Commission on the Social Status of Black Men and Boys Act
PL 116-156 (S.2163), enacted 08/14/2020

[116th Congress Public Law 156]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]



[[Page 699]]

                    COMMISSION ON THE SOCIAL STATUS 
                        OF BLACK MEN AND BOYS ACT

[[Page 134 STAT. 700]]

Public Law 116-156
116th Congress

                                 An Act


 
To establish the Commission on the Social Status of Black Men and Boys, 
 to study and make recommendations to address social problems affecting 
Black men and boys, and for other purposes. <<NOTE: Aug. 14, 2020 -  [S. 
                                2163]>> 

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled, <<NOTE: Commission on 
the Social Status of Black Men and Boys Act. 42 USC 1975 note.>> 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Commission on the Social Status of 
Black Men and Boys Act''.
SEC. 2. COMMISSION ESTABLISHMENT AND MEMBERSHIP.

    (a) Establishment.--The Commission on the Social Status of Black Men 
and Boys (hereinafter in this Act referred to as ``the Commission'') is 
established within the United States Commission on Civil Rights Office 
of the Staff Director.
    (b) <<NOTE: Appointments.>>  Membership.--The Commission shall 
consist of 19 members appointed as follows:
            (1) The Senate majority leader shall appoint one member who 
        is not employed by the Federal Government and is an expert on 
        issues affecting Black men and boys in America.
            (2) The Senate minority leader shall appoint one member who 
        is not employed by the Federal Government and is an expert on 
        issues affecting Black men and boys in America.
            (3) The House of Representatives majority leader shall 
        appoint one member who is not employed by the Federal Government 
        and is an expert on issues affecting Black men and boys in 
        America.
            (4) The House of Representatives minority leader shall 
        appoint one member who is not employed by the Federal Government 
        and is an expert on issues affecting Black men and boys in 
        America.
            (5) The Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus shall be a 
        member of the Commission, as well as 5 additional Members of the 
        Congressional Black Caucus who shall be individuals that either 
        sit on the following committees of relevant jurisdiction or are 
        experts on issues affecting Black men and boys in the United 
        States, including--
                    (A) education;
                    (B) justice and Civil Rights;
                    (C) healthcare;
                    (D) labor and employment; and
                    (E) housing.
            (6) The Staff Director of the United States Commission on 
        Civil Rights shall appoint one member from within the

[[Page 134 STAT. 701]]

        staff of the United States Commission on Civil Rights who is an 
        expert in issues relating to Black men and boys.
            (7) The Chair of the United States Equal Employment 
        Opportunity Commission shall appoint one member from within the 
        staff of the United States Equal Employment Opportunity 
        Commission who is an expert in equal employment issues impacting 
        Black men.
            (8) The Secretary of Education shall appoint one member from 
        within the Department of Education who is an expert in urban 
        education.
            (9) The Attorney General shall appoint one member from 
        within the Department of Justice who is an expert in racial 
        disparities within the criminal justice system.
            (10) The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall 
        appoint one member from within the Department of Health and 
        Human Services who is an expert in health issues facing Black 
        men.
            (11) The Secretary of Housing and Urban Development shall 
        appoint one member from within the Department of Housing and 
        Urban Development who is an expert in housing and development in 
        urban communities.
            (12) The Secretary of Labor shall appoint one member from 
        within the Department of Labor who is an expert in labor issues 
        impacting Black men.
            (13) <<NOTE: President.>>  The President of the United 
        States shall appoint 2 members who are not employed by the 
        Federal Government and are experts on issues affecting Black men 
        and boys in America.

    (c) Membership by Political Party.--If after the Commission is 
appointed there is a partisan imbalance of Commission members, the 
congressional leaders of the political party with fewer members on the 
Commission shall jointly name additional members to create partisan 
parity on the Commission.
SEC. 3. OTHER MATTERS RELATING TO APPOINTMENT; REMOVAL.

    (a) <<NOTE: Deadline.>>  Timing of Initial Appointments.--Each 
initial appointment to the Commission shall be made no later than 90 
days after the Commission is established. If any appointing authorities 
fail to appoint a member to the Commission, their appointment shall be 
made by the Staff Director of the Commission on Civil Rights.

    (b) Terms.--Except as otherwise provided in this section, the term 
of a member of the Commission shall be 4 years. For the purpose of 
providing staggered terms, the first term of those members initially 
appointed under paragraphs (1) through (5) of section 2 shall be 
appointed to 2-year terms with all other terms lasting 4 years. Members 
are eligible for consecutive reappointment.
    (c) Removal.--A member of the Commission may be removed from the 
Commission at any time by the appointing authority should the member 
fail to meet Commission responsibilities. Once the seat becomes vacant, 
the appointing authority is responsible for filling the vacancy in the 
Commission before the next meeting.
    (d) Vacancies.--The appointing authority of a member of the 
Commission shall either reappoint that member at the end of that 
member's term or appoint another person meeting the qualifications for 
that appointment. In the event of a vacancy arising during

[[Page 134 STAT. 702]]

a term, the appointing authority shall, before the next meeting of the 
Commission, appoint a replacement to finish that term.
SEC. 4. LEADERSHIP ELECTION.

    At the first meeting of the Commission each year, the members shall 
elect a Chair and a Secretary. A vacancy in the Chair or Secretary shall 
be filled by vote of the remaining members. The Chair and Secretary are 
eligible for consecutive reappointment.
SEC. 5. COMMISSION DUTIES AND POWERS.

    (a) Study.--
            (1) In general.--The Commission shall conduct a systematic 
        study of the conditions affecting Black men and boys, including 
        homicide rates, arrest and incarceration rates, poverty, 
        violence, fatherhood, mentorship, drug abuse, death rates, 
        disparate income and wealth levels, school performance in all 
        grade levels including postsecondary education and college, and 
        health issues.
            (2) <<NOTE: Reports.>>  Trends.--The Commission shall 
        document trends regarding the topics described in paragraph (1) 
        and report on the community impacts of relevant government 
        programs within the scope of such topics.

    (b) Proposal of Measures.--The Commission shall propose measures to 
alleviate and remedy the underlying causes of the conditions described 
in subsection (a), which may include recommendations of changes to the 
law, recommendations for how to implement related policies, and 
recommendations for how to create, develop, or improve upon government 
programs.
    (c) Suggestions and Comments.--The Commission shall accept 
suggestions or comments pertinent to the applicable issues from members 
of Congress, governmental agencies, public and private organizations, 
and private citizens.
    (d) Staff and Administrative Support.--The Office of the Staff 
Director of the United States Commission on Civil Rights shall provide 
staff and administrative support to the Commission. All entities of the 
United States Government shall provide information that is otherwise a 
public record at the request of the Commission.
SEC. 6. COMMISSION MEETING REQUIREMENTS.

    (a) <<NOTE: Deadline.>>  First Meeting.--The first meeting of the 
Commission shall take place no later than 30 days after the initial 
members are all appointed. Meetings shall be focused on significant 
issues impacting Black men and boys, for the purpose of initiating 
research ideas and delegating research tasks to Commission members to 
initiate the first annual report described in section 7.

    (b) Quarterly Meetings.--The Commission shall meet quarterly. In 
addition to all quarterly meetings, the Commission shall meet at other 
times at the call of the Chair or as determined by a majority of 
Commission members.
    (c) Quorum; Rule for Voting on Final Actions.--A majority of the 
members of the Commission constitute a quorum, and an affirmative vote 
of a majority of the members present is required for final action.
    (d) Expectations for Attendance by Members.--Members are expected to 
attend all Commission meetings. In the case of an absence, members are 
expected to report to the Chair prior to the meeting and allowance may 
be made for an absent member

[[Page 134 STAT. 703]]

to participate remotely. Members will still be responsible for 
fulfilling prior commitments, regardless of attendance status. If a 
member is absent twice in a given year, he or she will be reviewed by 
the Chair and appointing authority and further action will be 
considered, including removal and replacement on the Commission.
    (e) Minutes.--Minutes shall be taken at each meeting by the 
Secretary, or in that individual's absence, the Chair shall select 
another Commission member to take minutes during that absence. The 
Commission <<NOTE: Public information. Deadline.>>  shall make its 
minutes publicly available and accessible not later than one week after 
each meeting.
SEC. 7. ANNUAL REPORT GUIDELINES.

    The Commission shall make an annual report, beginning the year of 
the first Commission meeting. The report shall address the current 
conditions affecting Black men and boys and make recommendations to 
address these issues. The report shall be submitted to the President, 
the Congress, members of the President's Cabinet, and the chairs of the 
appropriate committees of jurisdiction. The Commission <<NOTE: Public 
information. Web posting.>>  shall make the report publicly available 
online on a centralized Federal website.
SEC. 8. COMMISSION COMPENSATION.

    Members of the Commission shall serve on the Commission without 
compensation.

    Approved August 14, 2020.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY--S. 2163:
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CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 166 (2020):
            June 25, considered and passed Senate.
            July 27, considered and passed House.

                                  <all>