I 

118TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 737 

To establish the Ralph David Abernathy, Sr. National Historic Site, and 

for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

FEBRUARY 1, 2023 

Ms. WILLIAMS of Georgia (for herself, Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia, Mr. AUSTIN

SCOTT of Georgia, Mr. BISHOP of Georgia, Mr. CARTER of Georgia, Mrs. 

MCBATH, Mr. DAVID SCOTT of Georgia, Mrs. BEATTY, Mr. POCAN, Mr. 

COHEN, Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi, Mr. NADLER, Mr. CARSON, Mr. 

SCHIFF, Mr. PAYNE, Ms. MOORE of Wisconsin, Mr. TAKANO, Mr. GREEN

of Texas, Mr. CARBAJAL, Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN, Ms. WILSON of Florida, Mr. GRIJALVA, Ms. LEE of California, Mr. SABLAN, Mr. DAVIS of 

Illinois, Ms. NORTON, Mr. MCGOVERN, Mr. CARTER of Louisiana, Ms. 

BUSH, and Ms. SEWELL) introduced the following bill; which was referred 

to the Committee on Natural Resources 

A BILL 

To establish the Ralph David Abernathy, Sr. National 

Historic Site, and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Ralph David Aber5 nathy, Sr. National Historic Site Act’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. RALPH DAVID ABERNATHY, SR. NATIONAL HIS2 TORIC SITE. 

3 (a) DEFINITIONS.—In this Act: 

4 (1) MAP.—The term ‘‘Map’’ means the map en5 titled ‘‘Ralph David Abernathy, Sr. National His6 toric Site Proposed Boundary’’, numbered P99/ 

7 184,019, and dated August 2022. 

8 (2) HISTORIC SITE.—The term ‘‘Historic Site’’ 

9 means the Ralph David Abernathy, Sr. National 

10 Historic Site established by subsection (b). 

11 (3) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 

12 the Secretary of the Interior. 

13 (4) STATE.—The term ‘‘State’’ means the State 

14 of Georgia. 

15 (b) ESTABLISHMENT.— 

16 (1) IN GENERAL.—Subject to paragraph (2), 

17 there is established the Ralph David Abernathy, Sr. 

18 National Historic Site in the State of Georgia as a 

19 unit of the National Park System to preserve, pro20 tect, and interpret for the benefit of present and fu21 ture generations— 

22 (A) the site where the Reverend Dr. Aber23 nathy served as pastor during the height of the 

24 modern civil rights movement, the historic West 

25 Hunter Street Baptist Church; and 


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1 (B) the role of Dr. Abernathy as an inter2 nationally recognized civil rights leader. 

3 (2) DETERMINATION BY THE SECRETARY.— 

4 The Historic Site shall not be established until the 

5 date on which the Secretary determines that a suffi6 cient quantity of land and interests in land have 

7 been acquired to constitute a manageable park unit. 

8 (3) NOTICE.—Not later than 30 days after the 

9 date on which the Secretary makes a determination 

10 under paragraph (2), the Secretary shall publish in 

11 the Federal Register notice of the establishment of 

12 the Historic Site. 

13 (c) BOUNDARY.—The boundary of the Historic Site 

14 shall be the boundary generally depicted as ‘‘Proposed 

15 Boundary’’ on the Map. 

16 (d) AVAILABILITY OF MAP.—The Map shall be on file 

17 and available for public inspection in the appropriate of18 fices of the National Park Service. 

19 (e) ACQUISITION OF LAND.— 

20 (1) IN GENERAL.—Subject to paragraph (2), 

21 the Secretary may acquire land and interests in land 

22 within the boundary of the Historic Site by— 

23 (A) donation; 

24 (B) purchase from a willing seller with do25 nated or appropriated funds; or 


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1 (C) exchange. 

2 (2) LIMITATION.—Any land or interests in land 

3 owned by the State or a political subdivision of the 

4 State may be acquired for inclusion in the Historic 

5 Site only by donation. 

6 (f) ADMINISTRATION.—The Secretary shall admin7 ister the Historic Site in accordance with— 

8 (1) this section; and 

9 (2) the laws generally applicable to units of the 

10 National Park System, including— 

11 (A) sections 100101(a), 100751(a), 

12 100752, and 100753 of title 54, United States 

13 Code; and 

14 (B) chapters 1003 and 3201 of title 54, 

15 United States Code. 

16 (g) MANAGEMENT PLAN.—Not later than 3 years 

17 after the date on which funds are first made available to 

18 carry out this Act, the Secretary shall complete a manage19 ment plan for the Historic Site in accordance with section 

20 100502 of title 54, United States Code. 

21 (h) AGREEMENTS.—Within or outside the boundaries 

22 of the Historic Site, the Secretary may enter into coopera23 tive agreements, leases, or other agreements, as appro24 priate, with the State or other entities to provide and fa25 cilitate interpretive and educational services, administraVerDate Sep 11 2014 00:28 Feb 22, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H737.IH H737

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1 tive support, and technical assistance related to the His2 toric Site, including— 

3 (1) the placement of directional and interpretive 

4 signage; 

5 (2) exhibits; 

6 (3) parking and other administrative needs; 

7 (4) technology-based interpretive devices; 

8 (5) public interpretation and tours; and 

9 (6) the preservation of historic and cultural re10 sources. 

Æ 


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