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PUBLIC LAW 8 5 - 3 1 5 - S E P T. 9, 1957

[71

ST A T.

Public Law 85-315 September 9, 1957 [H. R. 6127]

Civil Rights Act of 1957.

AN ACT To provide means of further securing and protecting the civil rights of persons within the jurisdiction of the United States.

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

of the

PART I—ESTABLISHMENT OF THE COMMISSION ON CIVIL RIGHTS

SEC. 101. (a) There is created in the executive branch of the Government a Commission on Civil Rights (hereinafter called the "Commission"). (b) The Commission shall be composed of six members who shall be appointed by the President by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. Not more than three of the members shall at any one time be of the same political party. (c) The President shall designate one of the members of the Commission as Chairman and one as Vice Chairman. The Vice Chairman shall act as Chairman in the absence or disability of the Chairman, or in the event of a vacancy in that office. (d) Any vacancy in the Commission shall not affect its powers and shall be filled in the same manner, and subject to the same limitation with respect to party affiliations as the original appointment was made. (e) Four members of the Commission shall constitute a quorum. RULES OF PROCEDURE OF THE COMMISSION

Evidenc e testimony. Release.

SEC. 102. (a) The Chairman or one designated by him to act as Chairman at a hearing of the Commission shall announce in an opening statement the subject of the hearing. (b) A copy of the Commission's rules shall be made available to the witness before the Commission. (c) Witnesses at the hearings may be accompanied by their own counsel for the purpose of advising them concerning their constitutional rights. (d) The Chairman or Acting Chairman may punish breaches of order and decorum and unprofessional ethics on the part of counsel, by censure and exclusion from the hearings. (e) If the Commission determines that evidence or testimony at any hearing may tend to defame, degrade, or incriminate any person, it shall (1) receive such evidence or testimony in executive session; (2) afford such person an opportunity voluntarily to appear as a witness; and (3) receive and dispose of requests from such person to subpena additional witnesses. (f) Except as provided in sections 102 and 105 (f) of this Act^ the Chairman shall receive and the Commission shall dispose of requests to subpena additional witnesses. (g) No evidence or testimony taken in executive session may be released or used in public sessions without the consent of the Commission. Whoever releases or uses in public without the consent of the Commission evidence or testimony taken in executive session shall be fined not more than $1,000, or imprisoned for not more than one year. (h) I n the discretion of the Commission, witnesses may submit brief and pertinent sworn statements^ in writing for inclusion in the record. The Commission is the sole judge of the pertinency of testimony and evidence adduced at its hearings.

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