[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 125 (Thursday, September 23, 1999)]
[Senate]
[Pages S11362-S11363]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. SPECTER:
  S. 1623. A bill to select a National Health Museum site; to the 
Committee on Governmental Affairs.


               national health museum site selection act

  Mr. SPECTER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of 
the bill be printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the bill was ordered to be printed in the 
Record, as follows:

                                S. 1623

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. NATIONAL HEALTH MUSEUM PROPERTY.

       (a) Short Title and Purpose.--
       (1) Short title.--This section may be cited as the 
     ``National Health Museum Site Selection Act''.
       (2) Purpose.--The purpose of this section is to further 
     section 703 of the National Health Museum Development Act (20 
     U.S.C. 50 note; Public Law 105-78), which provides that the 
     National Health Museum shall be located on or near the Mall 
     on land owned by the Federal Government or the District of 
     Columbia.
       (b) Definitions.--In this section:
       (1) Administrator.--The term ``Administrator'' means the 
     Administrator of General Services.
       (2) Museum.--The term ``Museum'' means the National Health 
     Museum, Inc., a District of Columbia nonprofit corporation 
     exempt from Federal income taxation under section 501(c)(3) 
     of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.
       (3) Property.--The term ``property'' means--
       (A) a parcel of land identified as Lot 24 and a closed 
     interior alley in Square 579 in the District of Columbia, 
     generally bounded by 2nd, 3rd, C, and D Streets, S.W.; and
       (B) all improvements on and appurtenances to the land and 
     alley.
       (c) Conveyance of Property.--
       (1) In general.--The Administrator shall convey to the 
     Museum all rights, title, and interest of the United States 
     in and to the property.
       (2) Purpose of conveyance.--The purpose of the conveyance 
     is to provide a site for the construction and operation of a 
     new building to serve as the National Health Museum, 
     including associated office, educational, conference center, 
     visitor and community services, and other space and 
     facilities appropriate to promote knowledge and understanding 
     of health issues.
       (3) Date of conveyance.--
       (A) Notification.--Not later than 3 years after the date of 
     enactment of this Act, the Museum shall notify the 
     Administrator in writing of the date on which the Museum will 
     accept conveyance of the property.
       (B) Date.--The date of conveyance shall be--
       (i) not less than 270 days and not more than 1 year after 
     the date of the notice; but
       (ii) not earlier than April 1, 2001, unless the 
     Administrator and the Museum agree to an earlier date.
       (C) Effect of failure to notify.--If the Museum fails to 
     provide the notice to the Administrator by the date described 
     in subparagraph (A), the Museum shall have no further right 
     to the property.
       (4) Quitclaim deed.--The property shall be conveyed to the 
     Museum vacant and by quitclaim deed.
       (5) Purchase price.--
       (A) In general.--The purchase price for the property shall 
     be the fair market value of the property as of the date of 
     enactment of this Act.
       (B) Timing; appraisers.--The determination of fair market 
     value shall be made not later than 180 days after the date of 
     enactment of this Act by qualified appraisers jointly 
     selected by the Administrator and the Museum.
       (D) Report to congress.--Promptly upon the determination of 
     the purchase price, and in any event at least sixty days in 
     advance of the conveyance of the property, the Administrator 
     shall report to Congress as to the purchase price.
       (E) Deposit of purchase price.--The Administrator shall 
     deposit the purchase price into the Federal Buildings Fund 
     established by section 210(f) of the Federal Property and 
     Administrative Services Act of 1949 (40 U.S.C. 490(f)).
       (d) Reversionary Interest in the United States.--

[[Page S11363]]

       (1) In general.--The property shall revert to the United 
     States if--
       (A) during the 50-year period beginning on the date of 
     conveyance of the property, the property is used for a 
     purpose not authorized by subsection (c)(2);
       (B) during the 3-year period beginning on the date of 
     conveyance of the property, the Museum does not commence 
     construction on the property, other than for a reason not 
     within the control of the Museum; or
       (C) the Museum ceases to be exempt from Federal income 
     taxation as an organization described in section 501(c)(3) of 
     the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.
       (2) Repayment.--If the property reverts to the United 
     States, the United States shall repay the Museum the full 
     purchase price for the property, without interest.
       (e) Authority of Museum Over Property.--The Museum may--
       (1) demolish or renovate any existing or future improvement 
     on the property;
       (2) build, own, operate, and maintain new improvements on 
     the property;
       (3) finance and mortgage the property on customary terms 
     and conditions; and
       (4) manage the property in furtherance of this section.
       (f) Land Use Approvals.--
       (1) Effect on other authority.--Nothing in this section 
     shall be construed to limit the authority of the National 
     Capital Planning Commission or the Commission of Fine Arts.
       (2) Cooperation concerning zoning.--
       (A) In general.--The United States shall cooperate with the 
     Museum with respect to any zoning or other matter relating 
     to--
       (i) the development or improvement of the property; or
       (ii) the demolition of any improvement on the property as 
     of the date of enactment of this Act.
       (B) Zoning applications.--Cooperation under subparagraph 
     (A) shall include making, joining in, or consenting to any 
     application required to facilitate the zoning of the 
     property.
       (g) Environmental Hazards.--Costs of remediation of any 
     environmental hazards existing on the property, including all 
     asbestos-containing materials, shall be borne by the United 
     States. Environmental remediation shall commence immediately 
     upon the vacancy of the building and shall be completed not 
     later than 270 days from the date of the notice to the 
     Administrator described in subsection (c)(3)(A).
       (h) Reports.--Following the date of enactment of this Act 
     and ending on the date that the National Health Museum opens 
     to the public, the Museum shall submit annual reports to the 
     Administrator and Congress, regarding the status of planning, 
     development, and construction of the National Health Museum.
                                 ______