What This Bill Does
This bill creates a National Council on African American History and Culture within the National Endowment for the Humanities. The council will study and report on efforts to preserve and celebrate African American history and culture. The council will also make recommendations to improve how the government supports these efforts.
Who It Affects
The President and Senate, who appoint and confirm council members. The 12 council members themselves. The National Endowment for the Humanities, which will oversee the council. Museums and organizations that preserve African American history and culture.
Key Provisions
• The council will have 12 members appointed by the President with Senate approval. Members must be private citizens recognized for knowledge or expertise in African American history and culture, not currently employed by the federal government, and have records of distinguished service, scholarship or creativity. (Sec. 2(b)(1) and (2))
• The President will select council members to ensure fair representation of women, people of color and individuals with disabilities involved in the humanities, and to represent the views of scholars and the public across the United States. (Sec. 2(b)(3))
• Each member will serve a 5-year term, except the first 6 appointees will serve 3 years and the first 6 will serve 5 years. Members cannot be reappointed for 2 years after their term ends. (Sec. 2(b)(5))
• The council must submit an annual report to the National Endowment for the Humanities about its work preserving and celebrating African American history and culture. (Sec. 2(c)(1))
• The council will meet at least twice each calendar year and needs nine members present to hold hearings. (Sec. 2(b)(7) and (8))
What Changes
A new council will be created to focus specifically on African American history and culture within the National Endowment for the Humanities. The council will gather information about historical developments and cultural trends in African American history and evaluate federal programs to see if they support these efforts adequately.
Important Definitions
None defined in bill text.
II
118TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
S. 215
To establish a National Council on African American History and Culture
within the National Endowment for the Humanities, and for other purposes.
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
FEBRUARY 1, 2023
Mr. CARDIN introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred
to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
A BILL
To establish a National Council on African American History
and Culture within the National Endowment for the
Humanities, and for other purposes.
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 ‘‘National Council on
4
African American History and Culture Act of 2023’’.
5
SEC. 2. COUNCIL ON AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY AND
6
CULTURE.
7
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is established in the
8
National Endowment for the Humanities a National
9
VerDate Sep 11 2014
05:16 Feb 11, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\S215.IS
S215
pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB
2
•S 215 IS
Council on African American History and Culture (re-
1
ferred to in this section as the ‘‘Council’’).
2
(b) MEMBERSHIP.—
3
(1) NUMBER AND APPOINTMENT.—The Council
4
shall be composed of 12 members appointed by the
5
President, by and with the advice and consent of the
6
Senate.
7
(2) QUALIFICATIONS.—The members of the
8
Council shall be individuals who—
9
(A) are selected from among private citi-
10
zens of the United States who are recognized
11
for their broad knowledge of, expertise in, or
12
commitment to the preservation and celebration
13
of African-American history and culture;
14
(B) are not currently employees of the
15
Federal Government; and
16
(C) have established records of distin-
17
guished service, scholarship, or creativity.
18
(3) CONSIDERATIONS.—In appointing members
19
to the Council under paragraph (1), the President—
20
(A) shall give due regard to equitable rep-
21
resentation of women, people of color, and indi-
22
viduals with disabilities who are involved in the
23
humanities; and
24
VerDate Sep 11 2014
05:16 Feb 11, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\S215.IS
S215
pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB
3
•S 215 IS
(B) shall select such members in a manner
1
that ensures a comprehensive representation of
2
the views of scholars and professional practi-
3
tioners in the humanities and of the public
4
throughout the United States.
5
(4) CHAIRPERSON; VICE
CHAIRPERSON.—The
6
Chairperson and Vice Chairperson of the Council
7
shall be designated by the President from among the
8
members of the Council. The Vice Chairperson shall
9
act as Chairperson in the absence of the Chair-
10
person.
11
(5) TERM OF OFFICE; VACANCIES; REAPPOINT-
12
MENT.—
13
(A) IN GENERAL.—Each member shall be
14
appointed for a term of 5 years, except as pro-
15
vided in subparagraphs (B) and (C).
16
(B) TERMS OF INITIAL APPOINTEES.—As
17
designated by the President at the time of the
18
appointment, of the members first appointed to
19
the Council under paragraph (1)—
20
(i) 6 shall be appointed for terms of
21
3 years; and
22
(ii) 6 shall be appointed for terms of
23
5 years.
24
VerDate Sep 11 2014
05:16 Feb 11, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\S215.IS
S215
pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB
4
•S 215 IS
(C) VACANCIES.—Any member appointed
1
to fill a vacancy occurring before the expiration
2
of the term for which the member’s predecessor
3
was appointed shall be appointed only for the
4
remainder of that term. A member may serve
5
after the expiration of that member’s term until
6
a successor has taken office.
7
(D) REAPPOINTMENT.—No member shall
8
be eligible for reappointment during the 2-year
9
period following the expiration of such mem-
10
ber’s term.
11
(6) BASIC PAY.—
12
(A) RATES
OF
PAY.—Members shall re-
13
ceive compensation at a rate of 50 percent of
14
the daily rate of the highest rate of basic pay
15
payable for the senior-level positions classified
16
above GS–15 pursuant to section 5108 of title
17
5, United States Code, for each day (including
18
travel time) during which they are engaged in
19
the actual performance of duties vested in the
20
Council.
21
(B) TRAVEL
EXPENSES.—Each member
22
shall receive travel expenses, including per diem
23
in lieu of subsistence, in accordance with appli-
24
VerDate Sep 11 2014
05:16 Feb 11, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\S215.IS
S215
pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB
5
•S 215 IS
cable provisions under subchapter 1 of chapter
1
57 of title 5, United States Code.
2
(7) QUORUM.—Nine members of the Council
3
shall constitute a quorum. The Council cannot hold
4
hearings without a full quorum.
5
(8) MEETINGS.—The Council shall meet at the
6
call of the Chairperson but not less frequently than
7
twice during each calendar year.
8
(c) DUTIES.—The duties of the Council shall be—
9
(1) to prepare an annual report to be submitted
10
to the Chairperson of the National Endowment for
11
the Humanities on the work of the National Endow-
12
ment to preserve and celebrate African-American
13
history and culture;
14
(2) to gather timely and authoritative informa-
15
tion concerning historical developments and cultural
16
trends in African-American history and culture, as
17
well as to monitor the work of museums and organi-
18
zations dedicated to the preservation of African-
19
American history and culture, and to analyze and in-
20
terpret such information for the purpose of deter-
21
mining whether national policy is necessary to fur-
22
ther support those efforts;
23
(3) to evaluate the various programs and activi-
24
ties of the National Endowment for the Humanities
25
VerDate Sep 11 2014
05:16 Feb 11, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00005
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\S215.IS
S215
pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB
6
•S 215 IS
for the purpose of determining the extent to which
1
such programs and activities are contributing, and
2
the extent to which they are not contributing, to the
3
successful preservation and celebration of African-
4
American history and culture, and to make rec-
5
ommendations to the President with respect to such
6
programs and activities;
7
(4) to develop and recommend to the Chair-
8
person national policies to foster and promote the
9
understanding of African-American history, the pres-
10
ervation of African-American culture, and the cele-
11
bration of African Americans as contributors to the
12
country’s economic, cultural, and political success;
13
and
14
(5) to make and furnish such studies, reports
15
thereon, and recommendations with respect to mat-
16
ters of cultural preservation and African-American
17
history as the Chairperson may request.
18
(d) APPLICABILITY OF FACA.—Section 14 of the
19
Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.; relating
20
to termination of advisory committees) shall not apply to
21
the Council.
22
(e) TERMINATION.—The Council shall terminate 10
23
years after the date of the enactment of this Act.
24
Æ
VerDate Sep 11 2014
05:16 Feb 11, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00006
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6301
E:\BILLS\S215.IS
S215
pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB