[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6703 Introduced in House (IH)]







110th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 6703

To assist in the establishment of an interpretive center and museum in 
 Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, to protect and interpret the history of the 
                industrialization of the United States.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 31, 2008

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

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To assist in the establishment of an interpretive center and museum in 
 Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, to protect and interpret the history of the 
                industrialization of the United States.

    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 Museum of Industrial 
History Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSE.

    (a) Findings.--The Congress finds the following:
            (1) The economic and societal transition of the United 
        States from an agricultural to an industrial age and its 
        ongoing transformation to a post-industrial society reflect and 
        embody the fundamental spirit and ideals of the United States.
            (2) It is crucial that people of the United States have the 
        opportunity to learn the history of the industrialization of 
        the United States and the impact of industrialization on our 
        way of life.
            (3) It is important to preserve the history of 
        industrialization of the United States for future generations.
            (4) To ensure the protection, interpretation and awareness 
        of the history of the industrialization of the United Sates, 
        key structures and artifacts related to the process of 
        industrialization must be preserved and exhibited in an 
        educational museum.
            (5) The site of the former Bethlehem Steel Plant, which is 
        the proposed site of the National Museum of Industrial History, 
        has a particular relevance to the preservation and awareness of 
        the history of industrialization.
            (6) On this site--
                    (A) the Bethlehem Steel Plant had its beginnings in 
                the 1850s;
                    (B) in 1853, the first commercial zinc production 
                began;
                    (C) Frederick W. Taylor conducted his time and 
                motion studies that became the basis for his principles 
                of modern scientific management;
                    (D) the modern American defense industry was born 
                on June 1, 1887, when the Navy awarded the first armor 
                plate contract to the Bethlehem Iron Company;
                    (E) the steel plant produced armor plate for the 
                battleships U.S.S. Maine and U.S.S. Texas, and for 
                other battleships including the U.S.S. Wisconsin;
                    (F) high-speed tool steel was perfected; and
                    (G) in 1908 the 48 Grey Mill became the first 
                rolling mill in the United States to produce large 
                wide-flange steel beams.
            (7) The site contains the oldest significant remains of 
        bessemer steel production in the United States.
    (b) Purpose.--The purpose of this Act is to assist in the 
establishment of an interpretive center and museum in Bethlehem, 
Pennsylvania--
            (1) to ensure the protection of historical resources 
        related to industrialization; and
            (2) to interpret the impact of industrialization on the 
        history of the United States.

SEC. 3. INDUSTRIAL HISTORY INTERPRETIVE CENTER AND MUSEUM.

    (a) Assistance.--Not later than 180 days after the date on which 
funds are first made available to carry out this section and subject to 
appropriations, the Secretary of the Interior shall seek to enter into 
an agreement with an appropriate entity to provide Federal financial 
assistance for the development and operation of an interpretive center 
and museum to be located on the western end and central core of the 
former Bethlehem Steel Plant Site in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.
    (b) Purpose of Interpretive Center and Museum.--The purpose of the 
interpretive center and museum under subsection (a) is--
            (1) to preserve, display, and interpret historical 
        resources related to industrialization in the United States; 
        and
            (2) to promote other historical and cultural resources in 
        the region through activities conducted at the interpretive 
        center and museum.
    (c) Terms of Assistance.--
            (1) Limitations on use of financial assistance.--
                    (A) Covered expenses.--Financial assistance 
                provided under this section may only be used for the 
                following activities for the interpretive center and 
                museum under subsection (a):
                            (i) Facilities construction.
                            (ii) Acquisition of contemporary technology 
                        to be used primarily to enhance the 
                        presentation of historical information at the 
                        interpretive center and museum.
                            (iii) Program development and 
                        implementation, including--
                                    (I) educational program development 
                                and implementation;
                                    (II) curriculum design and 
                                development;
                                    (III) other activities directly 
                                related to providing programs of the 
                                interpretive center and museum; and
                                    (IV) staff salaries for the 
                                activities authorized under this 
                                clause.
                    (B) Prohibited expenses.--Financial assistance 
                provided under this section may not be used for--
                            (i) the acquisition of items for the 
                        museum's collection;
                            (ii) administrative expenses;
                            (iii) the acquisition of technology 
                        primarily used for administrative purposes; or
                            (iv) staff salaries for administrative 
                        activities, expect as provided in subparagraph 
                        (A)(iii)(IV).
            (2) Matching requirement.--The Secretary shall require the 
        other parties to the agreement under subsection (a) to provide 
        an amount of funds from non-Federal sources for the purpose 
        described in subsection (b) that is at least equal to the 
        amount provided by the Secretary under this section.
            (3) Amount of assistance; payment schedule.--The total 
        amount of assistance provided under the subsection shall not 
        exceed $25,000,000. The Secretary shall make payments of 
        financial assistance under this subsection on an annual basis. 
        The first payment shall be made before the end of the 30-day 
        period beginning on the date the agreement under subsection (a) 
        is entered into by the Secretary and the appropriate entity. A 
        total of five payments shall be made under this section.
    (d) Report.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary shall submit annual reports 
        to the Congress during the 5-year period beginning on the date 
        funds are first made available to carry out this section.
            (2) Contents.--Each report shall describe--
                    (A) the current status of the development of the 
                interpretive center and museum;
                    (B) the projects and activities funded under this 
                section; and
                    (C) the balance of unexpended appropriated funds 
                available to carry out this section.
    (e) Authorization of Appropriations.--
            (1) In general.--There is authorized to be appropriated to 
        the Secretary $25,000,000 to carry out this section.
            (2) Availability.--Amounts made available under paragraph 
        (1) shall remain available until expended.
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