,i #aaith ,,congress #b;d ,session ,h4 ,r4 #gibg ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,march #ab1 #bjbf,mr4 ,thanedar introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on the ,judiciary ,a ,,bill ,to establish a ,commission on ,land ,reparations1 whose purpose is to study and distribute land reparations to ,african-,american descendants of slaves promised land by the ,federal ,government4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,land ,reparations ,commission ,act4 #b4 ,findings and purpose 7a7 ,findings ,congress finds the following3 7#a7 ,following the ,civil ,war1 former enslaved ,black ,americans were promised #dj acres and a mule of confiscated ,confederate land by the ,government through ,general ,sherman's ,field ,order #ae1 which was never truly fulfilled1 as ,black ,americans who were provided land by the ,government following the ,civil ,war had their land stripped away by ,president ,andrew ,johnson4 7#b7 ,following the ,civil ,war1 the #cith ,congress passed ,h4,r4 #fac1 ,an ,act to establish a ,bureau for relief of ,freedman and ,refugees4 ,in section #e of that bill1 it is stated that the established ,bureau can 444reserve from sale or settlement under the homestead or preemption laws1 and assign for the use of the freedmen and loyal refugees1 male or female1 unoccupied public lands in ,florida1 ,mississippi1 ,alabama1 ,louisiana1 and ,arkansas4444 7b7 ,purpose ,the purpose of this ,act is to establish a commission to study and develop land reparation proposals for ,african ,americans as a result of-- 7#a7 the institution of slavery1 including both the ,trans-,atlantic and the domestic trade which existed from #aefe in colonial ,florida and from #afai through #ahfe within the other colonies that became the ,united ,states1 and which included the ,federal and ,state ,governments that constitutionally and statutorily supported the institution of slavery2 and 7#b7 the failure of previously proposed remediations to address the unkept promise of land to previously enslaved ,americans upon the abolition of slavery in #ahfe4 #c4 ,definitions ,in this ,act3 7#a7 ,commission ,the term ,commission means the ,commission on ,land ,reparations established under this ,act4 7#b7 ,eligible individuals ,the term eligible individuals means individuals described as persons heretofore held in slavery in the ,united ,states1 or their descendants in section #e of the ,act entitled ,an ,act to incorporate the ,freedman's ,savings and ,trust ,company 7#ac ,stat4 #eaa71 including those entitled to receive benefits from reparations under such ,act or ,special ,field ,orders ,no4 #ae issued by ,general ,w4,t4 ,sherman in ,january #ahfe4 #d4 ,establishment and duties 7a7 ,establishment ,there is established in the legislative branch the ,commission on ,land ,reparations4 7b7 ,duties ,the ,commission shall perform the following duties3 7#a7 ,identify eligible individuals4 7#b7 ,establish a process by which identified eligible individuals are to be informed of their suspected eligibility1 and by which applicants who believe themselves eligible for land reparations can apply and have their eligibility assessed4 7#c7 ,identify and procure suitable land1 as determined by the ,commission1 from among ,federal lands1 repossessed properties1 unowned land1 and municipal land banks4 7#d7 ,determine appropriate compensation for eligible individuals in the form of either a subsidy for suitable lands or a one-time cash payment4 7#e7 ,submit a written report of its findings and recommendations to the ,congress not later than the date which is #ah months after the date of the first meeting of the full ,commission pursuant to section #e7;f74 #e4 ,membership 7a7 ,number and appointment 7#a7 ,membership ,the ,commission shall be composed of #ae members including the ,chair1 who shall be appointed as follows3 7,a7 ,politically appointed members ,not later than #fj days after the date of enactment of this ,act3 7i7 ,one member shall be appointed by the ,president4 7ii7 ,two members shall be appointed by the ,house ,majority ,leader1 in consultation with the committee of jurisdiction of the ,house4 7iii7 ,two members shall be appointed by the ,house ,minority ,leader1 in consultation with the committee of jurisdiction of the ,house4 7iv7 ,two members shall be appointed by the ,senate ,majority ,leader1 in consultation with the committee of jurisdiction of the ,senate4 7v7 ,two members shall be appointed by the ,senate ,minority ,leader1 in consultation with the committee of the jurisdiction of the ,senate4 7,b7 ,subject matter experts ,not later than #fj days after the appointment of the ,chair under section #e7;e71 six members1 who shall be individuals appointed by the ,chair1 and approved by a majority of the members appointed under subparagraph 7,a74 ,such individuals shall be from the major civil society and reparations organizations that have historically championed the cause of reparatory justice4 7#b7 ,qualification ,all members of the ,commission shall be persons who are especially qualified to serve on the ,commission by virtue of their education1 training1 activism or experience1 particularly in the field of ,african-,american studies and reparatory justice4 7#c7 ,limitation ,no person who is a member of ,congress or an officer or employee of the ,federal ,government or any ,state or local government may serve as a member of the ,commission1 with the exception of those employed as full-time faculty at ,state-funded colleges or universities4 7b7 ,terms ,the term of office for members shall be for the life of the ,commission4 7c7 ,quorum ,seven members of the ,commission shall constitute a quorum1 but a lesser number may hold hearings4 7d7 ,vacancies ,a vacancy on the ,commission shall-- 7#a7 not affect the powers of the ,commission2 and 7#b7 be filled in the same manner in which the original appointment was made4 7e7 ,chair ,there shall be a ,chair of the ,commission selected1 from among the #i politically appointed members described in subsection 7a77#a77;,a71 jointly by the ,majority ,leader of the ,senate and the ,majority ,leader of the ,house of ,representatives1 in consultation with the committees of jurisdiction4 ,the term of office shall be for the life of the ,commission4 7f7 ,initial meeting of full commission ,the ,chair shall call an initial meeting of the full ,commission not later than #de days after the appointment of all members under subsection 7a77#a74 #f4 ,powers of the ,commission 7a7 ,hearings and evidence ,the ,commission may1 for purposes of carrying out this ,act-- 7#a7 hold hearings1 sit and act at times and places1 take testimony1 receive evidence1 and administer oaths2 and 7#b7 require1 by subpoena or otherwise1 the attendance and testimony of witnesses and the production of books1 records1 correspondence1 memoranda1 papers1 and documents4 7b7 ,subpoenas 7#a7 ,service ,subpoenas issued under this section may be served by any person designated by the ,commission4 7#b7 ,enforcement 7,a7 ,in general ,in the case of contumacy or failure to obey a subpoena issued under this section1 the ,united ,states district court for the judicial district in which the subpoenaed person resides1 is served1 or may be found1 or where the subpoena is returnable1 may issue an order requiring such person to appear at any designated place to testify or to produce documentary or other evidence4 ,any failure to obey the order of the court may be punished by the court as a contempt of that court4 7,b7 ,additional enforcement ,sections #ajb through #ajd of the ,revised ,statutes of the ,united ,states 7#b ,u4,s4,c4 #aib through #aid7 shall apply in the case of any failure of any witness to comply with any subpoena or to testify when summoned under the authority of this section4 7,c7 ,issuance ,a subpoena may be issued under this section only-- 7i7 by the agreement of the ,chair2 or 7ii7 by the affirmative vote of a majority of the ,commission1 a majority being present4 7c7 ,contracting ,to the extent or in amounts provided in ,appropriations acts1 and subject to the applicable laws and regulations1 the ,commission may enter into contracts with government entities1 private entities1 or persons for goods or services1 including for conducting research or surveys1 the preparation of reports1 and other activities necessary for the discharge of the duties of the ,commission4 7d7 ,information from ,federal agencies and other entities ,the ,commission may secure directly from any department1 agency1 bureau1 board1 commission1 office1 independent establishment1 or instrumentality of the ,united ,states any information related to any inquiry of the ,commission conducted under this ,act1 including information of a confidential nature 7which the ,commission shall maintain in a secure manner74 ,each such department1 agency1 bureau1 board1 commission1 office1 independent establishment1 or instrumentality shall furnish such information directly to the ,commission upon request4 7e7 ,administrative support services ,upon the request of the ,commission-- 7#a7 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 ,act2 and 7#b7 other ,federal departments and agencies may provide to the ,commission any administrative support services as may be determined by the head of such department or agency to be advisable and authorized by law4 7f7 ,donations of goods and services ,the ,commission may accept1 use1 and dispose of gifts or donations of services or property4 7g7 ,postal services ,the ,commission may use the ,united ,states mails in the same manner and under the same conditions as departments and agencies of the ,united ,states4 7h7 ,powers of subcommittees1 members1 and agents ,any subcommittee1 member1 or agent of the ,commission may1 if authorized by the ,commission1 take any action which the ,commission is authorized to take by this section4 #g4 ,administrative provisions 7a7 ,staff ,the may appoint additional personnel1 as may be necessary1 to enable the ,commission to carry out its functions4 7b7 ,applicability of certain civil service laws ,the ,chair and staff 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 with out regard to the provisions of chapter #ea and subchapter ,,iii of chapter #ec of such title relating to classification and ,general ,schedule pay rates1 except that no rate of pay fixed under this paragraph may exceed the equivalent of that payable for a position at level ,v of the ,executive ,schedule under section #ecaf of title #e1 ,united ,states ,code4 ,any individual appointed under this section shall be treated as an employee for purposes of chapters #fc1 #ha1 #hc1 #hd1 #he1 #hg1 #hi1 #hi;,a1 #hi;,b1 and #ij of that title4 7c7 ,detailees ,any ,federal ,government employee may be detailed to the ,commission without reimbursement from the ,commission1 and such detailee shall retain the rights1 status1 and privileges of his or her regular employment without interruption4 7d7 ,consultant services ,the ,commission is authorized to procure the services of experts and consultants in accordance with section #caji of title #e1 ,united ,states ,code1 but at rates not to exceed the daily rate paid a person occupying a position at level ,,iv of the ,executive ,schedule under section #ecae of title #e1 ,united ,states ,code4 7e7 ,compensation and travel expenses 7#a7 ,compensation ,each member of the ,commission may be compensated at a rate not to exceed the daily equivalent of the annual rate of basic pay in effect for a position at level ,,iv of the ,executive ,schedule under section #ecae of title #e1 ,united ,states ,code1 for each day during which that member is engaged in the actual performance of the duties of the ,commission4 7#b7 ,travel expenses ,while away from their homes or regular places of business in the performance of services for the ,commission1 members of the ,commission shall be allowed travel expenses1 including per diem in lieu of subsistence1 in the same manner as persons employed intermittently in the ,government service are allowed expenses under section #egjc7;b7 of title #e1 ,united ,states ,code4 7f7 ,nonapplicability of ,federal advisory committee act ,the ,federal ,advisory ,committee ,act 7#e ,u4,s4,c4 ,app47 shall not apply to the ,commission4 #h4 ,termination ,the ,commission shall terminate #ij days after the date on which the ,commission submits its report to the ,congress under section #d7;b77e74