[Congressional Bills 112th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6364 Enrolled Bill (ENR)]

        H.R.6364

                      One Hundred Twelfth Congress

                                 of the

                        United States of America


                          AT THE SECOND SESSION

          Begun and held at the City of Washington on Tuesday,
            the third day of January, two thousand and twelve


                                 An Act


 
    To establish a commission to ensure a suitable observance of the 
 centennial of World War I, to provide for the designation of memorials 
to the service of members of the United States Armed Forces in World War 
                       I, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.
    (a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``World War I 
Centennial Commission Act''.
    (b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents for this Act is as 
follows:

Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
Sec. 2. Findings.
Sec. 3. Definitions.
Sec. 4. Establishment of World War I Centennial Commission.
Sec. 5. Duties of Centennial Commission.
Sec. 6. Powers of Centennial Commission.
Sec. 7. Centennial Commission personnel matters.
Sec. 8. Termination of Centennial Commission.
Sec. 9. Prohibition on obligation of Federal funds.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
    Congress makes the following findings:
        (1) From 2014 through 2018, the United States and nations 
    around the world will mark the centennial of World War I, including 
    the entry of the United States into the war in April 1917.
        (2) America's support of Great Britain, France, Belgium, and 
    its other allies in World War I marked the first time in United 
    States history that American soldiers went abroad in defense of 
    liberty against foreign aggression, and it marked the true 
    beginning of the ``American century''.
        (3) Although World War I was at the time called ``the war to 
    end all wars'', in fact the United States would commit its troops 
    to the defense of foreign lands 3 more times in the 20th century.
        (4) More than 4,000,000 men and women from the United States 
    served in uniform during World War I, among them 2 future 
    presidents, Harry S. Truman and Dwight D. Eisenhower. Two million 
    individuals from the United States served overseas during World War 
    I, including 200,000 naval personnel who served on the seas. The 
    United States suffered 375,000 casualties during World War I, 
    including 116,516 deaths.
        (5) The events of 1914 through 1918 shaped the world, the 
    United States, and the lives of millions of people.
        (6) The centennial of World War I offers an opportunity for 
    people in the United States to learn about and commemorate the 
    sacrifices of their predecessors.
        (7) Commemorative programs, activities, and sites allow people 
    in the United States to learn about the history of World War I, the 
    United States involvement in that war, and the war's effects on the 
    remainder of the 20th century, and to commemorate and honor the 
    participation of the United States and its citizens in the war 
    effort.
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.
    In this Act--
        (1) America's national world war i museum.--The term 
    ``America's National World War I Museum'' means the Liberty 
    Memorial Museum in Kansas City, Missouri, as recognized by Congress 
    in section 1031(b) of the Ronald W. Reagan National Defense 
    Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2005 (Public Law 108-375; 118 
    Stat. 2045).
        (2) Centennial commission.--The term ``Centennial Commission'' 
    means the World War I Centennial Commission established by section 
    4(a).
        (3) Veterans service organization.--The term ``veterans service 
    organization'' means any organization recognized by the Secretary 
    of Veterans Affairs for the representation of veterans under 
    section 5902 of title 38, United States Code.
SEC. 4. ESTABLISHMENT OF WORLD WAR I CENTENNIAL COMMISSION.
    (a) Establishment.--There is established a commission to be known 
as the ``World War I Centennial Commission''.
    (b) Membership.--
        (1) Composition.--The Centennial Commission shall be composed 
    of 12 members as follows:
            (A) Two members who shall be appointed by the Speaker of 
        the House of Representatives.
            (B) One member who shall be appointed by the minority 
        leader of the House of Representatives.
            (C) Two members who shall be appointed by the majority 
        leader of the Senate.
            (D) One member who shall be appointed by the minority 
        leader of the Senate.
            (E) Three members who shall be appointed by the President 
        from among persons who are broadly representative of the people 
        of the United States (including members of the Armed Forces, 
        veterans, and representatives of veterans service 
        organizations).
            (F) One member who shall be appointed by the executive 
        director of the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States.
            (G) One member who shall be appointed by the executive 
        director of the American Legion.
            (H) One member who shall be appointed by the president of 
        the Liberty Memorial Association.
        (2) Time for appointment.--The members of the Centennial 
    Commission shall be appointed not later than 60 days after the date 
    of the enactment of this Act.
        (3) Period of appointment.--Each member shall be appointed for 
    the life of the Centennial Commission.
        (4) Vacancies.--A vacancy in the Centennial Commission shall be 
    filled in the manner in which the original appointment was made.
    (c) Meetings.--
        (1) Initial meeting.--
            (A) In general.--Not later than 30 days after the date on 
        which all members of the Centennial Commission have been 
        appointed, the Centennial Commission shall hold its first 
        meeting.
            (B) Location.--The location for the meeting held under 
        subparagraph (A) shall be the America's National World War I 
        Museum.
        (2) Subsequent meetings.--
            (A) In general.--The Centennial Commission shall meet at 
        the call of the Chair.
            (B) Frequency.--The Chair shall call a meeting of the 
        members of the Centennial Commission not less frequently than 
        once each year.
            (C) Location.--Not less frequently than once each year, the 
        Centennial Commission shall meet at the America's National 
        World War I Museum.
        (3) Quorum.--Seven members of the Centennial Commission shall 
    constitute a quorum, but a lesser number may hold hearings.
    (d) Chair and Vice Chair.--The Centennial Commission shall select a 
Chair and Vice Chair from among its members.
SEC. 5. DUTIES OF CENTENNIAL COMMISSION.
    (a) In General.--The duties of the Centennial Commission are as 
follows:
        (1) To plan, develop, and execute programs, projects, and 
    activities to commemorate the centennial of World War I.
        (2) To encourage private organizations and State and local 
    governments to organize and participate in activities commemorating 
    the centennial of World War I.
        (3) To facilitate and coordinate activities throughout the 
    United States relating to the centennial of World War I.
        (4) To serve as a clearinghouse for the collection and 
    dissemination of information about events and plans for the 
    centennial of World War I.
        (5) To develop recommendations for Congress and the President 
    for commemorating the centennial of World War I.
    (b) Reports.--
        (1) Periodic report.--Not later than the last day of the 6-
    month period beginning on the date of the enactment of this Act, 
    and not later than the last day of each 3-month period thereafter, 
    the Centennial Commission shall submit to Congress and the 
    President a report on the activities and plans of the Centennial 
    Commission.
        (2) Recommendations.--Not later than 2 years after the date of 
    the enactment of this Act, the Centennial Commission shall submit 
    to Congress and the President a report containing specific 
    recommendations for commemorating the centennial of World War I and 
    coordinating related activities.
SEC. 6. POWERS OF CENTENNIAL COMMISSION.
    (a) Hearings.--The Centennial Commission may hold such hearings, 
sit and act at such times and places, take such testimony, and receive 
such evidence as the Centennial Commission considers appropriate to 
carry out its duties under this Act.
    (b) Powers of Member and Agents.--If authorized by the Centennial 
Commission, any member or agent of the Centennial Commission may take 
any action which the Centennial Commission is authorized to take under 
this Act.
    (c) Information From Federal Agencies.--The Centennial Commission 
shall secure directly from any Federal department or agency such 
information as the Centennial Commission considers necessary to carry 
out the provisions of this Act. Upon the request of the Chair of the 
Centennial Commission, the head of such department or agency shall 
furnish such information to the Centennial Commission.
    (d) Administrative Support Services.--Upon the request of the 
Centennial Commission, the Administrator of the General Services 
Administration shall provide to the Centennial Commission, on a 
reimbursable basis, the administrative support services necessary for 
the Centennial Commission to carry out its responsibilities under this 
Act.
    (e) Contract Authority.--
        (1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraph (2), the 
    Centennial Commission is authorized--
            (A) to procure supplies, services, and property; and
            (B) to make or enter into contracts, leases, or other legal 
        agreements.
        (2) Limitation.--The Centennial Commission may not enter into 
    any contract, lease, or other legal agreement that extends beyond 
    the date of the termination of the Centennial Commission under 
    section 8(a).
    (f) Postal Services.--The Centennial Commission may use the United 
States mails in the same manner and under the same conditions as other 
departments and agencies of the Federal Government.
    (g) Gifts, Bequests, and Devises.--The Centennial Commission shall 
accept, use, and dispose of gifts, bequests, or devises of services or 
property, both real and personal, for the purpose of covering the costs 
incurred by the Centennial Commission to carry out its duties under 
this Act.
SEC. 7. CENTENNIAL COMMISSION PERSONNEL MATTERS.
    (a) Compensation of Members.--Members of the Centennial Commission 
shall serve without compensation for such service.
    (b) Travel Expenses.--Each member of the Centennial Commission 
shall be allowed travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of 
subsistence, in accordance with the applicable provisions of title 5, 
United States Code.
    (c) Staff.--
        (1) In general.--The Chair of the Centennial Commission shall, 
    in consultation with the members of the Centennial Commission, 
    appoint an executive director and such other additional personnel 
    as may be necessary to enable the Centennial Commission to perform 
    its duties.
        (2) Compensation.--
            (A) In general.--Subject to subparagraph (B), the Chair of 
        the Centennial Commission may fix the compensation of the 
        executive director and any other personnel appointed under 
        paragraph (1).
            (B) Limitation.--The Chair of the Centennial Commission may 
        not fix the compensation of the executive director or other 
        personnel appointed under paragraph (1) at a rate that exceeds 
        the rate of payable for level IV of the Executive Schedule 
        under section 5315 of title 5, United States Code.
            (C) Work location.--If the city government for Kansas City, 
        Missouri, and the Liberty Memorial Association make space 
        available in the building in which the America's National World 
        War I Museum is located, the executive director of the 
        Centennial Commission and other personnel appointed under 
        paragraph (1) shall work in such building to the extent 
        practical.
    (d) Detail of Government Employees.--Upon request of the Centennial 
Commission, the head of any Federal department or agency may detail, on 
a reimbursable basis, any employee of that department or agency to the 
Centennial Commission to assist it in carrying out its duties under 
this Act.
    (e) Procurement of Temporary and Intermittent Services.--The Chair 
of the Centennial Commission may procure temporary and intermittent 
services under section 3109(b) of title 5, United States Code.
    (f) Source of Funds.--Gifts, bequests, and devises of services or 
property, both real and personal, received by the Centennial Commission 
under section 6(g) shall be the only source of funds to cover the costs 
incurred by the Centennial Commission under this section.
SEC. 8. TERMINATION OF CENTENNIAL COMMISSION.
    (a) In General.--The Centennial Commission shall terminate on the 
earlier of--
        (1) the date that is 30 days after the date the completion of 
    the activities under this Act honoring the centennial observation 
    of World War I; or
        (2) July 28, 2019.
    (b) Application of Federal Advisory Committee Act.--
        (1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraph (2), the 
    provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.) 
    shall apply to the activities of the Centennial Commission under 
    this Act.
        (2) Exception.--Section 14(a)(2) of such Act shall not apply to 
    the Centennial Commission.
SEC. 9. PROHIBITION ON OBLIGATION OF FEDERAL FUNDS.
    No Federal funds may be obligated to carry out this Act.

                               Speaker of the House of Representatives.

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