I
107TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 762
To establish the North American Slavery Memorial Council.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
FEBRUARY 27, 2001
Mr. STEARNS (for himself, Mr. MEEKS of New York, Mr. MCGOVERN, and
Mr. DAVIS of Illinois) introduced the following bill; which was referred
to the Committee on Resources
A BILL
To establish the North American Slavery Memorial Council.
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 ‘‘North American Slav-
ery Memorial Council Act’’.
SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT.
There is established the North American Slavery Me-
morial Council (in this Act referred to as the ‘‘Council’’).
SEC. 3. DUTIES.
The duties of the Council shall be to—
(1) establish an architectural design for a na-
tional memorial and museum to slavery in North
America appropriate to honor the memory of victims
of slavery (in this Act referred to as the ‘‘Memorial
and Museum’’);
(2) establish a single site within the District of
Columbia suitable for the construction and operation
of the Memorial and Museum;
(3) construct the Memorial and Museum; and
(4) operate the Memorial and Museum.
SEC. 4. MEMBERSHIP.
(a) NUMBER AND APPOINTMENT.—The Council shall
be composed of the following members:
(1) VOTING
MEMBERS.—65 voting members,
who shall be appointed—
(A) 15 by the President of the United
States;
(B) 25 by the Speaker of the House of
Representatives, appointed from among mem-
bers of the House of Representatives; and
(C) 25 by the President pro tempore of the
Senate, on the recommendation of the majority
and minority leaders of the Senate, from among
members of the Senate.
(2) NONVOTING MEMBERS.—3 ex officio non-
voting members, who shall be appointed—
(A) 1 by the Secretary of the Interior;
(B) 1 by the Secretary of State; and
(C) 1 by the Secretary of Education.
(b) CONTINUATION OF MEMBERSHIP.—If a member
was appointed to the Council as a Member of Congress
and the member ceases to be a Member of Congress, that
member may continue as a member for not longer than
the 60-day period beginning on the date that member
ceases to be a Member of Congress.
(c) TERM.—Each member shall be appointed for a
term of 5 years, except that the terms of the 5 members
of the House of Representatives and the 5 members of
the Senate appointed during a Congress shall expire at
the end of that Congress.
(d) VACANCIES.—
(1) A vacancy in the Council shall be filled in
the manner in which the original appointment was
made.
(2) A member appointed to fill a vacancy occur-
ring before the expiration of the term for which the
member’s predecessor was appointed shall be ap-
pointed only for the remainder of that term.
(3) A member, except the 5 members of the
House of Representatives and the 5 members of the
Senate, may serve after the expiration of a term
until a successor takes office.
(e) BASIC PAY.—
(1) RATES
OF
PAY.—Except as provided in
paragraph (2), members shall each be paid at the
daily equivalent of the maximum annual rate of
basic pay payable under section 5376 of title 5 for
each day (including travel time) during which they
are engaged in the actual performance of duties
vested in the Council.
(2) PROHIBITION OF COMPENSATION OF FED-
ERAL
EMPLOYEES.—Members of the Council who
are full-time officers or employees of the United
States or Members of Congress may not receive ad-
ditional pay, allowances, or benefits by reason of
their service on the Council.
(f) TRAVEL EXPENSES.—Each member shall receive
travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence,
in accordance with sections 5702 and 5703 of title 5,
United States Code.
(g) QUORUM.— One-third of the voting members of
the Council shall constitute a quorum but a lesser number
may hold hearings.
(h) CHAIRPERSON; VICE CHAIRPERSON.—The Chair-
person and Vice Chairperson of the Council shall be ap-
pointed by the President of the United States from among
the members of the Council. The term of office of the
Chairperson and Vice Chairperson shall be 5 years. A va-
cancy in the office of the Chairperson or Vice Chairperson
shall be filled in the manner in which the original appoint-
ment was made.
(i) MEETINGS.—The Council shall meet not less fre-
quently than monthly.
SEC. 5. DIRECTOR AND STAFF.
(a) DIRECTOR.—The Council shall have a Director
who shall be appointed by the Chairperson. The Director
shall be paid at a rate not to exceed the maximum rate
of basic pay payable under section 5376 of title 5, United
States Code. The Director shall serve at the pleasure of
the Council.
(b) STAFF.—With the approval of the Council, the
Director may appoint and fix the pay of additional per-
sonnel as the Director considers appropriate.
(c) EXPERTS
AND CONSULTANTS.—With the ap-
proval of the Council, the Director may procure temporary
and intermittent services under section 3109(b) of title 5,
United States Code, but at rates for individuals not to
exceed the daily equivalent of the maximum annual rate