PUBL077.PS

131 STAT. 1251 PUBLIC LAW 115–77—NOV. 2, 2017

Public Law 115–77

115th Congress

An Act

To establish the Frederick Douglass Bicentennial Commission

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 ‘‘Frederick Douglass Bicentennial

Commission Act’’.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

Congress makes the following findings:

(1) Born into slavery on the Eastern Shore of Maryland

in 1818 and given the name Frederick Augustus Washington

Bailey after his mother Harriet Bailey, Frederick Douglass

has been called the father of the civil rights movement.

(2) Douglass rose through determination, brilliance, and

eloquence to shape the American Nation. He was an aboli-

tionist, human rights and women’s rights activist, orator,

author, journalist, publisher, and social reformer.

(3) Taught basic reading skills by his mistress until she

was forced to stop, Douglass continued to teach himself to

read and write and taught other slaves to read despite risks

including death.

(4) During the course of his remarkable life Frederick Doug-

lass escaped from slavery, became internationally renowned

for his eloquence in the cause of liberty, and went on to serve

the national government in several official capacities.

(5) Forced to leave the country to avoid arrest as an escaped

slave, he returned to become a staunch advocate of the Union

cause and helped recruit African-American troops for the Union

Army, including two of his sons, Charles and Lewis Douglass.

His personal relationship with Abraham Lincoln helped per-

suade the President to make emancipation a cause of the Civil

War.

(6) With the abolition of slavery at the close of the Civil

War, Douglass then turned his attention to the full integration

of African-Americans into the political and economic life of

the United States. Committed to freedom, Douglass dedicated

his life to achieving justice for all Americans, in particular

African-Americans, women, and minority groups. He envisioned

America as an inclusive Nation strengthened by diversity and

free of discrimination.

(7) Douglass served as an advisor to Presidents. Abraham

Lincoln referred to him as the most meritorious man of the

nineteenth century. Douglass was appointed to several offices.

Frederick

Douglass

Bicentennial

Commission Act.

36 USC prec. 101

note.

Nov. 2, 2017

[H.R. 2989]

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131 STAT. 1252 PUBLIC LAW 115–77—NOV. 2, 2017

He served as the United States Marshal of the District of

Columbia under Rutherford B. Hayes’ administration; President

James Garfield appointed Douglass the District of Columbia

Recorder of Deeds. In 1889, President Benjamin Harrison

appointed Frederick Douglass to be the United States minister

to Haiti. He was also appointed by President Grant to serve

as Assistant Secretary of the Commission of Inquiry to Santo

Domingo.

(8) Douglass lived in the District of Columbia for 23 of

his 57 years as a free man, and in recognition of his leadership

and continuous fight for justice and freedom, his home, Cedar

Hill, was established as a National Historic Site in Anacostia,

in Southeast Washington, DC.

(9) The statue of Frederick Douglass in the United States

Capitol is a gift from the almost 700,000 residents of the

District of Columbia.

(10) All Americans could benefit from studying the life

of Frederick Douglass, for Douglass dedicated his own life to

ensuring freedom and equality for future generations of Ameri-

cans. This Nation should ensure that his tireless struggle,

transformative words, and inclusive vision of humanity continue

to inspire and sustain us.

(11) The year 2018 marks the bicentennial anniversary

of the birth of Frederick Douglass, and a commission should

be established to plan, develop, and carry out, and to rec-

ommend to Congress, programs and activities that are fitting

and proper to celebrate that anniversary in a manner that

appropriately honors Frederick Douglass.

SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT.

There is established a commission to be known as the Frederick

Douglass Bicentennial Commission (referred to in this Act as the

‘‘Commission’’).

SEC. 4. DUTIES.

The Commission shall have the following duties:

(1) To plan, develop, and carry out programs and activities

that are fitting and proper to honor Frederick Douglass on

the occasion of the bicentennial anniversary of Douglass’ birth.

(2) To recommend to Congress programs and activities

that the Commission considers fitting and proper to honor

Frederick Douglass on such occasion, and the entity or entities

in the Federal Government that the Commission considers most

appropriate to carry out such programs and activities.

SEC. 5. MEMBERSHIP.

(a) N

UMBER AND

PPOINTMENT

.—The Commission shall be com-

posed of 16 members appointed as follows:

(1) Two members, each of whom shall be a qualified citizen

described in subsection (b), appointed by the President.

(2) One member, who shall be a qualified citizen described

in subsection (b), appointed by the President on the rec-

ommendation of the Governor of Maryland.

(3) One member, who shall be a qualified citizen described

in subsection (b), appointed by the President on the rec-

ommendation of the Governor of Massachusetts.

President.

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131 STAT. 1253 PUBLIC LAW 115–77—NOV. 2, 2017

(4) One member, who shall be a qualified citizen described

in subsection (b), appointed by the President on the rec-

ommendation of the Governor of New York.

(5) One member, who shall be a qualified citizen described

in subsection (b), appointed by the President on the rec-

ommendation of the Mayor of the District of Columbia.

(6) Three members, at least one of whom shall be a Member

of the House of Representatives, appointed by the Speaker

of the House of Representatives.

(7) Three members, at least one of whom shall be a Senator,

appointed by the majority leader of the Senate.

(8) Two members, at least one of whom shall be a Member

of the House of Representatives, appointed by the minority

leader of the House of Representatives.

(9) Two members, at least one of whom shall be a Senator,

appointed by the minority leader of the Senate.

(b) Q

UALIFIED

ITIZEN

.—A qualified citizen described in this

subsection is a private citizen of the United States with—

(1) a demonstrated dedication to educating others about

the importance of historical figures and events; and

(2) substantial knowledge and appreciation of Frederick

Douglass.

IME OF

PPOINTMENT

.—Each initial appointment of a

member of the Commission shall be made before the expiration

of the 60-day period beginning on the date of the enactment of

this Act.

(d) C

ONTINUATION OF

EMBERSHIP

.—If a member of the

Commission was appointed to the Commission as a Member of

Congress, and ceases to be a Member of Congress, that member

may continue to serve on the Commission for not longer than

the 30-day period beginning on the date that member ceases to

be a Member of Congress.

(e) T

ERMS

.—Each member shall be appointed for the life of

the Commission.

(f) V

ACANCIES

.—A vacancy in the Commission shall not affect

the powers of the Commission but shall be filled in the manner

in which the original appointment was made.

(g) B

ASIC

.—Members shall serve on the Commission with-

out pay.

(h) T

RAVEL

XPENSES

.—Each member shall receive travel

expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, in accordance

with sections 5702 and 5703 of title 5, United States Code.

(i) Q

UORUM

.—Six members of the Commission shall constitute

a quorum but a lesser number may hold hearings.

(j) C

HAIR

.—The Commission shall select a Chair from among

the members of the Commission.

(k) M

EETINGS

.—The Commission shall meet at the call of the

Chair. Periodically, the Commission shall hold a meeting in Roch-

ester, New York.

SEC. 6. DIRECTOR AND STAFF.

(a) D

IRECTOR

.—The Commission may appoint and fix the pay

of a Director and such additional personnel as the Commission

considers to be appropriate.

(b) A

PPLICABILITY OF

ERTAIN

IVIL

ERVICE

AWS

.—

(1) D

IRECTOR

.—The Director of the Commission may be

appointed without regard to the provisions of title 5, United

New York.

Time period.

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131 STAT. 1254 PUBLIC LAW 115–77—NOV. 2, 2017

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 that title relating to

classification and General Schedule pay rates.

(2) S

TAFF

.—The staff of the Commission shall be appointed

subject to the provisions of title 5, United States Code, gov-

erning appointments in the competitive service, and shall be

paid in accordance with the provisions of chapter 51 and sub-

chapter III of chapter 53 of that title relating to classification

and General Schedule pay rates.

SEC. 7. POWERS.

(a) H

EARINGS AND

ESSIONS

.—The Commission may, for the

purpose of carrying out this Act, hold such hearings, sit and act

at such times and places, take such testimony, and receive such

evidence as the Commission considers to be appropriate.

(b) P

OWERS OF

EMBERS AND

GENTS

.—Any member or agent

of the Commission may, if authorized by the Commission, take

any action that the Commission is authorized to take by this Act.

BTAINING

FFICIAL

ATA

.—The Commission may secure

directly from any department or agency of the United States

information necessary to enable the Commission to carry out this

Act. Upon request of the Chair of the Commission, the head of

that department or agency shall furnish that information to the

Commission.

(d) M

AILS

.—The Commission may use the United States mails

in the same manner and under the same conditions as other depart-

ments and agencies of the United States.

(e) A

DMINISTRATIVE

UPPORT

ERVICES

.—Upon the request of

the Commission, the Administrator of General Services shall pro-

vide to the Commission, on a reimbursable basis, the administrative

support services necessary for the Commission to carry out its

responsibilities under this Act.

(f) G

IFTS

.—The Commission may solicit, accept, use, and dispose

of gifts, bequests, or devises of money or other property for the

purpose of carrying out its duties.

(g) V

OLUNTEER AND

NCOMPENSATED

ERVICES

.—Notwith-

standing section 1342 of title 31, United States Code, the Commis-

sion may accept and use voluntary and uncompensated services

as the Commission determines necessary.

SEC. 8. REPORTS.

(a) I

NITIAL

EPORT

.—Not later than August 1, 2018, the

Commission shall submit to Congress an initial report containing

its recommendations under section 4(2).

(b) F

INAL

EPORT

.—Not later than June 1, 2019, the Commis-

sion shall submit a final report to Congress, and shall include

in the final report—

(1) a summary of its activities and programs;

(2) a final accounting of the funds the Commission received

and expended; and

(3) any other information that the Commission considers

to be appropriate.

SEC. 9. TERMINATION.

The Commission shall terminate 30 days after submitting the

final report pursuant to section 8(b).

Reimbursement.

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131 STAT. 1255 PUBLIC LAW 115–77—NOV. 2, 2017

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—H.R. 2989:

HOUSE REPORTS: No. 115–340 (Comm. on Oversight and Government Reform).

CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 163 (2017):

Oct. 11, considered and passed House.

Oct. 18, considered and passed Senate.

DAILY COMPILATION OF PRESIDENTIAL DOCUMENTS (2017):

Nov. 2, Presidential statement.

SEC. 10. NO ADDITIONAL FUNDS AUTHORIZED.

No Federal funds are authorized or may be obligated to carry

out this Act.

Approved November 2, 2017.

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