[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 23 (Wednesday, February 6, 2019)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1021-S1022]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SA 157. Mr. SCHATZ (for himself and Mr. Cassidy) submitted an
amendment
[[Page S1022]]
intended to be proposed by him to the bill S. 47, to provide for the
management of the natural resources of the United States, and for other
purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:
At the end of subtitle E of title II, add the following:
SEC. 24___. MODIFICATIONS TO THE PRESERVE AMERICA PROGRAM.
(a) Purposes.--The purposes of this section are--
(1) to strengthen economic development across the United
States by supporting cultural heritage tourism and historic
preservation activities through the Preserve America Program;
and
(2) to encourage the Director of the National Park Service
to partner with gateway communities (including Native
American communities and National Heritage Areas) to leverage
local cultural and historic heritage tourism assets.
(b) Preserve America Grant Program.--
(1) Establishment.--Section 311102 of title 54, United
States Code, is amended--
(A) in subsection (d)--
(i) in paragraph (1), by inserting ``and the Secretary of
Commerce'' after ``Council''; and
(ii) by adding at the end the following:
``(3) Advisory role of secretary of commerce.--The
Secretary of Commerce shall advise the program with respect
to job creation, economic growth, and tourism policy and
promotion.''; and
(B) by adding at the end the following:
``(f) Technical Assistance.--
``(1) In general.--For any fiscal year for which funds are
not made available to provide grants under this section, to
the extent practicable, the program shall, in lieu of the
grants, provide technical assistance to the eligible entities
described in subsection (a) for projects that meet the
eligibility requirements described in subsection (b), as
identified on the list of projects prepared by the Secretary
in accordance with subsection (d).
``(2) Limitation.--The Secretary may take into account the
availability of staff resources at the Department of the
Interior, the Council, and the Department of Commerce for
purposes of determining the number of projects that are
provided technical assistance under this subsection.
``(3) Form.--The form of technical assistance under
paragraph (1) may include technical assistance provided by--
``(A) the Director, with respect to--
``(i) best practices in visitor services;
``(ii) the conduct of research, inventories, and surveys;
``(iii) the documentation of historic resources; and
``(iv) the interpretation and promotion of cultural and
heritage assets;
``(B) the Council, with respect to historic preservation
initiatives and best practices in stewardship; and
``(C) the Secretary of Commerce, with respect to economic
development and job creation resources.''.
(2) Program metrics.--Chapter 3111 of title 54, United
States Code, is amended--
(A) by redesignating section 311105 as section 311106; and
(B) by inserting after section 311104 the following:
``Sec. 311105. Reports
``(a) Metrics.--Not later than 180 days after the date of
enactment of the Natural Resources Management Act, the
Secretary, in consultation with the Council and the Secretary
of Commerce, shall develop specific metrics to measure the
effectiveness of the program, including--
``(1) the economic impact of the program on local
communities (including Native American communities and
National Heritage Areas); and
``(2) the effect of the program on efforts to preserve
heritage resources.
``(b) Grantee Report.--Not later than 2 years after the
date on which a grantee receives a grant or technical
assistance under this chapter, the grantee shall submit to
the Secretary a report that--
``(1) describes the outcome of the project that was
provided a grant or technical assistance under this chapter;
and
``(2) based on the metrics developed under subsection (a),
assesses--
``(A) the accomplishments of the project; and
``(B) the impact of the project on the community in which
the project was carried out.
``(c) Annual Reports.--The Secretary shall submit an annual
report to the appropriate committees of Congress that
includes data provided by grantees to demonstrate the
economic impact of the program.''.
(3) Conforming amendment.--The table of sections for
chapter 3111 of title 54, United States Code, is amended by
striking the item relating to section 311105 and inserting
the following:
``311105. Reports.
``311106. Authorization of appropriations.''.
(c) National Park Service Partnerships With Gateway
Communities.--
(1) In general.--Subdivision 1 of division B of subtitle
III of title 54, United States Code, is amended by adding at
the end the following:
``CHAPTER 3092--PARTNERSHIPS WITH GATEWAY COMMUNITIES
``Sec.
``309201. Definitions.
``309202. Partnerships with gateway communities.
``309203. Report.
``309204. Authorization of appropriations.
``Sec. 309201. Definitions
``In this chapter:
``(1) Appropriate congressional committee.--The term
`appropriate congressional committee' means--
``(A) the Committee on Commerce, Science, and
Transportation of the Senate;
``(B) the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the
Senate;
``(C) the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate;
``(D) the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of
Representatives;
``(E) the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of
Representatives; and
``(F) the Committee on Appropriations of the House of
Representatives.
``(2) Gateway community.--The term `gateway community'
means a community adjacent to a unit of the System, including
a Native American community or a National Heritage Area.
``(3) Heritage tourism.--The term `heritage tourism' has
the meaning given the term in section 311101.
``Sec. 309202. Partnerships with gateway communities
``(a) In General.--The Secretary shall, to the extent
practicable, offer to enter into partnerships with gateway
communities to leverage heritage tourism assets to strengthen
local economies and create jobs in the gateway communities
with the goal of establishing a standardized framework for
partnerships throughout the System, including through--
``(1) providing financial assistance to gateway communities
to support outreach and promotional efforts;
``(2) providing technical assistance to gateway communities
based on Service best practices in tourism development and
visitor management, such as--
``(A) inventorying tourism resources in the gateway
community;
``(B) identifying historic heritage and cultural resources;
``(C) engaging collaborative partners and stakeholders;
``(D) designing community outreach and participation
strategies;
``(E) developing concept plans for trails, parks, historic
resources, and natural areas;
``(F) developing sustainable tourism development frameworks
for community planning; and
``(G) encouraging regional strategies for tourism
development and promotion; and
``(3) assisting gateway communities in accessing additional
Federal resources available to strengthen tourism assets and
support economic development.
``(b) Obtaining Financial and Technical Assistance.--The
Secretary, in consultation with stakeholders of System units,
shall establish a process through which States, units of
local government, and Tribal governments may apply for
designation as a gateway community to become eligible for
financial and technical assistance made available under this
section.
``(c) Metrics.--The Secretary, in consultation with gateway
communities, shall develop metrics to measure the impact of
the financial and technical assistance provided to gateway
communities under this section.
``Sec. 309203. Report
``Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this
Act, the Secretary shall submit to the appropriate
congressional committees a report that--
``(1) describes the efforts of the Secretary to partner
with gateway communities under this chapter;
``(2) analyzes the results of the financial and technical
assistance using the metrics developed under section
309202(c); and
``(3) identifies--
``(A) the next steps that should be taken to improve
partnerships with gateway communities; and
``(B) any actions that the Secretary will take to improve
the partnerships.
``Sec. 309204. Authorization of appropriations
``There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as are
necessary to carry out this chapter.''.
(2) Conforming amendment.--The table of chapters for title
54, United States Code, is amended by inserting after the
item relating to chapter 3091 the following:
309201''.rtnerships with gateway communities.....................
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