[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 8 (Tuesday, February 1, 2005)]
[Senate]
[Page S750]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. THOMAS:
  S. 243. A bill to establish a program and criteria for National 
Heritage Areas in the United States, and for other purposes; to the 
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
  Mr. THOMAS. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce the ``National 
Heritage Partnership Act,'' a bill to establish a program and criteria 
for National Heritage Areas in the United States.
  Twenty-seven National Heritage Areas currently exist in this country, 
including 4 new areas designated in appropriations bills by the 108th 
Congress. Six occur in the State of Pennsylvania alone. They range in 
size from a 10-mile canal in Augusta, GA, to the entire State of 
Tennessee. Specific areas are designated to recognize and preserve the 
cultural heritage of the oil industry, coal mining, the evolution of 
manned flight, and the Civil War, just to name a few. The National Park 
Service has responsibility for advising heritage area managers and 
providing Federal funds, but a formal process and criteria for 
designating new areas do not exist.
  State delegations are planning to introduce legislation to designate 
13 new National Heritage Areas and authorize studies on an additional 
5. Hundreds of State heritage areas currently exist and all could 
potentially become National Heritage Areas under the current process. 
This program is out of control. We are continuing to put unnecessary 
fiscal and resource demands on the National Park Service at a time when 
a significant maintenance backlog exists in park units throughout the 
Nation. We have no established criteria to ensure the recognition of 
truly nationally important areas.
  During the 108th Congress, the National Parks Subcommittee conducted 
two hearings on heritage areas and received a review from the General 
Accounting Office. My legislation combines the recommendations of the 
National Park Service, General Accounting Office, and witness testimony 
by establishing criteria such as national importance, creating a 
process for studying and reviewing new areas, requiring fiscal 
accountability and protecting the rights of property owners.
  This legislation is overdue. It provides a balanced approach to 
National Heritage Area designation, management, and oversight.
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