CHAPTER 22—JOHN C. STENNIS CENTER FOR PUBLIC SERVICE TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT

        

§1101. Congressional findings

The Congress makes the following findings:

(1) Senator John C. Stennis of the State of Mississippi has served his State and country with distinction for more than 60 years as a public servant, including service in the United States Senate for a period of 41 years.

(2) Senator Stennis has a distinguished record as a United States Senator, including service as the first Chairman of the Select Committee on Ethics, Chairman of the Committee on Armed Services, Chairman of the Committee on Appropriations, and President pro tempore of the Senate.

(3) Senator Stennis has long maintained a special interest in and devotion to the development of leadership and excellence in public service.

(4) There is a compelling need to encourage outstanding young people to pursue public service on a career basis and to provide public service leadership training opportunities for individuals serving in State and local governments and for individuals serving as employees of Members of Congress.

(5) It would be a fitting tribute to Senator Stennis and to his leadership, integrity, and years of devoted public service to establish in his name a center for the training and development of leadership and excellence in public service.

(Pub. L. 100–458, title I, §112, Oct. 1, 1988, 102 Stat. 2172.)

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Short Title

Pub. L. 100–458, title I, §111, Oct. 1, 1988, 102 Stat. 2172, provided that: "This subtitle [subtitle B (§§111–121) of title I of Pub. L. 100–458, enacting this chapter] may be cited as the 'John C. Stennis Center for Public Service Training and Development Act'."

§1102. Definitions

In this chapter:

(1) The term "Center" means the John C. Stennis Center for Public Service Training and Development established under section 1103(a) of this title.

(2) The term "Board" means the Board of Trustees of the John C. Stennis Center for Public Service Training and Development established under section 1103(b) of this title.

(3) The term "fund" means the John C. Stennis Center for Public Service Training and Development Trust Fund provided for under section 1105 of this title.

(Pub. L. 100–458, title I, §113, Oct. 1, 1988, 102 Stat. 2172.)

§1103. Establishment of John C. Stennis Center for Public Service Training and Development

(a) Establishment

There is established in the legislative branch of the Government a center to be known as the "John C. Stennis Center for Public Service Training and Development".

(b) Board of Trustees

The Center shall be subject to the supervision and direction of a Board of Trustees. The Board shall be composed of seven members, as follows:

(1) Two members to be appointed by the majority leader of the Senate.

(2) One member to be appointed by the minority leader of the Senate.

(3) Two members to be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

(4) One member to be appointed by the minority leader of the House of Representatives.

(5) The Executive Director of the Center, who shall serve as an ex officio member of the Board.

(c) Term of office

The term of office of each member of the Board appointed under paragraphs (1), (2), (3), and (4) of subsection (b) shall be six years, except that—

(1) the members first appointed under paragraphs (1) and (2) shall serve, as designated by the majority leader of the Senate, one for a term of two years, one for a term of four years, and one for a term of six years;

(2) the members first appointed under paragraphs (3) and (4) shall serve, as designated by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, one for a term of two years, one for a term of four years, and one for a term of six years; and

(3) a member appointed to fill a vacancy shall serve for the remainder of the term for which his predecessor was appointed and shall be appointed in the same manner as the original appointment for that vacancy was made.

(d) Travel and subsistence pay

Members of the Board (other than the Executive Director) shall serve without pay, but shall be entitled to reimbursement for travel, subsistence, and other necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties.

(e) Location of Center

The Center shall be located at or near Starkville, Mississippi, the location of Mississippi State University.

(Pub. L. 100–458, title I, §114, Oct. 1, 1988, 102 Stat. 2173.)

§1104. Purposes and authority of Center

(a) Purposes of Center

The purposes of the Center shall be—

(1) to increase awareness of the importance of public service, to foster among the youth of the United States greater recognition and understanding of the role of public service in the development of the United States, and to promote public service as a career choice;

(2) to provide training and development opportunities for State and local elected government officials and employees of State and local governments in order to assist such officials and employees to become more effective and more efficient in performing their public duties and develop their potential for accepting increased public service opportunities; and

(3) to provide training and development opportunities for those employees of Members of the Congress who perform key roles in helping Members of Congress serve the people of the United States.

(b) Authority of Center

The Center is authorized, consistent with this chapter, to develop such programs, activities, and services as it considers appropriate to carry out the purpose of this chapter. Such authority shall include the following:

(1) The development and implementation of educational programs for secondary and post-secondary schools and colleges designed—

(A) to improve the attitude of students toward public service;

(B) to encourage students to consider public service as a career goal;

(C) to create a better understanding of the important role that people in public service have played in the growth and development of the United States; and

(D) to foster a sense of civic responsibility among the youth of the United States.

(2) The development and implementation of programs designed—

(A) to enhance skills and abilities of public service employees and elected officials at the State and local levels of government;

(B) to make such officials more productive and effective in the performance of their duties; and

(C) to help prepare such employees and officials to assume greater responsibilities in the field of public service.

(3) The development and implementation of congressional staff training programs designed to equip congressional staff personnel to perform their duties more effectively and efficiently.

(4) The development and implementation of media and telecommunications production capabilities to assist the Center in expanding the reach of its programs throughout the United States.

(5) The establishment of library and research facilities for the collection and compilation of research materials for use in carrying out the programs of the Center.

(c) Program priorities

The Board of Trustees shall determine the priority of the programs to be carried out under this chapter and the amount of funds to be allocated for such programs.

(Pub. L. 100–458, title I, §115, Oct. 1, 1988, 102 Stat. 2173.)

§1105. John C. Stennis Center for Public Service Development Trust Fund

(a) Establishment of fund

There is established in the Treasury of the United States a trust fund to be known as the "John C. Stennis Center for Public Service Development Trust Fund". The fund shall consist of amounts appropriated to it pursuant to section 1110 of this title and amounts credited to it under subsection (d).

(b) Investment of fund assets

(1) At the request of the Center, it shall be the duty of the Secretary of the Treasury to invest in full the amounts appropriated to the fund. Such investments may be made only in interest-bearing obligations of the United States issued directly to the fund.

(2) The purposes for which obligations of the United States may be issued under chapter 31 of title 31 are hereby extended to authorize the issuance at par of special obligations directly to the fund. Such special obligations shall bear interest at a rate equal to the average rate of interest, computed as to the end of the calendar month next preceding the date of such issue, borne by all marketable interest-bearing obligations of the United States then forming a part of the public debt; except that where such average rate is not a multiple of one-eighth of 1 per centum, the rate of interest of such special obligations shall be the multiple of one-eighth of 1 per centum next lower than such average rate. All requests of the Center to the Secretary of the Treasury provided for in this section shall be binding upon the Secretary.

(c) Authority to sell obligations

At the request of the Center, the Secretary of the Treasury shall redeem any obligation issued directly to the fund. Obligations issued to the fund under subsection (b)(2) shall be redeemed at par plus accrued interest. Any other obligations issued directly to the fund shall be redeemed at the market price.

(d) Proceeds from certain transactions credited to fund

In addition to the appropriations received pursuant to section 1110 of this title, the interest on, and the proceeds from the sale or redemption of, any obligations held in the fund pursuant to section 1108(a) of this title, shall be credited to and form a part of the fund.

(Pub. L. 100–458, title I, §116, Oct. 1, 1988, 102 Stat. 2174; Pub. L. 101–520, title III, §313(a), Nov. 5, 1990, 104 Stat. 2282; Pub. L. 108–7, div. J, title I, §125, Feb. 20, 2003, 117 Stat. 439.)

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2003—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 108–7, §125(1), added subsec. (b) and struck out heading and text of former subsec. (b). Text read as follows:

"(1) It shall be the duty of the Secretary of the Treasury to invest in full the amounts appropriated to the fund. Such investments may be made only in interest bearing obligations of the United States or in obligations guaranteed as to both principal and interest by the United States. For such purpose, such obligations may be acquired on original issue at the issue price or by purchase of outstanding obligations at the marketplace.

"(2) The purposes for which obligations of the United States may be issued under chapter 31 of title 31 are hereby extended to authorize the issuance at par of special obligations exclusively to the fund. Such special obligations shall bear interest at a rate equal to the average rate of interest, computed as to the end of the calendar month next preceding the date of such issue, borne by all marketable interest bearing obligations of the United States then forming a part of the public debt, except that when such average rate is not a multiple of one-eighth of one percent, the rate of interest of such special obligations shall be the multiple of one-eighth of one percent next lower than such average rate. Such special obligations shall be issued only if the Secretary determines that the purchase of other interest bearing obligations of the United States, or of obligations guaranteed as to both principal and interest by the United States or original issue or at the market price, is not in the public interest."

Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 108–7, §125(2), added subsec. (c) and struck out heading and text of former subsec. (c). Text read as follows: "Any obligation acquired by the fund (except special obligations issued exclusively to the fund) may be sold by the Secretary of the Treasury at the market price, and such special obligations may be redeemed at par plus accrued interest."

1990—Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 101–520 amended subsec. (d) generally. Prior to amendment, subsec. (d) read as follows: "The interest on, and the proceeds from the sale or redemption of, any obligations held in the fund shall be credited to and form a part of the fund."

§1106. Expenditures and audit of trust fund

(a) In general

The Secretary of the Treasury is authorized to pay to the Center from the interest and earnings of the fund, and moneys credited to the fund pursuant to section 1108(a) of this title, such sums as the Board determines are necessary and appropriate to enable the Center to carry out the provisions of this chapter.

(b) Audit by GAO

The activities of the Center under this chapter may be audited by the Government Accountability Office under such rules and regulations as may be prescribed by the Comptroller General of the United States. Representatives of the Government Accountability Office shall have access to all books, accounts, records, reports, and files and all other papers, things, or property belonging to or in use by the Center, pertaining to such activities and necessary to facilitate the audit.

(Pub. L. 100–458, title I, §117, Oct. 1, 1988, 102 Stat. 2175; Pub. L. 101–520, title III, §313(b), Nov. 5, 1990, 104 Stat. 2282; Pub. L. 108–271, §8(b), July 7, 2004, 118 Stat. 814.)

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2004—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 108–271 substituted "Government Accountability Office" for "General Accounting Office" in two places.

1990—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 101–520 amended subsec. (a) generally. Prior to amendment, subsec. (a) read as follows: "The Secretary of the Treasury is authorized to pay to the Center from the interest and earnings of the fund such sums as the Board determines are necessary and appropriate to enable the Center to carry out the provisions of this chapter."

§1107. Executive Director of Center

(a) Appointment by Board

(1) There shall be an Executive Director of the Center who shall be appointed by the Board. The Executive Director shall be the chief executive officer of the Center and shall carry out the functions of the Center subject to the supervision and direction of the Board. The Executive Director shall carry out such other functions consistent with the provisions of this chapter as the Board shall prescribe.

(2) The Executive Director shall not be eligible to serve as Chairman of the Board.

(b) Compensation

The Executive Director of the Center shall be compensated at the rate specified for employees in grade GS–18 of the General Schedule under section 5332 of title 5.

(Pub. L. 100–458, title I, §118, Oct. 1, 1988, 102 Stat. 2175.)

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

References in Other Laws to GS–16, 17, or 18 Pay Rates

References in laws to the rates of pay for GS–16, 17, or 18, or to maximum rates of pay under the General Schedule, to be considered references to rates payable under specified sections of Title 5, Government Organization and Employees, see section 529 [title I, §101(c)(1)] of Pub. L. 101–509, set out in a note under section 5376 of Title 5.

§1108. Administrative provisions

(a) In general

In order to carry out the provisions of this chapter, the Center may—

(1) appoint and fix the compensation of such personnel as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of this chapter, except that in no case shall employees other than the Executive Director be compensated at a rate to exceed the maximum rate for employees in grade GS–15 of the General Schedule under section 5332 of title 5;

(2) procure temporary and intermittent services of experts and consultants as are necessary to the extent authorized by section 3109 of title 5, but at rates not to exceed the rate specified at the time of such service for grade GS–18 under section 5332 of such title;

(3) prescribe such regulations as it considers necessary governing the manner in which its functions shall be carried out;

(4) solicit and receive money and other property donated, bequeathed, or devised, without condition or restriction other than it be used for the purposes of the Center, and to use, sell, or otherwise dispose of such property for the purpose of carrying out its functions;

(5) accept and utilize the services of voluntary and noncompensated personnel and reimburse them for travel expenses, including per diem, as authorized by section 5703 of title 5;

(6) enter into contracts, grants, or other arrangements, or modifications thereof, to carry out the provisions of this chapter, and such contracts or modifications thereof may, with the concurrence of two-thirds of the members of the Board, be entered into without performance or other bonds, and without regard to section 6101 of title 41;

(7) make expenditures for official reception and representation expenses as well as expenditures for meals, entertainment and refreshments in connection with official training sessions or other authorized programs or activities;

(8) apply for, receive and use for the purposes of the Center grants or other assistance from Federal sources;

(9) establish, receive and use for the purposes of the Center fees or other charges for goods or services provided in fulfilling the Center's purposes to persons not enumerated in section 1104(b) of this title;

(10) invest, as specified in section 1105(b) of this title, moneys authorized to be received under this section; and

(11) make other necessary expenditures.

(b) Omitted

(Pub. L. 100–458, title I, §119, Oct. 1, 1988, 102 Stat. 2176; Pub. L. 101–163, title III, §320, Nov. 21, 1989, 103 Stat. 1068; Pub. L. 101–520, title III, §313(c), Nov. 5, 1990, 104 Stat. 2282.)

Editorial Notes

Codification

In subsec. (a)(6), "section 6101 of title 41" substituted for "section 3709 of the Revised Statutes (41 U.S.C. 5)" on authority of Pub. L. 111–350, §6(c), Jan. 4, 2011, 124 Stat. 3854, which Act enacted Title 41, Public Contracts.

Subsection (b), which required the Center to submit an annual report to Congress on its operations under this chapter, terminated, effective May 15, 2000, pursuant to section 3003 of Pub. L. 104–66, as amended, set out as a note under section 1113 of Title 31, Money and Finance. See, also, page 143 of House Document No. 103–7.

Amendments

1990—Subsec. (a)(6) to (11). Pub. L. 101–520 struck out "and" at end of par. (6), added pars. (7) to (11), and struck out former par. (7) which read as follows: "To make other necessary expenditures including official reception and representation expenses."

1989—Subsec. (a)(7). Pub. L. 101–163 substituted "To make other necessary expenditures including official reception and representation expenses" for "make other necessary expenditures".

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

References in Other Laws to GS–16, 17, or 18 Pay Rates

References in laws to the rates of pay for GS–16, 17, or 18, or to maximum rates of pay under the General Schedule, to be considered references to rates payable under specified sections of Title 5, Government Organization and Employees, see section 529 [title I, §101(c)(1)] of Pub. L. 101–509, set out in a note under section 5376 of Title 5.

§1109. Authorization for appropriations

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

(Pub. L. 100–458, title I, §120, Oct. 1, 1988, 102 Stat. 2176.)

§1110. Appropriations

There is appropriated to the fund the sum of $7,500,000 to carry out this chapter.

(Pub. L. 100–458, title I, §121, Oct. 1, 1988, 102 Stat. 2176.)