[Congressional Bills 103th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5024 Introduced in House (IH)]

103d CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 5024

 To require that the Director of the National Park Service construct a 
   National Training Center at the National Afro-American Museum and 
                Cultural Center, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           September 12, 1994

Mr. Stokes (for himself and Mr. Hobson) introduced the following bill; 
 which was referred jointly to the Committees on Natural Resources and 
                          Education and Labor

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To require that the Director of the National Park Service construct a 
   National Training Center at the National Afro-American Museum and 
                Cultural Center, and for other purposes.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``National Training Center for 
Minority Museum, Archives, and Historic Preservation Professionals 
Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES.

    (a) Findings.--The Congress makes the following findings:
            (1) By a law enacted in 1980, the National Afro-American 
        History and Culture Commission was established to develop plans 
        for the construction and operation of the National Center for 
        the Study of Afro-American History and Culture (now known as 
        the National Afro-American Museum and Cultural Center).
            (2) The Museum was constructed at Wilberforce, Ohio, and 
        opened to the public in April 1988.
            (3) It was the intent of Congress, and the understanding of 
        the State of Ohio, that the Federal Government would assist the 
        State by providing funds for construction and development of 
        the Museum as a joint Federal-State project, yet this 
        partnership was not clarified in the original legislation.
            (4) The State of Ohio has assumed almost exclusive 
        financial responsibility for the Museum thus far.
            (5) There is a gross underrepresentation of minority 
        museum, archives, and historic preservation professionals in 
        our Nation's museums, archives, and historic preservation 
        offices, which results in the failure to preserve important 
        artifacts, manuscripts, and sites related to minority history 
        and culture.
            (6) The State of Ohio has gone as far as it can without 
        tangible Federal assistance and needs Federal funds for 
        construction of a center at the Museum to be used to train 
        minority museum, archives, and historic preservation 
        professionals for our Nation's museums, archives, and historic 
        preservation offices.
            (7) Public Law 101-628 instructs the National Park Service 
        to develop a range of concepts to preserve, interpret and 
        commemorate the Underground Railroad story. During the 19th 
        Century, the State of Ohio and its citizens played major roles 
        in helping escaped slaves to freedom via the Underground 
        Railroad. Wilberforce, Ohio was an important station among a 
        network of stations in Ohio.
    (b) Purposes.--In order to meet the charge of the original 
legislation, the purposes of this Act are--
            (1) to authorize the appropriation of funds for 
        construction and maintenance of the National Training Center at 
        the National Afro-American Museum and Cultural Center at 
        Wilberforce, Ohio;
            (2) to authorize the establishment of a Board of Governors 
        of the National Afro-American Museum and Cultural Center 
        jointly with the State of Ohio; and
            (3) to authorize an interpretative and research center to 
        preserve, interpret and commemorate the Underground Railroad 
        story.

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

    For the purposes of this Act:
            (1) Board of governors.--The term ``Board of Governors'' 
        means the Board of Governors of the National Afro-American 
        Museum and Cultural Center established pursuant to section 6.
            (2) Director.--The term ``Director'' means the Director of 
        the National Park Service.
            (3) Museum.--The term ``Museum'' means the National Afro-
        American Museum and Cultural Center.

SEC. 4. NATIONAL TRAINING CENTER CONSTRUCTION AND OPERATIONS AND 
              MAINTENANCE.

    The Director shall--
            (1) construct, jointly with the State of Ohio, a National 
        Training Center at the Museum which will prepare professionals 
        for our Nation's museums, archives, and historic preservation 
        offices; and
            (2) through the Board of Governors established pursuant to 
        section 6, provide for the operation and maintenance of the 
        Museum and provide for technical assistance to the Museum.

SEC. 5. MINORITY MUSEUM PROFESSIONAL STUDIES.

    The Secretary of Education, acting through the Board of Governors, 
shall--
            (1) contract with a consortium of institutions of higher 
        education to implement a graduate degree program to train 
        minorities in museum, archives, and historic preservation 
        studies at the Museum;
            (2) offer annual seminars in museum, archival, and historic 
        preservation practices and periodic workshops, in conjunction 
        with the African American Museums Association and other 
        professional organizations, to serve the needs of minority 
        museum professionals; and
            (3) provide scholarships and loans for students and 
        professionals in the studies established under paragraphs (1) 
        and (2).

SEC. 6. BOARD OF GOVERNORS OF MUSEUM.

    (a) Establishment.--The Secretary of Education and the Director are 
authorized to establish jointly with the State of Ohio a Board of 
Governors of the National Afro-American Museum and Cultural Center 
which meets the requirements of subsection (b) and which has the 
authority to carry out the duties, responsibilities, and authorities 
required by this Act.
    (b) Requirements for Board of Governors.--The requirements for the 
Board of Governors referred to in subsection (a) are as follows:
            (1) Number and appointment.--
                    (A) Four members of the Board of Governors are 
                appointed by the Governor of Ohio, who are--
                            (i) the presidents of Central State 
                        University, Wright State University, and 
                        Wilberforce University, or their designees; and
                            (ii) the Director of the Ohio Historical 
                        Society, or the Director's designee.
                    (B) Five members of the Board of Governors who 
                shall be from diverse disciplines and geographical 
                residence and shall be committed to the advancement of 
                knowledge and African American and minority history and 
                culture, of whom--
                            (i) three shall be appointed by the 
                        Governor of Ohio;
                            (ii) one shall be appointed by the 
                        Secretary; and
                            (iii) one shall be appointed by the 
                        Director.
            (2) Terms.--
                    (A) In general.--Except as provided in subparagraph 
                (B), the term for members of the Board of Governors is 
                three years and members may be reappointed.
                    (B) Staggered terms.--As designated by the 
                appointing authority at the time of initial 
                appointments pursuant to paragraph (1)(B), the term of 
                one member expires at the end of one year, the terms of 
                two members expire at the end of two years, and the 
                terms of three members expire at the end of three 
                years.
            (3) Vacancies.--A vacancy on the Board of Governors shall 
        not affect its powers and shall be filled in the manner in 
        which the original appointment was made. Any member appointed 
        to fill a vacancy occurring before the expiration of the term 
        for which the predecessor of the member was appointed for the 
        remainder of the term.
            (4) No compensation.--Except as provided in paragraph (5), 
        members of the Board of Governors appointed pursuant to 
        paragraph (1)(B) shall serve without pay.
            (5) Expenses.--Members of the Board of Governors appointed 
        pursuant to paragraph (1)(B) shall receive per diem, travel, 
        and transportation expenses for each day, including travel 
        time, during which they are engaged in the performance of the 
        duties of the Board of Governors in accordance with section 
        5703 of title 5, United States Code, with respect to employees 
        serving intermittently in the Government service.
            (6) Chairperson.--The Board of Governors shall elect a 
        chairperson by a majority vote of the members of the Board of 
        Governors.
            (7) Meetings.--The Board of Governors shall meet at the 
        call of the chairperson or upon the written request of a 
        majority of its members, but shall meet not less than twice 
        each year.
            (8) Quorum.--A majority of the Board of Governors shall 
        constitute a quorum for purposes of conducting business, but a 
        lesser number may receive information on behalf of the Board of 
        Governors.
            (9) Voluntary services.--Notwithstanding section 1342 of 
        title 31, United States Code, the chairperson of the Board of 
        Governors may accept for the Board of Governors voluntary 
        services provided by a member of the Board of Governors.
    (c) Commission Termination.--Effective 30 days after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the National Center for the Study of Afro-
American History and Culture Act (20 U.S.C. 3701 et seq.) is repealed.

SEC. 7. DUTIES, AUTHORITIES, AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE BOARD OF 
              GOVERNORS OF THE MUSEUM.

    (a) In General.--The duties of the Board of Governors established 
pursuant to section 6(a) are as follows:
            (1) To recommend annual budgets for the Museum and the 
        National Training Center established pursuant to section 4.
            (2) To have the sole authority to--
                    (A) loan, exchange, sell, or otherwise dispose of 
                any part of the collections of the Museum, but only if 
                the funds generated by such disposition are used for 
                additions to the collections of the Museum or for 
                additions to the endowment of the Museum;
                    (B) subject to the availability of funds and the 
                provisions of annual budgets of the Museum, purchase, 
                accept, borrow, or otherwise acquire artifacts and 
                other property for addition to the collections of the 
                Museum;
                    (C) establish policy with respect to the 
                utilization of the collections of the Museum; and
                    (D) establish policy regarding programming, 
                education, exhibitions, and research, with respect to 
                the life and culture of African Americans, the role of 
                African Americans in the history of the United States, 
                especially the significance of the Underground 
                Railroad, and the contributions of African Americans to 
                society.
            (3) To have authority to--
                    (A) provide for restoration, preservation, and 
                maintenance of the collections of the Museum;
                    (B) solicit funds for the Museum and determine the 
                purposes to which those funds shall be used;
                    (C) approve expenditures from the endowment of the 
                Museum, or of income generated from the endowment, for 
                any purpose of the Museum; and
                    (D) consult with, advise, and support the Director 
                in the operation of the Museum.
            (4) To establish programs in cooperation with other 
        minority museums, historical societies, educational 
        institutions, cultural and other organizations for the 
        education and promotion of understanding regarding minority 
        life, art, history, and culture.
            (5) To support the efforts of other minority museums and 
        cultural and other organizations to educate and promote 
        understanding regarding minority life, art, history, and 
        culture, including--
                    (A) development of cooperative programs and 
                exhibitions;
                    (B) identification, management, and care of 
                collections;
                    (C) participation in the training of museum 
                archives and historic preservation professionals; and
                    (D) creating opportunities for--
                            (i) research fellowships; and
                            (ii) professional and student internships.
            (6) To adopt bylaws to carry out the functions of the Board 
        of Governors.
            (7) To report annually to Congress and the Ohio legislature 
        on the acquisition, disposition, and display of minority 
        American objects and artifacts and on other appropriate 
        matters.

SEC. 8. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    (a) Capital.--There is authorized to be appropriated to the 
Director for construction, equipment, and exhibit installation pursuant 
to section 4(1) (1) $2,000,000 for fiscal year 1996 for planning and 
design; and (2) $10,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 1997 and 1998 
for construction, equipment and exhibit installation.
    (b) Operations.--There is authorized to be appropriated to the 
Director (1) $1,000,000 for operation and maintenance pursuant to 
section 4(2); and (2) $25,000 annually for the Board of Governors 
pursuant to section 6(b)(5).
    (c) Minority Museum Professional Studies.--There is authorized to 
be appropriated to the Secretary such sums as may be necessary to carry 
out section 5.
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