§177 Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry

Summary

Establishes the Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry at the Library of Congress. The Librarian of Congress must appoint the poet for one- or two-year terms based only on literary merit, using the same appointment process in place on December 20, 1985. The poet is paid from endowment funds managed by the Library of Congress Trust Fund Board. Congress says this job is the United States’ Poet Laureate. Federal agencies are encouraged to use the poet for ceremonies, under rules the Librarian approves so the poet can keep doing their work. The Chair of the National Endowment for the Arts, with advice from the National Council on the Arts, must each year sponsor a program where the Poet Laureate presents major work or features other distinguished poets. The law authorizes $10,000 for fiscal year 1987 and for each succeeding fiscal year ending prior to October 1, 1990 to carry out this program.