[Congressional Bills 105th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2285 Referred in House (RFH)]

  2d Session
                                S. 2285


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            October 8, 1998

                 Referred to the Committee on Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 AN ACT


 
  To establish a commission, in honor of the 150th Anniversary of the 
Seneca Falls Convention, to further protect sites of importance in the 
           historic efforts to secure equal rights for women.

    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 ``Women's Progress Commemoration 
Act''.

SEC. 2. DECLARATION.

    Congress declares that--
            (1) the original Seneca Falls Convention, held in upstate 
        New York in July 1848, convened to consider the social 
        conditions and civil rights of women at that time;
            (2) the convention marked the beginning of an admirable and 
        courageous struggle for equal rights for women;
            (3) the 150th Anniversary of the convention provides an 
        excellent opportunity to examine the history of the women's 
        movement; and
            (4) a Federal Commission should be established for the 
        important task of ensuring the historic preservation of sites 
        that have been instrumental in American women's history, 
        creating a living legacy for generations to come.

SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT OF COMMISSION.

    (a) Establishment.--There is established a commission to be known 
as the ``Women's Progress Commemoration Commission'' (referred to in 
this Act as the ``Commission'').
    (b) Membership.--
            (1) In general.--The Commission shall be composed of 15 
        members, of whom--
                    (A) 3 shall be appointed by the President;
                    (B) 3 shall be appointed by the Speaker of the 
                House of Representatives;
                    (C) 3 shall be appointed by the minority leader of 
                the House of Representatives;
                    (D) 3 shall be appointed by the majority leader of 
                the Senate; and
                    (E) 3 shall be appointed by the minority leader of 
                the Senate.
            (2) Persons eligible.--
                    (A) In general.--The members of the Commission 
                shall be individuals who have knowledge or expertise, 
                whether by experience or training, in matters to be 
                studied by the Commission. The members may be from the 
                public or private sector, and may include Federal, 
                State, or local employees, members of academia, 
                nonprofit organizations, or industry, or other 
                interested individuals.
                    (B) Diversity.--It is the intent of Congress that 
                persons appointed to the Commission under paragraph (1) 
                be persons who represent diverse economic, 
                professional, and cultural backgrounds.
            (3) Consultation and appointment.--
                    (A) In general.--The President, Speaker of the 
                House of Representatives, minority leader of the House 
                of Representatives, majority leader of the Senate, and 
                minority leader of the Senate shall consult among 
                themselves before appointing the members of the 
                Commission in order to achieve, to the maximum extent 
                practicable, fair and equitable representation of 
                various points of view with respect to the matters to 
                be studied by the Commission.
                    (B) Completion of appointments; vacancies.--The 
                President, Speaker of the House of Representatives, 
                minority leader of the House of Representatives, 
                majority leader of the Senate, and minority leader of 
                the Senate shall conduct the consultation under 
                subparagraph (3) and make their respective appointments 
                not later than 60 days after the date of enactment of 
                this Act.
            (4) Vacancies.--A vacancy in the membership of the 
        Commission shall not affect the powers of the Commission and 
        shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment 
        not later than 30 days after the vacancy occurs.
    (c) Meetings.--
            (1) Initial meeting.--Not later than 30 days after the date 
        on which all members of the Commission have been appointed, the 
        Commission shall hold its first meeting.
            (2) Subsequent meetings.--After the initial meeting, the 
        Commission shall meet at the call of the Chairperson.
    (d) Quorum.--A majority of the members of the Commission shall 
constitute a quorum for the transaction of business, but a lesser 
number of members may hold hearings.
    (e) Chairperson and Vice Chairperson.--The Commission shall select 
a Chairperson and Vice Chairperson from among its members.

SEC. 4. DUTIES OF THE COMMISSION.

    Not later than 1 year after the initial meeting of the Commission, 
the Commission, in cooperation with the Secretary of the Interior and 
other appropriate Federal, State, and local public and private 
entities, shall prepare and submit to the Secretary of the Interior a 
report that--
            (1) identifies sites of historical significance to the 
        women's movement; and
            (2) recommends actions, under the National Historic 
        Preservation Act (16 U.S.C. 470 et seq.) and other law, to 
        rehabilitate and preserve the sites and provide to the public 
        interpretive and educational materials and activities at the 
        sites.

SEC. 5. POWERS OF THE COMMISSION.

    (a) Hearings.--The Commission may hold such hearings, sit and act 
at such times and places, take such testimony, and receive such 
evidence as the Commission considers advisable to carry out its duties 
of this Act.
    (b) Information From Federal Agencies.--The Commission may secure 
directly from any Federal department or agency such information as the 
Commission considers necessary to carry out the provisions of this Act. 
At the request of the Chairperson of the Commission, the head of such 
department or agency shall furnish such information to the Commission.

SEC. 6. COMMISSION PERSONNEL MATTERS.

    (a) Compensation of Members.--A member of the Commission who is not 
otherwise an officer or employee of the Federal Government shall be 
compensated at a rate equal to the daily equivalent of the annual rate 
of basic pay prescribed for a position at level IV of the Executive 
Schedule under section 5315 of title 5, United States Code, for each 
day (including travel time) during which the member is engaged in the 
performance of the duties of the Commission. A member of the Commission 
who is otherwise an officer or employee of the United States shall 
serve without compensation in addition to that received for services as 
an officer or employee of the United States.
    (b) Travel Expenses.--A member of the Commission shall be allowed 
travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, at rates 
authorized for employees of agencies under subchapter I of chapter 57 
of title 5, United States Code, while away from the home or regular 
place of business of the member in the performance of service for the 
Commission.
    (c) Staff.--
            (1) In general.--The Chairperson of the Commission may, 
        without regard to the civil service laws (including 
        regulations), appoint and terminate an executive director and 
        such other additional personnel as may be necessary to enable 
        the Commission to perform its duties. The employment and 
        termination of an executive director shall be subject to 
        confirmation by a majority of the members of the Commission.
            (2) Compensation.--The executive director shall be 
        compensated at a rate not to exceed the rate payable for a 
        position at level V of the Executive Schedule under section 
        5316 of title 5, United States Code. The Chairperson may fix 
        the compensation of other personnel without regard to the 
        provisions of chapter 51 and subchapter III of chapter 53 of 
        title 5, United States Code, relating to classification of 
        positions and General Schedule pay rates, except that the rate 
        of pay for such personnel may not exceed the rate payable for a 
        position at level V of the Executive Schedule under section 
        5316 of that title.
            (3) Detail of government employees.--Any Federal Government 
        employee, with the approval of the head of the appropriate 
        Federal agency, may be detailed to the Commission without 
        reimbursement, and the detail shall be without interruption or 
        loss of civil service status, benefits, or privilege.
    (d) Procurement of Temporary and Intermittent Services.--The 
Chairperson of the Commission may procure temporary and intermittent 
services under section 3109(b) of title 5, United States Code, at rates 
for individuals not to exceed the daily equivalent of the annual rate 
of basic pay prescribed for a position at level V of the Executive 
Schedule under section 5316 of that title.

SEC. 7. FUNDING.

    (a) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to the Commission such sums as are necessary to carry out 
this Act.
    (b) Donations.--The Commission may accept donations from non-
Federal sources to defray the costs of the operations of the 
Commission.

SEC. 8. TERMINATION.

    The Commission shall terminate on the date that is 30 days after 
the date on which the Commission submits to the Secretary of the 
Interior the report under section 4(b).

SEC. 9. REPORTS TO CONGRESS.

    Not later than 2 years and not later than 5 years after the date on 
which the Commission submits to the Secretary of the Interior the 
report under section 4, the Secretary of the Interior shall submit to 
Congress a report describing the actions that have been taken to 
preserve the sites identified in the Commission report as being of 
historical significance.

            Passed the Senate October 7 (legislative day, October 2), 
      1998.

            Attest:

                                                    GARY SISCO,

                                                             Secretary.