. 
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 
For purposes of this Act, the term ‘‘State’’ means 
each of the several States, the District of Columbia, each 
territory or possession of the United States, and each fed-
erally recognized Indian tribe. 
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SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT. 
There is established a commission to be known as the 
‘‘Virgin Islands of the United States Centennial Commis-
sion’’ (in this Act referred to as the ‘‘Commission’’). 
SEC. 4. DUTIES OF COMMISSION. 
The Commission shall— 
(1) plan, develop, and carry out such activities 
as the Commission considers fitting and proper to 
commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Virgin 
Islands of the United States becoming an unincor-
porated territory of the United States; 
(2) provide advice and assistance to Federal, 
State, and local governmental agencies, as well as 
civic groups to carry out activities to commemorate 
the 100th anniversary of the Virgin Islands of the 
United States becoming an unincorporated territory 
of the United States; and 
(3) submit to the President and Congress re-
ports pursuant to section 8. 
SEC. 5. MEMBERSHIP. 
(a) NUMBER AND APPOINTMENT.—The Commission 
shall be composed of 8 members as follows: 
(1) The Assistant Secretary of the Interior for 
Insular Affairs or his designee. 
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(2) One member appointed by the Governor of 
the Virgin Islands of the United States or his des-
ignee. 
(3) Two Members of the House of Representa-
tives appointed by the Speaker of the House of Rep-
resentatives. 
(4) One Member of the House of Representa-
tives 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. 
(b) ALTERNATIVE APPOINTMENT.—If the Governor 
of the Virgin Islands of the United States or his designee 
declines to make such appointment under subsection 
(a)(2), such member shall be appointed by the Delegate 
of the Virgin Islands of the United States. 
(c) TERMS.—Each member of the Commission 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— 
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(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 com-
pensation for the performance of their duties on behalf 
of the Commission. 
(g) TRAVEL EXPENSES.—Each member of the Com-
mission 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 busi-
ness, but two or more members may hold hearings. 
(i) CHAIRPERSON.—The chairperson of the Commis-
sion shall be selected by the Delegate of the United States 
Virgin Islands. 
SEC. 6. DIRECTOR AND STAFF OF COMMISSION. 
(a) DIRECTOR AND STAFF.—The Commission shall 
appoint an executive director considering the recommenda-
tion of the Delegate of the Virgin Islands of the United 
States, and shall appoint such other additional personnel 
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as are necessary to enable the Commission to perform its 
duties. 
(b) APPLICABILITY
OF CERTAIN CIVIL SERVICE 
LAWS.—The executive director and staff of the Commis-
sion 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 chap-
ter 53 of such title relating to classification and General 
Schedule pay rates, except that the rate of pay for the 
executive director and other staff may not exceed the rate 
payable for level III of the Executive Schedule under sec-
tion 5316 of such title. 
(c) DETAIL OF FEDERAL EMPLOYEES.—Upon re-
quest of the Commission, the Secretary of the Interior or 
the Archivist of the United States may detail, on a reim-
bursable basis, any of the personnel 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 
from experts and consultants as are necessary to enable 
the Commission to perform its duties. 
(e) VOLUNTEER AND UNCOMPENSATED SERVICES.— 
Notwithstanding section 1342 of title 31, United States 
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Code, the Commission may accept and use voluntary and 
uncompensated services as the Commission determines 
necessary. 
SEC. 7. POWERS OF COMMISSION. 
(a) HEARINGS.—The Commission may, for the pur-
pose of carrying out this Act, hold hearings, sit and act 
at times and places, take testimony, and receive evidence 
as the Commission considers appropriate. 
(b) MAILS.—The Commission may use the United 
States mails in the same manner and under the same con-
ditions 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 chair-
person of the Commission, the head of that department 
or agency shall furnish that information to the Commis-
sion. 
(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 per-
sonal, for the purpose of aiding or facilitating its work. 
(e) AVAILABLE SPACE.—Upon the request of the 
Commission, the Administrator of General Services shall 
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make available 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. 8. REPORTS. 
(a) ANNUAL REPORTS.—The Commission shall sub-
mit to the President and the Congress annual reports on 
the activities of the Commission as well as 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) FINAL REPORT.—Not later than January 31, 
2018, the Commission shall submit a final report to the 
President and the Congress containing— 
(1) a summary of the activities of the Commis-
sion; and 
(2) a final accounting of funds received and ex-
pended by the Commission. 
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SEC. 9. TERMINATION. 
The Commission may terminate on such date as the 
Commission may determine after it submits its final re-
port under section 8(b), but not later than September 30, 
2018. 
SEC. 10. ANNUAL AUDIT. 
The Inspector General of the Department of the Inte-
rior 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 Over-
sight and Government Reform of the House of Represent-
atives and the Committee on Homeland Security and Gov-
ernmental Affairs of the Senate. 
Æ 
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