[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1076 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







108th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 1076

To authorize construction of an education center at or near the Vietnam 
                           Veterans Memorial.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                              May 19, 2003

   Mr. Hagel (for himself, Mr. McCain, and Mr. Kerry) introduced the 
 following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on 
                      Energy and Natural Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To authorize construction of an education center at or near the Vietnam 
                           Veterans Memorial.

    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 ``Vietnam Veterans Memorial Education 
Center Act''.

SEC. 2. VIETNAM VETERANS MEMORIAL EDUCATION CENTER.

    Public Law 96-297 (16 U.S.C. 431 note) is amended by adding at the 
end the following:

``SEC. 6. EDUCATION CENTER.

    ``(a) Authorization.--(1) The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund, Inc., 
is authorized to construct an education center at or near the Vietnam 
Veterans Memorial site, subject to the provisions of this section, in 
order to better inform and educate the public about the Vietnam 
Veterans Memorial.
    ``(2) The education center may be located above ground or 
underground, as determined through the approval process set forth under 
chapter 89 of title 40, United States Code, and this section.
    ``(3) As used in this section, the term `education center' or 
`center' means a building or other structure approved in accordance 
with chapter 89 of title 40, United States Code, and this section.
    ``(b) Applicable Law.--(1) Chapter 89 of title 40, United States 
Code, shall apply to the education center, and the center shall be 
considered a commemorative work for the purposes of that Act, except 
that--
            ``(A) final approval of the education center shall not be 
        withheld; and
            ``(B) the provisions of section 8908(b)(1) of title 40, 
        United States Code, requiring approval by law for the location 
        of a commemorative work within Area I, shall not apply.
    ``(2) The size of the education center shall be limited to the 
minimum necessary--
            ``(A) to provide for appropriate educational and 
        interpretive functions; and
            ``(B) to prevent interference or encroachment on the 
        Vietnam Veterans Memorial and to protect open space and visual 
        sightlines on the Mall.
    ``(3) The education center shall be constructed and landscaped in a 
manner harmonious with the site of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, 
consistent with the special nature and sanctity of the Mall.
    ``(c) Operation and Maintenance.--(1) The education center shall be 
operated and maintained by the Secretary of the Interior.
    ``(2) This subsection does not waive section 8906(b) of title 40, 
United States Code (requiring the donation of funds to offset the costs 
of perpetual maintenance and preservation of the commemorative work).
    ``(d) Funding.--All funds required for the planning, design, and 
construction of the education center shall be provided by the Vietnam 
Veterans Memorial Fund, Inc. No Federal funds shall be used for the 
planning, design, or construction of the center.''.
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