§3702 Organization of Commission

Summary

Creates a 15-member Commission and explains who belongs, how long they serve, and how it works. Members include the Secretary of the Interior (or a designee), the Secretary of Education (or a designee), the Librarian of Congress (or a designee), the President of the Association for the Study of Afro‑American Life and History, the presidents of Wilberforce University and Central State University, and nine people the President appoints (no more than two of those nine can come from the same State). The first nine appointees get staggered terms: three for one year, three for two years, and three for four years. The nine appointed members serve four-year terms after that and can be reappointed. If an official who represents one of the listed offices leaves that job, they may stay on the Commission for up to 30 days. Vacancies are filled the same way as the original appointments, and replacements finish the remaining term. Six members make a quorum. Decisions need a majority vote. Members pick a chair and other officers from among themselves for terms the Commission sets. The Commission must meet when the chair or a majority calls a meeting, but at least twice a year. Its headquarters are in Wilberforce, Ohio, and meetings are normally held there. The Commission can adopt a seal, write bylaws and rules, and hire temporary help as allowed under section 3109(b) of title 5, all subject to available funds. Members are not paid. Federal agencies and the General Services Administration can lend staff or provide administrative help on a reimbursable basis.