[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1451 Enrolled Bill (ENR)]

        H.R.1451

                       One Hundred Sixth Congress

                                 of the

                        United States of America


                          AT THE SECOND SESSION

           Begun and held at the City of Washington on Monday,
             the twenty-fourth day of January, two thousand


                                 An Act


 
        To establish the Abraham Lincoln 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 ``Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial 
Commission Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress makes the following findings:
        (1) Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President, was one of the 
    Nation's most prominent leaders, demonstrating true courage during 
    the Civil War, one of the greatest crises in the Nation's history.
        (2) Born of humble roots in Hardin County, Kentucky, on 
    February 12, 1809, Abraham Lincoln rose to the Presidency through a 
    legacy of honesty, integrity, intelligence, and commitment to the 
    United States.
        (3) With the belief that all men were created equal, Abraham 
    Lincoln led the effort to free all slaves in the United States.
        (4) Abraham Lincoln had a generous heart, with malice toward 
    none and with charity for all.
        (5) Abraham Lincoln gave the ultimate sacrifice for the country 
    Lincoln loved, dying from an assassin's bullet on April 15, 1865.
        (6) All Americans could benefit from studying the life of 
    Abraham Lincoln, for Lincoln's life is a model for accomplishing 
    the ``American Dream'' through honesty, integrity, loyalty, and a 
    lifetime of education.
        (7) The year 2009 will be the bicentennial anniversary of the 
    birth of Abraham Lincoln, and a commission should be established to 
    study and recommend to Congress activities that are fitting and 
    proper to celebrate that anniversary in a manner that appropriately 
    honors Abraham Lincoln.

SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT.

    There is established a commission to be known as the Abraham 
Lincoln Bicentennial Commission (referred to in this Act as the 
``Commission'').

SEC. 4. DUTIES.

    The Commission shall have the following duties:
        (1) To study activities that may be carried out by the Federal 
    Government to determine whether the activities are fitting and 
    proper to honor Abraham Lincoln on the occasion of the bicentennial 
    anniversary of Lincoln's birth, including--
            (A) the minting of an Abraham Lincoln bicentennial penny;
            (B) the issuance of an Abraham Lincoln bicentennial postage 
        stamp;
            (C) the convening of a joint meeting or joint session of 
        Congress for ceremonies and activities relating to Abraham 
        Lincoln;
            (D) a redesignation of the Lincoln Memorial, or other 
        activity with respect to the Memorial; and
            (E) the acquisition and preservation of artifacts 
        associated with Abraham Lincoln.
        (2) To recommend to Congress the activities that the Commission 
    considers most fitting and proper to honor Abraham Lincoln on such 
    occasion, and the entity or entities in the Federal Government that 
    the Commission considers most appropriate to carry out such 
    activities.

SEC. 5. MEMBERSHIP.

    (a) Number and Appointment.--The Commission shall be composed of 15 
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 recommendation of 
    the Governor of Illinois.
        (3) One member, who shall be a qualified citizen described in 
    subsection (b), appointed by the President on the recommendation of 
    the Governor of Indiana.
        (4) One member, who shall be a qualified citizen described in 
    subsection (b), appointed by the President on the recommendation of 
    the Governor of Kentucky.
        (5) 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.
        (6) Three members, at least one of whom shall be a Senator, 
    appointed by the majority leader of the Senate.
        (7) 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.
        (8) 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 Abraham Lincoln.
    (c) Time of Appointment.--Each initial appointment of a member of 
the Commission shall be made before the expiration of the 120-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 without 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.--Five 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 Springfield, 
Illinois.

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 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, governing 
    appointments in the competitive service, and shall be paid in 
    accordance with the provisions of chapter 51 and subchapter 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 departments and 
agencies of the United States.
    (e) Administrative Support Services.--Upon the request of the 
Commission, the Administrator of General Services shall provide to the 
Commission, on a reimbursable basis, the administrative support 
services necessary for the Commission to carry out its responsibilities 
under this Act.

SEC. 8. REPORTS.

    (a) Interim Reports.--The Commission may submit to Congress such 
interim reports as the Commission considers to be appropriate.
    (b) Final Report.--The Commission shall submit a final report to 
Congress not later than the expiration of the 4-year period beginning 
on the date of the formation of the Commission. The final report shall 
contain--
        (1) a detailed statement of the findings and conclusions of the 
    Commission;
        (2) the recommendations of the Commission; and
        (3) any other information that the Commission considers to be 
    appropriate.

SEC. 9. BUDGET ACT COMPLIANCE.

    Any spending authority provided under this Act shall be effective 
only to such extent and in such amounts as are provided in 
appropriation Acts.

SEC. 10. TERMINATION.

    The Commission shall terminate 120 days after submitting the final 
report of the Commission pursuant to section 8.

SEC. 11. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be 
necessary to carry out this Act.

                               Speaker of the House of Representatives.

                            Vice President of the United States and    
                                               President of the Senate.