§110. Furniture for the Executive Residence at the White House

All furniture purchased for the use of the Executive Residence at the White House shall be, as far as practicable, of domestic manufacture. With a view to conserving in the Executive Residence at the White House the best specimens of the early American furniture and furnishings, and for the purpose of maintaining the interior of the Executive Residence at the White House in keeping with its original design, the Director of the National Park Service is authorized and directed, with the approval of the President, to accept donations of furniture and furnishings for use in the Executive Residence at the White House, all such articles thus donated to become the property of the United States and to be accounted for as such. The said Director of the National Park Service is further authorized and directed, with the approval of the President, to appoint a temporary committee composed of one representative of the American Federation of Arts, one representative of the National Commission of Fine Arts, one representative of the National Academy of Design, one member of the American Institute of Architects, and five members representing the public at large; the said committee to have full power to select and pass on the articles in question and to recommend the same for acceptance.

(June 25, 1948, ch. 644, 62 Stat. 679 ; Pub. L. 95–570, §5(c)(1), Nov. 2, 1978, 92 Stat. 2451 .)

Editorial Notes

Amendments

1978-Pub. L. 95–570 inserted in section catchline "the Executive Residence at the" before "White House" and substituted in text "Executive Residence at the White House" for "President's House" and "Executive Residence at the White House" for "White House" wherever appearing.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date of 1978 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 95–570 applicable to any fiscal year beginning on or after Oct. 1, 1978, see section 6(a) of Pub. L. 95–570, set out as a note under section 102 of this title.

Commission on Renovation of the Executive Mansion

Act Apr. 14, 1949, ch. 51, 63 Stat. 45 , authorized appointment of a commission of six to supervise and approve all construction plans and work necessary to remedy the present unsafe conditions in the Executive Mansion and to modernize same.

White House; Administration; Preservation of Museum Character; Articles of Historic or Artistic Interest

Pub. L. 87–286, Sept. 22, 1961, 75 Stat. 586 , provided: "That all of that portion of reservation numbered 1 in the city of Washington, District of Columbia, which is within the President's park enclosure, comprising eighteen and seven one-hundredths acres, shall continue to be known as the White House and shall be administered pursuant to the Act of August 25, 1916 (39 Stat. 535; [former] 16 U.S.C. 1–3 [see 18 U.S.C. 1865(a), 54 U.S.C. 100101(a), 100301 et seq., 100751(a), 100752, 100753, 102101]), and Acts supplementary thereto and amendatory thereof. In carrying out this Act primary attention shall be given to the preservation and interpretation of the museum character of the principal corridor on the ground floor and the principal public rooms on the first floor of the White House, but nothing done under this Act shall conflict with the administration of the Executive offices of the President or with the use and occupancy of the buildings and grounds as the home of the President and his family and for his official purposes.

"Sec. 2. Articles of furniture, fixtures, and decorative objects of the White House, when declared by the President to be of historic or artistic interest, together with such similar articles, fixtures, and objects as are acquired by the White House in the future when similarly so declared, shall thereafter be considered to be inalienable and the property of the White House. Any such article, fixture, or object when not in use or on display in the White House shall be transferred by direction of the President as a loan to the Smithsonian Institution for its care, study, and storage or exhibition and such articles, fixtures, and objects shall be returned to the White House from the Smithsonian Institution on notice by the President.

"Sec. 3. Nothing in this Act shall alter any privileges, powers, or duties vested in the White House Police and the United States Secret Service, Treasury Department, by [former] section 202 of title 3, United States Code, and section 3056 of title 18, United States Code."

[For transfer of the functions, personnel, assets, and obligations of the United States Secret Service, including the functions of the Secretary of the Treasury relating thereto, to the Secretary of Homeland Security, and for treatment of related references, see sections 381, 551(d), 552(d), and 557 of Title 6, Domestic Security, and the Department of Homeland Security Reorganization Plan of November 25, 2002, as modified, set out as a note under section 542 of Title 6.]

Executive Documents

Transfer of Functions

Functions of officers of Department of the Interior and functions of all agencies and employees of such Department, with two exceptions, transferred to Secretary of the Interior, see Transfer of Functions note set out under section 109 of this title.

Ex. Ord. No. 11145. Curator of White House; Committee for Preservation of White House

Ex. Ord. No. 11145, Mar. 7, 1964, 29 F.R. 3189, as amended by Ex. Ord. No. 11565, Oct. 13, 1970, 35 F.R. 16155, provided:

WHEREAS the White House, as the home of the highest elective officer of the United States

-symbolizes the American ideal of responsible self-government

-is emblematic of our democracy and our national purpose

-has been intimately associated with the personal and social life of the Presidents of the United States and many of their official acts

-occupies a particular place in the heart of every American citizen, and

WHEREAS certain historic rooms and entranceways in the White House

-possess great human interest and historic significance

-traditionally have been open to visitors

-have provided pleasure and patriotic inspiration to millions of our citizens

-have come to be regarded as a public museum and the proud possession of all Americans, and

WHEREAS the Congress by law (Act of September 22, 1961), (75 Stat. 586) [set out as a note under this section] has authorized the care and preservation of the historic and artistic contents of the White House and has given the President certain responsibilities with regard thereto:

NOW, THEREFORE, by virtue of the authority vested in me as President of the United States, it is ordered as follows:

Section 1. (a) There shall be in the White House a Curator of the White House. The Curator shall assist in the preservation and protection of the articles of furniture, fixtures, and decorative objects used or displayed in the principal corridor on the ground floor and the principal public rooms on the first floor of the White House, and in such other areas in the White House as the President may designate.

(b) The Curator shall report to the President and shall make recommendations with respect to the articles, fixtures, and objects to be declared by the President, under section 2 of the Act of September 22, 1961, to be of historic or artistic interest.

Sec. 2. There is hereby established the Committee for the Preservation of the White House, hereinafter referred to as the "Committee". The Committee shall be composed of the Director of the National Park Service, the Curator of the White House, the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, the Chairman of the Commission of Fine Arts, the Director of the National Gallery of Art, the Chief Usher of the White House, and so many other members as the President may from time to time appoint. The Director of the National Park Service shall serve as Chairman of the Committee and shall designate an employee of that Service to act as Executive Secretary of the Committee. Members of the Committee shall serve without compensation.

Sec. 3. (a) The Committee shall report to the President and shall advise the Director of the National Park Service with respect to the discharge of his responsibility under the Act of September 22, 1961, for the preservation and the interpretation of the museum character of the principal corridor on the ground floor and the principal public rooms on the first floor of the White House. Among other things, the Committee shall make recommendations as to the articles of furniture, fixtures, and decorative objects which shall be used or displayed in the aforesaid areas of the White House and as to the decor and arrangements therein best suited to enhance the historic and artistic values of the White House and of such articles, fixtures, and objects.

(b) The Committee shall cooperate with the White House Historical Association, a nonprofit organization heretofore formed under the laws of the District of Columbia.

(c) The Committee is authorized to invite individuals who are distinguished or interested in the fine arts to attend its meetings or otherwise to assist in carrying out its functions.

Sec. 4. Consonant with law, each Federal department and agency represented on the Committee shall furnish necessary assistance to the Committee in accordance with section 214 of the Act of May 3, 1945, 59 Stat. 134 (31 U.S.C. 691) [31 U.S.C. 1346(b)]. The Department of the Interior shall furnish necessary administrative services for the Committee.

Extension of Term of Committee for the Preservation of the White House

Term of Committee for the Preservation of the White House extended until Sept. 30, 2025, by Ex. Ord. No. 14109, Sept. 29, 2023, 88 F.R. 68447, set out as a note under section 1013 of Title 5, Government Organization and Employees.

Previous extensions of term of Committee for the Preservation of the White House were contained in the following prior Executive Orders:

Ex. Ord. No. 14048, Sept. 30, 2021, 86 F.R. 55465, extended term until Sept. 30, 2023.

Ex. Ord. No. 13889, Sept. 27, 2019, 84 F.R. 52743, extended term until Sept. 30, 2021.

Ex. Ord. No. 13811, Sept. 29, 2017, 82 F.R. 46363, extended term until Sept. 30, 2019.

Ex. Ord. No. 13708, Sept. 30, 2015, 80 F.R. 60271, extended term until Sept. 30, 2017.

Ex. Ord. No. 13652, Sept. 30, 2013, 78 F.R. 61817, extended term until Sept. 30, 2015.

Ex. Ord. No. 13585, Sept. 30, 2011, 76 F.R. 62281, extended term until Sept. 30, 2013.

Ex. Ord. No. 13511, Sept. 29, 2009, 74 F.R. 50909, extended term until Sept. 30, 2011.

Ex. Ord. No. 13446, Sept. 28, 2007, 72 F.R. 56175, extended term until Sept. 30, 2009.

Ex. Ord. No. 13385, Sept. 29, 2005, 70 F.R. 57989, extended term until Sept. 30, 2007.

Ex. Ord. No. 13316, Sept. 17, 2003, 68 F.R. 55255, extended term until Sept. 30, 2005.

Ex. Ord. No. 13225, Sept. 28, 2001, 66 F.R. 50291, extended term until Sept. 30, 2003.

Ex. Ord. No. 13138, Sept. 30, 1999, 64 F.R. 53879, extended term until Sept. 30, 2001.

Ex. Ord. No. 13062, Sept. 29, 1997, 62 F.R. 51755, extended term until Sept. 30, 1999.

Ex. Ord. No. 12974, Sept. 29, 1995, 60 F.R. 51875, extended term until Sept. 30, 1997.

Ex. Ord. No. 12869, Sept. 30, 1993, 58 F.R. 51751, extended term until Sept. 30, 1995.

Ex. Ord. No. 12774, Sept. 27, 1991, 56 F.R. 49835, extended term until Sept. 30, 1993.

Ex. Ord. No. 12692, Sept. 29, 1989, 54 F.R. 40627, extended term until Sept. 30, 1991.

Ex. Ord. No. 12610, Sept. 30, 1987, 52 F.R. 36901, extended term until Sept. 30, 1989.

Ex. Ord. No. 12534, Sept. 30, 1985, 50 F.R. 40319, extended term until Sept. 30, 1987.

Ex. Ord. No. 12489, Sept. 28, 1984, 49 F.R. 38927, extended term until Sept. 30, 1985.

Ex. Ord. No. 12399, Dec. 31, 1982, 48 F.R. 379, extended term until Sept. 30, 1984.

Ex. Ord. No. 12258, Dec. 31, 1980, 46 F.R. 1251, extended term until Dec. 31, 1982.

Ex. Ord. No. 12110, Dec. 28, 1978, 44 F.R. 1069, extended term until Dec. 31, 1980.

Ex. Ord. No. 11948, Dec. 20, 1976, 41 F.R. 55705, extended term until Dec. 31, 1978.