[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 11] [House] [Pages 15690-15692] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]RONALD REAGAN CENTENNIAL COMMISSION ACT Mr. HIGGINS. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 5235) to establish the Ronald Reagan Centennial Commission, as amended. The Clerk read the title of the bill. The text of the bill is as follows: H.R. 5235 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 ``Ronald Reagan Centennial Commission Act''. SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT. There is established a commission to be known as the ``Ronald Reagan 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 considers fitting and proper to honor Ronald Reagan on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of his birth; (2) 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; (3) 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 (4) submit to the President and Congress reports pursuant to section 7. SEC. 4. MEMBERSHIP. (a) Number and Appointment.--The Commission shall be composed of 11 members as follows: (1) The Secretary of the Interior. (2) Four members appointed by the President after considering the recommendations of the Board of Trustees of the Ronald Reagan Foundation. (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) 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. (c) Terms.--Each member shall be appointed for the life of the Commission. (d) 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. (e) 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. (f) Rates of Pay.--Members shall serve without pay. (g) 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. (h) Quorum.--A majority of the members of the Commission shall constitute a quorum but a lesser number may hold hearings. (i) Chairperson.--The chairperson of the Commission shall be elected by a majority vote of the members of the Commission. SEC. 5. DIRECTOR AND STAFF OF COMMISSION. (a) 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. (b) 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. (c) 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). (d) 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. (e) 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. (f) 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 departments and agencies of the United States. (c) 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. (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 its work. (e) 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. (f) 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). SEC. 7. REPORTS. (a) 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. (b) Interim Reports.--The Commission may submit to the President and Congress interim reports as the Commission considers appropriate. (c) Final Report.--Not later than April 30, 2011, the Commission shall submit a final report to the President and the Congress containing-- (1) a summary of the activities of the Commission; (2) a final accounting of funds received and expended by the Commission; and (3) the findings, conclusions, and final recommendations of the Commission. SEC. 8. TERMINATION. (a) 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. (b) FACA Nonapplicability.--Section 14(b) of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App. 2) shall not apply to the Commission. SEC. 9. ANNUAL AUDIT AND AUTHORIZATION AND AVAILABILITY OF APPROPRIATIONS. (a) Authorization.--There is authorized to be appropriated $1,000,000 to carry out this Act for the period encompassing fiscal years 2009 through 2011, but not to exceed $500,000 in any fiscal year. (b) Availability.-- (1) Amounts appropriated pursuant to subsection (a) are authorized to remain available until expended. (2) Amounts appropriated pursuant to subsection (a) in excess of $500,000 shall be available for obligation only to the extent matched by an equal amount of nongovernmental contributions. (c) Annual Audit.--For any fiscal year for which the Commission receives an appropriation of funds authorized under this section, 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 [[Page 15691]] of Representatives and the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New York (Mr. Higgins) and the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Davis) each will control 20 minutes. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New York. General Leave Mr. HIGGINS. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from New York? There was no objection. Mr. HIGGINS. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to Representative Foster from the State of Illinois. Mr. FOSTER. Madam Speaker, today I rise in strong support of H.R. 5235, the Ronald Reagan Centennial Commission Act. This bill is especially significant for myself and for my constituents, because Ronald Reagan was a native son of my district. Born in Tampico, Illinois, and raised in Dixon, Ronald Reagan spent his life upholding the strong values of small-town America. Whatever your political philosophy, there is no doubt that Ronald Reagan left an indelible imprint on the fabric of America. The Great Communicator, he had an emotional connection with the American people that was sustained through good times and bad. As a physicist, I want to pay particular tribute to President Reagan's rock-solid belief that the world should be rid of nuclear weapons. That moment in Reykjavik, in 1986, when Mikhail Gorbachev and Ronald Reagan reached an agreement in principle to rid the world of nuclear weapons, is a moment and an opportunity that we should not have let slip between our fingers, and we should grasp and seize in the future. While we all recognize that we live in a dangerous world, nonetheless, nuclear disarmament is an aspirational goal that world leaders should strive to achieve. I would also like to take this time to commend Nancy Reagan for her strength during her husband's illness and her steadfast devotion to President Reagan during his last days. Her work since his death has been essential in preserving his legacy, and we should pass this bill to honor her efforts. This bill, if passed, would establish the Ronald Reagan Centennial Commission in order to honor the 100th anniversary of Reagan's birth with activities, a postal stamp and a $1 coin. I urge my fellow representatives to vote in favor of this bill so that we may properly celebrate the life, legacy, and hometown of this consequential President. He was loved by his country and he is deserving of this honor. Mr. DAVIS of Virginia. Madam Speaker, I would yield to the author of this resolution, Mr. Gallegly, the gentleman from California, as much time as he may consume. Mr. GALLEGLY. I thank the gentleman for yielding. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 5235, the Ronald Reagan Centennial Commission Act. {time} 1745 To prepare for the upcoming anniversary of his 100th birthday on February 6, 2011, Mr. Blunt and I, along with 160 cosponsors from both parties, introduced this legislation creating the Ronald Reagan Centennial Commission to pay tribute to our 40th President. This 11-member bipartisan commission is similar to the others created for Presidents Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Harry Truman and Dwight Eisenhower. This commission will develop plans and memorials to honor President Ronald Reagan. These events will take place all over the country, from here in Washington, DC to his birthplace in Illinois, to California, where he lived most of his life. As a fellow Californian, I had the great pleasure of spending time with him when I first came to the House of Representatives in 1986. And as a matter of fact, his Presidential Library and burial place is only a few blocks from my own home in Simi Valley, California. ``The Great Communicator'' spoke for the American people, capturing the hearts of small-town citizens and world leaders alike. His remarkable career and public life spanned over 50 years. It began as a student leader, sports broadcaster in Illinois and Iowa, then to Hollywood as an actor and long-time president of the Screen Actors Guild. California enjoyed an economic resurgence during his terms as Governor, and as President of the United States, his legacy is extraordinary. In 8 short years as President, Ronald Reagan presided over international changes and ushered in unparalleled peace and prosperity, not only for our Nation, but for the entire world. I want to thank my good friend, Roy Blunt and his staff for supporting, as well as Chairman Waxman and the ranking member, Tom Davis, and their staffs for their assistance in putting this bill together. I also want to express my appreciation to our Majority Leader, Steny Hoyer, for bringing this bill to the floor today. I ask my colleagues to join me in strongly supporting H.R. 5235, the Ronald Reagan Centennial Commission Act. Mr. HIGGINS. We have no more speakers, but I will continue to reserve. Mr. DAVIS of Virginia. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I again want to thank Mr. Gallegly and Mr. Blunt for their work and leadership on this bill, and for Mr. Waxman, the chairman of the committee, for enabling this to move forward in such an expeditious manner. On 9 separate occasions, Congress has established a commission or a joint committee to celebrate the life and accomplishments of one of our Nation's Presidents or First Ladies. To date, we have honored James Madison, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, Teddy Roosevelt, Woodrow Wilson, Franklin Roosevelt, his wife, Eleanor, Harry Truman and Dwight Eisenhower. Madam Speaker, H.R. 5235, The Reagan Centennial Commission Act, would create a commission to add Ronald Reagan to that list. Like previous commissions, the Reagan Commission will use the occasion of what would have been President Reagan's 100th birthday in 2011 to call attention to his life and his numerous accomplishments. The commission will plan activities for the year leading up to the President's birthday. In the past, activities have included essay contests for students, research papers, symposiums, events at particular historical sites, and even joint sessions of Congress. The commission will be composed of Members of Congress and individuals who have a knowledge or other expertise concerning the life of President Reagan, including his childhood, his career in Hollywood and his political career and legacy. Given the impact of President Reagan on his beloved California, the United States and the world, this is a fitting and a proper tribute. Madam Speaker, Ronald Reagan transformed our Nation. He spoke of limited government, commonsense values, and the bedrock notion of democracy which built this country. He embodied the optimism, the principles and the determination of our citizens and our Nation. The American people responded to his call, and he led this country back from a decade of decline, transforming politics forever. As a broadcaster, as an actor, as Governor and as President, he gave voice to America. I am pleased to support this legislation, and I ask my colleagues to join me. Madam Speaker, I yield the balance of my time. Mr. HIGGINS. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman from California for introducing this measure. I urge its passage, and I yield back. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the gentleman from New York (Mr. Higgins) that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 5235, as amended. The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the [[Page 15692]] rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed. A motion to reconsider was laid on the table. ____________________