20 USC 3702 – Organization of Commission
(a) Membership
The Commission shall be composed of fifteen members as follows:
(1) The Secretary of the Interior (or his designee).
(2) The Secretary of Education (or his designee).
(3) The Librarian of Congress (or his designee).
(4) The President of the Association for the Study of Afro-American Life and History.
(5) The presidents of Wilberforce University and Central State University in Ohio.
(6) Nine members appointed by the President, who are especially qualified to serve on the Commission by reason of their background and experience. No more than two members appointed under this paragraph shall be from any one State.
(b) Terms of office
Terms Used In 20 USC 3702
- association: when used in reference to a corporation, shall be deemed to embrace the words "successors and assigns of such company or association" in like manner as if these last-named words, or words of similar import, were expressed. See 1 USC 5
- officer: includes any person authorized by law to perform the duties of the office. See 1 USC 1
- Quorum: The number of legislators that must be present to do business.
- Remainder: An interest in property that takes effect in the future at a specified time or after the occurrence of some event, such as the death of a life tenant.
- State: means a State, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or any other territory or possession of the United States. See 1 USC 7
Subject to subsection (c), the members of the Commission specified in paragraphs (1) through (5) of subsection (a) shall serve for the life of the Commission. The members of the Commission appointed under paragraph (6) of such subsection shall serve for terms of four years, except that of the members first appointed—
(1) three shall be appointed for terms of one year;
(2) three shall be appointed for terms of two years; and
(3) three shall be appointed for terms of four years;
as designated by the President at the time of appointment.
(c) Membership continuation
If any member of the Commission who was appointed to the Commission under paragraphs (1) through (5) 1 as an officer designated under such paragraphs leaves such office, such member may continue as a member of the Commission for not longer than the thirty-day period beginning on the date he leaves that office.
(d) Vacancies
(1) Any vacancy in the Commission shall be filled in the same manner in which the original appointment was made.
(2) Any member appointed to fill a vacancy occurring before the expiration of the term for which his predecessor was appointed shall be appointed for the remainder of such term. Members may be reappointed.
(e) Quorum
Six members of the Commission shall constitute a quorum.
(f) Voting
The Commission shall act by affirmative majority vote.
(g) Officers
The Commission shall elect a chairman and other officers from among its members to serve for terms established by the Commission.
(h) Meetings
The Commission shall meet at the call of the chairman or a majority of its members, but not less than two times each year. The headquarters of the Commission shall be at Wilberforce, Ohio, and the Commission shall conduct its meetings in such city unless circumstances otherwise require.
(i) Seal; bylaws; rules and regulations
The Commission may adopt an official seal which shall be judicially noticed and may make such bylaws, rules, and regulations as it considers necessary to carry out its functions under this chapter.
(j) Compensation
Members of the Commission shall serve without pay.
(k) Temporary services
The Commission may procure, subject to the availability of funds, temporary and intermittent services to the same extent as is authorized by section 3109(b) of title 5.
(l) Personnel details
Upon request of the Commission, and subject to the availability of funds, the head of any Federal agency may detail to the Commission on a reimbursable basis any of the personnel of such agency to assist the Commission in carrying out its duties under this chapter.
(m) Administrative support services
The Administrator of the General Services Administration shall provide to the Commission on a reimbursable basis such administrative support services as the Commission may request to carry out its duties under this chapter.