I 
108TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 904
To authorize the Secretary of the Interior to establish a program to inventory, 
evaluate, document, and assist efforts to preserve surviving United States 
Life-Saving Service stations. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
FEBRUARY 25, 2003
Mr. PALLONE (for himself and Mr. LOBIONDO) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Resources 
A BILL 
To authorize the Secretary of the Interior to establish a 
program to inventory, evaluate, document, and assist 
efforts to preserve surviving United States Life-Saving 
Service stations.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘United States Life-
Saving Service Heritage Act’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSE. 
(a) FINDINGS.—The Congress finds the following:
(1) The United States Life-Saving Service was 
organized by the Congress by enactment of the Act 
entitled ‘‘An Act to organize the Life-Saving-Serv-
ice’’, approved June 18, 1878 (chapter 265; 20 Stat. 
163 et seq.). 
(2) These lifesaving stations were staffed by 
brave volunteer and professional lifesavers, who 
risked life and limb to rescue shipwrecked pas-
sengers and crews. 
(3) Many surviving Life-Saving Service stations 
are of rare architectural significance, yet these his-
toric stations are threatened by harsh coastal envi-
ronments, rapid economic development in the coastal 
zone, neglect, and lack of resources for their preser-
vation. 
(4) The heroic actions of Life-Saving Service 
personnel deserve greater recognition, and their con-
tributions to America’s maritime history should be 
celebrated through a comprehensive preservation 
program and greater opportunities for the public’s 
education about the heritage of the Life-Saving 
Service. 
(b) PURPOSE.—The purpose of this Act is to author-
ize the Secretary of the Interior to establish a program
(B) making recommendations for out-
standing examples of historic lifesaving stations 
that should be designated as National Historic 
Landmarks. 
(c) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, EDUCATIONAL MATE-
RIALS, RESEARCH AIDS, AND OTHER INFORMATION.—
The Secretary shall—
(1) serve as a clearinghouse of information for 
persons interested in preserving historic lifesaving 
stations; and 
(2) make available to the public, including 
through the Internet, educational materials, research 
aids, guides, bibliographies, and other information 
regarding the Life-Saving Service and related orga-
nizations that provided humanitarian assistance to 
shipwrecked mariners, including—
(A) information on the history and devel-
opment of the Life-Saving Service, predecessor 
private and State lifesaving organizations, and 
Coast Guard lifesaving stations; 
(B) technical descriptions of lifesaving 
boats, line-guns, life cars, and other lifesaving 
gear; 
(C) the inventory, documentation, and 
evaluation prepared under subsection (b); and
(D) guidance and technical assistance in 
the listing of historic lifesaving stations in the 
National Register of Historic Places. 
(d) GRANTS.—
(1) IN
GENERAL.—The Secretary, subject to 
the availability of appropriations, shall make grants 
to coordinate and assist preservation of historic life-
saving stations. 
(2) COST SHARE.—The Federal share of the 
cost of an activity carried out with financial assist-
ance under this subsection shall not exceed 75 per-
cent of the total cost of the activity. 
(e) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) HISTORIC LIFESAVING STATION.—The term 
‘‘historic lifesaving station’’ means any land, struc-
ture, equipment, or other physical artifact or facility 
formerly under the jurisdiction or control of the 
Life-Saving Service, including lifesaving stations, 
sailor’s refuges, shipwreck survivors’ cache sites, and 
lifeboats. 
(2) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 
the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Na-
tional Maritime Initiative of the National Park Serv-
ice.
(f) AUTHORIZATION
OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 
are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary—
(1) for use in making grants under subsection 
(d), $5,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2004 
through 2008; and 
(2) for carrying out the other provisions of this 
section $500,000 for each of fiscal years 2004 
through 2008.
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