I 
108TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1289
To establish the National Parks Institute at the University of California, 
Merced, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 13, 2003
Mr. RADANOVICH (for himself and Mr. CARDOZA) introduced the following 
bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and the Work-
force, and in addition to the Committee on Resources, for a period to be 
subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration 
of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee con-
cerned 
A BILL 
To establish the National Parks Institute at the University 
of California, Merced, and for other purposes.
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 ‘‘National Parks Insti-
tute Act’’. 
SEC. 2. PURPOSES; DEFINITIONS. 
(a) PURPOSE OF ACT.—The purpose of this Act is 
to establish the National Parks Institute.
(b) PURPOSES OF INSTITUTE.—The purposes of the 
Institute are as follows: 
(1) To train future executives in the complex 
management issues that confront national parks. 
(2) To promote scientific research to support 
decisionmaking in national parks. 
(3) To promote stewardship through consulta-
tion, cooperation, and communication, all in the 
service of conservation. 
(4) To promote and development environ-
mentally sustainable resource management practices. 
(5) To develop and promote a sophisticated pro-
gram to help developing nations manage their nat-
ural and cultural resources. 
(c) DEFINITIONS.—For the purposes of this Act: 
(1) INSTITUTE.—The term ‘‘Institute’’ means 
the National Parks Institute established pursuant to 
section 3. 
(2) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 
the Secretary of the Interior. 
SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT OF THE INSTITUTE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary, acting through the 
Director of the National Park Service, shall establish the 
National Parks Institute.
(b) LOCATION.—The Institute shall be located on the 
campus of the University of California at Merced, Cali-
fornia. 
SEC. 4. ADMINISTRATION OF THE INSTITUTE. 
(a) MANAGEMENT.—The Institute shall be jointly ad-
ministered by the National Park Service and the Univer-
sity of California, Merced. 
(b) CONTRACTS AND COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS.—
The Secretary may enter into contracts and cooperative 
agreements with the University of California, Merced, and 
any other public or private agency, organization, or insti-
tution, to carry out this Act. 
(c) FACILITY.—
(1) LEASING
OR
ACQUIRING
FACILITY.—The 
Secretary may lease or acquire a facility for the In-
stitute. 
(2) CONSTRUCTION
OF
A
FACILITY.—If the 
Secretary determines that a suitable facility is not 
available for a lease or acquisition under paragraph 
(1), the Secretary may construct a facility for the 
Institute. 
(d) ACCEPTANCE OF GRANTS AND TRANSFERS.—To 
carry out this Act, the Secretary may accept—
(1) grants or donations from private parties; or
(2) transfers of funds from other Federal agen-
cies. 
SEC. 5. FUNDING. 
(a) MATCHING
OF FUNDS.—The Secretary may 
spend only such amount of Federal funds to carry out this 
Act as is matched by an equal amount of funds from non-
Federal sources. 
(b) AUTHORIZATION
OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 
are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be 
necessary to carry out this Act.
Æ