An act to establish the Frederick Douglass Bicentennial Commission
PL 115-77 (H.R.2989), enacted 11/02/2017

131 STAT. 1251 
PUBLIC LAW 115–77—NOV. 2, 2017 
Public Law 115–77 
115th Congress 
An Act 
To establish the Frederick Douglass Bicentennial 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 ‘‘Frederick Douglass Bicentennial 
Commission Act’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress makes the following findings: 
(1) Born into slavery on the Eastern Shore of Maryland 
in 1818 and given the name Frederick Augustus Washington 
Bailey after his mother Harriet Bailey, Frederick Douglass 
has been called the father of the civil rights movement. 
(2) Douglass rose through determination, brilliance, and 
eloquence to shape the American Nation. He was an aboli-
tionist, human rights and women’s rights activist, orator, 
author, journalist, publisher, and social reformer. 
(3) Taught basic reading skills by his mistress until she 
was forced to stop, Douglass continued to teach himself to 
read and write and taught other slaves to read despite risks 
including death. 
(4) During the course of his remarkable life Frederick Doug-
lass escaped from slavery, became internationally renowned 
for his eloquence in the cause of liberty, and went on to serve 
the national government in several official capacities. 
(5) Forced to leave the country to avoid arrest as an escaped 
slave, he returned to become a staunch advocate of the Union 
cause and helped recruit African-American troops for the Union 
Army, including two of his sons, Charles and Lewis Douglass. 
His personal relationship with Abraham Lincoln helped per-
suade the President to make emancipation a cause of the Civil 
War. 
(6) With the abolition of slavery at the close of the Civil 
War, Douglass then turned his attention to the full integration 
of African-Americans into the political and economic life of 
the United States. Committed to freedom, Douglass dedicated 
his life to achieving justice for all Americans, in particular 
African-Americans, women, and minority groups. He envisioned 
America as an inclusive Nation strengthened by diversity and 
free of discrimination. 
(7) Douglass served as an advisor to Presidents. Abraham 
Lincoln referred to him as the most meritorious man of the 
nineteenth century. Douglass was appointed to several offices. 
Frederick 
Douglass 
Bicentennial 
Commission Act. 
36 USC note 
prec. 101. 
Nov. 2, 2017 
[H.R. 2989] 
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131 STAT. 1252 
PUBLIC LAW 115–77—NOV. 2, 2017 
He served as the United States Marshal of the District of 
Columbia under Rutherford B. Hayes’ administration; President 
James Garfield appointed Douglass the District of Columbia 
Recorder of Deeds. In 1889, President Benjamin Harrison 
appointed Frederick Douglass to be the United States minister 
to Haiti. He was also appointed by President Grant to serve 
as Assistant Secretary of the Commission of Inquiry to Santo 
Domingo. 
(8) Douglass lived in the District of Columbia for 23 of 
his 57 years as a free man, and in recognition of his leadership 
and continuous fight for justice and freedom, his home, Cedar 
Hill, was established as a National Historic Site in Anacostia, 
in Southeast Washington, DC. 
(9) The statue of Frederick Douglass in the United States 
Capitol is a gift from the almost 700,000 residents of the 
District of Columbia. 
(10) All Americans could benefit from studying the life 
of Frederick Douglass, for Douglass dedicated his own life to 
ensuring freedom and equality for future generations of Ameri-
cans. This Nation should ensure that his tireless struggle, 
transformative words, and inclusive vision of humanity continue 
to inspire and sustain us. 
(11) The year 2018 marks the bicentennial anniversary 
of the birth of Frederick Douglass, and a commission should 
be established to plan, develop, and carry out, and to rec-
ommend to Congress, programs and activities that are fitting 
and proper to celebrate that anniversary in a manner that 
appropriately honors Frederick Douglass. 
SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT. 
There is established a commission to be known as the Frederick 
Douglass Bicentennial Commission (referred to in this Act as the 
‘‘Commission’’). 
SEC. 4. DUTIES. 
The Commission shall have the following duties: 
(1) To plan, develop, and carry out programs and activities 
that are fitting and proper to honor Frederick Douglass on 
the occasion of the bicentennial anniversary of Douglass’ birth. 
(2) To recommend to Congress programs and activities 
that the Commission considers fitting and proper to honor 
Frederick Douglass on such occasion, and the entity or entities 
in the Federal Government that the Commission considers most 
appropriate to carry out such programs and activities. 
SEC. 5. MEMBERSHIP. 
(a) NUMBER AND APPOINTMENT.—The Commission shall be com-
posed of 16 members appointed as follows: 
(1) Two members, each of whom shall be a qualified citizen 
described in subsection (b), appointed by the President. 
(2) One member, who shall be a qualified citizen described 
in subsection (b), appointed by the President on the rec-
ommendation of the Governor of Maryland. 
(3) One member, who shall be a qualified citizen described 
in subsection (b), appointed by the President on the rec-
ommendation of the Governor of Massachusetts. 
President. 
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131 STAT. 1253 
PUBLIC LAW 115–77—NOV. 2, 2017 
(4) One member, who shall be a qualified citizen described 
in subsection (b), appointed by the President on the rec-
ommendation of the Governor of New York. 
(5) One member, who shall be a qualified citizen described 
in subsection (b), appointed by the President on the rec-
ommendation of the Mayor of the District of Columbia. 
(6) Three members, at least one of whom shall be a Member 
of the House of Representatives, appointed by the Speaker 
of the House of Representatives. 
(7) Three members, at least one of whom shall be a Senator, 
appointed by the majority leader of the Senate. 
(8) Two members, at least one of whom shall be a Member 
of the House of Representatives, appointed by the minority 
leader of the House of Representatives. 
(9) Two members, at least one of whom shall be a Senator, 
appointed by the minority leader of the Senate. 
(b) QUALIFIED CITIZEN.—A qualified citizen described in this 
subsection is a private citizen of the United States with— 
(1) a demonstrated dedication to educating others about 
the importance of historical figures and events; and 
(2) substantial knowledge and appreciation of Frederick 
Douglass. 
(c) TIME
OF APPOINTMENT.—Each initial appointment of a 
member of the Commission shall be made before the expiration 
of the 60-day period beginning on the date of the enactment of 
this Act. 
(d) CONTINUATION
OF
MEMBERSHIP.—If a member of the 
Commission was appointed to the Commission as a Member of 
Congress, and ceases to be a Member of Congress, that member 
may continue to serve on the Commission for not longer than 
the 30-day period beginning on the date that member ceases to 
be a Member of Congress. 
(e) TERMS.—Each member shall be appointed for the life of 
the Commission. 
(f) VACANCIES.—A vacancy in the Commission shall not affect 
the powers of the Commission but shall be filled in the manner 
in which the original appointment was made. 
(g) BASIC PAY.—Members shall serve on the Commission with-
out pay. 
(h) TRAVEL EXPENSES.—Each member shall receive travel 
expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, in accordance 
with sections 5702 and 5703 of title 5, United States Code. 
(i) QUORUM.—Six members of the Commission shall constitute 
a quorum but a lesser number may hold hearings. 
(j) CHAIR.—The Commission shall select a Chair from among 
the members of the Commission. 
(k) MEETINGS.—The Commission shall meet at the call of the 
Chair. Periodically, the Commission shall hold a meeting in Roch-
ester, New York. 
SEC. 6. DIRECTOR AND STAFF. 
(a) DIRECTOR.—The Commission may appoint and fix the pay 
of a Director and such additional personnel as the Commission 
considers to be appropriate. 
(b) APPLICABILITY OF CERTAIN CIVIL SERVICE LAWS.— 
(1) DIRECTOR.—The Director of the Commission may be 
appointed without regard to the provisions of title 5, United 
New York. 
Time period. 
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131 STAT. 1254 
PUBLIC LAW 115–77—NOV. 2, 2017 
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 that title relating to 
classification and General Schedule pay rates. 
(2) STAFF.—The staff of the Commission shall be appointed 
subject to the provisions of title 5, United States Code, gov-
erning appointments in the competitive service, and shall be 
paid in accordance with the provisions of chapter 51 and sub-
chapter III of chapter 53 of that title relating to classification 
and General Schedule pay rates. 
SEC. 7. POWERS. 
(a) HEARINGS AND SESSIONS.—The Commission may, for the 
purpose of carrying out this Act, hold such hearings, sit and act 
at such times and places, take such testimony, and receive such 
evidence as the Commission considers to be appropriate. 
(b) POWERS OF MEMBERS AND AGENTS.—Any member or agent 
of the Commission may, if authorized by the Commission, take 
any action that the Commission is authorized to take by this Act. 
(c) OBTAINING OFFICIAL DATA.—The Commission may secure 
directly from any department or agency of the United States 
information necessary to enable the Commission to carry out this 
Act. Upon request of the Chair of the Commission, the head of 
that department or agency shall furnish that information to the 
Commission. 
(d) MAILS.—The Commission may use the United States mails 
in the same manner and under the same conditions as other depart-
ments and agencies of the United States. 
(e) ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT SERVICES.—Upon the request of 
the Commission, the Administrator of General Services shall pro-
vide to the Commission, on a reimbursable basis, the administrative 
support services necessary for the Commission to carry out its 
responsibilities under this Act. 
(f) GIFTS.—The Commission may solicit, accept, use, and dispose 
of gifts, bequests, or devises of money or other property for the 
purpose of carrying out its duties. 
(g) 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. 8. REPORTS. 
(a) INITIAL REPORT.—Not later than August 1, 2018, the 
Commission shall submit to Congress an initial report containing 
its recommendations under section 4(2). 
(b) FINAL REPORT.—Not later than June 1, 2019, the Commis-
sion shall submit a final report to Congress, and shall include 
in the final report— 
(1) a summary of its activities and programs; 
(2) a final accounting of the funds the Commission received 
and expended; and 
(3) any other information that the Commission considers 
to be appropriate. 
SEC. 9. TERMINATION. 
The Commission shall terminate 30 days after submitting the 
final report pursuant to section 8(b). 
Reimbursement. 
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131 STAT. 1255 
PUBLIC LAW 115–77—NOV. 2, 2017 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—H.R. 2989: 
HOUSE REPORTS: No. 115–340 (Comm. on Oversight and Government Reform). 
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 163 (2017): 
Oct. 11, considered and passed House. 
Oct. 18, considered and passed Senate. 
DAILY COMPILATION OF PRESIDENTIAL DOCUMENTS (2017): 
Nov. 2, Presidential statement. 
SEC. 10. NO ADDITIONAL FUNDS AUTHORIZED. 
No Federal funds are authorized or may be obligated to carry 
out this Act. 
Approved November 2, 2017. 
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