[Congressional Bills 107th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2162 Introduced in House (IH)]
107th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 2162
To authorize a national museum, including a research center and related
visitor facilities, in the city of El Paso, Texas, to commemorate
migration at the United States southern border.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
June 13, 2001
Mr. Reyes introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Education and the Workforce, and in addition to the
Committee on the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined
by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as
fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To authorize a national museum, including a research center and related
visitor facilities, in the city of El Paso, Texas, to commemorate
migration at the United States southern border.
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 ``Paso al Norte National Museum of
Immigration History Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds that--
(1) more than 20,000,000 people currently living in the
United States trace their roots to Mexico, and Mexican-
Americans represent one of the fastest growing population
groups in this country;
(2) people of Hispanic descent have made significant
contributions in all areas of American life;
(3) Hispanic-Americans, their ancestors, and other cultural
groups on both sides of the border have a rich history that
must be preserved and told for the benefit of current and
future generations of Americans;
(4) the histories of the many individuals and families, who
came from many different backgrounds and who faced hardship and
adversity as they migrated in search of better lives for
themselves and their descendants, need to be better documented
and incorporated into the larger history of the United States;
(5) the histories of these courageous people reflect the
strong relationship between the people of the United States and
the people of Mexico;
(6) there is no museum dedicated to the history of
migration at the United States southern border;
(7) historically, El Paso, Texas, has been the largest port
of entry for people immigrating to the United States from
Mexico;
(8) El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro (the Royal Road of the
Interior) passes through El Paso and served as the primary
route between the colonial Spanish capital of Mexico City and
the Spanish Provincial capitals San Juan de los Caballeros, San
Gabriel, and Santa Fe, all part of the present day United
States;
(9) El Paso and its sister city, Ciudad Juarez, Mexico,
together form the largest international border city;
(10) the University of Texas at El Paso, a majority of
whose students are Mexican-American, is coordinating a national
effort to create in El Paso a national museum dedicated to
preserving the history of people who, for many centuries, have
moved between Mexico and territories that are now part of the
United States; and
(11) the City of El Paso has made the establishment of the
Paso al Norte National Museum of Immigration History a priority
in an effort to draw large numbers of visitors as part of its
plan for revitalization and development.
SEC. 3. PASO AL NORTE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF IMMIGRATION HISTORY.
(a) Establishment.--If land is made available to or by the
University of Texas at El Paso as described in subsection (b), the
Secretary of the Interior shall make a grant under section 4 for the
establishment of the Paso al Norte National Museum of Immigration
History (referred to in this Act as ``the museum''), a museum and
research center for the interpretation and commemoration of migration
at the United States southern border.
(b) Land.--The land referred to in subsection (a) is land within
the boundary of the city of El Paso, Texas, either made available by
the University of Texas at El Paso, or, if the university agrees to the
location, by the city of El Paso or by any other entity.
SEC. 4. ESTABLISHMENT GRANT.
(a) Grant.--The Secretary of the Interior shall, within 90 days
after receiving a proposal meeting the requirements of subsection (b),
award a grant to the University of Texas at El Paso for the
establishment of the museum, including planning, design, construction,
furnishing, and startup expenses.
(b) Grant Proposal.--In order to receive a grant under this section
the University of Texas at El Paso, in agreement with the city of El
Paso, shall by September 30, 2003, transmit to the Secretary of the
Interior a proposal that includes--
(1) a designation of land made available for the museum as
described in section 3(b);
(2) plans detailing the location and function of each
museum facility;
(3) plans for design and construction that will meet all
applicable Federal, State, and local building codes and laws,
and that are in accordance with professional museum standards;
(4) a timetable for completion of construction and opening
of the museum before October 1, 2007;
(5) detailed plans concerning the operation and maintenance
of the museum;
(6) a description of proposed museum collections and
educational programming; and
(7) a plan for the design of exhibits, including
collections to be exhibited, preservation, protection,
environmental controls, security, and presentations in
accordance with professional museum standards.
SEC. 6. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of the
Interior $15,000,000 for fiscal year 2002, and such sums as may be
necessary for each of fiscal years 2003 through 2006, to carry out this
Act. All sums authorized to be appropriated shall remain available for
expenditure through fiscal year 2006.
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