[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2615 Referred in Senate (RFS)]
<DOC>
114th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 2615
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
April 27, 2016
Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and
Natural Resources
_______________________________________________________________________
AN ACT
To establish the Virgin Islands of the United States Centennial
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 ``Virgin Islands of the United States
Centennial Commission Act''.
SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT.
There is established a commission to be known as the ``Virgin
Islands of the United States Centennial Commission'' (in this Act
referred to as the ``Commission'').
SEC. 3. DUTIES OF COMMISSION.
The Commission shall--
(1) plan, develop, and carry out such activities as the
Commission determines to be appropriate to commemorate the
100th anniversary of the Virgin Islands of the United States
becoming an unincorporated territory of the United States;
(2) provide advice and assistance to Federal, State, and
local governmental agencies, as well as civic groups to carry
out activities to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the
Virgin Islands of the United States becoming an unincorporated
territory of the United States; and
(3) submit to the President and Congress the reports
required pursuant to section 7.
SEC. 4. MEMBERSHIP.
(a) Number and Appointment.--The Commission shall be composed of 8
members as follows:
(1) The Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Insular
Affairs or a designee of the Assistant Secretary.
(2) One member appointed by the Governor of the Virgin
Islands of the United States or a designee of the Governor.
(3) Two Members of the House of Representatives appointed
by the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
(4) One Member of the House of Representatives appointed by
the minority leader of the House of Representatives.
(5) Two Members of the Senate appointed by the majority
leader of the Senate.
(6) One Member of the Senate appointed by the minority
leader of the Senate.
(b) Terms.--Each member of the Commission shall be appointed for
the life of the Commission.
(c) 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.
(d) Vacancies.--A vacancy on the Commission shall--
(1) not affect the powers of the Commission; and
(2) be filled in the manner in which the original
appointment was made.
(e) Rates of Pay.--Members shall not receive compensation for the
performance of duties on behalf of the Commission.
(f) 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 regular place of business of the member, in accordance with
applicable provisions under subchapter I of chapter 57 of title 5,
United States Code.
(g) Quorum.--A majority of the members of the Commission shall
constitute a quorum to conduct business, but two or more members may
hold hearings.
(h) Chairperson.--The chairperson of the Commission shall be
selected by a majority vote of the members of the Commission.
SEC. 5. DIRECTOR AND STAFF OF COMMISSION.
(a) Director and Staff.--The Commission shall appoint an executive
director and such other additional personnel as are necessary to enable
the Commission to perform the duties of the Commission.
(b) 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 that
the rate of pay for the executive director and other staff may not
exceed the rate payable for level III of the Executive Schedule under
section 5314 of such title.
(c) 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 the Department
of the Interior or the National Archives and Records Administration,
respectively to the Commission to assist the Commission to perform the
duties of the Commission.
(d) Experts and Consultants.--The Commission may procure such
temporary and intermittent services from experts and consultants as are
necessary to enable the Commission to perform the duties of the
Commission.
(e) 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.
SEC. 6. POWERS OF COMMISSION.
(a) 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.
(b) Mails.--The Commission may use the United States mails in the
same manner and under the same conditions as other Federal agencies.
(c) Obtaining Official Data.--The Commission may secure directly
from any Federal agency information necessary to enable the Commission
to perform the duties of the Commission. Upon request of the
chairperson of the Commission, the head of that Federal agency shall
furnish that information to the Commission.
(d) 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 the work of the Commission.
(e) Available Space.--Upon the request of the Commission, the
Administrator of General Services shall make available to the
Commission, at a normal rental rate for Federal agencies, such
assistance and facilities as may be necessary for the Commission to
perform the duties of the Commission.
(f) Contract Authority.--The Commission may enter into contracts
with and compensate the Federal Government, State and local
governments, private entities, or individuals to enable the Commission
to perform the duties of the Commission.
SEC. 7. REPORTS.
(a) Annual Reports.--Not later than January 31 of each year, and
annually thereafter until the final report is submitted pursuant to
subsection (b), the Commission shall submit to the President and the
Congress a report on--
(1) the activities of the Commission; and
(2) 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, including the
identity of the donor of each gift, bequest, or devise.
(b) Final Report.--Not later than January 31, 2018, the Commission
shall submit a final report to the President and the Congress
containing--
(1) a summary of the activities of the Commission; and
(2) a final accounting of funds received and expended by
the Commission.
SEC. 8. ANNUAL AUDIT.
The Inspector General of the Department of the Interior--
(1) may perform an audit of the Commission;
(2) shall make the results of any such audit available to
the public; and
(3) 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.
SEC. 9. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Federal agency.--The term ``Federal agency'' has the
meaning given the term ``agency'' in section 551 of title 5,
United States Code.
(2) State.--The term ``State'' means each of the several
States, the District of Columbia, each territory or possession
of the United States, and each federally recognized Indian
tribe.
SEC. 10. TERMINATION.
The Commission shall terminate on September 30, 2018, or may
terminate at an earlier date determined by the Commission after the
final report is submitted pursuant to section 7(b).
SEC. 11. NO ADDITIONAL FUNDS AUTHORIZED.
No Federal funds are authorized or may be obligated to carry out
this Act.
Passed the House of Representatives April 26, 2016.
Attest:
KAREN L. HAAS,
Clerk.