[Congressional Bills 107th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 444 Introduced in House (IH)]







107th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 444

 To amend title 36, United States Code, to grant a Federal charter to 
               the National Lighthouse Center and Museum.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            February 6, 2001

 Mr. Fossella introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                       Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To amend title 36, United States Code, to grant a Federal charter to 
               the National Lighthouse Center and Museum.

    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 ``National Lighthouse Center and 
Museum Act''.

SEC. 2. NATIONAL LIGHTHOUSE CENTER AND MUSEUM.

    Part B of subtitle II of title 36, United States Code, is amended 
by inserting after chapter 1519 the following new chapter:

         ``CHAPTER 1520--NATIONAL LIGHTHOUSE CENTER AND MUSEUM

``Sec.
``152001. Organization.
``152002. Purposes.
``152003. Operation of museum.
``152004. Membership.
``152005. Governing body.
``152006. Powers.
``152007. Restrictions.
``152008. Duty to maintain corporate and tax-exempt status.
``152009. Records and inspection.
``152010. Service of process.
``152011. Liability for acts of officers and agents.
``152012. Annual report.
``152013. Definitions.
``Sec. 152001. Organization
    ``(a) Federal Charter.--The National Lighthouse Center and Museum, 
incorporated in New York, is a federally chartered corporation.
    ``(b) Expiration of Charter.--If the corporation does not comply 
with any provision of this chapter, the charter granted by this chapter 
expires.
``Sec. 152002. Purposes
    ``The purposes of the corporation are as provided in its 
constitution and bylaws and include the following purposes:
            ``(1) To collect, preserve, and interpret objects related 
        to the history and technology of lighthouses located, in the 
        past or present, at sites throughout the United States.
            ``(2) To research, document, and disseminate information on 
        the history and technology of American lighthouses.
            ``(3) To create and maintain an archive of artifacts and 
        materials related to American lighthouses.
            ``(4) To foster research of American lighthouse history.
            ``(5) To serve as a contact point for public inquiry and 
        assistance with respect to American lighthouse history, 
        research, education, collections, and programs.
            ``(6) To celebrate America's lighthouse heritage through 
        educational programs, publications, films, festivals, living 
        history, lighthouse trails, conferences, and other such 
        offerings.
            ``(7) To support other existing and future lighthouse 
        museums, organizations, and sites.
            ``(8) To establish partnerships with other organizations to 
        attain the above goals.
            ``(9) To engage in any lawful act or activity necessary to 
        further the purposes of the corporation under this section.
``Sec. 152003. Operation of museum
    ``(a) In General.--The corporation shall operate a museum to be 
known as the National Lighthouse Center and Museum at the site of the 
former United States Lighthouse Depot located at what is now known as 
St. George, Staten Island, New York.
    ``(b) Storage Facility.--The corporation shall operate a storage 
facility located at or near the site described in subsection (a) for 
the care, conservation, and maintenance of artifacts in the collection 
of the corporation.
    ``(c) Support to Other Museums.--The corporation shall provide 
support to other museums that interpret the history of aids to 
navigation in the United States.
    ``(d) Designation of Collection.--The collection of artifacts of 
the National Lighthouse Center and Museum shall be known as the 
National Lighthouse Collection.
    ``(e) Exclusive Right.--The corporation shall have the sole and 
exclusive right to use, in carrying out its purposes, the name 
`National Lighthouse Center and Museum' and the sole and exclusive 
right to the use of its corporate seal, emblems, and badges as adopted 
by the corporation.
``Sec. 152004. Membership
    ``Eligibility for membership in the corporation and the rights and 
privileges of members are as provided in the constitution and bylaws of 
the corporation.
``Sec. 152005. Governing body
    ``(a) Board of Trustees.--The board of trustees of the corporation 
and the responsibilities of the board are as provided in the 
constitution and bylaws of the corporation.
    ``(b) Officers.--The officers and the election of officers of the 
corporation are as provided in the bylaws of the corporation.
``Sec. 152006. Powers
    ``The corporation has only the powers provided in its constitution, 
bylaws, and charter as granted by the Board of Regents of the State of 
New York and in the certificate of authority in any other State in 
which the corporation is, or shall be, qualified to do business.
``Sec. 152007. Restrictions
    ``(a) Stock and Dividends.--The corporation may not issue stock or 
declare or pay a dividend.
    ``(b) Political Activities.--The corporation or a trustee or 
officer, acting as such trustee or officer, may not contribute to, 
support, or participate in any political activity or in any manner 
attempt to influence legislation.
    ``(c) Distribution of Income or Assets.--The income or assets of 
the corporation may not inure to the benefit of, or be distributed to, 
a trustee, officer, or member during the life of the charter granted by 
this chapter. This subsection does not prevent the payment of 
reasonable compensation to an officer or reimbursement for actual 
necessary expenses in amounts approved by the board of trustees.
    ``(d) Loans.--The corporation may not make a loan to a trustee, 
officer, or employee.
    ``(e) Claim of Governmental Approval or Authorization.--The 
corporation may not claim congressional approval or the authority of 
the United States Government for any of its activities.
``Sec. 152008. Duty to maintain corporate and tax-exempt status
    ``(a) Corporate Status.--The corporation shall maintain its 
corporate status as a corporation incorporated under the laws of the 
State of New York.
    ``(b) Tax-Exempt Status.--The corporation shall maintain its status 
as an organization exempt from taxation under the Internal Revenue Code 
of 1986 (26 U.S.C. 1 et seq.).
``Sec. 152009. Records and inspection
    ``(a) Records.--The corporation shall keep--
            ``(1) correct and complete records of account;
            ``(2) minutes of the proceedings of its members, board of 
        trustees, and committees; and
            ``(3) at its principal office, a record of the names and 
        addresses of its members entitled to vote, if any.
    ``(b) Inspection.--Any officer or trustee, or any member entitled 
to vote (if any), or an agent or attorney of such officer, trustee, or 
member, may inspect the records of the corporation for any proper 
purpose at any reasonable time.
``Sec. 152010. Service of process
    ``The corporation shall comply with the law on service of process 
of the State of New York and in each State in which it carries on 
activities.
``Sec. 152011. Liability for acts of officers and agents
    ``The corporation is liable for the acts of its officers and agents 
acting within the scope of their authority.
``Sec. 152012. Annual report
    ``The corporation shall submit an annual report to Congress on the 
activities of the corporation during the prior fiscal year. The report 
shall be submitted at the same time as the report of the audit required 
by section 10101 of this title. The report may not be printed as a 
public document.
``Sec. 152013. Definitions
    ``For purposes of this chapter--
            (1) the term `corporation' means the National Lighthouse 
        Center and Museum, Inc., incorporated in New York; and
            (2) the term `State' includes the District of Columbia and 
        the territories and possessions of the United States.''.

SEC. 3. CLERICAL AMENDMENT.

    The table of chapters at the beginning of subtitle II of title 36, 
United States Code, is amended by inserting after the item relating to 
chapter 1519 the following new item:

``1520. NATIONAL LIGHTHOUSE CENTER AND MUSEUM...............  152001''.
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