S. 2309 (rs) To authorize the Secretary of the Interior to enter into an agreement for the construction and operation of the Gateway Visitor Center at Independence National Historical Park. ...

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105th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 2309


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            October 8, 1998

                 Referred to the Committee on Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 AN ACT


 
 To authorize the Secretary of the Interior to enter into an agreement 
  for the construction and operation of the Gateway Visitor Center at 
                 Independence National Historical Park.

    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 ``Gateway Visitor Center Authorization 
Act of 1998''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES.

    (a) Findings.--Congress finds that--
            (1) in 1997, the National Park Service completed a general 
        management plan for Independence National Historical Park that 
        establishes goals and priorities for the future of the park;
            (2) the plan calls for the revitalization of Independence 
        Mall and recommends as a critical component of the 
        revitalization the development of a new visitor center;
            (3) such a visitor center would replace the existing park 
        visitor center and serve as an orientation center for visitors 
        to the park and to city and regional attractions;
            (4) after completing of the general management plan, the 
        National Park Service completed a design project and master 
        plan for Independence Mall that includes the Gateway Visitor 
        Center;
            (5) plans for the Gateway Visitor Center call for the 
        center to be developed and managed, in cooperation with the 
        Secretary of the Interior, by a nonprofit organization that 
        represents the various public and civic interests of the 
        Philadelphia metropolitan area; and
            (6) the Gateway Visitor Center Corporation, a nonprofit 
        organization, has been established to raise funds for and 
        cooperate in a program to design, develop, construct, and 
        operate the proposed Gateway Visitor Center.
    (b) Purpose.--The purpose of this Act is to authorize the Secretary 
of the Interior to enter into an agreement with the Gateway Visitor 
Center Corporation to construct and operate a regional visitor center 
on Independence Mall in cooperation with the Secretary.

SEC. 3. GATEWAY VISITOR CENTER.

    The Act of June 28, 1948 (16 U.S.C. 407m et seq.) is amended by 
adding at the end the following:

``SEC. 8. REGIONAL GATEWAY VISITOR CENTER.

    ``(a) Definitions.--In this section:
            ``(1) Center.--The term `Center' means the Gateway Visitor 
        Center authorized by subsection (b).
            ``(2) Corporation.--The term `Corporation' means Gateway 
        Visitor Center Corporation, a nonprofit organization.
    ``(b) Agreement.--The Secretary of the Interior may enter into an 
agreement under appropriate terms and conditions with the Corporation 
to facilitate the construction and operation of the Gateway Visitor 
Center on Independence Mall.
    ``(c) Authorized Activities.--The agreement under subsection (b) 
shall--
            ``(1) authorize the Corporation--
                    ``(A) to operate the Center in cooperation with the 
                Secretary and provide at the Center information, 
                interpretation, facilities, and services to visitors of 
                Independence National Historical Park, its surrounding 
                historic sites, the city of Philadelphia, and the 
                region, in order to assist in the enjoyment of the 
                historic, cultural, educational, and recreational 
                resources of the Philadelphia metropolitan area; and
                    ``(B) to engage in activities appropriate for 
                operation of a regional visitor center, which may 
                include selling food, charging fees, conducting events, 
                and selling merchandise and tickets to visitors to the 
                Center; and
            ``(2) authorize the Secretary to undertake at the Center 
        activities relating to the management of Independence National 
        Historical Park, including provision of appropriate visitor 
        information and interpretive facilities and programs related to 
        the park.
            ``(d) Revenues.--Revenues from the operation of the 
        Center's facilities and services shall be used to pay for 
        expenses of operation.
            ``(e) Preservation and Protection.--Nothing in this section 
        authorizes the Secretary or the Corporation to take any action 
        in derogation of the preservation and protection of the values 
        and resources of Independence National Historical Park.''.

            Passed the Senate October 7 (legislative day, October 2), 
      1998.

            Attest:

                                                    GARY SISCO,

                                                             Secretary.

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