I
111th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 131
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
January 6, 2009
Mr. Gallegly (for himself, Mr. Blunt, and Mr. Foster) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform
A BILL
To establish the Ronald Reagan Centennial Commission.
Short title
This Act may be cited as the
Ronald Reagan Centennial Commission
Act
.
Establishment
There is established a commission to be
known as the Ronald Reagan Centennial Commission
(in this Act
referred to as the Commission
).
Duties of commission
The Commission shall—
plan, develop, and carry out such activities as the Commission considers fitting and proper to honor Ronald Reagan on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of his birth;
provide advice and assistance to Federal, State, and local governmental agencies, as well as civic groups to carry out activities to honor Ronald Reagan on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of his birth;
develop activities that may be carried out by the Federal Government to determine whether the activities are fitting and proper to honor Ronald Reagan on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of his birth; and
submit to the President and Congress reports pursuant to section 7.
Membership
Number and Appointment
The Commission shall be composed of 11 members as follows:
The Secretary of the Interior.
Four members appointed by the President after considering the recommendations of the Board of Trustees of the Ronald Reagan Foundation.
Two Members of the House of Representatives appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
One Member of the House of Representatives appointed by the minority leader of the House of Representatives.
Two Members of the Senate appointed by the majority leader of the Senate.
One Member of the Senate appointed by the minority leader of the Senate.
Ex officio member
The Archivist of the United States shall serve in an ex officio capacity on the Commission to provide advice and information to the Commission.
Terms
Each member shall be appointed for the life of the Commission.
Deadline for Appointment
All members of the Commission shall be appointed not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act.
Vacancies
A vacancy on the Commission shall—
not affect the powers of the Commission; and
be filled in the manner in which the original appointment was made.
Rates of Pay
Members shall serve without pay.
Travel Expenses
Each member of the Commission shall be reimbursed for travel and per diem in lieu of subsistence expenses during the performance of duties of the Commission while away from home or his or her regular place of business, in accordance with applicable provisions under subchapter I of chapter 57 of title 5, United States Code.
Quorum
A majority of the members of the Commission shall constitute a quorum but a lesser number may hold hearings.
Chairperson
The chairperson of the Commission shall be elected by a majority vote of the members of the Commission.
Director And Staff Of Commission
Director
The Commission may appoint an executive director. The executive director may be paid at a rate not to exceed the maximum rate of basic pay for GS–15 of the General Schedule.
Staff
The Commission may appoint and fix the pay of additional personnel as it considers appropriate except that an individual so appointed may not receive pay in excess of the maximum rate of basic pay for GS–13 of the General Schedule.
Applicability of Certain Civil Service Laws
The executive director and staff of the Commission may be appointed without regard to the provisions of title 5, United 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 such title relating to classification and General Schedule pay rates, except as provided in subsections (a) and (b).
Detail of Federal Employees
Upon request of the Commission, the Secretary of the Interior or the Archivist of the United States may detail, on a reimbursable basis, any of the personnel of that department or agency to the Commission to assist it in carrying out its duties under this Act.
Experts and Consultants
The Commission may procure temporary and intermittent services under section 3109(b) of title 5, United States Code, but at rates for individuals not to exceed the daily equivalent of the maximum annual rate of basic pay for GS–14 of the General Schedule.
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.
Powers Of Commission
Hearings
The Commission may, for the purpose of carrying out this Act, hold hearings, sit and act at times and places, take testimony, and receive evidence as the Commission considers appropriate.
Mails
The Commission may use the United States mails in the same manner and under the same conditions as other departments and agencies of the United States.
Obtaining Official Data
The Commission may secure directly from any department or agency of the United States information necessary to enable it to carry out its duties under this Act. Upon request of the chairperson of the Commission, the head of that department or agency shall furnish that information to the Commission.
Gifts, Bequests, Devises
The Commission may solicit, accept, use, and dispose of gifts, bequests, or devises of money, services, or property, both real and personal, for the purpose of aiding or facilitating its work.
Available Space
Upon the request of the Commission, the Administrator of General Services shall make available nationwide to the Commission, at a normal rental rate for Federal agencies, such assistance and facilities as may be necessary for the Commission to carry out its duties under this Act.
Contract Authority
To the extent or in the amounts provided in advance in appropriations Acts, the Commission may enter into contracts with and compensate government and private agencies or persons to enable the Commission to discharge its duties under this Act, without regard to section 3709 of the Revised Statutes (41 U.S.C. 5).
Reports
Annual Reports
The Commission shall submit to the President and the Congress annual reports on the revenue and expenditures of the Commission, including a list of each gift, bequest, or devise to the Commission with a value of more than $250, together with the identity of the donor of each gift, bequest, or devise.
Interim Reports
The Commission may submit to the President and Congress interim reports as the Commission considers appropriate.
Final Report
Not later than April 30, 2011, the Commission shall submit a final report to the President and the Congress containing—
a summary of the activities of the Commission;
a final accounting of funds received and expended by the Commission; and
the findings, conclusions, and final recommendations of the Commission.
Termination
In General
The Commission may terminate on such date as the Commission may determine after it submits its final report pursuant to section 7(c), but not later than May 30, 2011.
FACA Nonapplicability
Section 14(b) of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App. 2) shall not apply to the Commission.
Annual audit
For any fiscal year for which the Commission receives an appropriation of funds, the Inspector General of the Department of the Interior shall perform an audit of the Commission, shall make the results of the audit available to the public, and shall transmit such results to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate.
