[Congressional Bills 105th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4623 Introduced in House (IH)]







105th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 4623

 To amend title 36, United States Code, to grant a Federal charter to 
               the National Lighthouse Center and Museum.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           September 24, 1998

 Mr. Fossella (for himself, Mrs. Kelly, Mr. Manton, Mr. Ackerman, Mr. 
King, Mr. Meeks of New York, Mr. Solomon, Mrs. Maloney of New York, Mr. 
    Engel, and Mr. Gilman) introduced the following bill; which was 
               referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To amend title 36, United States Code, to grant a Federal charter to 
               the National Lighthouse Center and Museum.

    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 Lighthouse Center and 
Museum Act''.

SEC. 2. NATIONAL LIGHTHOUSE CENTER AND MUSEUM.

    Part B of subtitle II of title 36, United States Code, is amended 
by inserting after chapter 1519 the following new chapter:

         ``CHAPTER 1520--NATIONAL LIGHTHOUSE CENTER AND MUSEUM

``Sec.
``152001. Organization.
``152002. Purposes.
``152003. Operation of museum.
``152004. Membership.
``152005. Governing body.
``152006. Powers.
``152007. Restrictions.
``152008. Duty to maintain corporate and tax-exempt status.
``152009. Records and inspection.
``152010. Service of process.
``152011. Liability for acts of officers and agents.
``152012. Annual report.
``152013. Definitions.
``Sec. 152001. Organization
    ``(a) Federal Charter.--The National Lighthouse Center and Museum, 
Inc., incorporated in New York, is a federally chartered corporation.
    ``(b) Expiration of Charter.--If the corporation does not comply 
with any provision of this chapter, the charter granted by this chapter 
expires.
``Sec. 152002. Purposes
    ``The purposes of the corporation are as provided in its 
certificate of incorporation and include--
            ``(1) broadening public appreciation and understanding of 
        the lighthouse heritage of the United States;
            ``(2) collecting, researching, and interpreting the history 
        and technology of lighthouses;
            ``(3) creating an archive and fostering research of the 
        history of lighthouses in the United States;
            ``(4) serving as a contact point for public inquiry and 
        assistance regarding the history of lighthouses in the United 
        States using state of the art communication;
            ``(5) celebrating the lighthouse heritage of the United 
        States through educational seminars, publications, films, 
        festivals, living history, lighthouse trails, conferences, and 
        other programs and materials;
            ``(6) supporting existing and future lighthouse museums, 
        organizations, and sites;
            ``(7) establishing relationships with other organizations 
        to further the purposes of the corporation under this section; 
        and
            ``(8) engaging in any other lawful act or activity 
        necessary to further the purposes of the corporation under this 
        section.
``Sec. 152003. Operation of museum
    ``(a) In General.--The corporation shall operate a museum to be 
known as the National Lighthouse Center and Museum at the site of the 
former United States Lighthouse Depot located at what is now known as 
St. George, Staten Island, New York.
    ``(b) Storage Facility.--The corporation shall operate a storage 
facility located at or near the site described in subsection (a) for 
the care, conservation, and maintenance of artifacts in the collection 
of the corporation.
    ``(c) Support to Other Museums.--The corporation shall provide 
support to other museums that interpret the history of aids to 
navigation in the United States.
    ``(d) Designation of Collection.--The collection of artifacts of 
the National Lighthouse Center and Museum shall be known as the 
National Lighthouse Collection.
    ``(e) Exclusive Right.--The corporation shall have the sole and 
exclusive right to use, in carrying out its purposes, the name 
`National Lighthouse Center and Museum' and the sole and exclusive 
right to the use of its corporate seal, emblems, and badges as adopted 
by the corporation.
``Sec. 152004. Membership
    ``Eligibility for membership in the corporation and the rights and 
privileges of members are as provided in the bylaws of the corporation.
``Sec. 152005. Governing body
    ``(a) Board of Directors.--The board of directors of the 
corporation and the responsibilities of the board are as provided in 
the certificate of incorporation and the bylaws of the corporation.
    ``(b) Officers.--The officers and the election of officers of the 
corporation are as provided in the bylaws of the corporation.
``Sec. 152006. Powers
    ``The corporation has only the powers provided in its bylaws and 
certificate of incorporation in the State of New York and in the 
certificate of authority in any other State in which the corporation 
is, or shall be, qualified to do business.
``Sec. 152007. Restrictions
    ``(a) Stock and Dividends.--The corporation may not issue stock or 
declare or pay a dividend.
    ``(b) Political Activities.--The corporation or a director or 
officer, acting as such director or officer, may not contribute to, 
support, or participate in any political activity or in any manner 
attempt to influence legislation.
    ``(c) Distribution of Income or Assets.--The income or assets of 
the corporation may not inure to the benefit of, or be distributed to, 
a director, officer, or member during the life of the charter granted 
by this chapter. This subsection does not prevent the payment of 
reasonable compensation to an officer or reimbursement for actual 
necessary expenses in amounts approved by the board of directors.
    ``(d) Loans.--The corporation may not make a loan to a director, 
officer, or employee.
    ``(e) Claim of Governmental Approval or Authorization.--The 
corporation may not claim congressional approval or the authority of 
the United States Government for any of its activities.
``Sec. 152008. Duty to maintain corporate and tax-exempt status
    ``(a) Corporate Status.--The corporation shall maintain its 
corporate status as a corporation incorporated under the laws of the 
State of New York.
    ``(b) Tax-Exempt Status.--The corporation shall maintain its status 
as an organization exempt from taxation under the Internal Revenue Code 
of 1986 (26 U.S.C. 1 et seq.).
``Sec. 152009. Records and inspection
    ``(a) Records.--The corporation shall keep--
            ``(1) correct and complete records of account;
            ``(2) minutes of the proceedings of its members, board of 
        directors, and committees; and
            ``(3) at its principal office, a record of the names and 
        addresses of its members entitled to vote, if any.
    ``(b) Inspection.--Any officer or director, or any member entitled 
to vote (if any), or an agent or attorney of such officer, director, or 
member, may inspect the records of the corporation for any proper 
purpose at any reasonable time.
``Sec. 152010. Service of process
    ``The corporation shall comply with the law on service of process 
of the State of New York and in each State in which it carries on 
activities.
``Sec. 152011. Liability for acts of officers and agents
    ``The corporation is liable for the acts of its officers and agents 
acting within the scope of their authority.
``Sec. 152012. Annual report
    ``The corporation shall submit an annual report to Congress on the 
activities of the corporation during the prior fiscal year. The report 
shall be submitted at the same time as the report of the audit required 
by section 10101 of this title. The report may not be printed as a 
public document.
``Sec. 152013. Definitions
    ``For purposes of this chapter--
            ``(1) the term `corporation' means the National Lighthouse 
        Center and Museum, Inc., incorporated in New York; and
            ``(2) the term `State' includes the District of Columbia 
        and the territories and possessions of the United States.''.

SEC. 3. CLERICAL AMENDMENT.

    The table of chapters at the beginning of subtitle II of title 36, 
United States Code, is amended by inserting after the item relating to 
chapter 1519 the following new item:

``1520. NATIONAL LIGHTHOUSE CENTER AND MUSEUM...............  152001''.
                                 <all>