Home > 106th Congressional Bills > S. 3137 (rfh) To establish a commission to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the birth of James Madison. [Referred in House] ...S. 3137 (rfh) To establish a commission to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the birth of James Madison. [Referred in House] ...
106th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 3137
To establish a commission to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the
birth of James Madison.
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IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
September 28 (legislative day, September 22), 2000
Mr. Sessions (for himself Mr. Byrd, Mr. Thurmond, Mr. Moynihan, Mr.
Warner, Mr. Robb, Mr. Hatch, Mr. Leahy, Mr. Lott, Mr. Kennedy, Mr.
Murkowski, Mr. Biden, Mr. Helms, Mr. Dodd, Mr. Smith of New Hampshire,
Mr. Graham, Mr. Inhofe, Mr. Edwards, Mr. Voinovich, Mr. Bayh, Mr.
Hagel, Mr. Miller, Mr. Ashcroft, Mr. Dorgan, Mr. Allard, Mr. Cleland,
Mr. Cochran, Mr. Shelby, Mr. Mack, Mr. Bunning, Mr. Kyl, Mr. Feingold,
Mr. Gregg, Mr. Reid, and Mr. Domenici) introduced the following bill;
which was read the first time
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A BILL
To establish a commission to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the
birth of James Madison.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.
(a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``James Madison
Commemoration Commission Act''.
(b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents for this Act is as
follows:
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
Sec. 2. Congressional findings.
Sec. 3. Establishment.
Sec. 4. Duties.
Sec. 5. Membership.
Sec. 6. Powers.
Sec. 7. Staffing and support.
Sec. 8. Contributions.
Sec. 9. Reports.
Sec. 10. Audit of financial transactions.
Sec. 11. Termination.
Sec. 12. Authorization of appropriations.
SEC. 2. CONGRESSIONAL FINDINGS.
Congress finds that--
(1) March 16, 2001, marks the 250th anniversary of the
birth of James Madison;
(2) as a delegate to the Continental Congress, and to the
Annapolis Convention of 1786, James Madison foresaw the need
for a more effective national government and was a persuasive
advocate for such a government at the Philadelphia
Constitutional Convention of 1787;
(3) James Madison worked tirelessly and successfully at the
Constitutional Convention to mold a national charter, the
United States Constitution, that combined both energy and
restraint, empowering the legislature, the executive, and the
judiciary, within a framework of limited government, separated
powers, and a system of federalism;
(4) James Madison was an eloquent proponent of the first 10
amendments to the Constitution, the Bill of Rights;
(5) James Madison faithfully served his country as a
Representative in Congress from 1789 to 1797, as Secretary of
State from 1801 to 1809, and as President of the United States
from 1809 to 1817;
(6) as President, James Madison showed courage and resolute
will in leading the United States to victory over Great Britain
in the War of 1812;
(7) James Madison's political writings, as exemplified by
his Notes on the Federal Convention and his contributions to
The Federalist Papers, are among the most distinguished of
American state papers;
(8) by his learning, his devotion to ordered liberty, and
by the force of his intellect, James Madison made an
indispensable contribution to the American tradition of
democratic constitutional republicanism embodied in the
Constitution of the United States, and is justifiably acclaimed
as father of the Constitution;
(9) it is appropriate to remember, honor, and renew the
legacy of James Madison for the American people and, indeed for
all mankind; and
(10) as the Nation approaches March 16, 2001, marking the
anniversary of the birth of James Madison, it is appropriate to
establish a commission for the commemoration of that
anniversary.
SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT.
A commission to be known as the James Madison Commemoration
Commission (in this Act referred to as the ``Commission'') and a
committee to be known as the James Madison Commemoration Advisory
Committee (in this Act referred to as the ``Advisory Committee'') are
established.
SEC. 4. DUTIES.
(a) Commission.--The Commission shall--
(1) in cooperation with the Advisory Committee and the
Library of Congress, direct the Government Printing Office to
compile and publish a substantial number of copies of a book
(as directed by the Commission) containing a selection of the
most important writings of James Madison and tributes to him by
members of the Commission and other persons that the Commission
deems appropriate;
(2) in cooperation with the Advisory Committee and the
Library of Congress, plan and coordinate 1 or more symposia, at
least 1 of which will be held on March 16, 2001, and all of
which will be devoted to providing a better understanding of
James Madison's contribution to American political culture;
(3) in cooperation with the Advisory Committee recognize
such other events celebrating James Madison's birth and life as
official events of the Commission;
(4) develop and coordinate any other activities relating to
the anniversary of the birth of James Madison as may be
appropriate;
(5) accept essay papers (via the Internet or otherwise)
from students attending public and private institutions of
elementary and secondary education in any State regarding James
Madison's life and contributions to America and award
certificates to students who author exceptional papers on this
subject; and
(6) bestow honorary memberships to the Commission or to the
Advisory Committee upon such persons as it deems appropriate.
(b) Advisory Committee.--The Advisory Committee shall--
(1) submit a suggested selection of James Madison's most
important writings to the Commission for the Commission to
consider for inclusion in the book printed as provided in
subsection (a)(1);
(2) submit a list and description of events concerning the
birth and life of James Madison to the Commission for the
Commission's consideration in recognizing such events as
official ``Commission Events''; and
(3) make such other recommendations to the Commission as a
majority of its members deem appropriate.
SEC. 5. MEMBERSHIP.
(a) Membership of the Commission.--
(1) Number and appointment.--The Commission shall be
composed of 19 members, as follows:
(A) The Chief Justice of the United States or such
individual's delegate who is an Associate Justice of
the Supreme Court of the United States.
(B) The Majority Leader and the Minority Leader of
the Senate or each such individual's delegate who is a
Member of the Senate.
(C) The Speaker of the House of Representatives and
the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives or
each such individual's delegate who is a Member of the
House of Representatives.
(D) The Chairman and the Ranking Member of the
Committee on the Judiciary of the Senate or each such
individual's delegate who is a member of such
committee.
(E) The Chairman and the Ranking Member of the
Committee on the Judiciary of the House of
Representatives or each such individual's delegate who
is a member of such committee.
(F) Two Members of the Senate selected by the
Majority Leader of the Senate and 2 Members of the
Senate selected by the Minority Leader of the Senate.
(G) Two members of the House of Representatives
selected by the Speaker of the House of Representatives
and 2 Members of the House of Representatives selected
by the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives.
(H) Two members of the executive branch selected by
the President of the United States.
(2) Chairman and vice chairman.--The Chief Justice of the
United States shall serve as Chairman of the Commission and the
members of the Commission shall select a vice chairman from its
members, unless the Chief Justice appoints a delegate to serve
in his stead, in which circumstance, the members of the
Commission shall select a chairman and vice chairman from its
members.
(b) Membership of the Advisory Committee.--
(1) Number and appointment.--The Advisory Committee shall
be composed of 14 members, as follows:
(A) The Archivist of the United States or such
individual's delegate.
(B) The Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution or
such individual's delegate.
(C) The Executive Director of Montpelier, the home
of James Madison, and the 2001 Planning Committee of
Montpelier or such individual's delegate.
(D) The President of James Madison University in
Harrisonburg, Virginia or such individual's delegate.
(E) The Director of the James Madison Center, James
Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia or such
individual's delegate.
(F) The President of the James Madison Memorial
Fellowship Foundation or such individual's delegate.
(G) Two members, who are not Members of Congress
but have expertise on the legal and historical
significance of James Madison, selected by the Majority Leader of the
Senate, and 2 members, who are not Members of Congress but have
expertise on the legal and historical significance of James Madison,
selected by the Minority Leader of the Senate.
(H) Two members, who are not Members of Congress
but who have expertise on the legal and historical
significance of James Madison, selected by the Speaker
of the House of Representatives, and 2 members, who are
not Members of Congress but who have expertise on the
legal and historical significance of James Madison,
selected by the Minority Leader of the House of
Representatives.
(2) Chairman and vice chairman.--The members of the
Advisory Committee shall select a chairman and vice chairman
from its members.
(c) Terms.--Each member of the Commission shall be selected and
each member of the Advisory Committee shall be selected not later than
90 days after the date of enactment of this Act and shall serve for the
life of the Commission and the Advisory Committee, respectively.
(d) Vacancies.--A vacancy in the Commission shall be filled in the
same manner in which the original appointment was made in subsection
(a). A vacancy in the Advisory Committee shall be filled by the person
holding the office named in subsection (b) or his designate.
(e) Compensation.--
(1) Rates of pay.--Members of the Commission and the
Advisory Committee shall serve without pay.
(2) Travel expenses.--Each member of the Commission and the
Advisory Committee may receive travel expenses, including per
diem in lieu of subsistence, in accordance with sections 5702
and 5703 of title 5, United States Code.
(f) Meetings.--The Commission shall meet at the call of its
chairman or a majority of its members. The Advisory Committee shall
meet at the call of the chairman or a majority of its members.
(g) Approval of Actions.--All official actions of the Commission
under this Act shall be approved by the affirmative vote of not less
than a majority of the members. All official actions of the Advisory
Committee under this Act shall be approved by the affirmative vote of
not less than a majority of the members.
SEC. 6. POWERS.
(a) Delegation of Authority.--Any member or staff person of the
Commission may, if authorized by the Commission, take any action that
the Commission is authorized to take by this Act.
(b) Contract Authority.--
(1) In general.--The Commission may procure services and
property, and make or enter into contracts, leases, or other
legal agreements, in order to carry out this Act.
(2) Restriction.--The contracts, leases, or other legal
agreements made or entered into by the Commission shall not
extend beyond the date of termination of the Commission.
(3) Termination.--All supplies and property acquired by the
Commission under this Act that remain in the possession of the
Commission on the date of termination of the Commission shall
become the property of the General Services Administration upon
the date of the termination.
(c) Information.--
(1) In general.--The Commission may secure directly from
any Federal agency information necessary to enable it to carry
out this Act. Upon request of the chairperson of the
Commission, the head of the Federal agency shall furnish the
information to the Commission.
(2) Exception.--Paragraph (1) shall not apply to any
information that the Commission is prohibited to secure or
request by another law.
(d) Rules and Regulations.--The Commission may adopt such rules and
regulations as may be necessary to conduct meetings and carry out its
duties under this Act. The Commission may also adopt such rules for the
Advisory Committee.
(e) Mails.--The Commission may use the United States mails in the
same manner and under the same conditions as other Federal agencies,
and the Committee on the Judiciary of the Senate may mail items on
behalf of the Commission.
(f) Necessary and Proper Powers.--The Commission may exercise such
other powers as are necessary and proper in carrying out and effecting
the purposes of this Act.
SEC. 7. STAFFING AND SUPPORT.
The Chairman of the Committee on the Judiciary of the Senate, the
Chairman of the Committee on the Judiciary of the House of
Representatives, and the Librarian of Congress shall provide the
Commission and the Advisory Committee with such assistance, including
staff support, facilities, and supplies at no charge, as may be
necessary to carry out its duties.
SEC. 8. CONTRIBUTIONS.
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