GOVERNOR SIGNS EXECUTIVE ORDER ESTABLISHING THE NEW JERSEY ABRAHAM LINCOLN BICENTENNIAL COMMISSION

TRENTON – Governor Jon S. Corzine today signed an Executive Order that establishes the New Jersey Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission.

The full text of the Executive Order is below.

            WHEREAS, Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States, was one of the nation’s most prominent leaders who  demonstrated true courage during the Civil War, one of the greatest crises in the nation’s history; and

            WHEREAS, born on February 12, 1809, Abraham Lincoln served as President from March 4, 1861, to April 15, 1865, establishing a legacy of honesty, integrity, intelligence, and commitment to save a nation divided by the institution of slavery; and

            WHEREAS, President Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863, which declared free all slaves in the states of the rebellion under the Confederate flag; and

            WHEREAS, in the months following the untimely death of President Lincoln by an assassin’s bullet, the Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution was finally adopted on December 6, 1865, to abolish and forever prohibit slavery in the United States; and

            WHEREAS, February 12, 2009, marks the 200th anniversary of President Lincoln’s birth; and

            WHEREAS, the United States Congress has established the “Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission” to honor President Lincoln’s legacy and to educate the American public about his achievements and leadership; and

            WHEREAS, the Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission will study and recommend worthy federal activities to honor President Lincoln in 2009; and 

            WHEREAS, President-elect Abraham Lincoln spoke separately to the New Jersey Senate and the General Assembly during his travels through New Jersey on February 21, 1861, on his way to his inaugural in the nation’s capital; and

            WHEREAS, it is appropriate for the State of New Jersey to join the national effort and to plan and carry out its own bicentennial tributes to honor President Lincoln; 

            NOW, THEREFORE, I, JON S. CORZINE, Governor of the State of New Jersey, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and by the Statutes of this State, do hereby ORDER and DIRECT:

            2. The Commission on Higher Education shall assist the Commission and provide a staff member to serve as a non-voting recording secretary.

            3. The Commission shall be composed of twenty-three (23) members. The following officials, or their designees, shall serve on the Commission, ex-officio, and with a vote: the Executive Director of the Commission on Higher Education; the Secretary of State; the Commissioner of the Department of Education; the Chair, New Jersey Historical Commission; the State Librarian; and the Chair, Amistad Commission.  

            4. The Commission shall also consist of seventeen (17) public members. One public member shall be appointed by the Governor upon the recommendation of the President of the Senate, one public member shall be appointed by the Governor upon the recommendation of the Speaker of the General Assembly, one public member shall be appointed by the Governor upon the recommendation of the Senate Minority Leader, one public member shall be appointed by the Governor upon the recommendation of the General Assembly Minority Leader, and thirteen  (13) public members shall be appointed by the Governor.  All public members of the Commission shall serve without compensation and at the pleasure of the Governor.  The Governor shall appoint the chair and vice-chair of the Commission, who also serve as such at the pleasure of the Governor.

            6. The Commission shall meet as soon as practical after the Chair and a majority of the public members have been appointed.  The presence of a majority of the authorized membership of the Commission shall constitute a quorum and shall be required for the conduct of official business.  

            7. The responsibilities and duties of the Commission are as follows:

a.       To recommend activities that may be carried out by the State of New Jersey to honor President Lincoln during the year of his bicentennial; and

b.      To educate the residents of the State of New Jersey about the life of President Lincoln, especially his years of service as the 16th President of the United States; and

c.       To plan, implement, and coordinate activities to commemorate the bicentennial year. 

            8. The Commission shall establish a schedule of meetings and report periodically to the Governor on its activities and recommendations.  The Commission shall submit a preliminary report of proposed activities to the Governor 60 days after its first meeting. 

            9. The Commission is authorized to call on any department, office, division, or agency of State government to provide such information, resources, or other assistance deemed necessary to discharge its responsibilities under this Order.  Each department, office, division, and agency of this State, to the extent not inconsistent with law, is hereby required to cooperate with the Commission and to furnish it with such information and assistance as is necessary to accomplish the purposes of this Order. The Commission may consult with experts or other knowledgeable individuals in the public or private sector on any aspect of its mission.

            10. The Commission is authorized, alone or with other groups, to solicit and accept gifts, grants, and bequests from individuals, corporations, foundations, governmental agencies, public and private organizations, and institutions to defray the Commission’s administrative expenses and carry out its purposes as set forth in this Order.

            11.     This Order shall take effect immediately and expire on December 31, 2009.