[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 7252 Introduced in House (IH)]







110th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 7252

 To designate the structure of the Gateway Arch and the Old St. Louis 
Courthouse as National Historic Landmarks, to designate the grounds of 
  the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial surrounding the Arch for 
 inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places, and for other 
                               purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            October 3, 2008

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

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To designate the structure of the Gateway Arch and the Old St. Louis 
Courthouse as National Historic Landmarks, to designate the grounds of 
  the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial surrounding the Arch for 
 inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places, 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. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) The Jefferson National Expansion Memorial was conceived 
        in the 1930s to preserve St. Louis's role as the ``Gateway to 
        the West''. Land was acquired, competitions were held, the 
        renowned Arch was completed on October 28, 1965, and the Arch 
        itself was designated a National Historic Landmark on May 28, 
        1987.
            (2) The original purpose of the Memorial, as described in 
        President Roosevelt's 1935 Executive Order and later in the 
        Jefferson National Expansion Memorial Act of 1954, was to 
        commemorate the past, and especially, to keep alive the daring 
        and spirit that moved pioneers to press westward before and 
        after the consummation of the Louisiana Purchase and the 
        historic role of the rivers and St. Louis in westward 
        expansion.
            (3) To fully realize the true promise and significance of 
        the Memorial and its Landmark, the Arch, the Memorial should 
        connect with and be more accessible to the urban population and 
        the river and commemorate the pioneering spirit of migration 
        throughout the Nation by providing a visitor experience that 
        includes educational, instructional, and research programs, 
        facilities, and technology demonstrating--
                    (A) the broad diversity of migrants;
                    (B) the policies and conditions that produced 
                migration;
                    (C) the impact of migration on the political, 
                economic, social, and architectural development of the 
                Nation; and
                    (D) a focus on African-American migration patterns 
                from slavery to the underground railroad, and 
                especially the migration of African-Americans from the 
                south to northern industrial cities.
            (4) The project described in paragraph (3) should be 
        completed by October 28, 2015, the 50th anniversary of the 
        completion of the Arch, so that the area will be available to 
        better engage the American public when the Centennial of the 
        National Park Service is celebrated in 2016.
            (5) The Jefferson National Expansion Memorial Act of 1954, 
        which authorized the construction of the Jefferson National 
        Expansion Memorial and directed the Secretary to construct the 
        Memorial in accordance with the Eero Saarinen's winning design 
        for the development and construction of the Memorial, 
        recognized the importance of highly visible cultural facilities 
        and other attractions on the grounds of the Memorial to its 
        central purpose of promoting the connection and significance of 
        the historic St. Louis riverfront to the rest of the region, 
        and in turn, the region to the Nation.
            (6) The Museum of Westward Expansion should be 
        significantly improved before the Centennial of the National 
        Park Service is celebrated in 2016.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

    For the purposes of this Act:
            (1) Memorial.--The term ``Memorial'' means the Jefferson 
        National Expansion Memorial.
            (2) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of the Interior.
            (3) Trust.--The term ``Trust'' means the Jefferson National 
        Expansion Memorial Trust

SEC. 3. NATIONAL HISTORIC LANDMARK STATUS OF THE GATEWAY ARCH.

    To ensure the protections of the National Historic Preservation 
Act--
            (1) the structure of the Gateway Arch and the Old St. Louis 
        Courthouse are hereby designated by Congress as National 
        Historic Landmarks; and
            (2) the grounds of the Memorial surrounding the Arch are 
        hereby designated by Congress for inclusion on the National 
        Register of Historic Places.

SEC. 4. AUTHORITY OF THE SECRETARY.

    The Secretary may take the following actions:
            (1) Enter into agreements with the Trust to plan and 
        develop the St. Louis riverfront between Eads and Poplar Street 
        bridges, the Memorial grounds including the interstate highway 
        and roadways now traversing them, Luther Ely Smith Square, and 
        the Old Courthouse as a single project area. The master plan 
        for the project area and the design of its highly visible 
        elements shall be created pursuant to international design 
        competitions to be conducted by the Trust as extensive as the 
        1947 competition which resulted in the selection of Eero 
        Saarinen's Arch design.
            (2) Enter into an agreement with the Trust to facilitate 
        the planning, construction, and operation of a cultural 
        facility on Federal land within the boundary of the Jefferson 
        National Expansion Memorial to enhance the visitor experience 
        of the Memorial and for exhibitions, learning and 
        interpretation associated with American migration, and other 
        terms and conditions the Secretary determines to be necessary. 
        An agreement authorizing the Trust to occupy or operate the 
        cultural facility shall also provide for conveyance by the 
        Trust to the United States of all right, title, and interest in 
        such cultural facility.
            (3) Transfer one or more portions of the Memorial grounds 
        to the administrative jurisdiction of the Trust and enter into 
        agreements with the Trust for the Trust to assist in the 
        implementation of the Final General Management Plan and Record 
        of Decision.
            (4) Enter into agreements with the Trust for such other 
        facilities and services provided in the design competitions in 
        furtherance of the purposes of this Act, including completing 
        the project described in paragraph (3) of section 1 not later 
        than October 28, 2015.
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