[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2749 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







106th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 2749

To establish the California Trail Interpretive Center in Elko, Nevada, 
to facilitate the interpretation of the history of development and use 
 of trails in the settling of the western portion of the United States.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             June 19, 2000

   Mr. Reid introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
       referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To establish the California Trail Interpretive Center in Elko, Nevada, 
to facilitate the interpretation of the history of development and use 
 of trails in the settling of the western portion of the United States.

    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 ``California Trail Interpretive Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES.

    (a) Findings.--Congress finds that--
            (1) the nineteenth century westward movement in the United 
        States over the California National Historic Trail, which 
        occurred from 1840 until the completion of the transcontinental 
        railroad in 1869, was an important cultural and historical 
        event in--
                    (A) the development of the western land of the 
                United States; and
                    (B) the prevention of colonization of the west 
                coast by Russia and the British Empire;
            (2) the movement over the California Trail was completed by 
        over 300,000 settlers, many of whom left records or stories of 
        their journeys; and
            (3) additional recognition and interpretation of the 
        movement over the California Trail is appropriate in light of--
                    (A) the national scope of nineteenth century 
                westward movement in the United States; and
                    (B) the strong interest expressed by people of the 
                United States in understanding their history and 
                heritage.
    (b) Purposes.--The purposes of this Act are--
            (1) to recognize the California Trail, including the 
        Hastings Cutoff and the trail of the ill-fated Donner-Reed 
        Party, for its national, historical, and cultural significance; 
        and
            (2) to provide the public with an interpretive facility 
        devoted to the vital role of trails in the West in the 
        development of the United States.

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) California trail.--The term ``California Trail'' means 
        the California National Historic Trail, established under 
        section 5(a)(18) of the National Trails System Act (16 U.S.C. 
        1244(a)(18)).
            (2) Center.--The term ``Center'' means the California Trail 
        Interpretive Center established under section 4(a).
            (3) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of the Interior, acting through the Director of the Bureau of 
        Land Management.
            (4) State.--The term ``State'' means the State of Nevada.

SEC. 4. CALIFORNIA TRAIL INTERPRETIVE CENTER.

    (a) Establishment.--
            (1) In general.--In furtherance of the purposes of section 
        7(c) of the National Trails System Act (16 U.S.C. 1246(c)), the 
        Secretary may establish an interpretation center to be known as 
        the ``California Trail Interpretive Center'', near the city of 
        Elko, Nevada.
            (2) Purpose.--The Center shall be established for the 
        purpose of interpreting the history of development and use of 
        the California Trail in the settling of the West.
    (b) Master Plan Study.--To carry out subsection (a), the Secretary 
shall--
            (1) consider the findings of the master plan study for the 
        California Trail Interpretive Center in Elko, Nevada, as 
        authorized by page 15 of Senate Report 106-99; and
            (2) initiate a plan for the development of the Center that 
        includes--
                    (A) a detailed description of the design of the 
                Center;
                    (B) a description of the site on which the Center 
                is to be located;
                    (C) a description of the method and estimated cost 
                of acquisition of the site on which the Center is to be 
                located;
                    (D) the estimated cost of construction of the 
                Center;
                    (E) the cost of operation and maintenance of the 
                Center; and
                    (F) a description of the manner and extent to which 
                non-Federal entities shall participate in the 
                acquisition and construction of the Center.
    (c) Implementation.--To carry out subsection (a), the Secretary 
may--
            (1) acquire land and interests in land for the construction 
        of the Center by--
                    (A) donation;
                    (B) purchase with donated or appropriated funds; or
                    (C) exchange;
            (2) provide for local review of and input concerning the 
        development and operation of the Center by the Advisory Board 
        for the National Historic California Emigrant Trails 
        Interpretive Center of the city of Elko, Nevada;
            (3) periodically prepare a budget and funding request that 
        allows a Federal agency to carry out the maintenance and 
        operation of the Center;
            (4) enter into a cooperative agreement with--
                    (A) the State, to provide assistance in--
                            (i) removal of snow from roads;
                            (ii) rescue, firefighting, and law 
                        enforcement services; and
                            (iii) coordination of activities of nearby 
                        law enforcement and firefighting departments or 
                        agencies; and
                    (B) a Federal, State, or local agency to develop or 
                operate facilities and services to carry out this Act; 
                and
            (5) notwithstanding any other provision of law, accept 
        donations of funds, property, or services from an individual, 
        foundation, corporation, or public entity to provide a service 
        or facility that is consistent with this Act, as determined by 
        the Secretary, including 1-time contributions for the Center 
        (to be payable during construction funding periods for the 
        Center after the date of enactment of this Act) from--
                    (A) the State, in the amount of $3,000,000;
                    (B) Elko County, Nevada, in the amount of 
                $1,000,000; and
                    (C) the city of Elko, Nevada, in the amount of 
                $2,000,000.

SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this Act 
$12,000,000.
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