400 Years of African-American History Commission Act

Bill: 114-s-2548
Sponsor: Sen. Kaine, Tim [D-VA]
Introduced: 2016-02-11 in the Senate
Policy area: Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues
Subjects: Commemorative events and holidays
Racial and ethnic relations
U.S. history
Virginia

Summary:
action_date: 2016-02-11
text: 

400 Years of African-American History Commission Act

 
This bill establishes the 400 Years of African-American History Commission to develop and carry out activities throughout the United States to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the arrival of Africans in the English colonies at Point Comfort, Virginia, in 1619.
 
The commission must:
 
 
plan programs to acknowledge the impact that slavery and laws that enforced racial discrimination had on the United States;
 
 encourage civic, patriotic, historical, educational, artistic, religious, and economic organizations to organize and participate in anniversary activities;
 
 assist states, localities, and nonprofit organizations to further the commemoration; and 
 
 coordinate for the public scholarly research on the arrival of Africans in the United States and their contributions to this country.
 
 
The commission may provide grants to: (1) communities and nonprofit organizations for the development of programs; and (2) research and scholarly organizations to research, publish, or distribute information relating to the arrival of Africans in the United States.
 
The commission shall terminate on July 1, 2020.

action_date: 2016-09-13
text: 

400 Years of African-American History Commission Act

 
(Sec. 3) This bill establishes the 400 Years of African-American History Commission to develop and carry out activities throughout the United States to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the arrival of Africans in the English colonies at Point Comfort, Virginia, in 1619.
 
The commission must:
 
 
plan programs to acknowledge the impact that slavery and laws that enforced racial discrimination had on the United States; 
 
encourage civic, patriotic, historical, educational, artistic, religious, and economic organizations to organize and participate in anniversary activities; 
 
assist states, localities, and nonprofit organizations to further the commemoration; and 
 
coordinate for the public scholarly research on the arrival of Africans in the United States and their contributions to this country. 

 
(Sec. 5) The commission may provide: (1) grants to communities and nonprofit organizations for the development of programs; (2) grants to research and scholarly organizations to research, publish, or distribute information relating to the arrival of Africans in the United States; and (3) technical assistance to states, localities, and nonprofit organizations to further the commemoration.
 
(Sec. 7) The commission must prepare a strategic plan and submit a final report to Congress that contains a summary of its activities, an accounting of its received and expended funds, and its recommendations.
 
(Sec. 9) The commission shall terminate on July 1, 2020.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2016-09-13
text: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 626.
action_date: 2016-09-13
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Reported by Senator Murkowski with an amendment. With written report No. 114-350.
action_date: 2016-09-13
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Reported by Senator Murkowski with an amendment. With written report No. 114-350.
action_date: 2016-07-13
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Ordered to be reported with an amendment favorably.
action_date: 2016-06-15
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Senate Subcommittee on National Parks. Hearings held. With printed Hearing: S.Hrg. 114-502.
action_date: 2016-02-11
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. (Sponsor introductory remarks on measure: CR S879)
action_date: 2016-02-11
text: Introduced in Senate