2 USC Sec. 177 01/22/02



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TITLE 2 - THE CONGRESS

CHAPTER 5 - LIBRARY OF CONGRESS



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Sec. 177. Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry



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(a) Recognition

The Congress recognizes that the Consultant in Poetry to the

Library of Congress has for some time occupied a position of

prominence in the life of the Nation, has spoken effectively for

literary causes, and has occasionally performed duties and

functions sometimes associated with the position of poet laureate

in other nations and societies. Individuals are appointed to the

position of Consultant in Poetry by the Librarian of Congress for

one- or two-year terms solely on the basis of literary merit, and

are compensated from endowment funds administered by the Library of

Congress Trust Fund Board. The Congress further recognizes this

position is equivalent to that of Poet Laureate of the United

States.

(b) Position established

(1) There is established in the Library of Congress the position

of Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry. The Poet Laureate Consultant

in Poetry shall be appointed by the Librarian of Congress pursuant

to the same procedures of appointment as established on December

20, 1985, for the Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress.

(2) Each department and office of the Federal Government is

encouraged to make use of the services of the Poet Laureate

Consultant in Poetry for ceremonial and other occasions of

celebration under such procedures as the Librarian of Congress

shall approve designed to assure that participation under this

paragraph does not impair the continuation of the work of the

individual chosen to fill the position of Poet Laureate Consultant

in Poetry.

(c) Poetry program

(1) The Chairperson of the National Endowment for the Arts, with

the advice of the National Council on the Arts, shall annually

sponsor a program at which the Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry

will present a major work or the work of other distinguished poets.

(2) There are authorized to be appropriated to the National

Endowment for the Arts $10,000 for the fiscal year 1987 and for

each succeeding fiscal year ending prior to October 1, 1990, for

the purpose of carrying out this subsection.