[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 98 (Friday, July 11, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Pages S7317-S7318]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         NATIONAL CAVE AND KARST RESEARCH INSTITUTE ACT OF 1997

  Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate now 
proceed to the consideration of Calendar No. 95, S. 231.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. The clerk 
will report.
  The assistant legislative clerk read as follows:

       A bill (S. 231) to establish the National Cave and Karst 
     Research Institute in the State of New Mexico, and for other 
     purposes.

  The Senate proceeded to consider the bill.
  Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the bill be 
considered read a third time and passed, the motion to reconsider be 
laid upon the table, and that any statements relating to the bill be 
placed at appropriate place in the Record.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The bill (S. 231) was deemed read the third time and passed, as 
follows:

                                 S. 231

       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 Cave and Karst 
     Research Institute Act of 1997''.

[[Page S7318]]

     SEC. 2. PURPOSES.

       The purposes of this Act are--
       (1) to further the science of speleology;
       (2) to centralize and standardize speleological 
     information;
       (3) to foster interdisciplinary cooperation in cave and 
     karst research programs;
       (4) to promote public education;
       (5) to promote national and international cooperation in 
     protecting the environment for the benefit of cave and karst 
     landforms; and
       (6) to promote and develop environmentally sound and 
     sustainable resource management practices.

     SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT OF THE INSTITUTE.

       (a) In general.--The Secretary of the Interior (referred to 
     in this Act as the ``Secretary''), acting through the 
     Director of the National Park Service, shall establish the 
     National Cave and Karst Research Institute (referred to in 
     this Act as the ``Institute'').
       (b) Purposes.--The Institute shall, to the extent 
     practicable, further the purposes of this Act.
       (c) Location.--The Institute shall be located in the 
     vicinity of Carlsbad Caverns National Park, in the State of 
     New Mexico. The Institute shall not be located inside the 
     boundaries of Carlsbad Caverns National Park.

     SEC. 4. ADMINISTRATION OF THE INSTITUTE.

       (a) Management.--The Institute shall be jointly 
     administered by the National Park Service and a public or 
     private agency, organization, or institution, as determined 
     by the Secretary.
       (b) Guidelines.--The Institute shall be operated and 
     managed in accordance with the study prepared by the National 
     Park Service pursuant to section 203 of the Act entitled ``An 
     Act to conduct certain studies in the State of New Mexico'', 
     approved November 15, 1990 (Public Law 101-578; 16 U.S.C. 
     4310 note).
       (c) Contracts and Cooperative Agreements.--The Secretary 
     may enter into a contract or cooperative agreement with a 
     public or private agency, organization, or institution to 
     carry out this Act.
       (d) Facility.--
       (1) Leasing or acquiring a facility.--The Secretary may 
     lease or acquire a facility for the Institute.
       (2) Construction of a facility.--If the Secretary 
     determines that a suitable facility is not available for a 
     lease or acquisition under paragraph (1), the Secretary may 
     construct a facility for the Institute.
       (e) Acceptance of Grants and Transfers.--To carry out this 
     Act, the Secretary may accept--
       (1) a grant or donation from a private person; or
       (2) a transfer of funds from another Federal agency.

     SEC. 5. FUNDING.

       (a) Matching Funds.--The Secretary may spend only such 
     amount of Federal funds to carry out this Act as is matched 
     by an equal amount of funds from non-Federal sources.
       (b) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized 
     to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary to carry out 
     this Act.

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