110TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1389 
AN ACT 
To establish the Star-Spangled Banner and War of 1812 
Bicentennial 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,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Star-Spangled Banner 
and War of 1812 Bicentennial Commission Act’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSE. 
(a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds that— 
(1) the War of 1812 served as a crucial test for 
the United States Constitution and the newly estab-
lished democratic Government; 
(2) vast regions of the new multi-party democ-
racy, including the Chesapeake Bay, the Gulf of 
Mexico and the Niagara Frontier, were affected by 
the War of 1812 including the States of Alabama, 
Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Illi-
nois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, 
Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Missouri, Mississippi, 
New Jersey, North Carolina, New Hampshire, New 
York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, 
South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, Vermont, Wis-
consin, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia; 
(3) the British occupation of American territory 
along the Great Lakes and in other regions, the 
burning of Washington, DC, the American victories 
at Fort McHenry, New Orleans, and Plattsburgh, 
among other battles, had far reaching effects on 
American society;
(4) at the Battle of Baltimore, Francis Scott 
Key wrote the poem that celebrated the flag and 
later was titled ‘‘the Star-Spangled Banner’’; 
(5) the poem led to the establishment of the 
flag as an American icon and became the words of 
the national anthem of the United States in 1932; 
and 
(6) it is in the national interest to provide for 
appropriate commemorative activities to maximize 
public understanding of the meaning of the War of 
1812 in the history of the United States. 
(b) PURPOSES.—The purposes of this Act are to— 
(1) establish the Star-Spangled Banner and 
War of 1812 Commemoration Commission; 
(2) ensure a suitable national observance of the 
War of 1812 by complementing, cooperating with, 
and providing assistance to the programs and activi-
ties of the various States involved in the commemo-
ration; 
(3) encourage War of 1812 observances that 
provide an excellent visitor experience and beneficial 
interaction between visitors and the natural and cul-
tural resources of the various War of 1812 sites; 
(4) facilitate international involvement in the 
War of 1812 observances;
(5) support and facilitate marketing efforts for 
a commemorative coin, stamp, and related activities 
for the War of 1812 observances; and 
(6) promote the protection of War of 1812 re-
sources and assist in the appropriate development of 
heritage tourism and economic benefits to the 
United States. 
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) COMMEMORATION.—The term ‘‘commemo-
ration’’ means the commemoration of the War of 
1812. 
(2) COMMISSION.—The term ‘‘Commission’’ 
means the Star-Spangled Banner and War of 1812 
Bicentennial Commission established in section 4(a). 
(3) QUALIFIED CITIZEN.—The term ‘‘qualified 
citizen’’ means a citizen of the United States with 
an interest in, support for, and expertise appropriate 
to the commemoration. 
(4) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 
the Secretary of the Interior. 
(5) STATES.—The term ‘‘States’’— 
(A) means the States of Alabama, Ken-
tucky, Indiana, Louisiana, Maryland, Vermont,
Virginia, New York, Maine, Michigan, and 
Ohio; and 
(B) includes agencies and entities of each 
State. 
SEC. 4. STAR-SPANGLED BANNER AND WAR OF 1812 COM-
MEMORATION COMMISSION. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall establish a 
commission to be known as the ‘‘Star-Spangled Banner 
and War of 1812 Bicentennial Commission’’. 
(b) MEMBERSHIP.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—The Commission shall be 
composed of 22 members, of whom— 
(A) 11 members shall be qualified citizens 
appointed by the Secretary after consideration 
of nominations submitted by the Governors of 
Alabama, Kentucky, Indiana, Louisiana, Maine, 
Maryland, Michigan, New York, Ohio, Vermont, 
and Virginia; 
(B) 3 members shall be qualified citizens 
appointed by the Secretary after consideration 
of nominations submitted by the Mayors of the 
District of Columbia, the City of Baltimore, and 
the City of New Orleans; 
(C) 2 members shall be employees of the 
National Park Service, of whom—
(i) 1 shall be the Director of the Na-
tional Park Service (or a designee); and 
(ii) 1 shall be an employee of the Na-
tional Park Service having experience rel-
evant to the commemoration; 
(D) 4 members shall be qualified citizens 
appointed by the Secretary with consideration 
of recommendations— 
(i) 1 of which are submitted by the 
majority leader of the Senate; 
(ii) 1 of which are submitted by the 
minority leader of the Senate; 
(iii) 1 of which are submitted by the 
majority leader of the House of Represent-
atives; 
(iv) 1 of which are submitted by the 
minority leader of the House of Represent-
atives; and 
(E) 2 members shall be appointed by the 
Secretary from among individuals with exper-
tise in the history of the War of 1812. 
(2) DATE
OF
APPOINTMENTS.—The appoint-
ment of a member of the Commission shall be made 
not later than 120 days after the date of enactment 
of this Act.