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106TH CONGRESS

2D SESSION H. R. 5263

To require the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a theme study on the

peopling of America, and for other purposes.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

SEPTEMBER 21, 2000

Mr. SOUDER (for himself, Ms. MCKINNEY, Mr. ABERCROMBIE, and Mrs.

JONES of Ohio) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the

Committee on Resources

A BILL

To require the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a theme

study on the peopling of America, 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 ‘‘Peopling of America

5 Theme Study Act’’.

6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES.

7 (a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds that—

8 (1) an important facet of the history of the

9 United States is the story of how the United States

10 was populated;
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1 (2) the migration, immigration, and settlement

2 of the population of the United States—

3 (A) is broadly termed the ‘‘peopling of

4 America’’; and

5 (B) is characterized by—

6 (i) the movement of groups of people

7 across external and internal boundaries of

8 the United States and territories of the

9 United States; and

10 (ii) the interactions of those groups

11 with each other and with other popu12 lations;

13 (3) each of those groups has made unique, im14 portant contributions to American history, culture,

15 art, and life;

16 (4) the spiritual, intellectual, cultural, political,

17 and economic vitality of the United States is a result

18 of the pluralism and diversity of the American popu19 lation;

20 (5) the success of the United States in embrac21 ing and accommodating diversity has strengthened

22 the national fabric and unified the United States in

23 its values, institutions, experiences, goals, and ac24 complishments;
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1 (6)(A) the National Park Service’s official the2 matic framework, revised in 1996, responds to the

3 requirement of section 1209 of the Civil War Sites

4 Study Act of 1990 (16 U.S.C. 1a–5 note; title XII

5 of Public Law 101–628), that ‘‘the Secretary shall

6 ensure that the full diversity of American history

7 and prehistory are represented’’ in the identification

8 and interpretation of historic properties by the Na9 tional Park Service; and

10 (B) the thematic framework recognizes that

11 ‘‘people are the primary agents of change’’ and es12 tablishes the theme of human population movement

13 and change—or ‘‘peopling places’’—as a primary

14 thematic category for interpretation and preserva15 tion; and

16 (7) although there are approximately 70,000

17 listings on the National Register of Historic Places,

18 sites associated with the exploration and settlement

19 of the United States by a broad range of cultures

20 are not well represented.

21 (b) PURPOSES.—The purposes of this Act are—

22 (1) to foster a much-needed understanding of

23 the diversity and contribution of the breadth of

24 groups who have peopled the United States; and
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1 (2) to strengthen the ability of the National

2 Park Service to include groups and events otherwise

3 not recognized in the peopling of the United States.

4 SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

5 In this Act:

6 (1) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means

7 the Secretary of the Interior.

8 (2) THEME STUDY.—The term ‘‘theme study’’

9 means the national historic landmark theme study

10 required under section 4.

11 (3) PEOPLING OF AMERICA.—The term ‘‘peo12 pling of America’’ means the migration, immigra13 tion, and settlement of the population of the United

14 States.

15 SEC. 4. NATIONAL HISTORIC LANDMARK THEME STUDY ON

16 THE PEOPLING OF AMERICA.

17 (a) THEME STUDY REQUIRED.—The Secretary shall

18 prepare and submit to Congress a national historic land19 mark theme study on the peopling of America.

20 (b) PURPOSE.—The purpose of the theme study shall

21 be to identify regions, areas, trails, districts, communities,

22 sites, buildings, structures, objects, organizations, soci23 eties, and cultures that—

24 (1) best illustrate and commemorate key events

25 or decisions affecting the peopling of America; and
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1 (2) can provide a basis for the preservation and

2 interpretation of the peopling of America that has

3 shaped the culture and society of the United States.

4 (c) IDENTIFICATION AND DESIGNATION OF POTEN5 TIAL NEW NATIONAL HISTORIC LANDMARKS.—

6 (1) IN GENERAL.—The theme study shall iden7 tify and recommend for designation new national

8 historic landmarks.

9 (2) LIST OF APPROPRIATE SITES.—The theme

10 study shall—

11 (A) include a list, in order of importance

12 or merit, of the most appropriate sites for na13 tional historic landmark designation; and

14 (B) encourage the nomination of other

15 properties to the National Register of Historic

16 Places.

17 (3) DESIGNATION.—On the basis of the theme

18 study, the Secretary shall designate new national

19 historic landmarks.

20 (d) NATIONAL PARK SYSTEM.—

21 (1) IDENTIFICATION OF SITES WITHIN CUR22 RENT UNITS.—The theme study shall identify appro23 priate sites within units of the National Park Sys24 tem at which the peopling of America may be inter25 preted.
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1 (2) IDENTIFICATION OF NEW SITES.—On the

2 basis of the theme study, the Secretary shall rec3 ommend to Congress sites for which studies for po4 tential inclusion in the National Park System should

5 be authorized.

6 (e) CONTINUING AUTHORITY.—After the date of sub7 mission to Congress of the theme study, the Secretary

8 shall, on a continuing basis, as appropriate to interpret

9 the peopling of America—

10 (1) evaluate, identify, and designate new na11 tional historic landmarks; and

12 (2) evaluate, identify, and recommend to Con13 gress sites for which studies for potential inclusion

14 in the National Park System should be authorized.

15 (f) PUBLIC EDUCATION AND RESEARCH.—

16 (1) LINKAGES.—

17 (A) ESTABLISHMENT.—On the basis of the

18 theme study, the Secretary may identify appro19 priate means for establishing linkages—

20 (i) between—

21 (I) regions, areas, trails, dis22 tricts, communities, sites, buildings,

23 structures, objects, organizations, so24 cieties, and cultures identified under

25 subsections (b) and (d); and
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1 (II) groups of people; and

2 (ii) between—

3 (I) regions, areas, trails, dis4 tricts, communities, sites, buildings,

5 structures, objects, organizations, so6 cieties, and cultures identified under

7 subsection (b); and

8 (II) units of the National Park

9 System identified under subsection

10 (d).

11 (B) PURPOSE.—The purpose of the link12 ages shall be to maximize opportunities for pub13 lic education and scholarly research on the peo14 pling of America.

15 (2) COOPERATIVE ARRANGEMENTS.—On the

16 basis of the theme study, the Secretary shall, subject

17 to the availability of funds, enter into cooperative ar18 rangements with State and local governments, edu19 cational institutions, local historical organizations,

20 communities, and other appropriate entities to pre21 serve and interpret key sites in the peopling of

22 America.

23 (3) EDUCATIONAL INITIATIVES.—
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1 (A) IN GENERAL.—The documentation in

2 the theme study shall be used for broad edu3 cational initiatives such as—

4 (i) popular publications;

5 (ii) curriculum material such as the

6 Teaching with Historic Places program;

7 (iii) heritage tourism products such as

8 the National Register of Historic Places

9 Travel Itineraries program; and

10 (iv) oral history and ethnographic pro11 grams.

12 (B) COOPERATIVE PROGRAMS.—On the

13 basis of the theme study, the Secretary shall

14 implement cooperative programs to encourage

15 the preservation and interpretation of the peo16 pling of America.

17 SEC. 5. COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS.

18 The Secretary may enter into cooperative agreements

19 with educational institutions, professional associations, or

20 other entities knowledgeable about the peopling of

21 America—

22 (1) to prepare the theme study;

23 (2) to ensure that the theme study is prepared

24 in accordance with generally accepted scholarly

25 standards; and
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1 (3) to promote cooperative arrangements and

2 programs relating to the peopling of America.

3 SEC. 6. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

4 There are authorized to be appropriated such sums

5 as are necessary to carry out this Act.

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