[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2816 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







106th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 2816

    To provide the financial mechanisms, resource protections, and 
   professional skills necessary for high quality stewardship of the 
  National Park System, to commemorate the heritage of people of the 
  United States, to create new opportunities for people of the United 
  States to invest in the legacy of the National Park System, and to 
     recognize the importance of high quality outdoor recreational 
                opportunities on federally managed land.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             June 29, 2000

  Mr. Graham (for himself, Mr. Akaka, Mr. L. Chafee, and Mr. McCain) 
introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the 
               Committee on Energy and Natural Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
    To provide the financial mechanisms, resource protections, and 
   professional skills necessary for high quality stewardship of the 
  National Park System, to commemorate the heritage of people of the 
  United States, to create new opportunities for people of the United 
  States to invest in the legacy of the National Park System, and to 
     recognize the importance of high quality outdoor recreational 
                opportunities on federally managed land.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.

    (a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``National Parks 
Stewardship Act''.
    (b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents of this Act is as 
follows:

Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
                      TITLE I--FINANCIAL RESOURCES

Sec. 101. Revenue bond program development.
Sec. 102. Recreational fee program.
Sec. 103. Challenge cost share projects.
                  TITLE II--PARK RESOURCE PRESERVATION

Sec. 201. Activities in units of the National Park System.
Sec. 202. Federal actions concerning units of the National Park System.
Sec. 203. Preservation of historical documents, records, and reports.
Sec. 204. Report on visitation and use.
Sec. 205. Assessment of outside threats to units of the National Park 
                            System.
             TITLE III--NATIONAL PARK SYSTEM REPRESENTATION

Sec. 301. Findings.
Sec. 302. Ethnic and cultural representation.
Sec. 303. Ethnohistorical and anthropological interpretation of 
                            National Park System.
              TITLE IV--HUMAN RESOURCES FOR NATIONAL PARKS

Sec. 401. Establishment of pilot program.
Sec. 402. Identification of park management position requirements.

                      TITLE I--FINANCIAL RESOURCES

SEC. 101. REVENUE BOND PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT.

    Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the 
Secretary of the Treasury, in coordination with the Secretary of the 
Interior, shall submit to Congress a report that--
            (1) describes a program that would enable the Secretary of 
        the Interior to issue revenue bonds to finance improvements at 
        a national park, including--
                    (A) large scale improvements and other 
                construction; and
                    (B) maintenance activities, including the 
                rehabilitation or replacement of facilities to--
                            (i) preserve and protect park resources; 
                        and
                            (ii) facilitate visitation; and
            (2) describes any changes to laws (including regulations) 
        that govern the Federal budget process that are necessary to 
        enable the Secretary of the Interior to issue revenue bonds 
        under the program described in the report.

SEC. 102. RECREATIONAL FEE PROGRAM.

    (a) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Agency.--The term ``agency'' means--
                    (A) the National Park Service;
                    (B) the United States Fish and Wildlife Service;
                    (C) the Bureau of Land Management;
                    (D) the Bureau of Reclamation; and
                    (E) the Forest Service.
            (2) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means--
                    (A) with respect to the Department of the Interior, 
                the Secretary of the Interior, acting through--
                            (i) the Director of the National Park 
                        Service;
                            (ii) the Director of the United States Fish 
                        and Wildlife Service;
                            (iii) the Director of the Bureau of Land 
                        Management; or
                            (iv) the Commissioner of Reclamation; and
                    (B) with respect to the Department of Agriculture, 
                the Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the Chief 
                of the Forest Service.
    (b) Program.--Notwithstanding section 4 of the Land and Water 
Conservation Fund Act (16 U.S.C. 460l-6a), effective beginning on 
October 1, 2001, the Secretary--
            (1) may establish, charge, and collect fees for--
                    (A) admission to an area, site, or project on land 
                under the jurisdiction of an agency; and
                    (B) the use of a recreation area, site, facility, 
                visitor center, equipment, and service (including a 
                reservation) of an agency by an individual or a group;
            (2) in establishing a fee under this section, shall--
                    (A) ensure, to the maximum extent practicable, that 
                the fee is fair and equitable, by taking into 
                consideration--
                            (i) the direct and indirect cost of the fee 
                        to the Federal Government;
                            (ii) the revenue benefits to the Federal 
                        Government;
                            (iii) the benefits to the visitor derived 
                        from fees;
                            (iv) the cumulative effect of fees charged 
                        to the public;
                            (v) the public policy or management 
                        objectives served by charging the fee;
                            (vi) the comparable recreation fees charged 
                        by other public agencies;
                            (vii) the economic and administrative 
                        feasibility of fee collection; and
                            (viii) other pertinent factors; and
                    (B) require that any implementation or alteration 
                of a recreation fee shall be approved in advance by a 
                board of review, to be appointed by the Secretary;
            (3) may enter into contracts, which may provide for 
        reasonable commissions or reimbursements, with any public or 
        private entity to provide fee collection and processing 
        services;
            (4) may authorize the use of volunteers to collect fees 
        charged under paragraph (1);
            (5) may sell and accept--
                    (A) Golden Eagle Passports, Golden Age Passports, 
                and Golden Access Passports, established under 
                paragraphs (1), (4), and (5), respectively, of section 
                4(a) of the Land and Water Conservation Fund Act (16 
                U.S.C. 460l-6a); and
                    (B) National Park Passports established under 
                section 602 of the National Parks Omnibus Management 
                Act of 1998 (16 U.S.C. 5992); and
            (6) may develop, sell, and accept single or multiagency 
        passports.
    (c) Cooperative Agreements.--The Secretary may enter into 
cooperative agreements with other Federal agencies and State, local, 
and tribal governments to collect fees at areas, sites, or projects 
located on land under the jurisdiction of the Secretary or the other 
Federal agency, State, local, or tribal government.
    (d) Discounted or Free Admission or Use.--In establishing a fee 
under this section, the Secretary may provide discounted or free 
admission or use, as determined to be appropriate by the Secretary, for 
individuals or groups including--
            (1) persons 17 years of age or younger;
            (2) volunteers;
            (3) groups from schools or other bona fide educational 
        institutions in cases in which admission or use is for 
        educational purposes; and
            (4) other entities or individuals that the Secretary 
        determines to be appropriate.
    (e) Administration.--The Secretary may promulgate such regulations 
as are necessary to carry out this section.
    (f) Distribution of Receipts.--
            (1) In general.--Fees collected under subsection (a) 
        shall--
                    (A) be deposited in a special account in the 
                Treasury established for each agency that collects fees 
                under this section; and
                    (B) remain available to the Secretary without 
                further Act of appropriation until expended.
            (2) Distribution.--
                    (A) In general.--Not less than 80 percent of 
                amounts collected as fees at a specific area, site, or 
                project, as determined by the Secretary, shall remain 
                available for use at the specific area, site, or 
                project at which the fees were collected.
                    (B) Use of fees at noncollection sites.--
                            (i) In general.--The amounts collected as 
                        fees at a specific area, site, or project that 
                        are not distributed in accordance with 
                        subparagraph (A) shall remain available for use 
                        by each agency that collected the fees, on an 
                        agency-wide basis.
                            (ii) Use by agency.--Amounts under clause 
                        (i) shall be distributed for use in accordance 
                        with subsection (g)(1) to units of each agency 
                        having the greatest need for funds, as 
                        determined by the Secretary.
                    (C) Disbursement under cooperative agreement.--
                            (i) In general.--A cooperative agreement 
                        described in subsection (c) may provide for an 
                        initial disbursement of fees collected under 
                        the agreement to parties to the agreement.
                            (ii) Remaining amounts.--Fees collected 
                        under clause (i) that are retained by an agency 
                        shall be distributed under subparagraphs (A) 
                        and (B).
    (g) Expenditures.--
            (1) In general.--Amounts available under subsection 
        (f)(2)(A) for expenditure at a specific area, site, or 
        project--
                    (A) shall be accounted for separately; and
                    (B) may be used for--
                            (i) repair, maintenance, facility 
                        enhancement, and infrastructure (including 
                        projects relating to visitor enjoyment, visitor 
                        health and safety, visitor access, and 
                        environmental compliance);
                            (ii) interpretation, visitor information, 
                        visitor services, and signage;
                            (iii) enhancement of habitat;
                            (iv) assessment, protection, preservation, 
                        and restoration of natural, cultural, and 
                        historical resources;
                            (v) law enforcement relating to public use; 
                        and
                            (vi) direct operating or capital costs 
                        associated with the fee system authorized by 
                        this section, including--
                                    (I) the costs of fee collections;
                                    (II) the costs of notification of 
                                fee requirements;
                                    (III) the costs of direct 
                                infrastructure;
                                    (IV) fee management administrative 
                                costs;
                                    (V) the costs of the bonding of 
                                volunteers;
                                    (VI) start-up costs; and
                                    (VII) the costs of analysis and 
                                reporting of program accomplishments 
                                and impacts.
            (2) Remaining amounts.--Amounts available under subsection 
        (f)(2)(B) for expenditure agency-wide--
                    (A) shall be accounted for separately; and
                    (B) may be used for the purposes described in 
                paragraph (1) for areas, sites, or projects selected by 
                each agency.
            (3) Prioritization of projects.--In prioritizing 
        expenditures under this subsection for projects, an agency 
should give high priority to deferred maintenance projects.
    (h) Signage and Information at Recreation Fee Project Sites.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary shall develop, and require 
        the display of, uniform signage at each unit where work is 
        being performed or services are being provided using recreation 
        fee revenues.
            (2) Use.--Signs developed under paragraph (1) shall--
                    (A) inform park visitors of examples of their 
                ``recreation fees at work'';
                    (B) include a contact number and an Internet 
                address where the public may access additional 
                information about the recreation fee program; and
                    (C) be presented in such a way as to inform 
                visitors that recreation fees--
                            (i) are used at the site from which they 
                        are collected; and
                            (ii) are appreciated by the agency and 
                        other visitors.
    (i) Enforcement and Protection of Receipts.--
            (1) In general.--
                    (A) Enforcement.--The Secretary shall enforce 
                payment of the fees authorized by this section.
                    (B) Evidence of nonpayment.--If the display of 
                proof of payment of a fee, or the payment of a fee 
                within a certain time period, is required, failure to 
                display the proof or pay within the time specified 
                shall be considered prima facia evidence of nonpayment.
                    (C) Vehicular violations.--The registered owner and 
                occupants of a vehicle charged for a violation 
                involving the vehicle shall be jointly liable for 
                penalties imposed under this subsection, unless the 
                owner can show that the vehicle was used without the 
                express or implied permission of the owner.
            (2) Fee collection devices.--It shall be unlawful for a 
        person to--
                    (A) break into;
                    (B) tamper with; or
                    (C) attempt to break into;
        with the intent to commit larceny, any device or structure 
        used, in whole or in part, to collect or store fees under this 
        section.
            (3) Penalty.--
                    (A) In general.--A violation relating to a payment 
                of a fee described in paragraph (1) shall be punishable 
                as a Class B misdemeanor.
                    (B) Fee collection devices.--A violation of 
                paragraph (2) shall be punishable--
                            (i) as a Class B misdemeanor, if the 
                        violation results in a loss to the Federal 
                        Government in an amount that is less than 
                        $10,000; or
                            (ii) as a Class A misdemeanor, if the 
                        violation results in a loss to the Federal 
                        Government in an amount of $10,000 or more.
    (j) Funds For Operation and Maintenance.--Income derived from fees 
collected under this Act shall not be used to displace any funds 
requested in any budget submission for--
            (1) the National Park Service;
            (2) the United States Fish and Wildlife Service;
            (3) the Bureau of Land Management; or
            (4) the Bureau of Reclamation.
    (k) No Accounting as Revenue Allocations.--Amounts collected under 
this section shall not be taken into account for purposes of--
            (1) section 33 of the Act of July 22, 1937 (commonly known 
        as the ``Bankhead-Jones Farm Tenant Act'') (7 U.S.C. 1012);
            (2) the Act of May 23, 1908 (16 U.S.C. 500);
            (3) section 13 of the Act of March 1, 1911 (commonly known 
        as ``Weeks Law'') (16 U.S.C. 500);
            (4) the Act of March 4, 1913 (16 U.S.C. 501 et seq.);
            (5) section 401 of the Act of June 15, 1935 (16 U.S.C 
        715s);
            (6) chapter 69 of title 31, United States Code;
            (7) the Act of June 14, 1926 (43 U.S.C. 869-4);
            (8) section 6 of the Act of May 24, 1939 (43 U.S.C. 1181f 
        et seq.);
            (9) title II of the Act of August 8, 1937 (43 U.S.C. 1181f-
        1 et seq.); and
            (10) any other provision of law relating to revenue 
        allocations.

SEC. 103. CHALLENGE COST SHARE PROJECTS.

    Section 814(g) of Public Law 104-333 (16 U.S.C. 1f) is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (1)(A), by striking ``in carrying out'' 
        and all that follows through ``Trail.'' and inserting the 
        following: ``in carrying out--
                            ``(i) any authorized function or 
                        responsibility of the Secretary of the Interior 
                        with respect to any unit or program of the 
                        National Park System (as defined in section 
                        2(a) of the Act of August 8, 1953 (16 U.S.C. 
                        1c(a))), any affiliated area, or any designated 
                        National Scenic or Historic Trail; or
                            ``(ii) any project related to a program of 
                        the National Park Service that--
                                    ``(I) is mutually beneficial to the 
                                Secretary and the cooperator; and
                                    ``(II) enhances 1 or more 
                                activities or services of the National 
                                Park Service.'';
            (2) in paragraph (3)--
                    (A) by striking ``in carrying out'' and inserting 
                the following:
                    ``(A) In general.--In carrying out''; and
                    (B) by adding at the end the following:
                    ``(B) Matching requirement.--
                            ``(i) Federal share.--Except as provided in 
                        clause (iii), the Federal share of the cost of 
                        carrying out a project under this subsection 
                        shall be not more than 50 percent.
                            ``(ii) Non-federal match.--The non-Federal 
                        share of the cost of carrying out a project 
                        under this subsection may be provided in cash 
                        or in kind, including real or personal property 
                        or volunteer labor.
                            ``(iii) Federal agency cooperator.--In a 
                        case in which a cooperator in an agreement 
                        under this subsection is a Federal agency--
                                    ``(I) the Federal share of the cost 
                                of carrying out a project under this 
                                subsection may be greater than 50 
                                percent;
                                    ``(II) the Secretary may enter into 
                                a cost-sharing agreement with the 
                                Federal agency cooperator; and
                                    ``(III) the appropriated funds of 
                                the Federal agency cooperator may be 
                                used to pay the matching share required 
                                under this subparagraph.''; and
            (3) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(4) Federal authority.--
                    ``(A) In general.--This subsection shall not apply 
                to any project described in paragraph (1)(A), the 
                resources for which are provided solely by a 
                cooperator.
                    ``(B) No federal employee status.--Nothing in this 
                subsection, and nothing under any agreement under this 
                subsection, shall convey to any employee of a 
                cooperator Federal employee status for the purpose of 
                liability coverage.
            ``(5) Preference for projects.--In entering into an 
        agreement for a project under this subsection, the Secretary 
        shall give preference to agreements for projects that--
                    ``(A) preserve or restore the natural, cultural, or 
                historical resources of a unit of the National Park 
                System;
                    ``(B) assist in the preservation or restoration of 
                nationally significant buildings, sites, or objects 
                that are not within the National Park System; or
                    ``(C) provide new or improved opportunities for 
                people of the United States to enjoy, or learn about 
                natural resources or cultural heritage through, 
                programs of the National Park Service.''.

                  TITLE II--PARK RESOURCE PRESERVATION

SEC. 201. ACTIVITIES IN UNITS OF THE NATIONAL PARK SYSTEM.

    (a) In General.--Consistent with the Act entitled ``An Act to 
establish a National Park Service, and for other purposes'', approved 
August 25, 1916 (16 U.S.C. 1 et seq.), and the purposes for which each 
National Park unit is created, the Secretary of the Interior (referred 
to in this title as the ``Secretary''), before authorizing the use of 
any unit of the National Park System, shall prohibit or limit, as 
appropriate, the conduct of any activity in the unit that is 
incompatible with the conservation and preservation of the natural, 
cultural, and historical resources of the unit.
    (b) Applicability of Other Law.--Nothing in this section affects 
the applicability of any other provision of law to the conduct of an 
activity in any unit of the National Park System.
    (c) Visitor Education.--The Secretary, through the superintendent 
of each unit of the National Park System, shall make available to 
visitors of the unit educational materials or programs promoting 
conservation and low impact recreation techniques and practices that 
minimize the adverse recreation impacts to, and enhance enjoyment of, 
the natural, cultural, and historical resources of the unit.

SEC. 202. FEDERAL ACTIONS CONCERNING UNITS OF THE NATIONAL PARK SYSTEM.

    (a) Land Under Jurisdiction of Secretary.--The Secretary shall 
prohibit the conduct of any action that degrades or destroys the 
natural, cultural, or historical resources of a unit of the National 
Park System on land that is--
            (1) adjacent to or in the vicinity of, but outside the 
        boundary of, the unit; and
            (2)(A) under the administrative jurisdiction of the 
        Secretary; and
            (B) not under the administrative jurisdiction of any other 
        Federal agency.
    (b) Other Federal Land.--
            (1) In general.--Notwithstanding any other provision of 
        law, the head of any Federal agency having jurisdiction over 
        land that is adjacent to or in the vicinity of, but outside the 
        boundary of, a unit of the National Park System, shall--
                    (A) at the earliest practicable date, notify the 
                Secretary of the potential of the Federal agency to 
                undertake or allow an action on the land that may 
                degrade or destroy the natural, cultural, or historical 
                resources of the National Park unit; and
                    (B) in consultation with the Secretary, seek to 
                minimize, to the maximum extent practicable, any 
                significant effects of an action described in 
                subparagraph (A) on the unit.
            (2) Exceptions.--Paragraph (1) does not apply to--
                    (A) emergency actions that are essential to 
                protect--
                            (i) a life or property; and
                            (ii) public health and safety; and
                    (B) any action that is necessary to ensure the 
                military preparedness of the United States.
    (c) Interagency Review.--As soon as practicable after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary, in cooperation with the heads of 
other appropriate Federal agencies, shall--
            (1) review management programs and plans for Federal land 
        adjacent to units of the National Park System for potential 
        impacts on those units; and
            (2) provide to the head of each appropriate Federal agency 
        recommendations on how the land may be managed by the agency 
        head to minimize degradation or destruction of any natural, 
        cultural, or historical resources of any adjacent units of the 
        National Park System.
    (d) Technical Assistance.--The Secretary, at the request of a 
Federal agency or unit of a State or local government that manages land 
within or adjacent to a unit of the National Park System, may provide 
technical assistance to the Federal agency or unit of government in the 
management of the land so that the management does not result in the 
degradation or destruction of any natural, cultural, or historical 
resource of the unit of the National Park System.

SEC. 203. PRESERVATION OF HISTORICAL DOCUMENTS, RECORDS, AND REPORTS.

    (a) Finding.--Congress finds that the documents, records, and 
reports that are in the permanent possession of the National Park 
Service for the purposes of ongoing management and administration of 
the units of the National Park System--
            (1) are of great value to the people of the United States; 
        and
            (2) reveal the natural and human history of the United 
        States and the National Park System.
    (b) Preservation and Organization of Documents, Records, and 
Reports.--The Secretary shall ensure, to the maximum extent 
practicable, that each document, record, and report described in 
subsection (a) is--
            (1) housed, secured, and maintained by the National Park 
        Service in accordance with professional archival standards to 
        ensure the long-term preservation of the document, record, or 
        report; and
            (2) organized and made available by the National Park 
        Service to persons researching the natural and human history of 
        the United States in accordance with professional archival 
        standards, taking into consideration--
                    (A) the condition of the document, record, or 
                report; and
                    (B) the potential effect that any use of the 
                document, record, or report may have on the 
                preservation of the document, record, or report.

SEC. 204. REPORT ON VISITATION AND USE.

    Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, and 
every 5 years thereafter, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a 
report that describes--
            (1) any projected increases or decreases in visitation and 
        use of national parks (including park services) through the 
        later of--
                    (A) December 31, 2010; or
                    (B) the date that is 10 years after the date of 
                submission of the report; and
            (2) any additional resources, including personnel and 
        facilities, that would be required by the National Park Service 
        to accommodate any change in visitation and use of national 
        parks described in paragraph (1).

SEC. 205. ASSESSMENT OF OUTSIDE THREATS TO UNITS OF THE NATIONAL PARK 
              SYSTEM.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment 
of this act, the Secretary of the Interior shall submit to Congress a 
report on the units of the National Park System that face the most 
serious impacts on resources of the units from proposed actions, 
factors, or occurrences outside unit boundaries.
    (b) Contents.--The report under subsection (a) shall--
            (1) describe the nature of the impacts; and
            (2) recommend corrective action that would reduce or 
        eliminate the impact on unit resources.

             TITLE III--NATIONAL PARK SYSTEM REPRESENTATION

SEC. 301. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds that--
            (1) the National Park System should reflect the diverse 
        heritage of all people of the United States;
            (2) the history of the United States, as depicted and 
        preserved by units of the National Park System, should include 
        fair and accurate representations of people with a diverse 
        heritage that significantly influenced the history of the 
        United States; and
            (3) all people of the United States should be able to trace 
        the various explorations, migrations, immigrations, and 
        movements of people in the United States through--
                    (A) significant natural, cultural, and historical 
                sites preserved in units of the National Park System; 
                and
                    (B) educational and interpretive programs at those 
                sites.

SEC. 302. ETHNIC AND CULTURAL REPRESENTATION.

    As soon as practicable after the date of enactment of this Act, the 
Secretary of the Interior (referred to in this title as the 
``Secretary'') shall--
            (1) review the National Park System for adequate 
        representation of sites that are material to all people 
        significantly involved in the settlement and development of the 
        United States (including people whose actual or ancestral 
        presence in the geographical area of the United States predates 
        the establishment of the United States);
            (2) through the review under paragraph (1), identify--
                    (A) deficiencies in the inclusion of sites 
                described in paragraph (1) in the National Park System; 
                and
                    (B) the nature and location of sites (including 
                trails) that should be studied for inclusion in the 
                National Park System to eliminate those deficiencies;
            (3) develop a system by which an ethnic or cultural group 
        of the United States may identify and propose to the Secretary 
        for inclusion in the National Park System 1 or more sites 
        described in paragraph (2); and
            (4) include on the list of areas recommended for study for 
        potential inclusion in the National Park System under section 
        8(b) of the Act entitled ``An Act to improve the administration 
        of the national park system by the Secretary of the Interior, 
        and to clarify the authorities applicable to the system, and 
        for other purposes'', approved August 18, 1970 (16 U.S.C. 1a-
        5(b)) such sites identified under paragraph (3) as are 
        appropriate to improve the degree and manner of cultural and 
        heritage representation of the National Park System.

SEC. 303. ETHNOHISTORICAL AND ANTHROPOLOGICAL INTERPRETATION OF 
              NATIONAL PARK SYSTEM.

    (a) In General.--As soon as practicable after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Secretary shall ensure, to the maximum extent 
practicable, that the complete and accurate record of the establishment 
and settlement of the United States (including the record of people 
whose actual or ancestral presence in the geographical area of the 
United States predates the establishment of the United States) is 
appropriately portrayed at relevant units of the National Park System 
without cultural, linguistic, or racial bias.
    (b) Involvement.--In carrying out subsection (a) (including 
identifying cases in which the interpretation of a unit of the National 
Park System should be reviewed for modification to include or more 
accurately depict the cultural record with respect to the people in an 
ethnic or cultural group), the Secretary shall actively seek the 
involvement of ethnic and cultural groups that contributed to the 
history of any site in the unit.

              TITLE IV--HUMAN RESOURCES FOR NATIONAL PARKS

SEC. 401. ESTABLISHMENT OF PILOT PROGRAM.

    (a) Finding.--Congress finds that the National Park Service must be 
able to attract and retain professionals with the expertise necessary 
to address its core missions of resource preservation and education, 
including professionals with expertise in areas, such as business 
management, who are not typically attracted to careers in the National 
Park Service.
    (b) Pilot Program.--
            (1) In general.--As soon as practicable after the date of 
        enactment of this Act, in coordination with appropriate 
        nonprofit organizations, the Secretary shall establish a pilot 
        program, to be known as the ``Professionals for Parks 
        Program''.
            (2) Goals.--The goals of the program under paragraph (1) 
        shall be to--
                    (A) increase outreach to prospective employees 
                completing graduate-level public administration and 
                business management programs; and
                    (B) establish a Federal intake program to place 
                qualified employee candidates in middle and upper 
                management positions on administrative staffs in the 
                National Park Service.
            (3) Student loan phase-out.--To encourage participation in 
        the pilot program under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall 
        develop a student loan phase-out program through which a 
        student that completes a graduate-level management program and 
        accepts an offer of employment with the National Park Service 
        may receive graduated assistance in repaying student loan debt.
    (c) Report.--Not later than 5 years after the date of 
implementation of the program under subsection (b)(1), the Secretary 
shall--
            (1) review the program; and
            (2) submit to Congress a report that describes any 
        recommendations for the continuance of the program.

SEC. 402. IDENTIFICATION OF PARK MANAGEMENT POSITION REQUIREMENTS.

    (a) Findings.--Congress finds that--
            (1) the duties of a superintendent of, and other leadership 
        positions in, a unit of the National Park System, including the 
        exercise of decisionmaking authority, have increased in scope 
        and complexity; and
            (2) the National Park Service faces challenges in hiring 
        individuals that possess qualities and qualifications, such as 
        accountability and skills in decisionmaking, that are required 
        of National Park managers.
    (b) Report.--Not later than 3 years after the date of enactment of 
this Act, the Director of the Office of Personnel Management shall 
submit to Congress a report that--
            (1) identifies the core qualifications, including any 
        specific knowledge, skills, or abilities, that are required of 
        an individual to successfully carry out the position of 
        superintendent of, or other management position in, a unit of 
        the National Park System;
            (2) recommends qualifications, including appropriate 
        education, experience, and other factors, that are appropriate 
        for National Park superintendent and other management 
        positions; and
            (3) describes any changes to Federal personnel regulations 
        that are necessary to improve the recruitment, hiring, 
        promotion, remuneration, and retention of qualified National 
        Park superintendents and other managers.
                                 <all>