[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 26 (Thursday, February 29, 1996)]
[Senate]
[Page S1461]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. THOMPSON (for himself, Mr. First, and Ms. Moseley-Braun):
  S. 1584. A bill to authorize appropriations for the preservation and 
restoration of historic buildings at historically black colleges and 
universities; to the Committee on Labor and Human Resources.


  the historically black colleges and universities historic building 
                    restoration and preservation act

 Mr. THOMPSON. Mr. President, today I am pleased to offer on behalf of 
myself, Senator Frist, and Senator Mosely-Braun authorization 
legislation for historic preservation activity for buildings at 
historically black colleges and universities. This bill directs the 
Secretary of the Interior to administer a program of grants-in-aid, 
from amounts authorized to be appropriated to carry out the National 
Historic Preservation Act for fiscal year 1996 through 1999, to 
eligible historically black colleges and universities for the 
preservation and restoration of historic buildings and structures on 
their campuses.
  This being African-American History Month, I believe it is important 
for us to step back and reflect on the contributions that African-
Americans have made to the founding and building of this Nation. And 
more importantly, to reflect on the institutions and organizations that 
were built by African-Americans to meet the challenges, goals, and 
needs of their people. Historically black colleges and universities 
stand as a testament to the hopes, dreams, achievements, and struggle 
of a people previously denied opportunity and justice to overcome 
extreme adversity and who succeeded despite the imposition of almost 
insurmountable legal and social obstacles.
  This bill authorizes the Secretary to: First, obligate funds for a 
grant with respect to a building or structure listed on the National 
Register of Historic Places only if the grantee agrees to match the 
amount of such grant, with funds derived from non-Federal sources; and 
second, waive this matching requirement if an extreme emergency exists 
or is such a waiver is in the public interest to assure the 
preservation of historically significant resources.
  It authorizes funds for to complete preservation operations at Fisk 
University and 13 historically black colleges and universities in 
Delaware, the District of Columbia and throughout the South, based on 
the 1991 National HBCU Historic Preservation Initiative. In September 
1987, the Office of Historically Black College and University Programs 
within the Department of the Interior developed a proposal for a 
project designed to restore and preserve historic structures on the 
campuses of HBCU's. In 1988, a special survey to identify candidates 
for inclusion in the program generated responses from 46 HBCUs 
nominating 144 structures for consideration. The initiative selected 11 
of the most historically significant and critically threatened 
structures which will require an estimated $20 million to restore 
and preserve the structure. Projects to be funded under the program 
include: Gains Hall, Morris Brown College, Atlanta, GA; Leonard Hall, 
Shaw University, Raleigh, NC; Hill Hall, Savannah State College, 
Savannah, GA; St. Agnes, St. Augustine's College, Raleigh, NC; The 
Mansion, Tougaloo College, Tougaloo, MS; White Hall, Bethune-Cookman 
College, Daytona Beach, FL; Graves Hall, Morehouse College, Atlanta, 
GA; Howard Hall, Howard University, Washington, DC; Virginia Hall, 
Hampton University, Hampton, VA; Parkard Hall, Spelman College, 
Atlanta, GA; Administration Building, Fisk University, Nashville, TN; 
Lookerman Hall, Delaware State College, Dover, DE; Cooper Hall, 
Sterling College, Sterling, KS; and Science Hall, Simpson College, 
Indianola, IA.

  This bill is exactly the same as the bill that passed both the House 
and Senate in 1994 but died in conference due to the end of the 
session. The only changes made were to the effective dates. I am happy 
to be a part of preserving this important part of American history and 
urge my colleagues to join me in the effort.

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