I 112th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 3278 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES October 27, 2011 Ms. Norton (for herself and Mr. Calvert) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources A BILL To authorize the Fair Housing Commemorative Foundation to establish a commemorative work on Federal land in the District of Columbia to commemorate the national significance of the fair housing movement in America.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Fair Housing Memorial Authorization Act.

2.

Findings

The Congress finds the following: (1)Although the Declaration of Independence declared that all men are created equal, it took a Civil War, constitutional amendments, and generations of the civil rights movements, as well as the work of many other Americans, to pursue the dream of equality for all Americans. (2)In order to address the prevalent discrimination in the housing market, it required a national fair housing movement and bipartisan political leadership to secure a national commitment to equality for all to live the American Dream and purchase, rent, or finance a home. The national movement for fair housing rights spanned several decades in the twentieth century and was led by many prominent civil rights, community, legal, and political leaders in our country, among them Thurgood Marshall, Martin Luther King, Jr., President Lyndon Johnson, Senator Edward Brooke, and Senator Everett Dirksen. (3)The national movement for fair housing gained prominence with the Supreme Court decision of Shelley v. Kraemer, 334 U.S. 1 (1948), which prohibited the enforcement of restrictive covenants on real estate based on race. The movement culminated with the enactment of the Fair Housing Act on April 11, 1968, one week after the assassination of Martin Luther King. The Fair Housing Act formally prohibited discrimination concerning the sale, rental, and financing of housing based on race, color, religion, and national origin. The Fair Housing Act was later amended to add prohibitions against discrimination in housing based on sex, handicap, and family status. April is celebrated around the country as Fair Housing Month in commemoration of the fair housing movement. (4)The national significance of the Americans movement for fair housing for people of every race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, and national origin should be perpetuated permanently with a commemorative work in Washington, DC.

3.

Commemorative work to honor the national significance of the fair housing movement

(a)

Authority To establish commemorative work

The Fair Housing Commemorative Foundation may establish a commemorative work on Federal land in the District of Columbia and its environs to commemorate the national significance of the movement for fair housing for people of every race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, and national origin. (b)

Compliance with standards for commemorative works

The commemorative work authorized by subsection (a) shall be established in accordance with chapter 89 of title 40, United States Code (commonly known as the Commemorative Works Act). (c)

Use of federal funds prohibited

Federal funds may not be used to pay any expense of the establishment of the commemorative work authorized by subsection (a). The Fair Housing Commemorative Foundation shall be solely responsible for acceptance of contributions for, and payment of the expenses of, the establishment of the commemorative work. (d)

Deposit of excess funds

If, upon payment of all expenses of the establishment of the commemorative work authorized by subsection (a) (including the maintenance and preservation amount provided for in section 8906(b), of title 40, United States Code), or upon expiration of the authority for the commemorative work under chapter 89 of title 40, United States Code, there remains a balance of funds received for the establishment of that commemorative work, the Fair Housing Commemorative Foundation shall transmit the amount of the balance to the Secretary of the Treasury for deposit in the account provided for in section 8906(b)(1) of such title.

4.

Definitions

For the purposes of this Act, the terms commemorative work and the District of Columbia and its environs have the meanings given to such terms in section 8902(a) of title 40, United States Code.