The purpose of this chapter is to establish the Christopher Columbus Fellowship Program to encourage and support research, study, and labor designed to produce new discoveries in all fields of endeavor for the benefit of mankind.
(Pub. L. 102–281, title IV, §422, May 13, 1992, 106 Stat. 142.)
Pub. L. 102–281, title IV, §400, May 13, 1992, 106 Stat. 139, provided that: "This title [enacting this chapter and provisions set out as a note under section 5112 of Title 31, Money and Finance] may be cited as the 'Frank Annunzio Act'."
Pub. L. 102–281, title IV, §421, May 13, 1992, 106 Stat. 142, provided that: "This subtitle [subtitle B (§§421–430) of title IV of Pub. L. 102–281, enacting this chapter] may be cited as the 'Christopher Columbus Fellowship Act'."
There is established, as an independent establishment of the executive branch, the Christopher Columbus Fellowship Foundation (hereinafter in this chapter referred to as the "Foundation").
The Foundation shall be subject to the supervision and direction of the Board of Trustees. The Board shall be composed of 13 members as follows:
(1) 2 members appointed by the President in consultation with the President pro tempore of the Senate.
(2) 2 members appointed by the President in consultation with the Minority Leader of the Senate.
(3) 2 members appointed by the President in consultation with the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
(4) 2 members appointed by the President in consultation with the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives.
(5) 5 members appointed by the President.
The President shall designate a Chairman and a Vice Chairman from among the members appointed by the President.
Each member of the Board of Trustees appointed under subsection (b) of this section shall serve for a term of 6 years from the expiration of the term of such member's predecessor, except that—
(1) any member appointed to fill a vacancy occurring prior to the expiration of the term for which such member's predecessor was appointed shall be appointed for the remainder of such term; and
(2) of the members first appointed—
(A) 4 shall be appointed for a term of 2 years;
(B) 5 shall be appointed for a term of 4 years; and
(C) 4 shall be appointed for a term of 6 years,
as designated by the President.
Members of the Board shall serve without pay, but shall be entitled to reimbursement for travel, subsistence, and other necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties as members of the Board.
(Pub. L. 102–281, title IV, §423, May 13, 1992, 106 Stat. 142.)
The Foundation is authorized to award fellowships to outstanding individuals to encourage new discoveries in all fields of endeavor for the benefit of mankind. Recipients shall be known as "Columbus Scholars".
Fellowships shall be granted for such periods as the Foundation may prescribe but not to exceed 2 years.
The Foundation may provide, directly or by contract, for the conduct of a nationwide competition for the selection of fellowship recipients.
(Pub. L. 102–281, title IV, §424, May 13, 1992, 106 Stat. 143.)
Each person awarded a fellowship under this chapter shall receive a stipend as determined by the Foundation.
(Pub. L. 102–281, title IV, §425, May 13, 1992, 106 Stat. 143.)
There is established in the Treasury a fund to be known as the Christopher Columbus Scholarship 1 Fund (hereafter in this chapter referred to as the "fund"), which shall consist of—
(1) amounts deposited under subsection (d) of this section;
(2) obligations obtained under subsection (c) of this section;
(3) amounts contributed to the Foundation;
(4) amounts appropriated to the Foundation, as authorized under section 5709 of this title; and
(5) all surcharges received by the Secretary of the Treasury from the sale of coins minted under the Christopher Columbus Quincentenary Coin Act.
The Secretary of the Treasury shall invest in full any amount appropriated or contributed to the fund.
Investments pursuant to paragraph (1) may be made only in interest-bearing obligations of the United States or in obligations guaranteed as to both principal and interest by the United States. For such purpose, such obligations may be acquired—
(A) on original issue at the issue price; or
(B) by purchase of outstanding obligations at the market price.
The purposes for which obligations of the United States may be issued under chapter 31 of title 31 are hereby extended to authorize the issuance at par of special obligations exclusively to the fund. Such special obligations shall bear interest at a rate equal to the average rate of interest, computed as to the end of the calendar month preceding the date of such issue, borne by all marketable interest-bearing obligations of the United States then forming a part of the public debt; except that, if such average rate is not a multiple of 1/8 of 1 percent, the rate of interest of such special obligations shall be the multiple of 1/8 of 1 percent next lower than such average rate. Such special obligations shall be issued only if the Secretary determines that the purchase of other obligations of the United States, or of obligations guaranteed as to both principal and interest by the United States or original issue at the market price, is not in the public interest.
Any obligations acquired by the fund (except special obligations issued exclusively to the fund in accordance with subsection (b)(3) of this section) may be sold by the Secretary at the market price, and such special obligations may be redeemed at par plus accrued interest.
The interest on, and the proceeds from, the sale or redemption of any obligations held in the fund shall be credited to and form a part of the fund.
The fund shall be available to the Foundation for payment of stipends awarded under section 5704 of this title.
The Secretary of the Treasury is authorized to pay to the Foundation from the interest and earnings of the funds such sums as the Board determines are necessary and appropriate to enable the Foundation to carry out the provisions of this chapter.
Disbursements from the fund shall be made on vouchers approved by the Foundation and signed by the Chairman.
(Pub. L. 102–281, title IV, §426, May 13, 1992, 106 Stat. 143; Pub. L. 111–8, div. D, title VI, §623(1), Mar. 11, 2009, 123 Stat. 678.)
The Christopher Columbus Quincentenary Coin Act, referred to in subsec. (a)(5), is subtitle A (§§401–411) of title IV of Pub. L. 102–281, May 13, 1992, 106 Stat. 139, which is classified as a note under section 5112 of Title 31, Money and Finance.
2009—Subsec. (a)(4), (5). Pub. L. 111–8 added par. (4) and redesignated former par. (4) as (5).
1 So in original. Probably should be "Fellowship".
The activities of the Foundation under this chapter may be audited by the Comptroller General of the United States. The Comptroller General shall have access to all books, accounts, records, reports, and files and all other papers, things, or property belonging to or in use by the Foundation, pertaining to such activities and necessary to facilitate the audit.
(Pub. L. 102–281, title IV, §427, May 13, 1992, 106 Stat. 144.)
There shall be an Executive Secretary of the Foundation who shall be appointed by the Board. The Executive Secretary shall be the chief executive officer of the Foundation and shall carry out the functions of the Foundation subject to the supervision and direction of the Board.
The Executive Secretary of the Foundation shall be compensated at an annual rate of basic pay not in excess of the amount payable for Executive Level V.
(Pub. L. 102–281, title IV, §428, May 13, 1992, 106 Stat. 144.)
Executive Level V, referred to in subsec. (b), probably means level V of the Executive Schedule, which is set out in section 5316 of Title 5, Government Organization and Employees.
(a) The Foundation may—
(1) appoint and fix the compensation of such personnel as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of this chapter, except that in no case shall employees (other than the Executive Secretary) be compensated at a rate in excess of the rate of basic pay payable for GS–15 of the General Schedule;
(2) procure temporary and intermittent services of such experts and consultants as are necessary to the extent authorized by section 3109 of title 5, but at rates not in excess of the rate of basic pay payable for Executive Level V;
(3) prescribe such regulations as the Foundation may determine to be necessary governing the manner in which its functions shall be carried out;
(4) receive money and other property donated, bequeathed, or devised, without condition or restriction other than it be used for the purposes of the Foundation; and to use, sell, or otherwise dispose of such property for the purpose of carrying out its functions;
(5) accept and utilize the services of voluntary and uncompensated personnel and reimburse them for travel expenses, including per diem, as authorized by section 5703 of title 5;
(6) enter into contracts, grants, or other arrangements, or modifications thereof, to carry out the provisions of this chapter,1 and such contracts or modifications thereof may, with the concurrence of two-thirds of the members of the Board, be entered into without performance or other bonds, and without regard to section 6101 of title 41;
(7) make advances, progress, and other payments which the Board deems necessary under this chapter without regard to the provisions of section 3324(a) and (b) of title 31;
(8) rent office space;
(9) conduct programs in addition to or in conjunction with the Fellowship program which shall further the Foundation's purpose of encouraging new discoveries in all fields of endeavor for the benefit of mankind; and
(10) to make other necessary expenditures.
(b)
(Pub. L. 102–281, title IV, §429, May 13, 1992, 106 Stat. 144.)
The General Schedule, referred to in subsec. (a)(1), is set out under section 5332 of Title 5, Government Organization and Employees.
Executive Level V, referred to in subsec. (a)(2), probably means level V of the Executive Schedule, which is set out in section 5316 of Title 5.
This chapter, referred to in subsec. (a)(6), was in the original "this chapter" and was translated as reading "this subtitle" meaning subtitle B (§§421–430) of title IV of Pub. L. 102–281 which enacted this chapter, to reflect the probable intent of Congress.
In subsec. (a)(6), "section 6101 of title 41" substituted for "section 3709 of the Revised Statutes" on authority of Pub. L. 111–350, §6(c), Jan. 4, 2011, 124 Stat. 3854, which Act enacted Title 41, Public Contracts.
In subsec. (a)(7), "section 3324(a) and (b) of title 31" substituted for reference to section 529 of title 31, United States Code, on authority of Pub. L. 97–258, §4(b), Sept. 13, 1982, 96 Stat. 1067, the first section of which enacted Title 31, Money and Finance.
For termination, effective May 15, 2000, of provisions in subsec. (b) of this section relating to submitting an annual report to Congress, see section 3003 of Pub. L. 104–66, as amended, set out as a note under section 1113 of Title 31, Money and Finance, and page 156 of House Document No. 103–7.
1 See References in Text note below.
There are authorized to be appropriated to the Foundation, such sums as may be necessary to carry out this chapter.
(Pub. L. 102–281, title IV, §430, as added Pub. L. 111–8, div. D, title VI, §623(2), Mar. 11, 2009, 123 Stat. 678.)