Home > 105th Congressional Bills > H.R. 1635 (ih) To establish within the United States National Park Service the National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom program, and for other purposes. ...H.R. 1635 (ih) To establish within the United States National Park Service the National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom program, and for other purposes. ...
H.R.1635
One Hundred Fifth Congress
of the
United States of America
AT THE SECOND SESSION
Begun and held at the City of Washington on Tuesday,
the twenty-seventh day of January, one thousand nine hundred and ninety-
eight
An Act
To establish within the United States National Park Service the National
Underground Railroad Network to Freedom program, and for other purposes.
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 ``National Underground Railroad
Network to Freedom Act of 1998''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES.
(a) Findings.--The Congress finds the following:
(1) The Underground Railroad, which flourished from the end of
the 18th century to the end of the Civil War, was one of the most
significant expressions of the American civil rights movement
during its evolution over more than three centuries.
(2) The Underground Railroad bridged the divides of race,
religion, sectional differences, and nationality; spanned State
lines and international borders; and joined the American ideals of
liberty and freedom expressed in the Declaration of Independence
and the Constitution to the extraordinary actions of ordinary men
and women working in common purpose to free a people.
(3) Pursuant to title VI of Public Law 101-628 (16 U.S.C. 1a-5
note; 104 Stat. 4495), the Underground Railroad Advisory Committee
conducted a study of the appropriate means of establishing an
enduring national commemorative Underground Railroad program of
education, example, reflection, and reconciliation.
(4) The Underground Railroad Advisory Committee found that--
(A) although a few elements of the Underground Railroad
story are represented in existing National Park Service units
and other sites, many sites are in imminent danger of being
lost or destroyed, and many important resource types are not
adequately represented and protected;
(B) there are many important sites which have high
potential for preservation and visitor use in 29 States, the
District of Columbia, and the Virgin Islands;
(C) no single site or route completely reflects and
characterizes the Underground Railroad, since its story and
associated resources involve networks and regions of the
country rather than individual sites and trails; and
(D) establishment of a variety of partnerships between the
Federal Government and other levels of government and the
private sector would be most appropriate for the protection and
interpretation of the Underground Railroad.
(5) The National Park Service can play a vital role in
facilitating the national commemoration of the Underground
Railroad.
(6) The story and significance of the Underground Railroad can
best engage the American people through a national program of the
National Park Service that links historic buildings, structures,
and sites; routes, geographic areas, and corridors; interpretive
centers, museums, and institutions; and programs, activities,
community projects, exhibits, and multimedia materials, in a manner
that is both unified and flexible.
(b) Purposes.--The purposes of this Act are the following:
(1) To recognize the importance of the Underground Railroad,
the sacrifices made by those who used the Underground Railroad in
search of freedom from tyranny and oppression, and the sacrifices
made by the people who helped them.
(2) To authorize the National Park Service to coordinate and
facilitate Federal and non-Federal activities to commemorate,
honor, and interpret the history of the Underground Railroad, its
significance as a crucial element in the evolution of the national
civil rights movement, and its relevance in fostering the spirit of
racial harmony and national reconciliation.
SEC. 3. NATIONAL UNDERGROUND RAILROAD NETWORK TO FREEDOM PROGRAM.
(a) In General.--The Secretary of the Interior (in this Act
referred to as the ``Secretary'') shall establish in the National Park
Service a program to be known as the ``National Underground Railroad
Network to Freedom'' (in this Act referred to as the ``national
network''). Under the program, the Secretary shall--
(1) produce and disseminate appropriate educational materials,
such as handbooks, maps, interpretive guides, or electronic
information;
(2) enter into appropriate cooperative agreements and memoranda
of understanding to provide technical assistance under subsection
(c); and
(3) create and adopt an official, uniform symbol or device for
the national network and issue regulations for its use.
(b) Elements.--The national network shall encompass the following
elements:
(1) All units and programs of the National Park Service
determined by the Secretary to pertain to the Underground Railroad.
(2) Other Federal, State, local, and privately owned properties
pertaining to the Underground Railroad that have a verifiable
connection to the Underground Railroad and that are included on, or
determined by the Secretary to be eligible for inclusion on, the
National Register of Historic Places.
(3) Other governmental and nongovernmental facilities and
programs of an educational, research, or interpretive nature that
are directly related to the Underground Railroad.
(c) Cooperative Agreements and Memoranda of Understanding.--To
achieve the purposes of this Act and to ensure effective coordination
of the Federal and non-Federal elements of the national network
referred to in subsection (b) with National Park Service units and
programs, the Secretary may enter into cooperative agreements and
memoranda of understanding with, and provide technical assistance to--
(1) the heads of other Federal agencies, States, localities,
regional governmental bodies, and private entities; and
(2) in cooperation with the Secretary of State, the governments
of Canada, Mexico, and any appropriate country in the Caribbean.
(d) Appropriations.--There are authorized to be appropriated to
carry out this Act not more than $500,000 for each fiscal year. No
amounts may be appropriated for the purposes of this Act except to the
Secretary for carrying out the responsibilities of the Secretary as set
forth in section 3(a).
Speaker of the House of Representatives.
Vice President of the United States and
President of the Senate.
Pages: 1 Other Popular 105th Congressional Bills Documents:
|
| GovRecords.org presents information on various agencies of the United States Government. Even though all information is believed to be credible and accurate, no guarantees are made on the complete accuracy of our government records archive. Care should be taken to verify the information presented by responsible parties. Please see our reference page for congressional, presidential, and judicial branch contact information. GovRecords.org values visitor privacy. Please see the privacy page for more information. |

![]() |