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PUBLIC LAW 85-305-8EPT. 7, 1957
[71 S T A T.
Public Law 85-305 September 7. 1957
JOINT RESOLUTION
[H. J. Res. 253] rp^j establish a commission to commemorate the one hundredth iinniversary of the Civil War, and for other purposes.
Whereas the years 1961-1965 will mark the centennial of the American Civil War, the supreme experience in our history as a nation; and Whereas the sacrifice of our people in that great ordeal was severe in all sections of the land; and Whereas the far-reaching events of the Civil W a r established that the United States would remain permanently one nation; and Whereas the Civil War, the greatest internal crisis through which this Nation passed, forged the unity of this country ancl the sons of both North and South have subsequently fought side by side for human freedom, justice, and the dignity of the individual among people everyw^iere; and Whereas the development and preservation of the national military and battlefield parks contemplates acquisition of the necessary lands to assure perpetual preservation of these great battlefields and the furnishing of improvements to assure proper and adequate visitor understanding and use of these American fields of valor and sacrifice; and Whereas it is incumbent upon us as a nation to provide for the proper observances of the centennial years of this great and continuing force in our history: Therefore oe it Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United t e^nVa\ c"mmi^ States of America in Congress assembled, That (a) in order to provide 8ion. for appropriate and nationwide observances and the coordination of ceremonies, there is hereby established a commission to be known as the Civil War Centennial Commission, hereafter in this Act referred to as the "Commission", which shall be composed of twenty-five members, as follows: (1) The President of the United States, President of the Senate, and Speaker of the House of Representatives, who shall be ex officio members of the Commission; (2) Four Members of the Senate to be appointed by the President of the Senate; (3) Four Members of the House of Representatives to be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives; (4) Twelve members to be appointed by the President of the United States, two of whom shall be from the Department of Defense; and (5) One member from the Department of the Interior who shall be the Director of the National Park Service or his representative. (6) One member from the Library of Congress who shall be the Librarian or his representative. (b) The Director of the National Park Service shall call the first meeting for the purpose of electing a Chairmam The Commission, at its discretion, may appoint honorary members, and may establish an Advisory Council to assist it in its work. (c) Appointments provided for in this section, with the exception of honorary members, shall be made within ninety days from the date of enactment of this resolution. Vacancies shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointments were made. Program. g^c^ ^_ I t shall be the duty of the Commission to prepare an overall program to include specific plans for commemorating the one hundredth anniversary of the Civil W a r. I n preparing its plans and programs, the Commission shall give due consideration to any similar
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