[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 115 (Wednesday, September 22, 2004)]
[House]
[Pages H7351-H7354]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
CIVIL WAR SESQUICENTENNIAL COMMISSION ACT
Mr. OSE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill
(H.R. 2449) to establish a commission to commemorate the
sesquicentennial of the American Civil War, as amended.
The Clerk read as follows:
H.R. 2449
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 ``Civil War Sesquicentennial
Commission Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSE.
(a) Findings.--Congress makes the following findings:
(1) The American Civil War was a defining experience in the
development of the United States.
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(2) The people of the United States continue to struggle
with issues of race, civil rights, the politics of
federalism, and heritage which are legacies of the Civil War
and Reconstruction.
(3) There is a resurgence of interest in the Civil War that
is evidenced by the multitude of publications, exhibits,
reenactments, research organizations, Internet and multimedia
resources, historic parks, and preservation associations
focused on the Civil War.
(4) The years 2011 through 2015 mark the sesquicentennial
of the Civil War.
(5) The sesquicentennial of the Civil War presents a
significant opportunity for Americans to recall and reflect
upon the Civil War and its legacy in a spirit of
reconciliation and reflection.
(6) The United States Civil War Center at Louisiana State
University, Louisiana, and the Civil War Institute at
Gettysburg College, Pennsylvania, have been designated by the
Federal government to plan and facilitate the commemoration
of the sesquicentennial of the Civil War.
(7) The State of Virginia--
(A) witnessed more Civil War military engagements on its
soil than any other State;
(B) hosts more historic sites related to the Civil War than
any other State; and
(C) is home to the Pamplin Historical Park and the National
Museum of the Civil War Soldier and the Virginia Center for
Civil War Studies at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State
University, both of which are nationally recognized centers
of expertise in the study of the Civil War.
(8) The African American Civil War Museum located in
Washington, D.C., is the only museum in the nation dedicated
to the study and understanding of the role of African
Americans in the Civil War.
(b) Purpose.--The purpose of this Act is to establish a
Civil War Sesquicentennial Commemoration Commission to--
(1) ensure a suitable national observance of the
sesquicentennial of the Civil War;
(2) cooperate with and assist States and national
organizations with programs and activities for the observance
of the sesquicentennial of the Civil War;
(3) assist in ensuring that any observance of the
sesquicentennial of the Civil War is inclusive and
appropriately recognizes the experiences and points of view
of all people affected by the Civil War; and
(4) provide assistance for the development of programs,
projects, and activities on the Civil War that have lasting
educational value.
SEC. 3. CIVIL WAR SESQUICENTENNIAL COMMEMORATION COMMISSION.
The Secretary of the Interior shall establish a commission
to be known as the Civil War Sesquicentennial Commemoration
Commission (hereafter in this Act referred to as the
``Commission'').
SEC. 4. COMPOSITION OF THE COMMISSION.
(a) In General.--The Commission shall be composed of 25
members as follows:
(1) Government members.--The Commission shall include--
(A) 2 Members of the House of Representatives appointed by
the Speaker of the House of Representatives;
(B) 2 Members of the Senate appointed by the President pro
tempore of the Senate, in consultation with the Majority
Leader and the Minority Leader of the Senate;
(C) the Secretary of the Interior or the designee of the
Secretary;
(D) the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, or the
designee of the Secretary;
(E) the Secretary of the Department of Education, or the
designee of the Secretary;
(F) the Chairman of the National Endowment for the
Humanities, or the designee of the Chairman;
(G) the Archivist of the United States, or the designee of
the Archivist;
(H) the Librarian of Congress, or the designee of the
Librarian; and
(I) the Director of the National Park Service, or the
designee of the Director.
(2) Private members.--The Commission shall include--
(A) 5 members appointed by the President from among
individuals who are representative of the corporate
community; and
(B) 9 individuals, appointed by the President, from among
persons who by reason of education, training, and experience,
are experts on the Antebellum, Civil War, and Reconstruction
eras, including--
(i) 6 individuals with expertise in history;
(ii) 1 individual with specific expertise in art history,
historic preservation, or a related field;
(iii) 1 individual with expertise in anthropology, cultural
geography, sociology, or a related field; and
(iv) 1 individual with expertise in political science, law,
economics, or a related field.
(b) Terms.--Members shall be appointed for the life of the
Commission.
(c) Vacancies.--Any vacancy in the Commission shall not
affect its powers, and shall be filled in the same manner as
the original appointment.
(d) Initial Appointments.--The appointment of the members
of the Commission shall be made not later than 60 days after
the date of the enactment of this Act.
SEC. 5. GENERAL PROVISIONS.
(a) Meetings.--
(1) Initial meeting.--Not later than 60 days after the date
on which all members of the Commission have been appointed,
the members appointed under subparagraphs (A) and (B) of
section 4(a)(2) shall call the first meeting of the
Commission.
(2) Subsequent meetings.--The Commission shall hold
subsequent meetings at the call of the chairperson.
(b) Chairperson and Vice Chairperson.--At the initial
meeting, the Commission shall elect a Chairperson and Vice
Chairperson from among its voting members.
(c) Quorum.--A majority of voting members shall constitute
a quorum, but a lesser number may hold meetings.
(d) Voting.--
(1) In general.--The Commission shall act only on an
affirmative vote of a majority of the voting members of the
Commission.
(2) Nonvoting members.--The individuals appointed under
subparagraphs (A) and (B) of section 4(a)(1) shall be
nonvoting members, and shall serve only in an advisory
capacity.
SEC. 6. DUTIES OF THE COMMISSION.
(a) Activities Related to the Sesquicentennial.--The
Commission shall--
(1) plan, develop, and carry out programs and activities
appropriate to commemorate the sesquicentennial of the Civil
War;
(2) encourage interdisciplinary examination of the Civil
War;
(3) facilitate Civil War-related activities throughout the
United States;
(4) encourage civic, historical, educational, economic, and
other organizations throughout the United States to organize
and participate in activities to expand the understanding and
appreciation of the significance of the Civil War;
(5) coordinate and facilitate the public distribution of
scholarly research, publications, and interpretations of the
Civil War;
(6) provide technical assistance to States, localities, and
nonprofit organizations to further the commemoration of the
sesquicentennial of the Civil War;
(7) develop programs and facilities to ensure that the
sesquicentennial commemoration of the Civil War results in a
positive legacy and long-term public benefit; and
(8) encourage the development and conduct of programs
designed to involve the international community in activities
that commemorate the Civil War.
(b) Plans and Report.--
(1) Strategic plan and annual performance plans.--The
Commission shall prepare a strategic plan in accordance with
section 306 of title 5, United States Code, and annual
performance plans in accordance with section 1115 of title
31, United States Code, for the activities of the Commission
carried out under this Act.
(2) Reports.--
(A) Annual report.--The Commission shall submit to Congress
an annual report that contains a list of each gift, bequest,
or devise with a value of more than $250, together with the
identity of the donor of each such gift, bequest, or devise.
(B) Final report.--Not later than December 30, 2015, the
Commission shall submit to Congress a final report that
contains--
(i) a summary of activities of the Commission;
(ii) a final accounting of funds received and expended by
the Commission; and
(iii) the findings and recommendations of the Commission.
SEC. 7. GRANT PROGRAM.
(a) Grants Authorized.--The National Endowment for the
Humanities shall award grants under this section for the uses
described in subsection (b).
(b) Use of Grants.--Grants awarded under this section shall
be used for appropriate activities relating to the
sesquicentennial of the Civil War.
(c) Consideration.--In awarding grants under this section,
the National Endowment of the Humanities shall consider
established university, museum, or academic programs with
national scope that sponsor multidisciplinary projects,
including those that concentrate on the role of African
Americans in the Civil War.
SEC. 8. POWERS OF THE COMMISSION.
(a) In General.--The Commission may--
(1) solicit, accept, use, and dispose of gifts, bequests,
or devises of money or other real or personal property for
the purpose of aiding or facilitating the work of the
Commission;
(2) appoint any advisory committee as the Commission
considers appropriate for the purposes of this Act;
(3) authorize any voting member or employee of the
Commission to take any action that the Commission is
authorized to take under this Act; and
(4) procure supplies, services, and property, and make or
enter into contracts, leases, or other legal agreements to
carry out this Act (except that any contracts, leases, or
other legal agreements entered into by the Commission shall
not extend beyond the date of the termination of the
Commission); and
(5) use the United States mails in the same manner and
under the same conditions as other Federal agencies.
SEC. 9. PERSONNEL MATTERS.
(a) Compensation of Members.--Members of the Commission,
and members of any advisory committee appointed under section
8(a)(2), shall serve without compensation.
(b) Travel Expenses.--Members of the Commission, and
members of any advisory committees appointed under section
8(a)(2), shall be allowed travel expenses, including per diem
in lieu of subsistence, at rates authorized for an employee
of an agency under subchapter I of chapter 57 of title 5,
United States Code, while away from the home or regular place
of business of the member in the performance of the duties of
the Commission.
(c) Staff.--
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(1) In general.--The Chairperson of the Commission may,
without regard to civil service laws (including regulations),
appoint and terminate an executive director and such other
additional personnel as are necessary to enable the
Commission to perform the duties of the Commission.
(2) Confirmation of executive director.--The employment of
an executive director shall be subject to confirmation by the
Commission.
(3) Compensation.--
(A) In general.--Except as provided in subparagraph (B),
the Chairperson of the Commission may fix the compensation of
the executive director and other personnel without regard to
the provisions of chapter 51 and subchapter III of chapter 53
of title 5, United States Code, relating to classification of
positions and General Schedule pay rates.
(B) Maximum rate of pay.--The rate of pay for the executive
director and other personnel shall not exceed the rate
payable for level V of the Executive Schedule under section
5316 of title 5, United States Code.
(d) Detail of Government Employees.--
(1) In general.--At the request of the Commission, the head
of any Federal agency may detail, on a reimbursable or
nonreimbursable basis, any of the personnel of the agency to
the Commission to assist the Commission in carrying out the
duties of the Commission under this Act.
(2) Civil service status.--The detail of an employee under
paragraph (1) shall be without interruption or loss of civil
service status or privilege.
(e) Volunteer and Uncompensated Services.--Notwithstanding
section 1342 of title 31, United States Code, the Commission
may accept and use voluntary and uncompensated services as
the Commission determines necessary.
(f) Support Services.--The Director of the National Park
Service shall provide to the Commission, on a reimbursable
basis, such administrative support services as the Commission
may request.
(g) Procurement of Temporary and Intermittent Services.--
The Chairperson of the Commission may procure temporary and
intermittent services under section 3109(b) of title 5,
United States Code, at daily rates for individuals which do
not exceed the daily equivalent of the annual rate of basic
pay prescribed for level V of the Executive Schedule under
section 5316 of such title.
(h) FACA Nonapplicability.--Section 14(b) of the Federal
Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.) shall not apply to the
Commission.
(i) Termination.--The Commission shall terminate on the
date that is 90 days after the date on which the Commission
submits its report under section 6(b)(2).
SEC. 10. AUDIT OF COMMISSION.
The Inspector General of the Department of the Interior
shall perform an annual audit of the Commission and shall
make the results of the audit available to the public.
SEC. 11. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
(a) In General.--There is authorized to be appropriated to
carry out this Act (other than section 7) $200,000 for each
of the fiscal years 2005 through 2016.
(b) Grants.--There is authorized to be appropriated
$3,500,000 to the National Endowment for the Humanities to
provide grants under section 7, to remain available until
expended.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
California (Mr. Ose) and the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Davis) each
will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California (Mr. Ose).
General Leave
Mr. OSE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may
have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks
and include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from California?
There was no objection.
Mr. OSE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the Committee on Government Reform, I am
pleased that the House is considering H.R. 2449. This legislation,
introduced by the distinguished gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Baker)
creates a commission to commemorate the sesquicentennial of the
American Civil War. I rise in strong support of this bill.
Mr. Speaker, perhaps no event shaped the U.S. more than the Civil
War. The Civil War was produced by the economic, cultural, and
political rivalry between the agrarian South and the industrial North.
Though the war was long and dreadful, its outcome preserved the Nation.
From South Carolina's secession on December 20, 1860, to General Robert
E. Lee's surrender at Appomattox on April 9, 1865, the Civil War set
the course for the next century of this Nation's development.
Mr. Speaker, the Civil War Sesquicentennial Commission will ensure a
suitable national observance of the 150th anniversary of the Civil War.
It promises to be inclusive and appropriately recognizes the
perspectives and impacts of all people affected by the Civil War.
Specifically, the commission will plan, develop, and carry out
programs and activities appropriate to commemorate the Civil War. The
commission will annually report to Congress on its work, and by
December 30, 2015, the commission will provide to Congress a final
report detailing the activities, findings, and recommendations of the
commission.
Mr. Speaker, the creation of a Civil War Commission at this point in
American history makes it difficult to overlook the similarities
between America's current conflict and the war our Nation endured
nearly a century and a half ago. In both cases, an immense tragedy
forced this Nation to rise up and defend the liberty and freedom of our
Union. However, our current enemy is not ourselves, but terrorist
extremists who hate American freedom. While Americans were split and
hostile on the two sides of the Civil War, today our great Nation
remains united behind our servicemen and servicewomen who sacrifice
everything to protect our Nation from terror.
Mr. Speaker, this commission will provide an exciting and somber look
back at perhaps the most important event in our Nation's history. I
thank the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Baker) for his thorough efforts
to commemorate the Civil War.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
H.R. 2449 would establish a Civil War Sesquicentennial Commemoration
Commission to cooperate with and assist States and national
organizations with programs and activities to ensure a suitable
national observance of the 150th anniversary of the Civil War and to
educate Americans about the significance of the war in our national
history.
With the issuance of the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863, the Civil
War became a war to save the Union and to abolish slavery. The war
resulted in the loss of 620,000 lives, the liberation of 4 million
slaves, and the ratification of three constitutional amendments that
changed the way we define freedom and democracy in this country.
Frederick Douglass moved many free and runaway slaves to enlist in
the Union Army and to fight for their freedom when he said, ``Once let
the black man get upon his person the brass letters U.S., let him get
an eagle on his button, and a musket on his shoulder and bullets in his
pockets, there is no power on Earth can deny that he has earned the
right for citizenship in the United States.''
Approximately 180,000 African Americans, comprising 163 units, served
in the Union Army during the Civil War, and many more served in the
Union Navy. Although black soldiers proved themselves as reputable
soldiers, discrimination in pay and other areas remained widespread.
We as Americans continue to struggle with issues of race, the
politics of federalism and heritage. The 150th anniversary of the Civil
War would give us an opportunity to reflect collectively on our shared
history and our identity as Americans. Many say and many believe that
we have a democracy, that we as African Americans, for example, have
equal rights. But we must ask what it really means, and even in 2004 we
must ask is freedom and equal rights a reality for all Americans.
{time} 1345
What we do have, though, is the right to struggle, and the need for
struggle is just as important today as it was during the Civil War.
Frederick Douglass was right then and Douglass is right now when he
said that ``Struggle, struggle, strife and pain are the prerequisites
for change, and if there is no struggle, there will be no progress.''
The American Civil War is a critical part of our Nation's history and
development. The 105th anniversary of the war should remind us that we
have come a long way, but there is still much work to be done, and in
the words of the philosopher, we must remember that freedom is a hard-
won
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thing. Each generation must win it, and win it again.
The American Civil War was critical to America's development as a
nation and a democracy. The 105th anniversary of the war is an
appropriate time for us to reflect on its legacy and its impact on our
lives.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. OSE. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield such time as he may
consume to the distinguished gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Baker).
Mr. BAKER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for his courtesy in
yielding me time. I rise here today to speak to my appreciation for his
good work in bringing this matter to the floor of the House.
Mr. Speaker, the American Civil War was perhaps the most dramatic
forging event in our Nation's history. In a brief period of time, over
600,000 lives were lost. The struggle was immense. But from this
incredible event and the huge loss of life, a new nation was forged,
with its eye on principle and in practice to afford equal rights to
all.
In the course of our history, this Congress has acted with regard to
this matter in years past. In fact, there are two institutions. The
United States Civil War Center at Louisiana State University and the
Civil War Institute at the Gettysburg College have been the only two
institutions nationally recognized as Civil War centers. It is my hope
and expectation that as the commission itself is appointed and work is
commenced, that they will become significant partners with the center
at LSU and at the Gettysburg College in coming to the appropriate
decisions for the sesquicentennial celebrations of this event.
It is truly an important, formative event in our Nation's history. It
is a time when no one should be without education and understanding,
for from it we learn much about ourselves and what makes our Nation as
great as it is today.
Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to yield such
time as he may consume to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Israel).
Mr. ISRAEL. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me time,
and I also thank the chairman of my subcommittee of the Committee on
Financial Services for his leadership.
I rise in strong support of this resolution. I have been working with
several of my colleagues to organize a Civil War Caucus here in the
House of Representatives. Outside this building, just on the West
Front, is a statue of General Grant at the very footsteps of the
Capitol. A few blocks away from that is a statue of General Meade.
Beyond that is the Lincoln Memorial, and beyond that in the hills of
Arlington is the Custis-Lee Mansion.
Why do we remember? Why do we erect statues? Why is this bill
important? It is important because the Civil War is really not about
the past; it is about our present, it is about our future. It is
important because what happened in the Civil War will instruct us in
how we meet challenges today.
I serve on the Committee on Armed Services and we are dealing with
profoundly difficult challenges around the world, in Iraq, Iran, North
Korea, Pakistan, the global war on terror. Sometimes those challenges
seem almost insurmountable. What the Civil War teaches all of us is
that no challenge is insurmountable.
When I think about the military difficulties that we have in the
world today, I also think about the 20th of May on Little Round Top in
Gettysburg. It was on that hill that just a small group of men were
told to remain in place, to hold that hill at all hazards. They were
confronted with enemy in front of them, overwhelming numbers,
overwhelming numbers of enemy to their left and above them, and still
they held that hill. They repulsed attack after attack after attack,
and when they ran out of ammunition and hope, their leader, Colonel
Joshua Chamberlain, ordered the men to fix bayonets and charge. That is
surmounting challenge.
What we were taught from that battle on many battlefields, on many
boats, in north and south, is that we are a unique and special country.
That fight was for us. That fight was for our future. That fight was to
teach a lesson that higher principles guide us, that there are things
worth fighting for that are even more important than ourselves.
This bill is not about statues, it is not about commemoration, it is
not about the past. It is about the country we are today and the
country we will be tomorrow.
For that reason, I strongly support this bill and urge its adoption.
Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Mr. Speaker, I will just end by suggesting that the Civil War was the
costliest war that this country has ever been engaged in and perhaps
one of the most important wars that this country will ever fight. I
urge strong support of this resolution.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. OSE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I want to join my friend from Illinois in his remarks,
and I too urge all Members to support the passage of H.R. 2449.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Linder). The question is on the motion
offered by the gentleman from California (Mr. Ose) that the House
suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 2449, as amended.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor
thereof) the rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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