National Council on African American History and Culture Act of 2026

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 7549 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 7549

To establish a National Council on African American History and Culture
    within the National Endowment for the Humanities, and for other
                               purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           February 12, 2026

    Mr. Mfume (for himself, Ms. Tlaib, Ms. Lee of Pennsylvania, Ms.
Schakowsky, Mr. Ivey, Ms. Simon, Ms. Wilson of Florida, Ms. Brown, Ms.
 Clarke of New York, Mr. Bell, Mr. Carson, Mr. Evans of Pennsylvania,
  Ms. Moore of Wisconsin, Ms. Norton, Mr. Raskin, Mr. David Scott of
    Georgia, Ms. Titus, Mr. Olszewski, Ms. Williams of Georgia, Mr.
Thanedar, Mr. Veasey, Mr. Johnson of Georgia, Mr. Cleaver, Ms. Kelly of
  Illinois, Ms. Sewell, Ms. Strickland, Mr. Goldman of New York, Mr.
  Pallone, Mr. Cohen, Mr. Nadler, Mrs. Beatty, Mr. Pocan, Mrs. Watson
  Coleman, and Mrs. McBath) introduced the following bill; which was
          referred to the Committee on Education and Workforce

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

To establish a National Council on African American History and Culture
    within the National Endowment for the Humanities, and for other
                               purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``National Council on African American
History and Culture Act of 2026''.

SEC. 2. COUNCIL ON AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY AND CULTURE.

    (a) Establishment.--There is established in the National Endowment
for the Humanities a National Council on African American History and
Culture (referred to in this section as the ``Council'').
    (b) Membership.--
            (1) Number and appointment.--The Council shall be composed
        of 12 members appointed by the President, by and with the
        advice and consent of the Senate.
            (2) Qualifications.--The members of the Council shall be
        individuals who--
                    (A) are selected from among private citizens of the
                United States who are recognized for their broad
                knowledge of, expertise in, or commitment to the
                preservation and celebration of African American
                history and culture;
                    (B) are not currently employees of the Federal
                Government; and
                    (C) have established records of distinguished
                service, scholarship, or creativity.
            (3) Considerations.--In appointing members to the Council
        under paragraph (1), the President--
                    (A) shall give due regard to equitable
                representation of women, people of color, and
                individuals with disabilities who are involved in the
                humanities;
                    (B) shall select such members in a manner that
                ensures a comprehensive representation of the views of
                scholars and professional practitioners in the
                humanities and of the public throughout the United
                States; and
                    (C) shall ensure that six members are individuals
                affiliated with the Democratic party and six members
                are individuals affiliated with the Republican party.
            (4) Chairperson; vice chairperson.--
                    (A) In general.--The Chairperson and Vice
                Chairperson of the Council shall be designated by the
                President from among the members of the Council. The
                Vice Chairperson shall act as Chairperson in the
                absence of the Chairperson.
                    (B) Party affiliation.--The Chairperson and Vice
                Chairperson may not be affiliated with the same
                political party.
            (5) Term of office; vacancies; reappointment.--
                    (A) In general.--Each member shall be appointed for
                a term of five years, except as provided in
                subparagraphs (B) and (C).
                    (B) Terms of initial appointees.--As designated by
                the President at the time of the appointment, of the
                members first appointed to the Council under paragraph
                (1)--
                            (i) six shall be appointed for terms of
                        three years, three of whom shall be individuals
                        affiliated with the Democratic party and three
                        of whom shall be individuals affiliated with
                        the Republican party; and
                            (ii) six shall be appointed for terms of
                        five years, three of whom shall be individuals
                        affiliated with the Democratic party and three
                        of whom shall be individuals affiliated with
                        the Republican party.
                    (C) Vacancies.--Any member appointed to fill a
                vacancy occurring before the expiration of the term for
                which the member's predecessor was appointed shall be
                appointed only for the remainder of that term. A member
                may serve after the expiration of that member's term
                until a successor has taken office.
                    (D) Reappointment.--No member shall be eligible for
                reappointment during the two-year period following the
                expiration of such member's term.
            (6) Basic pay.--
                    (A) Rates of pay.--Members shall receive
                compensation at a rate of 50 percent of the daily rate
                of the highest rate of basic pay payable for the
                senior-level positions classified above GS-15 pursuant
                to section 5108 of title 5, United States Code, for
                each day (including travel time) during which they are
                engaged in the actual performance of duties vested in
                the Council.
                    (B) Travel expenses.--Each member shall receive
                travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of
                subsistence, in accordance with applicable provisions
                under subchapter 1 of chapter 57 of title 5, United
                States Code.
            (7) Quorum.--Nine members of the Council shall constitute a
        quorum. The Council cannot hold hearings without a full quorum.
            (8) Meetings.--The Council shall meet at the call of the
        Chairperson but not less frequently than twice during each
        calendar year.
    (c) Duties.--The duties of the Council shall be--
            (1) to prepare an annual report to be submitted to the
        Chairperson of the National Endowment for the Humanities on the
        work of the National Endowment to preserve and celebrate
        African American history and culture;
            (2) to gather timely and authoritative information
        concerning historical developments and cultural trends in
        African American history and culture, as well as to monitor the
        work of museums and organizations dedicated to the preservation
        of African American history and culture, and to analyze and
        interpret such information for the purpose of determining
        whether national policy is necessary to further support those
        efforts;
            (3) to evaluate the various programs and activities of the
        National Endowment for the Humanities for the purpose of
        determining the extent to which such programs and activities
        are contributing, and the extent to which they are not
        contributing, to the successful preservation and celebration of
        African American history and culture, and to make
        recommendations to the President with respect to such programs
        and activities;
            (4) to develop and recommend to the Chairperson national
        policies to foster and promote the understanding of African
        American history, the preservation of African American culture,
        and the celebration of African Americans as contributors to the
        country's economic, cultural, and political success; and
            (5) to make and furnish such studies, reports thereon, and
        recommendations with respect to matters of cultural
        preservation and African American history as the Chairperson
        may request.
    (d) Applicability of FACA.--Section 1013(a)(2) of title 5, United
States Code (relating to the termination of advisory committees), shall
not apply to the Council.
    (e) Termination.--The Council shall terminate 10 years after the
date of the enactment of this Act.
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