[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 43 (Tuesday, March 18, 2003)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3888-S3889]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. DOMENICI:
  S. 643. A bill to authorize the Secretary of the Interior, in 
cooperation with the University of New Mexico, to construct and occupy 
a portion of the Hibben Center for Archaeological Research at the 
University of New Mexico; to the Committee on Energy and Natural 
Resources.
  Mr. DOMENICI. Mr. President, I rise to reintroduce a bill that 
authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to help construct and occupy 
part of the Hibben Center for Archaeological Research at the University 
of New Mexico. This bill will help the University of New Mexico finish 
a state of the art museum facility to store, and display the National 
Park Service's Chaco Collection.
  Let me give you a bit of background. In 1907, Theodore Roosevelt 
founded the Chaco Canyon Culture National Historical Park in 
Northwestern New Mexico. The Monument was created to preserve the 
extensive prehistoric pueblo ruins in Chaco Canyon.
  The height of the Chaco culture began in the mid 800's and lasted 
over 300 years. Dozens of complex multi-storied masonry buildings 
containing hundreds of rooms were built over that time. These complexes 
were connected to communities by a network of prehistoric roads. I 
helped to establish the Chaco Culture National Historic Park to 
preserve these areas.
  Since 1907, the University of New Mexico and the National Park 
Service have been partners in this area. From 1907 to 1949, the 
University owned the land within the Park boundaries. During this 
period, Dr. Frank Hibben excavated in Chaco Canyon and remained 
interested in the area throughout his long career. The University built 
a large collection of artifacts that it retains today.
  In 1949, the University deeded the land to the Federal Government, 
and since that time, the University and the Park Service have continued 
a partnership through a series of memoranda of understanding. Since 
1985, the NPS Chaco collections have been housed at University of New 
Mexico's Maxwell Museum of Anthropology. As both the University of New 
Mexico and the National Park Service collections have begun to grow, a 
new home for them is needed.
  To this end, Dr. Hibben began planning a new research and curation 
facility at the University of New Mexico. He asked the Park Service to 
partner with him on this project, and today, construction of the Hibben 
Center, a modern, professional facility to house the University of New 
Mexico's collections as well as the Park Service collections, is a 
reality.
  Dr. Hibben recently passed away, and left the University of New 
Mexico the funds to assist with this project. The partnership between 
the Park Service and the University will mean that the Hibben Center 
will hold a world-class collection of historical artifacts and will 
facilitate and encourage the study of these important Southwestern 
collections.
  This bill will provide authorization to pay for the Federal share of 
the improvement costs to the Hibben Center. This bill is long overdue, 
and will honor both the legacy of Dr. Hibben and the Chaco Culture.
  I urge my colleagues to support this important piece of legislation.
  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. 643

       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 ``Hibben Center for 
     Archaeological Research Act of 2003''.

     SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

       Congress finds that--
       (1) when the Chaco Culture National Historical Park was 
     established in 1907 as the Chaco Canyon National Monument, 
     the University of New Mexico owned a significant portion of 
     the land located within the boundaries of the Park;
       (2) during the period from the 1920's to 1947, the 
     University of New Mexico conducted archaeological research in 
     the Chaco Culture National Historical Park;
       (3) in 1949, the University of New Mexico--
       (A) conveyed to the United States all right, title, and 
     interest of the University in and to the land in the Park; 
     and
       (B) entered into a memorandum of agreement with the 
     National Park Service establishing a research partnership 
     with the Park;
       (4) since 1971, the Chaco Culture National Historical Park, 
     through memoranda of understanding and cooperative agreements 
     with the University of New Mexico, has maintained a research 
     museum collection and archive at the University;
       (5) both the Park and the University have large, 
     significant archaeological research collections stored at the 
     University in multiple, inadequate, inaccessible, and cramped 
     repositories; and
       (6) insufficient storage at the University makes research 
     on and management, preservation, and conservation of the 
     archaeological research collections difficult.

     SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

       In this Act:
       (1) Hibben center.--The term ``Hibben Center'' means the 
     Hibben Center for Archaeological Research to be constructed 
     at the University under section 4(a).
       (2) Park.--The term ``Park'' means the Chaco Culture 
     National Historical Park in the State of New Mexico.
       (3) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
     of the Interior.
       (4) Tenant improvement.--The term ``tenant improvement'' 
     includes--
       (A) finishing the interior portion of the Hibben Center 
     leased by the National Park Service under section 4(c)(1); 
     and
       (B) installing in that portion of the Hibben Center--
       (i) permanent fixtures; and
       (ii) portable storage units and other removable objects.
       (5) University.--The term ``University'' means the 
     University of New Mexico.

     SEC. 4. HIBBEN CENTER FOR ARCHAEOLOGICAL RESEARCH.

       (a) Establishment.--The Secretary may, in cooperation with 
     the University, construct and occupy a portion of the Hibben 
     Center for Archaeological Research at the University.
       (b) Grants.--
       (1) In general.--The Secretary may provide to the 
     University a grant to pay the Federal share of the 
     construction and related costs for the Hibben Center under 
     paragraph (2).
       (2) Federal share.--The Federal share of the construction 
     and related costs for the Hibben Center shall be 37 percent.
       (3) Limitation.--Amounts provided under paragraph (1) shall 
     not be used to pay any costs to design, construct, and 
     furnish the tenant improvements under subsection (c)(2).
       (c) Lease.--
       (1) In general.--Before funds made available under section 
     5 may be expended for construction costs under subsection 
     (b)(1) or for the costs for tenant improvements under 
     paragraph (2), the University shall offer to enter into a 
     long-term lease with the United States that--
       (A) provides to the National Park Service space in the 
     Hibben Center for storage, research, and offices; and
       (B) is acceptable to the Secretary.
       (2) Tenant improvements.--The Secretary may design, 
     construct, and furnish tenant improvements for, and pay any 
     moving costs relating to, the portion of the Hibben Center 
     leased to the National Park Service under paragraph (1).
       (d) Cooperative Agreements.--To encourage collaborative 
     management of the Chacoan archaeological objects associated 
     with northwestern New Mexico, the Secretary may enter into 
     cooperative agreements with the University, other units of 
     the National Park System, other Federal agencies, and Indian 
     tribes for--
       (1) the curation of and conduct of research on artifacts in 
     the museum collection described in section 2(4); and
       (2) the development, use, management, and operation of the 
     portion of the Hibben Center leased to the National Park 
     Service under subsection (c)(1).

     SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

       (a) In General.--There are authorized to be appropriated--
       (1) to pay the Federal share of the construction costs 
     under section 4(b), $1,574,000; and
       (2) to pay the costs of carrying out section 4(c)(2), 
     $2,198,000.

[[Page S3889]]

       (b) Availability.--Amounts made available under subsection 
     (a) shall remain available until expended.
       (c) Reversion.--If the lease described in section 4(c)(1) 
     is not executed by the date that is 2 years after the date of 
     enactment of this Act, any amounts made available under 
     subsection (a) shall revert to the Treasury of the United 
     States.
                                 ______