,i  #aafth ,,congress  #ast ,session    
,h4 ,r4 #ff  ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of    
,,representatives  ,january #c1         
#bjai,mr4 ,rodney ,davis of ,illinois   
7for himself1 ,mrs4 ,napolitano1 ,mr4   
,bost1 ,mr4 ,sires1 ,mr4 ,o',halleran1  
,mr4 ,la,hood1 ,ms4 ,judy ,chu of       
,california1 and ,mr4 ,lipinski7        
introduced the following bill2 which was
 referred to the ,committee on          
,transportation and ,infrastructure  ,a 
,,bill  ,to establish the ,route #ff    
,centennial ,commission1 to direct the  
,secretary of ,transportation to prepare
 a plan on the preservation needs of    
,route #ff1 and for other purposes4  #a4
 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as
 the ,route #ff ,centennial ,commission 
,act4  #b4 ,findings ,congress makes the
 following findings3  7#a7 ,route #ff   
was the ,nation's first all-paved       
highway under the ,u4,s4 ,highway       
,system connecting the ,midwest to      
,california and has played a major role 
in the history of the ,united ,states4  

7#b7 ,route #ff was the symbol of       
opportunity to hundreds of thousands of 
people seeking escape from the ,dust    
,bowl in the #aicjs1 serving as a road  
to opportunity in the ,west and         
providing employment during the ,great  
,depression1 as thousands were put to   
work on road crews to pave the road4    
7#c7 ,route #ff was invaluable in       
transporting troops1 equipment1 and     
supplies across the country to the      
,west1 where the government established 
multiple industries and armed force     
bases during ,world ,war ,,ii4 ,upon the
 conclusion of the war in #aide1 ,route 
#ff was a key route taken by thousands  
of troops as they returned home4  7#d7  
,route #ff symbolized the ,nation's     
positive outlook during the postwar     
economic recovery in the #aiejs and     
#aifjs1 serving as an icon of           
free-spirited independence and linking  
people across the ,united ,states4      
,during this period1 the tourist        
industry along ,route #ff grew          

tremendously1 giving rise to countless  
tourist courts1 motels1 service         
stations1 garages1 and diners4  7#e7    
,since ,june #bg1 #aihe1 when ,route #ff
 was decommissioned as a ,federal       
highway1 the popularity and mythical    
stature of ,route #ff has grown         
domestically and internationally1 as the
 road has experienced a rebirth of      
interest and support4  7#f7 ,the year   
#bjbf will be the centennial anniversary
 of ,route #ff1 and a commission should 
be established to study and recommend to
 ,congress activities that are fitting  
and proper to celebrate that anniversary
 in a manner that appropriately honors  
,america's ,mother ,road4  #c4          
,establishment ,there is established a  
commission to be known as the ,route #ff
 ,centennial ,commission 7referred to in
 this ,act as the ,commission74  #d4    
,duties ,the ,commission shall have the 
following duties3 7#a7 ,to study        
activities that may be carried out by   
the ,federal ,government to determine   

whether the activities are fitting and  
proper to honor ,route #ff on the       
occasion of its centennial anniversary1 
including any of the activities         
described under section #h7;b77#b77;,b74
  7#b7 ,to recommend to ,congress the   
activities the ,commission considers    
most fitting and proper to honor ,route 
#ff on such occasion1 to be carried out 
by the ,department of ,transportation   
and any other entity or entities within 
the ,federal ,government that the       
,commission considers most appropriate  
to carry out such activities4  7#c7 ,to 
plan and host1 in cooperation with such 
partners1 a conference on the ,u4,s4    
,numbered ,highway ,system1 and assist  
in the activities of such a conference4 
#e4 ,membership  7a7 ,number and        
appointment ,the ,commission shall be   
composed of #ai members appointed as    
follows3 7#a7 ,three members1 each of   
whom shall be a qualified citizen       
described in subsection 7b71 appointed  
by the ,president4  7#b7 ,two members1  

each of whom shall be a qualified       
citizen described in subsection 7b71    
appointed by the ,president on the      
recommendation of the ,secretary of     
,transportation4  7#c7 ,one member1 who 
shall be a qualified citizen described  
in subsection 7b71 appointed by the     
,president on the recommendation of the 
,governor of ,illinois4  7#d7 ,one      
member1 who shall be a qualified citizen
 described in subsection 7b71 appointed 
by the ,president on the recommendation 
of the ,governor of ,missouri4  7#e7    
,one member1 who shall be a qualified   
citizen described in subsection 7b71    
appointed by the ,president on the      
recommendation of the ,governor of      
,kansas4  7#f7 ,one member1 who shall be
 a qualified citizen described in       
subsection 7b71 appointed by the        
,president on the recommendation of the 
,governor of ,oklahoma4  7#g7 ,one      
member1 who shall be a qualified citizen
 described in subsection 7b71 appointed 
by the ,president on the recommendation 

of the ,governor of ,texas4  7#h7 ,one  
member1 who shall be a qualified citizen
 described in subsection 7b71 appointed 
by the ,president on the recommendation 
of the ,governor of ,new ,mexico4  7#i7 
,one member1 who shall be a qualified   
citizen described in subsection 7b71    
appointed by the ,president on the      
recommendation of the ,governor of      
,arizona4  7#aj7 ,one member1 who shall 
be a qualified citizen described in     
subsection 7b71 appointed by the        
,president on the recommendation of the 
,governor of ,california4  7#aa7 ,three 
members1 each of whom shall be a        
qualified citizen described in          
subsection 7b71 appointed by the        
,president on the recommendation of the 
,speaker of the ,house of               
,representatives1 in consultation with  
the minority leader of the ,house of    
,representatives4  7#ab7 ,three members1
 each of whom shall be a qualified      
citizen described in subsection 7b71    
appointed by the ,president on the      

recommendation of the majority leader of
 the ,senate1 in consultation with the  
minority leader of the ,senate4  7b7    
,qualified citizen ,a qualified citizen 
described in this subsection is a       
private citizen of the ,united ,states  
with-- 7#a7 a demonstrated dedication to
 educating others about the importance  
of historical figures and events2 and   
7#b7 substantial knowledge and          
appreciation of ,route #ff4  7c7 ,time  
of appointment ,each initial appointment
 of a member of the ,commission shall be
 made before the expiration of the      
#abj-;day period beginning on the date  
of the enactment of this ,act4  7d7     
,continuation of membership ,if a member
 of the ,commission was appointed to the
 ,commission as a ,member of ,congress1 
and ceases to be a ,member of ,congress1
 that member may continue to serve on   
the ,commission for not longer than the 
#cj-;day period beginning on the date   
that member ceases to be a ,member of   
,congress4  7e7 ,terms ,each member     

shall be appointed for the life of the  
,commission4  7f7 ,vacancies ,a vacancy 
in the ,commission shall not affect the 
powers of the ,commission but shall be  
filled in the manner in which the       
original appointment was made4  7g7     
,basic pay ,members shall serve on the  
,commission without pay4  7h7 ,travel   
expenses ,each member shall receive     
travel expenses1 including per diem in  
lieu of subsistence1 in accordance with 
sections #egjb and #egjc of title #e1   
,united ,states ,code4  7i7 ,quorum     
,seven members of the ,commission shall 
constitute a quorum but a lesser number 
may hold hearings4  7j7 ,chair ,the     
,president1 in consultation with the    
,secretary of ,transportation1 shall    
designate one member of the ,commission 
as ,chair4  7k7 ,meetings ,the          
,commission shall meet at the call of   
the ,chair4  #f4 ,director and staff    
7a7 ,director ,the ,commission may      
appoint and fix the pay of a ,director  
and such additional personnel as the    

,commission considers to be appropriate4
  7b7 ,applicability of certain civil   
service laws  7#a7 ,director ,the       
,director of the ,commission may be     
appointed without regard to the         
provisions of title #e1 ,united ,states 
,code1 governing appointments in the    
competitive service1 and may be paid    
without regard to the provisions of     
chapter #ea and subchapter ,,iii of     
chapter #ec of that title relating to   
classification and ,general ,schedule   
pay rates4  7#b7 ,staff ,the staff of   
the ,commission shall be appointed      
subject to the provisions of title #e1  
,united ,states ,code1 governing        
appointments in the competitive service1
 and shall be paid in accordance with   
the provisions of chapter #ea and       
subchapter ,,iii of chapter #ec of that 
title relating to classification and    
,general ,schedule pay rates4  #g4      
,powers  7a7 ,hearings and sessions ,the
 ,commission may1 for the purpose of    
carrying out this ,act1 hold such       

hearings1 sit and act at such times and 
places1 take such testimony1 and receive
 such evidence as the ,commission       
considers to be appropriate4  7b7       
,powers of members and agents ,any      
member or agent of the ,commission may1 
if authorized by the ,commission1 take  
any action that the ,commission is      
authorized to take by this ,act4  7c7   
,obtaining official data ,the           
,commission may secure directly from any
 department or agency of the ,united    
,states information necessary to enable 
the ,commission to carry out this ,act4 
,upon request of the ,chair of the      
,commission1 the head of that department
 or agency shall furnish that           
information to the ,commission4  7d7    
,mails ,the ,commission may use the     
,united ,states mails in the same manner
 and under the same conditions as other 
departments and agencies of the ,united 
,states4  7e7 ,administrative support   
services ,upon the request of the       
,commission1 the ,administrator of      

,general ,services shall provide to the 
,commission1 on a reimbursable basis1   
the administrative support services     
necessary for the ,commission to carry  
out its responsibilities under this     
,act4  #h4 ,reports  7a7 ,interim       
reports ,the ,commission may submit to  
,congress such interim reports as the   
,commission considers to be appropriate4
  7b7 ,comprehensive report  7#a7 ,in   
general ,not later than #e years after  
the date of enactment of this ,act1 the 
,commission shall submit to the         
,president and ,congress a report       
incorporating specific recommendations  
for the commemoration of the centennial 
of ,route #ff and related events4  7#b7 
,contents of report ,the report under   
paragraph 7#a7-- 7,a7 shall include     
recommendations for the allocation of   
financial and administrative            
responsibility among the public and     
private authorities and organizations   
recommended for participation by the    
,commission2 and  7,b7 may recommend    

activities such as-- 7i7 the production1
 publication1 and distribution of books1
 pamphlets1 films1 electronic           
publications1 and other educational     
materials focusing on the history and   
impact of ,route #ff on the ,united     
,states and the world2  7ii7            
bibliographical and documentary         
projects1 publications1 and electronic  
resources2  7iii7 conferences1          
convocations1 lectures1 seminars1 and   
other programs2  7iv7 the development of
 programs by and for libraries1 museums1
 parks1 and historic sites1 including   
national traveling exhibitions2  7v7    
ceremonies and celebrations             
commemorating specific events2  7vi7 the
 production1 distribution1 and          
performance of artistic works1 and of   
programs and activities1 focusing on the
 national and international significance
 of ,route #ff2 and  7vii7 the issuance 
of commemorative coins1 medals1         
certificates of recognition1 and postage
 stamps4  7c7 ,final report ,the        

,commission shall submit to the         
,president and ,congress a final report 
not later than #ij days before the      
termination of the ,commission provided 
in section #aj4  #i4 ,plan on           
preservation needs of ,route #ff  7a7   
,in general ,the ,secretary of          
,transportation1 in consultation with   
the ,governors referred to in section   
#e7;a71 shall prepare a plan on the     
preservation needs of ,route #ff4  7b7  
,report to ,congress ,not later than #c 
years after the date of enactment of    
this ,act1 the ,secretary shall submit  
to the ,committee on ,transportation and
 ,infrastructure of the ,house of       
,representatives1 the ,committee on     
,environment and ,public ,works of the  
,senate1 and the ,president a report    
containing the plan prepared under      
subsection 7a74  #aj4 ,termination ,the 
,commission shall terminate not later   
than ,june #cj1 #bjbg4