A bill to establish within the National Park Service the 225th Anniversary of the American Revolution Commemorative Program, and for other purposes.

Summary: 225th Anniversary of the American Revolution Commemoration Act - Directs the Secretary of the Interior to establish a program to be known as the 225th Anniversary of the American Revolution Commemoration Program. Requires the Secretary, in carrying out such Program, to: (1) produce and distribute to the public educational materials relating to the American Revolution, such as handbooks, maps, and interpretive guides; (2) enter into appropriate cooperative agreements and memoranda of understanding to provide technical assistance as specified below to other Federal agencies, States, local governments, private entities, and the governments of the United Kingdom, France, the Netherlands, Spain, and Canada; (3) assist in the protection of resources associated with the American Revolution; (4) enhance communications, connections, and collaboration among the National Park Service (NPS) units and programs relating to the American Revolution; (5) expand the research base for interpretation of and education on the American Revolution; and (6) create and adopt an official symbol or device for the theme "Lighting Freedom's Flame: American Revolution, 225th Anniversary" and promulgate regulations for its use.

Requires that such Program include: (1) all NPS units and programs relevant to the American Revolution; (2) other governmental and nongovernmental sites, facilities that are documented to be directly related to the American Revolution, and educational, research, and interpretive programs relating to the American Revolution; and (3) the participation of the governments of the United Kingdom, France, the Netherlands, Spain, and Canada. Authorizes the Secretary to enter into cooperative agreements and memoranda of understanding to provide technical assistance to the entities specified above, and in cooperation with the Secretary of State, to the governments of the United Kingdom, France, the Netherlands, Spain, and Canada, to achieve the purposes of this Act and to ensure the effective coordination of the Federal and non-Federal components of the Program with NPS units and programs. Authorizes appropriations.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``225th Anniversary of the American 
Revolution Commemoration Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES.

    (a) Findings.--Congress finds that--
            (1) the American Revolution, inspired by the spirit of 
        liberty and independence among the inhabitants of the original 
        13 English colonies, was an event of global significance having 
        a profound and lasting effect on the government, laws, culture, 
        society, and values of the United States;
            (2) the years 2000 through 2008 mark the 225th anniversary 
        of the American Revolution;
            (3) citizens of the United States should have an 
        opportunity to understand and appreciate the continuing legacy 
        of the American Revolution;
            (4) the 225th anniversary of the American Revolution 
        provides an opportunity to enhance public awareness and 
        understanding of the impact of the American Revolution on the 
        lives of citizens of the United States;
            (5) although the National Park Service administers 
        battlefields, historical parks, historic sites, and programs 
        that address elements of the story of the American Revolution, 
        there is a need to establish partnerships that link those sites 
        and programs with sites and programs of other Federal and non-
        Federal entities to place the story of the American Revolution 
        in the broad context of the causes, consequences, and 
        significance of the American Revolution; and
            (6) a national program of the National Park Service that 
        links historic structures and sites, routes, activities, 
        community projects, exhibits, and multimedia materials in a 
        manner that is unified and flexible is the best method of 
        conveying to citizens of the United States the story and 
        significance of the American Revolution.
    (b) Purposes.--The purposes of this Act are--
            (1) to recognize the enduring importance of the American 
        Revolution to the lives of citizens of the United States; and
            (2) to authorize the National Park Service to coordinate, 
        connect, and facilitate Federal and non-Federal activities to 
        commemorate, honor, and interpret the history of the American 
        Revolution, including the significance and relevance of the 
        American Revolution to the shape and spirit of the Government 
        and society of the United States.

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Program.--The term ``Program'' means the 225th 
        Anniversary of the American Revolution Commemoration Program 
        established under section 4(a).
            (2) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of the Interior.

SEC. 4. 225TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION COMMEMORATION 
              PROGRAM.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary shall establish within the National 
Park Service a program to be known as the ``225th Anniversary of the 
American Revolution Commemoration Program''.
    (b) Activities.--In carrying out the program, the Secretary shall--
            (1) produce and distribute to the public educational 
        materials relating to the American Revolution, such as--
                    (A) handbooks;
                    (B) maps;
                    (C) interpretive guides; and
                    (D) electronic information;
            (2) enter into appropriate cooperative agreements and 
        memoranda of understanding to provide technical assistance 
        under subsection (d);
            (3) assist in the protection of resources associated with 
        the American Revolution;
            (4) enhance communications, connections, and collaboration 
        among units and programs of the National Park Service relating 
        to the American Revolution;
            (5) expand the research base for interpretation of and 
        education on the American Revolution; and
            (6)(A) create and adopt an official, uniform symbol or 
        device for the theme ``Lighting Freedom's Flame: American 
        Revolution, 225th Anniversary''; and
            (B) promulgate regulations for the use of the symbol or 
        device.
    (c) Components.--The Program shall include--
            (1) units and programs of the National Park Service 
        relevant to the American Revolution, as determined by the 
        Secretary;
            (2) other governmental and nongovernmental--
                    (A) sites and facilities that are documented to be 
                directly related to the American Revolution; and
                    (B) programs of an educational, research, or 
                interpretive nature relating to the American 
                Revolution; and
            (3) through the Secretary of State, the participation of 
        the Governments of the United Kingdom, France, the Netherlands, 
        Spain, and Canada.
    (d) Cooperative Agreements and Memoranda of Understanding.--To 
achieve the purposes of this Act and to ensure the effective 
coordination of the Federal and non-Federal components of the Program 
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, units of 
        local government, and private entities; and
            (2) in cooperation with the Secretary of State, the 
        Governments of the United Kingdom, France, the Netherlands, 
        Spain, and Canada.
    (e) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to the Secretary to carry out this Act $500,000 for each 
of fiscal years 2004 through 2009.

            Passed the Senate April 7, 2004.

            Attest:

                                             EMILY J. REYNOLDS,

                                                             Secretary.