[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 360 Introduced in House (IH)]






109th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 360

To provide for the preservation of the historic confinement sites where 
  Japanese Americans were detained during World War II, and for other 
                               purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            January 25, 2005

  Mr. Thomas introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                         Committee on Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To provide for the preservation of the historic confinement sites where 
  Japanese Americans were detained during World War II, 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. PRESERVATION OF HISTORIC CONFINEMENT SITES.

    (a) Preservation Program.--The Secretary shall create a program 
within the National Park Service to encourage, support, recognize, and 
work in partnership with citizens, other Federal agencies, State, 
local, and tribal governments, other public entities, educational 
institutions, and private nonprofit organizations for the purpose of 
identifying, researching, evaluating, interpreting, protecting, 
restoring, repairing, and acquiring historic confinement sites in order 
that present and future generations may learn and gain inspiration from 
these sites and that these sites will demonstrate the Nation's 
commitment to equal justice under the law.
    (b) Grants.--The Secretary shall make grants to citizens, State, 
local, and tribal governments, other public entities, educational 
institutions, and private nonprofit organizations to assist in carrying 
out the actions described in subsection (a).

SEC. 2. ADVISORY COMMISSION.

    (a) Establishment.--There is established an advisory commission to 
be known as the Advisory Commission to Preserve World War II Historic 
Confinement Sites.
    (b) Duties.--The Advisory Commission shall provide guidance to the 
Secretary with respect to the implementation and administration of 
section 1. Such guidance shall include recommending measures to 
encourage public involvement in the actions described in section 1(a), 
recommending priorities for the administration of grants described in 
section 1(b), and reviewing and making recommendations with respect to 
proposals for grants submitted pursuant to section 1(b).
    (c) Membership.--The Advisory Commission shall be composed of 21 
members appointed by the Secretary and shall include former internees, 
local residents, representatives of Native American groups, and members 
of the general public. Each member shall be appointed for a term of 2 
years. A member may serve after the expiration of that member's term 
until a successor has taken office.
    (d) Chairperson.--The members of the Advisory Commission shall 
designate one of the members as Chairperson.
    (e) Meetings.--The Advisory Commission shall meet at least once 
during each fiscal year. Notice of Advisory Commission meetings shall 
be published in local newspapers. Advisory Commission meetings shall be 
held at such locations and in such a manner as to ensure adequate 
public involvement.
    (f) Compensation.--Members of the Advisory Commission shall serve 
without compensation, but while engaged in official business of the 
Advisory Commission shall be entitled to travel expenses, including per 
diem in lieu of subsistence, in accordance with applicable provisions 
under subchapter I of chapter 57 of title 5, United States Code.
    (g) Termination.--Section 14 of the Federal Advisory Committee Act 
(5 U.S.C. App.; relating to the termination of advisory committees) 
shall not apply to the Advisory Commission.

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

    For purposes of this Act--
            (1) the term ``Advisory Commission'' means the Advisory 
        Commission to Preserve World War II Historic Confinement Sites 
        established in section 2;
            (2) the term ``historic confinement sites'' means--
                    (A) the 10 internment camp sites referred to as 
                Gila River, Granada, Heart Mountain, Jerome, Manzanar, 
                Minidoka, Poston, Rohwer, Topaz, and Tule Lake and 
                depicted in Figures 4.1, 5.1, 6.1, 7.1, 8.4, 9.2, 10.6, 
                11.2, 12.2, and 13.2, respectively, in ``Confinement 
                and Ethnicity: An Overview of World War II Japanese 
                American Relocation Sites'', published by the Western 
                Archeological and Conservation Center, National Park 
                Service, in 1999; and
                    (B) other historically significant locations, as 
                determined by the Secretary, where Japanese Americans 
                were detained during World War II; and
            (3) the term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary of the 
        Interior.

SEC. 4. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary such sums 
as may be necessary for the purpose of carrying out this Act. Such sums 
shall remain available until expended.
                                 <all>