I
104TH CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H. R. 4073
To authorize the National Park Service to coordinate programs with, provide
technical assistance to, and enter into cooperative agreements with, the
National Underground Railroad Freedom Center in Cincinnati, Ohio,
and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
SEPTEMBER 12, 1996
Mr. PORTMAN (for himself, Mr. CHABOT, Mr. STOKES, Mr. REGULA, Mr. JEF-
FERSON, Mr. CREMEANS, Mr. BUNNING of Kentucky, Mr. TORRICELLI,
Mr. HOBSON, Mr. LATOURETTE, Mr. HOKE, Mr. KASICH, Mr. SAWYER,
Mr. HALL of Ohio, Mr. WATTS of Oklahoma, Mr. BOEHNER, Ms. PRYCE,
Mr. TRAFICANT, Mr. NEY, Mr. OXLEY, Mr. JACOBS, Mr. ZIMMER, Mr.
LIPINSKI, Mr. EVANS, and Mr. TOWNS) introduced the following bill;
which was referred to the Committee on Resources
A BILL
To authorize the National Park Service to coordinate pro-
grams with, provide technical assistance to, and enter
into cooperative agreements with, the National Under-
ground Railroad Freedom Center in Cincinnati, Ohio,
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. FINDINGS.
The Congress finds that—
(1) the story of the Underground Railroad,
which links historical themes related to slavery, the
desire for freedom, inter-racial cooperation, and the
African-American experience, is unique and nation-
ally significant;
(2) elements of the story of the Underground
Railroad are not adequately represented and pro-
tected;
(3) an entity to interpret and preserve the story
of the Underground Railroad is appropriate and nec-
essary; and
(4) the National Underground Railroad Free-
dom Center in Cincinnati, Ohio, has been established
to commemorate historic themes related to slavery,
the desire for freedom, inter-racial cooperation, and
the African-American experience and to relate these
themes to the ongoing struggle for freedom among
men, women, and children around the world.
SEC. 2. PURPOSES.
The purposes of this Act are—
(1) to recognize the importance of the Under-
ground Railroad, the sacrifices made by those in
search of freedom from tyranny and oppression, and
the sacrifices made by those who helped those indi-
viduals in search of freedom;
(2) to encourage and assist the National Under-
ground Railroad Freedom Center in Cincinnati,
Ohio, in becoming a principal interpretive center of
the Underground Railroad experience in the United
States; and
(3) to provide a role for the Federal Govern-
ment in enhancing public understanding and appre-
ciation of the Underground Railroad and in preserv-
ing the many resources of the Underground Rail-
road.
SEC. 3. COORDINATION OF PROGRAMS; TECHNICAL ASSIST-
ANCE; AFFILIATED STATUS.
(a) COORDINATION OF PROGRAMS.—The Secretary
of the Interior may coordinate the Underground Railroad
interpretive programs of the National Park Service with
the interpretive activities of the National Underground
Railroad Freedom Center (in this Act referred to as the
‘‘Center’’), which is to be built in Cincinnati, Ohio, and
is to be devoted to the story of the Underground Railroad.
(b) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.—The Secretary may
provide technical assistance to the Center in developing
the interpretative programs of the Center.
(c) RELATIONSHIP TO NATIONAL PARK SERVICE.—
The Secretary shall treat the Center as an affiliated area
of the National Park System.