Civil Rights Commission Amendments Act of 1994
PL 103-419 (S.2372), enacted 10/25/1994

108 STAT. 4338 
PUBLIC LAW 103-419—OCT. 25, 1994 
Public Law 103-419 
103d Congress 
Oct. 25, 1994 
[S. 2372] 
Civil Rights 
Commission 
Amendments 
Act of 1994. 
42 use 1975 
note. 
Civil Rights 
Commission Act 
of 1983. 
42 use 1975 
note. 
42 u s e 1975. 
President. 
An Act 
To amend the United States Commission on Civil Rights Act of 1983. 
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 "Civil Rights Commission Amend-
ments Act of 1994". 
SEC. 2. AMENDMENT OF 1983 ACT. 
That the portion of the United States Commission on Civil 
Rights Act of 1983 which follows the enacting clause is amended 
to read as follows: 
"SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
"This Act may be cited as the 'Civil Rights Commission Act 
of 1983'. 
"SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF COMMISSION. 
"(a) GENERALLY.—There is estabhshed the United States 
Commission on Civil Rights (hereinafter in this Act referred to 
as the 'Commission'). 
"(b) MEMBERSHIP.—The Commission shall be composed of 8 
members. Not more than 4 of the members shall at any one time 
be of the same political party. The initial membership of the 
Commission shall be the members of the United States Commission 
on Civil Rights on September 30, 1994. Thereafter vacancies in 
the membership of the Commission shall continue to be appointed 
as follows: 
"(1) 4 members of the Commission shall be appointed by 
the President. 
"(2) 2 members of the Commission shall be appointed by 
the President pro tempore of the Senate, upon the recommenda-
tions of the majority leader and the minority leader, and of 
the members appointed not more than one shall be appointed 
from the same political party. 
"(3) 2 members of the Commission shall be appointed by 
the Speaker of the House of Representatives upon the rec-
ommendations of the majority leader and the minority leader, 
and of the members appointed not more than one shall be 
appointed from the same political party. 
"(c) TERMS.—The term of office of each member of the Commis-
sion shall be 6 years. The term of each member of the Commission 
PUBLIC LAW 103-419—OCT. 25, 1994 
108 STAT. 4339 
in the initial membership of the Commission shall expire on the 
date such term would have expired as of September 30, 1994, 
"(d) CHAIRPERSON.—(1) Except as provided in paragraphs (2) 
and (3), the individuals serving as Chairperson and Vice Chair-
E
erson of the United States Commission on Civil Rights on Septem-
er 30, 1994 shall initially fill those roles on the Commission. 
"(2) Thereafter the President may, with the concurrence of 
a majority of the Commission's members, designate a Chairperson 
or Vice Chairperson, as the case may be, from among the Commis-
sion's members. 
"(3) The President shall, with the concurrence of a majority 
of the Commission's members, fill a vacancy by designating a Chair-
person or Vice Chairperson, as the case may be, from among the 
Commission's members. 
"(4) The Vice Chairperson shall act in place of the Chairperson 
in the absence of the Chairperson. 
"(e) REMOVAL OF MEMBERS.—The President may remove a 
member of the Commission only for neglect of duty or malfeasance 
in office. 
"(f) QUORUM.—5 members of the Commission constitute a quo-
rum of the Commission. 
"SEC. 3. DUTIES OF THE COMMISSION. 
"(a) GENERALLY.—The Commission— 
"(1) shall investigate allegations in writing under oath or 
affirmation relating to deprivations— 
"(A) because of color, race, reHgion, sex, age, disability, 
or national origin; or 
"(B) as a result of any pattern or practice of fraud; 
of the right of citizens of the United States to vote and have 
votes counted; and 
"(2) shall— 
"(A) study and collect information relating to; 
"(B) make appraisals of the laws and policies of the 
Federal Grovemment with respect to; 
"(C) serve as a national clearinghouse for information 
relating to; and 
"(D) prepare 
public 
service 
announcements 
and 
advertising campaigns to discourage; 
discrimination or denials of equal protection of the laws under 
the Constitution of the United States because of color, race, 
religion, sex, age, disability, or national origin, or in the 
administration of justice. 
"(b) LIMITATIONS ON INVESTIGATORY DUTIES.—Nothing in this 
or any other Act shall be construed as authorizing the Commission, 
its advisory committees, or any person under its supervision or 
control, to inquire into or investigate any membership practices 
or internal operations of any fraternal organization, any college 
or university fraternity or sorority, any private club, or any religious 
organization. 
"(c) REPORTS.— 
"(1) ANNUAL REPORT.—The Commission shall submit to 
the President and Congress at least one report annually that 
monitors Federsd civil rights enforcement efforts in the United 
States. 
"(2) OTHER REPORTS GENERALLY.—The Commission shall 
submit such other reports to the President and the Congress 
President. 
42 use 1975a. 
108 STAT. 4340 
PUBLIC LAW 103-419—OCT. 25, 1994 
42 use 1975b. 
President. 
as the Commission, the Congress, or the President shall deem 
appropriate. 
"(d) ADVISORY COMMITTEES.—The Commission may constitute 
such advisory committees as it deems advisable. The Commission 
shall establish at least one such committee in each State and 
the District of Columbia composed of citizens of that State or 
District. 
"(e) HEARINGS AND ANCILLARY MATTERS.— 
"(1) POWER TO HOLD HEARINGS.—The Commission, or on 
the authorization of the Commission, any subcommittee of two 
or more members of the Commission, at least one of whom 
shall be of each major political party, may, for the purpose 
of carrying out this Act, hold such hearings and act at such 
times and places as the Commission or such authorized sub-
committee deems advisable. Each member of the Commission 
shall have the power to administer oaths and affirmations 
in connection with the proceedings of the Commission. The 
holding of a hearing by the Commission or the appointment 
of a subcommittee to hold a hearing pursuant to this paragraph 
must be approved by a majority of the Commission, or by 
a majority of the members present at a meeting when a quorum 
is present. 
"(2) POWER TO ISSUE SUBPOENAS.—The Commission may 
issue subpoenas for the attendance of witnesses and the produc-
tion of written or other matter. Such a subpoena may not 
require the presence of a witness more than 100 miles outside 
the place wherein the witness is found or resides or is domiciled 
or transacts business, or has appointed an agent for receipt 
of service of process. In case of contumacy or refusal to obey 
a subpoena, the Attorney General may in a Federal court 
of appropriate jurisdiction obtain an appropriate order to 
enforce the subpoena. 
"(3) WITNESS FEES.—A witness attending any proceeding 
i of the Commission shall be paid the same fees and mileage 
that are paid witnesses in the courts of the United States. 
"(4) DEPOSITIONS AND INTERROGATORIES.—^The Commission 
may use depositions and written interrogatories to obtain 
information and testimony about matters that are the subject 
of a Commission hearing or report. 
"(f) LIMITATION RELATING TO ABORTION.—^Nothing in this or 
any other Act shall be construed as authorizing the Commission, 
its advisory committees, or any other person under its supervision 
or control to study and collect, make appraisals of, or serve as 
a clearinghouse for any information about laws and policies of 
the Federal Government or any other governmental authority in 
the United States, with respect to abortion. 
"SEC. 4. ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS. 
"(a) STAFF.— 
"(1) DIRECTOR.—There shall be a full-time staff director 
for the Commission who shall— 
"(A) serve as the administrative head of the Commis-
sion; and 
"(B) be appointed by the President with the concur-
rence of a majority of the Commission. 
"(2) OTHER PERSONNEL.—Within the limitation of its appro-
priations, the Commission may— 
PUBLIC LAW 103-419—OCT. 25, 1994 
108 STAT. 4341 
"(A) appoint such other personnel as it deems advis-
able, under the civil service and classification laws; and 
"(B) procure services, as authorized in section 3109 
of title 5, United States Code, but at rates for individuals 
not in excess of the daily equivalent paid for positions 
at the maximum rate for GS-15 of the General Schedule 
under section 5332 of title 5, United States Code. 
"(b) COMPENSATION OF MEMBERS.— 
"(1) GENERALLY.—Each member of the Commission who 
is not otherwise in the service of the Grovemment of the United 
States shall receive a sum equivalent to the compensation 
paid at level IV of the Executive Schedule imder section 5315 
of title 5, United States Code, prorated on a daily basis for 
time spent in the work of the Commission. 
"(2) PERSONS OTHERWISE IN GOVERNMENT SERVICE.—Each 
member of the Commission who is otherwise in the service 
of the Government of the United States shall serve without 
compensation in addition to that received for such other service, 
but while engaged in the work of the Commission shall be 
paid actual travel expenses and per diem in lieu of subsistence 
expenses when away from such member's usual place of resi-
dence, under subchapter I of chapter 57 of title 5, United 
States Code. 
"(c) 
VOLUNTARY 
OR 
UNCOMPENSATED 
PERSONNEL.—The 
Commission shall not accept or use the services of voluntary or 
uncompensated persons. This limitation shall apply with respect 
to services of members of the Commission as it does with respect 
to services by other persons. 
"(d) RULES.— 
"(1) GENERALLY.—^The Commission may make such rules 
as are necessary to carry out the purposes of this Act. 
"(2) CONTINUATION OF OLD RULES.—Except as inconsistent 
Avith this Act, and until modified by the Commission, the rules 
of the Commission on Civil Rights in effect on September 
30,1994 shall be the initial rules of the Commission. 
"(e) COOPERATION.—^All Federal agencies shall cooperate fully 
with the Commission to the end that it may effectively carry out 
its functions and duties. 
"SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 
42 USC 1975c. 
"There are authorized to be appropriated, to carry out this 
Act $9,500,000 for fiscal year 1995. None of the sums authorized 
to be appropriated for fiscal year 1995 may be used to create 
additional regional offices. 
108 STAT. 4342 
PUBLIC LAW 103-419—OCT. 25, 1994 
42 u s e 1975d. 
"SEC. 6. TERMINATION. 
'This Act shall terminate on September 30,1996.". 
Approved October 25, 1994. 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—S. 2372 (H.R. 4999): 
HOUSE REPORTS: No. 103-775 accompanying H.R. 4999 (Comm. on the Judiciary). 
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 140 (1994): 
Sept. 30, considered and passed Senate. 
Oct. 3, H.R. 4999 considered and passed House; S. 2372, £imended, passed in lieu. 
Oct. 6, Senate concurred in House amendment with an amendment. 
Oct. 7, House concurred in Senate amendment.