PUBLIC LAW 86-749

Authorizing the erection of a statue of Taras Shevchenko on public grounds in the District of Columbia.

Whereas throughout Eastern Europe, in the last century and this, the name and works of Taras Shevehenko brilliantly reflected the aspirations of man for personal liberty and national independence; and
Whereas Shevchenko, the poet laureate of Ukraine, was openly inspired by our great American tradition to fight against the imperialist and colonial occupation of his native land; and
Whereas in many parts of the free world observances of the Shevchenko centennial will be held during 1961 in honor of this immortal champion of liberty; and
Whereas in our moral capacity as free men in an independent Nation it behooves us to symbolize tangibly the inseparable spiritual ties bound in the writings of Shevehenko between our country and the forty million Ukrainian nation: Now, therefore, be it
ooo Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That
(a) any association or committee organized for such purpose within two years from the date of the enactment of this joint resolution is hereby authorized to place on land owned by the United States in the District of Columbia a statue of the Ukrainian poet and national leader, Taras Shevchenko.
ooo(b) The authority granted by subsection (a) of this section shall cease to exist, unless within five years after the date of enactment of this joint resolution (1) the erection of the statue is begun, and (2) the association or committee certifies to the Secretary of the Interior the amount of funds available for the purpose of the completion of the statue and the Secretary determines that such funds are adequate for such purpose.
oooSec. 2. The Secretary of the Interior is authorized and directed to select an appropriate site upon which to erect the statue authorized in the first section. The choice of the site and the design and plans for such statue shall be subject to the approval of the Commission on Fine Arts and the National Capital Planning Commission. Such statue shall be erected without expense to the United States.

H.J. Res. 311 (86th Cong.) o
APPROVED SEPTEMBER 13, 1960.