[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 215 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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118th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 S. 215

To establish a National Council on African American History and Culture 
    within the National Endowment for the Humanities, and for other 
                               purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            February 1, 2023

  Mr. Cardin introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
  referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To establish a National Council on African American History and Culture 
    within the National Endowment for the Humanities, 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.

    This Act may be cited as the ``National Council on African American 
History and Culture Act of 2023''.

SEC. 2. COUNCIL ON AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY AND CULTURE.

    (a) Establishment.--There is established in the National Endowment 
for the Humanities a National Council on African American History and 
Culture (referred to in this section as the ``Council'').
    (b) Membership.--
            (1) Number and appointment.--The Council shall be composed 
        of 12 members appointed by the President, by and with the 
        advice and consent of the Senate.
            (2) Qualifications.--The members of the Council shall be 
        individuals who--
                    (A) are selected from among private citizens of the 
                United States who are recognized for their broad 
                knowledge of, expertise in, or commitment to the 
                preservation and celebration of African-American 
                history and culture;
                    (B) are not currently employees of the Federal 
                Government; and
                    (C) have established records of distinguished 
                service, scholarship, or creativity.
            (3) Considerations.--In appointing members to the Council 
        under paragraph (1), the President--
                    (A) shall give due regard to equitable 
                representation of women, people of color, and 
                individuals with disabilities who are involved in the 
                humanities; and
                    (B) shall select such members in a manner that 
                ensures a comprehensive representation of the views of 
                scholars and professional practitioners in the 
                humanities and of the public throughout the United 
                States.
            (4) Chairperson; vice chairperson.--The Chairperson and 
        Vice Chairperson of the Council shall be designated by the 
        President from among the members of the Council. The Vice 
        Chairperson shall act as Chairperson in the absence of the 
        Chairperson.
            (5) Term of office; vacancies; reappointment.--
                    (A) In general.--Each member shall be appointed for 
                a term of 5 years, except as provided in subparagraphs 
                (B) and (C).
                    (B) Terms of initial appointees.--As designated by 
                the President at the time of the appointment, of the 
                members first appointed to the Council under paragraph 
                (1)--
                            (i) 6 shall be appointed for terms of 3 
                        years; and
                            (ii) 6 shall be appointed for terms of 5 
                        years.
                    (C) Vacancies.--Any member appointed to fill a 
                vacancy occurring before the expiration of the term for 
                which the member's predecessor was appointed shall be 
                appointed only for the remainder of that term. A member 
                may serve after the expiration of that member's term 
                until a successor has taken office.
                    (D) Reappointment.--No member shall be eligible for 
                reappointment during the 2-year period following the 
                expiration of such member's term.
            (6) Basic pay.--
                    (A) Rates of pay.--Members shall receive 
                compensation at a rate of 50 percent of the daily rate 
                of the highest rate of basic pay payable for the 
                senior-level positions classified above GS-15 pursuant 
                to section 5108 of title 5, United States Code, for 
                each day (including travel time) during which they are 
                engaged in the actual performance of duties vested in 
                the Council.
                    (B) Travel expenses.--Each member shall receive 
                travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of 
                subsistence, in accordance with applicable provisions 
                under subchapter 1 of chapter 57 of title 5, United 
                States Code.
            (7) Quorum.--Nine members of the Council shall constitute a 
        quorum. The Council cannot hold hearings without a full quorum.
            (8) Meetings.--The Council shall meet at the call of the 
        Chairperson but not less frequently than twice during each 
        calendar year.
    (c) Duties.--The duties of the Council shall be--
            (1) to prepare an annual report to be submitted to the 
        Chairperson of the National Endowment for the Humanities on the 
        work of the National Endowment to preserve and celebrate 
        African-American history and culture;
            (2) to gather timely and authoritative information 
        concerning historical developments and cultural trends in 
        African-American history and culture, as well as to monitor the 
        work of museums and organizations dedicated to the preservation 
        of African-American history and culture, and to analyze and 
        interpret such information for the purpose of determining 
        whether national policy is necessary to further support those 
        efforts;
            (3) to evaluate the various programs and activities of the 
        National Endowment for the Humanities for the purpose of 
        determining the extent to which such programs and activities 
        are contributing, and the extent to which they are not 
        contributing, to the successful preservation and celebration of 
        African-American history and culture, and to make 
        recommendations to the President with respect to such programs 
        and activities;
            (4) to develop and recommend to the Chairperson national 
        policies to foster and promote the understanding of African-
        American history, the preservation of African-American culture, 
        and the celebration of African Americans as contributors to the 
        country's economic, cultural, and political success; and
            (5) to make and furnish such studies, reports thereon, and 
        recommendations with respect to matters of cultural 
        preservation and African-American history as the Chairperson 
        may request.
    (d) Applicability of FACA.--Section 14 of the Federal Advisory 
Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.; relating to termination of advisory 
committees) shall not apply to the Council.
    (e) Termination.--The Council shall terminate 10 years after the 
date of the enactment of this Act.
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