(F) 6 members shall be appointed by the 
Secretary, and shall be individuals that have an 
interest in, support for, and expertise appro-
priate to, the commemoration. 
(2) TERM; VACANCIES.—
(A) TERM.—Each member of the Commis-
sion shall be appointed for the life of the Com-
mission. 
(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. 
(3) MEETINGS.—
(A) IN GENERAL.—The Commission shall 
meet—
(i) at least twice each year; or 
(ii) at the call of the Chairperson or 
the majority of the members of the Com-
mission.
(B) INITIAL MEETING.—Not later than 30 
days after the date on which all members of the 
Commission have been appointed, the Commis-
sion shall hold the initial meeting of the Com-
mission. 
(4) VOTING.—
(A) IN GENERAL.—The Commission shall 
act only on an affirmative vote of a majority of 
the members of the Commission. 
(B) QUORUM.—A majority of the Commis-
sion shall constitute a quorum. 
(5) CHAIRPERSON AND VICE CHAIRPERSON.—
(A) The Commission shall elect the chairperson and 
the vice chairperson of the Commission on an annual 
basis. 
(B) The vice chairperson shall serve as the 
chairperson in the absence of the chairperson. 
(c) DUTIES.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Commission shall—
(A) plan, develop, and execute programs 
and activities appropriate to commemorate the 
400th anniversary of the voyage of Henry Hud-
son, the first European to sail up the Hudson 
River, the 200th anniversary of the voyage of 
Robert Fulton, the first person to use steam
navigation on a commercial basis, the 400th an-
niversary of the voyage of Samuel de Cham-
plain, the first European to discover and ex-
plore Lake Champlain; 
(B) facilitate Hudson-Fulton-Champlain-
related activities throughout the United States;
(C) coordinate its activities with State 
commemoration commissions and appropriate 
Federal Government agencies, including the De-
partments of Agriculture, Defense, State, and 
Transportation, the National Park Service with 
respect to the Hudson River Valley National 
Heritage Area, and the American Heritage Riv-
ers Initiative Interagency Committee estab-
lished by Executive Order 13061, dated Sep-
tember 11, 1997; 
(D) encourage civic, patriotic, historical, 
educational, religious, economic, and other or-
ganizations throughout the United States to or-
ganize and participate in anniversary activities 
to expand the understanding and appreciation 
of the significance of the voyages of Henry
Hudson, Robert Fulton, and Samuel de Cham-
plain;
(E) provide technical assistance to States, 
localities, and nonprofit organizations to further 
the commemoration; 
(F) coordinate and facilitate for the public 
scholarly research on, publication about, and in-
terpretation of, the voyages of Henry Hudson, 
Robert Fulton, and Samuel de Champlain; and 
(G) ensure that the Hudson-Fulton-Cham-
plain 2009 anniversaries provide a lasting leg-
acy and long-term public benefit by assisting in 
the development of appropriate programs and 
facilities. 
(2) PLANS; REPORTS.—
(A) STRATEGIC PLAN; ANNUAL PERFORM-
ANCE PLANS.—The Commission shall prepare a 
strategic plan in accordance with section 306 of 
title 5, United States Code, and annual per-
formance plans in accordance with section 1115 
of title 31, United States Code, for the activi-
ties of the Commission carried out under this 
Act.
(B) FINAL REPORT.—Not later than Sep-
tember 30, 2010, the Commission shall submit 
to the Secretary a final report that contains—
(i) a summary of the activities of the 
Commission; 
(ii) a final accounting of funds re-
ceived and expended by the Commission; 
and 
(iii) the findings and recommenda-
tions of the Commission. 
(d) POWERS OF THE COMMISSION.—The Commission 
may—
(1) disperse funds, and accept donations of per-
sonal services and real and personal property related 
to Hudson-Fulton-Champlain 2009 and of the sig-
nificance of Hudson, Fulton, and Champlain in the 
history of the United States; 
(2) appoint such advisory committees as the 
Commission determines to be necessary to carry out 
this Act; 
(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 this Act (except that any 
contracts, leases, or other legal agreements made or