I
107TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 2420
To require the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a theme study on the
peopling of America, and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
JUNE 28, 2001
Mr. SOUDER (for himself, Mr. ENGLISH, Ms. MCKINNEY, Mrs. JONES OF
OHIO, MRS. MINK of Hawaii, Mr. UNDERWOOD, Mr. ABERCROMBIE, and
Mr. BALLENGER) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Resources
A BILL
To require the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a theme
study on the peopling of America, 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 ‘‘Peopling of America
Theme Study Act’’.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES.
(a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds that—
(1) an important facet of the history of the
United States is the story of how the United States
was populated;
(2) the migration, immigration, and settlement
of the population of the United States—
(A) is broadly termed the ‘‘peopling of
America’’; and
(B) is characterized by—
(i) the movement of groups of people
across external and internal boundaries of
the United States and territories of the
United States; and
(ii) the interactions of those groups
with each other and with other popu-
lations;
(3) each of those groups has made unique, im-
portant contributions to American history, culture,
art, and life;
(4) the spiritual, intellectual, cultural, political,
and economic vitality of the United States is a result
of the pluralism and diversity of the American popu-
lation;
(5) the success of the United States in embrac-
ing and accommodating diversity has strengthened
the national fabric and unified the United States in
its values, institutions, experiences, goals, and ac-
complishments;
(6)(A) the National Park Service’s official the-
matic framework, revised in 1996, responds to the
requirement of section 1209 of the Civil War Sites
Study Act of 1990 (16 U.S.C. 1a–5 note; title XII
of Public Law 101–628), that ‘‘the Secretary shall
ensure that the full diversity of American history
and prehistory are represented’’ in the identification
and interpretation of historic properties by the Na-
tional Park Service; and
(B) the thematic framework recognizes that
‘‘people are the primary agents of change’’ and es-
tablishes the theme of human population movement
and change—or ‘‘peopling places’’—as a primary
thematic category for interpretation and preserva-
tion; and
(7) although there are approximately 70,000
listings on the National Register of Historic Places,
sites associated with the exploration and settlement
of the United States by a broad range of cultures
are not well represented.
(b) PURPOSES.—The purposes of this Act are—
(1) to foster a much-needed understanding of
the diversity and contribution of the breadth of
groups who have peopled the United States; and
(2) to strengthen the ability of the National
Park Service to include groups and events otherwise
not recognized in the peopling of the United States.
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means
the Secretary of the Interior.
(2) THEME STUDY.—The term ‘‘theme study’’
means the national historic landmark theme study
required under section 4.
(3) PEOPLING OF AMERICA.—The term ‘‘peo-
pling of America’’ means the migration, immigra-
tion, and settlement of the population of the United
States.
SEC. 4. NATIONAL HISTORIC LANDMARK THEME STUDY ON
THE PEOPLING OF AMERICA.
(a) THEME STUDY REQUIRED.—The Secretary shall
prepare and submit to Congress a national historic land-
mark theme study on the peopling of America.
(b) PURPOSE.—The purpose of the theme study shall
be to identify regions, areas, trails, districts, communities,
sites, buildings, structures, objects, organizations, soci-
eties, and cultures that—
(1) best illustrate and commemorate key events
or decisions affecting the peopling of America; and
(2) can provide a basis for the preservation and
interpretation of the peopling of America that has
shaped the culture and society of the United States.
(c) IDENTIFICATION AND DESIGNATION OF POTEN-
TIAL NEW NATIONAL HISTORIC LANDMARKS.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—The theme study shall iden-
tify and recommend for designation new national
historic landmarks.
(2) LIST OF APPROPRIATE SITES.—The theme
study shall—
(A) include a list, in order of importance
or merit, of the most appropriate sites for na-
tional historic landmark designation; and
(B) encourage the nomination of other
properties to the National Register of Historic
Places.
(3) DESIGNATION.—On the basis of the theme
study, the Secretary shall designate new national
historic landmarks.
(d) NATIONAL PARK SYSTEM.—
(1) IDENTIFICATION
OF
SITES
WITHIN
CUR-
RENT UNITS.—The theme study shall identify appro-
priate sites within units of the National Park Sys-
tem at which the peopling of America may be inter-
preted.
(2) IDENTIFICATION OF NEW SITES.—On the
basis of the theme study, the Secretary shall rec-
ommend to Congress sites for which studies for po-
tential inclusion in the National Park System should
be authorized.
(e) CONTINUING AUTHORITY.—After the date of sub-
mission to Congress of the theme study, the Secretary
shall, on a continuing basis, as appropriate to interpret
the peopling of America—
(1) evaluate, identify, and designate new na-
tional historic landmarks; and
(2) evaluate, identify, and recommend to Con-
gress sites for which studies for potential inclusion
in the National Park System should be authorized.
(f) PUBLIC EDUCATION AND RESEARCH.—
(1) LINKAGES.—
(A) ESTABLISHMENT.—On the basis of the
theme study, the Secretary may identify appro-
priate means for establishing linkages—
(i) between—
(I) regions, areas, trails, dis-
tricts, communities, sites, buildings,
structures, objects, organizations, so-
cieties, and cultures identified under
subsections (b) and (d); and
(II) groups of people; and
(ii) between—
(I) regions, areas, trails, dis-
tricts, communities, sites, buildings,
structures, objects, organizations, so-
cieties, and cultures identified under
subsection (b); and
(II) units of the National Park
System identified under subsection
(d).
(B) PURPOSE.—The purpose of the link-
ages shall be to maximize opportunities for pub-
lic education and scholarly research on the peo-
pling of America.
(2) COOPERATIVE
ARRANGEMENTS.—On the
basis of the theme study, the Secretary shall, subject
to the availability of funds, enter into cooperative ar-
rangements with State and local governments, edu-
cational institutions, local historical organizations,
communities, and other appropriate entities to pre-
serve and interpret key sites in the peopling of
America.
(3) EDUCATIONAL INITIATIVES.—
(A) IN GENERAL.—The documentation in
the theme study shall be used for broad edu-
cational initiatives such as—
(i) popular publications;
(ii) curriculum material such as the
Teaching with Historic Places program;
(iii) heritage tourism products such as
the National Register of Historic Places
Travel Itineraries program; and
(iv) oral history and ethnographic pro-
grams.
(B) COOPERATIVE
PROGRAMS.—On the
basis of the theme study, the Secretary shall
implement cooperative programs to encourage
the preservation and interpretation of the peo-
pling of America.
SEC. 5. COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS.
The Secretary may enter into cooperative agreements
with educational institutions, professional associations, or
other entities knowledgeable about the peopling of
America—
(1) to prepare the theme study;
(2) to ensure that the theme study is prepared
in accordance with generally accepted scholarly
standards; and
(3) to promote cooperative arrangements and
programs relating to the peopling of America.
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