[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 123 (Monday, July 23, 2018)]
[House]
[Pages H6623-H6624]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               ESTABLISHING THE ADAMS MEMORIAL COMMISSION

  Mr. McCLINTOCK. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 1220) to establish the Adams Memorial Commission to carry 
out the provisions of Public Law 107-62, and for other purposes, as 
amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 1220

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. ADAMS MEMORIAL COMMISSION.

       (a) Commission.--There is established a commission to be 
     known as the ``Adams Memorial Commission'' (referred to in 
     this section as the ``Commission'') for the purpose of 
     establishing a permanent memorial to honor John Adams and his 
     legacy as authorized by Public Law 107-62, located in the 
     city of Washington, District of Columbia, including sites 
     authorized by Public Law 107-315.
       (b) Membership.--The Commission shall be composed of--
       (1) four persons appointed by the President, not more than 
     two of whom may be members of the same political party;
       (2) four Members of the Senate appointed by the President 
     pro tempore of the Senate in consultation with the Majority 
     Leader and Minority Leader of the Senate, of which not more 
     than two appointees may be members of the same political 
     party; and
       (3) four Members of the House of Representatives appointed 
     by the Speaker of the House of Representatives in 
     consultation with the Majority Leader and Minority Leader of 
     the House of Representatives, of which not more than two 
     appointees may be members of the same political party.
       (c) Chair and Vice Chair.--The members of the Commission 
     shall select a Chair and Vice Chair of the Commission. The 
     Chair and Vice Chair shall not be members of the same 
     political party.
       (d) Vacancies.--Any vacancy in the Commission shall not 
     affect its powers if a quorum is present, but shall be filled 
     in the same manner as the original appointment.
       (e) Meetings.--
       (1) Initial meeting.--Not later than 45 days after the date 
     on which a majority of the members of the Commission have 
     been appointed, the Commission shall hold its first meeting.
       (2) Subsequent meetings.--The Commission shall meet at the 
     call of the Chair.
       (f) Quorum.--A majority of the members of the Commission 
     shall constitute a quorum but a lesser number of members may 
     hold hearings.
       (g) No Compensation.--A member of the Commission shall 
     serve without compensation, but may be reimbursed for 
     expenses incurred in carrying out the duties of the 
     Commission.
       (h) Duties.--The Commission shall consider and formulate 
     plans for a permanent memorial to honor John Adams and his 
     legacy, including the nature, location, design, and 
     construction of the memorial.
       (i) Powers.--The Commission may--
       (1) make such expenditures for services and materials for 
     the purpose of carrying out this section as the Commission 
     considers advisable from funds appropriated or received as 
     gifts for that purpose;
       (2) accept gifts, including funds from the Adams Memorial 
     Foundation, to be used in carrying out this section or to be 
     used in connection with the construction or other expenses of 
     the memorial; and
       (3) hold hearings, enter into contracts for personal 
     services and otherwise, and do such other things as are 
     necessary to carry out this section.
       (j) Reports.--The Commission shall--
       (1) report the plans required by subsection (h), together 
     with recommendations, to the President and the Congress at 
     the earliest practicable date; and
       (2) in the interim, make annual reports on its progress to 
     the President and the Congress.
       (k) Applicability of Other Laws.--The Federal Advisory 
     Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.) shall not apply to the 
     Commission.
       (l) Termination.--The Commission shall terminate 7 years 
     after the date of the enactment of this Act.

     SEC. 2. AMENDMENT TO PUBLIC LAW 107-62.

       Public Law 107-62 is amended by striking ``Adams Memorial 
     Foundation'' each place it occurs and inserting ``Adams 
     Memorial Commission''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
California (Mr. McClintock) and the gentlewoman from Guam (Ms. 
Bordallo) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California.


                             General Leave

  Mr. McCLINTOCK. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and 
include extraneous materials 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. McCLINTOCK. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, several of the central figures in the winning of 
American independence and the founding of our constitutional republic 
are given short shrift among the memorials in this capital city, and 
none among them is more deserving than John Adams.
  By all accounts, he was the animating figure in pushing the 
Continental Congress to declare independence; he was indefatigable in 
the prosecution of the war, both from stations at home and from Europe; 
and is our first vice president under Washington; and as our second 
President, he established many of the traditions and policies that set 
our course.
  Public Law 107-62 authorized the nonprofit Adams Memorial Foundation 
to establish a memorial to John Adams in the District of Columbia under 
the Commemorative Works Act and to collect private donations for that 
purpose. No Federal funds can be used for the memorial.
  The foundation has developed initial design concept, it has conducted 
location reviews, and coordinated with Congress, the National Park 
Service, and other stakeholders, but it has not yet been able to select 
a site, design the memorial, receive the approvals, or raise sufficient 
funds for construction.
  Under the Commemorative Works Act, the foundation's authority to 
erect a memorial expires in December of 2020.
  H.R. 1220, by Congressman Stephen Lynch of Massachusetts, would 
transfer that authority to the Adams Memorial Commission.
  The commission would have all the powers and responsibilities of the 
foundation and would consist of 12 members. Its authority to erect a 
memorial will expire in 7 years, consistent was the CWA timeline.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask for adoption of the measure, and I reserve the 
balance of my time.
  Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the 
gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Lynch), the bill's sponsor.
  Mr. LYNCH. Mr. Speaker, let me first thank the gentleman from 
California for his kind words on behalf of my legislation and on behalf 
of John Adams in particular.
  Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentlewoman from Guam, Ms. Bordallo, 
for yielding this time.

[[Page H6624]]

  Mr. Speaker, I rise to express strong support for my bill, H.R. 1220, 
the Adams Memorial Commission Act. This bipartisan legislation 
establishes the Adams Memorial Commission, which, as the chairman 
recognized, will consider, formulate, report plans for a memorial here 
in Washington, D.C., honoring John Adams and his profound and lasting 
legacy in the history of the United States.
  The bipartisan Adams Memorial Commission will be composed of four 
Presidential appointees, four members of the Senate and four members of 
the House of Representatives. The commission will be required to report 
its recommendations for the nature, location, design, and construction 
of a fitting memorial to the President and the Congress and will then 
provide annual reports on the memorial's progress.
  Mr. Speaker, it is important to keep in mind the lasting legacy of 
John Adams' family and their service to our Nation and his prominent 
role in our Nation's history. John Adams was one of the most 
influential Founding Fathers of the United States.
  Born in 1735 in Braintree, Massachusetts, a section of which is now 
known as Quincy, John Adams was educated at Harvard and spent his early 
career as a lawyer. Later on as a leader of the American Revolution, 
John Adams served as a delegate to both the First and Second 
Continental Congresses, and was regarded as the leading voice 
championing independence from Great Britain.
  Adams' prominent role in our Nation's formation of laws is still 
recognized to this day. In fact, one great benefit I had as a 
Massachusetts legislator coming here to Washington, D.C., is John Adams 
drafted the rules of the House in Massachusetts, which we adopted here 
in our Nation's Capitol in this Congress, which still stand today.
  Adams not only helped draft the Declaration of Independence, but also 
authored the constitution of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, which 
is the oldest written constitution still in place today.
  After serving as U.S. representative to France and the Netherlands 
during the Revolutionary War, Adams became the first vice president 
under President George Washington. In 1796, Adams was elected the 
second President of the United States and in 1800 became the first 
occupant of the White House.
  John Adams' legacy was instilled through his entire family. John's 
wife, Abigail, is known as an advocate for women's rights, and his son, 
John Quincy Adams, later served as our Nation's sixth President, and 
his family legacy goes on.
  While commemorative works have been established for former 
Presidents, including George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Abraham 
Lincoln here in Washington, D.C., John Adams and his legacy are notably 
not represented in our Nation's capital, and that is a gap that we seek 
to cure.
  Mr. Speaker, this memorial is long overdue. President Adams was a 
remarkable leader and a steadfast public servant. It is a glaring 
oversight that there is no memorial in our Nation's capital honoring 
John Adams and his family for their role in shaping our Nation.
  H.R. 1220 would complement the important work that the Adams Memorial 
Foundation has accomplished over the years.

  So as Members of Congress, I ask that we should pass this bipartisan 
bill and begin the process of establishing the commemorative memorial 
that President Adams and his family rightly deserve, that they rightly, 
by their courage and service, have earned.
  Mr. Speaker, I thank the bipartisan cosponsors of this bill, I thank 
you, Mr. Speaker, for your courtesy, and the kind words by the chairman 
from California and Ms. Bordallo, and I thank the bipartisan sponsors 
of this bill, and urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to 
stand in favor of and pass H.R. 1220.
  Mr. McCLINTOCK. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers and I am 
ready to close.
  Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I just want to add a few words to this bill. Nearly 20 
years ago, Congress authorized the Adams Memorial Foundation to 
construct a commemorative work with private funds in honor of President 
John Adams, First Lady Abigail Adams, President John Quincy Adams, and 
other prominent members of the Adams family associated with the early 
history of the United States.
  Mr. Speaker, I want to thank Congressman Lynch and the entire 
Massachusetts delegation for their hard work and commitment to honoring 
the legacy of one their State's most influential political families.
  A permanent memorial in the Nation's capital is a fitting tribute, 
and I hope that we can work with our Senate colleagues to deliver this 
bill to the President's desk and finally get it done.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge a ``yes'' vote on this bill, and I yield back the 
balance of my time.
  Mr. McCLINTOCK. Mr. Speaker, I just want to compliment Congressman 
Lynch and thank him on behalf of the Nation for keeping this memorial 
alive and keeping its momentum going.
  This is highly deserved, it is long overdue, and this measure takes 
us another step toward the recognition of one of America's greatest 
Founding Fathers.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from California (Mr. McClintock) that the House suspend the 
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 1220, 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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