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IB Union Calendar No. 370 114TH CONGRESS 2D SESSION H. R. 2615 [Report No. 114–486] To establish the Virgin Islands of the United States Centennial Commission. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES JUNE 2, 2015 Ms. PLASKETT introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform APRIL 12, 2016 Additional sponsors: Ms. CLARKE of New York, Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi, Ms. JACKSON LEE, Mr. PIERLUISI, Mrs. DINGELL, Ms. MOORE, Mrs. RADEWAGEN, Mr. CLAY, Mr. RANGEL, Ms. EDWARDS, Mr. CLAWSON of Florida, Ms. FUDGE, Mr. RICHMOND, Mr. CLYBURN, Mr. MEEKS, Mr. VEASEY, Mr. CLEAVER, Mr. HASTINGS, Mr. LEWIS, Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois, Ms. WILSON of Florida, Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas, Mrs. LAWRENCE, Ms. SEWELL of Alabama, Mr. RUSH, Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia, Mr. BUTTERFIELD, Mr. CAPUANO, Ms. KELLY of Illinois, Mr. TED LIEU of California, Ms. VELA´ZQUEZ, Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN, Mr. CUMMINGS, Ms. LEE, Ms. DELAURO, Mr. CARTWRIGHT, Mr. LYNCH, Mr. SERRANO, Ms. GABBARD, Ms. BASS, Mr. PAYNE, Mrs. BEATTY, Mr. JEFFRIES, Mr. BISHOP of Georgia, Mr. FATTAH, Mr. AL GREEN of Texas, Mr. CARSON of Indiana, Mr. KENNEDY, Mr. CROWLEY, Ms. NORTON, Mr. CONYERS, Mr. CONNOLLY, Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ, Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania, Mr. WELCH, Mr. GRIJALVA, Ms. BORDALLO, Mr. BECERRA, Ms. BROWN of Florida, Mr. SCOTT of Virginia, Mr. DAVID SCOTT of Georgia, Mr. DESAULNIER, Mr. O’ROURKE, Mr. SABLAN, Ms. MICHELLE LUJAN GRISHAM of New Mex- ico, Ms. MENG, Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania, Ms. MAXINE WATERS of California, Ms. ADAMS, Mr. COHEN, Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York, Mr. HINOJOSA, Mr. ENGEL, Ms. DUCKWORTH, Mr. YOUNG of Alas- ka, and Ms. PINGREE VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:14 Apr 13, 2016 Jkt 059200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6652 E:\BILLS\H2615.RH H2615 smartinez on DSK4TPTVN1PROD with BILLS 2 •HR 2615 RH APRIL 12, 2016 Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed [Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic] [For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on June 2, 2015] A BILL To establish the Virgin Islands of the United States Centennial Commission. VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:14 Apr 13, 2016 Jkt 059200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6652 E:\BILLS\H2615.RH H2615 smartinez on DSK4TPTVN1PROD with BILLS 3 •HR 2615 RH Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- 1 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 3 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Virgin Islands of the 4 United States Centennial Commission Act’’. 5 SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT. 6 There is established a commission to be known as the 7 ‘‘Virgin Islands of the United States Centennial Commis- 8 sion’’ (in this Act referred to as the ‘‘Commission’’). 9 SEC. 3. DUTIES OF COMMISSION. 10 The Commission shall— 11 (1) plan, develop, and carry out such activities 12 as the Commission determines to be appropriate to 13 commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Virgin Is- 14 lands of the United States becoming an unincor- 15 porated territory of the United States; 16 (2) provide advice and assistance to Federal, 17 State, and local governmental agencies, as well as 18 civic groups to carry out activities to commemorate 19 the 100th anniversary of the Virgin Islands of the 20 United States becoming an unincorporated territory 21 of the United States; and 22 (3) submit to the President and Congress the re- 23 ports required pursuant to section 7. 24 VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:14 Apr 13, 2016 Jkt 059200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6203 E:\BILLS\H2615.RH H2615 smartinez on DSK4TPTVN1PROD with BILLS 4 •HR 2615 RH SEC. 4. MEMBERSHIP. 1 (a) NUMBER AND APPOINTMENT.—The Commission 2 shall be composed of 8 members as follows: 3 (1) The Assistant Secretary of the Interior for 4 Insular Affairs or a designee of the Assistant Sec- 5 retary. 6 (2) One member appointed by the Governor of 7 the Virgin Islands of the United States or a designee 8 of the Governor. 9 (3) Two Members of the House of Representatives 10 appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representa- 11 tives. 12 (4) One Member of the House of Representatives 13 appointed by the minority leader of the House of Rep- 14 resentatives. 15 (5) Two Members of the Senate appointed by the 16 majority leader of the Senate. 17 (6) One Member of the Senate appointed by the 18 minority leader of the Senate. 19 (b) TERMS.—Each member of the Commission shall be 20 appointed for the life of the Commission. 21 (c) DEADLINE FOR APPOINTMENT.—All members of the 22 Commission shall be appointed not later than 90 days after 23 the date of the enactment of this Act. 24 (d) VACANCIES.—A vacancy on the Commission 25 shall— 26 VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:14 Apr 13, 2016 Jkt 059200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6203 E:\BILLS\H2615.RH H2615 smartinez on DSK4TPTVN1PROD with BILLS 5 •HR 2615 RH (1) not affect the powers of the Commission; and 1 (2) be filled in the manner in which the original 2 appointment was made. 3 (e) RATES OF PAY.—Members shall not receive com- 4 pensation for the performance of duties on behalf of the 5 Commission. 6 (f) TRAVEL EXPENSES.—Each member of the Commis- 7 sion shall be reimbursed for travel and per diem in lieu 8 of subsistence expenses during the performance of duties of 9 the Commission while away from home or regular place of 10 business of the member, in accordance with applicable pro- 11 visions under subchapter I of chapter 57 of title 5, United 12 States Code. 13 (g) QUORUM.—A majority of the members of the Com- 14 mission shall constitute a quorum to conduct business, but 15 two or more members may hold hearings. 16 (h) CHAIRPERSON.—The chairperson of the Commis- 17 sion shall be selected by a majority vote of the members of 18 the Commission. 19 SEC. 5. DIRECTOR AND STAFF OF COMMISSION. 20 (a) DIRECTOR AND STAFF.—The Commission shall ap- 21 point an executive director and such other additional per- 22 sonnel as are necessary to enable the Commission to perform 23 the duties of the Commission. 24 VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:14 Apr 13, 2016 Jkt 059200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6203 E:\BILLS\H2615.RH H2615 smartinez on DSK4TPTVN1PROD with BILLS 6 •HR 2615 RH (b) APPLICABILITY OF CERTAIN CIVIL SERVICE 1 LAWS.—The executive director and staff of the Commission 2 may be appointed without regard to the provisions of title 3 5, United States Code, governing appointments in the com- 4 petitive service, and may be paid without regard to the pro- 5 visions of chapter 51 and subchapter III of chapter 53 of 6 such title relating to classification and General Schedule 7 pay rates, except that the rate of pay for the executive direc- 8 tor and other staff may not exceed the rate payable for level 9 III of the Executive Schedule under section 5314 of such 10 title. 11 (c) DETAIL OF FEDERAL EMPLOYEES.—Upon request 12 of the Commission, the Secretary of the Interior or the Ar- 13 chivist of the United States may detail, on a reimbursable 14 basis, any of the personnel of the Department of the Interior 15 or the National Archives and Records Administration, re- 16 spectively to the Commission to assist the Commission to 17 perform the duties of the Commission. 18 (d) EXPERTS AND CONSULTANTS.—The Commission 19 may procure such temporary and intermittent services from 20 experts and consultants as are necessary to enable the Com- 21 mission to perform the duties of the Commission. 22 (e) VOLUNTEER AND UNCOMPENSATED SERVICES.— 23 Notwithstanding section 1342 of title 31, United States 24 Code, the Commission may accept and use voluntary and 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:14 Apr 13, 2016 Jkt 059200 PO 00000 Frm 00006 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6203 E:\BILLS\H2615.RH H2615 smartinez on DSK4TPTVN1PROD with BILLS 7 •HR 2615 RH uncompensated services as the Commission determines nec- 1 essary. 2 SEC. 6. POWERS OF COMMISSION. 3 (a) HEARINGS.—The Commission may, for the pur- 4 pose of carrying out this Act, hold hearings, sit and act 5 at times and places, take testimony, and receive evidence 6 as the Commission considers appropriate. 7 (b) MAILS.—The Commission may use the United 8 States mails in the same manner and under the same condi- 9 tions as other Federal agencies. 10 (c) OBTAINING OFFICIAL DATA.—The Commission 11 may secure directly from any Federal agency information 12 necessary to enable the Commission to perform the duties 13 of the Commission. Upon request of the chairperson of the 14 Commission, the head of that Federal agency shall furnish 15 that information to the Commission. 16 (d) GIFTS, BEQUESTS, DEVISES.—The Commission 17 may solicit, accept, use, and dispose of gifts, bequests, or 18 devises of money, services, or property, both real and per- 19 sonal, for the purpose of aiding or facilitating the work of 20 the Commission. 21 (e) AVAILABLE SPACE.—Upon the request of the Com- 22 mission, the Administrator of General Services shall make 23 available to the Commission, at a normal rental rate for 24 Federal agencies, such assistance and facilities as may be 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:14 Apr 13, 2016 Jkt 059200 PO 00000 Frm 00007 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6203 E:\BILLS\H2615.RH H2615 smartinez on DSK4TPTVN1PROD with BILLS 8 •HR 2615 RH necessary for the Commission to perform the duties of the 1 Commission. 2 (f) CONTRACT AUTHORITY.—The Commission may 3 enter into contracts with and compensate the Federal Gov- 4 ernment, State and local governments, private entities, or 5 individuals to enable the Commission to perform the duties 6 of the Commission. 7 SEC. 7. REPORTS. 8 (a) ANNUAL REPORTS.—Not later than January 31 of 9 each year, and annually thereafter until the final report 10 is submitted pursuant to subsection (b), the Commission 11 shall submit to the President and the Congress a report 12 on— 13 (1) the activities of the Commission; and 14 (2) the revenue and expenditures of the Commis- 15 sion, including a list of each gift, bequest, or devise 16 to the Commission with a value of more than $250, 17 including the identity of the donor of each gift, be- 18 quest, or devise. 19 (b) FINAL REPORT.—Not later than January 31, 20 2018, the Commission shall submit a final report to the 21 President and the Congress containing— 22 (1) a summary of the activities of the Commis- 23 sion; and 24 VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:14 Apr 13, 2016 Jkt 059200 PO 00000 Frm 00008 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6203 E:\BILLS\H2615.RH H2615 smartinez on DSK4TPTVN1PROD with BILLS 9 •HR 2615 RH (2) a final accounting of funds received and ex- 1 pended by the Commission. 2 SEC. 8. ANNUAL AUDIT. 3 The Inspector General of the Department of the Inte- 4 rior— 5 (1) may perform an audit of the Commission; 6 (2) shall make the results of any such audit 7 available to the public; and 8 (3) shall transmit such results to the Committee 9 on Oversight and Government Reform of the House of 10 Representatives and the Committee on Homeland Se- 11 curity and Governmental Affairs of the Senate. 12 SEC. 9. DEFINITIONS. 13 In this Act: 14 (1) FEDERAL AGENCY.—The term ‘‘Federal agen- 15 cy’’ has the meaning given the term ‘‘agency’’ in sec- 16 tion 551 of title 5, United States Code. 17 (2) STATE.—The term ‘‘State’’ means each of the 18 several States, the District of Columbia, each territory 19 or possession of the United States, and each federally 20 recognized Indian tribe. 21 SEC. 10. TERMINATION. 22 The Commission shall terminate on September 30, 23 2018, or may terminate at an earlier date determined by 24 VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:14 Apr 13, 2016 Jkt 059200 PO 00000 Frm 00009 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6203 E:\BILLS\H2615.RH H2615 smartinez on DSK4TPTVN1PROD with BILLS 10 •HR 2615 RH the Commission after the final report is submitted pursuant 1 to section 7(b). 2 SEC. 11. NO ADDITIONAL FUNDS AUTHORIZED. 3 No Federal funds are authorized or may be obligated 4 to carry out this Act. 5 VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:14 Apr 13, 2016 Jkt 059200 PO 00000 Frm 00010 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6203 E:\BILLS\H2615.RH H2615 smartinez on DSK4TPTVN1PROD with BILLS VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:14 Apr 13, 2016 Jkt 059200 PO 00000 Frm 00011 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6203 E:\BILLS\H2615.RH H2615 smartinez on DSK4TPTVN1PROD with BILLS Union Calendar No. 370 114TH CONGRESS 2D SESSION H. R. 2615 [Report No. 114–486] A BILL To establish the Virgin Islands of the United States Centennial Commission. APRIL 12, 2016 Reported with an amendment, committed to the Com- mittee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:14 Apr 13, 2016 Jkt 059200 PO 00000 Frm 00012 Fmt 6651 Sfmt 6651 E:\BILLS\H2615.RH H2615 smartinez on DSK4TPTVN1PROD with BILLS