[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 175 (Tuesday, December 6, 2016)]
[House]
[Pages H7203-H7208]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
NATIONAL PARK SERVICE CENTENNIAL ACT
Mr. BISHOP of Utah. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass
the bill (H.R. 4680) to prepare the National Park Service for its
Centennial in 2016 and for a second century of promoting and protecting
the natural, historic, and cultural resources of our National Parks for
the enjoyment of present and future generations, and for other
purposes, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 4680
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.
(a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``National
Park Service Centennial Act''.
(b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents of this Act
is as follows:
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
Sec. 2. Definitions.
TITLE I--NATIONAL PARK CENTENNIAL CHALLENGE FUND
Sec. 101. National Park Centennial Challenge Fund.
Sec. 102. Comparable pass cost for seniors.
TITLE II--NATIONAL PARK FOUNDATION ENDOWMENT
Sec. 201. Short title.
Sec. 202. Second Century Endowment for the National Park Service.
TITLE III--NATIONAL PARK NEXT GENERATION STEWARDS
Sec. 301. National Park Service interpretation and education.
Sec. 302. Public Land Corps amendments.
Sec. 303. Volunteers in the parks.
TITLE IV--NATIONAL PARK FOUNDATION AUTHORITIES
Sec. 401. Board of directors.
Sec. 402. Authorization of appropriations; use of funds.
TITLE V--MISCELLANEOUS
Sec. 501. National Historic Preservation Act.
Sec. 502. Award of concession contracts.
TITLE VI--TECHNICAL CORRECTIONS TO NATIONAL PARK AND PROGRAM LAWS
Sec. 601. Technical corrections to national park and program laws.
TITLE VII--VISITOR EXPERIENCE IMPROVEMENTS AUTHORITY
Sec. 701. Visitor experience improvements authority.
TITLE VIII--NATIONAL HISTORIC PRESERVATION AMENDMENTS ACT
Sec. 801. Short title.
Sec. 802. Reauthorization of the Historic Preservation Fund.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Challenge fund.--The term ``Challenge Fund'' means the
National Park Centennial Challenge Fund established in title
I.
(2) Director.--The term ``Director'' means the Director of
the National Park Service.
(3) Endowment.--The term ``Endowment'' means the Second
Century Endowment for the National Park Service established
by title II.
(4) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of the Interior.
(5) Signature project or program.--The term ``signature
project or program'' means any project or program identified
by the Secretary as one that will help prepare the national
parks for another century of conservation, preservation, and
visitor enjoyment.
TITLE I--NATIONAL PARK CENTENNIAL CHALLENGE FUND
SEC. 101. NATIONAL PARK CENTENNIAL CHALLENGE FUND.
(a) In General.--Title 54, United States Code, is amended
by inserting after chapter 1033 the following:
``CHAPTER 1035--NATIONAL PARK CENTENNIAL CHALLENGE FUND
``103501. Establishment.
``103502. Signature projects and programs.
``103503. Summary to Congress.
``Sec. 103501. Establishment
``(a) In General.--There is established in the Treasury an
account to be known as the National Park Centennial Challenge
Fund.
``(b) Deposits.--All amounts received by the United States
each fiscal year from sales by the National Park Service of
National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Passes under
section 805(b)(1) of the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement
Act that are in excess of $10,000,000 shall be deposited into
the National Park Centennial Challenge Fund as offsetting
collections and shall remain available to the Secretary until
expended.
``(c) Use of Funds.--Funds collected and deposited into the
National Park Centennial Challenge Fund--
``(1) shall be used for projects or programs approved by
the Secretary to further the mission of the Service and to
enhance the visitor experience in System units;
``(2) may not be used to acquire lands or interest in
lands; and
``(3) may only be used if matched, on at least a 1-to-1
basis, by non-Federal donations (including funds and fairly
valued durable goods and materials) to the Service for
signature projects or programs.
``(d) Limitation on Source of Funds for Matching.--Amounts
derived from the Second Century Endowment for the National
Park Service shall not be treated as non-Federal donations
for purposes of subsection (c)(3).
``Sec. 103502. Signature projects and programs
``(a) List.--The Secretary shall--
``(1) develop a list of signature projects and programs
eligible for funding from the National Park Centennial
Challenge Fund;
``(2) submit the list developed pursuant to paragraph (1)
to the Committees on Appropriations and Energy and Natural
Resources in the United States Senate, and to the Committees
on Appropriations and Natural Resources in the House of
Representatives; and
``(3) prioritize deferred maintenance projects, physical
improvements to visitor services facilities and trail
maintenance.
``(b) Updates.--The Secretary may, from time to time, as
the Secretary finds appropriate, add any signature project or
program to the list and provide notice of such addition as
required by subsection (a).
``Sec. 103503. Summary to Congress
``The Secretary shall provide with the submission of the
President's annual budget a summary of the status and funding
of signature projects and programs.''.
(b) Conforming Amendment.--The table of sections of title
54, United States Code, is amended by inserting after chapter
1033 the following:
``1035. National Park Centennial Challenge Fund...........103501''.....
SEC. 102. COMPARABLE PASS COST FOR SENIORS.
The Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act (16 U.S.C.
6801, Public Law 108-447, division J, title VIII) is amended
in section 805(b)(1)--
(1) by striking ``The Secretary'' and inserting:
``(A) The Secretary'';
(2) by striking ``, at a cost of $10.00,'';
(3) by striking ``shall be valid for the lifetime of the
pass holder.'' and inserting the following: ``shall be
available--
``(i) for a period of 12 months from the date of the
issuance, at a cost of $20; and
``(ii) for the lifetime of the passholder, at a cost equal
to the cost of the National Parks and Federal Recreational
Lands Pass purchased under subsection (a).''; and
(4) by adding at the end the following:
``(B) The Secretary shall issue a pass under subparagraph
(A)(ii), for no additional cost, to any individual who
provides evidence, under policies and guidelines determined
by the Secretary, that the individual has purchased a pass
under subparagraph (A)(i) for each of the 4 years prior to
being issued a pass under this subparagraph.''.
TITLE II--NATIONAL PARK FOUNDATION ENDOWMENT
SEC. 201. SHORT TITLE.
This title may be cited as the ``National Park Foundation
Endowment Act''.
SEC. 202. SECOND CENTURY ENDOWMENT FOR THE NATIONAL PARK
SERVICE.
(a) Second Century Endowment.--Chapter 1011 of title 54,
United States Code, is amended by inserting at the end the
following:
``Sec. 101121. Second Century Endowment for the National Park
Service
``(a) Second Century Endowment.--To further the mission of
the Service, the National Park Foundation shall establish a
special account to be known as the `Second Century Endowment
for the National Park Service'.
``(1) Funds for the endowment.--The following shall apply
to the Endowment:
``(A) From amounts received by the United States each
fiscal year from sales by the National Park Service of
Federal Recreational Lands Passes under section 805(b)(1) of
the Federal Lands Recreational Enhancement Act, $10,000,000
shall be deposited into the Endowment.
``(B) In addition to deposits otherwise authorized, the
Endowment shall consist of any gifts, devises, or bequests
that are provided to the National Park Foundation for such
purpose.
``(C) The National Park Foundation shall deposit any funds
received for the Endowment in a federally insured interest-
bearing account or may invest funds in appropriate security
obligations, as directed by the Board of Directors.
``(D) Any accrued interest or dividends earned on funds
received for the Endowment shall be added to the principal
and form a part of the Endowment.
``(2) Use of funds.--
``(A) Except as provided in subparagraph (B), funds in the
Endowment shall be available to the National Park Foundation
as offsetting collections for projects and activities
approved by the Secretary that further the mission and
purposes of the Service.
``(B) Gifts, devises, or bequests in the endowment under
paragraph (1)(A), and any accrued interest or dividends
earned thereon, shall be available to the National Park
Foundation for projects and activities approved by the
Secretary that further the mission and purposes of the
Service.
``(C) In administering the Endowment each fiscal year, the
National Park Foundation shall be guided by the District of
Columbia Uniform Prudent Management of Institutional Funds
Act of 2007 (D.C. Code Sec. 44-1631 et seq.), including
section 44-1633 on expenditures.
``(D) No Federal funds received for the Endowment may be
used by the National Park Foundation for administrative
expenses of the Foundation, including for salaries, travel
and transportation expenses, and other overhead expenses.
[[Page H7204]]
``(b) Summary.--Beginning 2 years after the date of the
enactment of this section, the National Park Foundation shall
include with its annual report a summary of the status of the
Endowment. The summary shall include--
``(1) a statement of the amounts deposited in the Endowment
during the fiscal year;
``(2) the amount of the balance remaining in the Endowment
at the end of the fiscal year; and
``(3) a description of the sums and purposes of the
expenditures made from the Endowment for the fiscal year.''.
(b) Conforming Amendment.--The table of sections for
chapter 1011 of title 54, United States Code, is amended by
inserting at the end the following:
``101121. Second Century Endowment for the National Park Service.''.
TITLE III--NATIONAL PARK NEXT GENERATION STEWARDS
SEC. 301. NATIONAL PARK SERVICE INTERPRETATION AND EDUCATION.
(a) In General.--Title 54, United States Code, is amended
by inserting after chapter 1007 the following:
``CHAPTER 1008--EDUCATION AND INTERPRETATION
``100801. Definitions.
``100802. Interpretation and education authority.
``100803. Interpretation and education evaluation and quality
improvement.
``100804. Improved use of partners and volunteers in interpretation and
education.
``Sec. 100801. Definitions
``As used in this chapter:
``(1) Interpretation.--The term `interpretation'--
``(A) means providing opportunities for people to form
intellectual and emotional connections to gain awareness,
appreciation, and understanding of the resources of the
System; and
``(B) may refer to the professional career field of Service
employees, volunteers, and partners who interpret the
resources of the System.
``(2) Education.--The term `education' means enhancing
public awareness, understanding, and appreciation of the
resources of the System through learner-centered, place-based
materials, programs, and activities that achieve specific
learning objectives as identified in a curriculum.
``(3) Related areas.--The term `related areas' means--
``(A) national wild and scenic rivers and national trails;
``(B) national heritage areas; and
``(C) affiliated areas administered in connection with the
System.
``Sec. 100802. Interpretation and education authority
``The Secretary shall ensure that management of System
units and related areas is enhanced by the availability and
use of a broad program of the highest quality interpretation
and education.
``Sec. 100803. Interpretation and education evaluation and
quality improvement
``The Secretary may undertake a program of regular
evaluation of interpretation and education programs to ensure
that they--
``(1) adjust to how people learn and engage with the
natural world and shared heritage as embodied in the System;
``(2) reflect different cultural backgrounds, ages,
education, gender, abilities, ethnicity, and needs;
``(3) demonstrate innovative approaches to management and
appropriately incorporate emerging learning and
communications technology; and
``(4) reflect current scientific and academic research,
content, methods, and audience analysis.
``Sec. 100804. Improved use of partners and volunteers in
interpretation and education
``The Secretary may--
``(1) coordinate with park partners and volunteers in the
delivery of quality programs and services to supplement those
provided by the Service as part of a park's Long Range
Interpretive Plan;
``(2) support interpretive partners by providing
opportunities to participate in interpretive training; and
``(3) collaborate with other Federal and non-Federal public
or private agencies, organizations, or institutions for the
purposes of developing, promoting, and making available
educational opportunities related to resources of the System
and programs.''.
(b) Conforming Amendment.--The table of chapters at the
beginning of title 54, United States Code, is amended by
inserting after the item relating to chapter 1007 the
following new item:
``1008. Education and Interpretation......................100801''.....
SEC. 302. PUBLIC LAND CORPS AMENDMENTS.
The Public Lands Corps Act of 1993 (Public Law 91-378, as
amended; 16 U.S.C. 1721 et seq.) is amended--
(1) in section 203(10)(A) (16 U.S.C. 1722(10)(A)), by
striking ``25'' and inserting ``30'';
(2) in section 204(b) (16 U.S.C. 1723(b)), by striking
``25'' and inserting ``30''; and
(3) in section 207(c)(2) (16 U.S.C. 1726(c)(2)), by
striking ``120 days'' and inserting ``2 years''.
SEC. 303. VOLUNTEERS IN THE PARKS.
Subject to the availability of appropriations, section
102301(d) of title 54, United States Code, is amended by
striking ``not more than $7,000,000'' and inserting ``not
more than $9,000,000''.
TITLE IV--NATIONAL PARK FOUNDATION AUTHORITIES
SEC. 401. BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
Chapter 1011 of title 54, United States Code, is amended--
(1) in section 101112--
(A) by amending subsection (a) to read as follows:
``(a) Membership.--The National Park Foundation shall
consist of a Board having as members no fewer than 6 private
citizens of the United States appointed by the Secretary. The
Secretary and the Director shall be non-voting members of the
Board, ex officio.''; and
(B) by amending subsection (c) to read as follows:
``(c) Chairman.--The Chairman shall be elected by the Board
from its members for a two-year term.''; and
(2) in section 101113(a)--
(A) by redesignating paragraph (2) as paragraph (3); and
(B) by inserting after paragraph (1) the following:
``(2) Coordination with service.--Activities of the
National Park Foundation under paragraph (1) shall be
undertaken after consultation with the Director to ensure
that those activities are consistent with the programs and
policies of the Service.''.
SEC. 402. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS; USE OF FUNDS.
(a) Authorization of Appropriations; Use of Funds.--Chapter
1011 of title 54, United States Code, is further amended by
adding after section 101121 the following:
``Sec. 101122. Authorization of appropriations; use of funds
``(a) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are
authorized to be appropriated to carry out this subchapter
$5,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2017 through 2023.
``(b) Use of Funds.--Funds made available under subsection
(a)--
``(1) may be advanced each fiscal year to the National Park
Foundation in a lump sum without regard to when expenses are
incurred;
``(2) shall be provided to the National Park Foundation for
use to match contributions (whether in currency, services, or
property) made to the Foundation;
``(3) may not be used by the National Park Foundation for
administrative expenses of the Foundation, including for
salaries, travel and transportation expenses, and other
overhead expenses; and
``(4) may not be deposited by the National Park Foundation
into any fund that will be invested or earn interest in any
way.''.
(b) Conforming Amendment.--The table of sections for
chapter 1011 of title 54, United States Code, is amended by
inserting at the end the following:
``101122. Authorization of appropriations; use of funds.''.
TITLE V--MISCELLANEOUS
SEC. 501. NATIONAL HISTORIC PRESERVATION ACT.
(a) Additional Member.--Section 304101(a) of title 54,
United States Code, is amended--
(1) by redesignating paragraphs (8), (9), (10), and (11) as
paragraphs (9), (10), (11), and (12), respectively; and
(2) by inserting after paragraph (7) the following:
``(8) The General Chairman of the National Association of
Tribal Historic Preservation Officers.''.
(b) Full-Time Chairman.--Section 304101 of title 54, United
States Code, is further amended--
(1) by redesignating subsections (e) and (f) as subsections
(f) and (g), respectively; and
(2) by inserting after subsection (d) the following:
``(e) Chairman.--(1) After January 20, 2017, the Chairman
shall--
``(A) be appointed by the President, by and with the advice
and consent of the Senate;
``(B) serve at the will of the President;
``(C) serve full time; and
``(D) be compensated at the rate provided for Level V of
the Executive Schedule Pay Rates under section 5316 of title
5.
``(2) The Chairman shall serve for a term of 4 years and
may be reappointed once, for a total of not more than 8 years
of service as Chairman, except that a Chairman whose
appointment has expired under this paragraph shall serve
until his or her successor has been appointed. The term of a
Chairman shall start (regardless of actual appointment date)
on January 20 after each general Presidential election. The
first Chairman appointed after the date of enactment of this
paragraph shall have a first term commencing on January 20,
2017, and ending on January 19, 2021.
``(3) The Chairmen before the first appointment of a
Chairman in accordance with paragraph (1) of this subsection
shall receive $100 per diem when engaged in the performance
of the duties of the Council, and shall receive reimbursement
for necessary traveling and subsistence expenses incurred by
them in the performance of the duties of the Council.''; and
(3) in subsection (f) (as so redesignated), by striking
``may act in place'' and inserting ``shall perform the
functions''.
(c) Conforming Changes.--
(1) Section 304101 of title 54, United States Code, is
further amended--
(A) in subsection (b), by striking ``, (7), and (8)'' and
inserting ``and (7) through (9)'';
(B) in subsection (c)--
[[Page H7205]]
(i) by striking ``under paragraphs (1) and (9) to (11)''
and inserting ``under paragraphs (10) through (12)''; and
(ii) by striking ``An appointed member may not serve more
than 2 terms.'' and inserting ``An appointed member, other
than the Chairman of the Council, may not serve more than 2
terms.'';
(C) in subsection (f) (as so redesignated), by striking
``paragraph (5), (6), (9), or (10)'' and inserting
``paragraph (5), (6), (10), or (11)''; and
(D) in subsection (g) (as so redesignated), by striking
``Twelve members'' and inserting ``Thirteen members''.
(2) Section 304104 of title 54, United States Code, is
amended by inserting after the first sentence the following:
``The Chairman of the Council shall be compensated as
provided in subsection (e) of section 304101.''.
(3) Section 304105(a) of title 54, United States Code, is
amended--
(A) by striking ``report directly to the Council'' and
inserting ``report directly to the Chairman''; and
(B) by striking ``duties as the Council may prescribe'' and
inserting ``duties as the Chairman may prescribe''.
(4) Section 5316 of title 5, United States Code, is amended
by adding at the end the following new item:
``Chairman of the Advisory Council on Historic
Preservation.''.
(d) Clarification.--Subsection (b) and subsection (d) of
section 311103 of title 54, United States Code, are amended
by striking ``Council'' each place it appears and inserting
``Chairman of the Council''.
SEC. 502. AWARD OF CONCESSION CONTRACTS.
Section 101913(9) of title 54, United States Code, is
amended to read as follows:
``(9) New or additional services.--The Secretary may
propose to amend the applicable terms of an existing
concessions contract to provide new and additional services
where the Secretary determines the services are necessary and
appropriate for public use and enjoyment of the unit of the
National Park System in which they are located and are
consistent to the highest practicable degree with the
preservation and conservation of the resources and values of
the unit. Such new and additional services shall not
represent a material change to the required and authorized
services as set forth in the applicable prospectus or
contract.''.
TITLE VI--TECHNICAL CORRECTIONS TO NATIONAL PARK AND PROGRAM LAWS
SEC. 601. TECHNICAL CORRECTIONS TO NATIONAL PARK AND PROGRAM
LAWS.
(a) Apostle Islands National Lakeshore.--Section 3030 of
title XXX of the Carl Levin and Howard P. ``Buck'' McKeon
National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2015
(Public Law 113-291; 128 Stat. 3766) is amended in the
section heading by striking ``national seashore.'' and
inserting ``national lakeshore.''.
(b) Baltimore National Heritage Area.--Title VIII of the
Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-
11, 16 U.S.C. 461 note) is amended--
(1) in sections 8005(b)(3) and 8005(b)(4) by striking
``Baltimore Heritage Area Association'' and inserting
``Baltimore City Heritage Area Association''; and
(2) in section 8005(i) by striking ``Effectiveness'' and
inserting ``Financial Assistance''.
(c) Cumberland Island National Seashore.--Section 6(b) of
the Act entitled ``An Act to establish the Cumberland Island
National Seashore in the State of Georgia, and for other
purposes'' (Public Law 92-536; 16 U.S.C. 459i-5) is amended
by striking ``physiographic conditions not prevailing'' and
inserting ``physiographic conditions now prevailing''.
(d) Harriet Tubman National Historical Park, New York.--
Section 3036(d)(4)(B) of title XXX of the Carl Levin and
Howard P. ``Buck'' McKeon National Defense Authorization Act
for Fiscal Year 2015 (Public Law 113-291; 128 Stat. 3780) is
amended by striking ``section 2(b)(1)'' and inserting
``section 3035''.
(e) Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad National Historical
Park, Maryland.--Section 3035(d)(4)(B) of title XXX of the
Carl Levin and Howard P. ``Buck'' McKeon National Defense
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2015 (Public Law 113-291;
128 Stat. 3778) is amended by striking ``section 3(b)(1)(A)''
and inserting ``section 3036''.
(f) Historic Preservation Standards and Guidelines.--
Section 306131(a)(3) of title 54, United States Code, is
amended by striking ``Office of Management and Budget'' and
inserting ``Office of Personnel Management''.
(g) Lava Beds National Monument.--The first section of the
Act of October 13, 1972 (Public Law 92-493; 86 Stat. 811) is
amended in the first sentence--
(1) by striking ``That, in'' and inserting ``Section 1.
In''; and
(2) by striking ``ten thousand acres'' and all that follows
through the remainder of the sentence and inserting ``10,431
acres, as depicted within the proposed wilderness boundary on
the map entitled `Lava Beds National Monument, Proposed
Wilderness Boundary Adjustment', numbered 147/80,015, and
dated September 2005, and those lands within the area
generally known as the Schonchin Lava Flow comprising about
18,029 acres, as depicted within the proposed wilderness
boundary on the map, are designated as wilderness.''.
(h) Muscle Shoals National Heritage Area.--Section 8009(j)
of title VIII of the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of
2009 (Public Law 111-11, 16 U.S.C. 461 note) is amended by
striking ``Effectiveness'' and inserting ``Financial
Assistance''.
(i) Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park.--Section
3037(a)(1)(c) of title XXX of the Carl Levin and Howard P.
``Buck'' McKeon National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal
Year 2015 (Public Law 113-291; 128 Stat. 3780) is amended by
striking ``numbered T03/120,155, and dated April 2014'' and
insert ``numbered T03/120,155A, and dated August 2015''.
(j) Snake River Headwaters.--Section 5002(c)(1) of the
Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-
11, 123 Stat. 1148, 1149) is amended by striking ``paragraph
(205) of section 3(a)'' each place it appears and inserting
``paragraph (206) of section 3(a)''.
(k) Taunton River.--Section 5003(b) of the Omnibus Public
Land Management Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-11, 123 Stat.
1152, 1153) is amended by striking ``section 3(a)(206)'' each
place it appears and inserting ``section 3(a)(207)''.
(l) World War I Centennial Commission Act.--Section
4(e)(3)(c) of the World War I Centennial Commission Act
(Public Law 112-272; 126 Stat. 2449) is amended by striking
``National Parks Service.'' and inserting ``National Park
Service.''.
TITLE VII--VISITOR EXPERIENCE IMPROVEMENTS AUTHORITY
SEC. 701. VISITOR EXPERIENCE IMPROVEMENTS AUTHORITY.
Chapter 1019 of title 54, United States Code, is amended by
inserting at the end the following:
``SUBCHAPTER III--COMMERCIAL SERVICES AUTHORIZATION
``101931. Contract authority.
``101932. Award of commercial services contracts.
``101933. Term of commercial services contracts.
``101934. Capital improvements.
``101935. Financial management.
``101936. Regulations.
``101937. Savings provision.
``101938. Sunset.
``Sec. 101931. Contract authority
``(a) General Authority.--Notwithstanding subchapter II,
the Secretary may award and administer commercial services
contracts (and related professional services contracts) for
the operation and expansion of commercial visitor facilities
and visitor services programs in System units. The commercial
services contracts that may be awarded shall be limited to
those that are necessary and appropriate for public use and
enjoyment of the unit of the System in which they are
located, and, that are consistent with the preservation and
conservation of the resources and values of the unit.
``(b) Additional Authority.--Contracts may be awarded under
subsection (a) without regard to Federal laws and regulations
governing procurement by Federal agencies, with the exception
of laws and regulations related to Federal government
contracts governing working conditions and wage rates,
including the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act
(16 U.S.C. 3101 et seq.), sections 3141-3144, 3146, and 3147
of title 40, United States Code (commonly known as the
`Davis-Bacon Act'), and any civil rights provisions otherwise
applicable thereto.
``(c) Use of Commercial Services Contracts.--
``(1) In general.--The Secretary may issue a commercial
services contract under this subchapter when the Secretary
determines that the contract meets the objectives of
expanding, modernizing, and improving the condition of
commercial visitor facilities and the services provided to
visitors.
``(2) Exceptions.--No contracts may be awarded under this
subchapter--
``(A) for the provision of outfitter and guide services
described in section 101913(8); or
``(B) to authorize the provision of facilities or services
for which the Secretary has granted to an existing
concessioner a preferential right of renewal as defined in
sections 101911 and 101913.
``Sec. 101932. Award of commercial services contracts
``(a) Competitive Selection Process.--Except as provided in
subsection (c), commercial services contracts shall be
awarded by the Secretary through a competitive selection
process.
``(b) Solicitation of Proposals.--Before awarding a new
commercial services contract, the Secretary shall publicly
solicit proposals for the contract, except as provided in
subsection (c). In connection with such solicitation, the
Secretary shall prepare a request for proposals and shall
publish notice of its availability.
``Sec. 101933. Term of commercial services contracts
``A commercial services contract entered into pursuant to
this title shall be awarded for a term not to exceed 10
years.
``Sec. 101934. Capital improvements
``A person or entity awarded a contract under this
subchapter shall receive no leasehold surrender interest, as
defined in section 101915, in capital improvements
constructed under the terms of the contract.
``Sec. 101935. Financial management
``(a) Revolving Fund.--There is established a revolving
fund that shall be available to the Secretary without fiscal
year limitation for--
``(1) expenses necessary for the management, improvement,
enhancement, operation, construction, and maintenance of
[[Page H7206]]
commercial visitor services and facilities, and
``(2) payment of possessory interest and leasehold
surrender interest.
``(b) Collection of Funds.--
``(1) Funds collected by the Secretary pursuant to the
contracts awarded under this subchapter shall be credited to
the revolving fund.
``(2) The Secretary is authorized to transfer to the
revolving fund, without reimbursement, any additional funds
or revenue in connection with the functions to be carried out
under this subchapter.
``(c) Use of Funds.--Amounts in the revolving fund shall be
used by the Secretary in furtherance of the purposes of this
title. No funds from this account may be used to decrease the
availability of services and programs to the public.
``Sec. 101936. Regulations
``As soon as practicable after the effective date of this
subchapter, the Secretary shall promulgate regulations
appropriate for its implementation.
``Sec. 101937. Savings provision
``Nothing in this subchapter shall modify the terms or
conditions of any concessions contracts awarded under
subchapter II or the ability of the National Park Service to
enter into concessions contracts under the National Park
Service Concessions Management Improvement Act of 1998 (title
IV of Public Law 105-391) including the use of leaseholder
surrender interest.
``Sec. 101938. Sunset
``The authority given to the Secretary under this
subchapter shall expire 7 years after the date of the
enactment of this subchapter.''.
TITLE VIII--NATIONAL HISTORIC PRESERVATION AMENDMENTS ACT
SEC. 801. SHORT TITLE.
This title may be cited as the ``National Historic
Preservation Amendments Act''.
SEC. 802. REAUTHORIZATION OF THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION FUND.
(a) In General.--Section 303102 of title 54, United States
Code, is amended by striking ``2015'' and inserting ``2023''.
(b) Federal Nominations.--Section 302104 of such title is
amended--
(1) in subsections (a) and (b), by striking ``subsection
(c)'' and inserting ``subsection (d)'';
(2) by inserting after subsection (b), the following new
subsection:
``(c) Nomination by Federal Agency.--Subject to the
requirements of section 302107 of this title, the regulations
promulgated under section 302103 of this title, and appeal
under subsection (d) of this section, the Secretary may
accept a nomination directly by a Federal agency for
inclusion of property on the National Register only if--
``(1) completed nominations are sent to the State Historic
Preservation Officer for review and comment regarding the
adequacy of the nomination, the significance of the property
and its eligibility for the National Register;
``(2) within 45 days of receiving the completed nomination,
the State Historic Preservation Officer has made a
recommendation regarding the nomination to the Federal
Preservation Officer, except that failure to meet this
deadline shall constitute a recommendation to not support the
nomination;
``(3) the chief elected officials of the county (or
equivalent governmental unit) and municipal political
jurisdiction in which the property is located are notified
and given 45 days in which to comment;
``(4) the Federal Preservation Officer forwards it to the
Keeper of the National Register of Historic Places after
determining that all procedural requirements have been met,
including those in paragraphs (1) through (3) above; the
nomination is adequately documented; the nomination is
technically and professionally correct and sufficient; and
may include an opinion as to whether the property meets the
National Register criteria for evaluation;
``(5) notice is provided in the Federal Register that the
nominated property is being considered for listing on the
National Register that includes any comments and the
recommendation of the State Historic Preservation Officer and
a declaration whether the State Historic Preservation Officer
has responded within the 45 day-period of review provided in
paragraph (2); and
``(6) the Secretary addresses in the Federal Register any
comments from the State Historic Preservation Officer that do
not support the nomination of the property on the National
Register before the property is included in the National
Register.''; and
(3) by redesignating subsection (c) as subsection (d).
(c) Technical Amendments.--
(1) Section 303102 of such title is amended by striking
``CONTENTS'' in the heading thereof and inserting
``FUNDING''.
(2) The table of sections for chapter 3031 of such title is
amended by striking the item relating to section 303102 and
inserting the following new item:
``303102. Funding.''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Utah (Mr. Bishop) and the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Grijalva) each
will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Utah.
General Leave
Mr. BISHOP of Utah. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all
Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks
and include extraneous materials on the bill under consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Utah?
There was no objection.
Mr. BISHOP of Utah. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
August 25, 2016, marked the 100th anniversary of the National Park
Service; still making it newer than the Antiquities Act, but it was
their 100th anniversary.
Today, the Park Service has 400 units covering 84 million acres, but
they do have some significant problems; namely, a $12 billion backlog
in their maintenance issues. We seem to add new parks all the time, and
that makes the Park Service fall further behind in this effort.
It is fun to create a new national park. It is not sexy to talk about
fixing a sewer system. So that requires us to be a little bit more
creative than we have been in the past, and to provide new tools so
that the Park Service can meet this challenge that they have.
This bill before us has been crafted in consultation with the Park
Service, the Park Foundation, and other interested parties. It
establishes two significant things. One, a new Centennial Challenge
Fund at the Treasury to help the Park Service maintain and improve
visitor service facilities. This fund will raise money on a one-to-one
match between the Federal Government and a private match. Last year in
appropriations, $15 million was put into this concept and it was
matched by $33 million in private donations, which is a number that I
think we will be able to improve on in the future.
H.R. 4680 also establishes a Second Century Endowment at the National
Park Foundation, which will allow the private sector to truly work with
the Park Service in a true public-private partnership.
It also raises the spending authorization for volunteers in the
parks. This does not fix all of the National Park Service problems, but
it is a good start. For their centennial, this is an excellent way to
move forward into the challenges that they face.
I will include in the Record exchanges of letters with Chairman Kline
of the Committee on Education and the Workforce, as well as Chairman
Conaway of the Committee on Agriculture. We appreciate their
cooperation in scheduling this bill and any of the others, either by
unanimous consent or by general leave.
Mr. Speaker, I urge adoption of this measure. It is a good measure. I
reserve the balance of my time.
House of Representatives,
Committee on Agriculture,
Washington, DC, April 11, 2016.
Hon. Rob Bishop,
Chairman, Committee on Natural Resources,
Washington, DC.
Dear Mr. Chairman: Thank you for the opportunity to review
H.R. 4680, the National Park Service Centennial Act. As you
are aware, the bill was primarily referred to the Committee
on Natural Resources, while the Agriculture Committee
received an additional referral.
I recognize and appreciate your desire to bring this
legislation before the House in an expeditious manner and,
accordingly, I agree to discharge H.R. 4680 from further
consideration by the Committee on Agriculture. I do so with
the understanding that by discharging the bill, the Committee
on Agriculture does not waive any future jurisdictional claim
on this or similar matters. Further, the Committee on
Agriculture reserves the right to seek the appointment of
conferees, if it should become necessary.
I ask that you insert a copy of our exchange of letters
into the Congressional Record during consideration of this
measure on the House floor.
Thank you for your courtesy in this matter and I look
forward to continued cooperation between our respective
committees.
Sincerely,
K. Michael Conaway,
Chairman.
____
House of Representatives,
Committee on Natural Resources,
Washington, DC, May 6, 2016.
Hon. K. Michael Conaway,
Chariman, Committee on Agriculture,
Washington, DC.
Dear Mr. Chairman: On March 16, 2016, the Committee on
Natural Resources ordered favorably reported as I amended
H.R. 4680, the National Park Service Centennial Act, by voice
vote. The bill was referred primarily to
[[Page H7207]]
the Committee on Natural Resources, with additional referrals
to the Committee on Agriculture and the Committee on
Education and the Workforce.
I ask that you allow the Committee on Agriculture to be
discharged from further consideration of the bill so that it
may be scheduled by the Majority Leader. This discharge in no
way affects your jurisdiction over the subject matter of the
bill, and it will not serve as precedent for future
referrals. In addition, should a conference on the bill be
necessary, I would support your request to have the Committee
on Agriculture represented on the conference committee.
Finally, I would be pleased to include this letter and any
response in the bill report filed by the Committee on Natural
Resources to memorialize our understanding as well as in the
Congressional Record.
Thank you for your consideration of my request and for your
continued strong cooperation between our committees.
Sincerely,
Rob Bishop,
Chairman, Committee on Natural Resources.
____
Committee on Education and the Workforce, House of
Representatives,
Washington, DC, May 11, 2016.
Hon. Rob Bishop,
Chairman, Committee on Natural Resources, House of
Representatives, Washington, DC.
Dear Mr. Chairman: I write to confirm our mutual
understanding with respect to H.R. 4680, the National Park
Service Centennial Act. Thank you for consulting with the
Committee on Education and the Workforce with respect to H.R.
4680 on those matters within the Committee's jurisdiction.
In the interest of expediting the House's consideration of
H.R. 4680, the Committee on Education and the Workforce will
forgo further consideration of this bill. However, I do so
only with the understanding this procedural route will not be
construed to prejudice my Committee's jurisdictional interest
and prerogatives on this bill or any other similar
legislation and will not be considered as precedent for
consideration of matters of jurisdictional interest to my
Committee in the future.
I respectfully request your support for the appointment of
outside conferees from the Committee on Education and the
Workforce should this bill or a similar bill be considered in
a conference with the Senate. I also request you include our
exchange of letters on this matter in the Committee Report on
H.R.. 4680 and in the Congressional Record during
consideration of this bill on the House Floor. Thank you for
your attention to these matters.
Sincerely,
John Kline,
Chairman.
____
House of Representatives,
Committee on Natural Resources,
Washington, DC, May 11, 2016.
Hon. John Kline,
Chairman, Committee on Education and the Workforce,
Washington, DC.
Dear Mr. Chairman: On March 16, 2016, the Committee on
Natural Resources ordered favorably reported as amended H.R.
4680, the National Park Service Centennial Act, by voice
vote. The bill was referred primarily to the Committee on
Natural Resources, with additional referrals to the Committee
on Education and the Workforce and Agriculture.
I ask that you allow the Committee on Education and the
Workforce to be discharged from further consideration of the
bill so that it may be scheduled by the Majority Leader. This
discharge in no way affects your jurisdiction over the
subject matter of the bill, and it will not serve as
precedent for future referrals. In addition, should a
conference on the bill be necessary, I would support your
request to have the Committee on Education and the Workforce
represented on the conference committee. Finally, I would be
pleased to include this letter and any response in the bill
report filed by the Committee on Natural Resources to
memorialize our understanding as well as in the Congressional
Record.
Thank you for your consideration of my request and for your
continued strong cooperation between our committees.
Sincerely,
Rob Bishop,
Chairman, Committee on Natural Resources.
Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to
the gentlewoman from Massachusetts (Ms. Tsongas).
{time} 1330
Ms. TSONGAS. Throughout this centennial year of the National Park
Service, I have been reminded of something that Stephen Mather, that
agency's very first Director, once said. Reflecting on the new agency,
he remarked: ``The parks do not belong to one State or to one section .
. . The Yosemite, the Yellowstone, the Grand Canyon are national
properties in which every citizen has a vested interest; they belong as
much to the man''--and, I would add, woman--``of Massachusetts, of
Michigan, of Florida as they do to the people of California, of
Wyoming, and of Arizona.''
Those words are a powerful reminder in this era of political division
and disagreement: national parks are national. They cut across party
lines and geographic boundaries. They enjoy broad support, and they
bring people together--something we seem to need now more than ever.
For 100 years, generation after generation of Americans have made the
commitment that our most significant historical, cultural, and natural
sites should be preserved in perpetuity for future generations. Our
national parks have been famously called ``America's best idea'' and
have become engrained in our national identity--places like the Grand
Canyon, Yellowstone, and Ellis Island, and in my own district, Minute
Man National Historical Park, which commemorates the shot heard `round
the world, and Lowell National Historical Park, which recognizes the
people, places, and radical innovation that spawned our Nation's
industrial revolution.
These parks protect, they celebrate, and give access to the many
places that have shaped and defined who we are as a people and a
country, and it is important to remember that these places would not
have been protected absent support from the Federal Government.
Investments in our parks make economic sense. Nationally, the parks
generate nearly $30 billion in economic activity and support 250,000
private sector jobs. When people visit our national parks, they also
support nearby restaurants, hotels, and local outfitters and guides.
According to a recent economic study conducted by the National Park
Service, every Federal dollar invested in our parks contributes $10 in
economic activity.
The legislation before us today includes several helpful provisions
as the National Park Service begins its second century. The legislation
makes a commitment to the Centennial Challenge, a matching grant
program that leverages Federal dollars to encourage private investments
to support signature centennial projects that are identified by the
National Park Service. It also establishes an endowment at the National
Park Foundation to support the missions and goals of the Park Service,
makes improvements to the Volunteers-In-Parks program, and helps the
National Park Service recruit and hire more young and diverse
Americans.
This legislation also includes my amendment to ensure that low-income
seniors retain access to the Senior Pass, a lifetime pass that provides
entrance to all of our Nation's public lands for people age 62 and
above. As I am sure my colleagues can attest, seniors in our districts
living on a very constrained fixed income may struggle to assemble the
$80 to make a one-time payment to purchase a lifetime Senior Pass. This
legislation creates a new $20 annual Senior Pass and allows seniors who
have purchased four of those passes to trade them in and receive a
lifetime Senior Pass. This amendment ensures that we can appropriately
balance the need for new revenue for the Centennial Challenge with
fundamental fairness for all of our Nation's seniors.
I want to thank Chairman Bishop, Ranking Member Grijalva, and the
National Park Service for working with me on this provision of the
bill.
Despite these successes, no Member of this body should ignore the
stark reality that this legislation is a missed opportunity. On the
Natural Resources Committee where I am proud to serve as ranking member
of the Federal Lands Subcommittee, there is deep frustration and
dissatisfaction with the $12 million deferred maintenance backlog at
the National Park Service. Democrats put a centennial bill on the table
that starts to address this issue, but it never received serious
consideration by our counterparts in the majority.
New revenue generated by fees, especially at the expense of our
Nation's seniors, will not solve the issue of deferred maintenance. In
the short term, the legislation before us today is a good first step,
and I support the bill. But Congress must find a way to appropriate new
funds to our national parks in order to preserve and protect them for
future generations of Americans.
Mr. BISHOP of Utah. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume
to the gentleman from California (Mr. McClintock), who is the chairman
of
[[Page H7208]]
the Federal Lands Subcommittee and who has jurisdiction over this.
Mr. McCLINTOCK. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.
Mr. Speaker, this year marked the centennial anniversary of the
National Park Service and of that uniquely American notion that the
most beautiful and historic lands should be set aside for the ``use,
resort, and recreation'' of the American people, as the original
Yosemite Grant Act put it, or, in the words of the Organic Act of 1916
that established the national parks, ``to conserve the scenery and the
natural and historic objects and the wildlife therein and to provide
for the enjoyment of the same.''
Yet, a century into this endeavor, the Park Service faces
considerable challenges to achieving its objectives. The Park Service's
original charge was to manage just 35 national parks and monuments.
Today it is responsible for more than 400 units across 84 million
acres. This exponential growth has left many locations in disrepair,
facing a growing backlog of deferred maintenance now exceeding $12
billion.
In addition to desperately needed maintenance, the Park Service also
faces challenges with fee collection, technological upgrades,
management of concessions contracts for visitor services, and, most
disturbingly, a substantial decrease in overnight visitation. The
decline has been particularly high among young people. Recent reports
indicate that visits to parks by those 15 years of age and younger has
fallen by half over the last decade.
The National Park Service Centennial Act provides the Park Service
with new tools and authorities that it can use to maintain and improve
the system. Provisions in this bill help reduce the Service's
maintenance backlog by generating new revenue to pay for needed capital
improvements and leveraging private philanthropic donations to amplify
this effort. In turn, these funds will be used to enhance visitor
services, provide WiFi and cellular access that young people demand,
and expand the Volunteers-In-Parks and Public Lands Corps programs that
are so important in welcoming the public to the public lands.
I believe the three greatest challenges to Federal lands management
are to restore public access to the public lands, to restore sound
management to the public lands, and to restore the Federal Government
as a good neighbor to those communities directly affected by the public
lands.
This bill does all three. It promotes public access and enjoyment of
the parks by promoting the expansion, modernization, and improvement of
visitor services and amenities. It promotes good management by placing
priority and generating funds necessary to address the growing
maintenance backlog. It repairs the relationship between the Federal
and local governments by giving local officials a say in future
historic designations.
I can't think of a better way to celebrate the last century and to
begin the next century of our National Park Service than to restore the
vision of its founders. Mr. Speaker, this bill does so, and I urge its
adoption.
Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
This month marks the end of a year of celebration. Over the past 12
months, hundreds of millions of people from our country and from around
the world have joined together to celebrate one of the most valued and
uniquely American ideas: our national park system. In our democratic
society, the park system is uniquely one of the most democratic public
institutions because, after all, all Americans own the park system and
it is for all Americans, regardless.
For many, this year was a time to reflect on what began 100 years ago
with a single mission: to protect our unique American heritage for the
enjoyment of future generations. Last year, national parks across this
Nation saw a record 307 million visitors. People came to the parks to
explore, to learn and reflect on the grand natural beauty and the
diverse history of our Nation.
Fifty years ago, Members of Congress understood the need to recognize
these types of milestone accomplishments by passing legislation to
reinvigorate not only the agency, but the American public. A decade
before the 50th anniversary of the National Park Service, the House
began pulling together a bill that demonstrated to the American people
that they were willing to put their money where their mouth was.
In honor of the National Park Service's 50th anniversary, Congress
funded the Mission 66 program at over $900 million, the equivalent of
$8 billion in 2016 dollars. The National Park Service expected 80
million visitors to celebrate that anniversary. Unsurprisingly, the
American public beat expectations. The parks saw almost 130 million
visitors in 1966 alone.
This Congress, which has the benefit of knowing how much Americans
value their national parks, should be authorizing at least an equal
amount. Instead, we have before us a bill that is but a shadow of what
it could have been, a far cry from what my Democratic colleagues and I
in the committee introduced back in September 2015. Instead of passing
a bill that gives a standing ovation to the accomplishments of the Park
Service and sets the bar high for the next 100 years, today we are
passing legislation that is the equivalent of a golf clap--very
quietly.
Even previous Republican administrations have better understood the
value of our national parks. In the last Republican administration,
President Bush and Secretary Kempthorne were prepared to provide $2.5
billion in additional operating funds, an additional $1 billion in
centennial commitment funds, and $1 billion in centennial challenge
funds to encourage private charitable investment in our country's
parks. In comparison, this legislation provides a tiny amount of
funding compounded by years of budget reductions. Further, this bill
asks that the mandatory spending come from only one source: mandatory
increases to the price of the Parks' Senior Pass.
What we are seeing today is a shell of a bill. Only a few provisions
remain, which, although marginally helpful to ensure the vitality of
the national parks for the future, fall far short of what is necessary
and needed. What we are seeing today is a missed opportunity to do what
is right. This bill, while optimistically named, is a year late and a
couple of billion dollars short. Maybe we will get it right in the next
100 years.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. BISHOP of Utah. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the opportunity to be
here. This is a good bill. I appreciate those who have spoken so far
for their willingness to take ``yes'' as an answer.
Mr. Speaker, I urge adoption of this bill.
I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Utah (Mr. Bishop) that the House suspend the rules and
pass the bill, H.R. 4680, as amended.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
____________________