[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2557 Introduced in House (IH)]







106th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 2557

To direct the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a feasibility study 
      on the inclusion in Biscayne National Park, Florida, of the 
             archaeological site known as the Miami Circle.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 19, 1999

Mrs. Meek of Florida introduced the following bill; which was referred 
                     to the Committee on Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To direct the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a feasibility study 
      on the inclusion in Biscayne National Park, Florida, of the 
             archaeological site known as the Miami Circle.

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

SECTION 1. FEASIBILITY STUDY REGARDING INCLUSION OF MIAMI CIRCLE IN 
              BISCAYNE NATIONAL PARK.

    (a) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
            (1) The Tequesta Indians were one of the earliest groups to 
        establish permanent villages in southeast Florida.
            (2) The Tequestas had one of only two North American 
        civilizations that thrived and developed into a complex social 
        chiefdom without an agricultural base.
            (3) The Tequesta sites that remain preserved today are 
        rare.
            (4) The Miami Circle, which includes the remains of a 
        circular ceremonial site constructed by the Tequesta 
        approximately 2,000 years ago, presents a valuable new 
        opportunity to learn more about the Tequesta culture.
            (5) Biscayne National Park in nearby Homestead, Florida, 
        already contains and protects several prehistoric Tequesta 
        sites.
            (6) As a valuable archaeological resource and the only 
        Tequesta ceremonial site of its kind known to exist in Florida, 
        the Miami Circle is a national resource appropriate for 
        preservation and protection as part of the National Park 
        System.
    (b) Study Required.--The Secretary of the Interior, acting through 
the Director of the National Park Service, shall conduct a study to 
determine the feasibility of including the Miami Circle in Biscayne 
National Park in the State of Florida.
    (c) Components.--The study shall include the analysis and 
recommendations of the Secretary with respect to--
            (1) which, if any, particular areas of or surrounding the 
        Miami Circle should be included in Biscayne National Park;
            (2) whether any additional staff, facilities, or other 
        resources would be necessary to administer the Miami Circle as 
        a unit of the Park; and
            (3) any impact on the local area that would result from the 
        inclusion of the Miami Circle in the Park.
    (d) Completion and Submission.--Not later than 19 months after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to 
Congress a report describing the findings and recommendations contained 
in the study.
    (e) Miami Circle Defined.--In this section, the term ``Miami 
Circle'' means the property in Miami-Dade County of the State of 
Florida consisting of the three parcels described in Exhibit A in the 
appendix to the summons to show cause and notice of eminent domain 
proceedings, filed February 18, 1999, in Miami-Dade County v. Brickell 
Point, Ltd., in the circuit court of the 11th judicial circuit of 
Florida in and for Miami-Dade County.
    (f) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated such sums as are necessary to carry out this section.
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