(a)The Secretary and the Board of Directors of the Helen Keller National Center are authorized to establish the Helen Keller National Center Federal Endowment Fund (hereafter in this section referred to as the “Endowment Fund”) in accordance with the provisions of this section, to promote the financial independence of the Helen Keller National Center. The Secretary and the Board may enter into such agreements as may be necessary to carry out the purposes of this section.
(b)(1)The Secretary shall make payments to the Endowment Fund from amounts appropriated pursuant to subsection (h), consistent with the provisions of this section.
(2)Subject to the availability of appropriations, the Secretary shall make payments to the Endowment Fund in amounts equal to sums contributed to the Endowment Fund from non-Federal sources (excluding transfers from other endowment funds of the Center).
(c)(1)The Center, in investing the Endowment Fund corpus and income, shall exercise the judgment and care, under the prevailing circumstances, which a person of prudence, discretion, and intelligence would exercise in the management of that person’s own business affairs.
(2)(A)The Endowment Fund corpus and income shall be invested in federally insured bank savings accounts or comparable interest bearing accounts, certificates of deposit, money market funds, mutual funds, obligations of the United States, or other low-risk instruments and securities in which a regulated insurance company may invest under the laws of the State of New York.
(B)The Endowment Fund corpus and income may not be invested in real estate.
(C)The Endowment Fund corpus or income may not be invested in instruments or securities issued by an organization in which an executive officer is a controlling shareholder, director, or owner within the meaning of Federal securities laws and other applicable laws.
(D)The Center may not assign, hypothecate, encumber, or create a lien on the Endowment Fund corpus without specific written authorization of the Secretary.
(d)(1)For a 20-year period following the receipt of a payment under this section, the Center shall not withdraw or expend the Federal payment or matching contribution made to the Endowment Fund corpus. On the expiration of such period, the Center may use the Endowment Fund corpus plus any of the Endowment Fund income for any purpose that benefits individuals who are deaf-blind.
(2)(A)The Helen Keller National Center may withdraw or expend the Endowment Fund income for any expenses necessary for the operation of the Center, including expenses of operations and maintenance, administration, academic and support personnel, construction and renovation, community and client services programs, technical assistance, and research.
(B)The Center may not withdraw or expend the Endowment Fund income for any commercial purpose.
(3)(A)Except as provided in subparagraph (B), the Center shall not withdraw or expend more than 50 percent of the total aggregate Endowment Fund income earned prior to the time of withdrawal or expenditure.
(B)The Secretary may permit the Center to withdraw or expend more than 50 percent of its total aggregate endowment income where the Center demonstrates to the Secretary’s satisfaction that such withdrawal or expenditure is necessary because of—
(i)a financial emergency, such as a pending insolvency or temporary liquidity problem;
(ii)a life-threatening situation occasioned by a natural disaster or arson; or
(iii)another unusual occurrence or exigent circumstance.
(e)(1)The Helen Keller National Center shall keep accurate financial records relating to the operation of the Endowment Fund.
(2)(A)The Center shall arrange for the conduct of an annual financial and compliance audit of the Endowment Fund in the manner prescribed by the Secretary pursuant to section 1903(a) of this title. (B)The Center shall submit a copy of the report on the audit required under subparagraph (A) to the Secretary within 15 days after completion of the audit and acceptance of the audit by the Center.
(3)Not later than 60 days after the end of each fiscal year, the Center shall provide to the Secretary an annual report on the uses of funds provided by the Federal endowment program authorized under this section. Such report shall contain such information, and be in such form as the Secretary may require.
(f)After notice and an opportunity for a hearing, the Secretary is authorized to recover any Federal payments made under this section if the Helen Keller National Center—
(1)makes a withdrawal or expenditure from the Endowment Fund corpus or income which is not consistent with the provisions of this section;
(2)fails to comply with the investment standards and limitations under this section; or
(3)fails to account properly to the Secretary concerning the investment of or expenditures from the Endowment Fund corpus or income.
(g)For the purposes of this section:
(1)The term “endowment fund” means a fund, or a tax-exempt foundation, established and maintained by the Helen Keller National Center for the purpose of generating income for the support of the Center.
(2)The term “Endowment Fund corpus” means an amount equal to the Federal payments made to the Endowment Fund and amounts contributed to the Endowment Fund from non-Federal sources.
(3)The term “Endowment Fund income” means an amount equal to the total market value of the Endowment Fund minus the Endowment Fund corpus.
(h)There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section, such sums as may be necessary for each of the fiscal years 1999 through 2003. Such sums shall remain available until expended.
