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(C) preserving documents and relics and the records of the indi-
vidual services of Revolutionary soldiers and patriots; and
(D) promoting celebrations of all patriotic anniversaries;
(2) carrying out the injunction of Washington, in his farewell ad-
dress to the American people, ‘‘to promote, as an object of primary im-
portance, institutions for the general diffusion of knowledge,’’ thus de-
veloping an enlightened public opinion and affording to young and old
such advantages as shall develop in them the largest capacity for per-
forming the duties of American citizens;
(3) cherishing, maintaining, and extending the institutions of Amer-
ican freedom;
(4) fostering true patriotism and love of country; and
(5) aiding in securing for mankind all the blessings of liberty.
§ 153103. Powers
The corporation may—
(1) adopt a constitution and bylaws;
(2) adopt a seal; and
(3) acquire, own, lease, encumber, and transfer property as necessary
or convenient to carry out its purposes.
§ 153104. Exclusive right to name, seals, emblems, and
badges
The corporation and its subordinate divisions have the exclusive right to
use the name ‘‘National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolu-
tion’’. The corporation has the exclusive right to use and to allow others
to use seals, emblems, and badges the corporation adopts.
§ 153105. Principal office
The corporation shall have its headquarters or principal office in the Dis-
trict of Columbia.
§ 153106. Deposit of historical material in Smithsonian Insti-
tution
The Regents of the Smithsonian Institution may permit the corporation
to deposit its collections, manuscripts, books, pamphlets, and other material
for history in the Smithsonian Institution or in the National Museum, on
conditions and under rules they prescribe.
§ 153107. Annual report
The corporation shall submit an annual report to the Secretary of the
Smithsonian Institution on the activities of the corporation. The Secretary
shall communicate to Congress any part of the report that the Secretary
considers of national interest and importance.
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CHAPTER 1533—NATIONAL SOCIETY OF THE SONS OF
THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION
Sec.
153301.
Organization.
153302.
Purposes.
153303.
Powers.
153304.
Trustees.
§ 153301. Organization
(a) FEDERAL CHARTER.—National Society of the Sons of the American
Revolution (in this chapter, the ‘‘corporation’’), is a federally chartered cor-
poration.
(b) PLACE OF INCORPORATION.—The corporation is declared to be incor-
porated in the District of Columbia.
§ 153302. Purposes
The purposes of the corporation are patriotic, historical, and educational,
and include those intended or designed—
(1) to perpetuate the memory of the men who, by their services or
sacrifices during the war of the American Revolution, achieved the
independence of the American people;
(2) to unite and promote fellowship among their descendants;
(3) to inspire them and the community at large with a more pro-
found reverence for the principles of the government founded by our
forefathers;
(4) to encourage historical research in relation to the American Rev-
olution;
(5) to acquire and preserve the records of the individual services of
the patriots of the war, as well as documents, relics, and landmarks;
(6) to mark the scenes of the American Revolution by appropriate
memorials;
(7) to celebrate the anniversaries of the prominent events of the war
and of the Revolutionary period;
(8) to foster true patriotism;
(9) to maintain and extend the institutions of American freedom;
and
(10) to carry out the purposes expressed in the preamble to the Con-
stitution of our country and the injunctions of Washington in his fare-
well address to the American people.
§ 153303. Powers
The corporation may—
(1) adopt and amend a constitution, bylaws, and regulations for the
admission, government, suspension, and expulsion of its members;
(2) adopt and alter a seal;
(3) provide for the election of its officers and define their duties;
207
(4) provide for State societies or chapters with regulations for their
conduct, and regulate and provide for the management, safe-keeping,
and protection of their property and funds;
(5) acquire, own, lease, encumber, and transfer property as necessary
or convenient to carry out the purposes of the corporation; and
(6) sue and be sued;
§ 153304. Trustees
The property and affairs of the corporation shall be managed by at least
40 trustees. The trustees shall be elected annually at the time provided in
the bylaws. At least one trustee shall be elected annually from a list of
nominees to be made by each of the State societies and submitted to the
corporation at least 30 days before the annual meeting, as provided by regu-
lations adopted by the corporation.
CHAPTER 1535—NATIONAL TROPICAL BOTANICAL
GARDEN
Sec.
153501.
Organization.
153502.
Purposes.
153503.
Membership.
153504.
Governing body.
153505.
Powers.
153506.
Exclusive right to name.
153507.
Restrictions.
153508.
Principal office and location of activities and gardens.
153509.
Records and inspection.
153510.
Statement required in audit report.
153511.
Service of process.
153512.
Liability for acts of officers and agents.
153513.
Distribution of assets on dissolution or final liquidation.
§ 153501. Organization
(a) FEDERAL CHARTER.—National Tropical Botanical Garden (in this
chapter, the ‘‘corporation’’) is a federally chartered corporation.
(b) PERPETUAL EXISTENCE.—Except as otherwise provided, the corpora-
tion has perpetual existence.
§ 153502. Purposes
The purposes of the corporation are—
(1) to establish, develop, operate, and maintain for the benefit of the
people of the United States an educational and scientific center in the
form of one or more tropical botanical gardens, together with facilities
such as libraries, herbaria, laboratories, and museums that are appro-
priate and necessary for encouraging and conducting research in basic
and applied tropical botany;
(2) to foster and encourage fundamental research about tropical
plant life and to encourage research and study of the uses of tropical
flora in agriculture, forestry, horticulture, medicine, and other sciences;
208
(3) to disseminate through publications and other media the knowl-
edge about basic and applied tropical botany acquired at the gardens;
(4) to collect and cultivate tropical flora of every nature and origin
and to preserve for the people of the United States species of tropical
plant life threatened with extinction; and
(5) to provide a beneficial facility that will contribute to the edu-
cation, instruction, and recreation of the people of the United States.
§ 153503. Membership
(a) ELIGIBILITY.—Except as provided in this chapter, eligibility for mem-
bership in the corporation and the rights and privileges of members are as
provided in the constitution and bylaws of the corporation.
(b) VOTING.—Each member (except an honorary or associate member)
has one vote on each matter submitted to a vote at a meeting of the mem-
bers.
§ 153504. Governing body
(a) BOARD OF TRUSTEES.—(1) The board of trustees is the governing
body of the corporation. The duties and powers of the board are as provided
in the bylaws.
(2) The manner of selection and term of office of the trustees are as pro-
vided in the bylaws.
(b) OFFICERS.—(1) The officers of the corporation are a president, one
or more vice presidents, a secretary, a treasurer, and other officers as pro-
vided in the bylaws.
(2) The manner of election, term of office, and duties of the officers are
as provided in the bylaws.
§ 153505. Powers
The corporation may—
(1) adopt and amend bylaws for the management of its property and
the regulation of its affairs;
(2) adopt and alter a corporate seal;
(3) choose officers, trustees, managers, employees, and agents as the
activities of the corporation require;
(4) make contracts;
(5) acquire, own, lease, encumber, and transfer property as necessary
or proper to carry out the purposes of the corporation;
(6) borrow money, issue instruments of indebtedness, and secure its
obligations by granting security interests in its property;
(7) sue and be sued; and
(8) do any other act necessary and proper to carry out the purposes
of the corporation.
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§ 153506. Exclusive right to name
The corporation has the exclusive right to use and to allow others to use
the name ‘‘National Tropical Botanical Garden’’.
§ 153507. Restrictions
(a) STOCK AND DIVIDENDS.—The corporation may not issue stock or de-
clare or pay a dividend.
(b) POLITICAL ACTIVITIES.—The corporation or a trustee or officer as
such may not contribute to, support, or assist a political party or candidate
for elective public office.
(c) DISTRIBUTION OF INCOME OR ASSETS.—The income or assets of the
corporation may not inure to the benefit of, or be distributed to, a trustee,
officer, or member during the life of the corporation or on its dissolution
or final liquidation. This subsection does not prevent the payment of reason-
able compensation to an officer or reimbursement for actual necessary ex-
penses in amounts approved by the board of trustees.
(d) LOANS.—The corporation may not make a loan to a trustee, officer,
or employee. Trustees who vote for or assent to making a loan to a trustee,
officer, or employee, and officers who participate in making the loan, are
jointly and severally liable to the corporation for the amount of the loan
until it is repaid.
§ 153508. Principal office and location of activities and gar-
dens
(a) PRINCIPAL OFFICE.—The principal office of the corporation shall be
in the District of Columbia or another place decided by the board of trust-
ees.
(b) LOCATION OF ACTIVITIES AND GARDENS.—The activities of the cor-
poration may be conducted anywhere. However, the corporation may estab-
lish tropical botanical gardens only in the United States and its territories
and possessions.
§ 153509. Records and inspection
(a) RECORDS.—The corporation shall keep—
(1) correct and complete records of account;
(2) minutes of the proceedings of its board of trustees and commit-
tees; and
(3) at its principal office, a record of the names and addresses of
its members entitled to vote.
(b) INSPECTION.—A member entitled to vote, or an agent or attorney of
the member, may inspect the records of the corporation for any proper pur-
pose, at any reasonable time.
210
§ 153510. Statement required in audit report
The corporation shall include in the audit report statement required
under section 10101(b)(1)(B) of this title a schedule of all contracts requir-
ing payments greater than $10,000 and all payments of compensation or
fees at a rate of greater than $10,000 a year.
§ 153511. Service of process
The corporation shall have a designated agent in the District of Columbia
to receive service of process for the corporation. Notice to or service on the
agent, or mailed to the business address of the agent, is notice to or service
on the corporation.
§ 153512. Liability for acts of officers and agents
The corporation is liable for the acts of its officers and agents acting
within the scope of their authority.
§ 153513. Distribution of assets on dissolution or final liq-
uidation
(a) ALLOWABLE RECIPIENTS.—On dissolution or final liquidation of the
corporation, any assets remaining after the discharge of all liabilities shall
be distributed, as decided by the board of trustees, to—
(1) the United States Government, to be administered by the Sec-
retary of the Interior under the Act of August 25, 1916 (16 U.S.C.
1 et seq.) (known as the National Park Service Organic Act); or
(2) a State or local government to be used for a public purpose.
(b) RESTRICTION.—A distribution under subsection (a) of this section
shall be consistent with the purposes of the corporation and in compliance
with the charter and bylaws.
CHAPTER 1537—NATIONAL WOMAN’S RELIEF CORPS,
AUXILIARY TO THE GRAND ARMY OF THE REPUBLIC
Sec.
153701.
Organization.
153702.
Purposes.
153703.
Membership.
153704.
Governing body.
153705.
Powers.
153706.
Exclusive right to name, seals, emblems, and badges.
153707.
Restrictions.
153708.
Principal office.
153709.
Records and inspection.
153710.
Service of process.
153711.
Liability for acts of officers and agents.
153712.
Annual report.
153713.
Distribution of assets on dissolution or final liquidation.
§ 153701. Organization
(a) FEDERAL CHARTER.—National Woman’s Relief Corps, Auxiliary to
the Grand Army of the Republic (in this chapter, the ‘‘corporation’’), is a
federally chartered corporation.
211
(b) PLACE OF INCORPORATION AND DOMICILE.—The corporation is de-
clared to be incorporated and domiciled in the District of Columbia.
(c) PERPETUAL EXISTENCE.—Except as otherwise provided, the corpora-
tion has perpetual existence.
§ 153702. Purposes
The purposes of the corporation are—
(1) to perpetuate the memory of the Grand Army of the Republic,
as the National Woman’s Relief Corps is its auxiliary and was orga-
nized at its request in 1883, and of the men who saved the Union in
1861 to 1865;
(2) to assist in every practicable way in preserving, and making
available for research, documents and records pertaining to the Grand
Army of the Republic and its members;
(3) to cooperate in doing honor to all those who have served our
country patriotically in any war;
(4) to teach patriotism, the duties of citizenship, the true history of
our country, and the love and honor of our flag;
(5) to oppose every tendency or movement that would weaken loyalty
to, destroy, or impair our constitutional Union; and
(6) to inculcate and broadly sustain the American principles of rep-
resentative government, equal rights, and impartial justice for all.
§ 153703. Membership
Except as provided in this chapter, eligibility for membership in the cor-
poration and the rights, privileges, and designation of classes of members
are as provided in the constitution and bylaws of the corporation. Eligibility
for membership is limited to—
(1) women who are the wives, mothers, daughters, and sisters of
Union soldiers, sailors, and marines; and
(2) other loyal women who have not given aid or comfort to the en-
emies of the United States of America.
§ 153704. Governing body
(a) NATIONAL CONVENTION.—(1) The national convention is the supreme
governing authority of the corporation.
(2) The national convention is composed of officers and elected represent-
atives from the States as provided by the regulations of the corporation.
However, the form of government of the corporation must be representative
of the membership at large and may not permit concentration of control in
a limited number of members or in a self-perpetuating group not represent-
ative of the membership at large.
(3) The meetings of the national convention may be held in the District
of Columbia or in any State.