[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 74 (Monday, May 1, 2017)]
[House]
[Pages H2985-H2987]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]





          400 YEARS OF AFRICAN-AMERICAN HISTORY COMMISSION ACT

  Mr. COMER. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill 
(H.R. 1242) to establish the 400 Years of African-American History 
Commission, and for other purposes, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 1242

       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 ``400 Years of African-
     American History Commission Act''.

     SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

       In this Act:
       (1) Commemoration.--The term ``commemoration'' means the 
     commemoration of the 400th anniversary of the arrival of 
     Africans in the English colonies, at Point Comfort, Virginia, 
     in 1619.
       (2) Commission.--The term ``Commission'' means the 400 
     Years of African-American History Commission established by 
     section 3(a).
       (3) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
     of the Interior.

     SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT.

       (a) In General.--There is established a commission, to be 
     known as the ``400 Years of African-American History 
     Commission''.
       (b) Membership.--
       (1) Composition.--The Commission shall be composed of 15 
     members, of whom--
       (A) three members shall be appointed by the Secretary after 
     considering recommendations of Governors, including the 
     Governor of Virginia;
       (B) six members shall be appointed by the Secretary after 
     considering recommendations of civil rights organizations and 
     historical organizations;
       (C) one member shall be an employee of the National Park 
     Service having experience relative to the historical and 
     cultural resources related to the commemoration, to be 
     appointed by the Secretary;
       (D) two members shall be appointed by the Secretary after 
     considering the recommendations of the Secretary of the 
     Smithsonian Institution; and
       (E) three members shall be individuals who have an interest 
     in, support for, and expertise appropriate to the 
     commemoration, appointed by the Secretary after considering 
     the recommendations of Members of Congress.
       (2) Time of appointment.--Each appointment of an initial 
     member of the Commission shall be made before the expiration 
     of the 120-day period beginning on the date of enactment of 
     this Act.
       (3) Term; vacancies.--
       (A) Term.--A member of the Commission shall be appointed 
     for the life of the Commission.
       (B) Vacancies.--
       (i) In general.--A vacancy on the Commission shall be 
     filled in the same manner in which the original appointment 
     was made.
       (ii) Partial term.--A member appointed to fill a vacancy on 
     the Commission shall serve for the remainder of the term for 
     which the predecessor of the member was appointed.
       (C) Continuation of membership.--If a member of the 
     Commission was appointed to the Commission as an employee of 
     the National Park Service, and ceases to be an employee of 
     the National Park Service, that member may continue to serve 
     on the Commission for not longer than the 30-day period 
     beginning on the date on which that member ceases to be an 
     employee of the National Park Service.
       (c) Duties.--The Commission shall--
       (1) plan, develop, and carry out programs and activities 
     throughout the United States--
       (A) appropriate for the commemoration;
       (B) to recognize and highlight the resilience and 
     contributions of African-Americans since 1619;
       (C) to acknowledge the impact that slavery and laws that 
     enforced racial discrimination had on the United States; and
       (D) to educate the public about--
       (i) the arrival of Africans in the United States; and
       (ii) the contributions of African-Americans to the United 
     States;
       (2) encourage civic, patriotic, historical, educational, 
     artistic, religious, economic, and other organizations 
     throughout the United States to organize and participate in 
     anniversary activities to expand understanding and 
     appreciation of--
       (A) the significance of the arrival of Africans in the 
     United States; and
       (B) the contributions of African-Americans to the United 
     States;
       (3) provide technical assistance to States, localities, and 
     nonprofit organizations to further the commemoration;
       (4) coordinate and facilitate for the public scholarly 
     research on, publication about, and interpretation of--
       (A) the arrival of Africans in the United States; and
       (B) the contributions of African-Americans to the United 
     States;
       (5) ensure that the commemoration provides a lasting legacy 
     and long-term public benefit by assisting in the development 
     of appropriate programs; and
       (6) help ensure that the observances of the commemoration 
     are inclusive and appropriately recognize the experiences and 
     heritage of all individuals present at the arrival of 
     Africans in the United States.

     SEC. 4. COMMISSION MEETINGS.

       (a) Initial Meeting.--Not later than 30 days after the date 
     on which all members of the Commission have been appointed, 
     the Commission shall hold the initial meeting of the 
     Commission.
       (b) Meetings.--The Commission shall meet--
       (1) at least three times each year; or
       (2) at the call of the Chairperson or the majority of the 
     members of the Commission.
       (c) Quorum.--A majority of the voting members shall 
     constitute a quorum, but a lesser number may hold meetings.
       (d) Chairperson and Vice Chairperson.--
       (1) Election.--The Commission shall elect the Chairperson 
     and the Vice Chairperson of the Commission on an annual 
     basis.
       (2) Absence of the chairperson.--The Vice Chairperson shall 
     serve as the Chairperson in the absence of the Chairperson.
       (e) Voting.--The Commission shall act only on an 
     affirmative vote of a majority of the members of the 
     Commission.

     SEC. 5. COMMISSION POWERS.

       (a) Gifts.--The Commission may solicit, accept, use, and 
     dispose of gifts, bequests, or devises of money or other 
     property for aiding or facilitating the work of the 
     Commission.
       (b) Appointment of Advisory Committees.--The Commission may 
     appoint such advisory committees as the Commission determines 
     to be necessary to carry out this Act.
       (c) Authorization of Action.--The Commission may authorize 
     any member or employee of the Commission to take any action 
     that the Commission is authorized to take under this Act.
       (d) Procurement.--
       (1) In general.--The Commission may procure supplies, 
     services, and property, and make or enter into contracts, 
     leases, or other legal agreements, to carry out this Act 
     (except that a contract, lease, or other legal agreement made 
     or entered into by the Commission shall not extend beyond the 
     date of termination of the Commission).
       (2) Limitation.--The Commission may not purchase real 
     property.
       (e) Postal Services.--The Commission may use the United 
     States mails in the same manner and under the same conditions 
     as other agencies of the Federal Government.
       (f) Grants and Technical Assistance.--The Commission may--
       (1) provide grants in amounts not to exceed $20,000 per 
     grant to communities and nonprofit organizations for use in 
     developing programs to assist in the commemoration;
       (2) provide grants to research and scholarly organizations 
     to research, publish, or distribute information relating to 
     the arrival of Africans in the United States; and
       (3) provide technical assistance to States, localities, and 
     nonprofit organizations to further the commemoration.

     SEC. 6. COMMISSION PERSONNEL MATTERS.

       (a) Compensation of Members.--
       (1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraph (2), a 
     member of the Commission shall serve without compensation.
       (2) Federal employees.--A member of the Commission who is 
     an officer or employee of the Federal Government shall serve 
     without compensation other than the compensation received for 
     the services of the member as an officer or employee of the 
     Federal Government.
       (b) Travel Expenses.--A member of the Commission 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) Director and Staff.--
       (1) In general.--The Chairperson of the Commission may, 
     without regard to the civil service laws (including 
     regulations), nominate an executive director 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.
       (d) Compensation.--
       (1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraph (2), 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.
       (2) 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.
       (e) Detail of Government Employees.--
       (1) Federal employees.--
       (A) Detail.--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.
       (B) Civil service status.--The detail of an employee under 
     subparagraph (A) shall be without interruption or loss of 
     civil service status or privilege.
       (2) State employees.--The Commission may--

[[Page H2986]]

       (A) accept the services of personnel detailed from the 
     State; and
       (B) reimburse the State for services of detailed personnel.
       (f) Procurement of Temporary and Intermittent Services.--
     The Chairperson of the Commission may procure temporary and 
     intermittent services in accordance with section 3109(b) of 
     title 5, United States Code, at rates for individuals that 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.
       (g) Volunteer and Uncompensated Services.--Notwithstanding 
     section 1342 of title 31, United States Code, the Commission 
     may accept and use such voluntary and uncompensated services 
     as the Commission determines to be necessary.
       (h) Support Services.--
       (1) In general.--The Secretary shall provide to the 
     Commission, on a reimbursable basis, such administrative 
     support services as the Commission may request.
       (2) Reimbursement.--Any reimbursement under this paragraph 
     shall be credited to the appropriation, fund, or account used 
     for paying the amounts reimbursed.
       (i) No Effect on Authority.--Nothing in this section 
     supersedes the authority of the National Park Service with 
     respect to the commemoration.

     SEC. 7. PLANS; REPORTS.

       (a) Strategic Plan.--The Commission shall prepare a 
     strategic plan for the activities of the Commission carried 
     out under this Act.
       (b) Final Report.--Not later than July 1, 2020, the 
     Commission shall complete and submit to Congress a final 
     report that contains--
       (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 and recommendations of the Commission.

     SEC. 8. TERMINATION OF COMMISSION.

       (a) Date of Termination.--The Commission shall terminate on 
     July 1, 2020.
       (b) Transfer of Documents and Materials.--Before the date 
     of termination specified in subsection (a), the Commission 
     shall transfer all documents and materials of the Commission 
     to the National Archives or another appropriate Federal 
     entity.

     SEC. 9. EXPENDITURES OF COMMISSION.

       All expenditures of the Commission shall be made solely 
     from donated funds.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Kentucky (Mr. Comer) and the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Connolly) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Kentucky.


                             General Leave

  Mr. COMER. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days in 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 Kentucky?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. COMER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  I rise today in support of H.R. 1242, the 400 Years of African-
American History Commission Act, introduced by Congressman Bobby Scott 
of Virginia.
  H.R. 1242 establishes a historical commission commemorating the 400th 
anniversary of the arrival of Africans in Virginia in 1619. The bill 
creates a commission to plan programs and activities in 2019 to 
recognize the arrival, influence, and historical importance of Africans 
in America.
  Congress has previously established similar commissions to celebrate 
historical anniversaries. For example, there was a commission on the 
400th anniversary of the founding of Jamestown, Virginia, and the 450th 
anniversary of the founding of St. Augustine, Florida.
  As we reach the 400th anniversary of the arrival of Africans in 
Virginia, establishing this commission allows for the opportunity to 
acknowledge the horrible impact slavery has had in America. This is an 
opportunity to commemorate the resilience and contributions of African 
Americans in our country. While that chapter in our history is a 
painful one, this is a story that must be told to acknowledge how 
profoundly unrecognizable our Nation would be without the contribution 
of African Americans.
  The commission will work with State and local groups to coordinate 
the commemoration and public education. The commission will be funded 
by private donations, not taxpayer dollars, and will terminate shortly 
after the anniversary activities conclude. The bill authorizes the 
commission to provide grants to further the historical and cultural 
activities carried out in commemoration of the anniversary.
  The Committee on Oversight and Government Reform approved this bill 
on March 28, 2017.
  I thank Congressman Scott for his leadership on this legislation.
  I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve the balance 
of my time.
  Mr. CONNOLLY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  I rise today in strong support of H.R. 1242, the 400 Years of 
African-American History Commission Act, introduced by my friend and 
colleague from Virginia, Bobby Scott. Senator Tim Kaine of Virginia has 
introduced a companion bill in the Senate.
  In the 400 years since the first Africans arrived at Point Comfort, 
Virginia, African Americans have made an indelible contribution to our 
Nation. They have been pioneers in the arts and sciences. They have led 
the charge for civil rights and spoken out against injustice against 
anybody. They have also ascended to the highest level of politics, 
athletics, and business, and sacrificed for our country in every 
military engagement from the American Revolution to the present-day 
fight against terrorism.
  African Americans have played a crucial role in the establishment and 
evolution of our Nation:
  Crispus Attucks, a Black man, became the first casualty of the 
American Revolution in my hometown of Boston when he confronted British 
soldiers in what became known as the Boston Massacre.
  James Armistead, a slave who fed false information to the British, 
helped the Patriots' cause to secure victory in the Battle of Yorktown.
  Abolitionists, from Sojourner Truth to Frederick Douglass to Harriet 
Tubman spoke out against slavery and fought to realize the meaning of 
Thomas Jefferson's founding creed that all men are created equal.
  And African Americans helped our country awaken its collective 
consciousness during the epochal civil rights movement, with the 
courageous actions of so many from Rosa Parks in the Montgomery bus 
boycott to the persevering spirit of our colleague John Lewis and the 
Freedom Riders, and the bold vision, of course, of Martin Luther King, 
Jr., that ``injustice anywhere threatens justice everywhere.''
  The bill before us today would recognize those accomplishments while 
acknowledging the sorry, tragic history of slavery in America and the 
subsequent era of discrimination and economic deprivation after the 
Civil War. H.R. 1242 would establish a commission charged with 
celebrating the rich history of African Americans in the United States.
  Along with States, community groups, and nonprofit organizations, the 
commission would plan and execute anniversary activities throughout the 
Nation and encourage the publication and distribution of scholarly 
research on African-American history.
  I urge all of my colleagues to support H.R. 1242.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

                              {time}  1730

  Mr. COMER. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. CONNOLLY. Mr. Speaker, may I inquire as to how much time is 
remaining on this side?
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Virginia has 17\1/2\ 
minutes remaining.
  Mr. CONNOLLY. Mr. Speaker, I yield the balance of my time to the 
gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Scott), my friend and the author of this 
bill.
  Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1242, 
the 400 Years of African-American History Commission Act, which was 
introduced earlier this year by Senators Tim Kaine, Mark Warner, Roy 
Blunt, and Cory Booker. I was proud to introduce the House version, 
which has the support of Representatives Taylor, Richmond, Wittman, 
Beyer, McEachin, Lewis, Comstock, Connolly, Griffith, Goodlatte, and 
many others.
  I would like to thank Chairman Chaffetz, Ranking Member Cummings, Mr. 
Comer, and Mr. Connolly for their assistance in bringing the bill to 
the floor today.
  This bill would establish a commission to begin the planning of 
programs

[[Page H2987]]

and activities across our Nation to recognize the contributions of 
African Americans since their first arrival as African slaves in the 
English colonies at Point Comfort, Virginia, in 1619, almost 400 years 
ago.
  Slavery was an abhorrent institution, but the history of Virginia and 
our Nation cannot be fully understood without first recognizing the 
role played by the slave trade. This institution was the foundation of 
the colonial and early American agricultural system. The 20 slaves who 
arrived at Point Comfort in Hampton, Virginia, in 1619 were the first 
on record to be forcibly settled as involuntary laborers in the English 
colonies.
  This bill will establish a commission to recognize and highlight the 
resilience and contributions of African Americans since 1619. From 
enduring slavery to fighting in the Civil War, to working against the 
oppressive Jim Crow laws, to struggling through the civil rights 
movement, the rich history of African Americans in the United States 
and their contributions to our Nation began hundreds of years ago. 
Obviously, this history does not end there.
  The commission established by this bill will be charged with the 
important task of planning, developing, and implementing a series of 
programs and activities throughout 2019 to tell the full story of 
African Americans over the last 400 years. This 15-member commission 
will include historical experts instead of politicians. Therefore, the 
true legacy of African Americans will be truthfully told.
  It would be a great disservice not only to African Americans, but to 
all Americans, if we fail to appropriately recognize this important 
milestone in our Nation's history.
  Mr. Speaker, I again thank the chairman and ranking member of the 
committee, Mr. Comer and Mr. Connolly, for their leadership in bringing 
this bill to the floor.
  I urge my colleagues to support this bill.
  Mr. CONNOLLY. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my friend Bobby Scott for 
his leadership. This is an incredible service, not only to my 
Commonwealth of Virginia and his, but, frankly, to all Americans. This 
isn't just an issue for African Americans or some subgroup. All of us 
are formed from our history, as we know from the popularity of the 
opening of the new African-American museum here in Washington, which is 
an incredible contribution, I think, to our Nation's culture and our 
discussion.
  Mr. Speaker, I have no other speakers, and I yield back the balance 
of my time.
  Mr. COMER. Mr. Speaker, I urge adoption of the bill, and I yield back 
the balance of my time.
  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1242, ``400 
Years of African-American History Commission Act'', which establishes 
the 400 Years of African-American History Commission to develop and 
carry out activities throughout the United States to commemorate the 
400th anniversary of the arrival of Africans in the English colonies at 
Point Comfort, Virginia, in 1619.
  Through this bill, the commission must:
  1. Plan programs to acknowledge the impact that slavery and laws that 
enforced racial discrimination had on the United States;
  2. Encourage civic, patriotic, historical, educational, artistic, 
religious, and economic organizations to organize and participate in 
anniversary activities;
  3. Assist states, localities, and nonprofit organizations to further 
the commemoration; and
  4. Coordinate for the public scholarly research on the arrival of 
Africans in the United States and their contributions to this country.
  The commission may provide:
  1. Grants to communities and nonprofit organizations for the 
development of programs;
  2. Grants to research and scholarly organizations to research, 
publish, or distribute information relating to the arrival of Africans 
in the United States; and
  3. Technical assistance to states, localities, and nonprofit 
organizations to further the commemoration.
  The commission must prepare a strategic plan and submit a final 
report to Congress that contains a summary of its activities, an 
accounting of its received and expended funds, and its recommendations.
  The commission would submit a final report to the Congress and 
terminate on July 1, 2020.
  H.R. 1242 would authorize the appropriation of the necessary amounts 
for those purposes.
  The commission would consist of 15 members who would serve without 
pay but would be reimbursed for travel expenses.
  CBO estimates that enacting H.R. 1242 would not increase net direct 
spending or on-budget deficits in any of the four consecutive 10-year 
periods beginning in 2028. Enacting H.R. 1242 would not affect 
revenues.
  H.R. 1242 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as 
defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act and would impose no costs 
on state, local, or tribal governments.
  August of 2019 will mark 400 years since the first documented arrival 
of Africans who came to English America by way of Point Comfort, Va.
  Not only is it appropriate to establish a commission that would 
recognize the contributions of African Americans, but it is 
historically significant to acknowledge that the ``20 and odd'' 
Africans (as it was recorded) were the first recorded group of Africans 
to be sold as involuntary laborers or indentured servants in the 
English colonies.
  The commission would be charged with highlighting the resilience and 
contributions of African Americans, as well as acknowledging the 
painful impact that slavery and other atrocities have had on our 
nation.
  African Americans have contributed to the economic, academic, social, 
cultural and moral well-being of this nation.
  Could we claim America as the most innovative nation on earth without 
the invention of the modern traffic light, the perfection of the carbon 
filament or the use of the mathematics that propelled Apollo astronauts 
to the moon?
  African-American culture is American culture, and African-American 
discoveries are American discoveries. Without the accomplishments of 
African Americans, the United States could not boast the ingenuity and 
cultural richness that we cherish.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Comer) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, H.R. 1242, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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