I
106TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 3171
To direct the Administrator of General Services to convey a parcel of land
in the District of Columbia to be used for construction of the National
Health Museum, and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
OCTOBER 28, 1999
Mr. FRANKS of New Jersey introduced the following bill; which was referred
to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
A BILL
To direct the Administrator of General Services to convey
a parcel of land in the District of Columbia to be used
for construction of the National Health Museum, 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 Health Mu-
seum Site Selection Act’’.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act, the following definitions apply:
other space and facilities appropriate to promote knowl-
edge and understanding of health issues.
(c) PROHIBITION ON LOBBYING ACTIVITIES.—As a
condition of the conveyance, the Museum shall agree that
no part of the property will be used, during the 50-year
period beginning on the date of conveyance, for activities
to attempt to influence the passage or defeat of any legis-
lation by Congress or the legislature of any State.
(d) DATE OF CONVEYANCE.—
(1) NOTIFICATION.—Not later than 3 years
after the date of enactment of this Act, the Museum
shall notify the Administrator in writing of the date
on which the Museum will accept conveyance of the
property.
(2) DATE.—The date of conveyance shall be—
(A) not less than 270 days and not more
than 1 year after the date of the notice; but
(B) not earlier than April 1, 2001, unless
the Administrator and the Museum agree to an
earlier date.
(3) EFFECT OF FAILURE TO NOTIFY.—If the
Museum fails to provide the notice to the Adminis-
trator by the date described in paragraph (1), the
Museum shall have no further right to the property.
(4) MAINTENANCE OF PROPERTY.—The Admin-
istrator shall continue to maintain the property until
the date of conveyance under this subsection.
(e) QUITCLAIM DEED.—The property shall be con-
veyed to the Museum vacant and by quitclaim deed.
(f) CONVEYANCE TERMS.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—The conveyance shall be sub-
ject to such terms and conditions as the Adminis-
trator determines necessary to safeguard the inter-
ests of the United States. Such terms and conditions
shall be consistent with the terms and conditions set
forth in this Act.
(2) PURCHASE PRICE.—
(A) IN GENERAL.—The purchase price for
the property shall be the fair market value of
the property as of the date of enactment of this
Act.
(B) TIMING; 
APPRAISERS.—The deter-
mination of fair market value shall be made not
later than 180 days after the date of enactment
of this Act by qualified appraisers jointly se-
lected by the Administrator and the Museum.
(C) REPORT
TO
CONGRESS.—Promptly
upon the determination of the purchase price,
and in any event at least 60 days in advance of
the date of conveyance of the property, the Ad-
ministrator shall report to the Committee on
Transportation and Infrastructure of the House
of Representatives and the Committee on Envi-
ronment and Public Works of the Senate as to
the purchase price.
(D) 
TREATMENT
OF
AMOUNTS
RE-
CEIVED.—Amounts received by the United
States as payment under this Act shall be paid
into, administered, and expended, subject to ap-
propriations Acts, as part of the fund estab-
lished by section 210(f) of the Federal Property
and Administrative Services Act of 1949 (40
U.S.C. 490(f)).
(3) SATELLITE MUSEUM.—As a condition of the
conveyance, the Administrator shall receive assur-
ances satisfactory to the Administrator that—
(A) the Museum will establish, operate,
and maintain a satellite museum on Ellis Is-
land, New Jersey, for the same purposes and
subject to the same limitations as the National
Health Museum;
(B) such activities will be carried out in
consultation with appropriate State and Federal
departments and agencies and in conjunction
with other redevelopment activities on Ellis Is-
land; and
(C) the Museum will commence construc-
tion of, or renovations of existing facilities for,
the satellite museum not later than 4 years
after the date of the conveyance.
(g) STATUTORY CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in this
section may be construed to authorize the conveyance of
any right, title, or interest of the United States in or to
real property on Ellis Island, New Jersey.
SEC. 4. REVERSIONARY INTEREST IN THE UNITED STATES.
(a) IN GENERAL.—The property shall revert to the
United States if—
(1) during the 3-year period beginning on the
date of conveyance of the property, the Museum
does not commence construction on the property,
other than for a reason not within the control of the
Museum;
(2) during the 50-year period beginning on the
date of conveyance of the property, the property is
used for a purpose not authorized by section 3;
(3) during the 4-year period beginning on the
date of conveyance of the property, the Museum
does not commence construction of, or renovation of
existing facilities for, a satellite museum under sec-
tion 3(f)(3), other than for a reason not within the
control of the Museum;
(4) during the 50-year period beginning on the
date of conveyance of the property, the satellite mu-
seum established under section 3(f)(3) is not oper-
ated in accordance with such section; or
(5) the Museum ceases to be exempt from Fed-
eral income taxation as an organization described in
section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of
1986.
(b) REPAYMENT.—If the property reverts to the
United States, the United States shall repay the Museum
the full purchase price for the property, without interest.
(c) ENFORCING
REVERSION.—The Administrator
shall perform all acts necessary to enforce any reversion
of property to the United States under this section.
(d) INVENTORY OF PUBLIC BUILDINGS SERVICE.—
Property that reverts to the United States under this
section—
(1) shall be under the control of the General
Services Administration; and
(2) shall be assigned by the Administrator to
the inventory of the Public Buildings Service.
SEC. 5. AUTHORITY OF MUSEUM OVER PROPERTY.
The Museum may—
(1) demolish or renovate any existing or future
improvement on the property;
(2) build, own, operate, and maintain new im-
provements on the property;
(3) finance and mortgage the property on cus-
tomary terms and conditions; and
(4) manage the property in furtherance of this
Act.
SEC. 6. LAND USE APPROVALS.
(a) EFFECT ON OTHER AUTHORITY.—Nothing in
this section may be construed to limit the authority of the
National Capital Planning Commission or the Commission
of Fine Arts.
(b) COOPERATION CONCERNING ZONING.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—The United States shall co-
operate with the Museum with respect to any zoning
or other matter relating to—
(A) the development or improvement of the
property; or
(B) the demolition of any improvement on
the property as of the date of enactment of this
Act.
(2) ZONING APPLICATIONS.—Cooperation under
paragraph (1) shall include making, joining in, or