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H.R. 1242: 400 Years of African-American History Commission Act

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H.R. 1242: 400 Years of African-American History Commission Act

115th Congress · introduced 2017-02-28 · Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues · Latest: Signed by President.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

  1. Where it came from: introduced 2017-02-28 · official record
  2. Who proposed it: Rep. Scott, Robert C. "Bobby" [D-VA-3] · what a sponsor is
  3. What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
  4. Where it stands now: Signed by President. (final step reached)
  5. If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

400 Years of African-American History Commission Act

Plain summary

(This measure has not been amended since it was passed by the House on May 1, 2017. The summary of that version is repeated here.) 400 Years of African-American History Commission Act (Sec. 3) This bill establishes the 400 Years of African-American History Commission to develop and carry out activities throughout the United States to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the arrival of Africans in the English colonies at Point Comfort, Virginia, in 1619. The commission must: plan programs to acknowledge the impact that slavery and laws that enforced racial discrimination had on the United States; encourage civic, patriotic, historical, educational, artistic, religious, and economic organizations to organize and participate in anniversary activities; assist states, localities, and nonprofit organizations to further the commemoration; and coordinate for the public scholarly research on the arrival of Africans in the United States and their contributions to this country. (Sec. 5) The commission may provide: (1) grants to communities and nonprofit organizations for the development of programs; (2) grants to research and scholarly organizations to research, publish, or distribute information relating to the arrival of Africans in the United States; and (3) technical assistance to states, localities, and nonprofit organizations to further the commemoration. (Sec. 7) The commission must prepare a strategic plan and submit a final report to Congress that contains a summary of its activities, an accounting of its received and expended funds, and its recommendations. (Sec. 8) The commission shall terminate on July 1, 2020. (Sec. 9) All expenditures of the commission shall be made solely from donated funds.

Congressional Research Service summary (Public Law), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

400 Years of African-American History Commission Act

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Public Law)

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The strongest published arguments

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Alternatives

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Scott, Robert C. "Bobby" [D-VA-3] · 53 cosponsors

Cost estimate: CBO cost estimate: H.R. 1242, 400 Years of African-American History Commission Act (2017-04-04)

Cosponsors on this site

Robert J. Wittman (R-VA), Donald S. Beyer, Jr. (D-VA), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Robin L. Kelly (D-IL), Gwen Moore (D-WI), Dwight Evans (D-PA), Danny K. Davis (D-IL), Jamie Raskin (D-MD), Al Green (D-TX), Joyce Beatty (D-OH), Jared Huffman (D-CA), Darren Soto (D-FL), Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ), James P. McGovern (D-MA), Emanuel Cleaver (D-MO), Judy Chu (D-CA), Scott H. Peters (D-CA), Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), Stephen F. Lynch (D-MA), H. Morgan Griffith (R-VA), Kathy Castor (D-FL), Gregory W. Meeks (D-NY), Steve Cohen (D-TN), Don Bacon (R-NE)

Sponsor's campaign money: Rep. Scott, Robert C. "Bobby" [D-VA-3] reported raising $882,179 (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (1)
Bill
A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Record fed-us-cong115-hr1242 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong115 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong115