I
105TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 546
To redesignate General Grant National Memorial as Grant’s Tomb National
Monument, and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
FEBRUARY 4, 1997
Mr. NADLER (for himself and Mr. HALL of Ohio) introduced the following bill;
which was referred to the Committee on Resources
A BILL
To redesignate General Grant National Memorial as Grant’s
Tomb National Monument, 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 ‘‘Grant’s Tomb National
Monument Act’’.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSE.
(a) FINDINGS.—The Congress finds that—
(1) Ulysses S. Grant has been heralded as a na-
tional hero by his contemporaries and by generations
thereafter;
(2) Ulysses S. Grant led the Union army to vic-
tory, bringing to an end the Civil War in 1865, as-
suring the preservation of the United States of
America, and resulting in the emancipation of Amer-
ican slaves;
(3) Ulysses S. Grant served as the 18th Presi-
dent of the United States from 1869 through 1877;
(4) Ulysses S. Grant demonstrated his commit-
ment to maintaining the rights of freed slaves by
executing his authority as Commander in Chief to
command Federal troops to protect the rights and
freedoms of former slaves; and
(5) Ulysses S. Grant demonstrated his commit-
ment to rebuilding the Nation and restoring unity
among the American people.
(b) PURPOSES.—The purposes of this Act are—
(1) to recognize and pay tribute to Ulysses S.
Grant, both as a general and as the President of the
United States;
(2) to restore, complete, and preserve in per-
petuity the Grant’s Tomb National Monument and
surrounding areas which are of National historical
significance in a manner consistent with the existing
architectural, historical, and educational value of the
monument’s original design and purpose; and
(3) to educate present and future generations
about the life of Ulysses S. Grant and his contribu-
tions to the United States.
SEC. 3. REDESIGNATION OF MEMORIAL AND ADMINISTRA-
TION OF GRANT’S TOMB NATIONAL MONU-
MENT.
(a) REDESIGNATION.—General Grant National Me-
morial, located at Riverside Drive and West One Hundred
and Twenty-Second Street in New York, New York, is
hereby redesignated as Grant’s Tomb National Monument
(hereafter in this Act referred to as the ‘‘monument’’).
(b) AREA INCLUDED.—The monument shall consist
of the tomb of Ulysses S. Grant and the surrounding plaza
area, as generally depicted on the map entitled ‘‘Grant’s
Tomb National Monument’’ and dated April 27, 1994.
The map shall be on file and available for public inspection
in the offices of the National Park Service, Department
of the Interior.
(c) ADMINISTRATION.—The Secretary of the Interior
(hereafter in this Act referred to as the ‘‘Secretary’’) shall
administer, repair, restore, preserve, maintain, and pro-
mote the monument in accordance with this Act and with
the provisions of law generally applicable to units of the
National Park System, including the Act entitled ‘‘An Act
to establish a National Park Service, and for other pur-
poses’’, approved August 25, 1916 (39 Stat. 535; 16
U.S.C. 1, 2, 3, and 4).
(d) VISITORS CENTER.—(1) The Secretary shall de-
sign and construct a visitors center (including public rest-
rooms) at the monument to aid in the interpretation and
maintain the historical significance of the monument.
(2) The visitors center shall—
(A) be established in consultation with the
study commission established under section 5; and
(B) be designed in a manner which is consistent
with the existing architectural and historical intent
of the site and which does not detract from the his-
torical interpretation and the scenic views of the
monument and the existing park area.
SEC. 4. LAND ACQUISITION; LEASE OR COOPERATIVE MAN-
AGEMENT AGREEMENT.
(a) ACQUISITION.—The Secretary shall acquire from
the city of New York non-Federal lands located within the
boundaries of the monument as depicted on the map re-
ferred to in section 3(b) by donation, purchase with do-
nated or appropriated funds, or exchange.
(b) LEASE OR COOPERATIVE MANAGEMENT AGREE-
MENT.—The Secretary may lease non-Federal lands lo-
cated within the boundary of the monument or enter into
a cooperative agreement for the management of such lands
to carry out the purposes of this Act.
SEC. 5. STUDY COMMISSION.
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—(1) The Secretary shall estab-
lish a study commission of seven persons within 60 days
after the date of enactment of this Act which shall be com-
posed of the president and at least three members of the
executive committee of the Grant Monument Association,
representatives of the community surrounding the monu-
ment, and citizens with a unique knowledge or expertise
relating to the monument. No officer or employee of the
Federal, State, or local government is eligible for member-
ship on the study commission.
(2) Members of the study commission shall serve
without pay.
(3) The members of the study commission shall des-
ignate a chair of the study commission.
(4) Upon request of the study commission, the Sec-
retary shall furnish on a reimbursable basis such adminis-
trative support services (including staff, supplies, and fa-
cilities) as necessary for the study commission to carry
out its responsibilities under this Act.
(b) DUTIES.—The study commission shall review se-
curity and maintenance at the monument, as well as plan
for interpretive programs and for the complete restoration
of the monument, and within 180 days after the date of
their first meeting, submit a written report regarding their
study to the Secretary. The report shall include proposed
measures to improve security, maintenance, and interpre-
tive programs, including such improvements as may be re-
quired to be carried out by April 27, 1999, which shall
be based on the original plans of the architect of the tomb,
John H. Duncan, and the plans of architect John Russell
Pope, approved in 1928 by the Grant Monument Associa-
tion. The report shall also include an estimate of the cap-
ital costs and general operating costs of implementing
these proposed measures. Following the submission of the
report to the Secretary, the study commission shall mon-
itor the progress of the repairs being made to the Tomb,
and shall, until the study commission’s termination as pro-
vided herein, submit reports to the Secretary and the Con-
gress on the progress of such repairs as the commission
deems necessary.
(c) FINAL PLAN.—Not later than 90 days after the
date on which the report is submitted to the Secretary
under subsection (b), the Secretary shall review and evalu-
ate the report and submit to the Congress a final plan
for the projects at the monument to be fully completed
by April 27, 1999. Unless the Secretary reports to the
Congress that specific aspects of the study commission’s
report are unreasonable; inconsistent with the existing ar-
chitectural, historical, and educational intent of the site;
detract from, distort, or otherwise compromise the histori-
cal interpretation or scenic views of the monument; or con-
flict with the purpose of this Act as described in section
2(b), such final plan shall be entirely consistent with the
study commission’s report. The final plan shall contain de-
signs for the site which are consistent with the existing
architectural and historical intent of the site and do not
detract from or distort the historical interpretation or sce-
nic views of the monument and the existing park area.
(d) MEETINGS.—All meetings of the study commis-
sion shall be open to the public. Interested persons may
attend such meetings, appear before the study commis-
sions, or file statements related to the purposes of this
Act with the study commission.
(e) TERMINATION; FACA.—(1) The study commis-
sion shall terminate no later than three years after the
date that it is established.
(2) The provisions of the Federal Advisory Commit-
tee Act (5 U.S.C. Appendix; 86 Stat. 776), shall not apply
to the study commission.
SEC. 6. HONOR GUARD.
The Secretary of the Interior in coordination with the
Secretary of Defense, acting through the Secretary of the
Army, shall provide no less than three military guards who
shall protect the monument and the site on a twenty-four
hour basis every day in perpetuity, beginning no later than
the start of implementation of the final plan referred to
in section 5(c).
SEC. 7. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
There is authorized to be appropriated such sums as
may be necessary to carry out this Act.
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