[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3511 Introduced in House (IH)]

111th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 3511

 To authorize the Secretary of the Interior to establish and operate a 
visitor facility to fulfill the purposes of the Marianas Trench Marine 
               National Monument, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 31, 2009

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

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To authorize the Secretary of the Interior to establish and operate a 
visitor facility to fulfill the purposes of the Marianas Trench Marine 
               National Monument, 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. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Marianas Trench Marine National 
Monument Visitor Facility Authorization Act of 2009''.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) The terms ``Marine National Monument'' or ``monument'' 
        mean the Marianas Trench Marine National Monument established 
        by the President by a proclamation dated January 6, 2009.
            (2) The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary of the 
        Interior.

SEC. 3. MARIANAS TRENCH MARINE NATIONAL MONUMENT VISITOR FACILITY.

    (a) Visitor Facility Authorization.--The Secretary is authorized to 
construct a multipurpose visitor facility in the Commonwealth of the 
Northern Mariana Islands for the interpretation and public education 
and enjoyment of the marine environment within the boundaries of the 
Marine National Monument.
    (b) Visitor Facility Location and Description.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary shall locate the visitor 
        facility authorized under subsection (a) in the Northern 
        Mariana Islands at a location suitable to fulfill the purposes 
        of this Act.
            (2) Components of visitor facility.--The facility 
        authorized under subsection (a) shall include--
                    (A) adequate space for permanent and temporary 
                exhibits depicting the biological, geological, 
                archaeological, cultural, and recreational heritage of 
                the monument;
                    (B) a venue for public education and interpretive 
                programs relevant to the natural, cultural, and 
                aesthetic resources of the monument, including formal 
                classroom space to provide opportunities for research, 
                training, and formal education regarding the monument;
                    (C) a location to highlight the importance of the 
                marine environment and the resources of the monument to 
                the people and culture of the Commonwealth of the 
                Northern Mariana Islands and other indigenous people 
                and cultures of the Western Pacific Ocean Basin;
                    (D) a location to provide information to the 
                general public about natural resources, parks, museums, 
                cultural resources, opportunities for wildlife-
                dependent outdoor recreation, and travel within the 
                Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands that 
                provide opportunities for the visiting public to 
                actively or passively experience the monument and to 
                gain greater awareness and appreciation of the 
                resources therein;
                    (E) sufficient visitor amenities including 
                restrooms, public telephones, drinking water, and other 
                basic facilities; and
                    (F) administrative office space sufficient to 
                fulfill the management obligations and responsibilities 
                of the Secretary and other Federal agencies as 
                specified in the monument's enabling proclamation.

SEC. 4. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as are necessary 
to fulfill the purposes of this Act.

SEC. 5. DONATIONS.

    For the purposes of the planning, construction, and operation of 
the visitor facility authorized under section 3 of this Act, the 
Secretary may accept, retain, and expend donations of funds, and use 
property or services donated from private persons and entities or from 
public entities.
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