Congressional Record, Volume 162 Issue 113 (Wednesday, July 13, 2016)

[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 113 (Wednesday, July 13, 2016)]
[House]
[Pages H4875-H4876]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

JOHN F. KENNEDY CENTENNIAL COMMISSION ACT

Mr. CHAFFETZ. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee
on Oversight and Government Reform be discharged from further
consideration of the bill (H.R. 5722) to establish the John F. Kennedy
Centennial Commission, and ask for its immediate consideration in the
House.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Utah?
Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, reserving the right to object, of course, I
will not object, but I do want to thank the majority leader and I want
to thank the Speaker. We have all joined in this resolution. It is
almost exactly like that which we passed for Ronald Reagan--two
Presidents who contributed greatly, not only to the wellness of this
country and the greatness of this country, but also two Presidents who
inspired so many Americans about their country, about their government,
and about participation by average citizens in their government.
I thank Mr. Chaffetz for bringing this to the floor, and I urge
strong support of the resolution.
I withdraw my reservation of objection.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The reservation is withdrawn.
Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Utah.
There was no objection.
The text of the bill is as follows:

H.R. 5722

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 ``John F. Kennedy Centennial
Commission Act''.

SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT.

There is established a commission to be known as the ``John
F. Kennedy Centennial Commission'' (in this Act referred to
as the ``Commission'').

SEC. 3. DUTIES OF COMMISSION.

The Commission shall--
(1) plan, develop, and carry out such activities as the
Commission considers fitting and proper to honor John F.
Kennedy on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of his
birth;
(2) provide advice and assistance to Federal, State, and
local governmental agencies, as well as civic groups to carry
out activities to honor John F. Kennedy on the occasion of
the 100th anniversary of his birth;
(3) develop activities that may be carried out by the
Federal Government that are fitting and proper to honor John
F. Kennedy on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of his
birth; and
(4) submit to the President and Congress reports pursuant
to section 7.

SEC. 4. MEMBERSHIP.

(a) Number and Appointment.--The Commission shall be
composed of 11 members as follows:
(1) The Secretary of the Interior.
(2) Four members appointed by the President after
considering the recommendations of the Board of Trustees of
the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation.
(3) Two Members of the House of Representatives appointed
by the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
(4) One Member of the House of Representatives appointed by
the minority leader of the House of Representatives.
(5) Two Members of the Senate appointed by the majority
leader of the Senate.
(6) One Member of the Senate appointed by the minority
leader of the Senate.
(b) Ex Officio Member.--The Archivist of the United States
shall serve in an ex officio capacity on the Commission to
provide advice and information to the Commission.
(c) Terms.--Each member shall be appointed for the life of
the Commission.
(d) Deadline for Appointment.--All members of the
Commission shall be appointed not later than 90 days after
the date of the enactment of this Act.
(e) Vacancies.--A vacancy on the Commission shall--
(1) not affect the powers of the Commission; and
(2) be filled in the manner in which the original
appointment was made.
(f) Rates of Pay.--Members shall not receive compensation
for the performance of their duties on behalf of the
Commission.
(g) Travel Expenses.--Each member of the Commission shall
be reimbursed for travel and per diem in lieu of subsistence
expenses during the performance of duties of the Commission
while away from home or his or her regular place of business,
in accordance with applicable provisions under subchapter I
of chapter 57 of title 5, United States Code.
(h) Quorum.--A majority of the members of the Commission
shall constitute a quorum to conduct business, but two or
more members may hold hearings.
(i) Chairperson.--The chairperson of the Commission shall
be elected by a majority vote of the members of the
Commission.

SEC. 5. DIRECTOR AND STAFF OF COMMISSION.

(a) Director and Staff.--The Commission shall appoint an
executive director and such other additional employees as are
necessary to enable the Commission to perform its duties.
(b) Applicability of Certain Civil Service Laws.--The
executive director and employees 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 such title
relating to classification and General Schedule pay rates,
except that the rate of pay for the executive director and
other employees may not exceed the rate payable for level V
of the Executive Schedule under section 5316 of such title.
(c) Detail of Federal Employees.--Upon request of the
Commission, the Secretary of the Interior or the Archivist of
the United States may detail, on a reimbursable basis, any of
the employees of that department or agency to the Commission
to assist it in carrying out its duties under this Act.
(d) Experts and Consultants.--The Commission may procure
such temporary and intermittent services as are necessary to
enable the Commission to perform its duties.
(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.

[[Page H4876]]

SEC. 6. POWERS OF COMMISSION.

(a) Hearings.--The Commission may, for the purpose of
carrying out this Act, hold hearings, sit and act at times
and places, take testimony, and receive evidence as the
Commission considers appropriate.
(b) 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.
(c) Obtaining Official Data.--The Commission may secure
directly from any department or agency of the United States
information necessary to enable it to carry out its duties
under this Act. Upon request of the chairperson of the
Commission, the head of that department or agency shall
furnish that information to the Commission.
(d) Gifts, Bequests, Devises.--The Commission may solicit,
accept, use, and dispose of gifts, bequests, or devises of
money, services, or property, both real and personal, for the
purpose of aiding or facilitating its work.
(e) Available Space.--Upon the request of the Commission,
the Administrator of General Services shall make available
nationwide to the Commission, at a normal rental rate for
Federal agencies, such assistance and facilities as may be
necessary for the Commission to carry out its duties under
this Act.
(f) Contract Authority.--The Commission may enter into
contracts with and compensate government and private agencies
or persons to enable the Commission to discharge its duties
under this Act.

SEC. 7. REPORTS.

(a) Annual Reports.--The Commission shall submit to the
President and the Congress annual reports on the revenue and
expenditures of the Commission, including a list of each
gift, bequest, or devise to the Commission with a value of
more than $250, together with the identity of the donor of
each gift, bequest, or devise.
(b) Interim Reports.--The Commission may submit to the
President and Congress interim reports as the Commission
considers appropriate.
(c) Final Report.--Not later than August 31, 2017, the
Commission shall submit a final report to the President and
the Congress containing--
(1) a summary of the activities of the Commission;
(2) a final accounting of funds received and expended by
the Commission; and
(3) the findings, conclusions, and final recommendations of
the Commission.

SEC. 8. TERMINATION.

The Commission may terminate on such date as the Commission
may determine after it submits its final report pursuant to
section 7(c), but not later than September 30, 2017.

SEC. 9. ANNUAL AUDIT.

The Inspector General of the Department of the Interior may
perform an audit of the Commission, shall make the results of
any audit performed available to the public, and shall
transmit such results to the Committee on Oversight and
Government Reform of the House of Representatives and the
Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of
the Senate.

SEC. 10. PROHIBITION ON OBLIGATION OF FEDERAL FUNDS.

No Federal funds may be obligated to carry out this Act.

The bill was ordered to be engrossed and read a third time, was read
the third time, and passed, and a motion to reconsider was laid on the
table.

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