Title 22, Foreign Relations and IntercourseRelease 119-110
§4604 Powers and Duties
Title 22 › CHAPTER 56 — UNITED STATES INSTITUTE OF PEACE › § 4604
Summary
Creates an Institute that may act like a District of Columbia nonprofit corporation (except for one narrow rule in section 5(o) of the DC law) and gives the Institute many powers to study, teach, and support work on international peace and conflict resolution. The Institute’s board can run fellowships and visiting scholar programs with appointments up to two years; set up research programs that use government and classified materials when allowed; run education, training, and continuing-education programs; publish and share research; keep a clearinghouse for peace information (including properly safeguarded classified material); and form partnerships with public and private groups. It can also charge fees and subscriptions, make contracts and grants, respond to requests from federal agencies (including using classified material when permitted), hire staff and advisors, adopt a seal or emblem, and sue or be sued. Each year the board may give the Spark M. Matsunaga Medal of Peace and up to $25,000 per recipient. The Treasury will make the bronze medal and its cost will be paid from appropriated funds. The board must use an advisory panel of experts when choosing recipients and tell certain Congressional committees about its selection plans. For outreach, the Institute may give grants and contracts to schools and public or nonprofit institutions, but at least one-fourth of its annual appropriations must go to nonprofit or public institutions. It may not accept gifts or grants from foreign governments, international organizations, or entities more than 50 percent foreign-owned. It also may not accept private gifts except to buy or improve a permanent headquarters or to provide program-related hospitality, including for the medal. The Institute may get administrative services from the General Services Administration on a reimbursable basis and must not try to influence legislation, although its staff may testify if asked by a legislative body.
Full Legal Text
Title 22, §4604
Foreign Relations and Intercourse, Source: USLM XML via OLRC
(a)District of Columbia nonprofit-corporative powers
The Institute may exercise the powers conferred upon a nonprofit corporation by the District of Columbia Nonprofit Corporation Act consistent with this chapter, except for section 5(o) of the District of Columbia Nonprofit Corporation Act.
(b)Description of specific activities
The Institute, acting through the Board, may—
(1)establish a Jennings Randolph Program for International Peace and appoint, for periods up to two years, scholars and leaders in peace from the United States and abroad to pursue scholarly inquiry and other appropriate forms of communication on international peace and conflict resolution and, as appropriate, provide stipends, grants, fellowships, and other support to the leaders and scholars;
(2)enter into formal and informal relationships with other institutions, public and private, for purposes not inconsistent with this chapter;
(3)establish a Jeannette Rankin Research Program on Peace to conduct research and make studies, particularly of an interdisciplinary or of a multidisciplinary nature, into the causes of war and other international conflicts and the elements of peace among the nations and peoples of the world, including peace theories, methods, techniques, programs, and systems, and into the experiences of the United States and other nations in resolving conflicts with justice and dignity and without violence as they pertain to the advancement of international peace and conflict resolution, placing particular emphasis on realistic approaches to past successes and failures in the quest for peace and arms control and utilizing to the maximum extent possible United States Government documents and classified materials from the Department of State, the Department of Defense, and the intelligence community;
(4)develop programs to make international peace and conflict resolution research, education, and training more available and useful to persons in government, private enterprise, and voluntary associations, including the creation of handbooks and other practical materials;
(5)provide, promote, and support peace education and research programs at graduate and postgraduate levels;
(6)conduct training, symposia, and continuing education programs for practitioners, policymakers, policy implementers, and citizens and noncitizens directed to developing their skills in international peace and conflict resolution;
(7)develop, for publication or other public communication, and disseminate, the carefully selected products of the Institute;
(8)establish a clearinghouse and other means for disseminating information, including classified information that is properly safeguarded, from the field of peace learning to the public and to government personnel with appropriate security clearances;
(9)secure directly, upon request of the president of the Institute to the head of any Federal department or agency and in accordance with section 552 of title 5 (relating to freedom of information), information necessary to enable the Institute to carry out the purposes of this chapter if such release of the information would not unduly interfere with the proper functioning of a department or agency, including classified information if the Institute staff and members of the Board who have access to such classified information obtain appropriate security clearances from the Department of Defense and the Department of State; and
(10)establish the Spark M. Matsunaga Scholars Program, which shall include the provision of scholarships and educational programs in international peace and conflict management and related fields for outstanding secondary school students and the provision of scholarships to outstanding undergraduate students, with program participants and recipients of such scholarships to be known as “Spark M. Matsunaga Scholars”.
(c)Annual award of Spark M. Matsunaga Medal of Peace
(1)(A)The Institute, acting through the Board, may each year make an award to such person or persons who it determines to have contributed in extraordinary ways to peace among the nations and peoples of the world, giving special attention to contributions that advance society’s knowledge and skill in peacemaking and conflict management. The award shall include the public presentation to such person or persons of the Spark M. Matsunaga Medal of Peace and a cash award in an amount of not to exceed $25,000 for any recipient.
(B)(i)The Secretary of the Treasury shall strike the Spark M. Matsunaga Medal of Peace with suitable emblems, devices, and inscriptions which capture the goals for which the Medal is presented. The design of the medals shall be determined by the Secretary of the Treasury in consultation with the Board and the Commission of Fine Arts.
(ii)The Spark M. Matsunaga Medal of Peace shall be struck in bronze and in the size determined by the Secretary of the Treasury in consultation with the Board.
(iii)The appropriate account of the Treasury of the United States shall be reimbursed for costs incurred in carrying out this subparagraph out of funds appropriated pursuant to section 4609(a)(1) of this title.
(2)The Board shall establish an advisory panel composed of persons eminent in peacemaking, diplomacy, public affairs, and scholarship, and such advisory panel shall advise the Board during its consideration of the selection of the recipient of the award.
(3)The Institute shall inform the Committee on Foreign Relations and the Committee on Labor and Human Resources of the Senate and the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Committee on Education and Labor of the House of Representatives about the selection procedures it intends to follow, together with any other matters relevant to making the award and emphasizing its prominence and significance.
(d)Description of extension and outreach activities
The Institute may undertake extension and outreach activities under this chapter by making grants and entering into contracts with institutions of postsecondary, community, secondary, and elementary education (including combinations of such institutions), with public and private educational, training, or research institutions (including the American Federation of Labor-the Congress of Industrial Organizations) and libraries, and with public departments and agencies (including State and territorial departments of education and of commerce). No grant may be made to an institution unless it is a nonprofit or official public institution, and at least one-fourth of the Institute’s annual appropriations shall be paid to such nonprofit and official public institutions. A grant or contract may be made to—
(1)initiate, strengthen, and support basic and applied research on international peace and conflict resolution;
(2)promote and advance the study of international peace and conflict resolution by educational, training, and research institutions, departments, and agencies;
(3)educate the Nation about and educate and train individuals in peace and conflict resolution theories, methods, techniques, programs, and systems;
(4)assist the Institute in its publication, clearinghouse, and other information services programs;
(5)assist the Institute in the study of conflict resolution between free trade unions and Communist-dominated organizations in the context of the global struggle for the protection of human rights; and
(6)promote the other purposes of this chapter.
(e)Services for Federal agencies
The Institute may respond to the request of a department or agency of the United States Government to investigate, examine, study, and report on any issue within the Institute’s competence, including the study of past negotiating histories and the use of classified materials.
(f)Contracts for operation of Institute
The Institute may enter into personal service and other contracts for the proper operation of the Institute.
(g)Personnel; administrative assistance
The Institute may fix the duties of its officers, employees, and agents, and establish such advisory committees, councils, or other bodies, as the efficient administration of the business and purposes of the Institute may require.
(h)Grants and contracts; gifts and contributions; domestic and foreign restrictions
(1)Except as provided in paragraphs (2) and (3), the Institute may obtain grants and contracts, including contracts for classified research for the Department of State, the Department of Defense, the Arms Control and Disarmament Agency, and the intelligence community, and receive gifts and contributions from government at all levels.
(2)The Institute and the legal entity described in section 4603(c) of this title may not accept any gift, contribution or grant from a foreign government, any agency or instrumentality of such government, any international organization, or any corporation or other legal entity in which natural persons who are nationals of a foreign country own, directly or indirectly, more than 50 percent of the outstanding capital stock or other beneficial interest in such legal entity.
(3)Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, the Institute and the legal entity described in section 4603(c) of this title may not obtain any grant or contract or receive any gift or contribution from any private agency, organization, corporation or other legal entity, institution, or individual, except such Institute or legal entity may accept such a gift or contribution to—
(A)purchase, lease for purchase, or otherwise acquire, construct, improve, furnish, or maintain a suitable permanent headquarters, any related facility, or any site or sites for such facilities for the Institute and the legal entity described in section 4603(c) of this title; or
(B)provide program-related hospitality, including such hospitality connected with the presentation of the Spark M. Matsunaga Medal of Peace.
(i)Fees for periodicals and other materials
The Institute may charge and collect subscription fees and develop, for publication or other public communication, and disseminate, periodicals and other materials.
(j)Participation fees and costs
The Institute may charge and collect fees and other participation costs from persons and institutions participating in the Institute’s direct activities authorized in subsection (b).
(k)Civil actions
The Institute may sue and be sued, complain, and defend in any court of competent jurisdiction.
(l)Corporate mark of recognition and colorable simulations
The Institute may adopt, alter, use, and display a corporate seal, emblem, badge, and other mark of recognition and colorable simulations thereof.
(m)General authority
The Institute may do any and all lawful acts and things necessary or desirable to carry out the objectives and purposes of this chapter.
(n)Legislative influencing-activity prohibition; communications or testimony of personnel
The Institute shall not itself undertake to influence the passage or defeat of any legislation by the Congress of the United States or by any State or local legislative bodies, or by the United Nations, except that personnel of the Institute may testify or make other appropriate communication when formally requested to do so by a legislative body, a committee, or a member thereof.
(o)Administrative services from General Services Administration
The Institute may obtain administrative support services from the Administrator of General Services and use all sources of supply and services of the General Services Administration on a reimbursable basis.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Editorial Notes
References in Text
The District of Columbia Nonprofit Corporation Act, referred to in subsec. (a), is Pub. L. 87–569, Aug. 6, 1962, 76 Stat. 265, which is not classified to the Code.
Amendments
2008—Subsec. (b)(3). Pub. L. 110–315 struck out “the Arms Control and Disarmament Agency,” after “Defense,”. 1998—Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 105–244, § 931(1)(A), inserted “personal service and other” after “may enter into”. Subsec. (o). Pub. L. 105–244, § 931(1)(B), inserted “and use all sources of supply and services of the General Services Administration” after “Services”. 1992—Subsec. (b)(10). Pub. L. 102–325, § 1554(b), added par. (10). Subsec. (h)(2). Pub. L. 102–325, § 1554(c)(1), amended par. (2) generally. Prior to amendment, par. (2) read as follows: “The Institute may not accept any gift, contribution, or grant from, or enter into any contract with, a foreign government, any agency or instrumentality of such government, any international organization, or any foreign national, except that the Institute may accept the payment of tuition by foreign nationals for instruction provided by the Institute. For purposes of this paragraph, the term— “(A) ‘foreign national’ means— “(i) a natural person who is a citizen of a foreign country or who owes permanent allegiance to a foreign country; and “(ii) a corporation or other legal entity in which natural persons who are nationals of a foreign country own, directly or indirectly, more than 50 percent of the outstanding capital stock or other beneficial interest in such legal entity; and “(B) ‘person’ means a natural person, partnership, association, other unincorporated body, or corporation.” Subsec. (h)(3). Pub. L. 102–325, § 1554(c)(2), substituted at end “individual, except such Institute or legal entity may accept such a gift or contribution to—” for “individual.” and added subpars. (A) and (B). 1990—Subsec. (b)(9), (10). Pub. L. 101–520, § 319(a)(1), redesignated par. (10) as (9) and struck out former par. (9) which read as follows: “recommend to the Congress the establishment of a United States Medal of Peace to be awarded under such procedures as the Congress may determine, except that no person associated with the Institute may receive the United States Medal of Peace; and”. Subsecs. (c) to (o). Pub. L. 101–520, § 319(a)(2), (3), added subsec. (c) and redesignated former subsecs. (c) to (n) as (d) to (o), respectively. 1988—Subsec. (b)(3). Pub. L. 100–418 made technical amendment to directory language of Pub. L. 100–50, see 1987 Amendment note below. 1987—Subsec. (b)(3). Pub. L. 100–50, as amended by Pub. L. 100–418, inserted “establish a Jeannette Rankin Research Program on Peace to” before “conduct research”.
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Change of Name
Committee on Education and Labor of House of Representatives changed to Committee on Education and the Workforce of House of Representatives by House Resolution No. 5, One Hundred Eighteenth Congress, Jan. 9, 2023. Committee on Labor and Human Resources of Senate changed to Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of Senate by Senate Resolution No. 20, One Hundred Sixth Congress, Jan. 19, 1999.
Effective Date
of 1998 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 105–244 effective Oct. 1, 1998, except as otherwise provided in Pub. L. 105–244, see section 3 of Pub. L. 105–244, set out as a note under section 1001 of Title 20, Education.
Effective Date
of 1992 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 102–325 effective Oct. 1, 1992, see section 2 of Pub. L. 102–325, set out as a note under section 1001 of Title 20, Education.
Effective Date
of 1987 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 100–50 effective as if enacted as part of the Higher Education
Amendments
of 1986, Pub. L. 99–498, see section 27 of Pub. L. 100–50, set out as a note under section 1001 of Title 20, Education.
Transfer of Functions
United States Arms Control and Disarmament Agency abolished and functions transferred to Secretary of State, see section 6511 and 6512 of this title.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
22 U.S.C. § 4604
Title 22, Foreign Relations and Intercourse
Last Updated
Sep 22, 2026
Release point: 119-110