[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 The reservation is withdrawn.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.

                          ____________________