[Congressional Bills 107th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3421 Introduced in House (IH)]







107th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 3421

 To provide adequate school facilities within Yosemite National Park, 
                        and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            December 6, 2001

Mr. Radanovich introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
 Committee on Resources, and in addition to the Committee on Education 
 and the Workforce, 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 provide adequate school facilities within Yosemite National Park, 
                        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 ``Yosemite National Park Educational 
Facilities Improvement Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSE.

    (a) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
            (1) The three elementary schools serving the children of 
        employees of Yosemite National Park are provided by the Bass 
        Lake Joint Union Elementary School District and the Mariposa 
        Unified School District.
            (2) The schools are in remote mountainous areas and long 
        distances from other educational and administrative facilities 
        that are located elsewhere in the two school districts.
            (3) Because of their remote locations and relatively small 
        number of students, students of the Yosemite schools are vastly 
        underserved in comparison to the educational services and 
        facilities provided to students that attend schools elsewhere 
        in the two school districts.
            (4) Because of the long distances involved and adverse 
        weather and road conditions that occur during much of the 
        school year, it is impractical for the children of employees 
        who live within or near Yosemite National Park to attend 
        schools elsewhere in the two school districts.
    (b) Purpose.--The purpose of this Act is to authorize the Secretary 
of the Interior (referred to in this Act as the ``Secretary'') to 
provide supplemental funding and other services and facilities that are 
necessary to assist the State of California or local school districts 
in providing educational services and facilities for students attending 
schools located within Yosemite National Park (referred to in this Act 
as the ``Park'').

SEC. 3. PAYMENTS FOR EDUCATIONAL SERVICES AND FACILITIES.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary may provide funds to appropriate 
school districts or for school facilities servicing the Park to 
supplement the educational services and facilities (including 
transportation to and from school) already provided by such districts 
or facilities to students who are dependents of persons engaged in the 
administration, operation, and maintenance of the Park or students who 
live at or near the Park upon real property of the United States. 
Payment of such funds may be made from revenues derived from Park 
entrance and user fees or from donated funds.
    (b) Limitation.--Payments made under this section shall not exceed 
the amount necessary to provide students described in subsection (a) 
with educational services and facilities that are normally provided and 
generally available to students who attend public schools elsewhere in 
the State of California.
    (c) Adjustment of Payments.--The Secretary is authorized to adjust 
payments made under this section if the State of California or 
appropriate school districts do not continue to provide funding for 
educational services and facilities at Park schools at per student 
levels that are equivalent to or greater than those provided in the 
fiscal year prior to the date of enactment of this Act.

SEC. 4. COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS.

    The Secretary is authorized to enter into cooperative agreements 
with the State of California or local agencies for--
            (1) the operation of school facilities located within or 
        near the Park at Federal expense;
            (2) the construction or expansion of school facilities 
        located within or near the Park on real property of the United 
        States at Federal expense; or
            (3) providing educational services at schools within the 
        Park for--
                    (A) students who meet the criteria described in 
                section 3(a); and
                    (B) students who do not meet the criteria described 
                in section 3(a) but who live near the Park or within 
                the exterior boundaries of the Park, if those students 
                would have to travel further to attend schools outside 
                of the Park.
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