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(6) to maintain and extend the institutions of American freedom; and
(7) to preserve and defend the United States from all enemies.
§ 230103. Membership
An individual is eligible for membership in the corporation only if the in-
dividual served honorably as a member of the armed forces of the United
States—
(1) in a foreign war, insurrection, or expedition in service that—
(A) has been recognized as campaign–medal service; and
(B) is governed by the authorization of the award of a campaign
badge by the United States Government; or
(2) on the Korean peninsula or in its territorial waters for at least
30 consecutive days, or a total of 60 days, after June 30, 1949.
§ 230104. Powers
The corporation may—
(1) adopt and amend a constitution, bylaws, and regulations to carry
out the purposes of the corporation;
(2) adopt and alter a corporate seal;
(3) establish and maintain offices to conduct its activities;
(4) make contracts;
(5) acquire, own, lease, encumber, and transfer property as necessary
and appropriate to carry out the purposes of the corporation;
(6) establish, regulate, and discontinue subordinate State and terri-
torial subdivisions and local chapters or posts;
(7) publish a magazine and other publications;
(8) sue and be sued; and
(9) do any other act necessary and proper to carry out the purposes
of the corporation.
§ 230105. Exclusive right to name, seal, emblems, and badges
The corporation has the exclusive right to use the name ‘‘Veterans of For-
eign Wars of the United States’’ and its corporate seal and to manufacture
and use emblems and badges the corporation adopts.
§ 230106. Service of process
As a condition to the exercise of any power or privilege granted by this
chapter, the corporation shall file, with the secretary of state or other des-
ignated official of each State, the name and address of an agent in that State
on whom legal process or demands against the corporation may be served.
§ 230107. Annual report
Not later than January 1 of each year, the corporation shall submit a re-
port to Congress on the activities of the corporation during the prior fiscal
year. The report may not be printed as a public document.
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CHAPTER 2303—VETERANS OF WORLD WAR I OF THE
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, INCORPORATED
Sec.
230301.
Organization.
230302.
Purposes.
230303.
Membership.
230304.
Governing body.
230305.
Powers.
230306.
Exclusive right to name, seals, emblems, and badges.
230307.
Restrictions.
230308.
Principal office.
230309.
Records and inspection.
230310.
Service of process.
230311.
Liability for acts of officers and agents.
230312.
Annual report.
230313.
Termination of existence and distribution of assets.
§ 230301. Organization
(a) FEDERAL CHARTER.—Veterans of World War I of the United States of
America, Incorporated (in this chapter, the ‘‘corporation’’), is a federally
chartered corporation.
(b) PLACE OF INCORPORATION AND DOMICILE.—The corporation is de-
clared to be incorporated and domiciled in the District of Columbia.
(c) PERPETUAL EXISTENCE.—Except as otherwise provided, the corpora-
tion has perpetual existence.
§ 230302. Purposes
The purposes of the corporation are patriotic, fraternal, historical, and edu-
cational, in the service and for the benefit of veterans of World War I, and
are—
(1) to provide for the veterans of World War I an organization for
their mutual benefit, pleasure, and amusement which will afford them
opportunities and means for personal contact with each other to keep
alive friendships and memories of World War I and to venerate the mem-
ory of their honored dead;
(2) to cooperate to the fullest extent and in a harmonious manner with
all veterans’ organizations so that the best interests of all veterans of all
wars in which the United States has participated, and the widows and
orphans of deceased veterans of those wars, may best be served;
(3) to stimulate communities and political subdivisions into taking
more interest in veterans of World War I, the widows and orphans of
those deceased veterans, and the problems of those veterans and their wid-
ows and orphans;
(4) to collate, preserve, and encourage the study of historical episodes,
chronicles, mementos, and events pertaining to World War I;
265
(5) to fight vigorously to uphold the Constitution and laws of the
United States as well as the individual States of the Union and to foster
the spirit and practice of true Americanism;
(6) to fight unceasingly for our national security to protect Americans
from enemies within our borders, as well as those from without, so that
our American way of life is preserved;
(7) to fight to the utmost all those alien forces, particularly forces such
as communism, whose objectives are to deny our very existence as a free
people; and
(8) to do any other act necessary and proper to carry out the purposes
of the corporation.
§ 230303. Membership
(a) ELIGIBILITY.—Eligibility for membership in the corporation and the
rights, privileges, and designation of classes of members are as provided in
the constitution and bylaws of the corporation. However, an individual who
did not serve honorably in the armed forces of the United States during the
period beginning April 6, 1917, and ending November 11, 1918, is not eligible
for all classes of membership.
(b) VOTING.—Each member of the corporation (except an associate or hon-
orary member) has one vote on each matter submitted to a vote at a meeting
of the members of the corporation except the national convention.
§ 230304. Governing body
(a) NATIONAL CONVENTION.—(1) The national convention is the supreme
governing authority of the corporation.
(2) The national convention is composed of officers and elected representa-
tives from the States and other local subdivisions of the corporation as pro-
vided in the constitution and bylaws of the corporation. However, the form
of government of the corporation must be representative of the membership at
large and may not permit concentration of control in a limited number of
members or in a self-perpetuating group not representative of the membership
at large. Each elected representative is entitled to one vote at the national
convention.
(3) The meetings of the national convention may be held in the District
of Columbia or in any State, territory, or possession of the United States.
(b) BOARD OF ADMINISTRATION.—(1) During the intervals between the na-
tional convention, the board of administration is the governing board of the
corporation and is responsible for the general policies, program, and activities
of the corporation.
(2) The board shall consist of at least 7 members elected in the manner
and for the term provided in the constitution and bylaws.
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(c) OFFICERS.—(1) The officers of the corporation are a national com-
mander, a national senior vice commander, a national junior vice com-
mander, a national quartermaster, a national adjutant, a national judge ad-
vocate, 9 regional vice commanders, and other officers as provided in the con-
stitution and bylaws. One individual may hold the offices of national quarter-
master and national adjutant.
(2) The titles, manner of selection, term of office, and duties of the officers
are as provided in the constitution and bylaws.
§ 230305. Powers
The corporation may—
(1) adopt and amend a constitution and bylaws for the management
of its property and the regulation of its affairs;
(2) adopt and alter a corporate seal;
(3) choose officers, managers, employees, and agents as the activities
of the corporation require;
(4) make contracts;
(5) acquire, own, lease, encumber, and transfer property as necessary
or convenient to carry out the purposes of the corporation;
(6) borrow money, issue instruments of indebtedness, and secure its ob-
ligations by granting security interests in its property;
(7) sue and be sued; and
(8) do any other act necessary and proper to carry out the purposes
of the corporation.
§ 230306. Exclusive right to name, seals, emblems, and
badges
The corporation and its subordinate divisions have the exclusive right to
use the name ‘‘Veterans of World War I of the United States of America, In-
corporated’’. The corporation has the exclusive right to use, and to allow oth-
ers to use, seals, emblems, and badges the corporation adopts.
§ 230307. Restrictions
(a) STOCKS AND DIVIDENDS.—The corporation may not issue stock or de-
clare or pay a dividend.
(b) POLITICAL ACTIVITIES.—The corporation or an officer or agent as such
may not contribute to, support, or assist a political party or candidate for
public office.
(c) DISTRIBUTION OF INCOME OR ASSETS.—The income or assets of the
corporation may not inure to the benefit of, or be distributed to, an officer
or member during the life of the corporation or on its dissolution or final
liquidation. This subsection does not prevent the payment of compensation to
an officer or reimbursement for actual necessary expenses in amounts ap-
proved by the board of administration of the corporation.