[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 38 (Monday, March 1, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Pages S956-S958]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
STATEMENTS ON INTRODUCED BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTION
By Mr. THUNE:
S. 495. A bill to prioritize the allocation of H-2B visas for States
with low unemployment rates; to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of
the bill be printed in the Record.
There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be
printed in the Record, as follows:
S. 495
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 ``Prioritizing Help to
Businesses Act''.
SEC. 2. PRIORITIZING THE ALLOCATION OF H-2B VISAS FOR STATES
WITH LOW UNEMPLOYMENT RATES.
Section 214(g)(10) of the Immigration and Nationality Act
(8 U.S.C. 1184(g)(10)) is amended to read as follows:
``(10)(A) Except as provided in subparagraphs (B) and (C),
the numerical limitation under paragraph (1)(B) shall not
apply to H-2B visas issued to aliens for positions that are
certified for employment pursuant to subpart A of part 655 of
title 20, Code of Federal Regulations, to perform service or
labor in a State that had a seasonally adjusted unemployment
rate of 3.5 percent or lower in at least 3 of the 6 most
recent monthly reports issued by the Bureau of Labor
Statistics during the previous fiscal half year corresponding
to each allotment period of H-2B visas pursuant to subpart A
of part 655 of title 20, Code of Federal Regulations.
``(B) The number of aliens exempted from the numerical
limitation pursuant to subparagraph (A) in any State during
any fiscal year may not exceed the lesser of--
``(i) 125 percent of the number of visas issued to aliens
working in such State during the most recently concluded
fiscal year; or
``(ii) 2,500.
``(C) If more H-2B visa applications are received in a
fiscal year on behalf of aliens desiring to work in a State
described in subparagraph (A) than the limit set forth in
subparagraph (B)--
``(i) eligible applicants, in a number equal to such limit,
shall be selected, by lottery, from such applications for the
exemption under subparagraph (A); and
``(ii) the remaining applicants shall be subject to the
numerical limitation under paragraph (1)(B).''.
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By Mr. DURBIN:
S. 511. A bill to establish the Bronzeville-Black Metropolis National
Heritage Area in the State of Illinois, and for other purposes; to the
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of
the bill be printed in the Record.
There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be
printed in the Record, as follows:
S. 511
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 ``Bronzeville-Black Metropolis
National Heritage Area Act''.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Heritage area.--The term ``Heritage Area'' means the
Bronzeville-Black Metropolis National Heritage Area
established by section 3(a).
(2) Local coordinating entity.--The term ``local
coordinating entity'' means the local coordinating entity for
the Heritage Area designated by section 4(a).
(3) Management plan.--The term ``management plan'' means
the plan developed by the local coordinating entity under
section 5(a).
(4) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of the Interior.
(5) State.--The term ``State'' means the State of Illinois.
SEC. 3. BRONZEVILLE-BLACK METROPOLIS NATIONAL HERITAGE AREA.
(a) Establishment.--There is established the Bronzeville-
Black Metropolis National Heritage Area in the State.
(b) Boundaries.--The Heritage Area shall consist of the
region in the city of Chicago, Illinois, bounded as follows:
(1) 18th Street on the North to 22nd Street on the South,
from Lake Michigan on the East to Wentworth Avenue on the
West.
(2) 22nd Street on the North to 35th Street on the South,
from Lake Michigan on the East to the Dan Ryan Expressway on
the West.
(3) 35th Street on the North to 47th Street on the South,
from Lake Michigan on the East to the B&O Railroad (Stewart
Avenue) on the West.
(4) 47th Street on the North to 55th Street on the South,
from Cottage Grove Avenue on the East to the Dan Ryan
Expressway on the West.
(5) 55th Street on the North to 67th Street on the South,
from State Street on the West to Cottage Grove Avenue/South
Chicago Avenue on the East.
(6) 67th Street on the North to 71st Street on the South,
from Cottage Grove Avenue/South Chicago Avenue on the West to
the Metra Railroad tracks on the East.
SEC. 4. DESIGNATION OF LOCAL COORDINATING ENTITY.
(a) Local Coordinating Entity.--The Black Metropolis
National Heritage Area
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Commission shall be the local coordinating entity for the
Heritage Area.
(b) Authorities of Local Coordinating Entity.--The local
coordinating entity may, for purposes of preparing and
implementing the management plan, use Federal funds made
available under this Act--
(1) to prepare reports, studies, interpretive exhibits and
programs, historic preservation projects, and other
activities recommended in the management plan for the
Heritage Area;
(2) to make grants to the State, political subdivisions of
the State, nonprofit organizations, and other persons;
(3) to enter into cooperative agreements with the State,
political subdivisions of the State, nonprofit organizations,
and other organizations;
(4) to hire and compensate staff;
(5) to obtain funds or services from any source, including
funds and services provided under any other Federal program
or law; and
(6) to contract for goods and services.
(c) Duties of Local Coordinating Entity.--To further the
purposes of the Heritage Area, the local coordinating entity
shall--
(1) prepare a management plan for the Heritage Area in
accordance with section 5;
(2) give priority to the implementation of actions, goals,
and strategies set forth in the management plan, including
assisting units of government and other persons in--
(A) carrying out programs and projects that recognize and
protect important resource values in the Heritage Area;
(B) encouraging economic viability in the Heritage Area in
accordance with the goals of the management plan;
(C) establishing and maintaining interpretive exhibits in
the Heritage Area;
(D) developing heritage-based recreational and educational
opportunities for residents and visitors in the Heritage
Area;
(E) increasing public awareness of and appreciation for the
natural, historic, and cultural resources of the Heritage
Area;
(F) restoring historic buildings that are--
(i) located in the Heritage Area; and
(ii) related to the themes of the Heritage Area; and
(G) installing throughout the Heritage Area clear,
consistent, and appropriate signs identifying public access
points and sites of interest;
(3) consider the interests of diverse units of government,
businesses, tourism officials, private property owners, and
nonprofit groups within the Heritage Area in developing and
implementing the management plan;
(4) conduct public meetings at least semiannually regarding
the development and implementation of the management plan;
and
(5) for any fiscal year for which Federal funds are
received under this Act--
(A) submit to the Secretary an annual report that
describes--
(i) the accomplishments of the local coordinating entity;
(ii) the expenses and income of the local coordinating
entity; and
(iii) the entities to which the local coordinating entity
made any grants;
(B) make available for audit all records relating to the
expenditure of the Federal funds and any matching funds; and
(C) require, with respect to all agreements authorizing the
expenditure of Federal funds by other organizations, that the
receiving organizations make available for audit all records
relating to the expenditure of the Federal funds.
SEC. 5. MANAGEMENT PLAN.
(a) In General.--Not later than 3 years after the date on
which funds are first made available to carry out this Act,
the local coordinating entity shall prepare and submit to the
Secretary a management plan for the Heritage Area.
(b) Contents.--The management plan for the Heritage Area
shall--
(1) include comprehensive policies, strategies, and
recommendations for the conservation, funding, management,
and development of the Heritage Area;
(2) take into consideration existing State and local plans;
(3) specify the existing and potential sources of funding
to protect, manage, and develop the Heritage Area;
(4) include an inventory of the natural, historic,
cultural, educational, scenic, and recreational resources of
the Heritage Area relating to the themes of the Heritage Area
that should be preserved, restored, managed, developed, or
maintained; and
(5) include an analysis of, and recommendations for, ways
in which Federal, State, and local programs, may best be
coordinated to further the purposes of this Act, including
recommendations for the role of the National Park Service in
the Heritage Area.
(c) Disqualification From Funding.--If a proposed
management plan is not submitted to the Secretary by the date
that is 3 years after the date on which funds are first made
available to carry out this Act, the local coordinating
entity may not receive additional funding under this Act
until the date on which the Secretary receives the proposed
management plan.
(d) Approval and Disapproval of Management Plan.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the date on
which the local coordinating entity submits the management
plan to the Secretary, the Secretary shall approve or
disapprove the proposed management plan.
(2) Considerations.--In determining whether to approve or
disapprove the management plan, the Secretary shall consider
whether--
(A) the local coordinating entity is representative of the
diverse interests of the Heritage Area, including
governments, natural and historic resource protection
organizations, educational institutions, businesses, and
recreational organizations;
(B) the local coordinating entity has provided adequate
opportunities (including public meetings) for public and
governmental involvement in the preparation of the management
plan;
(C) the resource protection and interpretation strategies
contained in the management plan, if implemented, would
adequately protect the natural, historic, and cultural
resources of the Heritage Area; and
(D) the management plan is supported by the appropriate
State and local officials, the cooperation of which is needed
to ensure the effective implementation of the State and local
aspects of the management plan.
(3) Disapproval and revisions.--
(A) In general.--If the Secretary disapproves a proposed
management plan, the Secretary shall--
(i) advise the local coordinating entity, in writing, of
the reasons for the disapproval; and
(ii) make recommendations for revision of the proposed
management plan.
(B) Approval or disapproval.--The Secretary shall approve
or disapprove a revised management plan not later than 180
days after the date on which the revised management plan is
submitted.
(e) Approval of Amendments.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary shall review and approve or
disapprove substantial amendments to the management plan in
accordance with subsection (d).
(2) Funding.--Funds appropriated under this Act may not be
expended to implement any changes made by an amendment to the
management plan until the Secretary approves the amendment.
SEC. 6. RELATIONSHIP TO OTHER FEDERAL AGENCIES.
(a) In General.--Nothing in this Act affects the authority
of a Federal agency to provide technical or financial
assistance under any other law.
(b) Consultation and Coordination.--The head of any Federal
agency planning to conduct activities that may have an impact
on the Heritage Area is encouraged to consult and coordinate
the activities with the Secretary and the local coordinating
entity to the extent practicable.
(c) Other Federal Agencies.--Nothing in this Act--
(1) modifies, alters, or amends any law or regulation
authorizing a Federal agency to manage Federal land under the
jurisdiction of the Federal agency;
(2) limits the discretion of a Federal land manager to
implement an approved land use plan within the boundaries of
the Heritage Area; or
(3) modifies, alters, or amends any authorized use of
Federal land under the jurisdiction of a Federal agency.
SEC. 7. PRIVATE PROPERTY AND REGULATORY PROTECTIONS.
Nothing in this Act--
(1) abridges the rights of any property owner (whether
public or private), including the right to refrain from
participating in any plan, project, program, or activity
conducted within the Heritage Area;
(2) requires any property owner to permit public access
(including access by Federal, State, or local agencies) to
the property of the property owner, or to modify public
access or use of property of the property owner under any
other Federal, State, or local law;
(3) alters any duly adopted land use regulation, approved
land use plan, or other regulatory authority of any Federal,
State, or local agency, or conveys any land use or other
regulatory authority to the local coordinating entity;
(4) authorizes or implies the reservation or appropriation
of water or water rights;
(5) diminishes the authority of the State to manage fish
and wildlife, including the regulation of fishing and hunting
within the Heritage Area; or
(6) creates any liability, or affects any liability under
any other law, of any private property owner with respect to
any person injured on the private property.
SEC. 8. EVALUATION; REPORT.
(a) In General.--Not later than 3 years before the date on
which authority for Federal funding terminates for the
Heritage Area, the Secretary shall--
(1) conduct an evaluation of the accomplishments of the
Heritage Area; and
(2) prepare a report in accordance with subsection (c).
(b) Evaluation.--An evaluation conducted under subsection
(a)(1) shall--
(1) assess the progress of the local coordinating entity
with respect to--
(A) accomplishing the purposes of this Act for the Heritage
Area; and
(B) achieving the goals and objectives of the approved
management plan for the Heritage Area;
(2) analyze the Federal, State, local, and private
investments in the Heritage Area to determine the leverage
and impact of the investments; and
(3) review the management structure, partnership
relationships, and funding of the Heritage Area for purposes
of identifying the critical components for sustainability of
the Heritage Area.
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(c) Report.--
(1) In general.--Based on the evaluation conducted under
subsection (a)(1), the Secretary shall prepare a report that
includes recommendations for the future role of the National
Park Service, if any, with respect to the Heritage Area.
(2) Required analysis.--If the report prepared under
paragraph (1) recommends that Federal funding for the
Heritage Area be reauthorized, the report shall include an
analysis of--
(A) ways in which Federal funding for the Heritage Area may
be reduced or eliminated; and
(B) the appropriate time period necessary to achieve the
recommended reduction or elimination.
(3) Submission to congress.--On completion of the report,
the Secretary shall submit the report to--
(A) the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the
Senate; and
(B) the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of
Representatives.
SEC. 9. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
(a) In General.--There is authorized to be appropriated to
carry out this Act $10,000,000, of which not more than
$1,000,000 may be authorized to be appropriated for any
fiscal year.
(b) Cost-Sharing Requirement.--The Federal share of the
cost of any activity carried out using funds made available
under this Act shall be not more than 50 percent.
SEC. 10. TERMINATION OF AUTHORITY.
The authority of the Secretary to provide financial
assistance under this Act terminates on the date that is 15
years after the date of enactment of this Act.
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