.

Commemorative Commissions:
Overview, Structure, and Funding
Matthew E. Glassman
Analyst on the Congress
Jacob R. Straus
Analyst on the Congress
May 27, 2015
Congressional Research Service
7-5700
www.crs.gov
R41425

c11173008

---

.
Commemorative Commissions: Overview, Structure, and Funding

Summary
Commemorative commissions are entities established to oversee the commemoration of a person
or event. These commissions typically coordinate celebrations, scholarly events, public
gatherings, and other activities, often to coincide with a milestone anniversary. For example, the
Christopher Columbus Quincentenary Jubilee Commission was created “to prepare a
comprehensive program for commemorating the quincentennial of the voyages of discovery of
Christopher Columbus, and to plan, encourage, coordinate, and conduct observances and
activities commemorating the historic events associated with those voyages.”
Using a dataset of all commemorative commissions created by statute since the 96th Congress
(1979-1980), this report examines the content of typical legislative language used to create
commemorative commissions and how commemorative commissions are funded. This report
does not address noncommemorative congressional commissions, nor does it address
commemorative entities created by the President or statutory commissions tasked with designing
and building monuments and memorials in Washington, DC.
Statutes establishing commemorative commissions generally include language that states the
mandate of the commission, provides a membership and appointment structure, outlines the
commission’s duties and powers, and sets a termination date for the commission. A variety of
options are available for each of these organizational choices, and legislators can tailor the
composition, organization, and working arrangements of a commission, based on the particular
goals of Congress. As a result, the organizational structure and powers of individual commissions
are often unique.
Commemorative commissions have been funded in two ways: through appropriations or through
solicitation of nonfederal money. At times, commissions are authorized both for appropriations
and to fundraise or accept donations. In addition, some commemorative commissions are not
provided with explicit authorization to solicit funds or accept donations. Commissions without
the statutory authority to solicit funds or accept donations are generally prohibited from engaging
in those activities.
For general information on congressional commissions, see CRS Report R40076, Congressional
Commissions: Overview, Structure, and Legislative Considerations, by Matthew E. Glassman and
Jacob R. Straus.
This report will updated at the beginning of each Congress.

Congressional Research Service
c11173008

---

.
Commemorative Commissions: Overview, Structure, and Funding

Contents
Introduction ...................................................................................................................................... 1
Cataloging Commemorative Commissions ..................................................................................... 1
Commission Legislation Structure ................................................................................................... 2
Establishment and Mandate ....................................................................................................... 3
Membership and Appointment .................................................................................................. 3
Commission Duties ................................................................................................................... 4
Commission Powers .................................................................................................................. 4
Staff ........................................................................................................................................... 5
Relationships with Other Entities .............................................................................................. 5
Termination ................................................................................................................................ 6
Funding ............................................................................................................................................ 6
Federal Funding ......................................................................................................................... 6
Authorized Funding Levels ................................................................................................. 6
Appropriation of Authorized Funds .................................................................................... 7
Nonfederal Funding ................................................................................................................... 8
Donations ............................................................................................................................ 8
Donation Acceptance........................................................................................................... 9
Fundraising ........................................................................................................................ 10
Estimating Costs ...................................................................................................................... 11

Tables
Table 1. Commemorative Congressional Commissions Created by Law ........................................ 2
Table 2. Authorization for Appropriations for Commemorative Commissions ............................... 7

Contacts
Author Contact Information........................................................................................................... 11

Congressional Research Service
c11173008

---

.
Commemorative Commissions: Overview, Structure, and Funding

Introduction
Commemorative commissions are entities established to oversee the commemoration of a person
or event. These commissions typically coordinate celebrations, scholarly events, public
gatherings, and other activities, often to coincide with a milestone anniversary. For example, the
Christopher Columbus Quincentenary Jubilee Commission was created “to prepare a
comprehensive program for commemorating the quincentennial of the voyages of discovery of
Christopher Columbus, and to plan, encourage, coordinate, and conduct observances and
activities commemorating the historic events associated with those voyages.”1
This report examines commemorative commissions created by statute since the 96th Congress
(1979-1980) and focuses on the content of typical legislative language used to create
commemorative commissions and how commemorative commissions are funded.2 This report
does not address noncommemorative congressional commissions, nor does it address
commemorative entities created by the President or statutory commissions tasked with designing
and building monuments and memorials in Washington, DC.
Cataloging Commemorative Commissions
Bills creating commemorative commissions are introduced regularly in Congress. For example, in
the 112th and 113th Congress (2011-2014), more than a dozen bills were introduced to establish
commemorative commissions. Similar numbers of bills have been proposed in previous
Congresses. Most of these bills, however, are not enacted.
To compile a list of commemorative commissions created since the 96th Congress, a database
search was conducted using the Legislative Information System (LIS).3 Each piece of legislation
returned was examined to determine if (1) the legislation contained a commission, and (2) if the
commission was commemorative in nature.
A total of 15 commemorative commissions were identified by this search. Table 1 lists the name,
public law number, and date of enactment for each of these commissions. Seven of the
commissions were created to commemorate individuals4 and coincided with a milestone
anniversary of their birth. The other eight commissions were related to the commemoration of
historical events and coincided with a milestone anniversary of the event.5

1 P.L. 98-375, 98 Stat. 1257, August 7, 1984.
2 For information on the design of noncommemorative congressional commissions, see CRS Report R40076,
Congressional Commissions: Overview, Structure, and Legislative Considerations, by Matthew E. Glassman and Jacob
R. Straus.
3 The search was conducted in two iterations. First, a query was run using the subject term “Federal Advisory Bodies.”
Second, a query was run for various search terms, including “commission,” “board,” “task force,” and “advisory
committee.”
4 The individuals are Ronald Reagan, Abraham Lincoln, James Madison, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson,
Dwight Eisenhower, and Eleanor Roosevelt.
5 The events are the voyage of Columbus, the founding of the colony at Jamestown, the writing of the Constitution, the
abolition of the transatlantic slave trade, the Seneca Falls convention, the first successful airplane flight, World War I,
and the Supreme Court decision in Brown v. Board of Education [347 U.S. 483 (1954)].
Congressional Research Service
1
c11173008

---

.
Commemorative Commissions: Overview, Structure, and Funding

Table 1. Commemorative Congressional Commissions Created by Law
96th to 113th Congresses (1979-2014)
Commission
Public Law
Date Signed
World War I Centennial Commission
P.L. 112-263
January 15, 2013
Ronald Reagan Centennial Commission
P.L. 111-25
June 2, 2009
Commission on the Abolition of the Transatlantic Slave Trade
P.L. 110-183
February 5, 2008
Benjamin Franklin Tercentenary Commission
P.L. 107-202
July 24, 2002
Brown v. Board of Education 50th Anniversary Commission
P.L. 107-41
September 18, 2001
Jamestown 400th Commemoration Commission
P.L. 106-565
December 23, 2000
James Madison Commemorative Commission
P.L. 106-550
December 19, 2000
Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commissiona
P.L. 106-173
February 25, 2000
Centennial of Flight Commemoration Commissionb P.L.
105-389
November
13,1998
Women’s Progress Commemoration Commission
P.L. 105-341
October 31, 1998
Thomas Jefferson Commemoration Commissionc
P.L. 102-343
August 17, 1992
Dwight David Eisenhower Centennial Commissiond
P.L. 99-624
November 7, 1986
Christopher Columbus Quincentenary Commissione
P.L. 98-375
August 7, 1984
Commission on Eleanor Roosevelt Centennial
P.L. 98-162
November 21, 1983
Commission on the Bicentennial of the U.S. Constitutionf
P.L. 98-101
September 29, 1983
Source: CRS search of the Legislative Information System (LIS) database at http://www.congress.gov.
Notes:
a. The act establishing the Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission was amended by P.L. 108-59 (July 14,
2003), which extended the termination date for the commission.
b. The act establishing the Centennial of Flight Commemoration Commission was amended by P.L. 106-68
(October 6, 1999), which provided for additional duties for the commission and clarification of the hiring
and funding practices of the commission.
c. The act establishing the Thomas Jefferson Commemorative Commission was amended by P.L. 103-191
(December 14, 1993), which extended the deadline for the final report of the commission.
d. The act establishing the Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial Commission was amended by P.L. 107-117
(January 10, 2002), which provided for additional funding through private donations.
e. The act establishing the Christopher Columbus Quincentenary Commission was amended by P.L. 100-94
(August 18, 1987), which provided for additional duties for the commission and extended the termination
date.
f.
The act establishing the Commission on the Bicentennial of the U.S. Constitution was amended twice. P.L.
99-549 (November 27, 1986) authorized further appropriations and extended the termination date of the
commission. P.L. 102-181 (December 3, 1991) extended the termination date of the commission.
Commission Legislation Structure
Statutes establishing commemorative commissions generally include language that states the
mandate of the commission, provides a membership and appointment structure, outlines the
commission’s duties and powers, and sets a termination date for the commission. A variety of
options are available for each of these organizational choices, and legislators can tailor the
composition, organization, and working arrangements of a commission, based on the particular
Congressional Research Service
2
c11173008

---

.
Commemorative Commissions: Overview, Structure, and Funding

goals of Congress. As a result, the organizational structure and powers of individual commissions
are often unique.
Establishment and Mandate
A commission’s establishment is generally prescribed in a brief introductory paragraph. The
Dwight David Eisenhower Centennial Commission was established with a single sentence:
“There is established the Dwight David Eisenhower Centennial Commission.”6
A bill creating a commemorative commission will usually provide congressional “findings”
identifying the conditions justifying the creation of the panel. The bill proposing the Centennial
of Flight Commission includes six specific findings related to the historical ramifications of the
development of flight technology and the importance of commemorating the event.7 In other
cases, legislation creating a commemorative commission may simply include a short “purpose”
section describing the justification for the creation of the commission, in lieu of “findings.”
Membership and Appointment
Commemorative commission statutes contain a variety of membership and appointment
structures. Similar to general congressional advisory commission statues, the legislation may
require that commission membership contain specifically designated Members of Congress,
typically Members in chamber or committee leadership positions. In other cases, selected
congressional leaders appoint commission members, who may or may not be Members of
Congress. A third common statutory scheme is to have selected congressional leaders recommend
members, who may or may not be Members of Congress, for appointment to a commission.
These leaders are often required to act either in parallel or jointly, and the recommendation may
be made either to other congressional leaders, such as the Speaker of the House and President pro
tempore of the Senate, or to the President.8
In some cases, statutory provisions may have the effect of limiting the degree of autonomy a
Member has in appointing or making recommendations for commission membership. For
example, statutory language may require the appointing official to select members who are
specifically qualified by virtue of their education, knowledge, training, experience, expertise,
distinguished service, or recognized eminence in a particular field or fields.9 Limitations placed
on the type of individuals who can be appointed to the commission can restrict available
candidates and make finding suitable appointments more difficult. Limitations, however, also
allow Congress to potentially retain control over the nomination process in instances when the
President or another noncongressional official is the commission’s appointing authority.

6 P.L. 99-624, 100 Stat. 3497, November 7, 1986.
7 P.L. 105-389, 110 Stat. 3486, November 13, 1998.
8 For more information on appointments to advisory commissions, see CRS Report R40076, Congressional
Commissions: Overview, Structure, and Legislative Considerations, by Matthew E. Glassman and Jacob R. Straus.
9 For example, the Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission statute (P.L. 106-173, 114 Stat. 14, February 25, 2000)
required that citizens appointed to the commission be “qualified citizens” [Section 5(b)]. A qualified citizen was
defined as “(1) a demonstrated dedication to educating others about the importance of historical figures and events; and
(2) substantial knowledge and appreciation of Abraham Lincoln.”
Congressional Research Service
3
c11173008

---

.
Commemorative Commissions: Overview, Structure, and Funding

Most commemorative commissions do not compensate their members, except to reimburse
members for expenses directly related to their service, such as travel costs.10
Commission Duties
The duties of commemorative commissions are numerous and varied. The acts establishing
several of the commissions instructed them to study ideas for a commemoration and to submit a
report to Congress with their findings. For example, P.L. 105-341 instructed the Women’s
Progress Commemorative Commission to produce a report that
identifies sites of historical significance to the women’s movement; and recommends
actions, under the National Historic Preservation Act and other law, to rehabilitate and
preserve the sites and provide to the public interpretive and educational materials and
activities at the sites.11
In other instances, the enacted legislation tasked the commission with actually carrying out events
in commemoration of the individual or event. For example, P.L. 99-624 directed the Dwight
David Eisenhower Centennial Commission to
encourage, plan, develop, and coordinate observances and activities commemorating the
centennial of the birth of Dwight David Eisenhower; and submit recommendations to
Congress relating to a joint meeting of both Houses of Congress to commemorate that
centennial.12
Commission Powers
Most commemorative congressional commissions are authorized to hold public meetings to
discuss commission matters, usually at the call of the chair or the majority of the commission.
Some commissions are empowered to secure information from federal agencies. For example, the
Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission was authorized to
secure directly from any department or agency of the United States information necessary to
enable the Commission to carry out this Act. Upon the request of the Chair of the
Commission, the head of that department or agency shall furnish that information to the
Commission.13
In addition, Congress often grants commemorative commissions with the ability to accept gifts
and donations. For example, the Benjamin Franklin Tercentenary Commission was authorized to
accept donations of “money, personal services, and real or personal property related to Benjamin
Franklin or the occasion of the tercentenary of his birth.”14

10 For example, P.L. 111-25 establishing the Ronald Reagan Centennial Commission specifically prohibits commission
members from receiving compensation [Section 4(f)] but allows travel expenses to be reimbursed [Section. 4(g)].
11 P.L. 105-341, Section 4, 112 Stat. 3197, October 31, 1998; 16 U.S.C. §470a.
12 P.L. 99-624, Section 3, 100 Stat. 3497, November 11, 1986.
13 P.L. 106-173, Section 7(c), 114 Stat. 16, February 25, 2000; 36 U.S.C. note perc. §101.
14 P.L. 107-202, Section 7(g), 116 Stat. 742, July 24, 2002; 36 U.S.C. note perc. §101.
Congressional Research Service
4
c11173008

---

.
Commemorative Commissions: Overview, Structure, and Funding

Commissions may also be given the following powers: the authority to contract with public
agencies and private firms, and the authority to use the mails in the same manner as departments
and agencies of the United States.15
Staff
Commemorative commissions are usually authorized to hire staff. Many of these commissions
are specifically authorized to appoint a staff director and other personnel as necessary. The size of
the staff is not generally specified, allowing the commission flexibility in judging its own staffing
requirements. Typically, maximum pay rates will be specified, but the commission will be granted
authority to set actual pay rates within those guidelines.16
Many commemorative commissions are also authorized to accept voluntary services:
Nothwithstanding section 1342 of title 31, United States Code, the Commission may accept
and use voluntary and uncompensated services as the Commission determines necessary.17
For some commemorative commissions, their statutes also specify that they are to work with the
General Services Administration (or another agency) to offer administrative support or available
space to the commission:
Upon the request of the Commission, the Administrator of General Services shall make
available nationwide to the Commission, at a normal rental rate for Federal agencies, such
assistance and facilities as may be necessary for the Commission to carry out its duties under
this Act.18
Relationships with Other Entities
In fulfilling their duties, most commemorative commissions have encouraged, worked closely
with, and provided coordination for private groups, state and local governments, and other federal
government entities taking part in the general commemoration of the person or event. Because of
these cooperative efforts, federally created commissions are only a portion of any
commemoration, and federal funds appropriated to a commemorative commission are only a

15 For more information on powers granted to commission, see CRS Report R40076, Congressional Commissions:
Overview, Structure, and Legislative Considerations, by Matthew E. Glassman and Jacob R. Straus.
16 For example, the Thomas Jefferson Commemorative Commission was prohibited from paying its executive director
more than “a rate not to exceed the maximum rate of basic pay payable for GS-15 of the General Schedule” and staff at
a rate not to exceed “the maximum rate of basic pay payable for GS-13 of the General Schedule” P.L. 102-343, Section
7(a)-(b), 106 Stat. 918, October 17, 1992; 36 U.S.C. §149 note.
17 P.L. 102-343, Section 8(c), 106 Stat. 919, October 17, 1992. 31 U.S.C. §1342 places limitations on voluntary
services. It states “An officer or employee of the United States Government or of the District of Columbia government
may not accept voluntary services for either government or employ personal services exceeding that authorized by law
except for emergencies involving the safety of human life or the protection of property. This section does not apply to a
corporation getting amounts to make loans (except paid in capital amounts) without legal liability of the United States
Government. As used in this section, the term ‘emergencies involving the safety of human life or the protection of
property’ does not include ongoing, regular functions of government the suspension of which would not imminently
threaten the safety of human life or the protection of property.”
18 P.L. 111-25, Section 6(e), 123 Stat. 1769, June 2, 2009.
Congressional Research Service
5
c11173008

---

.
Commemorative Commissions: Overview, Structure, and Funding

portion of the total funding ultimately expended nationwide for commemorative activities and
events.
For example, P.L. 107-41 directed the Brown v. Board of Education 50th Anniversary
Commission to work in cooperation with
the Brown Foundation for Educational Equity, Excellence, and Research in Topeka, Kansas,
and such other public or private entities as the Commission considers appropriate, [to]
encourage, plan, develop, and coordinate observances of the anniversary of the Brown
decision.19
Similarly, P.L. 98-101 instructed the Commission on the Bicentennial of the U.S. Constitution to
encourage private organizations, and State and local governments to organize and participate
in bicentennial activities commemorating or examining the drafting, ratification, and history
of the Constitution and the specific features of the document; coordinate, generally, activities
throughout all of the States; and serve as a clearinghouse for the collection and dissemination
of information about bicentennial events and plans.20
Termination
Commemorative commissions are usually statutorily mandated to terminate. Termination dates
for most commissions are linked to either a fixed period of time after the establishment of the
commission, the selection of members, or the date of submission of the commission’s final report.
Alternatively, some commissions are given fixed calendar termination dates.
Funding
Commemorative commissions have been funded in two ways: through appropriations or through
solicitation of nonfederal money. At times, commissions are authorized both for appropriations
and to fundraise or accept donations. In addition, some commemorative commissions are not
provided with explicit authorization to solicit funds or accept donations. Commissions without
the statutory authority to solicit funds or accept donations are generally prohibited from engaging
in those activities.21
Federal Funding
Authorized Funding Levels
Commemorative commissions approved since 1980 have also varied widely in the amount of
funding authorized by the acts establishing the commissions, as well as in the manner in which

19 P.L. 107-41, Section 3, 115 Stat. 226, September 18, 2001; 36 U.S.C. note perc. 101.
20 P.L. 98-101, Section 6(a), 97 Stat. 721, September 29, 1983.
21 U.S. Government Accountability Office, Principles of Federal Appropriations Law: Third Edition, Volume II, GAO-
06-382SP, February 2006, pp. 6-162, http://www.gao.gov/special.pubs/d06382sp.pdf.
Congressional Research Service
6
c11173008

---

.
Commemorative Commissions: Overview, Structure, and Funding

the funding was authorized. Table 2 lists the authorizing language and the funding amounts
authorized by each of the acts. Of the 14 commissions,
• five were authorized specific funding levels for each fiscal year;
• two were authorized a lump-sum appropriation, which remained available to be
expended over specified fiscal years;
• three were not authorized specific levels of funding. Instead, the acts’ language
authorized “such sums as necessary” for an unspecified number of fiscal years;
• one authorized a specific level of funding for the first fiscal year, and such sums
as necessary for an unspecified number of subsequent fiscal years;
• one not specifically authorized any appropriation; and
• three were specifically barred from using federal funds.
Table 2. Authorization for Appropriations for Commemorative Commissions
Commission Name
Funding Authorization Amount or Language
World War I Centennial Commission
No federal funds may be obligated for the commission
Ronald Reagan Centennial Commission
No federal funds may be obligated for the commission
Commission on the Abolition of the Transatlantic Slave
No statutory authorization of appropriations
Trade
Benjamin Franklin Tercentenary Commission
$500,000 for period of FY2002 through FY2007
Brown v. Board of Education 50th Anniversary
$250,000 for FY2003 and FY2004
Commission
Jamestown 400th Commemoration Commission
Such sums as necessary
James Madison Commemorative Commission
$250,000 for FY2001
Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission
Such sums as necessary
$250,000 for FY1999; $600,000 for FY2000; $750,000
Centennial of Flight Commemoration Commission
for FY2001; $900,000 for FY2002; $900,000 for FY2003;
and $600,000 for FY2004
Women’s Progress Commemoration Commission
Such sums as necessary
Thomas Jefferson Commemoration Commission
$250,000 for FY1993 and $62,500 for FY1994
Dwight David Eisenhower Centennial Commission
$50,000 for FY1987
$220,000 per fiscal year for FY1984 through FY1992; and
Christopher Columbus Quincentenary Commission
$20,000 for period from October 1 through November
15, 1992
Commission on Eleanor Roosevelt Centennial
No statutory authorization of appropriations
$300,000 for FY1984 and such sums as necessary for
Commission on the Bicentennial of the U.S. Constitution
subsequent through FY1989
Source: Compilation of statutes authorizing the commissions.
Appropriation of Authorized Funds
Commissions created statutorily by Congress may be funded directly by specific appropriation or
through general agency appropriations. For example, the Commission on the Bicentennial of the
Congressional Research Service
7
c11173008

---

.
Commemorative Commissions: Overview, Structure, and Funding

U.S. Constitution was specifically funded in both regular annual and supplemental appropriations
acts.22 Alternately, the Women’s Progress Commemoration Commission was funded through
general appropriations for the National Park Service (NPS) in the Department of the Interior
(DOI).23
It is also possible for the funding structure to change during the life of a commission. From
FY1999 through FY2001, the Centennial of Flight Commemorative Commission was funded
through specific line-items in the Federal Aviation Administration operations appropriations. In
subsequent years, the commission was funded through general agency appropriations.24
Several of the commemorative commissions received agency appropriations under the NPS
through the DOI. These appropriations have not appeared as specific line-items in appropriations
acts. Instead, they have been budgeted within agency appropriations under the headings
“Operations of the National Park System” or “National Recreation and Preservation.” For
example, the Jamestown 400th Commemoration Commission was funded in FY2005 under the
“National Recreation and Preservation” heading of the NPS appropriations, as part of a larger
appropriation for related activities for the Jamestown 2007 celebration.25
Nonfederal Funding
Donations
In some cases, the operational expenses of the commission itself have been entirely funded
through the appropriation of federal funds. However, legislation has authorized most
commemorative commissions to accept donations, including donations of money, property,
personal services, memorabilia, or volunteer labor.
For example, P.L. 98-162 authorized the Commission on the Eleanor Roosevelt Centennial to
“accept donations of money, supplies, and services to carry out its responsibilities.”26 Similarly,
P.L. 106-550 authorized the James Madison Commemorative Commission to

22 For example, the Commission on the Bicentennial of the U.S. Constitution received a $330,000 appropriation in the
1985 Supplemental Appropriations Act (P.L. 99-88, August 15, 1985) and a $775,000 appropriation in the 1986
Commerce, Justice, State, and Judiciary Appropriations Act (P.L. 99-180, December 13, 1985).
23 U.S. Department of the Interior; Budget Justifications and Performance Information, Fiscal Year 2002 Budget
Justifications, http://data2.itc.nps.gov/budgetweb/downloads/fy%202002%20greenbook.pdf, p. NPS-240.
24 From FY1999 until FY2001, Congress placed in the appropriations for FAA operations a specific amount for the
commission. Beginning in FY2002, FAA did not specifically receive an appropriation for the commission. However,
FAA allotted to the commission $900,000 in FY2002, $900,000 in FY2003, and $400,000 in FY2004 from its
operations account. Department of Transportation Appropriations Acts, 2000, P.L. 106-69, October 9, 1999; 2001, P.L.
106-346, October 23, 2000; Omnibus Appropriations Act, 1999, P.L. 105-277, October 21, 1998; Centennial of Flight
Commemorative Commission Final Report, Appendix 2, available at http://www.centennialofflight.gov/about/
2004NtlPlan/app2.htm; Centennial of Flight Commemorative Commission Meeting Minutes, available at
http://www.centennialofflight.gov/about/minutes.htm.
25 U.S. Department of the Interior; Budget Justifications and Performance Information, Fiscal Year 2007 Budget
Justifications, http://home.nps.gov/applications/budgetweb/downloads/fy_2007_greenbook.pdf, p. NR&P-63.
26 P.L. 98-162, Section 4(d), 97 Stat. 1014, November 21, 1983.
Congressional Research Service
8
c11173008

---

.
Commemorative Commissions: Overview, Structure, and Funding

accept donations of money, personal services, and property, both real and personal, including
books, manuscripts, miscellaneous printed matter, memorabilia, relics, and other material
related to James Madison.27
In some cases, the authorizing language placed specific limitations on donations. For example,
P.L. 98-375 authorized the Christopher Columbus Quincentenary Commission to
accept donations of money, property, or personal services, except that the Commission may
not accept donations (1) the aggregate value of which exceeds $25,000, in the case of an
individual; or (2) the aggregate value of which exceeds $50,000 in the case of donations
from a foreign government, a corporation, a partnership, or any other person.28
Donation Acceptance
Statutory language for the majority of commemorative commissions does not mention the words
“fund raise.” Instead, statutes commonly provide the commission with the authority to accept
donations. For example, the Jamestown 400th Commemoration Commission was authorized to
“accept donations and make dispersions of money, personal services, and real and personal
property related to Jamestown and of the significance of Jamestown in the history of the United
States.”29 Examples of other commissions with similar language include the following:
• Eisenhower Memorial Commission:
(b) Donations. – (1) The Commission may accept, use, and dispose of gifts or donations of
money, property, or personal services.30
• Christopher Columbus Quincentenary Jubilee Commission:
The Commission may accept donations of money, property, or personal services.31
• Bicentennial of the U.S. Constitution:
(h)(1) The Commission is authorized to accept, use solicit, and dispose of donations of
money, property, or personal services.
(2) The Commission shall prescribe regulations under which the Commission may accept
donations of money, property, or personal services.32
• Commission on the Eleanor Roosevelt Centennial:
(d) The Commission may accept donations of money, supplies, and services to carry out its
Responsibilities.33

27 P.L. 106-550, Section 8, 114 Stat. 2749, December 12, 2000; 36 U.S.C. note perc. 101.
28 P.L. 98-375, Section 7(a), 98 Stat. 1260, August 17, 1984.
29 P.L. 106-565, Section 4(d)(1), 114 Stat. 2815, December 23, 2000.
30 P.L. 99-624, Section 5(b)(1), 100 Stat. 3498, November 7, 1986.
31 P.L. 98-375, Section 7, 98 Stat. 1260, August 7, 1984.
32 P.L. 98-101, Section 5(h), 97 Stat. 721, September 29, 1983.
33 P.L. 98-162, Section 4(d), 97 Stat. 1014, November 21, 1983.
Congressional Research Service
9
c11173008

---

.
Commemorative Commissions: Overview, Structure, and Funding

• Women’s Progress Commemoration Commission:
(b) Donations.—The Commission may accept donations from non-Federal sources to defray
the costs of the operations of the Commission.34
• Commission on the Abolition of the Transatlantic Slave Trade:
... accept donations and gift items related to the transatlantic slave trade, the institution of
slavery, and the significance of slavery to the history of the United States.35
• Brown v. Board of Education 50th Anniversary Commission:
(b) Gifts and Donations.—(1) Authority to accept.—The Commission may accept and use
gifts or donations of money, property, or personal services.36
In addition, some commissions, such as the Centennial of Flight Commission, are provided with
the authority to accept only nonmonetary donations. In that instance, the statutory language
stated,
Donations.—The Commission may accept donations of personal services and historic
materials relating to the implementation of its responsibilities under the provisions of this
Act.37
Fundraising
None of the 15 commemorative commission statutes discussed in this report contain language
specifically authorizing fundraising. Commissions, however, could be provided with authority to
fundraise. To provide statutory fundraising authority, a commemorative commission could be
given language similar to the authority given to commissions charged with creating monuments
and memorials under the Commemorative Works Act, which requires the commission to raise a
certain percentage of the total costs from private sources of a monument or memorial before
construction can begin.38 For example, the National Museum of African American History and
Culture Plan for Action Presidential Commission statute contains the following language
authorizing fundraising:
Fundraising Plan.—The Commission shall develop a fundraising plan for supporting the
creation and maintenance of the Museum through contributions by the American people, and
a separate plan on fundraising by the African American community.39

34 P.L. 105-341, Section 7(b), 112 Stat. 3199, October 21, 1998; 16 U.S.C. 479a note.
35 P.L. 110-183, Section 4(c)(1), 122 Stat. 609, February 5, 2008.
36 P.L. 107-41, Section 5(b), 115 Stat. 228, September 18, 2001.
37 P.L. 105-389, Section 8(a), 112 Stat. 3490, November 13, 1998.
38 40 U.S.C. §§8901-8909. In addition most monument and memorial commissions are not authorized appropriations
and are prohibited from using Federal funds for the design or building of the monument or memorial.
39 P.L. 107-106, Section 3(b), 115 Stat. 1010, December 28, 2001.
Congressional Research Service
10
c11173008

---

.
Commemorative Commissions: Overview, Structure, and Funding

Estimating Costs
Congressional commission costs vary widely. Overall expenses for any individual commission
are dependent on a variety of factors, the most important of which are the number of paid staff
and duration of the commission. Many commissions have few or no full-time staff; others employ
large numbers. Additionally, some commissions provide compensation to members; others only
reimburse members for travel expenses. Many commissions finish their work and terminate
within a year of creation; in other cases, work may not be completed for several years.
Secondary factors that can affect commission costs include the number of commissioners, how
often the commission meets or holds hearings, and the number and size of publications the
commission produces. Although congressional commissions are primarily funded through
congressional appropriations, many commissions are statutorily authorized to accept donations of
money and volunteer labor, which may offset costs.

Author Contact Information

Matthew E. Glassman
Jacob R. Straus
Analyst on the Congress
Analyst on the Congress
mglassman@crs.loc.gov, 7-3467
jstraus@crs.loc.gov, 7-6438


Congressional Research Service
11
c11173008

---