[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 762 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







106th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 S. 762

To direct the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a feasibility study 
    on the inclusion of the Miami Circle in Biscayne National Park.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             March 25, 1999

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

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To direct the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a feasibility study 
    on the inclusion of the Miami Circle in Biscayne National Park.

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

SECTION 1. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES.

    (a) Findings.--Congress finds that--
            (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 discovery of the Miami Circle, occupied 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 Homestead, Florida, contains 
        and protects several prehistoric Tequesta sites; and
            (6) as a valuable archaeological resource and the only 
        Tequesta site of its kind known to exist in Florida, the Miami 
        Circle should be preserved and protected as part of the Park.
    (b) Purpose.--The purpose of this Act is to direct the Secretary to 
determine the feasibility of including the Miami Circle in the Biscayne 
National Park.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Miami circle.--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.
            (2) Park.--The term ``Park'' means Biscayne National Park 
        in the southern part of the State of Florida.
            (3) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of the Interior, acting through the Director of the National 
        Park Service.

SEC. 3. FEASIBILITY STUDY.

    (a) In General.--Not later than one year and 180 days after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall conduct a study to 
determine the feasibility of including the Miami Circle in the Park.
    (b) 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 the 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 Miami Circle in the Park.
    (c) Report.--Not later than 30 days after completion of the 
feasibility study, the Secretary shall submit a report describing the 
findings and recommendations of the study to--
            (1) the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the 
        Senate; and
            (2) the Committee on Resources of the House of 
        Representatives.
    (d) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated such sums as are necessary to carry out this Act.
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