[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1451 Introduced in House (IH)]







106th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 1451

       To establish the Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             April 15, 1999

 Mr. LaHood (for himself, Mr. Shimkus, Mr. Evans, Mr. Blagojevich, Mr. 
    Phelps, Ms. Schakowsky, Mr. Porter, Mr. Rush, Mr. Manzullo, Mr. 
Lipinski, Mr. Costello, Mr. Gutierrez, Mr. Hyde, Mr. Weller, Mr. Ewing, 
  Mr. Crane, Mrs. Biggert, Mr. Jackson of Illinois, and Mr. Davis of 
  Illinois) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                     Committee on Government Reform

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
       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.

    The 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 he loved, dying from an assassin's bullet on April 15, 
        1865.
            (6) All Americans could benefit from studying the life of 
        Abraham Lincoln, for his 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 the 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 (in this Act referred to 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 they are fitting and 
        proper to honor Abraham Lincoln on the occasion of the 
        bicentennial anniversary of his 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 the 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 the 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 9 
members appointed as follows:
            (1) 3 members, each of whom shall be a qualified citizen 
        described in subsection (b), appointed by the President.
            (2) 2 members, each of whom shall be a qualified citizen 
        described in subsection (b), appointed by the President on the 
        recommendation of the Governor of Illinois.
            (3) 2 members, each of whom shall be Members of the House 
        of Representatives from the State of Illinois, appointed by the 
        Speaker of the House of Representatives.
            (4) 1 member, who shall be a Senator from the State of 
        Illinois, appointed by the Majority Leader of the Senate.
            (5) 1 member, who shall be a Senator, appointed by the 
        Majority 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) Waiver of Limitation on Executive Schedule Positions.--
Appointments may be made under this section without regard to section 
5311(b) of title 5, United States Code.
    (e) Continuation of Membership.--If a member was appointed to the 
Commission as a Member of Congress and the member ceases to be a Member 
of Congress, that member may continue as a member for not longer than 
the 30-day period beginning on the date that member ceases to be a 
Member of Congress.
    (f) Terms.--Each member shall be appointed for the life of the 
Commission.
    (g) Vacancies.--A vacancy in the Commission shall be filled in the 
manner in which the original appointment was made.
    (h) Basic Pay.--Members shall serve without pay.
    (i) 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.
    (j) Quorum.--5 members of the Commission shall constitute a quorum 
but a lesser number may hold hearings.
    (k) Chairperson.--The Chairperson shall be designated by the 
President from among the members of the Commission appointed under 
section 5(a)(1). The term of office of the Chairperson shall be for the 
life of the Commission.
    (l) Meetings.--The Commission shall meet at the call of the 
Chairperson. Periodically, the Commission shall hold its meeting in 
Springfield, Illinois.

SEC. 6. DIRECTOR AND STAFF.

    (a) Director.--The Commission may appoint and fix the pay of a 
Director and any additional personnel as the Commission considers 
appropriate.
    (b) Applicability of Certain Civil Service Laws.--The 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 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 hearings, sit and act at times and places, 
take testimony, and receive evidence as the Commission considers 
appropriate.
    (b) Powers of Members and Agents.--Any member or agent of the 
Commission may, if authorized by the Commission, take any action which 
the Commission is authorized to take by this section.
    (c) Obtaining Official Data.--The Commission may secure directly 
from any department or agency of the United States information 
necessary to enable it to carry out this Act. Upon request of the 
Chairperson of the Commission, the head of that department or agency 
shall furnish that information to the Commission.
    (d) Gifts, Bequests, and Devises.--The Commission may accept, use, 
and dispose of gifts, bequests, or devises of services or property, 
both real and personal, for the purpose of aiding or facilitating the 
work of the Commission. Gifts, bequests, or devises of money and 
proceeds from sales of other property received as gifts, bequests, or 
devises shall be deposited in the Treasury and shall be available for 
disbursement upon order of the Commission. For purposes of Federal 
income, estate, and gift taxes, property accepted under this subsection 
shall be considered as a gift, bequest, or devise to the United States.
    (e) 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.
    (f) 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 the Congress 
interim reports as the Commission considers appropriate.
    (b) Final Report.--The Commission shall transmit a final report to 
the 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 the Commission considers 
        appropriate.

SEC. 9. TERMINATION.

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

SEC. 10. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

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

SEC. 11. BUDGET ACT COMPLIANCE.

    Any spending authority (as defined in subparagraphs (A) and (C) of 
section 401(c)(2) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 (2 U.S.C. 
651(c)(2)(A) and (C))) under this Act shall be effective only to such 
extent and in such amounts as are provided in appropriation Acts.
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