Home > 106th Congressional Bills > S. 2478 (rs) To require the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a theme study on the peopling of America, and for other purposes. [Reported in Senate] ...S. 2478 (rs) To require the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a theme study on the peopling of America, and for other purposes. [Reported in Senate] ...
106th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 2478
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
October 6, 2000
Referred to the Committee on Resources
_______________________________________________________________________
AN ACT
To require the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a theme study on
the peopling of America, 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 ``Peopling of America Theme Study
Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES.
(a) Findings.--Congress finds that--
(1) an important facet of the history of the United States
is the story of how the United States was populated;
(2) the migration, immigration, and settlement of the
population of the United States--
(A) is broadly termed the ``peopling of America'';
and
(B) is characterized by--
(i) the movement of groups of people across
external and internal boundaries of the United
States and territories of the United States;
and
(ii) the interactions of those groups with
each other and with other populations;
(3) each of those groups has made unique, important
contributions to American history, culture, art, and life;
(4) the spiritual, intellectual, cultural, political, and
economic vitality of the United States is a result of the
pluralism and diversity of the American population;
(5) the success of the United States in embracing and
accommodating diversity has strengthened the national fabric
and unified the United States in its values, institutions,
experiences, goals, and accomplishments;
(6)(A) the National Park Service's official thematic
framework, revised in 1996, responds to the requirement of
section 1209 of the Civil War Sites Study Act of 1990 (16
U.S.C. 1a-5 note; Public Law 101-628), that ``the Secretary
shall ensure that the full diversity of American history and
prehistory are represented'' in the identification and
interpretation of historic properties by the National Park
Service; and
(B) the thematic framework recognizes that ``people are the
primary agents of change'' and establishes the theme of human
population movement and change--or ``peopling places''--as a
primary thematic category for interpretation and preservation;
and
(7) although there are approximately 70,000 listings on the
National Register of Historic Places, sites associated with the
exploration and settlement of the United States by a broad
range of cultures are not well represented.
(b) Purposes.--The purposes of this Act are--
(1) to foster a much-needed understanding of the diversity
and contribution of the breadth of groups who have peopled the
United States; and
(2) to strengthen the ability of the National Park Service
to include groups and events otherwise not recognized in the
peopling of the United States.
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of the Interior.
(2) Theme study.--The term ``theme study'' means the
national historic landmark theme study required under section
4.
(3) Peopling of america.--The term ``peopling of America''
means the migration to and within, and the settlement of, the
United States.
SEC. 4. THEME STUDY.
(a) In General.--The Secretary shall prepare and submit to Congress
a national historic landmark theme study on the peopling of America.
(b) Purpose.--The purpose of the theme study shall be to identify
regions, areas, trails, districts, communities, sites, buildings,
structures, objects, organizations, societies, and cultures that--
(1) best illustrate and commemorate key events or decisions
affecting the peopling of America; and
(2) can provide a basis for the preservation and
interpretation of the peopling of America that has shaped the
culture and society of the United States.
(c) Identification and Designation of Potential New National
Historic Landmarks.--
(1) In general.--The theme study shall identify and
recommend for designation new national historic landmarks.
(2) List of appropriate sites.--The theme study shall--
(A) include a list in order of importance or merit
of the most appropriate sites for national historic
landmark designation; and
(B) encourage the nomination of other properties to
the National Register of Historic Places.
(3) Designation.--On the basis of the theme study, the
Secretary shall designate new national historic landmarks.
(d) National Park System.--
(1) Identification of sites within current units.--The
theme study shall identify appropriate sites within units of
the National Park System at which the peopling of America may
be interpreted.
(2) Identification of new sites.--On the basis of the theme
study, the Secretary shall recommend to Congress sites for
which studies for potential inclusion in the National Park
System should be authorized.
(e) Continuing Authority.--After the date of submission to Congress
of the theme study, the Secretary shall, on a continuing basis, as
appropriate to interpret the peopling of America--
(1) evaluate, identify, and designate new national historic
landmarks; and
(2) evaluate, identify, and recommend to Congress sites for
which studies for potential inclusion in the National Park
System should be authorized.
(f) Public Education and Research.--
(1) Linkages.--
(A) Establishment.--On the basis of the theme
study, the Secretary may identify appropriate means for
establishing linkages--
(i) between--
(I) regions, areas, trails,
districts, communities, sites,
buildings, structures, objects,
organizations, societies, and cultures
identified under subsections (b) and
(d); and
(II) groups of people; and
(ii) between--
(I) regions, areas, districts,
communities, sites, buildings,
structures, objects, organizations,
societies, and cultures identified
under subsection (b); and
(II) units of the National Park
System identified under subsection (d).
(B) Purpose.--The purpose of the linkages shall be
to maximize opportunities for public education and
scholarly research on the peopling of America.
(2) Cooperative arrangements.--On the basis of the theme
study, the Secretary shall, subject to the availability of
funds, enter into cooperative arrangements with State and local
governments, educational institutions, local historical
organizations, communities, and other appropriate entities to
preserve and interpret key sites in the peopling of America.
(3) Educational initiatives.--
(A) In general.--The documentation in the theme
study shall be used for broad educational initiatives
such as--
(i) popular publications;
(ii) curriculum material such as the
Teaching with Historic Places program;
(iii) heritage tourism products such as the
National Register of Historic Places Travel
Itineraries program; and
(iv) oral history and ethnographic
programs.
(B) Cooperative programs.--On the basis of the
theme study, the Secretary shall implement cooperative
programs to encourage the preservation and
interpretation of the peopling of America.
SEC. 5. COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS.
The Secretary may enter into cooperative agreements with
educational institutions, professional associations, or other entities
knowledgeable about the peopling of America--
(1) to prepare the theme study;
(2) to ensure that the theme study is prepared in
accordance with generally accepted scholarly standards; and
(3) to promote cooperative arrangements and programs
relating to the peopling of America.
SEC. 6. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as are necessary
to carry out this Act.
Passed the Senate October 5 (legislative day, September
22), 2000.
Attest:
GARY SISCO,
Secretary.
Pages: 1 Other Popular 106th Congressional Bills Documents:
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