Virgin Islands of the United States Centennial Commission Act
PL 114-224 (H.R.2615), enacted 09/29/2016

130 STAT. 921 
PUBLIC LAW 114–224—SEPT. 29, 2016 
Public Law 114–224 
114th Congress 
An Act 
To establish the Virgin Islands of the United States Centennial Commission. 
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 ‘‘Virgin Islands of the United 
States Centennial Commission Act’’. 
SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT. 
There is established a commission to be known as the ‘‘Virgin 
Islands of the United States Centennial Commission’’ (in this Act 
referred to as the ‘‘Commission’’). 
SEC. 3. DUTIES OF COMMISSION. 
The Commission shall— 
(1) plan, develop, and carry out such activities as the 
Commission determines to be appropriate to commemorate the 
100th anniversary of the Virgin Islands of the United States 
becoming an unincorporated territory of the United States; 
(2) provide advice and assistance to Federal, State, and 
local governmental agencies, as well as civic groups to carry 
out activities to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the 
Virgin Islands of the United States becoming an unincorporated 
territory of the United States; and 
(3) submit to the President and Congress the reports 
required pursuant to section 7. 
SEC. 4. MEMBERSHIP. 
(a) NUMBER AND APPOINTMENT.—The Commission shall be com-
posed of 8 members as follows: 
(1) The Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Insular 
Affairs or a designee of the Assistant Secretary. 
(2) One member appointed by the Governor of the Virgin 
Islands of the United States or a designee of the Governor. 
(3) Two Members of the House of Representatives appointed 
by the Speaker of the House of Representatives. 
(4) One Member of the House of Representatives appointed 
by the minority leader of the House of Representatives. 
(5) Two Members of the Senate appointed by the majority 
leader of the Senate. 
(6) One Member of the Senate appointed by the minority 
leader of the Senate. 
(b) TERMS.—Each member of the Commission shall be appointed 
for the life of the Commission. 
Virgin Islands of 
the United States 
Centennial 
Commission Act. 
48 USC 1541 
note. 
Sept. 29, 2016 
[H.R. 2615] 
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130 STAT. 922 
PUBLIC LAW 114–224—SEPT. 29, 2016 
(c) DEADLINE FOR APPOINTMENT.—All members of the Commis-
sion shall be appointed not later than 90 days after the date 
of the enactment of this Act. 
(d) VACANCIES.—A vacancy on the Commission shall— 
(1) not affect the powers of the Commission; and 
(2) be filled in the manner in which the original appoint-
ment was made. 
(e) RATES OF PAY.—Members shall not receive compensation 
for the performance of duties on behalf of the Commission. 
(f) TRAVEL EXPENSES.—Each member of the Commission shall 
be reimbursed for travel and per diem in lieu of subsistence 
expenses during the performance of duties of the Commission while 
away from home or regular place of business of the member, in 
accordance with applicable provisions under subchapter I of chapter 
57 of title 5, United States Code. 
(g) QUORUM.—A majority of the members of the Commission 
shall constitute a quorum to conduct business, but two or more 
members may hold hearings. 
(h) CHAIRPERSON.—The chairperson of the Commission shall 
be selected by a majority vote of the members of the Commission. 
SEC. 5. DIRECTOR AND STAFF OF COMMISSION. 
(a) DIRECTOR AND STAFF.—The Commission shall appoint an 
executive director and such other additional personnel as are nec-
essary to enable the Commission to perform the duties of the 
Commission. 
(b) APPLICABILITY OF CERTAIN CIVIL SERVICE LAWS.—The execu-
tive director and staff of the Commission may be appointed without 
regard to the provisions of title 5, United States Code, governing 
appointments in the competitive service, and may be paid without 
regard to the provisions of chapter 51 and subchapter III of chapter 
53 of such title relating to classification and General Schedule 
pay rates, except that the rate of pay for the executive director 
and other staff may not exceed the rate payable for level III of 
the Executive Schedule under section 5314 of such title. 
(c) DETAIL
OF FEDERAL EMPLOYEES.—Upon request of the 
Commission, the Secretary of the Interior or the Archivist of the 
United States may detail, on a reimbursable basis, any of the 
personnel of the Department of the Interior or the National Archives 
and Records Administration, respectively to the Commission to 
assist the Commission to perform the duties of the Commission. 
(d) EXPERTS AND CONSULTANTS.—The Commission may procure 
such temporary and intermittent services from experts and consult-
ants as are necessary to enable the Commission to perform the 
duties of the Commission. 
(e) VOLUNTEER
AND
UNCOMPENSATED
SERVICES.—Notwith-
standing section 1342 of title 31, United States Code, the Commis-
sion may accept and use voluntary and uncompensated services 
as the Commission determines necessary. 
SEC. 6. POWERS OF COMMISSION. 
(a) HEARINGS.—The Commission may, for the purpose of car-
rying out this Act, hold hearings, sit and act at times and places, 
take testimony, and receive evidence as the Commission considers 
appropriate. 
(b) MAILS.—The Commission may use the United States mails 
in the same manner and under the same conditions as other Federal 
agencies. 
Appointments. 
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130 STAT. 923 
PUBLIC LAW 114–224—SEPT. 29, 2016 
(c) OBTAINING OFFICIAL DATA.—The Commission may secure 
directly from any Federal agency information necessary to enable 
the Commission to perform the duties of the Commission. Upon 
request of the chairperson of the Commission, the head of that 
Federal agency shall furnish that information to the Commission. 
(d) GIFTS, BEQUESTS, DEVISES.—The Commission may solicit, 
accept, use, and dispose of gifts, bequests, or devises of money, 
services, or property, both real and personal, for the purpose of 
aiding or facilitating the work of the Commission. 
(e) AVAILABLE SPACE.—Upon the request of the Commission, 
the Administrator of General Services shall make available to the 
Commission, at a normal rental rate for Federal agencies, such 
assistance and facilities as may be necessary for the Commission 
to perform the duties of the Commission. 
(f) CONTRACT AUTHORITY.—The Commission may enter into 
contracts with and compensate the Federal Government, State and 
local governments, private entities, or individuals to enable the 
Commission to perform the duties of the Commission. 
SEC. 7. REPORTS. 
(a) ANNUAL REPORTS.—Not later than January 31 of each year, 
and annually thereafter until the final report is submitted pursuant 
to subsection (b), the Commission shall submit to the President 
and the Congress a report on— 
(1) the activities of the Commission; and 
(2) the revenue and expenditures of the Commission, 
including a list of each gift, bequest, or devise to the Commis-
sion with a value of more than $250, including the identity 
of the donor of each gift, bequest, or devise. 
(b) FINAL REPORT.—Not later than January 31, 2018, the 
Commission shall submit a final report to the President and the 
Congress containing— 
(1) a summary of the activities of the Commission; and 
(2) a final accounting of funds received and expended by 
the Commission. 
SEC. 8. ANNUAL AUDIT. 
The Inspector General of the Department of the Interior— 
(1) may perform an audit of the Commission; 
(2) shall make the results of any such audit available 
to the public; and 
(3) shall transmit such results to the Committee on Over-
sight and Government Reform of the House of Representatives 
and the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental 
Affairs of the Senate. 
SEC. 9. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) FEDERAL AGENCY.—The term ‘‘Federal agency’’ has the 
meaning given the term ‘‘agency’’ in section 551 of title 5, 
United States Code. 
(2) STATE.—The term ‘‘State’’ means each of the several 
States, the District of Columbia, each territory or possession 
of the United States, and each federally recognized Indian 
tribe. 
Public 
information. 
Summary. 
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130 STAT. 924 
PUBLIC LAW 114–224—SEPT. 29, 2016 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—H.R. 2615: 
HOUSE REPORTS: No. 114–486 (Comm. on Oversight and Government Reform). 
SENATE REPORTS: No. 114–314 (Comm. on Energy and Natural Resources). 
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 162 (2016): 
Apr. 26, considered and passed House. 
Sept. 20, considered and passed Senate. 
SEC. 10. TERMINATION. 
The Commission shall terminate on September 30, 2018, or 
may terminate at an earlier date determined by the Commission 
after the final report is submitted pursuant to section 7(b). 
SEC. 11. NO ADDITIONAL FUNDS AUTHORIZED. 
No Federal funds are authorized or may be obligated to carry 
out this Act. 
Approved September 29, 2016. 
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