[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 196 Introduced in House (IH)]







108th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 196

 To authorize the Secretary of the Interior to establish a memorial to 
                 slavery, in the District of Columbia.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            January 7, 2003

  Mr. Stearns (for himself, Mr. Cummings, Mr. Quinn, and Mr. Moran of 
  Virginia) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                         Committee on Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To authorize the Secretary of the Interior to establish a memorial to 
                 slavery, in the District of Columbia.

    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 Slave Memorial Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    The Congress finds the following:
            (1) Millions of Africans and their descendants were 
        enslaved in the United States and the 13 American colonies in 
        the period 1619 through 1865.
            (2) The American Colonies determined that economic benefit 
        would be derived from the import of slave labor and forthwith 
        became an active participant in the ``Middle Passage'' of 
        African slaves to its shores.
            (3) Upon their arrival in North America, Africans were 
        considered chattel and thereby denied the privileges granted to 
        other immigrants.
            (4) The agricultural resources of any nation are the 
        backbone of its subsistence and for over 250 years, millions of 
        unnamed African and American-born Black men, women, and 
        children provided the free labor that cultivated the fields 
        from which Americans ate and were clothed, which allowed the 
        dominant population to secure other interests.
            (5) Slavery was a grave injustice that caused African 
        Americans to suffer enormous damages and losses, both material 
        and intangible, including the loss of human dignity and 
        liberty, the frustration of careers and professional lives, and 
        the long-term loss of income and opportunity.
            (6) Slavery in the United States denied African Americans 
        the fruits of their own labor and was an immoral and inhumane 
        deprivation of life, liberty, the pursuit of happiness, 
        citizenship rights, and cultural heritage.
            (7) Although the achievements of African Americans in 
        overcoming the evils of slavery stand as a source of tremendous 
        inspiration, the successes of slaves and their descendants do 
        not overwrite the failure of the Nation to grant all Americans 
        their birthright of equality and the civil rights that 
        safeguard freedom.
            (8) Many African American slaves fought as valiant patriots 
        in the wars that helped to preserve our national freedoms, 
        knowing they would never be privileged to partake of the 
        freedoms for which they fought.
            (9) African American art, history, and culture reflect 
        experiences of slavery and freedom, and continued struggles for 
        full recognition of citizenship and treatment with human 
        dignity, and there is inadequate presentation, preservation, 
        and recognition of the contributions of African Americans 
        within American society.
            (10) There is a great need for building institutions and 
        monuments to promote cultural understanding of African American 
        heritage and further enhance racial harmony.
            (11) It is proper and timely for the Congress to recognize 
        June 19, 1865, the historic day when the last group of slaves 
        were informed of their freedom, to acknowledge the historic 
        significance of the abolition of slavery, to express deep 
        regret to African Americans, and to support reconciliation 
        efforts.

SEC. 3. NATIONAL SLAVE MEMORIAL.

    (a) In General.--The National Foundation for African American 
Heritage (in this Act referred to as the ``Foundation''), in 
consultation with the Secretary of the Interior, is authorized to 
establish, in the District of Columbia, a memorial to slavery--
            (1) to acknowledge the fundamental injustice, cruelty, 
        brutality, and inhumanity of slavery in the United States and 
        the 13 American Colonies; and
            (2) to honor the nameless and forgotten men, women, and 
        children who have gone unrecognized for their undeniable and 
        weighty contribution to the United States.
    (b) Location.--
            (1) In general.--The memorial shall be situated in a 
        location that is--
                    (A) within the area that is referred to in the 
                Commemorative Works Act (40 U.S.C. 1001 et seq.) as 
                Area 1 and in proximity to the Lincoln Memorial; and
                    (B) recommended by the Secretary of the Interior 
                and the National Capital Memorial Commission not later 
                than 6 months after the date of enactment of this Act.
            (2) Compliance with commemorative works act.--This Act 
        shall be treated as satisfying the authorization and location 
        approval requirements of section 6 of the Commemorative Works 
        Act (40 U.S.C. 1006).
    (c) Design.--The Foundation, in consultation with the Secretary of 
the Interior, and the National Capital Memorial Commission shall--
            (1) not later than 6 months after the date of enactment of 
        this Act, begin soliciting proposals for the design of the 
        memorial from architects; and
            (2) not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of 
        this Act, select a design for the memorial from the proposals 
        submitted to the Secretary.
    (d) Funding.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary of the Interior, in 
        coordination with the Director of the Smithsonian Institution, 
        may accept donations of any necessary funds from the Foundation 
        and other private sector sources to design, construct, and 
        maintain the memorial.
            (2) Account in treasury.--The Secretary shall deposit 
        amounts that are accepted under this subsection into a separate 
        account in the Treasury established for such purpose. Amounts 
        deposited into the account shall be available for expenditure 
        by the Secretary without further appropriation to carry out 
        this Act.

SEC. 4. REPORTS.

    (a) Periodic Reports.--Not later than 6 months after the date of 
enactment of this Act, and each 6 months thereafter until the 
submission of a final report under subsection (b), the Secretary of the 
Interior shall transmit to the Congress a report on activities with 
regard to the memorial.
    (b) Final Report.--Not later than 2 years after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall transmit to the Congress a 
final report on activities with regard to the memorial, including the 
recommended design of the memorial.

SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    (a) In General.--Subject to subsection (b), there are authorized to 
be appropriated to the Secretary of the Interior such sums as may be 
necessary for carrying out this Act.
    (b) Limitation.--No sums may be appropriated to the Secretary for 
the construction of the memorial unless at least one-half of the 
estimated total cost of the construction of the memorial is donated 
from private sources pursuant to section 3(d).
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