II 
115TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1242 
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 
MAY 2, 2017 
Received 
AN ACT 
To establish the 400 Years of African-American History 
Commission, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
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SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘400 Years of African- 
American History Commission Act’’. 
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) COMMEMORATION.—The term ‘‘commemo-
ration’’ means the commemoration of the 400th an-
niversary of the arrival of Africans in the English 
colonies, at Point Comfort, Virginia, in 1619. 
(2) COMMISSION.—The term ‘‘Commission’’ 
means the 400 Years of African-American History 
Commission established by section 3(a). 
(3) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 
the Secretary of the Interior. 
SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—There is established a commis-
sion, to be known as the ‘‘400 Years of African-American 
History Commission’’. 
(b) MEMBERSHIP.— 
(1) COMPOSITION.—The Commission shall be 
composed of 15 members, of whom— 
(A) three members shall be appointed by 
the Secretary after considering recommenda-
tions of Governors, including the Governor of 
Virginia; 
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(B) six members shall be appointed by the 
Secretary after considering recommendations of 
civil rights organizations and historical organi-
zations; 
(C) one member shall be an employee of 
the National Park Service having experience 
relative to the historical and cultural resources 
related to the commemoration, to be appointed 
by the Secretary; 
(D) two members shall be appointed by the 
Secretary after considering the recommenda-
tions of the Secretary of the Smithsonian Insti-
tution; and 
(E) three members shall be individuals who 
have an interest in, support for, and expertise 
appropriate to the commemoration, appointed 
by the Secretary after considering the rec-
ommendations of Members of Congress. 
(2) TIME
OF
APPOINTMENT.—Each appoint-
ment of an initial member of the Commission shall 
be made before the expiration of the 120-day period 
beginning on the date of enactment of this Act. 
(3) TERM; VACANCIES.— 
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(A) TERM.—A member of the Commission 
shall be appointed for the life of the Commis-
sion. 
(B) VACANCIES.— 
(i) IN GENERAL.—A vacancy on the 
Commission shall be filled in the same 
manner in which the original appointment 
was made. 
(ii) PARTIAL TERM.—A member ap-
pointed to fill a vacancy on the Commis-
sion shall serve for the remainder of the 
term for which the predecessor of the 
member was appointed. 
(C) CONTINUATION OF MEMBERSHIP.—If 
a member of the Commission was appointed to 
the Commission as an employee of the National 
Park Service, and ceases to be an employee of 
the National Park Service, that member may 
continue to serve on the Commission for not 
longer than the 30-day period beginning on the 
date on which that member ceases to be an em-
ployee of the National Park Service. 
(c) DUTIES.—The Commission shall— 
(1) plan, develop, and carry out programs and 
activities throughout the United States— 
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(A) appropriate for the commemoration; 
(B) to recognize and highlight the resil-
ience and contributions of African-Americans 
since 1619; 
(C) to acknowledge the impact that slavery 
and laws that enforced racial discrimination 
had on the United States; and 
(D) to educate the public about— 
(i) the arrival of Africans in the 
United States; and 
(ii) the contributions of African-Amer-
icans to the United States; 
(2) encourage civic, patriotic, historical, edu-
cational, artistic, religious, economic, and other or-
ganizations throughout the United States to orga-
nize and participate in anniversary activities to ex-
pand understanding and appreciation of— 
(A) the significance of the arrival of Afri-
cans in the United States; and 
(B) the contributions of African-Americans 
to the United States; 
(3) provide technical assistance to States, local-
ities, and nonprofit organizations to further the com-
memoration; 
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(4) coordinate and facilitate for the public 
scholarly research on, publication about, and inter-
pretation of— 
(A) the arrival of Africans in the United 
States; and 
(B) the contributions of African-Americans 
to the United States; 
(5) ensure that the commemoration provides a 
lasting legacy and long-term public benefit by assist-
ing in the development of appropriate programs; and 
(6) help ensure that the observances of the 
commemoration are inclusive and appropriately rec-
ognize the experiences and heritage of all individuals 
present at the arrival of Africans in the United 
States. 
SEC. 4. COMMISSION MEETINGS. 
(a) INITIAL MEETING.—Not later than 30 days after 
the date on which all members of the Commission have 
been appointed, the Commission shall hold the initial 
meeting of the Commission. 
(b) MEETINGS.—The Commission shall meet— 
(1) at least three times each year; or 
(2) at the call of the Chairperson or the major-
ity of the members of the Commission. 
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(c) QUORUM.—A majority of the voting members 
shall constitute a quorum, but a lesser number may hold 
meetings. 
(d) CHAIRPERSON AND VICE CHAIRPERSON.— 
(1) ELECTION.—The Commission shall elect the 
Chairperson and the Vice Chairperson of the Com-
mission on an annual basis. 
(2) ABSENCE OF THE CHAIRPERSON.—The Vice 
Chairperson shall serve as the Chairperson in the 
absence of the Chairperson. 
(e) VOTING.—The Commission shall act only on an 
affirmative vote of a majority of the members of the Com-
mission. 
SEC. 5. COMMISSION POWERS. 
(a) GIFTS.—The Commission may solicit, accept, use, 
and dispose of gifts, bequests, or devises of money or other 
property for aiding or facilitating the work of the Commis-
sion. 
(b) APPOINTMENT OF ADVISORY COMMITTEES.—The 
Commission may appoint such advisory committees as the 
Commission determines to be necessary to carry out this 
Act. 
(c) AUTHORIZATION OF ACTION.—The Commission 
may authorize any member or employee of the Commission 
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to take any action that the Commission is authorized to 
take under this Act. 
(d) PROCUREMENT.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Commission may pro-
cure supplies, services, and property, and make or 
enter into contracts, leases, or other legal agree-
ments, to carry out this Act (except that a contract, 
lease, or other legal agreement made or entered into 
by the Commission shall not extend beyond the date 
of termination of the Commission). 
(2) LIMITATION.—The Commission may not 
purchase real property. 
(e) POSTAL SERVICES.—The Commission may use 
the United States mails in the same manner and under 
the same conditions as other agencies of the Federal Gov-
ernment. 
(f) GRANTS
AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.—The 
Commission may— 
(1) provide grants in amounts not to exceed 
$20,000 per grant to communities and nonprofit or-
ganizations for use in developing programs to assist 
in the commemoration; 
(2) provide grants to research and scholarly or-
ganizations to research, publish, or distribute infor-
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mation relating to the arrival of Africans in the 
United States; and 
(3) provide technical assistance to States, local-
ities, and nonprofit organizations to further the com-
memoration. 
SEC. 6. COMMISSION PERSONNEL MATTERS. 
(a) COMPENSATION OF MEMBERS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in para-
graph (2), a member of the Commission shall serve 
without compensation. 
(2) FEDERAL EMPLOYEES.—A member of the 
Commission who is an officer or employee of the 
Federal Government shall serve without compensa-
tion other than the compensation received for the 
services of the member as an officer or employee of 
the Federal Government. 
(b) TRAVEL EXPENSES.—A member of the Commis-
sion shall be allowed travel expenses, including per diem 
in lieu of subsistence, at rates authorized for an employee 
of an agency under subchapter I of chapter 57 of title 
5, United States Code, while away from the home or reg-
ular place of business of the member in the performance 
of the duties of the Commission. 
(c) DIRECTOR AND STAFF.— 
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(1) IN
GENERAL.—The Chairperson of the 
Commission may, without regard to the civil service 
laws (including regulations), nominate an executive 
director to enable the Commission to perform the 
duties of the Commission. 
(2) CONFIRMATION
OF
EXECUTIVE
DIREC-
TOR.—The employment of an executive director shall 
be subject to confirmation by the Commission. 
(d) COMPENSATION.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in para-
graph (2), the Commission may fix the compensation 
of the executive director and other personnel without 
regard to the provisions of chapter 51 and sub-
chapter III of chapter 53 of title 5, United States 
Code, relating to classification of positions and Gen-
eral Schedule pay rates. 
(2) MAXIMUM RATE OF PAY.—The rate of pay 
for the executive director and other personnel shall 
not exceed the rate payable for level V of the Execu-
tive Schedule under section 5316 of title 5, United 
States Code. 
(e) DETAIL OF GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES.— 
(1) FEDERAL EMPLOYEES.— 
(A) DETAIL.—At the request of the Com-
mission, the head of any Federal agency may 
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detail, on a reimbursable or nonreimbursable 
basis, any of the personnel of the agency to the 
Commission to assist the Commission in car-
rying out the duties of the Commission under 
this Act. 
(B) CIVIL SERVICE STATUS.—The detail of 
an employee under subparagraph (A) shall be 
without interruption or loss of civil service sta-
tus or privilege. 
(2) 
STATE
EMPLOYEES.—The 
Commission 
may— 
(A) accept the services of personnel de-
tailed from the State; and 
(B) reimburse the State for services of de-
tailed personnel. 
(f) PROCUREMENT OF TEMPORARY AND INTERMIT-
TENT SERVICES.—The Chairperson of the Commission 
may procure temporary and intermittent services in ac-
cordance with section 3109(b) of title 5, United States 
Code, at rates for individuals that do not exceed the daily 
equivalent of the annual rate of basic pay prescribed for 
level V of the Executive Schedule under section 5316 of 
such title. 
(g) VOLUNTEER AND UNCOMPENSATED SERVICES.— 
Notwithstanding section 1342 of title 31, United States 
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Code, the Commission may accept and use such voluntary 
and uncompensated services as the Commission deter-
mines to be necessary. 
(h) SUPPORT SERVICES.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall provide 
to the Commission, on a reimbursable basis, such 
administrative support services as the Commission 
may request. 
(2) 
REIMBURSEMENT.—Any 
reimbursement 
under this paragraph shall be credited to the appro-
priation, fund, or account used for paying the 
amounts reimbursed. 
(i) NO EFFECT ON AUTHORITY.—Nothing in this 
section supersedes the authority of the National Park 
Service with respect to the commemoration. 
SEC. 7. PLANS; REPORTS. 
(a) STRATEGIC PLAN.—The Commission shall pre-
pare a strategic plan for the activities of the Commission 
carried out under this Act. 
(b) FINAL REPORT.—Not later than July 1, 2020, 
the Commission shall complete and submit to Congress a 
final report that contains— 
(1) a summary of the activities of the Commis-
sion; 
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(2) a final accounting of funds received and ex-
pended by the Commission; and 
(3) the findings and recommendations of the 
Commission. 
SEC. 8. TERMINATION OF COMMISSION. 
(a) DATE OF TERMINATION.—The Commission shall 
terminate on July 1, 2020. 
(b) TRANSFER OF DOCUMENTS AND MATERIALS.— 
Before the date of termination specified in subsection (a), 
the Commission shall transfer all documents and materials 
of the Commission to the National Archives or another 
appropriate Federal entity. 
SEC. 9. EXPENDITURES OF COMMISSION. 
All expenditures of the Commission shall be made 
solely from donated funds. 
Passed the House of Representatives May 1, 2017. 
Attest: 
KAREN L. HAAS, 
Clerk. 
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