Public Law 96-297 Public Law 96–297, as amended Public Law 96-297 297 113–21 Statute Compilation United States House of Representatives Office of the Legislative Counsel text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain. GPO Statute Compilations USLM converter, version 20210527.1 2021-10-15 Public Law 96-297 10205 96 1980-07-01 Public Law 96-297 [(Public Law 96–297)] [As Amended Through P.L. 113–21, Enacted July 18, 2013] [Currency: This publication is a compilation of the text of Public Law 96–297. It was last amended by the public law listed in the As Amended Through note above and below at the bottom of each page of the pdf version and reflects current law through the date of the enactment of the public law listed at https://www.govinfo.gov/app/collection/comps/] [Note: While this publication does not represent an official version of any Federal statute, substantial efforts have been made to ensure the accuracy of its contents. The official version of Federal law is found in the United States Statutes at Large and in the United States Code. The legal effect to be given to the Statutes at Large and the United States Code is established by statute (1 U.S.C. 112, 204).]
Joint ResolutionTo authorize the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund, Inc., to establish a memorial. Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
That [16 U.S.C. 431 note] the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund, Inc., a nonprofit corporation organized and existing under the laws of the District of Columbia, is authorized to establish a memorial on public grounds in West Potomac Park in the District of Columbia, in honor and recognition of the men and women of the Armed Forces of the United States who served in the Vietnam war.
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SEC. 6. VISITOR CENTER (a) Authorization.— (1) In general.—The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund, Inc., is authorized to construct a visitor center at or near the Vietnam Veterans Memorial on Federal land in the District of Columbia, or its environs, subject to the provisions of this section, in order to better inform and educate the public about the Vietnam Veterans Memorial and the Vietnam War. (2) Location.—The visitor center shall be located underground. (3) Consultation on design phase.—The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund, Inc., shall consult with educators, veterans groups, and the National Park Service in developing the proposed design of the visitor center. (b) Compliance With Standards Applicable to Commemorative Works.—Chapter 89 of title 40, United States Code, shall apply, including provisions related to the siting, design, construction, and maintenance of the visitor center, and the visitor center shall be considered a commemorative work for the purposes of that Act, except that— (1) final approval of the visitor center shall not be withheld; (2) the provisions of subsections (b) and (c) of section 8908 of title 40, United States Code, requiring further approval by law for the location of a commemorative work within Area I and prohibiting the siting of a visitor center within the Reserve shall not apply; (3) the size of the visitor center shall be limited to the minimum necessary— (A) to provide for appropriate educational and interpretive functions; and (B) to prevent interference or encroachment on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial and to protect open space and visual sightlines on the Mall; (4) the visitor center shall be constructed and landscaped in a manner harmonious with the site of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, consistent with the special nature and sanctity of the Mall; (5) any reference in section 8903(e) of title 40, United States Code, to the expiration at the end of or extension beyond a seven-year period shall be considered to be a reference to an expiration on or extension beyond November 17, 2018; and (6) notwithstanding section 8905(b)(7) of title 40, United States Code— (A) the Secretary of the Interior shall allow the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund, Inc. to acknowledge donor contributions to the visitor center by displaying, inside the visitor center, an appropriate statement or credit acknowledging the contribution; (B) donor contribution acknowledgments shall be displayed in a form approved by the Secretary of the Interior and for a period of time commensurate with the level of the contribution and the life of the facility; (C) the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund shall bear all expenses related to the display of donor acknowledgments; (D) prior to the display of donor acknowledgments, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund, Inc. shall submit to the Secretary for approval, its plan for displaying donor acknowledgments; (E) such plan shall include the sample text and types of the acknowledgments or credits to be displayed and the form and location of all displays; (F) the Secretary shall approve the plan, if the Secretary determines that the plan— (i) allows only short, discrete, and unobtrusive acknowledgments or credits; (ii) does not permit any advertising slogans or company logos; and (iii) conforms to applicable National Park Service guidelines for indoor donor recognition; and (G) if the Secretary of the Interior determines that the proposed plan submitted under this paragraph, does not meet the requirements of this paragraph, the Secretary shall— (i) advise the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund, Inc. not later than 30 days after receipt of the proposed plan of the reasons that such plan does not meet the requirements; and (ii) allow the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund, Inc. to submit a revised donor recognition plan. (c) Operation and Maintenance.— (1) In general.—* * * * * * * * * *