SEC. 6. SENATE CONFIRMATION OF THE DIRECTOR OF THE
NATIONAL PARK SERVICE.
(a) IN GENERAL.—The first section of the Act enti-
tled ‘‘An Act to establish a National Park Service, and
for other purposes’’, approved August 25, 1916 (39 Stat.
535; 16 U.S.C. 1; commonly referred to as the ‘‘National
Park Service Organic Act’’), is amended in the first sen-
tence by striking ‘‘who shall be appointed by the Sec-
retary’’ and all that follows and inserting ‘‘who shall be
appointed by the President, by and with the advice and
consent of the Senate. The Director shall have substantial
experience and demonstrated competence in land manage-
ment and natural or cultural resource conservation. The
Director shall select two Deputy Directors. The first Dep-
uty Director shall have responsibility for National Park
Service operations, and the second Deputy Director shall
have responsibility for other programs assigned to the Na-
tional Park Service.’’.
(b) EFFECTIVE
DATE
AND
APPLICATION.—The
amendment made by subsection (a) shall take effect on
February 1, 1997, and shall apply with respect to the indi-
vidual (if any) serving as the Director of the National
Park Service on that date.
SEC. 7. NATIONAL PARK SYSTEM ADVISORY BOARD AU-
THORIZATION.
(a) NATIONAL PARK SYSTEM ADVISORY BOARD.—
Section 3 of the Act of August 21, 1935 (49 Stat. 667;
16 U.S.C. 463) is amended as follows:
(1) In subsection (a) by striking the first 3 sen-
tences and inserting in lieu thereof: ‘‘There is hereby
established a National Park System Advisory Board,
whose purpose shall be to advise the Director of the
National Park Service on matters relating to the
National Park Service, the National Park System,
and programs administered by the National Park
Service. The Board shall advise the Director on mat-
ters submitted to the Board by the Director as well
as any other issues identified by the Board. Mem-
bers of the Board shall be appointed on a staggered
term basis by the Secretary for a term not to exceed
4 years and shall serve at the pleasure of the Sec-
retary. The Board shall be comprised of no more
than 12 persons, appointed from among citizens of
the United States having a demonstrated commit-
ment to the mission of the National Park Service.
Board members shall be selected to represent var-
ious geographic regions, including each of the ad-
ministrative regions of the National Park Service. At
least 6 of the members shall have outstanding exper-
tise in 1 or more of the following fields: history, ar-
chaeology, anthropology, historical or landscape ar-
chitecture, biology, ecology, geology, marine science,
or social science. At least 4 of the members shall
have outstanding expertise and prior experience in
the management of national or State parks or pro-
tected areas, or national or cultural resources man-
agement. The remaining members shall have out-
standing expertise in 1 or more of the areas de-
scribed above or in another professional or scientific
discipline, such as financial management, recreation
use management, land use planning or business
management, important to the mission of the Na-
tional Park Service. At least 1 individual shall be a
locally elected official from an area adjacent to a
park. The Board shall hold its first meeting by no
later than 60 days after the date on which all mem-
bers of the Advisory Board who are to be appointed
have been appointed. Any vacancy in the Board shall
not affect its powers, but shall be filled in the same
manner in which the original appointment was
made. The Board may adopt such rules as may be
necessary to establish its procedures and to govern
the manner of its operations, organization, and per-
sonnel. All members of the Board shall be reim-
bursed for travel and per diem in lieu of subsistence
expenses during the performance of duties of the
Board while away from home or their regular place
of business, in accordance with subchapter 1 of
chapter 57 of title 5, United States Code. With the
exception of travel and per diem as noted above, a
member of the Board who is otherwise an officer or
employee of the United States Government shall
serve on the Board without additional compensa-
tion.’’.
(2) By redesignating subsections (b) and (c) as
(f) and (g) and by striking from the first sentence
of subsection (f), as so redesignated ‘‘1995’’ and in-
serting in lieu thereof ‘‘2006’’.
(3) By adding the following new subsections
after subsection (a):
‘‘(b)(1) The Secretary is authorized to hire 2 full-
time staffers to meet the needs of the Advisory Board.
‘‘(2) Service of an individual as a member of the
Board shall not be considered as service or employment
bringing such individual within the provisions of any Fed-
eral law relating to conflicts of interest or otherwise im-
posing restrictions, requirements, or penalties in relation
to the employment of persons, the performance of services,
or the payment or receipt of compensation in connection
with claims, proceedings, or matters involving the United
States. Service as a member of the Board, or as an em-
ployee of the Board, shall not be considered service in an
appointive or elective position in the Government for pur-
poses of section 8344 of title 5, United States Code, or
comparable provisions of Federal law.
‘‘(c)(1) Upon request of the Director, the Board is
authorized to—
‘‘(A) hold such hearings and sit and act at such
times,
‘‘(B) take such testimony,
‘‘(C) have such printing and binding done,
‘‘(D) enter into such contracts and other ar-
rangements,
‘‘(E) make such expenditures, and
‘‘(F) take such other actions,
as the Board may deem advisable. Any member of the
Board may administer oaths or affirmations to witnesses
appearing before the Board.
‘‘(2) The Board may establish committees or sub-
committees. Any such subcommittees or committees shall
be chaired by a voting member of the Board.
‘‘(d) The provisions of the Federal Advisory Commit-
tee Act shall apply to the Board established under this
section with the exception of section 14(b).
‘‘(e)(1) The Board is authorized to secure directly
from any office, department, agency, establishment, or in-
strumentality of the Federal Government such information
as the Board may require for the purpose of this section,
and each such officer, department, agency, establishment,
or instrumentality is authorized and directed to furnish,
to the extent permitted by law, such information, sugges-
tions, estimates, and statistics directly to the Board, upon
request made by a member of the Board.
‘‘(2) Upon the request of the Board, the head of any
Federal department, agency, or instrumentality is author-
ized to make any of the facilities and services of such de-
partment, agency, or instrumentality to the Board, on a
nonreimbursable basis, to assist the Board in carrying out
its duties under this section.
‘‘(3) The Board may use the United States mails in
the same manner and under the same conditions as other
departments and agencies in the United States.’’.
(b) AUTHORIZATION
OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There
are authorized to be appropriated to the National Park
System Advisory Board $200,000 per year to carry out
the provisions of section 3 of the Act of August 21, 1935
(49 Stat. 667; 16 U.S.C. 463).
(c) EFFECTIVE DATE.—This section shall take effect
on December 7, 1997.
SEC. 8. CHALLENGE COST-SHARE AGREEMENT AUTHORITY.
(a) DEFINITIONS.—For purposes of this section—
(1) The term ‘‘challenge cost-share agreement’’
means any agreement entered into between the Sec-
retary and any cooperator for the purpose of sharing
costs or services in carrying out authorized functions
and responsibilities of the Secretary of the Interior
with respect to any unit or program of the National
Park System (as defined in section 2(a) of the Act
of August 8, 1953 (16 U.S.C. 1c(a))), any affiliated
area, or any designated National Scenic or Historic
Trail.
(2) The term ‘‘cooperator’’ means any State or
local government, public or private agency, organiza-
tion, institution, corporation, individual, or other en-
tity.
(b) CHALLENGE COST-SHARE AGREEMENTS.—The
Secretary of the Interior is authorized to negotiate and
enter into challenge cost-share agreements with coopera-
tors.
(c) USE OF FEDERAL FUNDS.—In carrying out chal-
lenge cost-share agreements, the Secretary of the Interior
is authorized to provide the Federal funding share from
any funds available to the National Park Service.
SEC. 9. COST RECOVERY FOR DAMAGE TO NATIONAL PARK
RESOURCES.
Public Law 101–337 is amended as follows:
(1) In section 1 (16 U.S.C. 19jj), by amending
subsection (d) to read as follows:
‘‘(d) ‘Park system resource’ means any living or non-
living resource that is located within the boundaries of a
unit of the National Park System, except for resources
owned by a non-Federal entity.’’.
(2) In section 1 (16 U.S.C. 19jj) by adding at
the end thereof the following:
‘‘(g) ‘Marine or aquatic park system resource’ means
any living or non-living part of a marine or aquatic regi-
men within or is a living part of a marine or aquatic regi-
men within the boundaries of a unit of the National Park
System, except for resources owned by a non-Federal en-
tity.’’.
(3) In section 2(b) (16 U.S.C. 19jj–1(b)), by in-
serting ‘‘any marine or aquatic park resource’’ after
‘‘any park system resource’’.
Passed the House of Representatives September 17,
1996.
Attest:
Clerk.