[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 292 Referred in House (RFH)]

  1st Session
                                 S. 292


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             April 12, 1999

                 Referred to the Committee on Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 AN ACT


 
  To preserve the cultural resources of the Route 66 corridor and to 
     authorize the Secretary of the Interior to provide assistance.

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

SECTION 1. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Route 66 corridor.--The term ``Route 66 corridor'' 
        means structures and other cultural resources described in 
        paragraph (3), including--
                    (A) public land within the immediate vicinity of 
                those portions of the highway formerly designated as 
                United States Route 66; and
                    (B) private land within that immediate vicinity 
                that is owned by persons or entities that are willing 
                to participate in the programs authorized by this Act.
            (2) Cultural resource programs.--The term ``Cultural 
        Resource Programs'' means the programs established and 
        administered by the National Park Service for the benefit of 
        and in support of preservation of the Route 66 corridor, either 
        directly or indirectly.
            (3) Preservation of the route 66 corridor.--The term 
        ``preservation of the Route 66 corridor'' means the 
        preservation or restoration of structures or other cultural 
        resources of businesses, sites of interest, and other 
        contributing resources that--
                    (A) are located within the land described in 
                paragraph (1);
                    (B) existed during the route's period of 
                outstanding historic significance (principally between 
                1933 and 1970), as defined by the study prepared by the 
                National Park Service and entitled ``Special Resource 
                Study of Route 66'', dated July 1995; and
                    (C) remain in existence as of the date of enactment 
                of this Act.
            (4) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of the Interior, acting through the Cultural Resource Programs 
        at the National Park Service.
            (5) State.--The term ``State'' means a State in which a 
        portion of the Route 66 corridor is located.

SEC. 2. MANAGEMENT.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary, in collaboration with the entities 
described in subsection (c), shall facilitate the development of 
guidelines and a program of technical assistance and grants that will 
set priorities for the preservation of the Route 66 corridor.
    (b) Designation of Officials.--The Secretary shall designate 
officials of the National Park Service stationed at locations 
convenient to the States to perform the functions of the Cultural 
Resource Programs under this Act.
    (c) General Functions.--The Secretary shall--
            (1) support efforts of State and local public and private 
        persons, nonprofit Route 66 preservation entities, Indian 
        tribes, State Historic Preservation Offices, and entities in 
        the States for the preservation of the Route 66 corridor by 
        providing technical assistance, participating in cost-sharing 
        programs, and making grants;
            (2) act as a clearinghouse for communication among Federal, 
        State, and local agencies, nonprofit Route 66 preservation 
        entities, Indian tribes, State Historic Preservation Offices, 
        and private persons and entities interested in the preservation 
        of the Route 66 corridor; and
            (3) assist the States in determining the appropriate form 
        of and establishing and supporting a non-Federal entity or 
        entities to perform the functions of the Cultural Resource 
        Programs after those programs are terminated.
    (d) Authorities.--In carrying out this Act, the Secretary may--
            (1) enter into cooperative agreements, including, but not 
        limited to study, planning, preservation, rehabilitation and 
        restoration;
            (2) accept donations;
            (3) provide cost-share grants and information;
            (4) provide technical assistance in historic preservation; 
        and
            (5) conduct research.
    (e) Preservation Assistance.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary shall provide assistance in 
        the preservation of the Route 66 corridor in a manner that is 
        compatible with the idiosyncratic nature of the Route 66 
        corridor.
            (2) Planning.--The Secretary shall not prepare or require 
        preparation of an overall management plan for the Route 66 
        corridor, but shall cooperate with the States and local public 
        and private persons and entities, State Historic Preservation 
        Offices, nonprofit Route 66 preservation entities, and Indian 
        tribes in developing local preservation plans to guide efforts 
        to protect the most important or representative resources of 
        the Route 66 corridor.

SEC. 3. RESOURCE TREATMENT.

    (a) Technical Assistance Program.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary shall develop a program of 
        technical assistance in the preservation of the Route 66 
        corridor.
            (2) Guidelines for preservation needs.--
                    (A) In general.--As part of the program under 
                paragraph (1), the Secretary shall establish guidelines 
                for setting priorities for preservation needs.
                    (B) Basis.--The guidelines under subparagraph (A) 
                may be based on national register standards, modified 
                as appropriate to meet the needs for preservation of 
                the Route 66 corridor.
    (b) Program for Coordination of Activities.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary shall coordinate a program 
        of historic research, curation, preservation strategies, and 
        the collection of oral and video histories of events that 
        occurred along the Route 66 corridor.
            (2) Design.--The program under paragraph (1) shall be 
        designed for continuing use and implementation by other 
        organizations after the Cultural Resource Programs are 
        terminated.
    (c) Grants.--The Secretary shall--
            (1) make cost-share grants for preservation of the Route 66 
        corridor available for resources that meet the guidelines under 
        subsection (a); and
            (2) provide information about existing cost-share 
        opportunities.

SEC. 4. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There are authorized to be appropriated $10,000,000 for the period 
of fiscal years 2000 through 2009 to carry out the purposes of this 
Act.

            Passed the Senate March 25, 1999.

            Attest:

                                                    GARY SISCO,

                                                             Secretary.