[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2989 Introduced in House (IH)]
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115th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 2989
To establish the Frederick Douglass Bicentennial Commission.
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IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
June 21, 2017
Ms. Norton (for herself and Mr. Harris) introduced the following bill;
which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform
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A BILL
To establish the Frederick Douglass 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 ``Frederick Douglass Bicentennial
Commission Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress makes the following findings:
(1) Born into slavery on the Eastern Shore of Maryland in
1818 and given the name Frederick Augustus Washington Bailey
after his mother Harriet Bailey, Frederick Douglass has been
called the father of the civil rights movement.
(2) Douglass rose through determination, brilliance, and
eloquence to shape the American Nation. He was an abolitionist,
human rights and women's rights activist, orator, author,
journalist, publisher, and social reformer.
(3) Taught basic reading skills by his mistress until she
was forced to stop, Douglass continued to teach himself to read
and write and taught other slaves to read despite risks
including death.
(4) During the course of his remarkable life Frederick
Douglass escaped from slavery, became internationally renowned
for his eloquence in the cause of liberty, and went on to serve
the national government in several official capacities.
(5) Forced to leave the country to avoid arrest as an
escaped slave, he returned to become a staunch advocate of the
Union cause and helped recruit African-American troops for the
Union Army, including two of his sons, Charles and Lewis
Douglass. His personal relationship with Abraham Lincoln helped
persuade the President to make emancipation a cause of the
Civil War.
(6) With the abolition of slavery at the close of the Civil
War, Douglass then turned his attention to the full integration
of African-Americans into the political and economic life of
the United States. Committed to freedom, Douglass dedicated his
life to achieving justice for all Americans, in particular
African-Americans, women, and minority groups. He envisioned
America as an inclusive Nation strengthened by diversity and
free of discrimination.
(7) Douglass served as an advisor to Presidents. Abraham
Lincoln referred to him as the most meritorious man of the
nineteenth century. Douglass was appointed to several offices.
He served as the United States Marshal of the District of
Columbia under Rutherford B. Hayes' administration; President
James Garfield appointed Douglass the District of Columbia
Recorder of Deeds. In 1889, President Benjamin Harrison
appointed Frederick Douglass to be the United States minister
to Haiti. He was also appointed by President Grant to serve as
Assistant Secretary of the Commission of Inquiry to Santo
Domingo.
(8) Douglass lived in the District of Columbia for 23 of
his 57 years as a free man, and in recognition of his
leadership and continuous fight for justice and freedom, his
home, Cedar Hill, was established as a National Historic Site
in Anacostia, in Southeast Washington, DC.
(9) The statue of Frederick Douglass in the United States
Capitol is a gift from the almost 700,000 residents of the
District of Columbia.
(10) All Americans could benefit from studying the life of
Frederick Douglass, for Douglass dedicated his own life to
ensuring freedom and equality for future generations of
Americans. This Nation should ensure that his tireless
struggle, transformative words, and inclusive vision of
humanity continue to inspire and sustain us.
(11) The year 2018 marks the bicentennial anniversary of
the birth of Frederick Douglass, 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 Frederick Douglass.
SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT.
There is established a commission to be known as the Frederick
Douglass 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 Frederick Douglass on the occasion
of the bicentennial anniversary of Douglass' birth, including--
(A) the issuance of a Frederick Douglass
bicentennial postage stamp;
(B) the convening of a joint meeting or joint
session of Congress for ceremonies and activities
relating to Frederick Douglass;
(C) a rededication of the Frederick Douglass
National Historic Site, or other activity with respect
to the Site; and
(D) the acquisition and preservation of artifacts
associated with Frederick Douglass.
(2) To recommend to Congress the activities that the
Commission considers most fitting and proper to honor Frederick
Douglass 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 16
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 Maryland.
(3) One member, who shall be a qualified citizen described
in subsection (b), appointed by the President on the
recommendation of the Governor of Massachusetts.
(4) One member, who shall be a qualified citizen described
in subsection (b), appointed by the President on the
recommendation of the Governor of New York.
(5) One member, who shall be a qualified citizen described
in subsection (b), appointed by the President on the
recommendation of the Mayor of the District of Columbia.
(6) 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.
(7) Three members, at least one of whom shall be a Senator,
appointed by the majority leader of the Senate.
(8) 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.
(9) 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 Frederick
Douglass.
(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.--Six 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 Rochester, New
York.
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.
(c) Donations.--The Commission may accept donations of supplies,
money, and services to carry out its responsibilities.
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 no later than December 1, 2017. 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. TERMINATION.
The Commission shall terminate 120 days after submitting the final
report of the Commission 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.
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