A bill to provide for the establishment of a Commission on the Bicentennial of the Constitution.
PL 98-101 (S.118), enacted 09/29/1983

PUBLIC LAW 98-101—SEPT. 29, 1983 
97 STAT. 719 
Public Law 98-101 
98th Congress 
An Act 
To provide for the establishment of a Commission on the Bicentennial of the 
Constitution. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled, That there is 
established a Commission on the Bicentennial of the United States 
Constitution, hereinafter referred to as the "Commission". 
FINDINGS 
SEC. 2. The Congress finds that— 
(1) the bicentennial of the Constitutional Convention's adop-
tion of the Constitution occurs on September 17, 1987; 
(2) the Constitution enunciates the limitations on govern-
ment, the inalienable rights, and the timeless principles of 
individual liberty and responsibility, and equality before law, 
for the people of the United States of America; 
(3) this document has set an enduring example of representa-
tive democracy for the world; and 
(4) the maintenance of the common principles that animate 
our Republic depend upon a knowledge and understanding of 
their roots and origins. 
PURPOSE 
SEC. 3. It is the purpose of this Act to establish a Commission to 
promote and coordinate activities to commemorate the bicentennial 
of the Constitution. 
MEMBERSHIP 
SEC. 4. (a) The Commission shall be composed of twenty-three 
members as follows: 
(1) twenty members appointed by the President, four of whom 
shall be appointed from among the recommendations made by 
the Speaker of the House of Representatives (in consultation 
with the minority leader of the House of Representatives), four 
of whom shall be appointed from among the recommendations 
made by the President pro tempore of the Senate, in consulta-
tion with the majority leader and minority leader of the Senate, 
and four of whom shall be appointed from among the recom-
mendations made by the Chief Justice of the United States; 
(2) the Chief Justice of the United States, or his designee; 
(3) the President pro tempore of the Senate, or his designee; 
and 
(4) the Speaker of the House of Representatives, or his 
designee. 
(b) Each of the individuals making recommendations to the Presi-
dent regarding appointments shall seek to achieve a balanced mem-
bership representing, to the maximum extent practicable, the 
Nation as a whole. The Commission members shall be chosen from 
Sept. 29, 1983 
[S. 118] 
Commission on 
the Bicentennial 
of the 
United States 
Constitution. 
Establishment. 
97 STAT. 720 
PUBLIC LAW 98-101—SEPT. 29, 1983 
Vacancy. 
Pay rate. 
5 u s e 5101 et 
seq. 
5 u s e 5331. 
eompensation 
and 
reimbursement. 
Detailed Federal 
agency 
personnel. 
among individuals who have demonstrated scholarship, a strong 
sense of public service, expertise in the learned professions, and 
abilities likely to contribute to the fulfillment of the duties of the 
C!ommission. 
(c) Members of the Commission shall be appointed for the life of 
the Commission. 
(d) One of the members shall be designated as Chairman by, and 
shall serve in the position of Chairman at the pleasure of, the 
President. 
(e) Twelve members of the Commission shall constitute a quorum, 
but a lesser number may conduct meetings. 
(f) A vacancy in the Commission resulting from the death or 
resignation of a member shall not affect its powers, and shall be 
filled in the same manner in which the original appointment was 
made. 
ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS AND POWERS 
SEC. 5. (a) The Commission shall appoint a staff director who shall 
be paid at a rate not to exceed the rate of basic pay provided for 
level I of the Executive Schedule pursuant to section 5312 of title 5, 
United States Code. 
(b) The Commission is authorized to appoint and fix the compensa-
tion, without regard to the provisions of title 5, United States Code, 
governing appointments in the competitive service, and without 
regard to chaper 51 and subchapter III of chapter 53 of such title 
relating to classification and General Schedule pay rates, of such 
additional publicly paid personnel up to five persons, as the Chair-
man finds necessary to carry out the purposes of this title. Such 
personnel shall be compensated at a rate not to exceed a rate equal 
to the maximum rate of pay for GS-18 of the General Schedule 
under section 5382 of title 5, United States Code. 
(c) Subject to the provisions of this subsection, the Commission 
may appoint and fix the pay of such additional personnel to be paid 
out of private donations. An individual appointed to a position 
funded in such manner shall be so designated at the time of such 
individual's appointment. The Chairman may appoint such addi-
tional personnel as he deems appropriate, not to exceed forty staff 
members. 
(d) Each member of the Commission shall serve without being 
compensated as a member of such Commission, except that each 
member shall be reimbursed for travel, subsistence, and other neces-
sary expenses incurred by them in the performance of their duties. 
(eXl) Upon request of the Commission, the head of any Federal 
agency may detail any of the personnel of such agency to the 
Commission to assist the Commission in carrsang out its duties 
under this Act. Details under this subsection shall be without 
reimbursement by the Commission to the agency from which the 
employee concerned was detailed. 
(2) The Commission may accept the services of not to exceed 
twenty employees under this subsection at any time. 
(f) The Commission is authorized to procure supplies, services, and 
property, and make contracts, in any fiscal year, only to such extent 
or in such amounts as are provided in appropriation Acts or are 
donated pursuant to subsection (h) of this section. 
(g) The Commission is authorized to enter into agreements with 
-the General Services Administration for procurement of necessary 
financial and aHministrative services, for which payment shall be 
PUBLIC LAW 98-101—SEPT. 29, 1983 
97 STAT. 721 
made by reimbursement from funds of the Commission in such 
amounts as may be agreed upon by the Chairman and the Adminis-
trator of the General Services Administration. 
(hXD The Commission is authorized to accept, use, soUcit, and 
dispose of donations of money, property, or personal services. 
(2) The Commission shall prescribe regulations under which the 
Commission may accept donations of money, property, or personal 
services, except that under such regulations, the Commission may 
not accept donations— 
(A) the value of which exceeds $25,000 annually, in the case of 
donations from an individual; or 
(B) the value of which exceeds $100,000 annually, in the case 
of donations from a corporation, partnership, or other business 
organization. 
(3) The regulations prescribed under this subsection shall include 
procedures for determining the value of donations of property or 
personal services. 
(4) The limitations set forth in this subsection shall not apply in 
the case of an organization if it is an oi^anization described in 
section 501(cX3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 (26 U.S.C. 
501(c)(3)), and exempt from taxation under section 501(a) of such 
Code. 
(i) The Commission may use the United States mails in the same 
manner and under the same conditions as other departments and 
agencies of the United States. 
(j) The Commission shall have the authority to design and use a 
logo as the official emblem of the bicentennial. The Commission 
shall issue rules and regulations, including penalties for unauthor-
ized use, regarding the use of such logo, except that under those 
regulations, the Commission shall be prohibited from selling, leas-
ing, or otherwise granting to any corporation or private person the 
right to use the logo in connection with the production or memufac-
ture of any commercial goods, as part of an advertisement promot-
ing any commercial goods or services, or as part of an endorsement 
for any such goods or services. 
Donations. 
Regulations. 
Logo. 
Rules, 
regulations, £ind 
prohibitions. 
DUTIES OF THE COMMISSION 
SEC. 6. (a) The Commission shall— 
(1) plan and develop activities appropriate to commemorate 
the bicentennial of the Constitution, including a limited number 
of projects to be undertaken by the Federal Government seeking 
to harmonize and balance the important goals of ceremony and 
celebration with the equally important goals of scholarship and 
education; 
(2) encourage private organizations, and State and local gov-
ernments to organize and participate in bicentennial activities 
commemorating or examining the drafting, ratification, and 
history of the Constitution and the specific features of the 
document; 
(3) coordinate, generally, activities throughout all of the 
States; and 
(4) serve as a clearinghouse for the collection and dissemina-
tion of information about bicentennial events and plans. 
(b) In planning and implementing appropriate activities to com-
memorate the bicentennial, the Commission shall give due consider-
ation to— 
97 STAT. 722 
PUBLIC LAW 98-101—SEPT. 29, 1983 
Private and 
governmental 
organizations, 
assistance. 
Report to 
President, 
Congress, and 
Judicial 
Conference of 
U.S. 
(1) the historical setting in which the Constitution was devel-
oped and ratified, including such antecedents as the Federalist 
Papers, the Articles of the Confederation, and the ratification 
debates in the States; 
(2) the contribution of diverse ethnic and racial groups; 
(3) the relationship and historical development of the three 
branches of the Government; 
(4) the importance of activities concerning the Constitution 
and citizenship education throughout all of the States regard-
less of when such State achieved statehood; 
(5) the unique achievements and contributions of the partici-
pants in the Constitutional Convention of 1787 and the State 
ratification proceedings; 
(6) the diverse legal and philosophical views regarding the 
Constitution; 
(7) the need for reflection upon both academic and scholarly 
views of the Constitution and the principle that the document 
must be understood by the general public; 
(8) the substantive provisions of the Constitution itself; 
(9) the impact of the Constitution on American life and 
government; 
(10) the need to encourage appropriate educational curricu-
lums designed to educate students at all levels of learning on 
the drafting, ratification, and history of the Constitution and 
the specific provisions of that document; and 
(11) the significance of the principles and institutions of the 
Constitution to other nations and their citizens. 
(c) The Commission shall seek the cooperation, advice, and assist-
ance from both private and governmental agencies and organiza-
tions, including the National Endowment for the Arts, the National 
Endowment for the Humanities, the Library of Congress, the Smith-
sonian Institution, the National Archives, the Department of the 
Interior, State and local governments, learned societies, academic 
institutions, and historical, patriotic, philanthropic, civic, and pro-
fessional groups, and bar associations. 
(d) The Commission may, in carrying out the purposes of this Act, 
delegate authority to State advisory commissions to assist in imple-
menting this Act. 
(e) Within two years after the date of enactment of this Act, the 
Commission shall submit to the President and each House of the 
Congress and the Judicial Conference of the United States a compre-
hensive report incorporating specific recommendations-of the Com-
mission for commemoration and coordination of the bicentennial 
and related activities. Such report shall include recommendations 
for publications, scholarly projects, conferences, programs, films, 
libraries, exhibits, ceremonies, and other projects, competitions and 
awards, and a calendar of major activities and events planned to 
commemorate specific historical dates. Each year after such compre-
hensive report, the Commission shall submit an annual report to the 
President, each House of the Congress, and the Judicial Conference 
until such Commission terminates. 
TERMINATION 
SEC. 7. The Commission shall terminate on December 31, 1989. 
PUBLIC LAW 98-101—SEPT. 29, 1983 
97 STAT. 723 
AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS 
SEC. 8. There ^re authorized to be appropriated to carry out the 
purposes of this Act $300,000 for fiscal year 1984 and such sums as 
may be necessary for the subsequent fiscal years through fiscal year 
1989. 
EFFECTIVE DATE 
SEC. 9. This Act shall become effective on the date of enactment. 
Approved September 29, 1983. 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—S. 118: 
SENATE REPORT No. 98-68 (Comm. on the Judiciary). 
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 129 (1983): 
July 18, considered and passed Senate. 
Aug. 4, considered and passed House, amended. 
Sept. 14, Senate concurred in House amendments. 
WEEKLY COMPILATION OF PRESIDENTIAL DOCUMENTS, Vol. 19, No. 39 (1983): 
Sept. 29, Presidential statement.