I 
111TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 4346 
To establish a commission to commemorate the ending of chattel slavery 
in the United States, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
DECEMBER 16, 2009 
Mr. CONYERS (for himself, Mr. DANIEL E. LUNGREN of California, Ms. JACK-
SON-LEE of Texas, and Mr. HASTINGS of Florida) introduced the fol-
lowing bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary 
A BILL 
To establish a commission to commemorate the ending of 
chattel slavery in the United States, and for other purposes. 
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 ‘‘National Emancipation 
Commemoration Act of 2009’’. 
SEC. 2. PURPOSE. 
The purpose of this Act is to establish the National 
Emancipation Commemoration Commission in order to— 
(1) ensure a suitable national observance of the 
150th anniversary of the ending of chattel slavery in 
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the United States through the Emancipation Procla-
mation and the Thirteenth Amendment of the Con-
stitution; 
(2) highlight the protections of the living 13th 
Amendment against modern slavery in all its forms 
and explore why servitude still exists in the United 
States and elsewhere; 
(3) provide assistance to the development of 
programs, curricula, and activities concerning both 
antebellum and modern slavery, in conjunction with 
the 150th anniversary of Emancipation and there-
after; and 
(4) support and facilitate efforts for events, a 
commemorative coin, stamp, and related activities 
for the observances of the 150th anniversary of 
Emancipation and the adoption of the Thirteenth 
Amendment. 
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) COMMEMORATION.—The term ‘‘commemo-
ration’’ means the commemoration of the 150th an-
niversaries of the Preliminary Emancipation Procla-
mation, the Emancipation Proclamation, the Thir-
teenth Amendment to the United States Constitu-
tion and its ongoing application to modern slavery, 
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passage of Federal anti-peonage legislation and the 
extension of the Thirteenth Amendment protections 
to all races and ethnicities, and the activities of the 
Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen and Abandoned 
Lands (‘‘Freedman’s Bureau’’) in attempting to 
meet the needs of newly freed persons in the years 
following the Civil War. 
(2) COMMISSION.—The term ‘‘Commission’’ 
means the Commission established by this Act. 
(3) MODERN
SLAVERY.—The term ‘‘modern 
slavery’’ means activities that violate the Federal 
statutory prohibitions against slavery and human 
trafficking set forth in chapter 77 of title 18, United 
States Code. 
SEC. 4. ATTORNEY GENERAL TO ASSIST THE COMMEMORA-
TION. 
In order to ensure that the 150th anniversary of 
Emancipation provides a lasting legacy and long-term 
public benefit by assisting in the development of appro-
priate programs and facilities, the Attorney General, 
through the Office of Justice Programs, may make grants 
and provide technical assistance to appropriate Federal, 
State, and local entities and nonprofit organizations— 
(1) to plan and carry out programs and activi-
ties appropriate to for the commemoration; 
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(2) to generally facilitate commemoration-re-
lated activities throughout the United States; 
(3) to encourage civic, patriotic, historical, edu-
cational, religious, economic, and other organizations 
throughout the United States to organize and par-
ticipate in anniversary activities to expand the un-
derstanding and appreciation of the significance of 
the events commemorated by the commemoration; 
(4) to coordinate and facilitate public scholarly 
research on, publication about, and interpretation of: 
chattel slavery, the trans-Atlantic slave trade, the 
lives and work of such historical figures as Abraham 
Lincoln, Frederick Douglass, Sojourner Truth, Levi 
and Catherine Coffin, and Harriet Tubman, the 
Emancipation, success and failures in implementing 
the Emancipation, expansion of the protections of 
the Thirteenth Amendment to all persons in the 
United States, modern effects of chattel slavery and 
the Emancipation on American culture and society, 
and the continued application of the Thirteenth 
Amendment and enabling legislation in combating 
modern slavery in the United States and abroad; 
(5) to encourage efforts for a commemorative 
coin, stamp, and related activities for the commemo-
ration; 
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(6) to assist in the appropriate development of 
commemoration-related heritage tourism and the 
economic benefits of that tourism to the United 
States; and 
(7) to facilitate commemoration-related activi-
ties and informational displays at sites and locations 
that are part of the National Park Service Under-
ground Railroad Network to Freedom Program and 
the National Underground Railroad Freedom Cen-
ter. 
SEC. 5. NATIONAL EMANCIPATION COMMEMORATION COM-
MISSION. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—There is established a commission 
to be known as the ‘‘National Emancipation Commemora-
tion Commission’’. 
(b) DUTIES.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Commission shall— 
(A) advise the Attorney General with re-
gard to making grants and giving technical as-
sistance under this Act; and 
(B) conduct a study on modern slavery in 
all its forms that— 
(i) addresses why slavery in all its 
forms still exists globally; 
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(ii) analyzes the persistence of modern 
slavery in the United States from 1865 to 
the present; and 
(iii) makes recommendations to ad-
dress issues and concerns highlighted by 
the study. 
(2) REPORTS.— 
(A) INTERIM
REPORT.—Not later than 
January 1, 2013, the Commission shall com-
plete an interim report that contains— 
(i) a summary of the activities of the 
Commission; 
(ii) any interim results, findings, or 
recommendations of the study conducted 
under paragraph (1)(B); and 
(iii) an accounting of funds received 
and expended by the Commission through 
September 30, 2012. 
(B) FINAL
REPORT.—Not later than 
March 2, 2017, the Commission shall complete 
a final report that contains— 
(i) a summary of the activities of the 
Commission; 
(ii) the results of the study conducted 
under paragraph (1)(B); 
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(iii) a final accounting of funds re-
ceived and expended by the Commission; 
and 
(iv) any findings and recommenda-
tions of the Commission. 
(c) MEMBERSHIP.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—The Commission shall be 
composed of 18 members, of whom— 
(A) one shall be the Assistant Attorney 
General for Civil Rights, who shall be the Chair 
of the Commission; 
(B) one shall be the Ambassador at Large, 
Director of the Office to Monitor and Combat 
Trafficking in Persons, who shall be the Vice- 
Chair of the Commission; 
(C) one shall be the Librarian of Congress, 
or a designee of the Librarian of Congress; 
(D) one shall be the Director of the Na-
tional Park Service, or a designee of the Direc-
tor; 
(E) one shall be the Director of the Na-
tional Museum of American History of the 
Smithsonian Institution, or a designee of the 
Director; 
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(F) one shall be the Director of the Na-
tional Underground Railroad Freedom Center 
(or any successor institution), or a designee of 
the Director; 
(G) one shall be the Director of the Na-
tional Civil Rights Museum, or a designee of 
the Director; 
(H) one shall be the Executive Director of 
the National Hispanic Cultural Center, or a 
designee of the Executive Director; 
(I) one shall be the Executive Director of 
the Asian Law Alliance, or a designee of the 
Executive Director; 
(J) four shall be appointed by the Speaker 
of the House in consultation with the minority 
leader; and 
(K) four shall be appointed by the majority 
leader of the Senate in consultation with the 
minority leader. 
(2) TERM; VACANCIES.— 
(A) TERM.—The term of an appointed 
member of the Commission is for the life of the 
Commission. 
(B) VACANCIES.— 
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(i) IN GENERAL.—A vacancy among 
the appointed members of 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. 
(3) MEETINGS.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—The Commission shall 
meet— 
(i) at least twice each year; and 
(ii) additionally, at the call of the 
Chairperson or the majority of the mem-
bers of the Commission. 
(B) INITIAL MEETING.—Not later than 30 
days after the date on which all appointed 
members of the Commission have been ap-
pointed, the Commission shall hold the initial 
meeting of the Commission. 
(4) VOTING.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—The Commission shall 
act only on an affirmative vote of a majority of 
the members of the Commission. 
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(B) QUORUM.—A majority of the Commis-
sion shall constitute a quorum. 
(d) POWERS OF THE COMMISSION.—The Commission 
may— 
(1) accept donations and make dispersions of 
money, personal services, and real and personal 
property related to its duties; 
(2) appoint such advisory committees of its 
members as the Commission determines to be nec-
essary to carry out its duties; 
(3) authorize any member or employee of the 
Commission to take any action that the Commission 
is authorized to take by this Act; 
(4) procure supplies, services, and property, and 
make or enter into contracts, leases, or other legal 
agreements, to carry out its duties (except that any 
contracts, leases, or other legal agreements made or 
entered into by the Commission shall not extend be-
yond the date of termination of the Commission); 
and 
(5) use the United States mails in the same 
manner and under the same conditions as a Federal 
agency. 
(e) COMMISSION PERSONNEL MATTERS.— 
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(1) COMPENSATION OF MEMBERS OF THE COM-
MISSION.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in 
this paragraph, a member of the Commission 
shall serve without compensation. 
(B) FEDERAL EMPLOYEES.—A member of 
the Commission who is an officer or employee 
of the Federal Government shall serve without 
compensation in addition to the compensation 
received for the services of the member as an 
officer or employee of the Federal Government. 
(C) TRAVEL
EXPENSES.—A member or 
employee of the Commission 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 regular place of business of the 
member or employee in the performance of the 
duties of the Commission. 
(2) STAFF.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—The Chairperson of the 
Commission may, without regard to the civil 
service laws (including regulations), appoint 
and terminate an executive director and such 
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other additional personnel as are necessary to 
enable the Commission to perform the duties of 
the Commission. 
(B) APPROVAL
OF
EXECUTIVE
DIREC-
TOR.—The employment of an executive director 
shall require approval by a majority of the 
Commission members. 
(3) COMPENSATION.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in 
subparagraph (B), the Chairperson of the Com-
mission may fix the compensation of the execu-
tive director and other personnel without regard 
to the provisions of chapter 51 and subchapter 
III of chapter 53 of title 5, United States Code, 
relating to classification of positions and Gen-
eral Schedule pay rates. 
(B) MAXIMUM RATE OF PAY.—The rate of 
pay for the executive director and other per-
sonnel shall not exceed the rate payable for 
level V of the Executive Schedule under section 
5316 of title 5, United States Code. 
(4) DETAIL OF GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES.— 
(A) FEDERAL EMPLOYEES.— 
(i) IN GENERAL.—On the request of 
the Commission, the head of any Federal 
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agency may detail, on a reimbursable or 
non-reimbursable basis, any of the per-
sonnel of the agency to the Commission to 
assist the Commission in carrying out the 
duties of the Commission under this Act. 
(ii) CIVIL SERVICE STATUS.—The de-
tail of an employee under clause (I) shall 
be without interruption or loss of civil serv-
ice status or privilege. 
(B) STATE EMPLOYEES.—The Commission 
may— 
(i) accept the services of personnel de-
tailed from States (including subdivisions 
of States); and 
(ii) reimburse States for services of 
detailed personnel. 
(5) VOLUNTEER AND UNCOMPENSATED SERV-
ICES.—Notwithstanding section 1342 of title 31, 
United States Code, the Commission may accept and 
use voluntary and uncompensated services as the 
Commission determines necessary. 
(6) SUPPORT SERVICES.—The Attorney General 
shall provide to the Commission, on a reimbursable 
basis, such administrative support services as the 
Commission may request. 
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(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 
that title. 
(g) TERMINATION.—The Commission shall terminate 
on September 30, 2017. Any advisory committee estab-
lished under this Act that is not previously terminated by 
the Commission shall also terminate on that date. 
Æ 
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