[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 139 (Wednesday, October 7, 1998)]
[Senate]
[Pages S11822-S11823]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            GATEWAY VISITOR CENTER AUTHORIZATION ACT OF 1998

  The bill (S. 2309) to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to 
enter into an agreement for the construction and operation of the 
Gateway Visitor Center at Independence National Historical Park, was 
considered, ordered to be engrossed for a third reading, read the third 
time, and passed, as follows:

                                S. 2309

       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 ``Gateway Visitor Center 
     Authorization Act of 1998''.

     SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES.

       (a) Findings.--Congress finds that--
       (1) in 1997, the National Park Service completed a general 
     management plan for Independence National Historical Park 
     that establishes goals and priorities for the future of the 
     park;
       (2) the plan calls for the revitalization of Independence 
     Mall and recommends as a critical component of the 
     revitalization the development of a new visitor center;
       (3) such a visitor center would replace the existing park 
     visitor center and serve as an orientation center for 
     visitors to the park and to city and regional attractions;
       (4) after completing of the general management plan, the 
     National Park Service completed a design project and master 
     plan for Independence Mall that includes the Gateway Visitor 
     Center;
       (5) plans for the Gateway Visitor Center call for the 
     center to be developed and managed, in cooperation with the 
     Secretary of the Interior, by a nonprofit organization that 
     represents the various public and civic interests of the 
     Philadelphia metropolitan area; and
       (6) the Gateway Visitor Center Corporation, a nonprofit 
     organization, has been established to raise funds for and 
     cooperate in a program to design, develop, construct, and 
     operate the proposed Gateway Visitor Center.
       (b) Purpose.--The purpose of this Act is to authorize the 
     Secretary of the Interior to enter into an agreement with the 
     Gateway Visitor Center Corporation to construct and operate a 
     regional visitor center on Independence Mall in cooperation 
     with the Secretary.

     SEC. 3. GATEWAY VISITOR CENTER.

       The Act of June 28, 1948 (16 U.S.C. 407m et seq.) is 
     amended by adding at the end the following:

     ``SEC. 8. REGIONAL GATEWAY VISITOR CENTER.

       ``(a) Definitions.--In this section:
       ``(1) Center.--The term `Center' means the Gateway Visitor 
     Center authorized by subsection (b).
       ``(2) Corporation.--The term `Corporation' means Gateway 
     Visitor Center Corporation, a nonprofit organization.

[[Page S11823]]

       ``(b) Agreement.--The Secretary of the Interior may enter 
     into an agreement under appropriate terms and conditions with 
     the Corporation to facilitate the construction and operation 
     of the Gateway Visitor Center on Independence Mall.
       ``(c) Authorized Activities.--The agreement under 
     subsection (b) shall--
       ``(1) authorize the Corporation--
       ``(A) to operate the Center in cooperation with the 
     Secretary and provide at the Center information, 
     interpretation, facilities, and services to visitors of 
     Independence National Historical Park, its surrounding 
     historic sites, the city of Philadelphia, and the region, in 
     order to assist in the enjoyment of the historic, cultural, 
     educational, and recreational resources of the Philadelphia 
     metropolitan area; and
       ``(B) to engage in activities appropriate for operation of 
     a regional visitor center, which may include selling food, 
     charging fees, conducting events, and selling merchandise and 
     tickets to visitors to the Center; and
       ``(2) authorize the Secretary to undertake at the Center 
     activities relating to the management of Independence 
     National Historical Park, including provision of appropriate 
     visitor information and interpretive facilities and programs 
     related to the park.
       ``(d) Revenues.--Revenues from the operation of the 
     Center's facilities and services shall be used to pay for 
     expenses of operation.
       ``(e) Preservation and Protection.--Nothing in this section 
     authorizes the Secretary or the Corporation to take any 
     action in derogation of the preservation and protection of 
     the values and resources of Independence National Historical 
     Park.''.

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