[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1568 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
111th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 1568
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 SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
August 3, 2009
Mr. Specter (for himself and Mr. Casey) introduced the following bill;
which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and
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.--Congress finds that--
(1) the economic and societal transition of the United
States from an agricultural age to an industrial age, and the
ongoing transformation of the United States to a postindustrial
society, reflect and embody the fundamental spirit and ideals
of the United States;
(2) it is crucial that people in the United States have the
opportunity to learn--
(A) the history of the industrialization of the
United States; and
(B) the impact of industrialization on their 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 relating 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 that site--
(A) the Bethlehem Steel Plant began operation in
the 1850s;
(B) in 1853, the first commercial zinc production
began;
(C) Frederick W. Taylor conducted time and motion
studies that became the basis for his principles of
modern scientific management;
(D) on June 1, 1887, the modern American defense
industry was born when the Navy awarded the first armor
plate contract to the Bethlehem Iron Company;
(E) the steel plant produced armor plate for--
(i) the battleships U.S.S. Maine and U.S.S.
Texas; and
(ii) 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; and
(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
relating 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) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Center.--The term ``Center'' means the interpretive
center and museum to be located on the western end and central
core of the former Bethlehem Steel Plant Site in Bethlehem,
Pennsylvania.
(2) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of the Interior.
(b) Assistance.--Not later than 180 days after the date on which
funds are first made available to carry out this section, subject to
the availability of appropriations, the Secretary shall offer to enter
into an agreement with an appropriate entity under which the Secretary
shall provide financial assistance to the entity for the development
and operation of the Center.
(c) Purposes of Center.--The purposes of the Center shall be--
(1) to preserve, display, and interpret historical
resources relating to industrialization in the United States;
and
(2) to promote other historical and cultural resources in
the region of the Center through activities conducted at the
Center.
(d) Terms of Assistance.--
(1) Limitations.--
(A) Covered expenses.--Financial assistance
provided under this section may be used at the Center
only for--
(i) facilities construction;
(ii) acquisition of contemporary technology
to be used primarily to enhance the
presentation of historical information at the
Center; and
(iii) program development and
implementation, including--
(I) educational program development
and implementation;
(II) curriculum design and
development;
(III) other activities directly
relating to providing programs at the
Center; and
(IV) salaries of staff carrying out
any activity described in subclause
(I), (II), or (III).
(B) Prohibited expenses.--Financial assistance
provided under this section shall not be used for--
(i) the acquisition of any item for the
museum collection of the Center;
(ii) administrative expenses;
(iii) the acquisition of technology
primarily used for administrative purposes; or
(iv) staff salaries for administrative
activities, except as provided in subparagraph
(A)(iii)(IV).
(2) Matching requirement.--The Secretary shall require each
party to an agreement under subsection (b) to provide funds
from non-Federal sources for the purposes described in
subsection (c) in an amount at least equal to the amount
provided by the Secretary for those purposes under this
section.
(3) Maximum amount; payment schedule.--
(A) Maximum amount.--The total amount of assistance
provided by the Secretary under this section shall not
exceed $25,000,000.
(B) Payment schedule.--
(i) In general.--The Secretary shall make
payments of financial assistance under this
section on an annual basis.
(ii) Initial payment.--The initial payment
under this section shall be made not later than
30 days after the date on which an agreement is
entered into under subsection (b) by the
Secretary and an appropriate entity.
(iii) Number of payments.--The Secretary
shall make not less than 5 annual payments
under this section.
(e) Report.--
(1) In general.--For each calendar year during the 5-year
period beginning on the date on which funds are first made
available to carry out this section, the Secretary shall submit
to Congress an annual report describing the implementation by
the Secretary of this section.
(2) Contents.--Each report under paragraph (1) shall
include a description of--
(A) the current status of the development of the
Center;
(B) each project and activity funded under this
section during the preceding calendar year; and
(C) the unexpended balance, if any, of amounts made
available to carry out this section.
(f) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated to the Secretary $25,000,000 to carry out this section, to
remain available until expended.
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