[Congressional Bills 104th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4073 Introduced in House (IH)]







104th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 4073

  To authorize the National Park Service to coordinate programs with, 
provide technical assistance to, and enter into cooperative agreements 
 with, the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center in Cincinnati, 
                     Ohio, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           September 12, 1996

   Mr. Portman (for himself, Mr. Chabot, Mr. Stokes, Mr. Regula, Mr. 
 Jefferson, Mr. Cremeans, Mr. Bunning of Kentucky, Mr. Torricelli, Mr. 
 Hobson, Mr. LaTourette, Mr. Hoke, Mr. Kasich, Mr. Sawyer, Mr. Hall of 
Ohio, Mr. Watts of Oklahoma, Mr. Boehner, Ms. Pryce, Mr. Traficant, Mr. 
 Ney, Mr. Oxley, Mr. Jacobs, Mr. Zimmer, Mr. Lipinski, Mr. Evans, and 
  Mr. Towns) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                         Committee on Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To authorize the National Park Service to coordinate programs with, 
provide technical assistance to, and enter into cooperative agreements 
 with, the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center in Cincinnati, 
                     Ohio, 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. FINDINGS.

    The Congress finds that--
            (1) the story of the Underground Railroad, which links 
        historical themes related to slavery, the desire for freedom, 
        inter-racial cooperation, and the African-American experience, 
        is unique and nationally significant;
            (2) elements of the story of the Underground Railroad are 
        not adequately represented and protected;
            (3) an entity to interpret and preserve the story of the 
        Underground Railroad is appropriate and necessary; and
            (4) the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center in 
        Cincinnati, Ohio, has been established to commemorate historic 
        themes related to slavery, the desire for freedom, inter-racial 
        cooperation, and the African-American experience and to relate 
        these themes to the ongoing struggle for freedom among men, 
        women, and children around the world.

SEC. 2. PURPOSES.

    The purposes of this Act are--
            (1) to recognize the importance of the Underground 
        Railroad, the sacrifices made by those in search of freedom 
        from tyranny and oppression, and the sacrifices made by those 
        who helped those individuals in search of freedom;
            (2) to encourage and assist the National Underground 
        Railroad Freedom Center in Cincinnati, Ohio, in becoming a 
        principal interpretive center of the Underground Railroad 
        experience in the United States; and
            (3) to provide a role for the Federal Government in 
        enhancing public understanding and appreciation of the 
        Underground Railroad and in preserving the many resources of 
        the Underground Railroad.

SEC. 3. COORDINATION OF PROGRAMS; TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE; AFFILIATED 
              STATUS.

    (a) Coordination of Programs.--The Secretary of the Interior may 
coordinate the Underground Railroad interpretive programs of the 
National Park Service with the interpretive activities of the National 
Underground Railroad Freedom Center (in this Act referred to as the 
``Center''), which is to be built in Cincinnati, Ohio, and is to be 
devoted to the story of the Underground Railroad.
    (b) Technical Assistance.--The Secretary may provide technical 
assistance to the Center in developing the interpretative programs of 
the Center.
    (c) Relationship To National Park Service.--The Secretary shall 
treat the Center as an affiliated area of the National Park System.

SEC. 4. COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS; PARTNERSHIP.

    (a) Cooperative Agreements.--The Secretary of the Interior may 
enter into cooperative agreements with the State of Ohio, the city of 
Cincinnati, Ohio, and other public or private entities to provide 
technical assistance to the Center.
    (b) Partnership.--The National Park Service may work in partnership 
with the Center in the efforts of the Center to disseminate information 
on the Underground Railroad.
                                 <all>