[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4907 Introduced in House (IH)]
106th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 4907
To establish the Jamestown 400th Commemoration Commission, and for
other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
July 20, 2000
Mr. Bateman introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Government Reform
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To establish the Jamestown 400th Commemoration Commission, and for
other purposes.
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 ``Jamestown 400th Commemoration
Commission Act of 2000''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSE.
(a) Findings.--Congress finds that--
(1) the founding of the colony at Jamestown, Virginia in
1607, the first permanent English colony in the New World, and
the capital of Virginia for 92 years, has major significance in
the history of the United States;
(2) the settlement brought people from throughout the
Atlantic Basin together to form a multicultural society,
including English, other Europeans, Native Americans, and
Africans;
(3) the economic, political, religious, and social
institutions that developed during the first 9 decades of the
existence of Jamestown continue to have profound effects on the
United States, particularly in English common law and language,
cross cultural relationships, and economic structure and
status;
(4) the National Park Service, the Association for the
Preservation of Virginia Antiquities, and the Jamestown-
Yorktown Foundation of the Commonwealth of Virginia
collectively own and operate significant resources related to
the early history of Jamestown; and
(5) in 1996--
(A) the Commonwealth of Virginia designated the
Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation as the State agency
responsible for planning and implementing the
Commonwealth's portion of the commemoration of the
400th anniversary of the founding of the Jamestown
settlement;
(B) the Foundation created the Celebration 2007
Steering Committee, known as the Jamestown 2007
Steering Committee; and
(C) planning for the commemoration began.
(b) Purpose.--The purpose of this Act is to establish the Jamestown
400th Commemoration Commission to--
(1) ensure a suitable national observance of the Jamestown
2007 anniversary by complementing the programs and activities
of the State of Virginia;
(2) cooperate with and assist the programs and activities
of the State in observance of the Jamestown 2007 anniversary;
(3) assist in ensuring that Jamestown 2007 observances
provide an excellent visitor experience and beneficial
interaction between visitors and the natural and cultural
resources of the Jamestown sites;
(4) assist in ensuring that the Jamestown 2007 observances
are inclusive and appropriately recognize the experiences of
all people present in 17th century Jamestown;
(5) provide assistance to the development of Jamestown-
related programs and activities;
(6) facilitate international involvement in the Jamestown
2007 observances;
(7) support and facilitate marketing efforts for a
commemorative coin, stamp, and related activities for the
Jamestown 2007 observances; and
(8) assist in the appropriate development of heritage
tourism and economic benefits to the United States.
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Commemoration.--The term ``commemoration'' means the
commemoration of the 400th anniversary of the founding of the
Jamestown settlement.
(2) Commission.--The term ``Commission'' means the
Jamestown 400th Commemoration Commission established by section
4(a).
(3) Governor.--The term ``Governor'' means the Governor of
the State.
(4) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of the Interior.
(5) State.--
(A) In general.--The term ``State'' means the State
of Virginia.
(B) Inclusions.--The term ``State'' includes
agencies and entities of the State.
SEC. 4. JAMESTOWN 400TH COMMEMORATION COMMISSION.
(a) In General.--There is established a commission to be known as
the ``Jamestown 400th Commemoration Commission''.
(b) Membership.--
(1) In general.--The Commission shall be composed of 16
members, of whom--
(A) 4 members shall be appointed by the Secretary,
taking into consideration the recommendations of the
Chairperson of the Jamestown 2007 Steering Committee;
(B) 4 members shall be appointed by the Secretary,
taking into consideration the recommendations of the
Governor;
(C) 2 members shall be employees of the National
Park Service, of which--
(i) 1 shall be the Director of the National
Park Service (or a designee); and
(ii) 1 shall be an employee of the National
Park Service having experience relevant to the
commemoration, to be appointed by the
Secretary; and
(D) 5 members shall be individuals that have an
interest in, support for, and expertise appropriate to,
the commemoration, to be appointed by the Secretary.
(2) 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.
(3) Meetings.--
(A) In general.--The Commission shall meet--
(i) at least twice each year; or
(ii) at the call of the Chairperson or the
majority of the members of the Commission.
(B) 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.
(4) Voting.--
(A) In general.--The Commission shall act only on
an affirmative vote of a majority of the members of the
Commission.
(B) Quorum.--A majority of the Commission shall
constitute a quorum.
(5) Chairperson.--The Secretary shall appoint a Chairperson
of the Commission, taking into consideration any
recommendations of the Governor.
(c) Duties.--
(1) In general.--The Commission shall--
(A) plan, develop, and execute programs and
activities appropriate to commemorate the 400th
anniversary of the founding of Jamestown;
(B) generally facilitate Jamestown-related
activities throughout the United States;
(C) encourage civic, patriotic, historical,
educational, religious, economic, and other
organizations throughout the United States to organize
and participate in anniversary activities to expand the
understanding and appreciation of the significance of
the founding and early history of Jamestown;
(D) coordinate and facilitate for the public
scholarly research on, publication about, and
interpretation of, Jamestown; and
(E) ensure that the 400th anniversary of Jamestown
provides a lasting legacy and long-term public benefit
by assisting in the development of appropriate programs
and facilities.
(2) Plans; reports.--
(A) Strategic plan; annual performance plans.--In
accordance with the Government Performance and Results
Act of 1993 (Public Law 103-62; 107 Stat. 285), the
Commission shall prepare a strategic plan and annual
performance plans for the activities of the Commission
carried out under this Act.
(B) Final report.--Not later than September 30,
2008, the Commission shall complete a final report that
contains--
(i) a summary of the activities of the
Commission;
(ii) a final accounting of funds received
and expended by the Commission; and
(iii) the findings and recommendations of
the Commission.
(d) Powers of the Commission.--The Commission may--
(1) accept donations and make dispersions of money,
personal services, and real and personal property related to
Jamestown and of the significance of Jamestown in the history
of the United States;
(2) appoint such advisory committees as the Commission
determines to be necessary to carry out this Act;
(3) authorize any member or employee of the Commission to
take any action that the Commission is authorized to take by
this Act;
(4) procure supplies, services, and property, and make or
enter into contracts, leases or other legal agreements, to
carry out this Act (except that any contracts, leases or other
legal agreements made or entered into by the Commission shall
not extend beyond the date of termination of the Commission);
(5) use the United States mails in the same manner and
under the same conditions as other Federal agencies;
(6) subject to approval by the Commission, make grants in
amounts not to exceed $10,000 to communities and nonprofit
organizations to develop programs to assist in the
commemoration;
(7) make grants to research and scholarly organizations to
research, publish, or distribute information relating to the
early history of Jamestown; and
(8) provide technical assistance to States, localities, and
nonprofit organizations to further the commemoration.
(e) Commission Personnel Matters.--
(1) Compensation of members of the commission.--
(A) In general.--Except as provided in subparagraph
(B), a member of the Commission shall serve without
compensation.
(B) Federal employees.--A member of the Commission
who is an officer or employee of the Federal Government
shall serve without compensation in addition to the
compensation received for the services of the member as
an officer or employee of the Federal Government.
(C) 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.
(2) Staff.--
(A) In general.--The Chairperson of the Commission
may, without regard to the civil service laws
(including regulations), appoint and terminate an
executive director and such other additional personnel
as are necessary to enable the Commission to perform
the duties of the Commission.
(B) Confirmation of executive director.--The
employment of an executive director shall be subject to
confirmation by the Commission.
(3) Compensation.--
(A) In general.--Except as provided in subparagraph
(B), the Chairperson of 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.
(B) 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.
(4) Detail of government employees.--
(A) Federal employees.--
(i) In general.--On the request of the
Commission, the head of any Federal agency may
detail, on a reimbursable or non-reimbursable
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.
(ii) Civil service status.--The detail of
an employee under clause (i) shall be without
interruption or loss of civil service status or
privilege.
(B) State employees.--The Commission may--
(i) accept the services of personnel
detailed from States (including subdivisions of
States); and
(ii) reimburse States for services of
detailed personnel.
(5) 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.
(6) Support services.--The Director of the National Park
Service shall provide to the Commission, on a reimbursable
basis, such administrative support services as the Commission
may request.
(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 that title.
(g) FACA Nonapplicability.--Section 14(b) of the Federal Advisory
Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.) shall not apply to the Commission.
(h) No Effect on Authority.--Nothing in this section supersedes the
authority of the State, the National Park Service, or the Association
for the Preservation of Virginia Antiquities, concerning the
commemoration.
(i) Termination.--The Commission shall terminate on December 31,
2008.
SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as are necessary
to carry out this Act.
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