S. 3989Senate116th Congress (2019-2021)Enacted

United States Semiquincentennial Commission Amendments Act of 2020

Introduced June 17, 2020

AI-Generated Summary

Updated April 14, 2026 at 1:09 PM UTC

The United States Semiquincentennial Commission Amendments Act of 2020 updates the 2016 law that created the commission planning the nation’s 250th anniversary. It adds new federal officials as members, gives the commission more control over meetings, funding, reporting deadlines, and the use of its official symbols, and allows removal of private‑citizen members under certain conditions.

Key Provisions

  • Adds the Chair of the National Endowment for the Arts, the Chair of the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Director of the Institute of Museum and Library Services, and the Chief Justice (or an appointed associate justice) as commission members.
  • Allows the commission to remove a private‑citizen member after notice, approval by the appointing authority, and a two‑thirds vote of the commission.
  • Requires at least one commission meeting each year to be held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
  • Changes the deadline for the commission’s duties from “two years after enactment” to March 31, 2020.
  • Updates coordination language to reflect the new list of officials and adds the word “other” after “founding.”
  • Specifies that all commission expenditures must come from donations, earned income, and any funds made available under the act.
  • Sets the annual reporting period to begin one year after the commission submits its report to the President.
  • Gives the commission exclusive rights to use its official marks, imprimaturs, and logos, and to permit others to use them.
  • Authorizes the appropriation of any necessary funds to carry out the act.

Legislative Activity

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20 earlier actions
Became Law Latest Action

Became Public Law No: 116-282.

December 31, 2020

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SenateIntro Referral

Introduced in Senate

June 17, 2020

SenateIntro Referral

Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

June 17, 2020

SenateCommittee

Senate Committee on the Judiciary discharged by Unanimous Consent.(consideration: CR S4359-4360)

July 21, 2020

SenateDischarge

Senate Committee on the Judiciary discharged by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S4359-4360)

July 21, 2020

SenateFloor

Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent. (text: CR S4359-4360)

July 21, 2020

SenateFloor

Message on Senate action sent to the House.

July 22, 2020

HouseFloor

Received in the House.

July 22, 2020 • 10:36 AM

HouseFloor

Held at the desk.

July 22, 2020 • 12:32 PM

HouseFloor

Mr. Khanna moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.

December 17, 2020 • 2:20 PM

HouseFloor

Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H7244-7245)

December 17, 2020 • 2:20 PM

HouseFloor

DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on S. 3989.

December 17, 2020 • 2:20 PM

SenateFloor

Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.

December 17, 2020 • 2:28 PM

HouseFloor

On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H7244)

December 17, 2020 • 2:28 PM

HouseFloor

Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

December 17, 2020 • 2:28 PM

SenateFloor

Message on House action received in Senate and at desk: House amendment to Senate bill.

December 18, 2020

SenateNot Used

Resolving differences -- Senate actions: Senate agreed to the House amendment to S. 3989 by Unanimous Consent.

December 19, 2020

SenateResolving Differences

Senate agreed to the House amendment to S. 3989 by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S7853)

December 19, 2020

SenateFloor

Message on Senate action sent to the House.

December 20, 2020

President

Presented to President.

December 21, 2020

Became Law

Signed by President.

December 31, 2020

Became Law

Became Public Law No: 116-282.

December 31, 2020

Bill Text

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One Hundred Sixteenth Congress of the United States of America

2d Sess.

Begun and held at the City of Washington on Friday, the third day of January, two thousand and twenty

S. 3989

AN ACT

To amend the United States Semiquincentennial Commission Act of 2016 to modify certain membership and other requirements of the United States Semiquincentennial Commission, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the United States Semiquincentennial Commission Amendments Act of 2020.

2.

United States Semiquincentennial Commission

(a)

Establishment of Commission

Section 4 of the United States Semiquincentennial Commission Act of 2016 (Public Law 114–196; 130 Stat. 685) is amended—

(1)

in subsection (b)(4), by striking subparagraph (I) and inserting the following:

(I)

The Chairperson of the National Endowment for the Arts.

(J)

The Chairperson of the National Endowment for the Humanities.

(K)

The Director of the Institute of Museum and Library Services.

(L)
(i)

The Chief Justice of the United States; or

(ii)

an Associate Justice or former Associate Justice appointed by the Chief Justice of the United States.

;

(2)

in subsection (c), by adding at the end the following:

(3)

Removal of members who are private citizens

Following notice and approval of the relevant appointing authority, on an affirmative vote of not less than 2/3 of the members of the Commission, the Commission may remove a member of the Commission appointed under subsection (b)(3).

; and

(3)

in subsection (d)—

(A)

by striking All meetings and inserting the following:

(1)

Location of first meeting

The first meeting

; and

(B)

by adding at the end the following:

(2)

Location of subsequent meetings

At least 1 meeting of the Commission each year shall be held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

.

(b)

Duties

Section 5(c)(1) of the United States Semiquincentennial Commission Act of 2016 (Public Law 114–196; 130 Stat. 687) is amended by striking 2 years after the date of enactment of this Act and inserting March 31, 2020.

(c)

Coordination

Section 6(b) of the United States Semiquincentennial Commission Act of 2016 (Public Law 114–196; 130 Stat. 689) is amended—

(1)

in paragraph (3)(A), by striking presiding officer of the Federal Council on the Arts and the Humanities, the Chairperson of the National Endowment for the Arts, and the Chairperson of the National Endowment for the Humanities and inserting Chairperson of the National Endowment for the Arts, the Chairperson of the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the Director of the Institute of Museum and Library Services; and

(2)

in paragraph (4), in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by inserting and other after founding.

(d)

Expenditures of commission

Section 9 of the United States Semiquincentennial Commission Act of 2016 (Public Law 114–196; 130 Stat. 691) is amended—

(1)

by striking subsection (a) and inserting the following:

(a)

In general

All expenditures of the Commission shall be made from donations, earned income, and any funds made available to carry out this Act under subsection (f).

;

(2)

in subsection (d), by striking Once each year during the period beginning on the date of enactment of this Act and inserting Annually during the period beginning 1 year after the Commission submits the report to the President under section 5(c)(1); and

(3)

by adding at the end the following:

(e)

Intellectual property protections

The Commission shall have the exclusive right to use, and to allow others to use, the official marks, imprimaturs, and logos of the Commission.

(f)

Authorization of appropriations

There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as are necessary to carry out this Act.

.

Speaker of the House of Representatives

Vice President of the United States and President of the Senate