Title: National Commission on Modernizing Military Installation Designations Act
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security

Summary:
National Commission on Modernizing Military Installation Designations Act
This bill establishes in the executive branch the National Commission on Modernizing Military Installation Designations, an independent commission charged with reviewing the designations (i.e., names) of certain military installations and other property of the Department of Defense (DOD).
Specifically, the commission must review the designations of the following military installations: (1) Camp Beauregard, Louisiana; (2) Fort A.P. Hill, Virginia; (3) Fort Benning, Georgia; (4) Fort Bragg, North Carolina; (5) Fort Gordon, Georgia; (6) Fort Hood, Texas; (7) Fort Lee, Virginia; (8) Fort Pickett, Virginia; (9) Fort Polk, Louisiana; (10) Fort Rucker, Alabama; (11) the U.S.S. Chancellorsville; and (12) any other military base or property as the commission determines appropriate.
In conducting its review, the commission must consider whether current designations represent the values enshrined in the U.S. Constitution and whether a designation features certain other characteristics (e.g., honoring careers or actions that were important to, and well known in, the locality or function to be memorialized).
The commission must produce reports with any recommendations for action by the executive branch and Congress related to each military installation.
Not later than 30 days after the submission of the recommendations in the final report, DOD must redesignate the military installations with such designations as determined by the commission.
The commission shall terminate not later than 30 days after submitting the final versions of its reports and recommendations.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 7155 Introduced in House (IH)]

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116th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 7155

 To form the National Commission on Modernizing Military Installation 
                 Designations, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             June 11, 2020

   Mr. Brown of Maryland (for himself and Mr. Bacon) introduced the 
 following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To form the National Commission on Modernizing Military Installation 
                 Designations, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``National Commission on Modernizing 
Military Installation Designations Act''.

SEC. 2. NATIONAL COMMISSION ON MODERNIZING MILITARY INSTALLATION 
              DESIGNATIONS.

    (a) Establishment.--
            (1) In general.--There is established in the executive 
        branch an independent Commission to review the designations of 
        military installations and other property of the Department of 
        Defense.
            (2) Treatment.--The Commission shall be considered an 
        independent Commission establishment of the Federal Government 
        as defined by section 104 of title 5, United States Code, and a 
        temporary organization under section 3161 of such title.
            (3) Designation.--The Commission established under 
        paragraph (1) shall be known as the ``National Commission on 
        Modernizing Military Installation Designations''.
            (4) Membership.--
                    (A) Composition.--The Commission shall be composed 
                of 11 members appointed as follows:
                            (i) The Secretary of the Army shall appoint 
                        1 member.
                            (ii) The Secretary of the Air Force shall 
                        appoint 1 member.
                            (iii) The Secretary of the Navy shall 
                        appoint 1 member.
                            (iv) The Chairman of the Committee on Armed 
                        Services of the Senate shall appoint 1 member.
                            (v) The Ranking Member of the Committee on 
                        Armed Services of the Senate shall appoint 1 
                        member.
                            (vi) The Chairman of the Committee on Armed 
                        Services of the House of Representatives shall 
                        appoint 1 member.
                            (vii) The Ranking Member of the Committee 
                        on Armed Services of the House of 
                        Representatives shall appoint 1 member.
                            (viii) The majority leader of the Senate 
                        shall appoint 1 member.
                            (ix) The minority leader of the Senate 
                        shall appoint 1 member.
                            (x) The Speaker of the House of 
                        Representatives shall appoint 1 member.
                            (xi) The minority leader of the House of 
                        Representatives shall appoint 1 member.
                    (B) Deadline for appointment.--Members shall be 
                appointed to the Commission under subparagraph (A) not 
                later than 90 days after the date on which the 
                Commission is established.
                    (C) Effect of lack of appointment by appointment 
                date.--If one or more appointments under subparagraph 
                (A) are not made by the appointment date specified in 
                subparagraph (B), or if a position described in 
                subparagraph (A) is vacant for more than 90 days, the 
                authority to make such appointment shall transfer to 
                the Chair of the Commission.
            (5) Chair and vice chair.--The Commission shall elect a 
        Chair and Vice Chair from among its members.
            (6) Terms.--Members shall be appointed for the life of the 
        Commission. A vacancy in the Commission shall not affect its 
        powers and shall be filled in the same manner as the original 
        appointment was made.
            (7) Status as federal employees.--Notwithstanding the 
        requirements of section 2105 of title 5, United States Code, 
        including the required supervision under subsection (a)(3) of 
        such section, the members of the Commission shall be deemed to 
        be Federal employees.
    (b) Duties.--
            (1) In general.--The Commission shall carry out the review 
        described in paragraph (2). In carrying out such review, the 
        Commission shall consider the designations of covered military 
        installations and criteria for their redesignation that honors 
        our deceased heroes and other deceased distinguished men and 
        women that represent the diversity of our society.
            (2) Scope of the review.--In conducting the review under 
        paragraph (1), the Commission shall consider the following:
                    (A) The designations of military installations and 
                other Department of Defense property, including if such 
                designations represent the values enshrined in the 
                Constitution of the United States.
                    (B) The characteristics on which the designation of 
                a covered military installation should be based, 
                including but not limited to--
                            (i) serving as inspiration to the service 
                        members and citizens of the United States;
                            (ii) honoring careers or actions that were 
                        important to, and well known in, the locality 
                        or function to be memorialized;
                            (iii) recognizing the contributions to the 
                        service under which the installation or 
                        property is operated;
                            (iv) representing an allegiance to the 
                        values enshrined in the Constitution of the 
                        United States;
                            (v) diversity in race, gender, and 
                        ethnicity; and
                            (vi) honoring living persons in exceptional 
                        cases and where it is uniquely appropriate.
                    (C) The rules, regulations, and procedures for the 
                designation of military installations and other 
                Department of Defense property.
                    (D) Any other matters the Commission deems 
                relevant.
    (c) Reports.--
            (1) Initial report.--
                    (A) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the 
                date of the enactment of this Act, the Commission shall 
                submit to the President and Congress an initial report 
                on the findings of the Commission and such 
                recommendations that the Commission may have for action 
                by the executive branch and Congress related to the 
                covered military installations.
                    (B) Elements.--The report required under 
                subparagraph (A) shall include--
                            (i) the covered military installations 
                        considered for redesignation;
                            (ii) the criteria to be used for selecting 
                        a redesignation for each covered military 
                        installation, consistent with the 
                        characteristics under subsection (b)(2)(B); and
                            (iii) any other matters the Commission 
                        considers appropriate.
            (2) Final report.--
                    (A) In general.--Not later than 365 days after the 
                date of the enactment of this Act, the Commission shall 
                submit to the President and Congress a comprehensive 
                report on the results of the review required under 
                subsection (b).
                    (B) Elements.--The report required under 
                subparagraph (A) shall include--
                            (i) a redesignation for each covered 
                        military installation;
                            (ii) the criteria used for selecting a 
                        redesignation for each covered military 
                        installation;
                            (iii) the rationale for the selected 
                        redesignation for each covered military 
                        installation;
                            (iv) recommendations for improvements to 
                        and standardization of Department of Defense 
                        regulations and processes related to the naming 
                        of military installations and property; and
                            (v) any other matters the Commission 
                        considers appropriate.
            (3) Form of reports.--Reports submitted under this 
        subsection shall be made publicly available.
    (d) Redesignation.--Not later than 30 days after the submission of 
the recommendations under subsection (c)(2), the Secretary of Defense 
shall redesignate the covered military installations with such 
designations as determined by the Commission.
    (e) References.--Any reference in any law, regulation, map, 
document, paper, or other record of the United States to a covered 
military installation referred to in subsection (d) shall be deemed to 
be a reference to such installation as redesignated under such 
subsection.
    (f) Termination.--Commission shall terminate not later than 30 days 
after submitting the final versions of reports and recommendations 
pursuant to subsection (c).
    (g) Covered Military Installation.--In this section, the term 
``covered military installation'' includes--
            (1) Camp Beauregard, Louisiana;
            (2) Fort A.P. Hill, Virginia;
            (3) Fort Benning, Georgia;
            (4) Fort Bragg, North Carolina;
            (5) Fort Gordon, Georgia;
            (6) Fort Hood, Texas;
            (7) Fort Lee, Virginia;
            (8) Fort Pickett, Virginia;
            (9) Fort Polk, Louisiana;
            (10) Fort Rucker, Alabama;
            (11) the USS Chancellorsville; and
            (12) any other military base or property as the Commission 
        determines appropriate.
    (h) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated such sums as may be necessary to carry out this section.
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