Volume 69 · 533
Public Law 84–246
To establish a Permanent Committee for the Oliver Wendell Holmes Devise, and for other purposes.
Approved August 5, 1955
Statutory text
AN ACT
To establish a Permanent Committee for the Oliver Wendell Holmes Devise, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
That there is hereby established in the Treasury of the United States a fund to be known as the “Oliver Wendell Holmes Devise Fund” (hereinafter referred to as the fund). There is hereby appropriated to the fund out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated: (1) an amount equal to the sum credited to the account in the Treasury entitled, “Donations to the United States, Bequest of Oliver “Wendell Holmes”; (2) an amount equal to interest on the amount referred to in (1) from the date of deposit in the Treasury to the end of the fiscal year prior to the date of the enactment of this Act, compounded semiannually, calculated at a rate to be determined by the Secretary of the Treasury by estimating the average yield to maturity, on the oasis of daily closing market bid quotations or prices during the month preceding the deposit on all outstanding marketable obligations of the United States having a maturity date of fifteen or more years from the first day of such month; and (3) an amount, at the end of each fiscal year after the date of the enactment of this Act, equal to the interest calculated on the average daily balances in the fund during the fiscal year at a rate of 3½ per centum per annum.
Sec. 2.
There is hereby established the Permanent Committee for
Permanent Committee.
the Oliver Wendell Holmes Devise (hereinafter referred to as the Committee), to be composed of five members, one of whom shall be the Librarian of Congress, ex officio, who shall act as Chairman. The other four members shall be appointed by the President from four panels of three names each, one such panel to be submitted to him by each of the following: The Association of American Law Schools, The American Philosophical Society, The American Historical Association, and The Association of American Universities. The members shall serve eight-year terms, except that the initial appointees shall have terms of eight, six, four, and two years, respectively. Every appointment to fill a vacancy occurring whether by death, resignation, or expiration of a term shall be made in the same manner as the original appointments from such four panels submitted on each such occasion. No appointee may serve more than one term.
Sec. 3,
The members of the Committee shall serve without compensation,
Compensation and expenses.
but may be reimbursed for expenses incurred by them in carrying out the duties of the Committee or in the alternative they may receive their transportation and not to exceed $20 per diem in lieu of subsistence.
Sec. 4.
The Committee shall devote the income and, to the extent
Use of moneys.
the Committee deems it necessary and desirable, the principal of the fund to the first, and, in the discretion of the Committee, to the second and third, of the following objects:
To employ one or more scholars of distinction (with any appropriate
History of Supreme Court.
assistants) to prepare a history of the Supreme Court of the United States, to defray the appropriate expenses of such scholars and assistants, and to finance the publication of such history. The Committee may select a single scholar to carry the work to completion, or a number or succession of scholars to complete it; may make any necessary employment contracts with such scholars and assistants of such terms and length as it determines; and shall have general supervision of the preparation of the history of the Supreme Court, including discretion to adopt from time to time such arrangements as lend themselves best to the advancement of the preparation of such history and to the employment of distinguished scholars qualified to achieve the desired standards and independence in the work which they undertake.
To finance an annual lecture or series of lectures, at times and
Lectures.
places determined by the Committee, to be given each year at a different institution of higher learning in various parts of the country by a lecturer of distinction engaged by the Committee on a subject of his choice. The lectures shall be known as the Oliver Wendell Holmes Lectures.
To finance the preparation and publication of the memorial
Memorial volume.
volume contemplated by section 2 of the Act of October 22, 1940 (54 Stat.
1206) containing Justice Holmes’ writings and other material.
Sec. 5.
The Committee is authorized to accept, receive,
Gifts, etc.
hold, and administer such gifts or bequests of money, securities, or other personal property as may be approved by the Committee, and it may sell or otherwise dispose of such securities or other personal property. All moneys received shall be paid into, administered, and expended as a part of the fund.
Sec. 6.
The Committee may employ, without regard to the civil-service
Employees.
laws or the Classification Act of 1949,
such employees as may be necessary in carrying out its functions.
Sec. 7.
The Committee may accept and utilize services of
Voluntary and cooperative services.
voluntary and uncompensated personnel and pay any such personnel when engaged in the work of the Committee necessary travel and subsistence expenses or in the alternative, transportation and not to exceed $20 per diem in lieu of subsistence; cooperate with legal, philosophical, and historical societies and institutions of learning; and call upon Federal agencies for their advice and assistance in carrying out its functions. Any Federal agency furnishing advice or assistance to the Committee may expend its own funds for this purpose, with or without reimbursement from the Committee as may be agreed upon by the Committee and the agency. The Committee, to such extent as it finds to be necessary, may, without regard to the laws or procedures applicable to Federal agencies, procure transportation, supplies, services and property, and make contracts, and may exercise those powers that are necessary to enable it to carry out efficiently and in the public interest the purposes of this Act.
Sec. 8.
The Chairman, with the approval of the Committee,
Expenditure s and disbursements.
is authorized to determine the character and necessity of expenditures from the fund and the manner in which such expenditures are incurred, allowed and paid. Disbursements from the fund shall be made through the disbursing facilities of the Treasury Department.
Sec. 9.
All Acts or parts of Acts inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed to the extent of such inconsistency.
Approved August 5, 1955.