[Congressional Bills 107th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1882 Introduced in House (IH)]







107th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 1882

 To establish the Cultural Heritage Assistance Partnership Program in 
        the Department of the Interior, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 16, 2001

Mr. Udall of Colorado introduced the following bill; which was referred 
                     to the Committee on Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To establish the Cultural Heritage Assistance Partnership Program in 
        the Department of the Interior, and for other purposes.

    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 ``Cultural Heritage Assistance 
Partnership Act of 2001''.

SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM.

    (a) Establishment.--The Secretary of the Interior shall establish 
in the National Park Service a Cultural Heritage Assistance Partnership 
Program.
    (b) Purposes.--The purposes of the Partnership Program are the 
following:
            (1) Fostering and supporting cooperative partnerships among 
        Federal agencies, State and local governments, Indian tribes, 
        nongovernmental organizations, and individuals, to preserve and 
        enhance the cultural heritage of the United States.
            (2) Coordinating Federal programs and providing 
        information, technical assistance, and grants to States, Indian 
        tribes, local governments, and nonprofit organizations, to 
        facilitate cultural heritage activities.
            (3) Encouraging cultural heritage activities, including by 
        planning, developing, and promoting heritage areas, cultural 
        heritage tourism, and related cultural heritage economic and 
        community development.
            (4) Providing Federal agencies with opportunities to 
        participate in cultural heritage activities and to benefit from 
        the knowledge and experience of non-Federal entities and 
        individuals.
    (c) Consultation.--The Secretary shall implement the Partnership 
Program in consultation with the Citizens Advisory Committee and the 
Federal Coordinating Council, including such consultation in designing 
information, technical assistance, and award programs under section 3 
and grant programs under section 6.

SEC. 3. DUTIES OF SECRETARY UNDER PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM.

    (a) Coordination.--To carry out the purposes of the Partnership 
Program, the Secretary shall coordinate with and seek the participation 
of organizations and agencies involved in heritage areas and related 
cultural heritage tourism and economic and community development, 
including the following:
            (1) Private sector nonprofit organizations.
            (2) Educational and training institutions.
            (3) Professional societies and trade associations.
            (4) State and local government agencies and affiliated 
        organizations.
            (5) Indian tribes and tribal organizations.
            (6) International agencies and organizations.
            (7) Other offices and programs in the National Park Service 
        and units of the National Park System.
            (8) Federal agencies and organizations, including Federal 
        agencies not represented on the Federal Coordinating Council, 
        including the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, the 
        Small Business Administration, the American Folklife Center in 
        the Library of Congress, and the Smithsonian Institution.
    (b) Information.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary shall gather information on 
        cultural heritage resources and activities, including heritage 
        areas, cultural heritage tourism, and related economic and 
        community development.
            (2) Availability.--The Secretary shall make available to 
        the public such information--
                    (A) on an Internet site; and
                    (B) by nonelectronic means.
            (3) Inclusion of information on internet site.--The 
        Secretary shall develop means for persons, subject to 
        reasonable terms and conditions imposed by the Secretary, to 
        include on the Internet site information about cultural 
        heritage programs and activities.
    (c) Technical Assistance.--To carry out the purposes of the 
Partnership Program, the Secretary may provide or arrange for technical 
assistance to the types of agencies and organizations described in 
subsection (a), including by doing the following:
            (1) Developing models of cultural heritage partnership 
        agreements.
            (2) Holding or sponsoring workshops, conferences, training, 
        and public meetings.
            (3) Providing guidance to non-Federal agencies and 
        organizations on ways to access other Federal programs.
            (4) Coordinating meetings among Federal agencies and non-
        Federal entities.
    (d) Awards.--The Secretary shall establish a program for designing 
and making awards to persons, including individuals, Indian tribes, 
Federal agencies, and State or local governments, to recognize 
exemplary projects or programs that carry out the purposes of the 
Partnership Program.

SEC. 4. CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE.

    (a) Establishment.--Not later than 6 months after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall establish a Cultural 
Heritage Citizens Advisory Committee.
    (b) Duty.--The Citizens Advisory Committee shall advise the 
Secretary and the Federal Coordinating Council on matters related to 
carrying out the Partnership Program.
    (c) Membership.--The Citizens Advisory Committee shall consist of 
11 private citizens appointed by the Secretary who represent a range of 
technical expertise and broad-based interests in cultural heritage 
resources, heritage areas, cultural heritage tourism, and related 
economic and community development.
    (d) Terms.--
            (1) Duration.--The members of the Citizens Advisory 
        Committee shall each serve for a term of 5 years.
            (2) Reappointment.--If the Secretary decides to extend the 
        existence of the Citizens Advisory Committee under subsection 
        (i), the members of the Committee may be reappointed for 
        another term of 5 years.
    (e) Pay; Expenses.--Members of the Citizens Advisory Committee 
shall serve without pay, but may receive travel expenses, including per 
diem in lieu of subsistence, in accordance with applicable provisions 
under subchapter I of chapter 57 of title 5, United States Code.
    (f) Chairperson.--The Chairperson of the Citizens Advisory 
Committee shall be elected by the members of the committee.
    (g) Meetings.--The Citizens Advisory Committee shall conduct at 
least 4 meetings each fiscal year, at least 1 of which shall be in 
conjunction with a meeting of the Federal Coordinating Council.
    (h) Administrative Support.--The Secretary shall provide 
administrative support for the Citizens Advisory Committee.
    (i) Termination.--
            (1) In general.--Subject to paragraph (2), the Citizens 
        Advisory Committee shall terminate 5 years after the date of 
        its establishment.
            (2) Renewal.--If the Secretary states in the report 
        submitted under section 7 that the Citizens Advisory Committee 
        will be extended under this paragraph, the Secretary may extend 
        the existence of the Citizens Advisory Committee for a second 
        5-year period.

SEC. 5. FEDERAL COORDINATING COUNCIL.

    (a) Federal Coordinating Council.--There is established a Federal 
Cultural Heritage Coordinating Council, which shall be composed of the 
following members (or their designees):
            (1) The Secretary of the Interior, who shall serve as 
        Chairman.
            (2) The Secretary of Defense.
            (3) The Secretary of Agriculture.
            (4) The Secretary of Commerce.
            (5) The Secretary of Housing and Urban Development.
            (6) The Secretary of Transportation.
            (7) The Secretary of Education.
            (8) The Administrator of the Environmental Protection 
        Agency.
            (9) The Chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts.
            (10) The Chairman of the National Endowment for the 
        Humanities.
            (11) The Director of the Institute of Museum and Library 
        Services.
    (b) Duties.--The Federal Coordinating Council shall--
            (1) identify Federal programs and projects that may be of 
        assistance to the Secretary in implementing the Partnership 
        Program;
            (2) establish and implement methods for the members of the 
        Federal Coordinating Council to collaborate with each other and 
        with other governmental agencies and nongovernmental 
        organizations on cultural heritage programs and projects, to 
        the extent permitted by law and consistent with their missions 
        and resources;
            (3) consider methods for reducing bureaucratic inefficiency 
        in delivering services under existing Federal cultural heritage 
        programs to States, Indian tribes, and local governments; and
            (4) seek to ensure that the activities conducted under this 
        Act are responsive to the diverse needs of different kinds of 
        communities, ranging from urban centers to remote rural areas, 
        and are balanced in their outreach and funding.
    (c) Meetings.--
            (1) In general.--The Federal Coordinating Council shall 
        conduct at least 4 meetings each fiscal year.
            (2) Citizens advisory committee.--At least one of the 4 
        meetings shall be conducted in conjunction with a meeting of 
        the Citizens Advisory Committee.
            (3) Public attendance.--The meetings of the Federal 
        Coordinating Council shall be open to the public.
    (d) Administrative Support.--The Secretary shall provide 
administrative support for the Federal Coordinating Council.
    (e) Support for Partnership Program.--Each member of the Federal 
Coordinating Council may provide the Secretary with such funds, 
personnel, facilities, and services under that member's jurisdiction 
and control as may be needed to implement the Partnership Program, to 
the extent that such funds, personnel, facilities, and services are 
otherwise available for that purpose.
    (f) Interagency Projects.--In carrying out this Act, the Secretary 
may receive advance payments from other agencies or accounts to be used 
for interagency projects. Any project to be financed with those 
payments may be initiated only with approval of the Secretary.

SEC. 6. GRANTS.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary may make grants on a competitive 
basis to States, Indian tribes, local governments, and nonprofit 
organizations for projects to carry out the purposes of the Partnership 
Program.
    (b) Projects.--The activities of such projects may include the 
following:
            (1) Developing plans, programs, training, and informational 
        materials relating to the development, management, or 
        interpretation of cultural heritage resources and heritage 
        areas or potential heritage areas.
            (2) Creating innovative projects that address natural 
        resource conservation, environmental education, outdoor 
        recreation, economic revitalization, archaeology and 
        ethnography, historic, scenic, or cultural preservation, or the 
        arts, humanities, or folklore.
            (3) Carrying out cultural heritage activities in 
        conjunction with libraries, museums, and schools.
            (4) Improving the organization and management capacity of 
        cultural heritage organizations and agencies.
            (5) Creating or implementing innovative ways to combine 
        historic property restoration and conservation with economic 
        and community development.
            (6) Providing electronic access, including equipment and 
        training, especially in rural or underserved urban communities, 
        to promote cultural heritage activities or heritage areas.
            (7) Developing alliances among heritage areas within a 
        State and among States.
            (8) Sharing information with other nations on cultural 
        heritage programs in the United States.
            (9) Developing programs for collecting information on 
        cultural heritage activities and resources in other nations 
        that might serve as models for similar activities in the United 
        States.
    (c) Contribution Requirement.--The Secretary may not make a grant 
under this section to any applicant for a project unless at least 1 
other entity will contribute facilities, supplies, or services for the 
project.
    (d) Priority.--In awarding grants under this section, the Secretary 
shall give priority to projects that will be carried out by an 
applicant that--
            (1) has more than 2 entities contributing facilities, 
        supplies, or services to the project; or
            (2) represents a broad base of interests and can increase 
        community involvement in the project.
    (e) Limits on Grants.--
            (1) Cost sharing.--
                    (A) In general.--Subject to subparagraph (B), the 
                Federal share of the cost of activities carried out 
                with a grant under this section may not exceed 50 
                percent of the total cost of the activities.
                    (B) Use of funds from other federal sources.--A 
                grantee under this section may apply funds from other 
                Federal sources as the matching funds required under 
                subparagraph (A), if use of such funds is otherwise 
                authorized by law.
            (2) Maximum amount.--The Secretary may not make any grant 
        or combination of grants under this section in any fiscal year 
        to a particular grantee in an amount totaling more than 
        $50,000.
    (f) Application.--
            (1) In general.--To seek a grant under this section, an 
        applicant shall submit an application to the Secretary at such 
        time, in such manner, and accompanied by such information as 
        the Secretary may reasonably require.
            (2) Simplification.--In developing application forms and 
        deadlines, the Secretary should consider ways to simplify the 
        application process to the maximum extent possible.

SEC. 7. REPORT.

    (a) Submission.--Not later than 4 years after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the Congress a 
report that--
            (1) describes the accomplishments of the Partnership 
        Program;
            (2) identifies any problems encountered in implementing 
        this Act; and
            (3) recommends any changes needed in the Partnership 
        Program, including amendments to this Act.
    (b) Review.--In developing the report, the Secretary shall provide 
an opportunity for review of and comment on the report by the public 
and representatives of State and local governments, Indian tribes, and 
private sector organizations.
    (c) Consultation.--In preparing a report under this section, the 
Secretary shall consult with the Citizens Advisory Committee and the 
Federal Coordinating Council.

SEC. 8. VOLUNTEERS.

    To carry out this Act, the Secretary may accept and use voluntary 
and other uncompensated services.

SEC. 9. DEFINITIONS.

    For purposes of this Act:
            (1) Citizens advisory committee.--The term ``Citizens 
        Advisory Committee'' means the Cultural Heritage Citizens 
        Advisory Committee established under section 4.
            (2) Cultural heritage.--The term ``cultural heritage'' 
        means resources relating to natural, historic, cultural, 
        ethnographic, scenic, or recreational values that traditionally 
        define the distinct character of an area or region and its 
        peoples.
            (3) State.--The term ``State'' includes the several States, 
        the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the 
        Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, American Samoa, 
        Guam, the Virgin Islands, and any other territory or possession 
        of the United States.
            (4) Federal coordinating council.--The term ``Federal 
        Coordinating Council'' means the Federal Cultural Heritage 
        Coordinating Council established by section 5.
            (5) Indian tribe.--The term ``Indian tribe'' means any 
        Indian tribe, band, nation, pueblo, or other organized group or 
        community, that is recognized as eligible for the special 
        programs and services provided by the United States to Indians 
        because of their status as Indians.
            (6) Heritage area.--The term ``heritage area'' means a 
        discrete geographic area or region (including trails, 
        corridors, rivers, and watersheds) designated by an Indian 
        tribe or by Federal, State, or local executive or legislative 
        action in recognition of the area or region's distinctive sense 
        of place embodied in its historic buildings, communities, 
        traditions, or cultural or natural features.
            (7) Partnership program.--The term ``Partnership Program'' 
        means the Cultural Heritage Assistance Partnership Program 
        established under section 2.
            (8) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of the Interior, acting through the Director of the National 
        Park Service.

SEC. 10. FUNDING.

    (a) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to the Secretary to carry out this Act $10,000,000 for 
each of fiscal years 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, and 2006, as follows:
            (1) $9,000,000 for grants under section 6.
            (2) $500,000 for information and technical assistance.
            (3) $500,000 for program administration.
    (b) Availability.--Amounts appropriated under this Act shall remain 
available until expended.
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